Luna's Eye (closed)

[wideeyedone]

Kaelan stared at the red crescent moon shaped mark on her wrist. She had been born with it. The mark of a demon, the kiss of a monster, were the names the villagers had given it. Her mother had bundled her in a basket and left her outside of the massive stone Temple of the Hallowed. The order was ancient, and was dying out. When Kaelan was abandoned, there were only eight elderly clerics left.

Cleric Astor had raised her. He had taught her their religion, a dozen languages, and spells and potions the clerics used for healing. After he read stories to her of the Moon Temple each night, he would kiss her mark and tell her that she was blessed and marked by the Goddess Luna. He called her his moon child. As she grew up, the clerics kept her safe, and taught her the secrets of their order.

Her mark told them that she was the cleric that would restore the order. She would brave the creatures of the Moltaire Mountains, she would find the Moon Temple and restore the Eye of the Goddess Luna. These stories made her feel special and strong and loved. But she didn’t really think that the stories were true.

Even when she was old enough for Astor and Salem to teach her to use a staff as a weapon, it still seemed like a story to her. But now that seemed like ages ago. Now she knew that Luna’s Eye was real.

The clerics were gone. The gentle old men and women that had raised her had been slaughtered by assassins. Astor had sent her to collect a book from a merchant in the next village over. When she returned, no one was there to greet her. The temple was silent. And then she saw the Hallowed Clerics were before the altar, each with their throats slit and the crescent moon on their foreheads painted in blood.

She knelt beside Astor’s body. In ancient script, beside him, he had written in blood, “My moon child. Find the eye.”

So, now wearing Astor’s cloak and carrying his staff, she began her journey to the mountains.

 

[JudeRodney]

This is what makes life worth living! Bartek thought to himself as he let What's-her-name slump back onto the bed next to What's-her-face, both exhausted but extremely satisfied. Grabbing his flagon the big man went to take a drink of his mead only to find it was empty. No matter. He laid himself down, hefting the two girls into his arms and settled down to sleep.

Bartek was a barbarian who lived alone in the mountains at the "End of the World" where dangerous creatures roamed - creatures that grew to several times the size of a man and could tear one apart just as easily. It was here that he gained his reputation as the "Beast Slayer". Once a month he would head to the frontier town of Dead End Peak and deliver what aristocrats, wizards and crooked clergy all wanted - the skins, nails, teeth and other things of the creatures he killed. Sure he kept the meat mostly to himself, but even a brute such as he knew he needed his vegetables. Other than that, it was just a supply of his his favorite mead, and other minor sundries. The rest of the money he made was spent at the tavern and a room at the local brothel for as long as his money lasted.

The prostitutes always welcomed with bright smiles and wide eyes. Sure he was a big, burly,unshaven man, but the money he brought as well as his...manliness made sure no one was dissatisfied. Tonight was no exception as the two women snuggled up against his hair-covered chest. But now the party was over. The money was gone, and tomorrow, it was back to work. More monsters looking to make a meal of him only to find themselves at the mercy of his battleaxe. Good times.

 

[wideeyedone]

Kaelan had been trekking for more than a week when she arrived in Dead End Peak. She wore the simple tunic and leggings of a cleric, but they did little to hide the shape of her strong female young body. She shrouded her dark hair with Astor's cloak. As much as she tried to blend in, people in Dead End Peak were wary of strangers.

The innkeep looked at her cleric's clothing with a raised eyebrow. "What are you looking for, girl?" He asked in an almost growl.

She flinched at the sound of his voice. "I need to go into the wasteland. I need a guide. Do you know someone that could take me? I have gold to pay for my journey."

The innkeep nodded. "Go to the room upstairs, next door, in the brothel. He will be there."

She offered the innkeep a blessing and a left a gold coin for him. She took a deep breath, she had never seen a brothel, let alone been inside of one. She slipped inside and walked up the stairs. She took her staff used it to tap on the door. She could hear heavy breathing and snoring on the other side.

 

[JudeRodney]

Why did his head have to throb every morning after getting drunk? But this time, it wasn't just the throbbing. There was this pounding rhythm, too. Despite how desperately Bartek wanted to do something about it, he had a hard time moving. Eventually, he managed to summon the will to roll off the bed, only to take What's-her-name with him to the cold floor. Still the throbbing and pounding continued.

Slowly and painfully, the mountain man got up to his knees and crawled to the bedside table, where a pitcher awaited him. There were many hangover remedies around, but none were so simple as a little water, or in this case, Bartek forewent the cup and just messily drank directly from the pitcher. It helped the throbbing some, but the pounding...it sounded as if...

Someone was knocking on the door. Must have been the owner telling him to get out. Managing to finally stand up, he went to the without bothering to put any clothes on and opened the door.

The woman he saw was pretty small compared to him. Then again, almost everyone was. At six-and-a-half feet, he was a mountain of hair and muscle. Knowing little to nothing about religion, he dismissed her clerical garb and smiled lewdly at her.

"Sorry, lady," He said. His head motioned to the two women behind him. "They already got my money. I'll be back in a month or so and maybe I'll remember you."

 

[wideeyedone]

Kaelan groaned inwardly.

"I am not here for that. I want to pay you to guide me into the wastelands. I have gold."

She reached into her bag, but not for the gold she carried. She took out a small flask and mixed in some herbs. She shook the flask and then offered it to him.

"Take this. It will soothe your head and help repair the pain you have caused yourself."

Kaelan couldn't help herself. She kept looking at the two women curled on the bed behind him. They had painted faces and bare skin. Kaelan felt her cheeks flushing. She bit her lip.

"I have to make this journey. Would you escort me? The innkeeper said you were the man to ask."

 

[JudeRodney]

Bartek eyed the flask suspiciously, then the strange girl in front of him. He held the flask up to his nose and took a sniff before drinking it. He didn't know how but it helped tremendously. Maybe it because the drink tasted so bad, that he forgot about the hangover.

Then he realized what she had asked for. "Wait a minute," he said incredulously. "You want me to take you through the wastelands? For what godsforsaken reason would a little girl be desperate enough to go there for?"

He also remember hearing the word gold. "Before we discuss price, here's what will happen. You will pay me now. When out there you will do as I say, when I say it. If you even think about arguing with me, we're headed right back to town and I keep the money. All of it."

He finally turned his naked self around and walked to the bed to put on his hides. "Now what in gods' names would you be wanting to go out there!?"

 

[wideeyedone]

Kaelan sighed as the man blustered and then questioned her motivations. She smirked for a moment thinking that she could have just as easily poisoned him as she had healed with her potion. But if she did that, she would have no guide.

“I am a Cleric of the Hallowed. One of our ancient temples is in the wasteland and there is something there that I have to find. I will do as you say, but you should know that I know how to defend myself. I may be small, but I am fierce.” She clutched her staff in her hand tightly.

She could see the disbelief on the man’s face. She knew at some point, he might have to experience her skill with her staff first hand.

 

[JudeRodney]

Bartek could only scoff at her words. He had seen her kind before and they never lasted long.
"For someone who's never been to the End of the World, you sure talk tough," he said as he put on his bear-headed cowl on and grabbed his battleaxe.

"There are beasts out there that will rip your guts out in a second and watch you die slowly just for the fun of it." He returned to the door and loomed over the cleric, looking dead into her eyes.

"If you want to see your precious temple, you had best drop your pride and be ready for war at every step."

He waited a few seconds to let his sink in before stating "500 gold pieces, no less."

 

[wideeyedone]

Kaelan sighed in exasperation.

"I will give you 300. But the temple is filled with treasures and you may have whatever you like -- except the one item that I am retrieving."

She opened her leather satchel and got out a few coins.

"I will even pay for one more night for you here... if it will help you on our journey."

She tossed those coins onto the bed.

"I am going to get a room at the inn and rest. I would like to leave first thing in the morning."

 

[JudeRodney]

Treasure, eh? If he could get his hands on enough of it, he'd be in mead and pussy for life. But could this 'cleric' be trusted? It was true that he had seen the ruins of an ancient people, but was unsure of any temple. The knowledge of the dead held no meaning to him, so he stayed away.

When Kaelan tossed the coins to the bed. the deal was sealed for him. "Very well, then. Make sure your ready, then."

With that he hurriedly took his hides off and turned to the bed, not bothering to shut the door. "Of course, you could join us, since you're paying."

 

[wideeyedone]

Kaelan looked at him with her eyebrow raised.

"You aren't up to the task my friend." She offered with a grin. But when she turned her back, she was blushing. She had never been to bed with a man, or with a woman for that matter.

She went back to the inn and paid for a meal and a bed. She ate her dinner and then curled up in the bed she had paid for. She couldn't really sleep, she couldn't stop thinking about the dead clerics and the message in blood.

What if she wasn't cut out for this journey? What if her mark meant nothing? What if she wasn't ready? What if the boar of a man rutting with two whores wasn't able to guide her to the temple?

 

[JudeRodney]

The mountains at the "End of the World" lit up beautifully at the rise of the sun. Bartek was busy gathering not just his clothes the mass of provisions he had bought into one huge and cumbersome backpack. He had made this trip so many times that the weight of his load did not bother him at all.

His eyes were still a bit bleary and his cock felt a little bit raw from all his partying, but otherwise he was as ready to go as he ever would be. The hides he wore did little to cover his chest or legs and hung around his waist in what looked like a series of loincloths. One hide, however, was the pelt of some primitive bear, and adorned his shoulders like a cloak. The head of the bear covered the barbarian's own shaggy mane.

All he had to, now was wait. The priestess who hired him said she wanted to leave at sunrise. She better not let him down.

 

[wideeyedone]

Kaelan finished tying on her boots. She had her bow strapped across her back, a small blade sheathed at her waist and her staff in her hand. She came down the stairs of the inn silently.

She joined Bartek in the courtyard. She had the first half of his payment counted out.

"Here is the first half of your fee." She tossed the leather pouch to him. The movement made the hood of her cloak fell back from her face, exposing her long dark curls.

She carried a small worn pack full of herbs and tinctures.