Once upon a Time in Teldrin - Closed for NekoMata

[Nordican]

The castle town of Teldrin stood at the nexus of three roads. The exterior wall of the castle town is a large wooden palisade and the four story castle lays at the northern point of the circle of wooden stakes. There are about twenty other buildings encircled in the wood and one of those is the Silver Horn, a inn frequented by more than a couple travelers given Telldrin is the best point to stay the night, especially one as cold as it was this evening.

Luckily Hastis Vou had managed to get inside the warm walls of the Silver Horn quickly enough. Now with a nice mug of ale the human wearing a dark blue doublet over a slate grey tunic and dark black pants was just enjoying himself as people moved about in the bar area. A long black but slightly worn cloak seemed to show that he was either a ranger or one of magical upbringing.

A fire was roaring and people were sharing stories as the twenty four year old wizard watched them with interested blue eyes under a mop of raggedy dark brown hair. Travel from the past few days had seen the stubble on his chin and lips grow into a small beard that itched at him occasionally but it was easily enough of a distraction to put aside as he consumed another drink of ale and enjoyed the warmth of the fire.

 

[NekoMata]

Narima Tellari sighed as she entered the inn known as the Silver Horn. The slender female was grateful as a warmth embraced her. It was cold out tonight and she was no fan kf the chill that seemed to plauge these lands. She felt herself once again lost in longing for her warm woodland home. But she was here now. There was nothing that could change that.

Sitting down at a table in a secluded corner ordering a drink of spiced wine to warm her further. She knew how she must look many of the others gathered in the bar. She was slight with the tan complexion of the desert folk but the pallor of one who didnt see much sun. Her hair was waistlength and as red as a ruby. Her eyes were tawny gold a flickered in the hearth light. She carried two swords strapped to her waist and a quiver of black arrows on her back. Her armor was lightweight and pitch black with a wolf embroidered on the left shoulder. She wore a lightwieght cloak of dark purple material with a fur lined hood.

Sipping her wine she acanned the rest of the inns occupants until her eyes lit on what appeared to be a traveling mage. Settling back in her chair she set herself to studyi g the man from across the room.

 

[Nordican]

Hastis was not oblivious to the entry of the redhead. Even in her armor he found her quite stunning and the armor made her anything but common. The fur lined cloak of royal purple and the wolf on her armor easily set her apart from most warriors in the area so she couldn't be a guard or soldier. Most likely a mercenary or warrior who had journeyed to the area. His curiosity was kindled and then he found her tawny eyes gazing at him across the space and he raised the ale up once more to his lips.

The drink warmed him up as the fire place continued to warm the rest of the area and the mage stood up. Moving past a trio of men talking about the winter harvest that had come and gone he moved over to the corner she had taken over.

"Do I know you?" He asked calmly and simply in a warm gentle voice as he held his ale and stood before her.

 

[NekoMata]

Narima's hand fell to the hilt of her blade as the man approached, a reaction borne of finely honed instinct. Though his approach seemed innocent enough she knew better than to let her gaurd down around a mage. She herself was gifted with the arcane as well as the blade and bow. At his address she lowered her hand.

"I doubt it. But it is easy for ones eye to be drawn to another who is so clearly out of place here." she said with a kindly smile.

Her voice was soft and light holding a bit of a Northern accent. Motioning with her free hand she invited him to sit at her table as she took another drink of her sweet spiced wine. "So tell me mage. What brings you to this cold place."

 

[Nordican]

"Exploration mostly." Hastis replied back deftly after she offered him a seat. He gave her an appropriate amount of space and raised his ale to his lips encouraged by the beautiful woman's invitation to join her.

"I've been looking for some ancient ruins in the area. It's said that they were once the worship site for some ancient sorcerer of great power." Hastis said with a small thirst in his voice as he thought about what was possible if the rumors were true. They were more than likely just stories that had been passed down by the people of Teldrin for generations but his interest had still been kindled about a month ago when he set off on the journey.

 

[NekoMata]

Resting her cheek on her palm she listened to the Mage talk. She laughed lightly as she sat back in her chair. Her gold eyes shimmered as she leaned forward. She lowered her voice almost conspiratorially. "But have you not heard? A necromancer has holed up somewhere near here. It's said he's been summoning up hordes of the undead." she whispered, "That is of course why the Order dispatched me here."

 

[Nordican]

Hastis' eyes looked at her intently. Even just with one sentence so many new issues cropped up in his mind. "A necromancer here?" He asked as he looked around as if expecting the undead to rise. Then the mage smiled to her and raised his glass to his lips.

"Surely just a rumor I'm sure. Anytime some kid finds and old scroll or book with dark magic pictures on it everyone panics and screams necromancer. But it would explain your presence here. Not many women of such beauty and deadly weapons frequent Teldrin." He told her as he wandered what order she had meant but as he looked over her body he found his mind was occupied by other things that some Order or rumors of a necromancer trying to raise the dead.

 

[NekoMata]

Narima laughed lightly as the Mage easily dismissed her suspicions. She took another swig of her wine and savored the taste. There was no wine as good as this were she was from, a worth compensation for her long journey into this cold place. "Ah it's not so much a myth though I think." she said thoughtfully, "but on to less grim topics. Are you from these parts? It's so awfully cold here I don't know how you people stand it." She sighed resting her cheek on one gloved hand.

 

[Nordican]

Hastis watched her and nodded. "Yes I was born in a town not far from from here. Maybe a few days travel. But then I traveled with my former Master who trained me in the arts of magic." He told her as he took another drink of ale.

"As for how we stand it well the ale helps, a roaring fire and definitely when we have a nice woman to help warm us up at night." He said with a sly smile as he sat there thinking of how she might help to keep him warm on this chilly night.

 

[NekoMata]

Narima shook her head with a small grin. ”I'm from Talmira, so the nights are , but they is nothing the Talmir enjoy more than good drink and good company.” she said. Taking another stuff of her wine she allowed her gaze to roam around the room. Night would soon be selling fully on and she could begin her work. She emptied her cup in a single gulp and sighed. ” Well ditty calls. Perhaps we shall cross paths again mage.” she said as she leaned back briefly in her chair. Tilting hey head back she took a deep breath then frowned. Something seemed strange about the air. Her fingers twitched briefly and get Hans feel lightly to get sword hilt. She inhaled again and seemed to relax. Shaking her head she chuckled as she stood. Perhaps all the wine was getting to her head.

 

[Nordican]

Hastis watched the catgirl get up and then seem to giggle as her fingers brushed the hilt of her blade. He was nothing if not surprised by how quickly she had downed the wine to quickly and casually. Rising up he looked at her calmly and gave her a nod.

"I do hope so. I am not as familiar with Talmir as I should be." He said as his eyes couldn't help but wander over her body discreetly.

"I find there is much I would like to learn about you and your people given the chance." Hastis said in a mix of his own want to learn more about her and the inner student residing in him.

 

[NekoMata]

Narima smiled faintly. Something was not right. ”I would love to tell you more about Talmira. My home is quite the unusual place...” she said softly, ” But I believe there is something a little more interesting to check out first. That is if you don't mind accompanying me.” She turned to look at the mage, on hand resting on her smooth armored waist. She grinned her eyes flashing with a mixture of excitement and seriousness. Without waiting for a reply she turned on her heel and headed out the inn door.

Once outside she scented the air again. Without the smells of food and drink to distract her she could angel things more acutely. As she suspected there was a rather strange smell, like blood and decay. Perhaps she hadn't been sent to this cold place to chase rumors after all. Her hand feel to the hilt of her sword once again. ” Maybe there is some fun to be had after all.”

 

[Nordican]

(sorry, totally must have missed the reply for this post >_<)

Hastis looked at her after a moment. He spent some time considering his actions and then nodded given it was never easy for him to turn down an offer to accompany a beautiful woman, especially one so exotic as her.

Leaving some coppers for the drinks he gathered his pack and staff and then moved outside. He found the woman waiting outside, she appeared to be deep in thought over something.

"What is it?" He asked as he took up a place nearby her as he looked out into the village settled around them and the large tower castle that was nestled into the hill on the edge.

 

[NekoMata]

"There is the stink of death in the air..." Narima murmured softly, "And the lingering smell of sulfur." Like all of her kind she possessed and incredible sense of smell. Over the years she had trained herself to be able to deconstruct, compartmentalize, and recognize any scent that she came across. This was the scent she had been looking for, the perfect combination of dark magyk and decay that accompanied necromancy. There was no doubt in her mind that her mission was a valid one, there were reanimated corpses somewhere nearby.

"Well my friend it looks like I was not sent to chase shadows after all... There's a necromancer in these parts after all..." she said with what sounded to be excitement. Turning she headed through the town and towards the stable. Her horse Shadowmane, a stallion with a coat and mane as black as night, stood saddled and waiting. Swinging herself up into the saddle she glanced down at him. "You coming...?"

 

[Nordican]

Hastis looked around warily at the mention of the stench of death. He wished he had her scenes in that instant, or at least a potion or spell that might get him on her level. He nodded to Narima's question and found his own horse and rode up to meet her. He felt heartened to have an experienced combatant like her besides him. He didn't like the idea of facing the creatures alone but he was not without his devices.

The two rode off in the direction of the stench the catgirl had found and soon enough they came to a farmhouse that was overrun with the dead. Undead servants of the darkness were attacking the house while a few farmers already lay dead and bleeding on the ground. Hastis took in the scene in an instant and then cast out a fire ball from his hand that incinerated a fowl creature in front of him.

The creature let out an inhuman growl but continued onward nonetheless. Hastis bit back a curse as he got off his horse and ordered them off. The last thing he'd need is to loose his ride.

 

[NekoMata]

Narima could see the foul moving cadavers as she approached the small farming town. Reaching to her back she unhooked the slender bow from her back, testing the string that was running though the black ornately designed bow. Reaching to her quiver she pulled out a single arrow from her quiver. Knotching her bow she drew the arrow back with practiced ease. Still maintaining her seat in her midnight black mount she fire an arrow. It whizzed through the village and embedded itself in the forehead of one of the zombies. Rebooking her bow she grabbed the reigns with her left hand, drawing her sword in her right. The weapon had a slender two sided blade and was the color of ash. Never bother to dismount she charged into the frey.

"Get to work, I don't need one more person to save..." she called out to him as she nudged her horse in the ribs. She dashed through the village, her blade flashin as she swung it through the air. She wielded her weapon with the skill and grace of an artist, each fluid motion a stroke of death. As he rode her long red hair plumed around her, shimmering in the flickering firelight.