Caris

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
  • March 20, 2016 at 11:22 am #1721

    The people of Shen Ling are truly blessed to have you walk among them…and we shall be sad to see you go.

    Evon stares at you over a cup of steaming tea in the beautiful stone gardens on a veranda behind The Sacred Leaf. He called this meeting, and you were curious to see that only you were invited. There is a warm twinkle in his eyes of admiration…is it more than that? For a moment you wonder if you are being wooed by this scion of Fanlu. You’re not sure what to think of that, then you realize his comment has been hanging in the silence, and he is regarding you with the warm, understated smile of one who has lived long and seen much. Though looks no more than one in his late 30’s, according to what Grey has told you, Evon is at least 150 years old, alive the first time Grim Eye came to Shen Ling, alive when Fanlu was just a ruined old fortress, and one of the men who built this town within it’s crumbling walls.

    To think, you have traveled a thousand miles to this land, and found a place where your goddess is praised and where love awaits you. You are loved there. Tell me, Do you think you will marry him…you can only imagine he will ask you soon….
    Evon

    • This topic was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by DM.
    • This topic was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by DM.
    March 24, 2016 at 6:51 pm #1730

    Caris sits back and regards Evon over her cup of fragrant tea. She looks around the beautiful gardens and levels her eyes at him. “It is quite overwhelming, Evon.” taking a small sip from her cup, “For years I’ve only known the love and affection that I received from my comrades. We are so very close… closer than some might think is appropriate.”

    This causes a grin to spread over her face as she remembers the look of many an inn keeper that rented her group just one room to share for the night.

    “Now to find Shen Ling and it’s people, I feel such a bond to everything and everyone… and it’s a mutual bond to be sure…well,” she pauses and her gaze moves to the vibrant flowering array behind Evon’s right shoulder, she appears to be lost in a memory for a moment, “He…he…was a surprise.”

    Caris felt her cheeks flush at the thought of him, she attempted to put her cup down and almost spilled her tea as she missed the saucer. Clearing her throat, she squared her shoulders and looked again at Evon. “I do believe I love this man. As far as marriage is concerned, he has not asked me… but I would consider it. I do not take this sort of thing lightly. There are things…we’d have to discuss first.”

    March 25, 2016 at 8:11 am #1732

    (( DM-Man and Caris – I’m putting the second part of my thread entry here as it over-lapped. If either of you want to move and separate them – feel free! ))

    …Hrothgard finally makes it to his destination – to the the cottage they all share that Evon allowed them to live in. He spots Caris and Evon there and he smiles as he approaches them.

    “Hroth! We were just discussing marriage! Come. Join us.” Evon says. Hrothgard jokingly backs away from the conversation to a round of laughter as Caris rises and greets him with a hug and a kiss. “What brings you down?” she asks him.

    “I felt like I needed a night out on the town. A night with people and conversation… and drink!” he laughs. “…and… I could use a good date and a great guide…” he says with a wink to them both.

    March 25, 2016 at 5:16 pm #1733

    I wasn’t planning on a trip out tonight…but life is short, why not. There’s a place down in Laketown, right on the water. Should be an interesting crowd there tonight, and I hear they have an excellent new ale on tap, something exotic from over the mountains.

    Evon smiles at both of you

    Shall we?

    March 25, 2016 at 6:59 pm #1739

    In the dying light of dusk, dressed to the 9s, you walk down towards Laketown. It’s just the 3 of you and Evon’s personal lantern bearer. Most of Fanlu is at making dinner in this hour, so the streets are quite most of the way out of Redtown. Everyone who does see you, makes exaggerated bows in your direction, eager to make sure you see their acknowledgement without being bothered by it. The people of Fanlu give you a respectful distance, but go out of there way to let you know they recognize you in some pretty awkward and interesting ways. There’s no doubt you are celebrities.

    You stroll east down the hill through Fanlu’s quite, rural parts, passing the path that branches off the main road and heads up The Sleeping Mountain.
    South to The Sleeping Mountain and Hroth's new home.

    Evon and his lantern bearer lead you off the main gravel road, in the opposite direction, across a shallow ditch, and into a dense plum orchard heading north east. There’s no clear path, and you’re shocked for a moment as Evon nonchalantly straddles his way over a hedge and bids you to follow him. For a moment it feels like you are out in the country. In the dense orchard the old trees hide any signs that an entire town is out there just beyond them. This seems to be a well traveled path for Evon. Both he and his Lantern Bearer make several turns in the grove without conversation, as if they have traveled this path before many times. You have that feeling you’re trespassing on someone else’s land, that bit of excitement like when you would sneak into an orchard as a child to steal some farmers fruit. You do not feel in any danger, only that tinge of nervous excitement when you think you might be somewhere you’re not allowed to go. Evon makes small talk as you go, though his voice has noticeably gone from loud and clear to somewhat hushed. Almost seamlessly you enter a part of the orchard that feels over grown. Nature has begun to reclaim it. Other trees grow among the plum trees, breaking up the neat rows. There is still no sign of the town you know yourselves to be in. The last rays of sunlight are lighting one side of the trees, even as the other side is being lost in the grey of dusk. It will be dark in minutes.
    The Overgrown Orchard.

    • This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by DM.
    March 25, 2016 at 8:45 pm #1741

    Hooking arms with Hroth and then Evon, “yes, I do believe I would like a beer”

    March 25, 2016 at 8:52 pm #1742

    “Evon… where are you taking us?” Caris looks to Hroth for his reaction…

    March 26, 2016 at 10:47 pm #1753

    Well, we’re going around Southtown and straight to Laketown. This is a route I like to take when I don’t want to get recognized by someone and stuck in a conversation with them. Tonight’s about us so…

    The sound of barking, and an animal bolting across the leaves makes you shoot up straight and swivel your heads around.

    Evon puts a hand on each of your shoulders

    “Easy, it’s just an old friend”

    An excited dog comes bursting onto the path and jumping up at Evon’s Waist. The Dog looks like a larger version of Max. Evon leans down and the dog literally jumps into his arms. There’s an awkward moment when the excited canine playfully twists in his arms and Evon nearly falls backwards before the dog spasms out of his hands, lands on his feet, and issues a playful bark at the two of you. There’s a bandage on his left paw, which doesn’t seem to be slowing him down one bit, and some scabs on his snout where some hair is missing.

    “This excited fellow is Chuck”

    Wagging his tail, Chuck barks one more time and goes tearing around you in a mad, playful dash, shooting through the leaves like a doggy torpedo, then speeds away back off the trail towards a light that is now coming towards you.

    “That you Evon?” An aged mans voice croaks out in the deepening gloom.

    The voice is coming from the light, which is a lantern born by an old man that the dog has excitedly rushed back to.

    “It is, and a few friends… just heading into town and thought I’d pay a visit.”

    The darkness has fallen quickly, and the harsh glare of the lantern doesn’t seem to help you make much sense of the deepening dusk, but your eyes adjust enough to make out a cottage about 100 feet back in the trees. It looms shadowy among the trees behind the silhouette of the old man who is waving you forward.

    “Well stop lurking around like a grave robber then!… and lets have a sit on my porch! Chuck! Get the high holy hell back to the house you little shit!”

    The man turns around and heads back towards the house, waving for you all to follow him. He walks with an arrested, slightly bow legged gait that speaks of a body worn by years of hard work but still propelled with vitality. What he lacks in great strides he makes up for by walking more quickly.

    The Dog races to the mans side and pauses to look back at you and bark.

    “Oh Shut it Chuck! No one gives a shit.” The old man pauses to painfully bend down and lovingly scratch the dog behind his ears.

    “Don’t mind Chuck, got in a fight and now he thinks he’s tough business! Don’t you Chuck? Now get up on the porch boy and lay in your bed. Lay down Chuck! Lay your scrappy ass down.”

    Together the old man and chuck climb the stairs up the porch. A copper dipped skull shines with an otherworldly glow above the front door of the little house in the orchard. A cluster of bamboo chairs are pulled up around a low table there, where the lamp is now burning. A few candles flicker dimly from within the house.

    The man vanishes inside as you approach. When you are nearly to the front steps he emerges with a pipe in his hands and a small leather pouch. Deep lines score his aged face, and one eye is frosted over with white cataracts. It gives him a fierce character in the lamp light, but a pleasant smile is spread across his face.

    “I know you’ll be looking for a good smoke Evon, mine’s the best!”

    “Indeed it is. Bo, these are my friends, Caris and Hrothgar. Bo is an old friend of mine..”

    “Well they can see I’m old Evon! Don’t bore them with the obvious…I’m the genuine article..old as sin. I fart dust and shit rust. Memories not as sharp as it used to be, and also, my memories not as sharp as it used to me..”

    He pauses to let his joke land, eagerly looking the two of you over before continuing.

    “I once went shopping in an antique market and someone tried to buy me! But the gods have blessed me with the senility to forget the bastards I never liked anyways,
    The good fortune to be visited by the one’s I do
    And one good eye so I can still tell the difference! Caris and Hrothgarn ya say? Well come on up and share a smoke with an old turd. And you know what, Me and my dog will have a smoke with Evon too.”

    March 30, 2016 at 11:51 am #1761

    Hrothgard laughs and smiles and extends a large hand to the man in introduction.

    Hrothgard Skaldurr. Pleasure to make acquaintance, sir.” Hrothgard says respectfully, with a nice, genuine smile, as they shake hands, Hrothgard then climbing the few steps up onto the porch and turning, offering his hand to Caris to help her up as well…

    March 30, 2016 at 8:31 pm #1765

    “I will call you “Big”, and you Beautiful” he smiles at Caris.

    He begins packing his pipe with a fragrant herb.

    “Tell me Evon, why on earth have you walked these two fine young ones out here to my shack when there’s so much else to do in town? What use can an old fart like me be to them?”

    “I brought them here for your Wisdom of course.”

    A look of disbelief spreads across the old mans face.

    “Wisdom?! Your the one who lives in a damned palace! If you want to end up old and alone in a shack, working way too hard for your age, and taking care of a damn worthless dog because you’ve really got nothing else to do with yourself, than by all means, listen to my “wisdom”! Wisdom my ass, you brought them here for the finest smoke in Fanlu! That’s why you brought them! Well my younglings, gird your lungs, and prepare to not be disappointed…though I do have to warn you, once you’ve shared a pipe with bo, you might just find yourself wondering back through these trees again looking for another go…you know, I can be damned charming, downright entertaining once a few puffs of this has dulled your wits enough…you may even mistake something that comes out of my mouth as wisdom.”

    He smiles a warm grin, directed at the end of the long wooden pipe he’s packing.

    • This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by DM.
    April 24, 2016 at 9:38 am #1780

    “So you are heroes eh?”

    Bo speaks as he lights the pipe and hands it to Caris with a smile and a nod

    “Is it true all this I hear about war bands tromping through the hills in these parts? Bugbears and goblins and giants on the move again?”

    Evon leans back in a old wicker rocking chair, it is a relaxed, almost slouched posture you realize you have never seen him in before. It looks strange on the dignified Half elf. He regards the two of you with interest, as if eager to hear what you will say, as one who is new to the story, and you realize, since you returned from Shen Ling several weeks back, the two of you have not spoken very much at all to Evon about what happened. There was the madness and fanfare of your return, and then it seemed like everyone became so busy.

    May 3, 2016 at 8:27 am #1786

    Heroes…” Hrothgard repeats with a smile, leaning back and kicking up his feet a bit. “Heroes are a mere matter of opinion, good sir. A hero to one is a villain to another. But Heroes, we have been called, yes.

    Hrothgard takes a long breath, slowly nodding, and sipping from his flask. “But yes, the rumors you speak of… are sadly true. Plenty of activity recently. Many big battles we’ve been in of late,” he pauses for a moment. “More than any of us would like, I’m sure.”

    But the true hero of late…” Hroth continues “is this beautiful lady with me.” He smiles proudly over to Caris. “She deserves the lions share of the credit...” he beams at her, knowing he’s putting her on the spot.

    May 23, 2016 at 1:18 pm #1788

    “Here here Caris!”

    Evon says with unusual gusto.

    “Well is our fine city safe or not? Should I be worried? Shame if I lived to see us go down as an old man when I’m too damn useless to do anything about it.”

    Bo speaks, an edge of honesty and concern in the jokers voice.

    May 26, 2016 at 7:25 pm #1814

    Caris, never one for accepting praise easily, lowers her eyes in humility. She takes the pipe from the old man and looks to Evon for his o.k… am I going to be able to handle what ever he’s got in this pipe? she tries to ask him telepathically.

    Looking to the old man, Caris replies, “We’ve rid this world of an evil, but surely you know that there is always evil and mischief about. We seem to always find it if it is, right Hroth?” Caris winks at Hroth and brings the pipe up to her lips.

    May 26, 2016 at 7:28 pm #1815

    In an effort to delay partaking of the pipe, and for Hroth’s response, Caris bends down to scratch Chuck’s furry head. She’s got a soft spot for the pups. 🙂

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