The Calling of Xantus Necare

[Rigwyn]

The Calling of Xantus Necare

[ This is my first stab at open collaborative story writing . Please join in doing whatever your character would do. Kindly keep all ooc comments marked as such. Feel free to use a new character or an existing one. ]

A Xacha with a thick black beard and worn, thrice-patched clothing made his way into the plaza accompanied by a Dermorian woman who rode atop a rivnak which was loaded with bulging sacks and wore a necklace made of white flowers. His face was spotted with small beads of sweat which ran in some spots, washing away thin paths in his road-dust powdered face. His hair looked like it was styled by a stray breeze and his dark and wrinkled cloak gave off a scent that resembled mildew or perhaps wild fungi. The woman was equally disheveled though it appeared that she had made some attempt to style herself. Strands of flowered vines were woven into Aella's shoulder length strawberry blond hair. Her clothing consisted of a simple peasant's dress and leather shoes that were clearly overdue for a wash.

Xantus glanced about the plaza as he surveyed the crowd. There were a number of merchants in town selling swords that glimmered in the light of the azure sun, clothing made of the finest leathers and furs, raw, salted meat and stews that filled the air with aromas which conjured up childhood memories. Xantus looked at one of the pillars that surrounded the statue of the masked lord and then at Aella with a nod.

Aella dismounted, laced her fingers together and held out her joined hands as she bent her back forward. Placing his hand upon her shoulder for support, Xantus stepped into her palms and climbed the pillar with her aide. He hopedthat the slight elevation would help to carry his voice though the noisy plaza. He cleared his throat, raised his clenched fist above his head and shouted, "Fellow Citizens, may I have your attention!". He threw two fist fulls of white beans high into the air in order to catch the crowd's attention. The crowd quieted and turned to see what the commotion was about.

[edit: Corrected title XD]

[Rigwyn]

The relative silence was speckled with quiet chatter, noisy children and a few mocking jeers.  A bronze-clad Kran turned to face Xantus. He looked at the Xacha with a judgmental scowl and then turned away to return to his stand where he straightened his display of Ulbernaut furs. He mumbled under his breath, "Get a real job."

Aella stroked the Rivnak's face slowly as she stared into its eyes with an unusually warm, somewhat passionate smile. Her eyes sparkled though her darkened eyelashes as she grinned admiringly at the beast. Her fingers traced the outline of its ears, cheek and neck. She looked invitingly at a rather young but curious lad who couldn't help but to gawk at her with wandering eyes. Aella broke the stare as the wide mouthed child's ear was grasped by an angry hag who wisped him off to the side. She bent down and whispered in a raspy voice, "Get away from that vagabond! Don't you know they snatch up children like you and sell em to the sewer people? Ya don't want that do ya?" She shook him hard shouting in a whispered tone, "Ya want the sewer people ta getcha an pull ya down a kickin an a screamin inta that filthy stinkin hole?" She glared distrustfully at Aella though the corner of her eye and then back at the lad, "Aye?"

Aella turned her head away, clearly insulted. She looked to Xantus who had begun to speak to the crowd and answer their questions as they shouted them out. He was an amateur at public speaking but was getting better with each town they stayed in.  During their last stay, the folks in Sarpendil actually offered them a warm bed and strangely enough a chunk of "Sarpendil soap" which they managed to sell when they briefly visited Dsar Akkaio. Surely the folks in prosperous city of Hydlaa could be persuaded to offer a similar degree of hospitality?

[bloodedIrishman]

A menki hangs at the back of the crowd, arms crossed and a mischievous grin across his face. He stood 1.60 meters tall, short for an enkiduai, but stocky. His fur was coarse and growing wildly every which way, his claws and teeth were sharp; as if filed by a knife, and tinged yellow. His only clothing was studded leather leg armor, the rest of his body was bare.

He felt a tug and turned to the side. He saw an old, decrepit Ylian carrying a walking stick looking up at him pleadingly. The menki made a distasteful expression and turned away, only to have the old man tug at his fur again.

"What?"

"Young menki....would you happen to spare a little tria for a poor old Ylian?"

"No. Beat it."

"Please...just a few tria."

"No. Get lost."

The old man spit on the menki's feet and turned to walk away. The menki swerved around and aimed a kick at the old man's left hip. The senile Ylian fell to the ground, his cane scattering across the stones. The menki raised his paw off the ground and brought it to the man's shocked face.

"Wipe off the spit."

"B-b-but"

"Wipe it off."

The Ylian man carefully wiped off the spit from raised foot and apprehensively smiled at Kull for validation.

"Good. Now kiss it."

The old man's jaw clenched for a moment, and thinking better of it, kissed the menki's foot with an odd expression that crossed between anger and mock happiness.

"You're fortunate that you spit on me in a city, for if you had anywhere else that old and dead trash you might call life would have already left you. Kull Rhundin does not give mercy."

The old man inclined his head as Kull turned to leave, pushing himself up with surprising agility. Kull began to walk away as he felt a body brush against his side and heard the jingle of his coin purse. Kull saw the old man get on his knees and beg for forgiveness before hobbling off into the crowd.

Kull raised an eyebrow and began to wonder how the old man rose so quickly, before a voice shouted off not so far away, "Fellow Citizens, may I have your attention!". Kull turned his head to see a poor-looking Xacha and a similarly poverty-stricken Dermorian girl atop a rivnak. Kull walked farther into the crowd and stood side to side with an angry hag and a young boy.

The hag scolded the boy for looking at the Dermorian girl, and Kull could not help but stare at the girl as well.

[Tadano Hitoshi]

The braziers never ceased to amaze. The way motes of amethyst light rose up from a glowing core as if upon magical thermals and dissipated into nothingness as they drifted. They were a calming presence for the old lemur though, he had to admit, recently they were also a reminder that all things faded to nothingness with time.
His knees protested painfully as he rose from the iron chain, gripping his candle-topped staff tightly as he pushed himself to his feet and turned from the braziers toward the doorway. Making his way along the corridor, one side open to the nave below, he could hear Sharven`s sermon. The xacha`s strong voice reached every corner of the grand hall and he could see the congregation were rapt.
The drumming of his staff upon the iron floor changed in tone as he walked out onto the flagstone path leading from the temple to the plaza itself, the great braziers - natural flame rather than the magical ones with the temple`s upper room – lining the route. The Azure Sun shone brightly overhead and the air was considerably warmer than with the temple. It brought a slight smile to Giroum`s face and he noticed that the good weather had also attracted many others to the plaza. Merchants had set up stalls, selling myriad wares and countless city- and townsfolk milled about.
He took out a glyph from a pouch within his voluminous sleeve and, muttering a few words, produced a small flame with which he lit his jade pipe, deeply inhaling the oaky pipeweed.
A shout and the pitter-patter of beans hitting the flagstones drew his attention to a couple by the fountain and the statue of his Lord. Both appeared to be travelers, and not especially wealthy ones judging by their garb. One was a xacha: that pale race of man whom Laanx himself had saved from starvation and chosen from their ranks a prophet to preach his good word. It was the man who had shouted out, calling for the attention of the crowd, while his dermorian companion tended to their rivnak.
Merchants? The lemur priest mused, adjusting his pipe and taking a few steps closer.

[Akkaido Kivikar]

[Thought I'd add a character I have not RP'ed in a while]

Malkius the Kran sat with an air of melancholy in the tavern in Hydlaa. Notably absent from Hydlaa recently, he and his band of men had returned to their mercenary work in the Stone Labrynths. Two war clubs lay tethered to his belt, his full body covered in plate armour made from the finest steel, studded with diamonds and rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

The Ylian beggar asked him for a coin, and he had witnessed Kull's ill treatment. He walked up, and flipped two circles at the beggar. He did not accompany the kind gesture with a smile, his donation almost automatic, unemotional, and mechanical, despite the rather generous sum he flicked carelessly at the filthy man hobbling around. His gaze remained fixed on Kull, the emotionless Kran wondering what would drive an Enkidukai to such a lack of sympathy.

[Rigwyn]

Xantus paid close attention to the crowd, taking note of small details like the callous menki who's unexpected actions had shocked him, the many sword and armor merchants, and oddly enough the kran with the clubs. This one appeared to have empathy but kra carried bludgeoning weapons which tend to kill slowly and painfully as compared to a sharp blade. Perhaps kra was a hunter like the fur seller, using clubs so as not to puncture and ruin the hides?

He began to tell a story about a recent drought which caused fertile crops to dry up and wild animals to disappear from the forest - perhaps in search of greener pastures. Food had become very scarce and they could only wait for the drought to pass while their children and wives lay in their homes with empty stomaches, telling tall, fanciful tales to distract themselves from their plight.

Looking at the fur seller Xantus asked aloud, "How many beasts were you able to catch during the drought?"

Kra said through grit teeth, "Two, but I would have caught twelve. I did not go hungry but I had no way of earning tria until it came to pass."

Xantus nodded in agreement, "And if you had what I offer today you would have caught twenty."

"Impossible" the kran replied, "There were no creatures to catch."

With a smile Xantus pointed and said "There ! Right there ! If you had what I have you would have been assured a field full of beasts. Drought or not"

Aella made her way thought the plaza with a stuffed burlap sack which she removed from the Rivnak's back. She reached in with her hand and pulled out clumps of wilted flower pedals which she scattered playfully as she wove though with a waltz-like pace. She tossed a few on the kran with the clubs and then slowly mouthed the words "follow me" though a smile as she turned and walked away. Leaving a colorful trail that looped around the plaza, she progressed towards the Lemur with a soft, curious expression on her face. Though covered in dust and dressed in rags she had a certain ambiance about her; a warm inviting gaze and a fragrance that resembled dandelions  and wild onions.

Xantus looked towards the callous menki as kra pondered his words. He began to speak now of leadership and change. The words he chose had an uplifting and empowering feel to them. He told a parable of a begger with no spine, a tree with no trunk, and a town with no leadership. Finally he spoke of an unknown goddess with no prophets, no temple, and no people.

"Without leadership", he cried, "We are scattered and disconnected like these pedals that have been strewn." He picked one up and held it high as he continued "While each one is spectacular and special in its own way, they are isolated and of limited value. They are good for decoration until they decay. How much more is a live flower worth? How much longer will it thrive and produce?"

[bloodedIrishman]

Opening a small pouch Kull withdrew a readily rolled cigar and moved to Harnquist's blacksmith across the plaza. The menki reached the furnace and holding it above the hot coals waited for it to light. Kull gazed at his surroundings coolly until the cigar was lit, then took an intake of breath and out through his mouth.

Walking towards the plaza he stood on the steps watching the bearded Xacha begin speaking to a disheveled and unkempt group of people. While the man spoke, the angelic-looking Dermorian girl moved about the crowd, throwing petals.

Kull felt his blood rise.

[Dralion1221]

{{I'm stupid. I was halfway done my writing when I closed my webpage :/ Guess I'll write the short version?}}

A young gray skinned female klyros was a ghost in the crowd. Her brown tattered shorts made no sound as they brushed along the ancient stone. Her dark blue eyes never blinked as she lightly brushed every person she moved by. They never noticed, but they always lost something, which was the klyros's gain. As she reached the end of the crowd, she stood up on her rough feet and slipped behind a tree. The frail wings stretched and brushed the old bark as she slid down into a sitting position. Opening her hands, Shea counted what she stole.

Fifteen tria. Not bad today. She smirked and looked around the tree at the crowd focused on the Xacha speaking. He gives a nice distraction for little Shea. For a crowd this size, I could even steal a circle and no one would notice! she giggled to herself and pocketed the change. Shea brushed off the dust from her ripped pale green shirt and furry vest made out of rat fur. She placed her dirty bandage wrapped hands against the tree and look for a suitable spot to enter the crowd. Looking at the other side, she saw an opening that she could use to slip into the crowd. Shea's eyes went around in the direction of the forge until she saw a menki puffing smoke at the edge of the crowd. She grinned. Perhaps I could make some big money off that menki while getting over there. Surely, someone like him carries a lot of money around! Shea got into her crawling position and tried to quietly crawl past all the bystanders, whos focus on the center. Her eyes were centered in on the menki she targeted.

[Tadano Hitoshi]

Giroum puffed away on his pipe, resting his weight on his staff as he listened to the xacha sweet talking the crowd. He clearly had something to sell, though the comments about the drought were quite true. The weather had indeed been extremely hot and dry recently. The old lemur was thankful for the dwarf-and-kran made wells that were dotted about Hydlaa. He had put off a trip to Ojaveda for more blessed nettle leaves because of the heat.
Shading his eyes with his free hand he watched as the dermorian girl wove her way through the crowd, tossing flower petals into the air. Perhaps a Xiosia-worshipper, as were many elves. Her activity definitely had the trappings of nature-worship. The xacha, on the other hand, seemed to be working up to presenting some form of cure for the blight on crops and the driving away of beasts by the lack of water. Whether or not it proved to be genuine or snake oil...still remained to be seen.
Either way, he was weaving a few folk tales into his pitch, and there was little Giroum liked more than a good old yarn.

[Rigwyn]

Aella stopped to talk with an elderly man not far from Giroum. She placed her hand upon his shoulder gently as they spoke. Her warm smile and inviting eye contact almost compensated for her shabby appearance. The old man was intrigued and seemed to be rather excited about their encounter. Eventually she parted from him with a smile and wave has he shook his head in agreement and waved. She made a motion towards him with her hand as if bestowing a blessing.

Through her peasant-wear the contour of Aella's lithe figure could be noticed at times when she twisted or turned the right way. On her side hung a smaller half-open blue pouch which appeared to contain small lumps about the size of an octa or perhaps a glyph. Carelessly she continued to mingle in with the crowd.

Xantus began to steer his monologue towards a spiritual angle. He began to speak about relying on the gods to provide for them at times when they could not provide for themselves. He spoke in unusably generic terms about how to open the mind and soul in order to communicate with them however he warned, "Those who wish to commune with the gods must be willing to make sacrifices. Its not enough to sit on one's rear and have pious thoughts. One must be willing to step outside of their comfort zone, to experiment in a safe environment, to take the advice of one who has already been enlightened. The gift of fire is passed from lit torch to unlit torch."

Having grown thirsty from talking, he stepped off the pillar and took a small pouch of water from his rivnak. He held it up and closed his eyes and he shook the last of the water from the pouch and into his mouth. He wiped his head and brow with his forearm and began to mingle with the crowd, eager to hear what they might have to say, secretly hoping to attract some new disciples.

[Tadano Hitoshi]

Giroum watched with some amusement as the young lady used her feminine wiles on the crowd. He continued to puff away on his pipe, savouring the taste and smell. It was then that his eyes, wandering over the dermorian`s figure despite himself, noted the half-open pouch at her belt. At first he was of a mind to warn her of pickpockets – a common nuisance in the city – but then frowned. Unless he was mistaken, the bag at her belt was a glyph sack...could it be that her charming of the crowd was more than aesthetics?
The old priest shook his head somewhat and took a deep breath, keeping his senses somewhat more alert.

The xacha`s speech continued, and despite his niggling suspicions about the pair, Giroum saw truth in what the man was saying. The need for sacrifice – a common tenet in his own priesthood. He hung back as the xacha began to mingle, keen to see what more the xacha had to say and indeed what effect his words had had on the crowd.

[bloodedIrishman]

Kull stood in one spot at the back of the crowd and gazed intently at the Dermorian girl. Seeing movement, he glanced over to see a female Klyros walking in what appeared an aimless manner through the crowd. Kull moved on and resumed his gaze upon the Dermorian girl.

[Rigwyn]

The Blessing of Swords

Making her way towards the fountain again, Aella stuffed her empty petal sack into a larger sack that was fastened to the rivnak's back. From the same sack she withdrew a large bone adorned with tassels which were terminated with feathers and small wooden beads. The bone looked about the size of her forearm and the species that it came from was not apparent. The bone was chipped and scraped and was adorned with a cluster of strange, black brushed on characters and symbols of unknown origin.

With some effort she managed to climb to the top of the pillar that she had helped Xantus onto previously, and held the bone up with her left hand. She waved it about and then began to call out "May I have your attention please !" Within moments the crowd had gathered closer to her as she began to speak.

"I would like to invite you all to a simple ceremony which will bring you good fortune."  She waited for a moment as the voices became hushed enough that she could hear the quiet sound of someone's feel sloshing through the crystal clear water in the fountain. She continued with a nervous, yet eager smile, "Its a very simple rite called the blessing of swords." Motioning with her arms to approach her she continued, "Just gather around with your swords, axes, traps if you have any, or any other devices that you may use for hunting and I will bless them."

With her feet together she elevated herself to her toes for a second and lowered her self to a flat footed stance as she waited patiently, hoping that her blessing would be welcomed. Meanwhile, Xantus, having made a few bonds with the local townsfolk returned to the rivnak and pulled from it a large grain sack which was nearly full. His left shoulder drooped as the sack slid off the rivank's back. Tilted a little to one side, he made his way back into the crowd with his sack into which he placed his right hand.

[Rigwyn]

Looking around at the hesitant gathering Aella motioned towards a dwarf who was standing on an aged hickory barrel in the back of the crowd.  "You sir !" She shouted, "How about you?"  The dwarf chuckled to himself at first and then shrugged. He placed his stubby hands on the barrel and climbed down, and then walked towards Aella with a funny dwarf-like march. He smiled broadly muttering, "Stand back m'lady. The ole blade's rather long. Don wanna poke ya with it"

Aella stepped back carefully with an embarrassed smile as the dwarf unsheathed an old heavily scraped sword. The blade was worn thin from countless repairs. The leather handle was blackened with sweat and grime. He held it up with the blade towards himself and the point towards the ground, "Ok misseh, lets see whatcha can do." He watched Aella through his wildly overgrown eyebrows as she began to wave her feather adorned bone wand over the blade.  Nothing seemed to happen.

The dwarf breathed out his nose and shook his head as he looked at Aella and then lightened up a bit. He reached into his pocket and fished out a few small coins which he placed in her hand. Muttering "goddess bless" he turned to leave. Aella placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "Please friend, stick around eh?". She looked at Xantus and gave him a soft nod. A few more citizens came forward, allowing Aella to bless their weapons and donating a coin or two. They gathered close to Aella and the dwarf wondering what else she had in store.

Xantus tipped the sack spilling its contents onto the ground as he circled the small gathering. He left a trail of salt on the ground which eventually formed a circle around them. Aella reached outside of the circle for a moment to remove another sack from the rivnak. This one seemed to move on its own. It jumped and jerked as she held it up over her head and surveyed the crowd.

Xantus lit six small torches and placed them at even intervals around the circle. He then stepped back, lifted his hands and began to chant with his eyes closed. His voice escalated slowly and rhythmically and Aella began to sway from side to side as she firmed her grip on the moving sack. As her hand tightened a muffeled screech could be heard and a feather or two slid out. Xantus's voice grew from a meditative chant to a tribal cry. His facial expression changed from a peaceful one to a rather distressed, painful knot.  The dwarf who was originally called smiled has he heard a familiar name pass from Xantus' lips.

With a twist and a crack the sack in Aella's hands stopped jerking. A foul smell that resembled burnt hair seemed to invade the plaza causing numerous complaints among the spectators. The sack was dropped in the middle of the circle as Xantus' tribal cry was replaced with silence laced with a terrible feeling of uneasiness. Aella looked at the dwarf and the other participants with a facial expression that suggested that she was lost or perhaps did not recognize them. With an emotionless stare she waved the bone wand once more. The dwarf and the rest of the participants looked down at their weapons with surprised expressions as if they had felt something but then dismissed it and went on their ways. Aella blinked and then waves to them all as they departed in her usually friendly manner.

"Sir dwarf" she shouted, "Do return some time. I have something else I'de like to share with you."

The dwarf turned and waved with a prideful grin, "The name's Crothbert misseh. An I'll be back later on today after I down a few Ulbers." Aella smiled as Crothbert waddled off and headed out for in search of some slightly less ambitious prey - clackers.

Edit: spelling correction

[Tadano Hitoshi]

Giroum watched the curious ritual from the back of the crowd, puffing away on his pipe and studying the action of the pair. He himself wasn`t particularly of a violent persuasion – the occasional fireball to warn off bandits – and so did not step forward at the call for weapons to be presented.
He watched the xacha creating a circle of white powder, salt he presumed, around those who stepped forward and frowned at the writhing sack in the girl`s hands. When she tightened her hands a couple of feathers escaped. A kikiri? It wasn`t uncommon for poultry to be used in rituals, from pure sacrifices to hieromancy: divination via examining an animal`s entrails.
Yet she didn`t seem to do more than kill it within the sack.
More curious was the change that came over those within the circle upon the completion of the ceremony. As if they awoke from a dream they looked about in confusion and surprise.
The old lemur arched an eyebrow and decided to head to the library to see what he could find relating to such rituals...

[I think the fact that Aella is a female precludes her from the following action:
β€œAella placed her nad on his shoulder and said, "Please friend, stick around eh?".
]