escordvi | << september: maiden voyage >>

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<< september: maiden voyage >>

Welcome to our Maiden Voyage log for the game! Because the grand opening is a bit different from how things will normally flow, the log is more like an event log with the MANTA Board included at the bottom. The focus of the log will be everyone getting a first taste of the home base for each armada, but not before having a farewell celebration in Eltrut to the new initiates! Since it is a little beefy, we've included navigation links to help jump between sections.

Players are welcome to use the MANTA Board as additional prompts in the log, or create your own open logs for them. There is no wrong or right way, whatever is most convenient for you.

If you have any questions about the log, comment here. If you have questions about the game in general, please comment to the Game Info.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated September 13)

ELTRUT: FAREWELL SENDOFF

It's been about a week or so since the newest batch of riftfarers arrived, and now the ships are ready to take them to their native armada base. But before everyone goes their separate ways, a special "sendoff" is held for the new initiates. Hosted by older, veteran riftfarers and their respective armada affiliation, two major competitions are held. One is to promote partnership between the armadas, the other is for their competitiveness.

A fan favorite for a number of years now, Legends of the Gutsy Ultimate Sailor Warrior Competition is a massive two-person obstacle course that has a whole suite of challenges to test sailor's physical and mental resolve…and teamwork. The only real rule is each pair needs one Corsair and one Paladin, which can be made voluntarily or randomly. Along with crossing a pool via spinning logs, swinging and climbing ropes, and plummeting down ziplines, there are a few notable obstacles teams will need to get through.

🚪 Steering a giant ship's wheel in order to lift the door to the next obstacle. Both partners need to take turns, one spinning it upwards and the other continuing down.
🦑 They must piece together the three parts of the Silver Squid Statue, fitting each piece properly and vertically together (have to hear the snap to ensure the pieces connected!) and then placed it into a hole in a door to move on.
⛰️ The final obstacle is called Mount Grog, where the team must climb to the peak of this hill of craggy stone. While there are footholes aplenty, there are also steam vents, "landslides" of small boulder-shaped pillows, and warm "lava" of red-dyed ale, making the terrain slippery and sticky! Mind the steam and ale, they are made of strong liquor and may make those with low tolerance a bit…intoxicated.
🐱‍👤 While some are free to spectate and cheer in the audience, others may volunteer to try and sabotage the rest of the competition by chucking wilted produce, or if you're really lucky, the showrunners will pull you from the audience to hit switches to change up the layout of the map mid-race!

The second event is Capture the Flag and takes place along a long stretch of beach using the remains of two retired ships on either end: one with each of the three masts flying a red flag, the other with three blue flags. Each player will have a small flag of their armada colors attached to a belt on their waist, along with a few very full colored water balloons. The goal is to steal as many of the other team's flags as possible and bring them back to their ship before the hourglass runs out. The only rule is no magic allowed! Have to use good ol' wit and grit. All magic will be suppressed and all weapons taken/forced to be left behind.

💧 Everyone is armed with water balloons of their respective team color. Use them to pelt your opponents and get that flag!
🚩 Some may want to try and score big by capturing one of the ship's flags. But it won't be easy. There will be a "crew" defending their ships and will have cannons filled with giant water balloons, sticky nets, and life preserver rings to deploy against attackers. They can also use the rings to quickly grab their own teammates and pull them to safety.
⛓ There is a jail that caught opponents can be taken to right next to the ship. Either escape, help a caught teammate, or defend it!

After another night of reveling in various taverns (and likely getting into more bar fights), everyone will set sail the following morning, with or without the hangovers. Everyone should be prepared to pitch in their weight, as during the trip, they will learn how to be a deckhand, learning the literal ropes of pitching sails, swabbing decks, and working the galley. There could be other areas they might have access to if they have the skill for it. They will also have a chance to practice their magic. Don't worry, the ships are fitted with special protection that even a stray spell won't cause too much damage (though if it does, they better be prepared to repair and clean it up). And since it will take a few days to get to their respective leviathans, everyone should remember their temporary cabin number. Some may even have roommates.

But the number one rule for both ships is no fighting between members. Save it for when they're back on shore!

ELAH: PALADIN BASE

Compared to the bright colors and bustle of Eltrut, Elah is much more refined and orderly, especially the capital city of Baleen. Tall, sturdy buildings of polished marble and white coral with accents of gold and mother-of-pearl, set in tiered, orderly rings of sandstone-cobbled streets organized by purpose and class. The higher it is, the more affluent, with the Chambers of Council seated at its highest point. Yet there is very little to no poverty, as the citizens are diligent in keeping everything clean and everyone taken care of. That isn't to say there aren't "dirty" parts of the city…but for the most part it's a prosperous, bustling city that takes pride not only in its Paladin force, but in the arts and pursuit of higher education and research. High above one may see gondolas seemingly sailing in the air, but they are just riding the "breath streams'' of Elah that connect to the three blowholes spiracles lining the leviathan's back. In the distant north, one may even catch a glimpse of the main blowhole spiracle releasing a huge stream of water. Access is currently under construction, but new riftfarers will be able to access it soon.

At the center is the city's pride and joy: the Plaza Fontea. Around the outer rim are daily markets and performers to help cultivate the arts and casual business, and there are a number of gardens and ponds for visitors to relax and enjoy. And at its center is a grand mosaic in the great whale's image with a series of "water spouts" that shoot water up through the ground, sometimes to music. However, something is amiss. Without warning, the water is turning different colors and making fart noises. While anyone who might know some engineering is free to help those beneath the fountain to try and figure out what happened and repair it, others can try and catch the culprits who pulled this deplorable prank (hint, bunch of Corsairs, of course).

At the Nodding Kettle, there are some special items that new Paladins can receive. These items are also available on the Rewards Shop, but new members can choose one for free. These items are also special in that they will start at a basic level, but can be upgraded and refined for better effects (for a fee).

🔪 Dowsing Blade: Lvl 1. A short sword that once fully upgraded can find special treasures and precious metals. At level 1, it will only find junk, but who knows? One man's trash is another man's treasure. And rusted metal can still hurt in a fight—
🫧 Bubble Shield: Lvl 1. A shield that will grow in size and strength once fully upgraded and provide protection in the form of a dome. At level 1, it creates a small bubble that covers a small area next to the user and can only take a few hits before it pops.
🔦 Wayfinder Torch: Lvl 1. A torch that burns brighter and can illuminate and find any path to a designated location or exit once fully upgraded. At level 1, it can only illuminate up to a few feet and must be charged with magic to continue.

The educational district is one of the many prides and joys of Elah, and especially the block containing the sprawling, U-shaped Archives framing the massive, gold-framed glass dome of the Conservatory. The core of the Archives is a blocky building of very weathered marble, with two longer and more slender wings; nearly every room inside is dedicated to some sort of specialized library, lecture hall, laboratory, or archaeological restoration room. The Conservatory, meanwhile, is teeming with the rarest of plants, flocks of birds, skittering reptiles, and even small artificial tide pools hosting reef-dwelling fauna and small schools of fish. As new members explore the complex, they may find the new items will come in handy for their tasks.

📖 There's been intel of Corsairs targeting the Archives for their next heist, especially the special collection in the library. Newer Paladins will be asked to guard the library in shifts and keep an eye out for anyone suspicious.
🦤 Oh no, Angus the Dodo has escaped the conservatory again! Capture him and bring him back unharmed. Thankfully he's peaceful and not very smart, but he is easily startled and surprisingly fast. He's a glutton for fruit, nuts, and seeds, and he's infamous for stealing fancy hats, especially if they have feathers on them.
🏰 Reports have come in of a nearby island with ruins of an ancient castle standing on them. Venture out, document the site, and retrieve any artifacts for proper cataloging at the Archives before the Corsairs break or steal anything important.

NOGARD: CORSAIR BASE

While Eltrut and Elah both have relatively smooth surfaces to build on, Nogard's back is covered in jutting ridges and spines. Between the uneven terrain, the transformation between Nogard's living sea form and skeletal land form, and the demon-ridden forest, structures here focus much more on defense and ease of repair or relocation as needed than on matching a set theme. Buildings in Fang are made from a mishmash of old metal, driftwood, and bone, but are often decorated with bright murals and graffiti, drapes of colorful fabrics, and intricate sea glass creations. Taverns and pubs can be found on nearly every corner, loud music and cheers and more than occasionally the sounds of a brawl pouring out from about noon to the wee hours of the morning.

Currently Nogard has settled on a remote island, its skeletal structure nestled deep within the island's cove, creating a natural barrier that will only allow Corsair ships in and out. They will be there for a while, taking advantage of the beasts that inhabit the island and provide valuable materials to be sold. But of course it can get boring, so it's not surprising to see the more "reckless" ziplining from one curved rib to another high above the city. There are also some makeshift fighting arenas for members to test their strength. Those who prefer to actually learn about Nogard's current settlement set out to canvas and explore the island, hoping to find some other ruins or resources that could be useful.

At the Leviathan's Maw, there are some special items that new Corsairs can receive. These items are also available on the Rewards Shop, but new members can choose one for free. These items are also special in that they will start at a basic level, but can be upgraded and refined for better effects (for a fee).

🧥 Camouflage Cloak: Lvl 1. A cloak that once upgraded will allow the wearer to shift and blend into their surroundings. At level 1, it's a bit ratty looking and only useful if hiding in shadows. Even then it's only for a few seconds, but better than none.
🔁 Ring of Returning: Lvl 1. A ring that once upgraded will allow the wearer to return to a specific location upon activation. At level 1, it can only be used once per day and returns you to a public space.
🔀 Ring of Evasion: Lvl 1. A ring that once upgraded will allow the wearer to have increased movement speed and dodging ability. At level 1, it is only effective in avoiding small objects and getting through crowds easier. Not useful for combat until upgraded.

While there are some "respectable" stores and merchants around Nogard, the Black Market is what the city of Fang is best known for. And as part of their initiation, new members are sent to the literal underbelly of the leviathan's skeletal remains where the Black Market exists. Those new free items offered by the Leviathan's Maw may be useful…

💍 Several sellers have put up requests for certain "special rare items" to help restock their wares, but these items are "special" and "rare" for a reason. From needing to kill monsters on the island Nogard has settled on and harvesting for certain materials, to stealing from certain ships and rich houses in Elah (oops).
🏰 On a certain island, there are some castle ruins that has been recently discovered and there are some artifacts and relics that could catch a hefty price if brought back. Just ignore the Paladins who may be excavating…and perhaps take their finds.
📦 Some merchants have special wares that need to be delivered to their clients all over Nogard and on some neighboring islands. Of course, there are many others who might try to steal it…whatever is inside it. Wait—did the box just shake? What, protect the package and deliver it safely!

MANTA BOARD

As mentioned above, usually the Quest Board will be posted separately as we won't normally have logs like these. But for everyone's convenience, we've included it here for additional prompts. Players can either use the quest board here in their toplevels, or create their own open log for them if they prefer to keep it separate and spread things out more.

GENERAL

PALADINS

CORSAIRS

BOUNTIES

𝕊ℙ𝔼ℂ𝕀𝔸𝕃𝕊

» GENERAL (4pts)

Dockside Repairs

Reward: 100 dubloons and a serving of cinnamon sugar grog for each day of hard work.

A recent tempestuous storm wreaked havoc upon Eltrut’s main port, leaving many of its docks in dire need of repair.

We are seeking dedicated workers to lend a helping hand in restoring the damaged docks. We encourage those with specialized abilities in carpentry, construction, or any related field (magic, physical or otherwise) to join in the collective effort to repair the docks as soon as possible.

As we are not sure how many newcomers we will have in the future we must restore the port to its former glory, ensuring it serves as a steadfast foundation for our maritime activities! Please help out!

Seahorse Whisperers

Reward: 100 dubloons and a seahorse charm that allows you to bond with gentle sea creatures easily. Doesn’t appear to work well on the angry ones.

Atnam Island has been graced with the arrival of a spirited new batch of young seahorses.

These magnificent creatures are wild and energetic and difficult to tame. We are seeking daring individuals who are up to the challenge of calming and training these giant temperamental seahorses to become reliable and majestic mounts in the water.

Those who dare to embark on this training journey will be rewarded for their efforts. Alongside the profound satisfaction of witnessing the growth and development of these magnificent creatures, you will receive a special token of appreciation for your successful training.

Caviar Conundrum

Reward: 100 dubloons and one tin of orange lanternfish caviar. The caviar itself is said to induce vivid lucid dreams.

A fresh shipment of rare live orange lanternfish has arrived.

There are barrels of them ready to be harvested for their delicious caviar. We are looking for able hands to help collect the fish eggs from this rare fish. You’ll be equipped with the buckets and scoops needed.

However, be forewarned, for these fish are highly territorial and possess a potent electrical bite. Slowly navigating their space and avoiding their electrifying defences will require careful strategy and patience. The tales caution that even a single bite from these remarkable creatures can induce paralysis lasting an hour.

Woody Rarities

Reward: 100 dubloons and a piece of crystal wood that faintly glows when it is about to rain.

A cluster of ancient trees has piqued curiosity, as they appear to defy nature's laws by remaining dry during rainfall.

This phenomenon has caught the attention of keen observers, and we now seek crafty individuals to investigate further.

Venture to the tops of hills or mountains on Eltrut Island and examine these remarkable trees, and gather samples of their purportedly waterproof bark and wood for thorough testing. If proven true, this extraordinary property could revolutionize shipbuilding techniques and open new horizons for maritime exploration.

Bottle Voyage!

Reward: Probably some bad advice. Or a love letter. Or maybe a new friend?

Have you heard of messages in a bottle?

Embrace the sea's powerful enchantment! Pen a heartfelt letter, place it in a glass bottle and release it into the ocean's waves to see what happens.

Rumour has it that within three days, the bottle will return to you with a reply. Discover personal advice, fortunes, or messages from far away. Perhaps even find a lifelong pen pal through this method! Unleash your heartfelt words into the water and let the sea work its wonders!

Results may vary. (Optional: For added flavour attempt posting your bottle message to a random character's inbox.)

» PALADINS (4pts)

Paws of Valor

Reward: A voucher for a free dagger at The Nodding Kettle: Blacksmith and Wares.

Hello, aspiring recruits! We are in need of your assistance to gather iron ore at the local mines, a vital resource for crafting cannonballs to fortify the armada. Although the task at hand may be arduous, it is of utmost importance!

However, we must provide one gentle warning. One of our captains recently lost his pet wildcat, Whiskerbeard, and she has been left to roam freely. Whiskerbeard has a mischievous streak and enjoys playing pranks on new recruits. While she may pose a playful challenge during your ore collection, we trust that you young and agile newcomers will find ways to work around her more violent antics. Please do not harm her or your coin will be cut in half for an entire month!

Five Finger Discount-inued

Reward: The sheer satisfaction of doing the right thing.

Reports have emerged of pickpockets and thieves falling victim to a frustrated shop owner–turned–vigilante, resulting in severed fingers and a growing stain on the Paladin’s reputation for maintaining order among the various port marketplaces.

In order to address this issue and uphold the principles of justice, we need your expertise to delve into the local shops and uncover the truth behind these vigilante actions. It is crucial to identify the shop owner responsible as well as apprehend any theives and restore a sense of balance and fairness to the markets.

However, it is essential to approach this investigation with a focus on fairness and adherence to the law. Our aim is to ensure a just and lawful resolution, and a few fewer fingers being cut off, including yours.

Chasing Tuna Titans

Reward: A casket of fine wine. The bigger the fish, the bigger the casket.

The recent influx of newcomers has led to an increased demand for foodstuffs, placing a strain on our hardworking fishermen. To aid them in meeting these demands, the fishermen have requested assistance from the Paladin's vessels to catch a fresh supply of large tuna fish until new fishermen can be trained.

Join the fishing ships in procuring a bountiful supply of giant tuna fish. Be prepared for the challenge, for these magnificent creatures can grow to sizes ranging from sixty pounds to a staggering four hundred pounds. Good luck reeling them in!

» CORSAIRS (4pts)

Traded Secrets

Reward: A recipe for a dubious-looking soup made to be highly addictive and whatever else you steal from the ship.

There is a popular merchant ship that sells soup out of its main deck that is travelling the seas lately. Its tantalising flavours have ignited such fervent desire that people are willing to engage in battles and even sink ships to secure a coveted bowl. And you’ll be damned if you don’t get a bowl of it before it’s all gone! Find the secrets behind the renowned travelling ship's irresistibly delectable soup!

Surely, there has to be a trick to it. Begin by infiltrating the merchant’s ship, whether by legitimate means or through becoming a discreet passenger and find out what that secret ingredient is. What makes this soup so tantalising that people are willing to give someone a black eye to get it. Is it a frog's legs? Eye of newt? Some kind of illegal drug? Paprika?

Unconventional Couture

Reward: A silk dress of your choice and a pocket gun that can be concealed in a boot.

A renowned mistress from the lantern light district in Naughtilust seeks diverse bodies to showcase her exquisite collection of rare silks and gowns. Don’t worry, she disregards conventional standards and welcomes individuals of any body type or gender, recognizing the beauty in diversity. The more types the better, actually!

However, it is imperative to maintain utmost discretion, as these precious garments were acquired through unconventional means (they were stolen). This gathering is intended for a select group of haughty guests who will appreciate the opulence and allure of these clandestine treasures. So keep it hush-hush! There are dubloons to be squeezed!

Pickpocketing Practice

Reward: A lesson learned for every pocket picked.

With the influx of new scallywags on our shores, the Corsair ships have taken it upon themselves to impart their expertise in the art of pickpocketing. If you're ready to master the craft and enhance your acting, lying, and sleight-of-hand skills, then step forward and join their pickpocketing seminars!

Under the guidance of experienced Corsairs, you'll learn the tricks of the trade, honing your abilities to make a quick dubloon when navigating crowded streets or lively gatherings.

Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. As you venture out to test your newfound skills, exercise caution and subtlety. A successful pickpocket knows the importance of being undetected. The Corsairs will not come to your aid should you find yourself hanging around in the gallows. Or losing a few fingers.

» BOUNTIES (6pts)

Giga Mantis Shrimp

Reward: 500 dubloons.

Said to be as large as a horse with a sting as powerful as a hundred stinging jellyfish. This creature has somehow grown larger than most other mantis shrimp and it has been hunting down and eating the heads of male prey. Find this creature in the ocean and kill it before it hunts and eats more innocent sailors.

Read More.

✦ Size: Medium
✦ Type: Sea creature
✦ Strengths: Powerful pincers, Swift swimmer, Carnivorous, Stinging spines
✦ Weaknesses: Lightning, Sharp weapons, Piercing weapons

Horned Dolphin

Reward: 1000 dubloons. An extra 500 dubloons for the horn.

A rare dolphin with a strange magical glowing horn has been sighted in the ocean. Although some of the rumours are saying that the dolphin is merely a lost narwhal. It seems to only appear when the weather is foggy which makes it particularly difficult to find. Find it and record proof of its existence or kill it and farm the horn for an extra bounty.

Read More.

✦ Size: Large
✦ Type: Sea creature
✦ Strengths: Light magic, Swift swimmer, Omnivourous, Peaceful
✦ Weaknesses: Wind magic, Darkness magic, Blunt weapons

» SPECIALS (12pts)

None

Reward: None

No special quests at this time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This time, she won't relent.

She hears him call out to her, hears his heavy gait on the floor, feels his arms go around her, and this time, she uses both her own dwindling strength as well as the wind to try to knock him back.]

Don't! Don't you dare—!

[Her eyes are burning now with rage-filled tears, her nails clawing into his leather as she tries to fight him, but there is a desperation in them, too. Beneath it all, it's almost as if she's clinging to him instead. Gripping him tight, afraid to let go...

And yet... Still, she would push him away.]

If you hate me so much, then what are you doing!?

[And neither will he. Isn't so great how stupidly stubborn they can be? So when she resists, he just tightens his hold.]

I never hated you, dammit, I thought you did!

[And she probably still does, but when she keeps giving him these mixed signals then what the hell is supposed to think?? No, not that it matters. She can hate him all she wants as long as he can get her out.]

I do.

[Her fist pounds against his arm when she feels his arms tighten, and then again, and then again.]

I do, I do, I do!

[Her heart bleeds black because of him. There are no fancy words, there is no purple prose or metaphors that she could say to soften the blow anymore. He left. That is all there is to it. He betrayed his king, yes, but he left her. After he had promised that he never would.

And then...]

You left me to die...! All along...

Is that what you think!?

[This time he turns her around, makes her face him as he inadvertently traps her between himself and the wall.]

You—this whole time—!

[He's not even aware of how cracked his voice has broken, the hurt and pain, the desperate regret in his eyes.]

I wanted to save you! To be with me—!

[Fuck. Fuck. All the things he kept to himself, all the feelings towards her he had to push aside to keep himself moving forward are now rushing out, and not in the way he wanted. No, he never wanted her to know. She never needed to know.

And even he knows it doesn't matter anymore now.

She's dead. He's dead.

New world or not, it may already be too late.]

[She drags him with her when he turns her around, fighting and fighting until she feels her back thump against the wall and only then do her screams finally fade into a sob.]

Liar. You're a fucking liar!

[He abandoned her. Tossed her aside instead, just like everyone has done to her all her life. When she was of no use to them anymore, she was discarded. By her parents. By her masters. By Cidolfus. Barnabas, even.

How many times has she wondered when this cycle will finally end? So, so many, and now...? Well, even in death, it would seem that there is no escape.]

You didn't want me! You didn't fight—!

[If he had, then why did he walk away? Why didn't he fight harder? Why didn't he push and pull until she finally gave in? If that is what he wanted so badly, then he did not fight for her enough, and that is why he doesn't deserve her.]

Fight—!?

[Don't fucking kidding him, is that—

All this time.

All this time he had been wanting to let her choose. And of course, he hated her choice, but after the life she had, forcing her was the last thing on his mind. It would make him no better than anyone else.

But fucking hell, don't tell him she was playing that stupid game of testing him—

Well she's tested something all right, and that was his patience. He should just leave her right then and there. Leave her to her choices, stop letting himself be twisted around by something that might not even be there anymore. Fuck, she's back with Barnabas, could this yet be another ploy?

Rationally, a part of him knows he needs to just leave. To be done with this. Done with her. Bury it once and for all.

Yet seeing her like this, reminded of everything that happened, of how even though he knows shouldn't—

Just like before, that fateful night in Waleod.

A moment of weakness.

An impulse that he couldn't control when he should have.

Her sobs and shouts will be silence as his mouth roughly takes her, pushing her further back against the wall. And should she protest he'll just push back—at least at first. He could never force her for too long, but it was as if he was making a point. For if words won't get into her head, if actions is what she's want—then that is what she will get.

He's angry, he's hurt, he's upset—yet worst of all, it's not even at her. It's at himself. How her words dug into him like barbs, tore through that wall he had built until he's left shaken.

How even now he still wants her—]

[She can see that anger roiling in his gaze beneath the realization of what it is those words of hers mean. Once more, she tries to find that part of herself that would feel more recompense at this. Payback for that hole he had left in her heart... but it's buried so deep beneath everything else that she can't. Perhaps it was the vengeful harpy herself that brought out that side of her, who slumbers in the furthest depths of her consciousness, unreachable.

It would be the easier explanation than all of this.

Easier to explain away that it is only because Garuda is missing than figuring out what these feelings are as she watches him work through it. Watches the pain settle into those wrinkles around his eyes, or in the way his jaw tightens.

But her struggles don't pause long enough for her to see much else.]

Yes, fight! I waited for you and you—

[Except she doesn't get out much more than that, for she feels something else swell up inside her as her back crashes against the wall, and his lips capture hers.

It takes her by surprise, her eyes opening wide in both alarm and confusion, but then she's struggling against him, pushing back. Shoving and punching and sobbing because why the fuck, of all the times for him to do this, it had to be now—

Had to be when it is too late.

When he does not relent to her struggles, however...

Another feeling hits her.

A feeling that has her melting between him and the wall instead, her wrestling turning into her grappling for him, reaching for him.

A longing that has festered for six long years finally unchained, every link being pulled loose and collapsing beneath her as she fights him, though not for freedom, but for control until she's pressing back just as firmly, growling low past her lips before taking him again.]

[If she had tried to push him back any further, reject him anymore, then he would have let her go. Just let her go and that's it. He'll be through, no longer wanting to deal with her games. It may not have been how she wanted it, and he may not have gone about it the right way, but he had tried many times to bring her over.

...

But it's also true that he probably didn't try hard enough, letting the hurt and her choice to leave him be it. Let his personal relationships and wants be pushed aside to focus on something else. Or maybe he just used it all as an excuse, fucking hell if he knows anymore. Whenever he's with Benedikta, it's as if everything gets tossed into disarray.

So when she does end up fighting back in the way to try and gain control instead, he pushes back just as hard, teeth biting and tongue pushing against hers as his grip on her changes into less of a restraint and more of just keeping her in place.]

[It spirals so fast that not even she can find those threads of restraint... and she's not even sure that she wants to. One side of her wants to shove him away, to push him back and scream at him for daring to do such a thing now, but there is that other side... stronger, eclipsing as she allows him through, her lips parting for him with a low keen, pushing back all her better judgment and rational thought.

No thoughts at all save for those that have her clambering for purchase, grabbing the leather of his jacket for support as she lifts herself up to meet him better, to force him to deepen their kiss. To force him to cage her beneath him lest she fly away.

For her heart wishes to indulge in this while she waits for reason to catch up with her. To show him what she had been wanting from him all along—for him to fight her, to take her, to grab her and whisk her away... just like he has with his lips.

Her emotions are a mess—they are a mess, but this is just how it's always been with them, hasn't it? This constant push and pull, for years and years they fought, stubbornly so, never once backing down nor buckling. Never, until tonight.

All he wanted was a chat... all she wanted was to be left alone... and somehow, they've wound up here, lost in the passionate fires of their love and their hatred for each other, stoked by old, bitter memories. There is nothing quite like that swirl of emotions—especially when one feels them both as strongly as the other. It's intense, it's chaotic, but it was always their storm to weather.

Their mess to make, as she nips and growls against his lips...

Their hurts to heal, as she grabs hold of his hair...

...

She feels a sharpness twist in her heart again, and just as fast as she had pressed herself to him, just as fast as she had wanted to feel him, it all breaks away from her. That caution she had thrown to the wind comes rushing back on it, and her eyes snap open.

He'll feel a force push him back, both magic and her own strength.]

Cidolfus...!?

[Everything settles back into that distant, hazy gaze of hers, and she stares at him in pure outrage and confusion.]

[He must have lost his mind, but his hand had risen up to the side of her head, firmly cupping her cheek as they move, turning this way and that, each fighting against the other. Fighting, pulling, wanting, resisting.

Until she at last pushes him away, forcing him to step back with ragged pants as he stares at her, his eyes heated with a mix of rekindled passion, anger, and bitterness.]

What?

[He steps back towards her, feeling as if he's really losing his mind.]

Isn't this what you wanted!? [His fist slams against the wall behind her as he tries to rein in the swell of emotions that she's stirred, yet the tempest storming within him is difficult to control.] Never listening to anything I say, saying I don't know anything—neither do you!

[His voice rises higher than he wanted, but it trembles near the end.]

When you died... How I felt... [Feeling himself losing it further as he stares down at her eyes, now so full of life even if it's filled with that hatred and anger, he just clenches his fist and pulls away.] Fuck!

[Her own chest rises and falls to the same beat, as if their hearts had somehow connected in that fleeting, heated moment, still waiting to be torn apart again. Her lips, swollen and red, turn with a frown as she watches him carefully, waiting for his next move as those same emotions swirl in her eyes. Equal amounts of love and hate, of bitter betrayal and longing, of an ache seeking a salve... all their memories—the times they spent together and apart, the nights that she cried tears over his betrayal, the way she would so easily bend under his touch—all of it is there.

All of it brewing into the same dangerous storm that she can see in him, simmering and stewing until they find each other and clash once more, whether in a kiss or more shouts.

And it ends up being the latter, though when his fist meets the wall behind her, she doesn't flinch. Her frown only deepens, and as her hand reaches for the hilt of her sword, there's a new cutting wind, this one painful on her skin as it bites and nips, the dust being thrown around in such a way that she fears it might break through flesh.

But she matches him with an equal stare, her fingers curling around the blade before it falls away at his words. At his shouts before he pulls away from her, and she follows after him, a hand swinging through the space between them and carrying both the green glow of her magic and the breeze.]

What?

[She shouts back, her voice carrying all of the anger that's come flooding back.]

Do tell then, Cidolfus. What is it that you felt when I died, hm? Regale me, and do not stop on my account. Glad to finally be free?

[Though she knows that isn't the truth at all, but that sting from his claims and accusations is only blinding her to that in the way that he tends to do.]

[Again she has to say those stupid things, things normally he wouldn't care about but somehow she manages to dig under his skin.

So he can only bark a hollow laugh as he looks back at her.]

Regret, Benedikta.

[Really, it was more than that. Remorse. Anger. Grief. Whatever coldness he managed to muster fades.]

Of all the people I wanted to save, you were the only one that really mattered to me. [Personally. His only selfish wish.] I was pissed, not only at Barnabas, but at myself because you're right—I should have just dragged you out instead.

[She finds herself pressed up against the wall again, and unlike him, she tries to hold onto that anger. She clasps it in an iron grip, even as she feels the weight of his words. She wants it but doesn't want whatever those feelings of his are. It's a complicated, twisted mess of things that it creates, and she doesn't like it.

It's difficult to navigate, impossible to untangle, and even in her right mind—and she is far from that now—how is she supposed to parse it? Especially when she'd spent the better part of their years apart believing something else. She'd convinced herself that it was the opposite, so much that even with the sincerity she knows is there, she has a harder time believing it.]

But you didn't.

[And there's that stubbornness clawing its way back. That refusal to believe that he could ever feel something for her again, in spite of that tingle he's left behind on her lips. A tingle that almost has her reaching for it.

Almost.

As her own set of regrets come crawling in.]

And now it's too late, Cidolfus.

[Though, that is for her just as much as it is for him, she realizes. Whether it was regret, remorse, anger, bitterness that he felt when he supposedly found her, it does nothing to change the fact that it happened. Nor does it change the fact that they have lost all these years of their lives only for it to come to a grinding halt in the worst way possible.]

It matters not where we are. It changes nothing.

Edited 2023-09-10 07:20 (UTC)

[Too late.

Those words haunt him...for he had thought the same. Once she died, it was over, so he just marched to his own death—albeit sooner than planned.

And...she's also likely right. Doesn't matter if they are in another world, they've burned each other so deeply, those wounds wouldn't just magically disappear. It doesn't matter if they know what they do now.

Perhaps this is exactly where things should end. Where they should go their separate ways, regardless of the tension, the draw, that pull that still exists between them. Let their worn souls rest. Move on. Stop hurting each other. And he's about to say as much when his eye catches something on her bed. He hadn't noticed it before in the darkness, but perhaps all the wind disturbs it enough to make itself known.

It leaves him frozen for a moment before he looks back at her.]

...Nothing, you say?

[And he'll walk over and grab her phone, holding it up so that the little duck charm can spin in its full glory. The case she could have kept out of practicality, but the charm?]

Then why hold onto this?

[His eyes are hardened now as he also recalls all of his unanswered texts. How they were always read almost immediately and still went through. How she might have ignored him, but never told him to stop. And now that his head isn't spinning about the pains of their past, he recalls of the day they spent together. Sure, it was more like a "truce," but it was the first time they were actually friendly.

Whatever it was remains unclear, but one that was certain—it showed a possibility. A possibility he should just ignore, but he's a stubborn old fool. Both of them.]

[She watches him move, the air catching in her lungs while a hand goes to the hilt of her sword again. For a moment, she thinks he might charge at her again, trap her up against the wall like he just had, and there's a leap of her heart and a sick turn to her stomach, but when he moves the other way, there's... a strange pang that it leaves behind. Frustration? Anger? ... Disappointment?

Whatever it is, it's shoved aside when he reaches her bed and snatches up the phone that she had forgotten there. No, not forgotten but deliberately left behind if only because of the very thing that he lifts between them to remind her of.

She stares at it, spinning around and around as if it means to taunt her, and her expression twists from one of anger to surprise.

After hearing the news of her own death, she had stamped all those memories of that day out, remembering only the last moments that she had with him. The ones that left her bitter and angry. They were less confusing, those emotions easier to hold onto than all the other shit that she felt their first day. That feeling of being lost, confused, scared... and almost grateful to have him there with her. Having one familiar thing to grasp when the rest terrified her.

It hearkened her all the way back to their first meeting and she tried to ignore it—that way that she was reminded of herself when he found her. That timid girl of only fifteen who was just as scared, just as confused... How he reached out and promised that she would be safe. How he taught her everything she knows now...

Just like he had now.

But all of that was swept away the moment she learned the truth. The real reasons why he kept her so close to him... Her death, Barnabas's presence... It was all just a ploy.

And perhaps that is the reason she will convince herself why she still has it—as a painful reminder not to trust him or anything he says. That she was wrong in thinking that maybe things might have changed between them. It always was easier to hate him than it was to love him... Less room to be left disappointed in the end. So she should be grateful to him for that.

Yet, as she watches the small green duckling that twirl in front of her, remembering all that it does represent and how it is so much more than just the other day... Remembers the heat that he left behind on her lips...]

I...

[Something spills out of her in a broken, confused voice.

Why the fuck did she keep it? Why didn't she fling it into the ocean? This fucking pendant, too. Why, of all the times, does she want to reach into her pocket and grab hold of it? Why is it the only thing in this godforsaken place that could even stem this riptide of rage that threatens to carry her away?]

I don't...

[Fuck. Fuck. Fuck...!

The silence that follows feels like it stretches on forever before she finally decides, her voice as uneven as the winds that still swirl in the room—]

A reminder. To never trust anyone again.

Edited 2023-09-10 16:20 (UTC)

[His fingers tighten over the phone to the point it trembles for a moment, the charm brushing against the side as that voice telling him to just stop and leave ringing louder and louder. The rift between them just continues to grow wider and wider, every attempt he makes misconstrued and twisted. A part of him can't blame her, but the part that had been hurt by her—the part he had kept buried—can.]

These also reminders?

[Yet, he stubbornly refuses, and in a few swift swipes and taps he pulls up all the messages he sent her. Messages she clearly saw after she sent them.

Honestly, he would prefer if she really did mean what she said. It would make things a hell a lot easier for him to just break off everything for good. Most people even would regardless. Yet after all he's seen and heard, he can see through her bullshit, see that broken woman still desperately clinging and reaching out to him.

And his stupid sorry self keeps wanting to reach out and try to save her.]

[Her heart nearly drops to the floor when he pulls up those messages that he left her, every single one of them read the moment that he sent them. She masks it well enough, that fear of being found out, only thanks to the deepening scowl of defiance that she wears, but beneath it, she can feel that sharp splintering of her own walls. That wound to her pride.

Because yes, they are reminders. Reminders that he knows her too well—well enough that he keeps finding the tiniest cracks to slip through to get under her skin. Reminders that the flame she carries for him still burns as bright as ever, and though it leaves behind naught but ash in its wake, it burns hot. Reminders that no matter how much she hates him and he hates her, there is still that small part of Benedikta that clings to him.

And that maybe it's the same for him.

Her silence betrays her, however. As she stares at the messages on the phone, that last one digging its claws deep, and as she recalls how she had brought it out to do it first only to take it all back, every second where she doesn't have an answer for him—one that would push him away—is another second where the truth spills out...]

Edited 2023-09-10 17:12 (UTC)

[And her silence does indeed speak volumes, confirming his suspicions. Yet instead of feeling relief, happy, or even satisfaction from it, it only tears into those wounded feelings. Digs into the confusion as he continues to be pulled one way and another.]

You call me a liar, but you're no better, Benedikta.

[His voice is strained as he continues to stare harshly at her before he finally takes another step towards her, tossing the phone back to the bed as be closes the distance between them again.]

You say nothing's changed, but then do this—well what is it then?

[He knows he's coming onto her strong, but at this point he's too pissed off and upset to care—or maybe this is the way it needs to be done. He has so many things he wants to say, so many things he wants to ask her—]

Do you still want me or not?

[Yet what comes out is that instead, and there's a weight of emotion even he didn't know he could carry in those words. Rather than anger, it's almost desperate, as if this one question would determine their fate. Would determine whether he should keep pushing or just quit.

He's not even asking about love. Everything was just a bloody mess between them that just a reconciliation could be a miraculous victory. But if there was anything still there, anything that could be born again from those ashes... If she held anything genuine, a sign that she wanted out of that hole she was dragged down into...

Come back to me, Cidolfus. I need you.

Those words haunted him after her death. At the time and the context, he just assumed it was her usual ploy to get him back to their side. That it had no real meaning whatsoever, so he discarded it as meaningless. But now, he wonders. Wonders if there had been a different meaning, one she may or may not have been aware of.

Needed... Wanted. They sound so similar yet can mean so many different things. And it could always be both.

So what he wants to know is if she actually wants him as himself, needs him like some tool...or both. Wants him because without him she no longer feels whole and needs him to fill that space. To have that support. That kind of need he would gladly fill.

And he doesn't really expect much of an answer, but if there was any kind of sign... Anything at all to hint at the truth...]

[He moves towards her and she moves back, but with nowhere to escape, she only finds herself in the same spot again—with her backed into a corner with no place to run. No way out. The only way she can go is to him, and even now, she wants to refuse.

Even now, as his question rattles her down to her soul, she wants to refuse.

But she knows that even if she did, even if she tried with all her might to deny any of it, all of the evidence is right there. He has taken her and laid her out, bared her completely. Opened her up like a book in that infuriating way he does. He's slipped under her skin and right into her bones that ache under the weight of him. Found the cracks in her foundation and plans to tear her down...

He both knows her best and knows nothing at all, and she hates him for it.

She hates that in his company, she is a right fucking mess. Confused, conflicted, in love and full of hate, stung by betrayal and yet her heart yearns for him, for his closeness and his support, for his validation... yearns to fill that void that he left there... fill it with him.

Yes, she fucking wants him back. Needs him. It had been obvious in the way she screamed and cried when he left. Obvious in how she begged him to come back to her, had it not? His accusations had stung then, too, but she couldn't voice the truth. Never mind how difficult it has been, why would she, if he wasn't going to believe her anyway?

As her chest moves with that same rapid-fire rhythm that it had before to keep up, she can feel something hot and wet burning around the edges of her eyes, and as she stares at him, her vision begins to blur. Tears? Benedikta slams her eyes shut, violently wrestling them back.

And in the moment that she opens them again, she sees not Cidolfus standing in front of her, but Barnabas, his gaze that deep, boundless void, masked by the detachment he so often wears. Never has she felt as useless as she had trying to parse what he was feeling, what he was thinking... but this figure that stands before her... She can see it clearly.

The anger. The hurt. The betrayal. The threat. And in her, a fear striken that only the Dominant of Odin could leave behind.

There's a familiar pull, as if that image of him pulls on those chains, and in her ears, she can hear them rattle. Those shackles bound tighter around her and him... And that voice—the King's voice—reminds her of who it is that gave her that power, that security.

Reminds her who it is that could destroy all she holds dear with a single flourish of his blade.

Including her.

In a single blink, the image of him in her mind's eye is gone as quickly as he appeared, and she is left staring across the room at Cid again, her hands trembling as she wraps herself up in her own arms.]

I... B-Barnabas...

[She doesn't mean for his name to slip out of her like that, and she breaks it off with a gasp, wishing that she could take it back.

And immediately, she goes on the defensive again.]

That's not—get out...!

[He just wants her to say one word, say one word so that he could just put everything to rest and take her in his arms like he used to. Just bring her back to him. But the longer she takes and just stares at him, those seconds feel like hours and he can feel his patience straining and starting to snap. Seconds that allow doubt to sink in again, memories and reasons why they're so broken to begin with returning. Her tears do stir him, and there's the instinct to reach out and wipe them away.

...Like he wiped away those tears of blood, one last time.

He sees her, afraid. Retreating back in her corner and again he's reminded of how he first found her so scared and afraid. Distrustful. Just like he did then, he recognizes it, knows he's the cause of it. But unlike back then he could easily just step in and pull her out, be that "hero," the "savior" for her. But can he really say the same now? Does she truly see him as more of the villain of her life...?

Yet, the name that tumbles out of her name makes him stiffen, and she'll see clearly how his eyes widen, how the entire air tenses as if it could crack as he stops breathing for a moment.

Of all the...

Of all the people she could be thinking of now—!

It was the last pin that could shatter everything—the last straw that would just make him leave her and be done with everything—

You, of all people... you should know what Barnabas can do. What he would do...

If I am to survive, I—

I am not living in fear. I am doing what I need to do to survive, but you... you don't know...

Because I was afraid—!

Just as he looks as if the whole world was about to collapse in itself between them, looks as if he's about to just turn on his heel, her words flood back as he stares at her fear stricken face. Sees how much she's actually shaking.

It wasn't because of him.

He's not the one she considers a villain—]

What did he do?

[Immediately he rushes in, his hands once more on her arms—but this time instead of anger mixed in that desperation, there's concern. Fear of his own as he lowers himself more to her level.]

Benna, tell me—what did he do?

[New fears suddenly fly to his mind, things he never considered or thought of because he just didn't have those expectations. As much as he hates the man and knows what he's capable of, there are lines he would never expect Barnabas to cross. Even now he can't really fathom it and perhaps it's just the fear of a prey caught by a predator, the fear of what if, the fear of death but—

He had to know. He had to be sure—]

Edited 2023-09-10 21:17 (UTC)

[She would have preferred it if he had turned around and left right then and there. Maybe then, he wouldn't see her unravelling, the already frayed ends of her restraint tangling amongst themselves in a mess of emotions. But no, instead he rushes to her, grabs her, gets close to her, and her shaking hands push at his shoulders in an effort to get him back. To get him away lest he see the panic swimming in her eyes.

No longer because of Barnabas or the thousand different thoughts that have been pricking at the back of her mind since she reunited with him in the tavern. No longer because of the what ifs that she has run through in the days leading up to now... But because Cidolfus has somehow found a way through.]

Nothing—!

[While she remains stiff and guarded, the tension in her body coiling so tight that it hurts, the answer that she gives isn't because she's feeling defensive. It's the truth.]

He's done nothing...!

[Not yet. But she can't take that risk. He already knows that she'd lost Garuda, and that alone was enough to make her panic on the inside, but she cannot gamble him finding out that she is now dead, too. And that it has weakened her here—enough that she cannot call upon her magic the way that she used to.

And that it has broken her more than she cares to admit, or let show... Yes, he reassures her that he still needs her, that he still wants her at his side, and it is enough for her, but...]

[There's visible relief that his fears, unfounded and crazy as they were, were wrong, but only by so much. Because now he knows that she's still afraid for other reasons—the ones everyone holds and he can guess why. He could see it from the moment she lost her powers on top of the Caer.]

Benedikta, listen to me.

[More reassured, he returns to his usual more steadfast demeanor.]

Things are different now, you don't need him anymore! He's no different than anyone else, he doesn't even have Odin. What is there left to be afraid of?

I'm not afraid—!

[Though even she knows that much is a lie. But he doesn't know. He doesn't understand.

She remembers what it felt like once that realization hit her atop Caer Norvent—how it felt when she understood what losing Garuda meant for her. It wasn't just about what Garuda meant to her but about where she might end up without the Eikon. She was the reason she climbed up to where she had been, and she would keep her there, but without her, what use would the King have for her?

Her skills in subterfuge, he tells her. Her skills in commanding, he tells her... and part of her believes that. But Cidolfus has managed to draw forth that other piece—to tug on that well-hidden string that knows the truth.

She backs up again, pressing herself right up against the wall now like she's trying to pass right through it.]

He doesn't need—

[Odin, is what she means to say before she loses her breath. Barnabas himself is more than enough.

And when he doesn't immediately back up off her, she tries a different tack.]

I will not forsake them... Not like you...

[It's a well barbed one, one that makes his teeth clench.]

Is that your answer then?

[Yet it's one he's now become too familiar with, recognizing it as another tactic. Of course she also means it, but in this case it's also a deflection to make him give up and back off. And before it would have.]

Are you telling me to leave or prove you wrong?

[Instead, he leans in closer, refusing to back down. Not yet. If she wants him to push, then he'll fucking push until he thinks it's pointless.]

Because for all the bullshit you keep throwing at me, I'm still here. And for some insane reason I still want you and want to try and fix things.

[To still save her when many would think she's gone beyond saving. Because he can see her still struggling, still trapped in those shackles she put on herself. Shackles he helped place.]

But that's only going to work if you even want me to.

[Without realizing it, he's closed the distance so that they're only mere inches away. Only far enough for them to breathe, and enough for him to be able to read whatever truth lurks within her eyes.

He needs to stop listening to the shit that comes out of her mouth and listen to what she isn't saying. Pull out the truth even if he has to reach down her throat and yank it out.

But he can only force himself on this for so long. He's one to respect rejection. But if that "no" is covering an actual plea for help, then he'll ignore it.]

[While she doesn't back down entirely, he may see the way her breath hitches, her chest heaving when he steps closer. Close enough that he'll be able to feel the way his words have knocked the wind clean out of her lungs. Her nails dig into the wood behind her, so rough and so deep that she leaves marks behind, in an effort to restrain herself, to keep herself from falling for these tricks of his.

But it's hard when she can see the emotions so clearly in his sharpened gaze that reflect back at her. That green sea of conflict that they both so often drown in together.

She wants him, he wants her, but there are so, so many things that keeps them apart. Shackles that keep them bound to their duties, he to his cause and she to her preservation. And how easy does he think it is to break free of hers when she's learned that she's already lost that fight once?

How easy does he think it is for her to set her heart free to go where it's longed to go—especially now, upon hearing those words—when she, herself, remains bound, not just by her undying loyalty to the man who would keep her from falling into the dark again, but to her convictions? To that anger and that heartbreak that has shaped her, all thanks to him?

That contempt is only goaded as she remembers those last thoughts of hers before she cursed the world to damnation. And he should not be so proud to presume it is all just for him... but for the universe. For the gods who have put her here. For punishing her to... whatever this is.

Her eyes move from elsewhere to meet his gaze evenly, pausing at his lips on the way when a sharp breath catches at the itch that grazes across her own, though the rest of her still trembles with rage and fear beneath him.]

... And if it is?

Edited 2023-09-11 02:20 (UTC)

ELTRUT: FAREWELL SENDOFF

ELAH: PALADIN BASE

NOGARD: CORSAIR BASE

MANTA BOARD

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