[Outside Vers] Ludstone Manor

[Odyleon]

What an odd gathering of people... The assembled party, the Human considered, would have a hard time collaborating to capture the Aboleth thing even in the best case scenario, let alone with every man for himself. Not everyone had appreciated his vocal performance – but then again, not everyone was capable of understanding the deeper meaning of art, the fan of subtle emotions conveyed by the skilful manipulation of sound and pitch, the evocative power of heart-moving lyrics, the supreme mastery over language and expression. Well, maybe not, seeing as Ody had first experienced the song from the off-key performance of some Versian tavern maid, and his own version was every bit as poor, and then some.

"I'm not sure if it even has a name" he replied to Holland's inquiry, slightly embarrassed "But at one time, I was interested in learning how to play the violin, though I found it to be foreign to my logic... I remember the strings being called something like G, D, A, E which didn't make any sense to me." His tone went down, as if addressing himself now. "I still wonder why they didn't call them A, B, C, D or 1, 2, 3, 4 if they really had to give them names." His teacher in Tirisfal had not been very clear, and Ody had removed most of the memories from those brightenings to make room for his beloved Arcana and Alchemy. His violin would make an excellent blunt weapon in combat, though.

It was then that the Lady of the manor blessed the gathering with her presence, getting the Problem Solver out of the uncomfortable position he had put himself in – that of explaining in deeper detail why violins were illogical. 'I wonder why Ludstone's chosen this particular time for his Aboleth hunt, what with his wife being about to give birth. Shouldn't he have higher priorities at the moment? Perhaps the two things are connected after all?' Or perhaps he was building castles in the sky as he often did.

Despite Lady Kataryzna's profferings, Ody would not partake of the sandwiches and lemonade. For if the lemonade had been sugared to make it more palatable, then the Pondertree's veto on all sweets may apply – and if it had not, then it was just... bleh. And the Problem Solver knew better than to eat without drinking, it was bad for his stomach. "Serale, Mrs. Ludstone, my name is Odyleon Q. Meiers of Vers. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." he addressed the noblewoman, somewhat politely but without any nobility title so he wouldn't get the title wrong. Etiquette had never been Ody's forte, but then again, this was how he usually addressed his clients. The time when he would dispense "Your Excellency"'s left and right was long past, and these nobles were but local celebrities; their social standing certainly didn't emanate a strong enough aura for the Alchemist to feel reverence.

He watched as Rhyck escorted the Lady to the couch. The Kemite's less-than-approving stare at Ody's vocal performance had not gone unnoticed, and before three seconds had passed, the short fellow was already waggling his tail like a loyal puppy. It wasn't as if the Lady did not have her own servants to assist her if she so wished. 'No surprise though, if I were that short, I'd probably want to climb my way up, too.' he joked inwardly. He didn't know what to say or do, unable to even busy himself with the sandwiches. Once out in the wild, and with Mr. Galloper by his side, he would again feel in control, but now... Ody was socially inept. For the time being, he would just stand back and listen.

OOC: Tisi, anything to say about Ody's previous attempt at Clara?

[Holland]

Holland never questioned logic. His experiences forced him to deal with illogical, unexplained occurrences. His youthful foray into adventure had led to his residence in Prime. Approached by the royal woman in the guilded carriage, he had found himself appointed Thane of Zerdargia. He had never heard of Zerdargia.

Holland snapped back to the present. “I’ve never wondered why the strings were pitched at different tones. Now that you mention it….a lute and harp are all pitched differently. I would say it was related to tonal quality, but it would only be a guess.”

Mistress Kataryzna Ludstone spoke succinctly as the gracious hostess. Her “condition” forced her to sit before her guests and the breach of protocol was easily overlooked. Holland reaised an eyebrow when the kemite actually touch the lady as he helped her to her seat. He wondered how Mistress Ludstone would react to the familiarity.

Holland waited a short time to allow any others to approah the sandwiches. The young, blue girl took lemonade. Holland’s drink was strong tea, so he would pass on the yellow liquid. His stomach reminded him he hadn’t eaten since the day before and he stepped nearer the prepared food. He picked up a sandwich with accurate, thin fingers, and placed it on a napkin in his plate.

Lowering himself in a high-backed chair. Holland busied himself with the food he desperately needed to keep his wits about him.

[Nimh]

ooc: I'm sorry - I completely forgot to respond to your clara attempt, Ody! Everything looked ducky with it, so assume it was successful and go from there

All righty, looks like no one else will be responding any time soon. Onward we go!

ic:
With another knock echoing through the hallway, the butler had once more pulled his wrinkled old body over to the door, pulling the giant thing open to peer out at whatever new adventurer had bothered to respond to Master Ludstone's ad in the paper. This one didn't look strange or very young either. He looked actually fairly normal. "Serale, Goodman Nebarksa," Bradwith answered, his tone even, but open. He gestured Rygan into the grand hallway. "Come inside, please, Sir. Master Ludstone is currently occupied, but shall be down momentarily, I assure you. I believe refreshments and some light food has been brought down already, so if you're hungry or thirsty, you'll find that it has been set out already."

Bradwith had begun to bring Rygan down the hallway and into the sitting room, when he seemed to recall something. He paused, glancing over the young man as if to make sure he was presentable. "Master Ludstone's wife is in the sitting room with some other guests that have also come in answer of his request." It was a warning, a note to make sure that the guest did not make a fool out of himself in front of his potential employer's wife. "Right this way, sir." He nodded again and led Rygan into the sitting room where the others and Mistress Kataryzna Ludstone were already collected.

"Good afternoon, Bradwith," Kataryzna greeted him, smiling at the servant as Rhyck helped her to her seat. Bradwith bowed and backed himself out of the room, leaving Rygan to interact with the others.

"And thank you, Mister Thralom. Your kindness is greatly appreciated and surely better than my own. I'm afraid I can't be a proper hostess as I am." She turned green eyes towards Rhyck as she slid onto the couch and adjusted her weight about until she was comfortable. "We moved here a couple months ago. I haven't yet been to visit Vers, although I hope to soon. If it is as lovely as the land around it, it will prove to be a treat."

Not one to exclude any of her guests, Kataryzna peered past Rhyck to first Carly and then Odyleon, Holland, and Hsin, who had remained quiet thus far. "Serale, Mister Meiers, and to the rest of you, of course. You seem a very...unlikely...group. Do you know one another?" Genuine curiosity spread over her face as she glanced from person to person. She glanced away briefly as the old cether woman slowly inched up beside her and deposited the lute on the couch next to her mistress. Kataryzna thanked the cether, who curtseyed and departed the room. An absent hand reached out to touch the strings of the lute, although she did not yet pick the instrument up and play. In clara, Odyleon would take note that there was a definite aura that showed the woman to be a Spellsinger.

[Rygan Nebarska]

Rygan thanked the butler politely as he led him inside. The manor was just as impressive inside and out, a very good piece of architecture. "What a good start to a new adventure," the young Thaumaturge thought, and indeed it was, everything up to this point was going smoothly. When they paused outside the sitting room, the butler explained to him the situation within, Rygan replied, "Thank you for informing me of this, I truly appreciate it."

With no further ado, the butler Bradwith led Rygan into the sitting room, and, after being greeted by his Mistress, bowed and left the room once more, leaving the man with the Mistress Kataryzna and the other guests that were gathered there. Judging by her greeting of the butler and his subsequent bow, Rygan correctly identified the wife of Lord Ludstone. He greeted her with a short bow and said, "Serale, you must be the Mistress Ludstone, I am Rygan Nebarska. It is my pleasure to meet you."

After greeting the Mistress Kataryzna, Rygan looked around the room, examining who else had shown up to this moment. Which was mostly an assortment of odd Kemite humans, a Medonian human, and a teenage blue sea elf, totalling at 5 other adventurers at this moment. The party assembled was a strange one, and at first glance it seemed as if it would be near impossible for such a party to catch the arboleth, but, again, Rygan reminded himself that looks can be deceiving, and that the others may have abilities beyond what they appear to have.

On these lines, if nobody approached him to start a conversation, Rygan would stand back and clear his mind until the state of Clara to attempt to use his arcane perception in this state to see whether or not he could tell who in this room was attuned to the presence of arcana.

OOC:Edit:I need to clarify, I have caused some confusion, my character is a thaumaturge, I was distracted by RL at the time I finished this post. Rygan has no ability when it comes to probing the mind. I thought when I made this post that maybe I could tell by the flow of Ara who here was unbound and able to use it, and who wasn't

Sorry for any confusion

[Holland]

Holland finished the first sandwich and counted a small interval until he reached for another. No one was talkative and Holland was hungry. He realized he was the oldest human in the room. Holland felt a gentle probing. He stood up and greeted the newcomer. “Hello Rygan, I am Holland, formerly of Prime and now a refugee in Candaceburg. Do you have any news of the capital city?”

[Rygan Nebarska]

"Well, so much for trying to see those others here who know arcana," Rygan thought, as the human named Holland greeted him and introduced himself. The man looked poor and tattered, his clothing was definitely not in the best shape at any rate, to Rygan, who had experienced this sort of thing in the past, he appeared a man driven from his home and forced to survive on his own in the wilderness, though for how long Rygan could not tell.

After the man's introduction, his suspiscion was confirmed, Holland was one of the refugees of Prime, and had probably made his way through the wilderness for all this time until he arrived here. "Serale Holland," Rygan began, "Forgive me, but I have no news of Prime, I have not been there since before the Ancients' arrival, and have heard no news from the city itself since. I am myself a refugee of sorts however, I was forced to leave Olympia, and Eunesia itself for that matter, by the economic crisis, and the order decreeing that those Eunesia felt it could no longer support must leave immediately.

"Since then I have wandered by land and sea, until Lord Ludstone's piece in the Herald brought me here, as I assume your wanderings have led you here the same way." Rygan felt this was an appropriate time to reveal what talents he had to the group assembled here, if only as small talk until the arrival of the Lord Lumbridge.

Before Rygan spoke again, his growling stomach reminded him that he had not eaten since the beginning of this brightening. The thaumaturge took a sandwich and a glass of lemonade from the table, took a bite and a swig, then continued his conversation.

"While I was in Olympia, I received my Initiate Thaumaturgy training from the Priestess Raven at the Delphi Ara Academy, one of the most renowned and foremost places to learn Arcana in Alleria, it is a shame that the closure of Eunesia makes it impossible to go there now," Rygan's facial expression changed for a short moment, revealing that he truly missed the city and academy where he first learned Thaumaturgy, then gathering back to his normal presence.

"So Holland, what interested you in this hunt, for me it was the chance to help stop something that has already killed or injured so many people, as well as the experience and adventure. Though I am a Thaumaturge in the service of Ioannes, I still feel the call of adventure."

[Drake Stormbringer]

OOC: I hope you have room for one more. Lotsa room

Timestamp: Summer of era IX PF, Junctior.

IC:
Drake was having the time of his life. Since his trip to what was once Aslangrad it seems that half of the time he spent, maybe even more than that, was walk hike and stroll, three of the Giant's favorite things. After eating and practicing his newly gained arcanic skills of course. The trip from the hunting tournament did not take as long as he had anticipated which gave him time to stay a bit in Daltina, quite a joyous thing all in all. Looking as his snake followed him, his silent slithering opposed to the Giant thumping footsteps, Drake envied it for being what it was, the fluidness of it's movements in contrast to Drake's lack of dexterity that sometimes came across as clumsiness.

Finally reaching the arcanic center of the empire Drake felt like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Despite all of his travels the Giant still had much to learn about the geography of the empire, counting on sparsely positioned to non existent signs and other travelers to direct him to where he needed to go. It have worked thus far, as no one tricked him and sent him to Imperia yet, but every time he couldn't help wonder when luck would leave him. Standing in the summer's sun the Giant took in the look of the city, its sights and sounds, as distant as they were, knowing that he will be accepted here despite his looks and cultural background for he wielded the arcanical powers as well. A student of sorcery he was, positioned on the line between using the art for his own service and himself being the servant of the beautiful field.

Heading straight for the big mansion that stood secluded by the lake he took his time, trying to cool his body to stop the sweat from coming. Sweeping his hand over his forehead and than wiping it on his pants he approached the door with Solet, his snake, wrapped about his body as he usually did. Having a last go at dusting himself from the dirt of travel he sent his big palm to the door and knocked as gently as he could. Waiting patiently for it to open, he stood in quiet and stroked his traveling companion.

But what opened it was not what he had expected. Usually butlers were humans or one of the house Katta breeds, the most expensive were elves almost as snobby as their owners, but the one facing him was none of the above. It was a snack. The hardest thing Drake had to overcome after leaving the Highwinds tribe was that most people in the empire did not feed on Gnomes and Cethers, and although it did not stop him from doing so it was a very peculiar thing. "Err Serale. I have heard your master is looking for able bodied men and women to hunt down a beast in these surroundings. My name is Drake Stormbringer, tell me please, are my services still needed?" he asked, grateful that he had ate before arriving as his stomach had an annoying habit of giving him away.

[Odyleon]

Arcana was not something mortals could wield without sacrificing a part of themselves, and this was exactly what allowed a fellow Mage to tell a magic user from a Mundane; for in the acts of Unbinding and Promotion the Vis floodgates in one's very Essence were shattered, and by first Focusing on an Essence, the Mage was forever attuned to it. It didn't surprise the Human to perceive several spellcasters in the room – none of whom surpassing him in power, which was at the same time good and bad news. The fact Lady Ludstone herself was a Bard, well, it raised intriguing questions. Was this how they controlled the wild beasts they captured? And more importantly, would it work on an Aboleth? Doubtful. One such creature, Ody guessed, might be just as interested in Human pets as Ludstone was in Aboleth pets.

But did this really touch him? He would warn the merchant about the risks, but if the man chose not to pay any heed to the warning... What then? Ody yawned, shielding his open jaws with one hand at the very last moment – 'Don't put the cart before the horse. Everything will work out... somehow'. 'Somehow' was one of the quirky Human's favorite words.

He waved a timid hand at the Olympian newcomer, Rygan, and the same hand to Drake if the Giant managed to get through the front door; then, he shifted his weight over to his left leg. More adventurers were joining in, and while he wouldn't usually enjoy too much company, in this particular case it was more than welcome. 'Who knows what they're going to serve for pracenda... Oh Ioannes, I hope it's not fish. What do I do if it's that horrible Versian mullet I can't stand. I'd have no choice but to gulp it down or risk offending my clients. Maybe I could make it invisible and pretend I was really quick and hungry? No no, then they'd insist for me to have seconds. Ohhhh... why did I accept this case in the first place?' Not to mention all the talk about Prime – it reminded him of his hovel there, and how, in this very moment, an Ancient Allerian may be living there (a silly thought of course, but a strangely entertaining one).

Seeing as no-one had yet answered the Lady's question, Ody felt it was his turn to speak. "It seems that we are all complete strangers to one another, Mrs. Ludstone. But I have no doubt that everyone in this room, and anyone who might be joining us shortly, have their own hidden talents." His smile broadened for a brief moment "Including you, m'lady." If anything, this might make the Lady think twice before casting a spellsong on them. Even if it was merely a positive incantation to make them feel more at ease, the Problem Solver wished to stay on the casting end of the spells rather than the receiving one.

[Holland]

Holland finished his second sandwich. He dabbed the crumbs off his fingers with a linen napkin. Holland continued his conversation with Rygan. “It seems we are both outcasts from our homes. I have fond recollections of the Delphi Academy, though I never visited there. Its reputation was well known in Prime. The Delphi Academy was recommended to those who inquired about schooling in Thaumaturgy. Those initiate hopefulls were directed to the beautiful islands. I feel for your loss of their splendor.”

Holland stopped talking and waited for the large new arrival to gain his bearings. The room was starting to be quite filled. Lady Ludstone had been addressed by the one called Odyleon and Holland couldn’t help but sense that although strangers, they had much in common.

Holland replied to Rygan’s question, “I am not a hunter nor swordsman. It occurred to me that a party seeking such a formidable creature would need someone to maintain their sustenance. I am a good baker and a fair cook. I was told that my services might be needed by Lord Ludstone.”

[Nimh]

Kataryzna Ludstone smiled pleasantly at the guests that moved around her, each doing as they pleased, some keeping to themselves and some eagerly interacting with their hostess. She had no preference for either, knowing how awkward it must be for some to speak with her, the wife of their future employer, as well as a woman of some status and obviously uncomfortably pregnant. It was nothing she wasn't used to. She simply smiled and understood and didn't bother to pressure those around her. In fact, she really didn't mind if they felt just a tad bit inferior around her. She inclined her cheek towards Rygan as he introduced himself. "Serale, Mister Nebarska. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." For one thing, few of these individuals seemed to lack manners. She always approved of personalities such as these.

Her attention shifted to Odyleon, who she smiled politely towards as he made note of what he had decided to call her "talents". A mage himself? It did not bother her that he had "found her out", so to speak, for she never had any intentions of keeping her abilities a secret. She was proud of her skills and was ever eager to demonstrate them to others. Likewise, she was always happy to others around her involved in the art of the arcane. "We always have our hidden talents, Mister Meiers," she responded pleasantly. "As well our own agendas. What would be the fun in making them known?" Why not play that game and keep him on his toes? Her smile widened, her green eyes mischievous. "Hopefully each individual here will be able to use their own talents to the advantage of others around them."

Meanwhile, the cether butler had been convinced that no one else would be joining them for the evening. Somehow, he was proved wrong. Very wrong. How could anyone miss those footfalls just outside the home? Bradwith was on his way to the door when the very heavy thuds rang out through the corridor. His brows knitting together, the cether hurried his pace and pulled the door open...only to be completely floored to find a rather large giant on the doorstep. "Err, serale, Master Stormbringer," he began, stuttering a little. "Your services would be much welcome, I'm sure...although, fitting you in the room might prove something of a challenge, I'm afraid. I don't even know if we could get you through the door..." He bit off the end of his thoughts, taking a step back and compare the door to the giant. No, definitely not. "Well, why don't you wait out here? I'll see to it that Master Ludstone knows you're here. He won't exclude you. In fact, I'm sure he'll be quite eager to enlist the aid of a giant." Somewhat uncomfortably, he left the door open and hurried off. If Drake watched, he could see the little man rushing up the steps in the near distance.

Moments later, Bradwith descended with a man, tall by the standards of humans but small in comparison to a giant. A shock of blonde hair swept over his skull and was tied neatly at the back into a very short ponytail. He was dressed much in the fashion of must Versians: vibrantly. Pointy red shoes narrowed his feet and almost disappeared into the bright blue trousers that were sewn with bits of red and yellow parrot feathers. He had topped his outfit off with a red shirt that he wore rather lose, the strings at the top of it left open to display a patch of blonde hair that curled across his chest. This must be Master Ludstone - who else would it be?

Stepping into the doorway of the sitting room, Ludstone graced a smile on all of his guests - Hsin, Odyleon, Carly, Holland, Rygan, and Rhyck. "Serale, all of you. Thanks so much for responding to my add. I certainly didn't expect this great of a turn out! I'm sorry to ask you all to pick up and move, but there seems to be another guest waiting just outside for the rest of us without a size problem." A humorous smile peaked over his lips and he folded his hands in front of him. At this distance, a small amount of rouge could be seen on his cheeks. "So why don't you join me outside and we'll get down to business?"

[Holland]

Holland glanced at the sandwiches but made no move to grab one. He used his stick to start him in the direction of the door. His steps were surefooted and purposeful.

Holland smiled at Lady Ludstone as he passed. He whispered, "Good fortune, Milady. I wish you health and peace with your forthcoming child."

He nodded to Lord Ludstone before passing him out through the door.

Holland moved outside and stood slightly away from the tall newcomer. Holland did not dislike any race in particular, but he was wary of being trampled.

[Rygan Nebarska]

Rygan noticed Odyleon's wave and returned it with a short nod, gaining the impression that the Medonian human was a very accomplished mage, and, guessing from the interesting conversation between him and the Mistress Ludstone, he specialized in mysticism. "That's good news," Rygan thought, "a mystic could prove himself quite useful against this Arboleth, seeing as Arboleths can match a master mystic, at least when it comes to mind control..."

Rygan's thoughts trailed off, with the realization that things could get quite bad if the Arboleth were too much for this mystic, should he turn out to be one, and took control of him, that would double the threat to the minds of the others in the party. While Rygan's mind was quite stalwart, determined, and downright stubborn, making him a hard target for control, he had no idea how the others may fare. He just hoped Odyleon was indeed a mystic, and at least a master.

It was at this moment, after Rygan had finished his second sandwich, that their future employer, hopefully, the Lord Ludstone appeared, greeting them, to which Rygan gave a short bow, and bidding them join him outside, where another hopeful member of the party, with a problem with size, was waiting. Rygan followed him immediately, making his way out the door.

It was then that he immediately knew why Lord Ludstone had asked them outside, well, he already knew the general reason, but now he knew the details. The new arrival was a giant, of particularly large dimensions, and could obviously not fit through the door. Out of respect for Lord Ludstone, the thaumaturgist did not greet the giant beyond a nod at this moment, he would give the noble a chance to speak while he waited silently and listened.

[Drake Stormbringer]

OOC: Holland, what race is your PC? Your profile is blank and no CIR... Just wondering

Drake smiled to the servant as he spoke, finding it weird to smile to an apetizer but he wouldn't want to get Lord Ludstone cross with him so soon, or ever if the Giant could help it. Nodding in ecknowledgement the towering figure just stepped away from the doorstep, allowing people to come in and out if there was a need for that. After a decent and appropriate piece of land was selected Drake lowered himself slowly, knowing that if he sat down too fast the people in the house would feel the trembles, instead he just stroked his snake slowly.

As Solet slithered and coiled itself on the Giant's torso Drake tried again to dust off his clothing, after all this was a job interview of sorts and good impressions were important. Well though Solet usually created the wrong impression on people, that the Giant was a bloodthirsty savage who could only use his big muscles and hammer, that couldn't have been farther from the truth. Drake was not a brute, he was a brute that could use magic. And to him, if little to anyone else, it was everything.

Passing the time until something would happen Drake started to enter Clara, not even to cast anything, but the sheer thrill of the ride made time go by much faster. Being addicted was something he had considered to come following this, but none was said by his master so for now he was happy. But before he would have the chance to enter the meditative trance a man walked out of the building, or more correctly two men.

Trying to get a good look at him as they first saw his titanic body Drake was hoping for amusement, as most people that saw him and his pet were afraid to say the least, or catious as the less ego-battering term would be. But there were some men who seemed not to notice his size or features. "Serale!" he exclaimed, his big lungs and thick neck creating a deep bass voice that seemed to be carried for miles while not sounding like a shout. "My name, as you may or may not know is Drake. Have you been told anything about this little venture we will be partaking in?" he bellowed, trying to shed some of the intimidation people might feel by being friendly.

[Rabid]

Following Ludstone, a short dwarf stepped out of the door. He was roughly four feet tall, and quite thick too. Unlike Ludstone, he was dressed quite oddly. He wore a black dress shirt, with brown cotton slacks. On top of the black shirt, he wore a grey leather vest. He wore large, heavy boots. they looked old and worn, and were torn in certain areas, but stitched back together by wire. He also wore a cavalier hat; A large, round hand that had three feathers sticking out of the top. It hid his greesy black hair well, but did nothing to his his long, tangled beard. He was holding a walking cane, which had a sharp spear end on it, as if it was meant to be used as a weapon. He also wore a backpack, which nobody really knew what was inside. Attached to his vest were various tools. A scalpal, a few empty test toops that jinlged when he walked, a notepad in the pocket, along with a quil. He was quite an odd site.

"'Allo 'veryone." He announced in a loud voice. He paused to make sure everyone was listening. "'Y name's Proffessor 'Onrad." He plastered on a large dwarf smile, looking around the room at all the people. He caught up to Ludstone on his stubby legs, and looked up at the tall man. "Looks like 'e got a good crew 'ere, doncha think?"

[Holland]

Holland nodded at the dwarf’s introduction. A comedy of heights was being demonstrated in the courtyard. A giant followed by a dwarf. Each had their racial peculiarities and each was a party to the expedition being formed.

Holland’s appraisal of the professor was followed quickly by the realization that a scholar would be a most likely candidate to lead the expedition.