[Open] The Place Where it All Began

[Dreyfus]

Dante Vanhelsing

Company: Lots of folk| Thoughts: What an interesting group| Mood:Concerned

☬ It was curious seeing Rickter in this predicament, his emotions as easy to read as a tavern sign or their menu. Dante was drinking in every ounce of it as it was a rare sight, but something he enjoyed seeing whenever he could. This was Rickter at his core when things weighed heavy on him. Even in a new body certain habits and quirks never really changed, even as Dante, he still liked to see people at the rawest moments as he did when he was Dreyfus.

He nodded when the main focus of his attention excused himself to head to the bathroom, on for another to claim rather quickly. She was of towering height, but it suited her. The was an ethereal beauty to her features, an obvious note she was far from human given the many eyes that she scanned the room with. He hadn't encountered anyone like her, but she exuded a predatorial air about her as she greeted Rickter with a level of familiarity that suggested they were well acquainted.

The other male that was still at the table asked how well we knew Rickter, and Dante took a swallow of his drink before looking in the direction of where the supposed wolfman had gone. "I met the man only once when he and Talon came to Zaichaer for the Summit of the Northlands. I was giving them a tour of the Westend when a riot broke out, though Rickter blamed me for stoking the fires as I shot a rioter in the leg with my gun. I still owe Rickter a punch in the face for the one he gave me back then."

He allowed those words to hang and fall as he was curious as to what the statuesque woman would say. He couldn't however help but feel concerned for Rickter's mental state, as he was familiar with what the mind does when desperate and pushed into a corner with no way out. A part of the vampyre believed Rickter would do something foolish if left to his own devices. ☬

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Nnerka]

A simple question — and he was getting worked up. Over nothing. Perhaps she was the slightest bit delighted at the revelation, though not entirely. He hadn’t even the decency to greet her. After she’d been roped into his nonsense and missed what was supposedly a great to-do at the reception. An irritated lift of her lip, the tip of her head as several eyes trailed after the rathari before her attention was drawn to the table.

A quirk of her brow as she sat down in an available seat, this too protesting the bulk of her. “Umber? What sort of name is that?” Arm over arm folded until she could rest her chin in the palm one hand. “I might be the only one to call him that. Does it not have a nice ring to it?” Another delighted giggle before she fully appraised the men before her with divided attention. Neither of them she had known, much less the one that had followed after Rickter. Only slightly interested in that one, given his height — but that might have been all. “I would say I know him well, but it is a matter of a debt he owes me, yet unfulfilled.” The cheeriness in her tone dropped away there, though her smile had not.

“You may call me Nnerka.” Two eyes trained now on Dante solely. An interesting story of how they met. "Oh, my! You shot someone? I should think I would be exceptionally riotier — riotous? riotly? — if someone shot me. You should see what happens if you do; punch him, that is. Not shoot me, because I can assure that will not be pretty." Her smile widened enough to pull at the slits along her mouth, lifting with the promise of something more beyond them. All the while, her other eyes wandered. And in those wandering eyes came the vision of something worthy of taking her attention away, and forcing out pleased chitters as she turned in her seat.

Walking toward the table came Telion and Hannah, but more importantly: they came with the twins. The precious twins she’d had the good fortune of meeting during her molting. Tiny (especially to someone of her stature) little bundles of joy that she very gladly took from their mother. And would be more than happy to keep. “Oh! How they have grown, but how tiny they still are!" Words in Common switched into Valasren soon after, quiet chitters to the small children in her arms. Mood successfully shifted for the better, though her interest in Rickter’s other companions had dwindled.

[Rickter]

The Atinoran had become observant of the ones who'd surrounded Rickter, mostly because these seemed to be the people the wolf associated with. Patrick found it interesting to see the reactions that developed between everyone, Nnerka's untimely arrival leading up to the excuse to use the restroom, which in turn, left the poor spider woman in a minor tizzy before she joined the table. The bartender couldn't help but wonder how these people knew this Rickter after all, since he only had the initial details from his own mother prior to joining them.

Neither one of them knew of the name Umber at all it seemed, an outcome that didn't surprise Patrick, but at the same time slightly disappointed him just for a bit. Northerners. Did nobody hear of the stories back home? Not that he wanted to dwell on it really, not since "Wolfman" seemed a more amusing nickname to call someone by. "A debt huh? Interesting." To what did this Rickter owe Nnerka? He was definitely curious to figure that out, only guessing that the Rathari had engaged in some kind of transaction with the woman in front of him. "Patrick, pleasure to meet you." He remarked to her casually with a hearty grin, nearing a smirk as he nearly looked to zone out on her.

Until Dante shared his own experience with meeting the wolf, as well as the mention of Talon yet again in this Summit of the Northlands. Was that what went down last Glade? He wasn't entirely aware of what all went on, having spent the time exploring the city with his brothers more than anything. "A riot?" He'd heard that Zaichaer had been antimagic or whatever, but for a literal riot to break out on the streets over a couple of men? Well... Talon was somebody easily worth rioting over, given his role in this city, but the Atinoran wasn't fully aware of his divinity status either. With Rickter being there, and from what Dante mentioned over the shooting, it seemed to Patrick that this fellow wasn't just some big hotshot among the Kalzasi folk.

"I see." The bartender remarked when he heard the comment about being punched in the face, his bottle of whiskey tilted so that he casually took a few gulps from the lip. When Nnerka suggested that Dante do carry out with the punching idea, Patrick couldn't help but exhale sharply through his nose, a few soft chuckles echoing in his throat as he rested the bottle back down. Honestly? Whiskey wasn't going to cut it for the Wolfman, and even Patrick could see that now. From the frost that caked the left mug to the folded parchment sitting next to it, hell, not even that punch might ground the wolf back down into reality. Even now, Patrick couldn't help but wonder as he glanced back to the bathroom door, what exactly did the Kathar from earlier have to say that was so important?

They clearly had to be having an interesting conversation, however, for the time being, the Atinoran was collectively focused on present company before him. As Nnerka's attention quickly shifted to a pair that had entered within the premises...

---

Having expected to be alone the wolf had retreated within, and succumbed to the whirlwind of thoughts that tidal waved over his mind. He felt cold at the surface of his palms and yet he still couldn't fight it, not when he felt the tears stinging his eyes from the amount of turmoil in his heart. Just then the door clicked open, and when he clenched, Rickter's mind raced so quick that the room nearly spun. Until he realized...

“Which do you need? Time or an ear?” The Prince inquired as he could clearly tell how the wolf had felt. He was honestly fine if not awestruck, having not been blessed with the friends he'd found at the time. Even so... Rickter told Talon part of his own personal life's story, expecting some kind of tease or torment over it in turn. What he did not expect was how caring and compassionate Talon was, when he explained his own insight on the matter, and surprising Rickter, even more, when he expressed these thoughts.

And then came the Bond, and an offer with it the wolf wasn't sure of at the time.

He did not bother asking how Rickter was feeling. Talon could see it, he could experience it, as plainly as his Semblance allowed him to. "If you are struggling, I can form a Light Bond with you and help you with your struggles. It is something that is easily done and while it is the most superficial of the Bond, it can go a long way. The choice is yours." And yet even when he would've normally shied away from such opportunities, it was a chance that he somehow felt inclined to at least consider. Why? Why did Talon make him feel this way? The wolf had thrown caution to the wind, for once in his life, and decided that he wanted to actually trust this man. And for what?

"...What needs to be done?"

"“Only that you trust me." In that instance Talon leaned forward, the press of their foreheads had led to a minor tension in the wolf's shoulders. Yet as they lingered close he somehow felt a little ease wash over him, the uncertainty he felt at the time slowly dissolving as he witnessed the glow of Talon's light over his sternum. That glow....

The door clicked open and Rickter's eyes shifted from the mirror, no longer seeing the memory playing out before him. Baudric had entered the bathrooms with him, earning a wary glare as the wolf breathed both deeply and heavily. There came a thick and heavy silence between them as the Kathar observed, and then leaned into the door behind him with considerable thought on what to say. Why? Did he need to choose his words so carefully? What on Ailizane prompted this man to follow the wolf into such a space? It took one look in the mirror for him to see why that was. Rickter's eyes had reddened from the amount of tears he'd shed, and the pull of his hands from the surface of the sink came with a noticeable tear of ice.

Baudric then expressed that he'd been there, at the wedding, therefore had seen firsthand everything that had went down. Immediately, his fingers tightened back over the edge of the sink, the metal reservoir still groaning as he altered his breathing pace just slightly. It was slower now, deeper as he tried to listen. The legionnaire went on to express how out of place he'd felt, but also obligated to attend on Talon and Aoren's behalf. The wolf didn't blame him... How many times did he feel like he never belonged? Until one day he felt that changed... Wait... Did he? The startling revelation of that slowly welled into his mind, and his eyes never shifted from the mirror as he continued to listen.

There were the blessings for the newlyweds, and then a toast with the Shokoze himself apparently. That was the moment he pointed out going downhill, where this faction known as Maloretsiev came in. They were the ones that came swooping in to crash the wedding, as well as the rest of the damnable outcome that transpired that day. To hear of the moment Savien was taken, when Rickter himself had only ever really met the man once, and barely had the chance to interact with him afterward... Another wave of cold air radiated from the wolf then, as he started to clench his jaw hard in reaction to the news.

When Baudric showed the collar around his neck once more, the rest became clear, Talon acted against the enemy as he normally would... only for Aoren to be taken hostage, and clearly subduing Talon in turn because of how intimate their Bond truly was. A Bond that the wolf would've wanted, one day, had he the courage long before these tragic events. What's more, it now seemed their enemies had Talon and Aoren, and Queen Sahfri herself grasped at straws for answers. Though terrified of her the wolf couldn't help but feel anger both for and against her now... So much of it in fact, that walls of the room gently vibrated from the amount of aether the wolf vibed off. The Imperium. Baudric intended to return there too it would seem, vowing that he would aid in delivering justice to this. To them.

Yet the words merely resulted in an adjacent crack in the mirror in front of them.

The sound of hearbeats in unison filled his mind as the wolf saw the silver light that emanated from Talon's chest. "This is going to be the hardest part for you, Rickter." The words were like a soft blanket over him that night, bringing warmth into his heart as he knew for certain Talon's words. "You have to open yourself up to accepting it. Not just here…...but here." The subtle gestures made with his hands left the wolf to wonder then, as he sought deep within him that connection he'd yearned for. Even now, something inside him struggled.

Was it fear? Or perhaps courage. Something in Rickter drove him to reach deeper within, before he'd found the strength necessary to reveal himself to the prince. The trickle of lights from Rickter's chest finally came, and with it, the forging of their Bond as much greater warmth filled his soul.

"Oh, Rickter… You are not alone. Not anymore. And when you feel you need this no longer, you need only reach out to the door between us and close it." The prince had assured him after embracing the wolf protectively, those silver wings blocking out the rest of the world, leaving only the two of them alone in their own personal dominion for a time.

"I... I doubt that'll be the case anytime soon."

The memory faded from his mind as he breathed deeply and harshly, his brows furrowed deeply as he tried desperately to remember those feelings once more. Where were they? Where had they gone? Only blame seemed the reasonable logic now, and Rickter had quite the growing list to add to the names. "...Good." He finally murmured as there came a gradual stillness to his chest, his thoughts and breath finally slow enough for him to focus on the present. "Do everything you can." He then straightened up a bit, the heavy in his eyes present but mostly mitigated, as the wolf turned to face Baudric with a sharp gaze.

"Mark my words, Baudric, they will all pay. Zaichaer. The Imperium. I'll make them see what hell is... Til then, pave the way for me until I get there." He added as he approached the Kathar, the wolf's hand lifting to rest upon Baud's shoulder. "Because I'll need you, if we're to get Talon and Aoren out." The wolf then heard sounds from outside the bathroom door, sounds that quickly alleviated the spiteful gaze fixed on the wolf's expression. With the hand on Baudric steadily dropping aside, the wolf's eyes fell to the door knob while he reluctantly reached for it in turn.

He knew... those scents.

---

"Well, hello." Telion greeted Nnerka first as she and Hannah entered the High Hopes, noticing her over the couple men that were found sitting at the table she was with. Her and Hannah both greeted her as the mother knew, right away, auntie Nnerka would certainly want what little time was left with their children. Since, considering, they were all due to leave Kalzasi soon.

"Had to make sure you'd get to say goodbye at the least." Hannah remarked as Kendric and Isaac were allowed to be held by the spider Fae, relieving Telion from carrying them after their return from the palace. Both boys were swaddled with ivory pacifiers in their mouths, their eyes observing the world curiously as they hadn't any idea what was going on. Plus with it being this late, it was certainly well past their bedtimes, but given the circumstances.

"Where's?..." The healer looked within the lobby for Rickter, suddenly leery of the fact he wasn't present as they'd hoped. Nora wasn't here either, all the while Patrick observed the lot of them with curious eyes. And then the door opened once more, with Rickter coming out into the room with Baudric following behind. Immediately, her sights fell on the wolf, and he too looked to her with an ungodly sense of relief. Yet the somberness in his eyes. The mother wasted no time in rushing up toward him, throwing her arms around him as the wolf embraced her protectively. "I thought for a moment..."

"I was really worried, you know." He admitted right away, his hands still clutched at her shoulders when they pulled apart.

"I promised you, didn't I?" She remarked as Hannah stood near them, with a touched smile on her lips before she looked over to Nnerka. Rickter's eyes moved from her to Telion, and then to the one who held both twins in her arms. The twins. He had been so damn scared of losing them next, that to actually see them now, left him on the verge of tears again as he approached them.

"Tarshenna doesn't know anything, about this or us; she says." Hannah remarked as Rickter smiled gently to his boys, Isaac already grinning with a minor squeal as Kendric bounced in Nnerka's arm. The wolf looked to the rogue glumly, his thoughts on the matter certain as he thought back on his time with her. She had always pushed him and Aoren so hard, wanting the best out of both of them... for Talon. Rickter could only wonder how it was she felt in all this, but for now, he settled on the fact his pack was all together once more.

"So..." Patrick finally murmured as he leaned closer to Dante, the bottle of whiskey already three-quarters empty as his speech had slowed but not slurred. "Those are his wife and kids?" He drunkenly asked in a tone of confusion, the droop in his eyes starting to rise as he pretended not to be drunk.

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah" "Patrick"

[Baudric]

Thread Title

Timestamp

Baudric watched closely to the wild look of anger filled the wolf's eyes. Slowly they descended into a clear conviction. Was he in the wrong for having told Rickter everything? Should he have left things vague? The man he had come to know was slowly loosing himself in ways that Baudric could never even attempt to theorize. This, this looked like the very thing the Imperium denounced for the Kathar. The thing Baudric was prohibited from knowing.

He paused to search his mind. Should he offer words of warning? Rickter seemed to balance on the edge of a razor, were he not careful he could loose himself down a path there would be no recovering from. He would of course be there for Rickter. He would be an ally in the Imperium. He needed to get back home and start laying down the ground work for finding out the Imperium's involvement. And if found to be, learn what he can of the whereabouts and precautions placed over the control on the God-prince.

Before he could speak Rickter was already moving past him for the main hall. Following the wolf cautiously behind him to see Telion. He had not seen her often in his time here. Not for wanting, but out of respect to not let pre-existing prejudice of an enemy nation dictate his appreciation for all she had done for his recovery. He owed her much, and now he knew better how to do it. Rickter would be his charge upon his arrival. He would ensure Rickter would return to her when the time came.

Keeping his distance he watched the group, his eyes drifting over each person. They all seemed to know one another. A very strange group of individuals. One in which social ties could not be divined from the look of them all. Three of them in particular drew his attention. The very large woman with features that confused him. Was he unnerved by her appearance or was it suspicion for something more sinister. Her adoration for the twins however caused him to not dwell. Patrick and Dante, on the other hand, they concerned Baudric. A mental note was made to get to know them better at a later date if possible.

"Mein Licht, vertreibe die Dunkelheit, befreie meine Seele. Fliegen Sie in der Luft des Zufalls."

Baudric Von Uberfallenlicht

Baudric KathalanCasting

[Dreyfus]

Dante Vanhelsing

Company: Lots of folk| Thoughts: You need me| Mood:Concerned

☬ The more the vampyre sat there the more he came to be concerned for the wolf. He couldnt place where this concern was coming from, but he knew nothing good could come of it. Tapping into his rune, aether surged through his vitale, allowing the vampyre to open his senses up to the room. He focused solely on the room Rickter and the large Avialae were occupying and dialed his hearing in on that room.

The other voices around him seemed to fade away into mumbles, the Spider-looking woman's words becoming muffled over the magnified voices of the other two men. Their conversation caused the eyes of the vampyre to widened when he heard them. It all made sense now. "If only Anton could be here to know he was right." he mused within his own thoughts. But it was all aligning in his mind now, the way Talon's divinity shook the core of Zaichaer's upper echelon with fear.

It seemed they found a way to disarm a god in the warrens after all. He couldn't help but find that Kalzasi was foolish to allow the Zaichaer delegation into their most intimate ceremony. But the harsh reality of it all was the fact that Kalzasi would learn from this mistake. When both men swore to make those responsible pay for what they had done, Dante couldn't help but smile at that, as it seemed all three men were of the same mind, only for their ways of going about it to be different.

When Rickter and the other returned Dante realized that new faces had appeared. It was starting to get crowded, and with all these bodies around, Dante could feel the creeping feeling of hunger slithering its way from the cage in the back of his mind. He could hold off his hunger for another day, but come tomorrow he would have to feed on an unfortunate soul in the Midden. It wouldn't be a very good thing to snatch someone here to fulfill his thirst for blood.

Looking over to the left of him the other male......the vampyre starting to find that it was truly too many people in the area....came to sit next to him. It was obvious that the woman with the two infants were very close to the wolf, and the spider woman, Nnerka if he remembered correctly were well acquainted with each other. Looking at them all made something in vampyre tremble a bit. Was this what he felt was missing from his life. People he cared about? A family of his own? He wasn't sure what it would take to fill the feeling of emptiness that resided in the pit of his being, but he knew seeing this was a step towards finding out.

Leaning over, he placed a hand under the drunken male's chin and rubbed it, an alluring smile on his lips. "It would appear so handsome." he said, musing over the thought a little more as he poured another drink from the bottle in the other's hand. With a smile, he stood and walked over to where Rickter stood. Tapping the man on his shoulder, he sipped the liquor from the cup clearing his throat before speaking.

"May I steal a moment of his time, I promise to return him to you, my dear." he asked, looking to the woman wrapped up in the wolfman's arms. He motioned for Rickter to follow him towards the darker part of High Hopes, finding two chairs in the corner tucked away from everyone else. Once Rickter joined him, he would lay it all out for the man. "If you are truly set out on this path of vengeance, then I will join you in your endeavors. You will need someone of my talents, especially since I possess a secret weapon."

He allowed that to sink into the wolf before continuing on. Setting his cup down, he undid the buttons of his shirt to reveal his Vitalis rune. The glow of rich reds and amber hues swirled around while black highlights sparkled within it. The light from the rune almost gave a warming glow to the darkened space they were sitting in. "This rune has afforded me many advantages, one of which allowed me to listen in on your conversation with...Baudric I believe he said. You will need someone with knowledge of Zaichaer and their inner workings."

Leaning back into his chair he took another sip of the whiskey from his cup. "That being said you will need someone who knows their preventive measures. Being that I am a former reconciliator, I am knowledgeable of the way they move to deal with threats and watch for possible breaches." he took one last sip from his cup, his eyes trailing to Baudric, then falling back onto the wolf.

"I'll be frank, I don't think you, well either of you for that matter have the heart for what you may be thinking of doing. Noble intentions or not, clean hands won't get things done. The results you are wishing cant be achieved without staining your hands with blood. A demigod and his husband were taken, a king of a powerful nation was killed. You really think those involved or who know anything will just tell you what you want cause you asked nicely?" those words were pointed, directed straight at him.

"Hence why you need someone like me, someone who isn't adverted to spilling blood. I've come to rather enjoy, it fuels me so to speak." he said pointing to the mother of Rickter's kids. "Let me be your shadow so that you can remain their light. Besides, your precious Talon wouldn't want you to kill others for his sake."

With those words, the vampyre looked to the mother, the other people who seemed to surround the wolf. In a way he was jealous, but that too like most things for him nowadays would pass. ☬

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Chronicle]

Name: All Participants

Points: 10
Magic: These points cannot be used for magic.
Knowledge: 10 Lore Points
Injuries: N/A
Loot: N/A

This was a fun get-together to see between everyone, hope to see more fun and interesting moments like this in the future!