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The Shantytown on my mind
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2023 11:49 am
by Ivar
123 Glade 90th
Kicking off his afternoon, Ivar found himself exploring the Midden, a place plenty of people knew about but most didn’t want to venture into. Everyone knew it was a total mess down there, like the wild west of caves or something. But for Ivar, he was willing to explore it, especially because it usually led to him meeting interesting people which were profitable for his side hustle.
His teleportation power came in handy, basically made him zip around and cut his travel time down by a lot. It helped that he knew where he was going. There was a shantytown called Hahseu and it was basically the only place he went to when he came down here. He knew there were other places but he felt safest around lots of people. Staying along a known path made it easier to avoid danger too.
On his mind was making more friends. Well, not really friends. More like people he could trade information with. Before he knew it, he was getting close to his destination. Not the kind of place you'd want to visit for vacation. Lots of scary characters. But Ivar knew he could find people to connect with there.
Of course, Ivar could have simply teleported straight there from the comfort of his own home but he had no way of knowing what the place would be like. He always felt like things could go to shit down here and he didn’t want to accidentally end up in a bad situation.
There was always something going on in the Midden. It wasn't always nice stuff, but it kept things interesting. In a weird way, it felt like home to him. Dangerous, sure, but also full of potential. In the end, that's what mattered to him.
“there you are”
He spotted the shantytown in the distance. Finally.
Re: The Shantytown on my mind
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2023 1:21 pm
by Eury
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Seated on the hard, gritty soil at the outskirts of Hahseu, Eury's slender yet busty form is hunched over a small, lifeless creature. Her fingers, delicate yet unflinching, are buried deep within its body, a stark contrast to the roughness of the shantytown around her. The mundane noise of Hahseu fades into the background, the clatter of pots, the shrill calls of peddlers, the distant laughter of children, all drowned out by the intense focus of her task.
Eury's fingertips connect with the soul which she puts into a gem, a small, glowing essence of life nestled within the still-warm body of the animal. Her face, lit by the soft luminescence of the gem, highlights her beauty, even in this grim setting. But it is a beauty marked by the gruesome task at hand, her visage smeared with blood, making her look almost feral, a touch of madness in her dark, focused eyes.
Suddenly a man appears near her. A new face. Her body stiffens, and she slowly withdraws her bloodied hands from the animal. The soul gem still throbs with the faint residue of life, casting an eerie glow on her face as she looks at Ivar. Her eyes, still wide from her interrupted task, flicker with an alert readiness, the pretty face distorted by the streaks of blood that marr it.
Eury's presence, at once beautiful and grotesque, is amplified by her bloodied appearance and the grim backdrop of the shantytown. Her intensity, amplified by the bizarre setting, forms an aura of wildness around her. The sight of her, fingers still inside the lifeless creature, a tiny glow of the soul gem in her hands, and the crazed determination in her eyes, would surely be an intimidating, if not outright terrifying, sight to anyone. But this was her life, a twisted, raw form of survival in a world that had offered her nothing else.
Re: The Shantytown on my mind
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2023 3:41 pm
by Ivar
Ivar blinked a few times, making sure that his eyes were not playing tricks on him. The sight before him was unsettling to say the least. A pretty woman with her hands buried deep into the corpse of some creature he couldn’t see clearly. He saw a soft glow from a gem which reminded him of a dragon shard. She looked dangerous, wild, and yet, he found himself strangely drawn towards her.
He cleared his throat, forcing his eyes to meet hers. The woman was unlike any he’d ever seen down here. What was someone like this doing down here? He felt the need to reassure her he was not a threat. But how did one do that in a place like the Midden?
He thankfully had the ability to teleport so he wasn’t quite worried about her attacking him. He stayed where he was which was several paces away from her. Best case she would become a useful contact. Worst case he figured she’d tell him to fuck off.
"Hello. I didn't mean to interrupt whatever you were doing. I’m on my way to town. I noticed you were bloody and thought you might need help. If not, I’ll leave you be.”
As the words left his mouth, Ivar couldn't help but question his own sanity. Here he was asking a potentially unstable blood-soaked woman if she needed his assistance. But he supposed this was just another day in the life an information broker.
“I’m Ivar by the way. An information broker or a scrivener depending on my mood, anyhow I can be quite useful when I want to be.”
He glanced around. If the ritual was being performed properly he was sure to spot some pictographs. While he didn’t know this was Necromancy, he got a good feeling that something magical was happening here.
Re: The Shantytown on my mind
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2023 4:49 pm
by Eury
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The corner of Eury's mouth curled into a smirk as she took in the stranger's offer of help. In this chaotic world, where everyone fended for themselves, altruism was rare, if not non-existent. His words, however sincere, were met with a mild sense of amusement, his introduction warranting a subtle lift of her brows.
"That's quite the entrance you made. You appear next to me on accident or were you hoping I was a defenseless womanm," she began, her voice steady and calm despite the unusual scene. Her dark eyes flickered momentarily to his hair, giving him a nonchalant compliment, "You have nice hair, by the way." Her attention then shifted to the still pulsating soul gem in her bloodied hand, lifting it slightly for him to see. "This... this is a necessary part of my life, as gruesome as it might seem to you. I don’t need any help and I advise you not mess with me because I’m plenty capable of using magic to defend myself."
She casually cleaned her hands on the rough fabric of her clothes, the streaks of blood staining the material a darker shade. "Don't worry about me. I've handled much worse. And I could do with a wash," she added, with a pointed glance at her blood-splattered self.
Her gaze returned to Ivar, cool and measured. "You said you were on your way to town?" she inquired, her tone implying that he should proceed with his initial plan. She gave no name in return to his introduction, a subtle hint at her guarded nature. As her gaze lingered on his retreating form, she couldn't help but ponder on the peculiar encounter, her mind already busy piecing together the mystery that was Ivar.
If Ivar took her hint and turned to leave, Eury would watch him for a moment longer, her eyes focused on making sure he was actually leaving her alone. Once she was certain he was moving on, she got to her feet, brushing off the dirt from her clothes. Eury would tucked the gem safely into a small pouch tied at her waist, the cool weight of it familiar against her hip. She would then made her way back towards her humble abode, intent on washing off the remnants of her profession and changing into clean clothes.
Re: The Shantytown on my mind
Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2023 6:55 am
by Ivar
Ivar's lips twisted into a half-smile, holding her gaze as she responded. He observed the changes in her expression, taking note of her nonchalance and her pride in her craft. He nodded at her compliment, reaching up to touch his hair, a playful glint in his eye.
"Thank you, I do take pride in it. As for your question, I wouldn't say I hoped you were defenseless. It was more of a chance encounter. I must admit, though, I did find your beauty rather intriguing."
As she held up the glowing gem, he arched a brow, an appreciative nod given as she explained her work.
"I see, a necessary part of survival, I can understand that. I didn't mean to offend you with my offer of help, I could see you are more than capable."
He stood to leave but not before his gaze took in her bloodied appearance once more. He didn’t want to linger since she basically threatened him with magic.
"If it means anything, I do hope our paths cross again."
With that, he gave her a small wink, and then he was gone, using his blink ability to teleport away. Soon he’d appear near one of the first buildings which he knew to be a place to get a drink. As he stepped inside, the noise quickly grabbing his attention.
As he sat down at a sorry excuse for a table, he couldn't help but think about Eury. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind.
"What an odd lady. I should focus on what I came here for…"
But despite his best efforts, his thoughts kept wandering back to her. Her eyes, her guarded nature, and the undeniable allure of her peculiar magic. He wondered if he would ever see her again. Surely it wouldn’t be hard to ask around about her.