The Tomb of the Lost Immortal [Investigation]

An End and a Beginning

A blistering desert that stretches for hundreds of miles around Nashaki, with very little relief from the baking heat.
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Kaladis Anar
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The Tomb of the Lost Immortal [Investigation]

The Tomb of the Lost Immortal [Investigation]

54th of Ashan
Morning, Clear Skies, Warm

The Scrolls of Anar Verse One, Immortals, #19 An End and a Beginning.
NPCs Used: Alaya | Ralari

“Are you sure we have time?” Ralari cleared his throat, taking a quenching drink of the water they were preparing. Their stocks of water had increased again, the water barrel that Ralari’s defiance was focused on was almost full again and ready for a trip to market. Today their precious water had another use. “Can’t let an opportunity like this pass.” Kaladis drunk from his own waterskin, passing it to Alaya who happily accepted. Free water out here was worth having and she greedily took her fill.

T
hey had received rumor through one of Alaya’s contacts about the tomb of a lost immortal, whispers, rumors and lies. For Kaladis this was too good an opportunity to pass up, the contact seemed reliable enough despite his embellishments. Audrae would benefit from such knowledge and he could offer it to her some day. For Ralari it was a chance to study deep mysteries, and for Alaya to study treasure up close and personal as usual.

Standing there by their door as they loaded up with knives, swords, chainmail, waterskins and a rucksack each. Alaya, the black leather clad assassin, had become a regular visitor in their life, out of favour with the local diner running the Aurora here, she had developed a deep distaste for his betrayal of her in the same regard. Though she would never be free of their number, because once an Aurora assassin always an Aurora assassin, she didn’t feel the need to stand in his company either; if the Aurora wanted her they would call for her. Instead she had focused on these two Eidisi part out of necessity and part out of the financial gains she sometimes made in their company.

Filtering out Solace inn, the lone diner as always was completely separated from anyone else downstairs. Nobody spared a look their way not even the innkeeper, because everyone kept to themselves here. Opening the door to bright sunlight Kaladis had to adjust his eyes, putting his hand over them. Ralari began readying the horse and cart, it would be pulling three today, two pickaxes, four rucksacks, two shovels, supplies, a tent, and a barrel of water; It was not the heaviest load the cart horse had ever pulled, used to hauling loads of sandstone, yet they were still only working with one carthorse, so progress would be moderate. The heat of the hotlands had returned, not to its peak certainly but it was there, and beginning to warm them as they boarded the wagon.

After Kaladis had mounted the carthorse, clicking his heels against the horse it set off. Adjusting his chainmail, it wasn’t the hottest thing to wear, allowing for some airflow, but it might become a factor next season when temperatures really did kick in. Another issue was Alaya didn’t yet know they were necromancers, which would need to be a delicately approached topic, Kaladis hoped for some hold over her first and that might need to begin now. The two marrows worth of bones Ralari had in his own covered rucksack would give the game away on this journey if nothing else, that or the 5ft stone golem that was currently looking like pile of rubble in the front of the wagon. Yes it was cramped in there, why do you think he was on the horse! They'd need a bigger cart if their operations kept expanding.

“Alaya, we know little of where you are from,” Kaladis started casually, but before he could get any further the Assassin answered him. “Better that way, less complications.” Rather than push this Kaladis used her response. “Yes. Complications are an issue we can do without. The Aurora are… a difficulty at times.” Kaladis touched the point with a needle, wondering how she’d react or what she'd reveal in any response.
~
Last edited by Kaladis Anar on Fri Apr 28, 2017 6:57 pm, edited 2 times in total. word count: 682
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The Tomb of the Lost Immortal [Investigation]

A
laya said nothing. Kaladis had gauged Alaya to be rasher in her temperament, but the Assassin did know when to keep her mouth shut, a mark of her training and cause for her survival so far. Kaladis didn’t push this question either, not wanting to give the game away that he was fishing for leverage.

Instead he let it lie, letting their horse continue quietly into the desert. Ralari had a good book to read so he was happy enough, back against the barrel in the wagon; Kaladis instead remained watchful and alert for raiders, Vri’s roaming undead, tribals, eternal empire patrols, or wandering predators. The Hotlands really did have 57 different ways to kill a man if he wasn’t alert, and they were just the ones you could see!

“Audrae we seek secrets on your behalf, lead us to them and their trail, today is for you my Mistress.”
This time his dedication was not a whisper, Alaya had already learned of Kaladis’s prayers to Audrae and Ralari simply didn’t care to comment, keeping his head down in his book. Not knowing better Alaya did have a word to say, “you talk like she can hear you,” the assassin was polishing her borrowed dull sword. She’d had to return several of the knives to the Aurora which she’d taken as an insult, she’d loved her knives; Kaladis had given Alaya his spare iron sword but it wasn’t in great condition having seen a lot of use by now.

“You believe the Mistress of Shadows and secrets lets any word about her go unheard?”

“Ha, we are in a lifeless desert,” Alaya curled a smile. Ralari for once agreed with the assassin but cautioned against bothering debating with Kaladis, “it’s not worth arguing,” he turned his book’s page. Kaladis was completely unphased by this doubt or scepticism, leaning against the horse as it moved across the desert sands, “one day I will show you both what you cannot see.” His expression showed a firm, resolute and rare grin.

Another break or two went by of uneventful travel, their destination was a full one or two trial's ride outside of the city; meaning this trip was definitely a time commitment, something he didn’t have a great deal of between the smithy and the sandform dig they were doing. To pass that time Kaladis began to sing, badly, and after a verse surprisingly Alaya joined in, helping stabalize his off key pitch.

Sands of promise, sands of time.
Every step along the border of the unknown,
Puts us one foot prime in danger,
But closer to that written on our birthstone.

Trials we face,
On our Journeys we make.
For Secrets we Chase,
Immortal’s legends we shall take.

Hold fast the sands of promise and time,
They drain with each passing breath.
Not in jest or defiance do we Mime,
Fallen understanding watering a barren desert.

If there were one arranger of fates,
Life given and taken, grown or lost.
One to which songs could be sung,
She would be endless in her potential dominion,
Always to be there and never found.


Kaladis looked to Alaya who he found looking back at him, “that is Audrae.” For once the assassin didn't answer him, and leaned back in the wagon.
~
Last edited by Kaladis Anar on Sat Apr 22, 2017 9:08 am, edited 2 times in total. word count: 569
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E
ventually night came and rather than push on they pitched up the tent, built for two, at three it would be a squeeze. The horse tied securely outside, Kaladis had learned to tie the horse to the tent in such a way that if the rope was removed, a corner of the tent would fall slack; it was a trick to wake him should any horse thief come call, an unlikely event out here but his suspicious mind wouldn’t risk it. Of course pitching the tent at all in sand wasn’t easy, requiring he bury the anchors to keep them secure, using some rocks packed by sand. A trick he’d found on his travels back and forth hauling ore for the smithy, was that rocks gave it additional protection from wind.

Sitting around a dry dung fire, the smell was masked with some grey powder from the smithy. The smell wasn’t remove entirely just less tangy for the Eidisi, who both still thought themselves above the common man’s dung fire. No matter his status right now, Kaladis was above the common man, his education, breeding and intelligence saw to that.

Alaya had found them some small game to eat, and Kaladis had told her to cook it now to spare their food stocks. Any food was precious as the sun began to rise higher in the day, and Ymiden temperatures drew nearer. For now at night the three sat around a campfire, Ralari’s head in a book and Alaya sharpening the dull iron sword hopelessly, it kept her mind occupied at least. Kaladis preferred the quiet, taking the time to clear his mind and meditate on the day’s events. Something he’d seen Ralari doing, it allowed his thoughts to come and go as they wished, giving him a small bit of clarity on an uncertain journey. The clarity was simply: It was good to have a break from the forge or people playing games outside of it, working angles on each, and never knowing where you stood, here it was just them and the desert on a relaxing journey.

Retreating to the cramped tent they all laid on their side; getting an awkward night’s sleep given they were one person extra in the two person tent; at night the desert seemed warm enough in Ashan, not hot but warm enough that they could forgo a blanket if they wanted. Putting their heads down, the group got some rest.

Dreams came of standing in a dark tower, surrounded by the shadows of those he had once loved; he dreamed of frantically trying to warn them about an impending impact; he dreamed most of all of her face, whose face he couldn’t say, but she was always there at the end of the dream. “Stop fidgeting,” Alaya complained, elbowing Kaladis in the side. After the dreams had passed Kaladis was such a heavier sleeper, partially due to his hearing and partially due to his draining nightmares that he hadn’t even felt the other two get up. When he rose he saw the others were already packed and ready to go.

Their potential tomb site was just a few breaks away.
~
word count: 546
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The Tomb of the Lost Immortal?
S
and around them had been declining for at least a break, leading to unearthed stone, and then to the mysterious tomb. Why nobody had seen this, was it a landslide, some magic, or had someone dug this free from the rockface? However it had happened, there it stood in its majesty. Alaya hopped off the back of the wagon before it had stopped, happy to stretch her legs. Kaladis slowly dismounted and went to the back with Ralari who was reluctant to unpack his marrows, Kaladis told him to anyway.

They were out in the middle of nowhere, if he saw mistrust in Alaya this was as good a place as any for “Alaya” to die. She turned to him, “there is something else you need to know about us.” Kaladis stood squarely facing her, and she knew something was up, her hand resting on her weapon hilt. Sadly lacking her usually plethora of knives, but it didn’t detract from the cold stare she gave him. “Aaand just what might that be,” Alaya popped her lips.

Click, Click, Click.

Two of Ralari’s marrows walked side by side with Kaladis, armed with pickaxes. Kaladis sung true and free of restriction, his melody bold. A crude 5ft tall stone and steel rod golem clunked its way behind them, around its neck was a chain and a box.

“Oohhhh’kay,” Alaya said shifting on the spot. Kaladis didn’t move a muscle, watching her, seeing what she was feeling. She’d not flinched more or betrayed any sign that he could pick up on, her tone was just surprised but not shocked; that was a good sign of her actual feeling behind the initial expression.

“Ain’t the first prancers I’ve seen,” she said with a shrug. Prancers, Kaladis let the comment slide for now. “Gives you a hold over us, one I’ll return with continued coin. Betray us, and I swear to Vhalar that you will die before they capture both of us.” Kaladis turned to Ralari who nodded quietly. His oaths to Vhalar were his prayers, and he meant every one of them he made.

“Pffft no difference to me,”
Alaya said and turned back to the tomb, but she’d certainly heard him promise coin! Perhaps Alaya's time with the Aurora had prepared her more than Kaladis realised. The Eidisi still needed a hold over her, a hold to be sure she would never betray them for a reward. Make no mistake she would be his, for she knew too much to be anything less than his or dead!

Walking forward the two Eidisi were marvelling at the red stone architecture, its pillars, engravings that had stood the test of time? Had it been here a long while? “This is astounding, who knew this could be here unspoiled for the taking?” Ralari commented, getting wrapped up in his love of art. Kaladis being more practical had spotted something in the sand, footprints. “we are not the first here.” He bent down to get a feel of the ground, then rubbed his hands together to shake the sand free of them. Tracking along the prints with eyes, he judged there were at least three sets of footprints. The Eidisi couldn’t be sure being a novice in hunting, and failed to pick out any further details.

“Here Audrae, its secrets to be yours as and when you wish. Whoever is ahead of us, if they do not serve you let them perish to be free of your path.” Though in the back of his mind, Kaladis thought finding this place had been too easy.
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~
word count: 614
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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Kaladis Anar
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W
alking inward the structure of the towering red tomb, there was definitely an uneasy feeling settling into his steps; Alaya had noticed whatever was in the air too, walking much like she was trained to now, being careful and wary of danger. With the two ahead of him on alert, Ralari kept a few paces behind them for his own personal safety and comfort.

Inscriptions on the wall were familiar yet not, Kaladis rubbed the dust and gloom off the surface of the tomb's wall. It seemed like the ancient language at Laventia’s digsite, a derivative of ancient again, yet there were no familiar markings he could see from the last symbols. Kaladis like many Eidisi were naturally inclined to be good at linguistics, but he had little experience except his tuition, and so couldn’t make the leaps necessary to connect all the pieces together yet. Ralari was suspicious of this new inscription, a warning, instructions, or details of what the purpose of the tomb was?

Alaya ventured ahead as usual, causing Kaladis to need to keep up and be pulled away from his thoughts. “We should remain a time for research.” Ralari advised but Alaya wasn’t listening, much to his aggravation. Kaladis also wanted to be sure where and who else was in the tomb, preferring to spot them before their own party was spotted. “We will return on our exit.” Kaladis told his friend, Ralari had managed to jot down about five potentially new symbols but that was all, frustrated that he wasn’t given longer. “No.” He told his friend and student. “I am staying here to translate. Who knows what this might unlock.”

Alaya looked at Kaladis and then to Ralari, the subtle power play happening between them again. Kaladis very calmly turned to Ralari. There was only one thing that was going to move Ralari willingly, “Alone with who knows how many in here with you?” Ralari looked like he might hesitate, but was persuaded fairly easily to move, his nature winning out. “Very well.” The Eidisi mentor said with the same aggravation in his voice, and Kaladis resolved to make it up to him later.

Further inward their steps took them, Alaya stealthily scouting ahead of them while Kaladis kept looking for traps, they made a good pair between them, her knowledge of how to move silently and his watchful eyes. Watchful eyes that came across quite a sight ahead of them.

Not treasure, or sculpture
Not a green paradise or precious water.
But a large chamber of glass containers, each with an ethereal colored substance inside. Was this stored ether? Welled or something else? Many containers stood on pedestals and most glowed orange or golden, a few larger ones above were lighter like the sun and held fast to the wall, it wasn’t blinding but it did give the entire room a warm orange glow.
~
word count: 494
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As Kaladis and his companions entered the room with the glass containers, a voice spoke from behind them. "About fekkin' time. I'd honestly begun to wonder if anyone was goin' to find this place." When they group turned to face the source of the voice, they'd find a tall woman with loose black hair and amber eyes. She was dressed simply, black shirt, pants, and boots, under a black overcoat with red trim. She was leaning against a wall as she spoke, cleaning out from under her fingernails with a small knife.

She looked up at them as they turned to face her and grinned slightly. "You all just be relaxin'. If I had any plans to cause any of you harm, I'd already have the lot of you bloody and hurtin'." she said, before she looked around the temple. "But I've been waitin' for someone what can tell me the secrets of this place. And you happen to appear to be just what I'm lookin' for." she said, pushing herself off of the wall and taking a step towards Kaladis and his companions. "So, shall we do what you came here to do? I promise, you'll find it most...rewarding." she said, breaking out into a small laugh as she spoke of rewards.
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Kaladis Anar
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B
oth Eidisi could be undeniably patient when faced with the unknown, twice the lifespan of humans they sometimes took twice as long to feel the need to react. Kaladis preferred to let the woman reveal as much about herself as possible before committing himself, Ralari the same, Alaya having an assassin's training had stealthily and subtly edged her way to the pair’s right, given just the smallest of looks from Kaladis when he realised she was putting distance between them. Kaladis noticed then and there it was much harder to trap people when they were in two positions, which his suspicious mind was inclined to feel was one possibility for this delay.

Taking a look behind them, his novice hunting skills had made him think there were three steps of footprints to find, and he wanted to be sure there were no obvious guests waiting. Was she working for the Makers, the Aurora, the Council, the Raiders, or another of Laventia’s goons? Choices, Choices. Was she something else, hmm? His eyes went back trying to place her, reading her body language. She was casual when faced with three armed invaders in an unnerving tomb, not to mention the three thralls behind them. Confidence which spoke of either training, power, recklessness, or the trap he feared. He would be cautious, but take the initiative to arrange things to his advantage.

Kaladis looked to Ralari and then to the door. The two of them reading each other well enough by this point to understand. Ralari’s two pickaxe carrying marrows behind them formed a barrier to the passage, while the stone golem stood motionless behind Kaladis awaiting command. Kaladis began his approach. He took two steps forward toward the stranger, still not having said anything, and still watching for deception, testing her nerve.

“Greetings Madam, how might we be of assistance?” Ralari broke the silence with a small flurry of rhetoric, while Kaladis used the distraction, and if she was watching was now a couple of steps closer, as was Alaya to his right. Kaladis followed Ralari’s lead, “interesting room,” he probed to see if she would reveal more before he needed to. “We enjoy reward,” Kaladis tried to placate and deceive the woman, moving one more step closer. “What did you have in mind?”

Whoever this woman was, she was very much in danger having seen them as necromancers. If she could feel or sense such things now might be the time to run. The subtle pooling of air in the doorway as the winds shifted might give it away also. Kaladis would not strike if the reward was sufficient, but it would have to be worth the risk of having to kill her later rather than now. Plus she might have information that they could use, so there was no rush.
~
word count: 482
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The little hand closed upon the gold nel before Eddrick's fingers were completely free of it. The child ran off eagerly and was lost in the many billowing tents and awnings in and around the gate to the desert jewel of Nashaki. Eddrick grinned after him, imagining the quantities of pastries and sweets the child's mind was undoubtedly inventorying as he ran for the impromptu Ashan Market.

But that thought was quickly dispersed as the bandit chieftain considered his own prizes to be had. The season before, while tracking down some wayward lingerers from the mob of undead he'd caused to be raised by his breaking of a Bone Yard piece, he'd come across an eidisi miner, who had showed some willingness to have a business association with his bandit force.

This was important because the season before that, Eddrick had been fairly well manipulated by the Tower of Gems, regarding information that could possibly reveal lodes of Night Glow gems. He'd had to bargain from a position of weakness, and had surrendered much just to repay the reach of authority that had kept him from being arrested. The fact that the same authority had set-up the arrest in the first place, just to force his indebtedness, made their dismissal of it considerably less than great sacrifice on their part.

Swearing to himself that he would see to it that any odd expeditionary squad would find themselves stripped of his "share" of the valuable quarry, he was always on the lookout for strangely outfitted teams going off into the desert reaches. He had bribes serving these interests in the form of children's eyes and ears all about town. The child who had just disappeared into the growing heat of the developing trial had confirmed a departing party that not only featured some odd cargo, but included the very eidisi miner Eddrick had met last Cylus.

The primary feature mentioned that interested him was the inexplicable presence of a pile of stone blocks in the wagon. This was not generally something a miner brought on the way in to a dig. But, as Eddrick considered the situation, it occurred to him that it could be used to replace blocks of ore cut from a dig site. That Kaladis fellow may well be planning to pull a theft of quarried ore that his expertise would gauge to be rich in something or other. If nothing else, Eddrick's curiosity was now piqued, and he had nothing else to do for the next trial or two.

His hawk, Arrow, was as always, gifted in the area of sighting parties from considerable distances. It was a small matter to give him the commands of "search and return" and "no cry", with the key target being "blue face" and "horse and wagon". These were given in a base form of feral Lorien, the avriel language, which was often used in falconry. This would allow him to keep a great distance, and stay unnoticed.

He swung his arm to let Arrow know to begin his search, and the hawk lifted off in a wide circle. It returned in less than a break, and with the raptor's circling overhead before landing upon the offered gauntlet, Eddrick knew his pet had located the travelers he was after. A last command of "follow" gave him a direction to take, and he was off.

He had enough experience and resistance to desert climes to travel light, while still staying warm at night with wind blocks. Many people found disaster in the desert not from the heat of the day, but from the assumption that it stayed hot during the night. He'd brought a few layers of woolen fabric to wrap himself in, as he spent the first night spying out the camp with his new "Night Vision" spyglass, made from that same Night Glow gem which had almost gotten him arrested.

It allowed not only the magnification created by its lens shape; it also lit whatever was viewed through it as if in broad daylight. He could see that there were, in fact, two eidisi, as well as a woman that was either a human, or one of the human-looking races. He actually watched her more than the men, wanting to be sure she was not a naerikk. He didn't like the look of her attire though. There was something "professionally" sinister about it.

He found he'd overslept the next morning and had to resort to Arrow's keen vision to confirm the disturbed sand was truly tracks. it was fortunate he had his hawk's lead, as the sand gave way to scorched stone. In short order he peered over a rise and was shocked to see an obviously worked, temple-like entrance into what would otherwise be just the side of a plateau rock-formation.

Eddrick scrawled out a note outlining the direction he'd taken, and asking for support if he did return to the caves in four trials. He rolled it tightly into one of his message tubes and tied this onto Arrow's leg with a leather bewit lacing. He let his poko range free, as he stole quietly to the pillared entrance and slipped inside, trying to keep from casting his shadow onto the floor ahead of him.

His spyglass, while still allowing the lighted effect, was disorienting with its close-up magnification in such relatively close spaces. It certainly exposed the glyphs on the walls, but there was nothing in any language he knew. He stopped to listen for voices...
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The woman gave no reaction to Alaya putting space between herself and the two Eidisi, though she did smile at the two Eidisi when they spoke. However, before she could speak, something made her look behind her, and if Eddrick happened to be looking at her when she did, he'd notice that she was looking directly at him. After a moment, she grinned and turned back to the group before her.

"I want the same thing you do, I hope. More information about these ruins and any possible secrets they contain. And yes, the room is quite interestin'. Although, to be honest, if bottles of glowin' goop is all this place has to offer, I'll be sorely disappointed." she said with a laugh before she put her knife away. "As for reward, that depends on you, really. I can, however, assure you that you will not find me anythin' but generous. If you desire a recommendation, I suggest you ask the person followin' us." she said, grinning again before she turned back towards Eddrick behind them.

"After all, I have it on very good word that you enjoyed the little gift we laid out for you last season." she said, now speaking more towards Eddrick than the Kaladis and his group, with her voice raised to be sure he heard. "Closure, after all, is a wonderful thing, I'm sure. Anyway, I do hope you'll come and join us. However, do be sure not to harm my toys. The Golem took me dreadfully long to build, and you've done such good work, I'd hate to have to use you to replace one of my Marrows." she said, her voice still raised before turning back to Kaladis. "So, shall we then?" she asked.
 ! Message from: Basilisk
Part of this thread will progress Nashaki's overall plot, and I'll point those parts out in my posts. Otherwise, this is entirely up to ya'll.
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K
aladis didn’t so much listen to her words as to what she didn’t say. Lack of information spoke as much about a person as what they said. He had found this trick in dealing with spies, thieves, assassins and information brokers. There was no mention of the reward itself or the task, which could hint at a trap, or that she was evaluating them and the situation first before revealing more, but for what purpose? Glowing poop, she might almost see Kaladis smile if only briefly, Alaya certainly smirked, with her mouth covered by leather as usual to hide expression; casually waiting at the side of them all, the assassin's hand had remained unnervingly close to her weapon.

All of their positioning stopped when the stranger mentioned the man approaching. Everyone span around, most noticeably Ralari, his instinct for self-preservation taking him far away from the door and off towards Alaya, only leaving his marrows in the doorway behind. The Marrows, The Golem! Kaladis recognized his Raider contact soon enough, this could not be worse timing. He’d barely even made inroads with the raiders, and now one needed to be killed to keep this secret silent… Wait. My toys.

Kaladis resisted the temptation to obviously glance back at the woman for the save, he kept his eyes fixed on Eddrick instead. She had just proven quick to think on her feet in deescalating any potential situation. What was clear was he now owed her a favor as well as her eventual silence. Kaladis preferred to return favors, being also a devotee of Vhalar his word and his oaths were his bond. Not a spoken oath so he could recant, but she had just saved him from an unfortunate decision, and now deserved some form of consideration. There wasn’t the same understanding between Kaladis and Alaya as Kaladis and Ralari, the long look, then the shake of the head he gave the assassin eventually had her reacting. Alaya moved her hand away from her sword and the threat of a strike against the woman subsided. Eddrick had effectively proven the stabilizing element here!

Again resisting giving away that Kaladis knew Eddrick to anyone who didn’t already know, he merely nodded as the raider approached. Marrows carrying their pickaxes parted by Ralari’s silent command to let Eddrick through, which was perhaps the only telling thing that the two Eidisi were acquainted with the Raiders. Sadly Kaladis couldn’t command his golem behind them to do anything through bonesong, not without risking giving the game away to Eddrick. Playing the hidden necromancer, Kaladis might get away with one song masked as a battlecry or quirk of his character, better he save that for when it was needed.

“We shall, it would be my pleasure.”
Kaladis tone was more cordial, more definitely walking toward the woman, his body had not relaxed in the slightest however. “I am Kaladis Anar of… Nashaki. The tomb's language is familiar to us, though I cannot say where from. Where do you need my assistance?” The Eidisi almost had to correct himself, Viden and his former lineage no longer holding meaning for him, only the magical lineage mattered now. “And you both are?” He added, as they moved or followed the woman's direction. Prideful statements aside, what they would never know is he had given his name to put her more at ease, the familiarity made silencing people at a later moment that bit easier if need be.
~
word count: 596
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NPCs: Ralari - Alaya| Themes: Social - Dreams - Nightmares
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