• Closed • The Fountain of Youth

[Tio Silver]

The Knight's Rest Inn & Tavern
26th Ymiden, 717
Night

“I swear to yer, I'm tellin’ the truth!”

As it was most nights, the Knight’s Rest tavern was packed to the brim with people of all different ages and races swigging down drinks and chatting loudly to their friends about the events of their day. If there was one thing almost everyone in Scalvoris could agree on it was that the best way to end a long day of work was with a nice cool glass of beer in hand and good company around you, and with Cassion’s feast finished only a few trials ago there was plenty of spare drink to go around.

For the past few trials however the Knight’s Rest had also become the home of a strange new attraction, for it was around a large round table in a corner of the tavern that a middle-aged hunter named Ocelo had started telling anyone who’d listen the most fantastical story. Ocelo was a hunter (not a particularly good one, but skilled enough to make ends meet) and a regular face in the tavern, well known for the way he often exaggerated about the size of the prey he caught, and was thought of fondly by the locals for his cheerful and engaging storytelling. However his most recent tale was far removed from his usual light-hearted banter, this time his tale was strange and told with such conviction that it was hard not to take it seriously.

“… for three days I wandered in Scaltoth Jungle, lost and without water, fearin’ every night that somthin’ ad’ come along and gobble me up for dinner. Blast, dono what I was thinkin’ heading that deep inta there anyways. Anyway on the third day just as I’m about to drop dead from thirst I break through a thicket and stumble inta this spooky grove, a real untamed patch a forest with a pool at its centre. And in the middle of that stood this fountain carved outta nothin’ but stone that were pouring with water. So I cup up a handful a’ water and take as sip, and a’soon as I do I feel this strength flowing through me, an’ before my eyes the wrinkles on ma’ hands faded!” He gestured madly to his hair. “I took another sip and look, just look at me! My grey hairs got their colour back again!”

Indeed they had. Those that knew him had to admit that Ocelo did indeed seem a bit more youthful in appearance than he had before; the wrinkles the plagued his face were no longer so prominent, and his wispy hair seemed just a touch thicker than it had before. It was nothing that couldn’t be explained by a healthy change of diet and a splash of makeup however, and so just like every other night his tale with met with amused scepticism and rolled eyes from the crowd of people around him.

“Come on man, we all know you like to tell tall tales but don’t you think you’re going to far this time?” One of the audience members asked.

“I’m not lying to yer! There was a fountain, I saw it with me own eyes!” Ocelo replied.

“Oh yeah? Then why do you still look as old as you do?” Another person sneered. “If this so called fountain made you younger why didn’t you keep drinking from it until you were back in your twenties?”

“Cos there were beast still chasin’ after me! I heard somethin’ big rustling up the bushes next ta me and ran for it! I woulda gone back, but I was panickin’, I couldn’t find the way.”

There was another round of scoffing from the audience, followed by half-whispered conversations questioning his sanity as the crowd grew bored and decided to disperse. Some people suspected that all the time spent alone in the forests had finally sent Ocelo a little loopy, others claimed it was the drink, but the general consensus was that this fountain of youth he’d spoken of was nothing more than a lie he’d thought up to get people’s attention.
When it came to rumours Tio’s policy was to take them with a pinch of salt, and then add a pinch of sugar. On the one hand blindly believing in everything you heard was a sure way to make a fool of yourself; without a healthy dose of scepticism people often fell for scams or other deceptions, and in some cases lost more than just their money as a result. On the other hand however if you immediately dismissed a rumour simply because it didn’t sound plausible at first glance then you blinded yourself to all manner of opportunities that, if you played your card right, could lead you to some really great treasures. After all the world they lived in was full to the brim with all manner of strange magics, weird creatures and powerful immortal beings that seemed to be able to do all manner things thought impossible. Reality it seemed was not always set in stone, and those who found a way to ignore the rules that bound most people were usually the ones that got the most out of life.

It was for that reason that when he’d joined the crowd listening to a man who seemed a few bananas short of a bunch talking about a fountain that could turn back the time on the body clock, Tio had refrained from dismissing it as rubbish straight away. It was true that the idea of a magical youth-giving pond seemed like nonsense at first, but then again if an arc ago someone had told him that he’d end up robbing houses with a skeleton in a top hat for a partner he would have called that nonsense too, and look where he was now. Perhaps the story wasn’t completely crazy after all?

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. What if the hunter wasn’t lying and there really was a fountain that could restore a person’s youth? Whoever controlled the fountain might be able to cheat death indefinitely by repeatedly drinking from it, granting them potentially eternal life! In fact if they could bottle up this youth-giving water they could make a fortune big enough to rival a kingdom by selling it to any number of the aged nobles in the world for an extortionately high price! If it was real then this supposed fountain of youth could be the ticket to everything he’d ever dreamed of!

And all he had to do was find it first.

As the rest of the crowd began to disperse Tio pushed his way over to the bar and quickly bought two pints of ale, then skipped over to Ocelo and pushed one of the pints into his hand. He took a seat in a chair next to him and shot the hunter his most disarming smile, trying to appear as friendly as possible.

“Now that was an interesting story you were telling just now buddy. Here, have a drink, my treat.” He leaned in conspiratorially, flashes of avarice flickering in the blue of his eyes. “And in return, why don’t you tell me a bit more about this fountain of youth you were speaking of…”

[Pash Raj'oriq]

 

 

“Better yet, don’ jus’ tell him—tell us.“

Pash slid himself with a dancer’s sort of grace into the seat next to Tio, one inked arm snaking over in an attempt to sneak the pint of ale out of the younger man’s hand that he was sure he hadn’t really intended to drink himself. He may have even grinned about it, a glint of teeth and eyes that shifted from the color of some isolated sunslit lagoon to a bright but mischievous emerald,

“But, if nothin’ else, for Immortals’ake, stop tellin’ e’eryone ‘round this place. Jus’ what folks need ’s to be wanderin’ off ’n parties o’ drunk idiots right into th’ Scaltoth jungle ne’er t’ be heard from again. Nah. Y’don’ want that on your conscience, d’you?”

The old man had really become something of a show of his own the past few nights at The Knight’s Rest. While the tall Biqaj had been admittedly busy elsewhere between Cally’s and various, uh, other pursuits, he’d heard bits and piece of his ramblings from the mouths of others. This was the kind of story that got people killed—recent memories of the Immortal’s Tongue were still too fresh in Pash’s mind to let another round of rumors motivate people to go off and eaten by some giant plant or lost in the jungle for the rest of their lives.

So he’d come to hear this Ocelo himself on his night off. He just happened to notice a familiar face had come for similar but different reasons—poor Tio—and took the opportunity to invite himself to the party (because it wasn’t a party without a Biqaj, anyway).

“Look, what you need ‘re professionals. Real adventurers,” Pash smirked and the tone of his voice sounded more serious than joking. The seafaring minstrel even cast a sidelong glance at Tio either in order to invite him to play along or to apologize for crashing his fun … or both, “Folks who know how t’ use weapons an’ explore places an’ such. I may know a few o’ those. What d’you say?”

 

[Pegasus]

Ocelo looked at Tio and opened his mouth to answer and then along came Pash and there, it seemed, some sort of moment occurred. Ocelo sighed and took a long and slow drink from the tankard Tio had pushed over to him. "Alright, alrigh', an yeah, you make a fair point," the last bit was to Pash when he suggested that he should be a bit more clever about who he told and so on.

"I drink a bit, we know it. I tell stories too, an' folks only half believe 'alf of what I tell." Ocelo chuckled and gave a slight shrug. It seemed he considered that fair enough, all things being equal. "But I tell ya, it's true. I swear it by my dear ole Bessie's long dead heart. I loved her, an' I never swear on her in a lie." Tears sprang to his eyes when he spoke of his 'dear ole Bessie', whoever she might have been.

"I were that thirsty I thought I'd die, I swear to ya. But, it's deep, deep in the jungle an' there are creatures there like none I've ever seen afore." Ocelo sighed and shook his head. "Monsters an' tribes, too. Slippery little shits with poison darts an' it's beautiful, too. Some of the plants there were like nothin' I've ever seen an' it's just... it's not like nowhere else but I swear to you, it's dangerous."

As for more details, well, he looked at them and shrugged slightly. "What can I tell ya? I'd been lost for trials, like I said, an' I had to leg it quick smart when those little shits came chasin' after me. But it's weird, you know, I swear I went back there, got to the right place I mean." He shook his head and shrugged.

"Maybe it's magic an' it moves or somethin'. But you know, anyone with that water... " Ocelo shook his head in amazement at the thought of it, the idea of it. "So, you think I should go back an' find it? Get some adventurers, folks who know what they're doing? I could. You know some?" That last was mostly at Pash, since it was him who had suggested he did.

[Tio Silver]

Tio jumped in his seat as a hand suddenly snaked around his shoulder and stole the pint of ale from out of his hands. He looked over at the stranger who'd taken it, intending to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing, but caught his tongue when he noticed that something about him seemed familiar. It took him second to place where he'd seen him before, but soon he realised that he'd been one of the other people on the expedition to the Immortal's Tounge, Pash if he remembered correctly. They hadn't had a chance to talk much since they'd been in separate groups, but he could remember thinking that the Biqaj was a fairly relaxed and sociable person during the boat ride to the island.

He listened as Pash convinced Ocelo to stop telling his story to everyone, reasoning that he was encouraging drunkards to wander off into a jungle that'd probably kill them. At first he thought the Biqaj was trying to stop anyone from going in altogether, but when Pash started talking about adventurers and cast him a meaningful look he realised what the bard was up to and nodded slightly at him to show he understood, a small smirk growing on his lips.

That smirk grew into a sharp-toothed grin as Ocelo conceded that Pash was right and swore to them on someone called Bessie's heart (if Bessie was his wife or what he didn't know, but whoever it was her name clearly meant something to the hunter) that everything he'd told them, about strange monsters and tribal warriors, was all true. Tio believed him; he reckoned he' been in the company of liars long enough to spot one, and there was genuine emotion in the man's eyes as he told his story. At the very least Ocelo believed his story to be true, and that meant that the chances of this fountain being real really weren't so slim after all.

"Thank you for the information friend, I think we know just the people for a task like this." He said coolly, standing up from his chair and slipping a silver nel on to the table in front of Ocelo. "Treat yourself to another drink on me. And remember, not a word of this to anyone else from now on." He looked over to Pash and nodded towards to door "A word?"

With that Tio left the tavern, unwilling to be overheard by anyone with stray ears, and waited outside for Pash to emerge. When he did the Yludih glanced around to make sure nobody else was nearby, and then leaned in close to him surreptitiously.

"It was Pash right? I don't think we've been properly introduced, my name's Tio." He offered the Biqaj a hand, and the smirk from earlier returned to his lips. "Lets make sure that we're on the same page here. Most people think that Ocelo's story is a lie, but I'm not convinced. If he was lying to us just now then he's a better fibber than everyone's been giving him credit for. I reckon he really believes that this magical fountain is real, and if that's the case... well... maybe it is! It sounds absurd I know, but so was that shit on the Immortal's Tounge, and if it is..."

Tio began to pace back and forth, visibly struggling to reign in his excitement. "It would be the greatest discovery of all time! Think about it; everlasting youth, perhaps even immortality, in a form that can be bottled and sold! People would be tripping over themselves to get it, they'd pay any price! The fortune we could make selling this stuff would be enough to buy a kingdom! Maybe even an empire!"

"But the more people who know where this fountain is, the more dangerous this becomes. Imagine if knowledge of this fountain became public, every country in the world would show up at Scalvoris looking to take it for themselves! Secrecy is our only defense here. So how about this; you and I tell no-one, no-one, about this, and then you meet me tomorrow at the edge of the jungle and the two of us go look for this fountain! If we find nothing then we go home and pretend this never happened, but if we do find something we take as much of this fountain water as we can, say it's some alchemy potion we figured out the recipe to, sell the whole lot of it for an absurdly high sum of money and split the profits 50-50. We can even draw up a map some we can get back to it again another day, and pay off Ocelo there with as much money and fountain water as he wants to make him keep his mouth shut."

"So what do you say? Partners?"

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Pash had no doubt there was something magical—or worse, something Immortal—going on with whatever it was Ocelo was describing. He could believe this fantastical liquid source moved and shifted, that any number of other horrible conclusions could be drawn if he chose to dwell on the possibilities and remember his most recent misadventures.

That was, after all, why he was here. To keep people safe.

“Bessie? ‘M sorry for your loss.” The seafaring minstrel offered before taking a long swig of his pilfered drink, as if any amount of alcohol could erase memories so fresh, “Tribes? Do people live in th’ jungles? I hadn’t heard.” Genuinely, Pash hadn’t. He should probably know more about whatever was in there. There were some surprises the salty bard enjoyed, but now there were ones he did not, “What kinda’ creatures ‘re we talkin’ ‘bout here? Clearly, no’ normal ones, eh?”

“O’aye, we—I—nah, we—may know a few worthy adventurers. I’ve got no doubt in m’ mind that th’ jungle’s dangerous an’ there’s horrible creatures in ’t o’ every size imaginable, but I think we can cover th' adventurin’ for y’, an’ I’m sure we can work out a deal with some coin, eh? Are y’ willin’ work somethin’ out?” He sat up in a way that implied he was going to say something important, fingers that had been tapping on the wooden tabletop out of lack of something better to do becoming still, his baritone voice taking on a sharp edge of confidence as if to imply he was the one volunteering, as if he was the competent adventurer Ocelo needed. Was it true? Not entirely, even he wasn’t certain he felt it on the inside, but he at least attempted to make the delivery as believable as possible. He was willing to listen and strike a deal as necessary, so long as he could keep anyone else from foolishly heading into the jungle after this fountain. Or whatever it was.

“—Should you go back?” The tall Biqaj was firm, lagoon blue eyes dark and overcast and his Rakahi-accented words short, “No.”

Satisfied with what he heard and obviously with more on his busy mind, Tio stood and requested Pash’s presence elsewhere, outside, probably for a more private conversation about the possibilities that now lay before them. The seafaring musician slid some more coins for a drink or two next to Tio’s in Ocelo’s direction and reshouldered his lute, following after bidding the man farewell or making the promises necessary to secure his permission to take on the strange (mis)adventure.

Outside, Pash kept his expression warm despite the hint of discomfort he felt on the inside, the stirring of unpleasant feelings he inhaled to push down, shaking the other man’s hand when it was offered, his own sea-worn and calloused from building ships and playing instruments both, “Aye, that’s me. Pash Vy’Ryn. Thank y’much for rememberin’ m’ name, Tio.”

Pash wasn’t in it for the coin. He cared little for selling any of whatever liquid they may find in the jungle, if they found anything at all, especially without knowing all the effects. So what if it made you younger? It was what else such a fountain’s water could do to you that scared the tall Biqaj more than excited him. He didn’t want an empire. He didn’t want immortality. He didn’t even want everlasting youth (well, maybe some days that wouldn’t be so bad). He didn’t want to draw a map. He simply didn’t want anyone else in town to hear Ocelo’s ramblings. He didn’t want anyone else going into that jungle to get hurt or to be changed or to die.

One hand strayed to scratch an itch that wasn’t there on his left arm as the tall Biqaj smirked, agreeing with only one thing out of Tio’s mouth: secrecy. Whatever it took of himself so long as no one else was played the fool he was willing to be,

“Aye, I’m with y’ on that—th’ secrecy.” Pash offered a hesitant smile, caution creasing its way into his sea-worn features, “I do think we should check on what, exactly, th’ water from th’ fountain does—if ‘t even exists, o’ course—b’fore you go tryin’ to sell it.” He emphasized the you as clearly as his Rakahi-accented common could be emphasized, revealing he had no interest in the profits, “But, aye, I’ll keep m’ mouth shut an’ I’m glad t’ meet y’ on th’ ‘morrow to see what we can find. If that’s th’ kind o’ partner you’re a’right with, then I’m glad t’ be it.”

He’d offer his hand again, just to confirm things, so long as Tio didn’t object to his warnings. Despite his nagging doubts, the unknown was still thrilling. Enticing, even. In his desires to keep others safe, Pash was, in fact, still enthusiastic about seeing new places and doing new things, reckless hedonism still very much running like the silver blood in his veins.

[Veyre]

Despite being on the same island, Veyre did not visit Scaltown all that often. And she wouldn’t have spent her brief time off in it had Dukahrn be any less obvious at hinting that she should pick up a package of his in the town. Gaining the old doctor’s favor then became enough reason for the young woman to hop on a boat and left Almund. Even after two arcs, Veyre still had not quite gotten him to truly like her – much to her chagrin.

Which was how she ended up sitting in a tavern, listening to some man claiming that he had found some sort of water source that made him look younger. It sounded quite unbelievable, but the way the man’s eyes glistened with reverence and conviction, Veyre wondered there was a truth to it after all. He certainly believed it, that much she could tell. After everything she had seen, it was not completely illogical for such a thing to exist. Not a lot of people would agree with her, however.

At least until she noticed a familiar figure taking a seat beside the man. She vividly remembered him, having showed him around Almund a mere two trials ago. Tio Silver. What a fortunate coincidence. The young woman had half the mind of approaching the pair, but another man seemed to have the same idea. A tall Biqaj with long blonde hair.

Trying to seem inconspicuous, Veyre approached the bar and acted like she wanted to order some drink. She was only close enough to hear snippets, but it was clear enough that they were planning to look for this dangerous place again.

If there was even a slight chance that this was true… What would it look like? How would it work to be allow one to become younger? All her knowledge of medicine would not be able to quite explain it. Everything living would deteriorate, falling prey to age. Having something to counteract that? It would be most fascinating. She had never heard of such a thing before and might never again. It was too good an opportunity to miss. The danger… well, that’s why she couldn’t go alone, isn’t it?

Before Veyre could truly decide what to do next, Tio had already stood and swiftly left the tavern. The young woman was torn between immediately following him or not. Had the pair came into some sort of a deal? Her decision was made for her when the Biqaj went outside too.

Fortunately for her, the two men met again outside, away from most people. Veyre slid behind a corner and kept an ear to their conversation. They agreed to meet again tomorrow and look for this water source. Seemed like it was now or never.

“Already failing the secrecy part, I see,” Veyre said loudly to announce her presence, stepping out of her hiding place. She would have to convince the two men to take her too, somehow. Her mind instantly whirled to come out with suitable reasons to convince them. “I heard what you’re planning and I want in.”

[Tio Silver]

It was hard to believe sometimes that some people could discover objects of strange and incredible power and not think about how to profit from them. For Tio, who seemed to think about nothing else but gold most days, it was sometimes pretty hard for him to understand the feelings of those who turned down the opportunity for money when it came. It was only natural to seek a reward for your hard work after all, why waste your effort by seeking nothing in return?

But even though he didn't understand Pash's reasons for declining to make money from the venture, Tio was still happy to agree to the Biqaj's terms and shook his hand when he offered it. If the bard only wanted to check what the fountain water did then that was fine, it just meant more money for him after all. Or it would at least providing this fountain really did as Ocelo had said.

"Excellent. My friend, I think we have ourselves a deal."

“Already failing the secrecy part, I see.”

For the second time that night Tio jumped at the sound of an unexpected voice from a surprisingly close distance behind him, and turned to see a familiar flash of red hair. A grin grew on his face as he recognized the woman walking out from a nearby corner towards them. "Veyre, now this is a pleasant surprise! Heard all that did you?" He glanced over to the corner she'd been hiding behind. "You wouldn't have happened to be spying on me now would you? I'm not sure if I should feel complemented or concerned."

The more he thought about it, the more Tio realized that having a doctor on their team seemed like a good idea. After all Ocelo had mentioned something about tribesmen with poison darts guarding the fountain, and Scaltoth Jungle was bound to have a whole host of other deadly plants and creatures just waiting for them. It was wishful thinking to assume that they'd get to this fountain and back unscathed, so having someone to patch them up as they went could end up meaning the difference between life and death.

"Ah, where are my manners! Pash, this is Veyre, a doctor who works in Almund near my place. Veyre this is Pash, a pretty damn good bard." He clapped his hands together and smiled cheerfully. "Well since you've discovered our secret plot anyway I have no objections to you joining our merry little band. I'm guessing you'll want a cut of the profits for yourself as well of course?"

Once Pash and Veyre had had the chance to talk a bit and introduce themselves to each other, Tio took a step back from the group and grinned. "Well then, if that's all settled then I'll meet the two of you tomorrow morning at eight. Bring some supplies and whatever else you think you'll need, and as many containers to hold water in as you can manage. See you then."

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Pash visibly startled at Veyre’s sudden appearance, having just shook hands with Tio and agreeing on their somewhat unusual terms. While recent events had made him more cautious, his perceptiveness was still a work in progress. His distractions were mostly in his own head (though, not all of them; at least one of his distractions was definitely a person, and a lovely one at that), still turning over everything that had happened and who he wanted to be in it all. He still felt as though he’d grossly failed in helping people, a scab that still stung, a feeling that had burned itself into his memory almost as dark and charred as the memory of overstepping, of sharing emotions with someone else. Almost dying because of some plague of Lissira was icing on the cake, and if she was active on the Immortal’s Tongue, she could very well be unfolding more problems for mortality in the guise of youthful waters in the jungle. The tall Biqaj wasn’t about to let that stand, especially not for profit.

Still, his lagoon blue eyes focused on the woman who’d demanded to join them. She carried herself in a way that was familiar: confident in her looks much like himself with a tangible air of mischievousness that may have been a blanket over something else entirely that he couldn’t quite read from his brief, surface view. A doctor who liked to sneak around, eh? And in Almund? Everyone had a story, that was for sure. The seafaring minstrel was at least grateful that Tio appeared to know the woman, introducing her with his usual conversational flair.

He smiled warmly, keeping his suspicions to himself, well hidden beneath his pretty face,

“I’m a’right—as a bard, that ‘s. Nice t’ meet you, Veyre … I’m sure workin’ ‘n Almund keeps y’plenty busy as a doctor.” Pash offered his sea-worn hand in greeting to her as well, should she take it. He’d been to the capital a few times since his arrival on the island, finding the taverns there a more familiar place to play on his nights off. The atmosphere was adventurous, and Pash enjoyed the flavor of risk and despite the bitter taste of failure on occasion, he was still very much into adventure,

“Rough place, that, even still without th’ pirates. If I’ve learned anythin’ recently, it’s that havin’ someone with a little medical knowledge along won’t be a bad thing. If y’ can identify poisons, that’s probably even better—Immortals only know what this water really is.”

He clearly did not share Tio’s optimism, his enthusiasm tempered by previous experience. Still, he was perhaps no less passionate about his purpose, even if it wasn’t for profit. Once introductions were made and plans were settled, he would bid the two good night as well, taking the longest way possible back to the docks and his sloop to consider the trouble he'd once again just agreed to, once again with the hope of doing the right thing—this time the right way.

[Veyre]

The young woman shrugged innocently at Tio’s comment. Fortunately for her, the two men barely needed any convincing to let her tag along. Saved her a lot of trouble. At their agreement, Veyre feigned an obvious excitement, smiling wider. “Profit sure doesn’t hurt, but I mostly want to study it honestly. It might prove to be very useful.”

Despite her peaked interest, some part of her still questioned the soundness of her decision. Veyre had never truly traveled into the wilderness of Scalvoris before and she definitely did not forget the details that man had announced inside the tavern. To hope that this would be an entirely safe journey was definitely foolish. At least they know what to expect – that was if the man had been telling them the truth.

Veyre turned to smile at the other figure as Tio introduced them. A bard? She wondered if he was good at whatever he was playing as she took his hand. “Nice to meet you too, Pash.” His calloused hand at least proved that he used them a lot. Veyre also took the brief moment to take the tall figure in. His eyes were the first thing that grabbed her attention.

So, it seemed like she would be traveling with a treasure hunter and a bard. Perhaps not the ideal group to travel into the wilderness, but certainly much better than traveling alone. Her mind was already whirling around the possible dangers that they might encounter. Veyre would need to plan out her supplies very carefully.

At the bard’s words, Veyre nodded. “I can certainly try.” Her voice sounded surer than she felt. Truthfully, the young woman couldn’t be sure if she had the skills to definitive identify what this water. But at least she was sure that she knew better than these men who were probably untrained in her field.

There was not much else to say, so when it was decided where they would meet, Veyre nodded and said her good night. She spent the entire walk to her inn planning the things she should prepare for.

[Alistair]

claimed