Velnae was innate suspicious about the invitation, being a hunted down dragon can do that. The fact that what the invitation was offering, something that might end this hunt, could go a way he wouldn't desire. Still, he decided to take that chance Velnae was getting tired about centuries of running and was willing to take a chance for this to end, but revert back to a dragon and quickly retreat if anything goes wrong.
Going from the outside to the inside of the mansion, it seemed like the contrast was like some sort of security. If it looked just as good from the outside, it would be much more alluring for a greedier group to raid the place. It seemed like a strategy his father Dalwrath would come up with.
Taking a look at the three woman who also came, they seemed normal in appearance though Velnae was assumed that they were hiding power, possibly being shapeshifters with more powerful true forms much like the dragon was.
When offered refreshments, Velnae responded "No thanks." His suspicions of poison overrides a desire for a drink.
Some people say I'm lazy. It's hard to disagree.Anastasia can't really help but look around the mansion and cooing like a child with that dumb smile on her face, and who could blame her? All her life she was living in a humble cottage with her mom, with the only thing that made her aware of the luxurious lifestyle was from story books and from her mum, and the latter usually tells her what a big pompous ponce the nobles are when she robbed them blind when she was in her prime, even though the family once lived in manor in the city as well. And she insisted that she was the most incompetent one in the family, Annie couldn't really imagine the level of skills from her uncles and aunts.
So to just casually stride through the manor hallway in pristine, squeaky clean condition was a treat by itself, the courier did not even have to give much money to convince her to come along. So excited that she came to the manor straight away from her hunt, taking her stench and dirt of the hunt along with it, as well as a bow that she casually spin around in her hand, a quiver full of arrows and a rabbit in her pouch. She do started to worry about whether or not the rabbit might rot in there by the time she reached her home, never really thought of the fact that she might stink the place up.
When the minotaur asked if she wanted refreshment, she excitedly nodded her head and said "Yes, please! Do you guys have, like, cheese and crackers or crumpets or something like that? I can't wait to try out noble foods!"
http://www.last.fm/user/sgtpendulum Yo, check out what I'm listening, it'll be heat, brah :^)Elaine walked into the manor alongside the others, looking very small in her cheap (and in many place ripped) clothing. The teenager hadn't precisely wanted to come out here at first but gold and an actual reading of her scroll made it a good deal. The peasant shrank away from the minotaur who let them in initially but when he offered to bring them refreshment, she perked right up.
"Oooh, yeah, Can I get some meat? Like maybe pork or somethin'? And some grog that's cheap and strong, yah? Leave the bottle with me, I'll take good care of it."
-dramatic music ensues-Acland stood up. Too fast, unbalanced, he fell forward onto all fours. Both from the sudden head-rush from standing so quickly, and because he was used to the comforting weight of the Obelisk on his back. Without Kromgol's tool, he felt ethereal, like he might drift away from the earth at any moment.
Shifting again, up to his knees, and from there to his feet, the Orc strode out into the center of the room. He nodded to the tiny girl and took a few steps over to her side to pull a chair out for her. "It'll be okay, ma'am. Name's Tomsich. I'm—" I'm an engineer on a mission of racial emancipation from a long-dead warlord and demagogue! "I'm used to having my back to a wall. Things get too serious, I'm not gonna let anyone be hurt, understand?" He flashed her a smile. "Just take a seat so we can see what happens."
As both Tomsich and Trania walked towards the table... nothing happened. The mysterious overseer, it seemed, was content to listen in on whatever conversation that would transpire.
"All things, guests." The servant stepped aside, motioning for the visitors to walk through, where a heavenly aroma assailed and overwhelmed the weary travelers. A large, ornate table (One might even suspect that it was carved from a single block of wood) commanded the room, straining under the weight of all kinds of food, as promised. Roasted boar shared the stage with bread and flagons of wine. The minotaur bowed. "Help yourselves."
"Eh?" Annie muttered when the other guests requested her preference of refreshment, she didn't really talk to them beforehand as Annie had just came in time. She then started to questioned her taste politely "Porks and grog? I don't think they're appropriate at a time like...this..."
When she saw what is practically a banquet table before her, she decided to kept her advice to herself. In fact, the portion size of the food alone made her appetite smaller and she meekly complained "Ehhh? But ma said that eating too much between meals is bad for me, especially during hunting! Because my gut's going to swing around me insides."
She pouted, holstered her bow and crossed her arms briefly to express her disappointment but she eventually sigh and grabbed a piece of bread and walked around the table looking for something to put onto her piece but then she perked her head up and briskly walked over to the guest and said "Ah, sorry that I'm rude to ya. My name's Anastasia Fortier but you can call me Annie."
She extended her hand and asked "What's your name, lady?"
Then she looked down and realized that her extended hand still has a bread on it, so she quickly switched it over to the other hand and hid it behind her back and pretend that this minor embarrassment was nothing.
"Ah, sorry," she said as she was lightly blushing. "Didn't really meet too much new people, much less in an environment so formal, so this is relatively new to me..."
edited 3rd Oct '15 10:05:51 PM by sgtpendulum
http://www.last.fm/user/sgtpendulum Yo, check out what I'm listening, it'll be heat, brah :^)Tanith walked with a certain degree of confidence in her step... clad in a simple outfit of brown pants, a white shirt underneath a cream colored tunic and all of it covered with a burgundy, hooded cloak. She was apparently unarmed except for the small dagger hanging by her belt, accompanied by a bunch of little pouches. Her only other possessions were contained in a light backpack hidden underneath her cloak.
The woman's crimson eyes took note of the mansion with quite some interest... a light smile curling in her fair lips as the mystery of this invitation was getting more and more intriguing by the moment. As was... the present company, indeed. Quite a disparate group they were... what could a rich man need with the lot of them?
Well, whatever it was... Tanith was going to make certain to enjoy herself in the meantime. As the minotaur asked if they would want anything, and then revealed a veritable banquet, Tanith basically feasted her eyes upon the plenty and wonder to be offered before them all...
She brought a hand to her lips even as she licked them in anticipation... her stride taking her to the vintage as she chose from among the wines... seeing elven script upon a fine bottle and smiling as she pours herself a cup.
edited 3rd Oct '15 9:47:48 PM by daltar
Within his cell, Vance stirred on his bed. The first thing he realized: This wasn't his prison. The second thing he realized: It was still a prison, and he was half naked. All he had on was a set of white trousers, leaving his toned, powerful chest exposed. He sat up, examining the room around him. The cell bars were made of metal, but they were covered in spikes. He didn't want to cut his fingers trying to break through them. At least, not yet.
As his cold blue gaze swept the room, he apprised his fellow prisoners, a few of which were being let out of their cells. First off was an orcish man. Not tall, but very large. Vance was confident in his own strength, but still, he wouldn't want to have to go toe to toe with him. That didn't seem like an issue. The redhead who was also being allowed to leave her cell was being comforted by him. It was kind of cute.
Satisfied he wasn't in immediate danger, Vance searched his cell. It was sparse. Nothing more than a bed, which he sat down on, crossing his arms and waiting. He had been planning to escape from his original prison since he got there, and someone else had taken him from it. Still, maybe they'd let him out next, and he'd get some answers. For now, he was going to sit down, shut up, and wait for the right moment to strike.
Despite the allure of the food and wine, Vendal was still reluctant to dine, looking to see how the women would react to the food before he digs in.
With Annie doing introductions, Vendal decided to follow though he was going to hide a few things. "My name is John, I'm a wanderer who does the odd job here and there."
Seeing the black-cloaked girl's awkwardness, he continued "Don't worry about how odd the environment is. You are the guest, so as long as you don't exploit the hospitality of the host you'll be alright."
Some people say I'm lazy. It's hard to disagree."Ah, alright," she said, nodding and smiling to confirm that she got his advice. "Will be keeping that in mind."
But other than that, nothing too noteworthy of him, almost boring even but then again, Annie herself wouldn't be here if the master of the house thought of her as a mere dirty huntress and not the sexy kind.
"So you mention odd jobs, right?" she said inbetween bites unto her bread, which was rather exquisite and crunchy even without any preserves on it, if she does say so herself."What did you exactly do?"
http://www.last.fm/user/sgtpendulum Yo, check out what I'm listening, it'll be heat, brah :^)"Usually work that requires a bit of muscle" answered Vendal "Some like getting extra help while others like me doing the work for them. Doesn't matter to me, as long as they pay me decently. Working is easier than hunting."
Hunting was actually a bit easy with the magic Vendal held, but he didn't want to present himself as a magic user right yet.
"Though, with the invitation I got, I'm not going to need to do any jobs for a while." Vendal gave off a smile that was genuine unlike his words. The smile that the half-dragons could be less trouble soon.
Some people say I'm lazy. It's hard to disagree.Elaine immediately began tearing through the food and drink with the energy and drive of someone who had to skip a lot of meals, losing herself in the meal such that she didn't pay much attention to the others in the room. She did manage to look up when she noticed that introductions seemed to be starting.
"Mmm 'Lane" She said before swallowing and starting again. "I'm Elaine, I come from out East. S'rry to ignore you all, always been a big eater, needed to eat more lately." She explained, only slightly embarrassed.
edited 4th Oct '15 2:11:55 AM by guyshane
-dramatic music ensues-The cell that Maria woke up in was distinctly different from the one she went to sleep in. The new decor was considerably dimmer and starker, even for a prison. Those around her weren't didn't look familiar at all. In fact, none of them looked Alhestian. She bolted up to a sitting position, examined the dank surroundings for a bit before breathing deeply. This couldn't be real, she'd of noticed being transported to a new cell. This was just a dream, a reflection of the last few stressful days manifesting in her mind. She applied the quickest solution, closing her eyes and pinching her hand in a bid to wake up.
The pain came and went, but the scenery certainly didn't change. This situation was, in fact, real. She quickly scuttled back to the edge of her cell, covering her head with her hands and trying to keep out of sight of the rest of these prisoners. Breathing heavily to the point of hyperventilation, she wracked her mind to figure out why this was happening. Though she came up with no good reason, she did remember a good piece of advice her mother had told her. No panicking, no panicking, she reminisced to a nicer time. You're better than to panic.
Her breathing slowly steadied itself, and she shifted her gaze tentatively upwards. Keeping silent with the exception of the occasional light cough, she watched the two in the center with wide eyes. Whoever they were, whatever happened to them would make her captor's intentions clear soon enough.
edited 4th Oct '15 2:49:30 AM by wikkit
After hearing what Vendal has to say, Annie looked around once more, and was was rather amazed at the fact that Elaine managed to get to her lunch without alerting anyone in the room, Annie was mildly amused, if not impressed.
"Well, hehe," she said. "Like my ma used to say, 'Gotta eat big to get big, c'mon'. She always like to emphasize on the 'c'mon' part. Personally, I kinda just wanna stay the same body-wise but ma always insisted that I eat tons of food...or maybe because I like to hunt too much and she has to cook up all the nearly expired food...hehe, ah man. But anyway, John..."
She finished up her bread in one huge bite and swallow and said "You said working is easier than hunting, right? How so? I mean, yeah, working is predictable and the money's stable yeah but it doesn't sounds like fun, right? Hunting is fun, at least for me, it's always nice to sneak around the woods and killing the animals in one shot. Plus, it's just so satisfying when you put work into sneaking beforehand, like placing some random foliage on my armor..."
she turned her upper body around to show the twigs, dead leaves and grass stains on her leather armor's back.
"And I rub myself with shit so that the games won't notice a thing when I errr...wait, oh shit-err, no pun intended-" she excused herself for a moment to smell herself at her arm, then repel her head away from it with a crunched facial expression. Not out of disgust, in fact the smell was very much bearable to her, but out of minor fear of whether or not these guests, or the master, would mind her smell, so she simply asked "Erm, do you mind if I smell like this? I had to come here during my hunting time because my mum would kill me if she know I took an offer from a complete stranger for a few hundred bucks..."
edited 4th Oct '15 5:50:15 AM by sgtpendulum
http://www.last.fm/user/sgtpendulum Yo, check out what I'm listening, it'll be heat, brah :^)"Well it's simple really, you're good at hunting and I'm not good hunting. My weapons are a halberd and short sword, not things designed for hunting. I'd just waste energy and not get any food."
Speaking about the good, it didn't seem to suspicious now and at the rate the women are going, there will be no food left and he'll have to go hungry for whatever is up ahead. He took some of the boar meat and ate it. While Velnae ate, he took a quick look at the other guests. It was easy to see that Annie is going to be the most talkative, or maybe the others just really want a good meal. Elaine seemed to be shy despite her focus on food and by how the unnamed woman went for the wine, maybe she has a sense of class to her. The talkative lady had another question again so it looked like it was time for another answer.
"Maybe your smell will be helpful for what's coming up, maybe it won't. If the latter is true, guess you'll need to wash up."
And when the huntress talked about her payment, Velnae couldn't help but think that either Annie was getting underpaid compared to him or was about what her reward was. Probably the former as she seemed more cunning about nature than civilization.
edited 4th Oct '15 8:19:45 AM by JustaUsername
Some people say I'm lazy. It's hard to disagree.Trania flashed a nervous smile at the orc that so politely pulled out the chair for her "Thank you..." She mumbled gratefully as she sat down "I'm Trania Cavell, a merchants daughter..."
She felt a little light-headed from the shock of the sudden change in environment from her comfortable bed to this dark and dank prison with a multitude of dangerous looking types
Tanith proceeds to sit herself, intending to relish every moment of the sumptuous feast... cutting herself a bit of everything and then quick to grab seconds of what is particularly delicious. The wine was bliss on her palate... and the more she indulged the happier she felt.
Yes... this world was truly amazing to have such experiences, such flavors available to relish in. Just in that it had such value... such wonder. And so her heart felt greed for it... desire for it. She wanted to be able to dine this way every day of her life... to relish in this tastes again and again.
Vance settled into his own seat and nodded to Trania. "I'm Acland Tomsich. I'm a construction worker and an engineer." He went for small-talk to try to calm down the young girl. Her stress was getting him freaked out too. "T-tell me about your merchant house, ma'am. Do they move around or do they have a shop? What kind of things do they sell?" His fingers rattled on the tabletop.
Therin's eyes snapped open as he awoke in his cell, a place that he did not remember going to sleep in. He sat up slowly, analyzing his surroundings and letting a low growl escape his throat when he noticed the other prisoners. He stood and moved towards the bars of his personal cell. He moved to attempt to force them open until he noticed the spikes on them, and muttered a curse in annoyance. His eyes then shifted to his surroundings, noting the dreary appearance of the place, it wasn't a normal prison.
He then looked down at himself, noting that the clothes that he had been wearing before he fell asleep had been replaced by a white shirt and trousers. This only served to irritate him even further. He looked up at the two in the center of the room resigned himself to laying in his bed. Whoever it was that imprisoned them would surely make himself known soon. Until then, he would wait, and observe.
edited 4th Oct '15 8:32:29 PM by TheSkylightThorn
Suddenly, in the prison, everyone would hear a blood-curdling roar of a lion echoing and rattling everything in the jail. Natali stood in her cell, gripping the bars tightly, panting and growling menacingly, the tail warrior lion woman that she is. She looked around at everyone, confused and angry.
"RELEASE ME NOW, OR I SHALL UNLEASH THE FURY OF A MILLION SUNS UPON YOU."
"They do this... They do this all the time." A tired voice cut in, speaking at nobody in particular. Its owner wiped his too-long hair out of his eyes. He made no other attempt to move, just lying on his bed. "Hi, I'm John. I'd offer to shake hands, but... bars."
The servant patiently watched as the guests filled themselves, eating like they had never eaten before. "The master," he suddenly announced, "Is ready." The hulking minotaur stepped back with restrained movement, revealing a much smaller being behind him - a dwarf, wearing a simple velvet suit, only decorated with buttons. He beamed at them, clasping his hands together. "Welcome, friends! Are you all rested, fed?"
edited 4th Oct '15 9:29:41 PM by HazzyHaz
A minotaur and a dwarf, those two species are beyond a rarity on Stormwind Island so there is very little change they'd be followers of the half-dragons. Still, Velnae decided to stay a bit cautious about the other guests for now.
"Well, the meal is on the filling side" said the dragon, who quickly continued "Now what are you planning on paying us for? Because as much as I would like us enjoying your meal be the reason we came but I got a feeling you want us to do something else for you."
Some people say I'm lazy. It's hard to disagree.The prisoner's statement made Maria lock her attention in that direction. The rest of the conversations going on where mundane or cryptic at best, but now someone else seemed to notice the direness of the situation. The lighting and angle she had didn't permit a good look, but she could make out that it was at least human, unlike that shrieking cat-thing. She hastily scooted to the front of the cell and leaned forward, seeing if she could get the man's attention.
"You...er, John. What do you mean by that?" she asked in as calm of a voice she could manage, given the situation. "Who are 'they'?"
edited 4th Oct '15 11:08:13 PM by wikkit

[Vance, Mitha, Tomsich, Natali, Maria, and Therin]
You wake up. Not necessarily by your own volition, but by a sudden bright light boring holes through your shut eyes.
This wasn't where you slept last night.
A ring of bars mark your prison in this wet and dank location. Thorny black iron twisting from floor to ceiling, pinning you against the wall. Your cell is sparse, equipped with only a bed. Around you, similar cages, each jailing a single inhabitant, people of all sizes and shapes. An orc, a waifish girl, fighters or farmers... no rhyme nor reason to it.
No guards. No wardens. Just you prisoners.
These cells are arranged against the walls, clearing a simple space in the center, adorned with haphazardly arranged chairs and a single table.
You scarcely have the time to collect yourself, to realize that all of your possessions have been confiscated, that you have somehow been dressed in simple white clothing, when a clanging, dull voice spoke. "Cavell, Trania. Tomsich, Acland. Meet in the center."
The bars surrounding the named people silently sank into the ground in response.
[Tanith, Velnae, Elaine, and Annie]
Though the manor seemed old, worn, run-down from the outside, the inside painted a very different picture. Paintings and statues from masters both famous or forgotten, gilt walls and bright lights all drew a picture of opulence, perhaps disgustingly so. Not the kind of wealth you would expect of a man living on the edge of the Blackridge Spine, far from the great lords and ladies of the Alhestian Kingdom.
You are here on the invitation of the master of this place. Perhaps you were suspicious, perhaps you originally had other plans. But the courier extending the invitation made a very convincing offer.
So... here you are, in a manor on the edge of nowhere, accompanied by nobody and nothing beyond your worries and strangers.
A massive minotaur, all ten feet of muscle covered by a sober, dark robe, strode through an open doorway. It was the servant that had opened the gate, allowed you inside. "The Master," he began with his rumbling voice, like a tree being crushed, "Is running late. Would you care for refreshments while waiting?"