[Tower’s Idol Slander] Thine mother… (Closed)

[Rian Vale]

54 Winter 511 A.V. - - Tower’s Idol Slander - - An hour to noon *** It was a nice day out. In the region of Kalea, the ground was fresh with snow some feet deep as the chilling breeze of the north swept over the already cold and rocky landscape. But in Alvadas…oh Alvadas…you could look up to the sky and expect to see the sun flying high in front of three moons colored magenta, periwinkle, and olive green… T’was fascinating! To some, at least… Rian had been enjoying the city’s randomness in a brisk walk around the town. He didn’t have much to do, now, old and worn, past his use, and holding on with all his pathetic might, but for what? Aye me, the brevity of life. How many times had that thought crossed his mind, and those like him? After having passed a running stream, meadow, and canyon (assuming he did not mistake the Gaping Maw for an illusion!) he came to The, infamous, Slanderer. He’d heard about it, seen it, heard it - and he will tell you, good sir or madam, what a harsh voice it is to listen to at times – but never dared near it. Curiosity struck him, gah! The pain! Fatality of the heart was just setting in, the wounded pride of an old lion. Nothing could be done. Wait? Wounded pride? Not yet perhaps… Rian crossed what square like way in a circle circumscribed a triangular jing-a-ma-hog thing-a-ma-bob that it was in that right there courtyard of the sorts and look a good look at the animated statue from a safe distance. The queerest grin crossed his face. The wandering mind of an old man…the possibilities were unpredictable. With one hand in his pocket playing with a dozen spare gold mizas, and his other on the hilt of his sheathed long sword, he approached the animation with the utmost confidence. “Hello,” he said in a high and enthused voice, “Might I join you for a while?” The Slanderer remained adamantly silent. Rian had foolishly placed himself at the side. He readjusted, facing him from a more direct angle and shouted now. “Hello!!” His grin had become a wide smile. His teeth were of a dulled ivory color, and ,mostly, intact. His shouting resonated across the courtyard for all who cared to hear could and would. Alright, who lost their grandpa? The Slanderer refocused itself and greeted him accordingly, “Greetings old one who doth walk with a gait fit for a newly broken mule. How do you fair on your dwindling days? Pleasantly plump I see, well fed pig. You wield a sword as well. What’s wrong, good sir? Both the blade be too heavy or merely stuck from rust too long set aside…?” The statue was certainly in a brilliant mood today, Rian thought to himself; I must be one of his favorites with that talk. “Aw, hmm, yes. It is a lovely day out, and I thank you for your admiration of my sword. As for the leg, well, yes, I certainly am old, but I have stories that better explain it…most likely. But yes, too long have I had need to lift this sword or move my feet, to hone my body or burn the fattening dinners!” Speaking was almost a difficulty he was so caught up in his chuckling. He might have killed someone in worse conditions, you might think, but he only appeared now a happy old… “Fart, that you have in my presence, else I smell the scent of a wet dog, old and dying in its cold, hollow hole.” “Why thank you most kindly. I bathed fresh this morning. How do you do on this day, now that you know so well of my own being here?” “Thy cloths be stolen from a beggar, worn and tattered like the fallen flag of a defeated people. Bah! The odor! Speak not so much less we all catch scent of your foul breath! Is that a bug I spy in thine teeth, or is it but the shriveled gum of a withering fool?” Quite the foul contraption. The bastard! He is unresponsive to truth, no matter how true it holds. I do hope my breath is not quite that bad… Positive, think positive. Compliments, yes, of course. “Your stone features: they are beautifully shaped.” Rian approached the statue closer and rubbed over the downed knee. It was coarse and grainy, like a grinding stone. In its years in the city it must have been eroded away a bit. “Your crafter must have been very skilled. The stone is quite brilliant and – ” “Your hands - rough, wrinkled, and scarred are they not? The life of a thief and beggar is the life you choose, and foolish was I to call you otherwise. A shame to all old fats like yourself would you be if you were indeed worthy of even such, dying dog?” Positive thoughts now…and here we go… “ – and smooth like fine marble! ” Rian made the effort to talk over the thunderous voice of the statue now. Their conversation was echoing off the walls for all to hear, but louder now as one tried to best the other. “And your eyes red with passion and charm like the –” “Your hair, your hair, ruffled and gray like the old rats of the sewers. Now dead and lifeless, all spirit exhausted and unfit for the wisdom of the white haired – ” “…fiery hair of the Inarta in the north mountains. Your locks too flow like the – ” “ …wise seers of the White Isle. Konti and kin. And back to that touching hand that doth defiled me so on the knee we go. You hold sword and call yourself a great soldier, when under all wrinkles too I felt,” though felt he truly did not, “skin soft like a woman or baby. With your fatness we can only conclude where such swine as yourself must come from…” “…the highest and most…gracious cascades of Riverfall. Too does your armor suite you, most fair and noble, knightly in all ways, a great man of – ” “Thine mother must have been a babbling whore. Look now how you babble…babble…babble! Too she passed on her finest features, that piggish nose and set of wide hips. I hope not too that her hair had grown in such a messy manner. Bad for business. Even those who would dare touch such a foul temptress in the dark might have died to gaze on her in the fullest light, as I do now reflected in your pitiful existence.” The Slanderer now struck with his silver tongue at Rian’s evident manners to the statue. He had only complimented it in return, his posture upright and more noble than the kneeling knight statue who rested behind, a coward, as his golem folk might have run forward to meet the enemy he now prepared to fight. And for what? To stab with that mercury-tinted spade at the hearts of those who lost at the hands of his brothers, of his own brothers who had lost so much of themselves even in victory… “How dare you speak of my mother!!!” The nut had been cracked… So there they stood pitted in a battle of wit which left uncheck might survive eternity if not for the frailties of the human form. Rian’s skin became as crimson as the blood poured into his cheeks, while The Slanderer smirked in his state of repose.

[Antar]

"Your mother was a hamster; and your father smelled of elderberries." A shadow from the side alley spat as it walked into view. Sighing, loudly at the obfusticating display Antar was once reminded about the saying that there was no fool like an old fool as they seemed to come upon an old dusty relic that had no idea of what he was fooling with.

By jove, the last time someone had messed with the Slanderer, and tried to piss on it no doubt, a series of golems began to slaughter a good many innocent people.

Antar Noth, had been out on a stroll with his lovely little spider woman, Shai. His arm wrapped around her waist as she followed after. He was simply letting the city take them where it wanted to. For some reason since the beginning of his arrival in Alvadas, it shunted him at times to some of the strangest places, even to the entrance of a wonderful looking hedge maze.

Sadly though, he had verbally thanked the city and walked on, politely apologizing to it that they would never have time to complete the maze before finding their way to the tavern for a nice meal with the boys of the Sun and Stars Tavern. A group of dastardly fellows who were dandy enough to entertain Shai enough for her to tell him about them. He also had told the city if there was a smaller problem he might handle for it in the meantime to simply lead him there. He always presumed the city was leading them by the nose for something, so if there was a small task that wasn't too far out of the way then that would be fine.

But he never imagined it would take him to view an old greybeard shouting and losing his dignity in front of a statue. Cursing slightly, he removed his arm about Shai's waist, muttering under his breath he approached the disruptive display.

Of course, the slandererYay for some help from Fallacy on the slanderer XD and what it would say and how the city would regenerate it in a day. , noted his approach. "Oh look, big dark and gloomy's back. How you doing Cripchuck?"

Gods above, he hated this petching thing...

"Cram it you damn metal contraption, lest I break you; melt you down into a thousand little pieces, and then melt them into nothing but charred ash."

"Oh sure, this is the little cripchuck talking, what are you so angry for? Always angry aren't you? Just go ahead and try the city will put me back together by tomorrow and that wouldn't necessarily work unless you hit my voicebox. Besides your nothing but a -"

"Good to know. Now I don't have to waste my resources." Antar said before letting out a long sigh. The slanderer didn't possess and self preservation at all. It would just keep on talking, and talking no matter what happened so there really was only one way to shut it up. A wave of Res came from his palm, stirred by his djed to ooze from his pores as a small plume of Res vaulted forwards, just enough to envelope the voicebox near the golem's throat struck wildly; transmuting the Res to the meta-element of lava. For a moment the slanderer's words trailed away in a sqauwking cry of charred metal brought its voice to a halt, for once letting blessed silence echo in the alley.

Turning towards the old man, Antar smiled. "Now you old fool, since you're causing a ruckus enough for the city to bring me here; I believe I said your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. Care to prove me wrong by being a little rational?"

[Shai]

For the most part, Shai kept her peace during the encounter. She hadn’t been looking for excitement today, just a simple walk to enjoy with her human; unfortunately, as per usual, the city had other plans. She had avoided this statue for the most part since that horrible day, but she knew she would eventually stumble upon it again. Happily Antar silenced the malicious piece of ‘art’ before it could get into explaining just how much she looked like a little boy or worse.

On the other hand, the last person to assault the statue had merely urinated on it and that had caused an invasion of golems. The spider sincerely hoped that such events would not repeat themselves. “Anthony is that really—.” The spider cut off as the smoke from the charred metal reached her nose. She quickly brought her hand up trying to stop the evitable but it was good. The lithe spider’s body jumped forward in a sneeze punctuated by the most incredibly feminine, high-pitched “Ni!” It seemed comical and as she Shai regained her posture she was clearly blushing. “Do not dare mock me…” She warned dangerously. Her sneezes had been the butt of jests all her life and she would have been ecstatic if Antar had never heard them.

Shai returned to her position at the rogue’s side as he restated his insult. Sometimes his expressions seemed to have multiple meanings, like they were a mask. She couldn’t be certain what this particular smile meant. Was he joking? Or was this an attempt to pick a fight with the old man? Furthermore, what did that insult even mean? She shrugged, whatever brought the rogue amusement. “Need we bother with the old man, Dear? It is almost lunch time…”

[Rian Vale]

He wasn’t familiar with the Symenestra unfortunately, nor rogues freely roaming cities – outside of Sunberth at least. He had hardly noticed the melted voice box of the vile contraption that was the Slanderer before he turned round and found them. From the pitch of the voice, and snarky comment that came with it, he only assumed. “What’d you say to me, little boy!? You best watch your grandson’s mouth, old man!” Surely Shai didn’t come across as having that much a boyish charm about her, and Antar’s hair wasn’t that gray and unruly! “I’ll have you know my mother had wider hips, and my father only reeked of soot. Now why did you interrupt my conversation, little boy?!” Coo-coo…coo-coo… He walked to a more acceptable conversational distance and planted his feet jolly-right’n-square right there in the place that’d be best for conversing. He kept his left hand on the hilt, and his right fisted. The hunch in his back was almost invisible at this time of day; he was full of energy then. Only in the evenings did he begin to drift off into what felt like sleep, and he slid lower toward the ground. He simply was never ready for it. He moved himself, shuffling a bit, and settled. Hopefully no one noticed him break wind. That was precisely what he needed though, and now he had little to no distractions. Now he was focused. As he had so gracefully shifted he began to see the faint appearance of the young lad’s aura, or rather Shai’s. Slowly it became clear to him, this purple glow about her. It flared with her sneeze, not much, but just one of those subtle things. He placed her focus between the two, and Antar’s aura glowed faintly around him. For now he would speak to them both, and see how they changed, their auras. He stooped down a little to get level with Shai and asked, “Well…?” just like any creepy old man would, he pushed for an answer in the oddest way. Then he waited…again.

[Antar]

'Oh this old man was going to get it ... Excuse him but what right did he have to say a charming voluptious young woman was a boy and Antar was a perverted old man?'

He sighed , wondering just how long it would take for Shai to lunge, and for him to have to cut this bloody old coots stones off... he'd extend an arm to push the old man back. "Wow , Geezer... way to work that out a little to the wrong thing. As for your father smelling of soot, well I guess stinking things up comes with the territory because frankly, you reek old man. As for why your being interupted was already explained to you. So start paying attention, why in hell are you causing such a commotion cud chewing old bull?" Putting his hand down beneat his robes he would allow it to rest on the hilt of his gladius, ready to pull it if need be.

This old man seemed senseless... almost insane. Perhaps it would be best to put him down like the rabid dog he appeared to be.

[Rian Vale]

“I’m not makin’ any commotion!” screamed the old man. “Jus’ havin’ a conva’sation!” He might have been yodeling, who knew? It drew attention enough though. The rogue’s grip on his sword was all but useful so long as Rian made no move to draw blood first. Alvadas, in all its chaos, still strived to keep peace, or at least the seeming of such. ‘Old Man Butchered By Rogue Near Slanderer’ would have made an interesting rumor to have going round the city. Not even the near dead would have time to finish their business. “What right do you have speakin’ for the boy, anyway? Ya sure don’t look anything like a knight, or you a squire,” he said accusingly, his finger half-heartedly poking the air between him, his old body lacking the strength or reflex to connect for the same effect. Rian focused on Antar’s auraif there’s anything you can relay back in the next post, and read it for what he could. “Maybe it runs in the family, ye’? How about another taste, sweet heart?” Rian licked his lips as another pass of air breezed by his nether eye. He stood there chuckling, his tongue just breeching his teeth in the oddest manner it could. What a face, all squinty and wrinkled, to look at in at mid day. So much for enjoying lunch… “Who do ya’ think ya’ foolin’, lad? I certainly be knowin’ you don’t keep a purse over there. Bring your hand out and be a gentlemen if you think so lowly of an old, harmless man like meself. You think I can swing this sword anywhere above the knee? Scared of an old man, are you? Hahaha! O, or perhaps you mean to offer me your cane, ye’? Hahaha!” Rian said laughing. He was shaking the hilt like an old man at a loss of his strength. oocThis PC concept isn’t working for me. If you’d like to just wrap the thread up and leave him to his own, that’s chill. I need to be rid of him soon anyway. Blood of Ink will have his journal left in his home if you ever want to stumble in this season and pick it up. I’d imagine Alvadas would hide other items as to not make a total thief of you. We’ll see how it goes. Thanks for the thread as it was. We can reap this for all it’s worth yet if you’d prefer too.

[Antar]

To the man, Antar's aura would seem... strange, as if it was many interlocking plates of darkest blue , almost pure black, wrapped upon each other in the semblance of a guarded mind and suppressed emotions. Though in between the seams of armor, faint red flashes of anger would cascade along the course of the whole and then small skeins of yellow followed by blue, amusement taking its course beyond the irritation the old man's actions brought. Seeming like a web of engraved lines of energy traversing their course. A sign of a trained mage. His aura wasn't masked or supressed, but the signs of his mental fortitude were there as well. For a moment, the rogue's hand would come out of his cloak as he sighed, counting on his ability to disarm the old fool if there was any trouble. "The reason my hand is on my sword you old codger is because you have a semblance of insanity about you. You're here in a street, talking to a thing that most leave alone. Worse, as for why I care you've now apparently insulted my comrade, and she's known to have more of a temper then I do. I do however caution that your abilities with a sword, would not so much as stay your life if I ever grew serious. It's bad enough the city threw me here to listen to the foolish tirades of a geriatric wonker like you. So may I ask you to simply go home and get some sleep? " Antar sighed a moment making one last plea to the strange gum toothed cretin, "If you do so perhaps a bit of rest will calm your addled wits. Or maybe you should find your way to someplace to get something to eat if that is what is affecting you? Otherwise, sir. I will be forced to ensure to turn you over to the nearest guard and let them sort you out whether you like it or not."

[Rian Vale]

“Hmmph…” It wasn’t much to go off of, but the old man needed to face the music of his words. The aura, even in its vague appearance, a lacking of detail for Rian to decipher a motive, said enough. This man shouldn’t be trifled with, and he’d already pushed limits. The thoughts of lunch and a nap were also particularly appeasing ideas… As for insanity, well… Well, maybe the years of practice were catching up to him. The faded energies about him were a good indicator, his body withering. He had been trying to hide the trembling of his arm on the sword the while. Previous success was slipping, his focus split, and the blade wiggled under him. Rian grabbed hold of the blade pommel with his other hand to steady himself. “No respect for your elders, hmmph!” With that final insult – it’s insulting either rogue gave a damn at least – Rian stormed back towards home, or at least where home should be. He wasn’t in a mood to fight or enter a chase; he had gone out for fresh air and only found trouble. The world was so full of trouble these days! A double take, to make sure no one was following him, his paranoia running its course. The rogues had no reason to move on him. With a final grudged look, Rian turned and passed down the nearest street. He had something at home waiting to be eaten right, or he needed to go shopping… He could eat later, a nap, he needed a nap… The old, depressed, maniac man just hobbled along his way. What was one more crazy addition to the city of illusions?!

OOCtrying to close the PC, so I hope you don’t mind a close to the thread. Pretty concept, but no motivation to follow through in the end. :/

[Daydream]

Antar XP : Socialization 4 Rhetoric 3 Intimidation 3 Lores : -Crazy old men should be thrown to the guards -Leave my Shai alone! Shai XP : Socialization 2 Rhetoric 1 Lores : -Come on, I'm hungry! -The old man's not even worth it! Comments: *sigh* Another abandoned thread. Hate to see 'em but I'm glad you cashed it in rather than letting it rot away! Interesting thread here and I'm sure all things are self explanatory. If you want a change to anything, have any concerns or questions, please do let me know so I can assess the situation and handle it accordingly.