Location [Syliras Entrance] The Main Gates

[Oz de Sepp]

Sitting on the side of a cart which was piled up with cloth bags of animal feed Oz could see the great walls of Syliras. Having lived most of his life in a simple Pycon colony he hadn't seen anything like it and couldn't help but be astounded by not only the size but also detail of everything he could so far see. The tall towers, the entirely vertical wall of stone and the fully armoured knights who stood watch over all who entered.

Closer to the gate the incoming travelers, merchants and caravans were becoming packed together so in his haste Oz hopped of the cart to weave through the forest of legs in an attempt to enter the city. No one noticed him, not even the guards as he entered. He looked like a piece of black cloth, blown by the wind to an unobservant eye. The population of Syliras seems great and varied, I should have no problem finding useful company. Oz de Sepp's unceremonious entrance the the grand city of Syliras ended as he passed through the second set of doors into the city in search of knowledge the he so desired.

[Flick]

71st Day of Spring

Flick panted as she walked, tired of travelling and happy to be within the view of civilisation again. Part of her, a huge part of her, wondered if she'd made the right decision leaving Riverfall. It had been a long journey, and she missed Kavala deeply. But now was not the time for regret, it was the time for new beginnings. It was too late to turn tail and go home now.

Approaching the huge gates of the city, the fennec stopped for a moment, wondering how she was going to get inside. She hadn't a shred of clothing, travelling as a fox had seen to that, and the guards didn't seem the type to just let a small creature wander through the gates. It was with relief she spotted a merchants caravan approaching the city, laden with baskets and bags and all sorts of things. Moving around behind the slowly creaking caravan, she lept up between the baskets and crammed herself deep beneath the goods.

The caravan slowed, stopping between the gates, and the small kelvic could hear talking as the knights spoke with the merchant. There was a moment where they looked the goods over, but nothing too thorough. Flick sniffed the air, keeping still deep between baskets of spices and herbs. Then the caravan rolled on again. Waiting until they were well passed the gates, the fennec fox crawled out of the goods and jumped down. The city was bustling and busy, feet and people everywhere. Her nose worked overtime and her ears could barely discern the different sounds. Scooting into a side alley, the kelvic sat down against the cold brick of a neighbouring wall and whined softly. What had she been thinking?

[Shale]

Spring 04, 511 AV

"The world is a dangerous place. Mankind has cities, tight-knit oasies of hope amidst an otherwise dank and terrifying world. Gods themselves walk the earth and paths, protecting the cities from both inside and out. But even so, they are not able to guard their people from everything. Beasts and dark things of all sorts threaten these small pockets of civilization from all sides and at all times. There are thing out there, past the gates and walls of sanctuary, things outside that defy all attempts at explanation, things that the greatest heroes cannot hope to survive against.

My paltry strength and spear is not as strong or deadly as the claws of the monstrosities that await to slaughter the innocent and guilty alike. My wit and cunning is just the mind of a child in comparison to theirs. The world is run by monsters, who thirst for our death and downfall, and beyond this exterior vale of society, we all know it..."

Salizar shrank back up against the cart he was checking just a moment ago and glanced around the roadway as if something might srping out from the ground itself and snatch him away to a grisly fate.

The grim voice that made the poor man shiver, even as he saw that there was no immininent danger, was chastised by another.

This second voice called from behind a nearby carriage as a helmeted head popped around the corner. "Alright, alright, enough, you're scaring the kid Argus."

It is another day on the job for Argus, one of the many Syliran Knights, and one of the newer additions to the force at his side. He finished looking through the last cart, replacing the tarp over the various goods. He glanced at Salizar, the new recruit under his tutilage, and hollared to his longtime partner in [s]crime[/s] justice, who was addressing the merchant who owned the cart and carriage.

"Arman, you done over there?"

"Yeah, does he check out?"

"His goods are clean." Arugs replied, accompanied by a nod of the head from Salizar. "So get to it, boy!" He gave a shove to the junior and ushered him towards the merchant, who was peering at the knights from the side of his carriage at the front of the two-wagon trade convoy.

Salizar stumbled for a second before approaching the merchant, slipping past the convoy guard with a sort of skittish air, showing care not to bump into anyone. He notified the merchant that his wares were inspected and that nothing came up that was particularly noteworthy. He then bid him welcome to Syliras.

Salizar retook his position besides Argus as they awaited the next cart, which brought a distinct noise of a tambourine.

...-ching ching ching, ching ching ching-...

The knights looked at the incoming vehicle with varying degrees of interest. Salizar was writ with surprise, the other two, not so much.

There was a fox. A fox with gray and reddish orange hues sat on a cart behind a new merchant, probably a small-time one who had just started to work his trade between cities. A tarp was layed over the various goods in a neat fashion and the fox was on top of it, banging on a tambourine in a rhythm with its two forepaws.

Alongisde it were two guards, the first one in scrappy looking leather armor and with a longsword at his side. The other, walking behind the cart was donned in full-metal armor, well oiled, and a mace in his hands. The one in the armor moved with a certain air of tiredness, as if he was wearing the heavy full-plate for some time. The rougher one was moving with a spring in his step.

While the other two regarded the approaching cart with silence, Salizar beheld the sight somewhat more noisily. He covered his mouth, lest his ignorance be caught by someone else, and whispered to Arman; "what's with the animal?"
"It's just a Kelvic bard," Arman quickly pointed out.
"Can Kelvics even be bards? It could just be a familiar or something."
Argus shrugged. "Not stopping it from trying. Watch, throw it a coin."

Salizar reached into a bag at his side and flicked a coin at the fox, the shiny piece of copper apparently catching its attention as it landed besides it on the cart. The fox gave a polite reply in the form of an all-to-toothy grin.

----------------------

What luck! It was Shale's first time in Slyliras on her own, and already she had a fan! She might like this place more than she thought.

-----------------------

Salizar was taken a little aback, and whispered to Argus, who was grinning with a self-assured smile; "what'd I do, why is it snarling at me?"

Apparently uncaring for the commentary, the fox began to hit the tambourine with renewed vigour, bobbing her head to the three-part beat.

It abandoned the rhythm after a short time, halting in favor of moving out of the way for the cart inspection while the merchant's two hired protectors stood by as the city guards did their diligent duty of searching the cart for anything less than permissible.

When the knights replaced the tarp on the cart, the fox clamped her jaws on the tambourine and moved back to her spot on a covered crate, beating out a new upbeat rhythm.

"Clean." Arman announced, and ushered the new arrivals through.

-------------------

"Mr. Mackus!" A naked young woman, probably around the age of twenty-one or so was cheerfully addressing the merchant. She was also hastily donning a set of performer's clothing besides the cart. At the same time, she chatted with him excitably. "Thank you so much for letting me ride with you."

"It was a pleasure, Miss Shale." The man was friendly enough for having picked her up unexpectedly just as he started on his way to the city.

Even so he would have charged her something for the transportation if she hadn't insisted on just eating her own rations during the trip. And it wasn't like any monsters attacked or anything to give him an excuse to ask for protection fees.

Mackus tuned back in to hear Shale finishing what was so far, a monologue. He really ought to focus on what people are talking about sometimes. Whatever the Kelvic was talking to him about was apparently a one-sided conversation anyway as she shook his hand and excused herself before jetting off back towards the gate. She'd have to thank her "fan."

-----------------

"Ready for a break huh?" Arman nudged Salizar's side. "A few more chimes and we're changing shifts." The novice knight was looking over the saddlebags of a newly arrived horse and his rider.

"No, Argus keeps me busy with assignments either way," he mutter his reply, expression taking on a tired look just by thinking about it. He looked over at Argus to see if the seasoned veteran had taken notice.

Lucky for Salizar, Argus was unaware and preoccupied, talking with the newly arrived traveler a few scant feet away. Arman started to say something when the noise of distinctly hurried footsteps registered in his ear. It came from behind him, towards the gate. He paid it no mind, dismissing it as part of the usual hustle and bustle of the main gateway.

That was, until Arman tapped him on the shoulder. "Incoming." He said with a calm that was worryingly different than what one would think should accompany a warning like that.

Salizar looked at the man, confused. "Huh?" And then he could hear the footsteps getting rapidly louder. Realization dawned on the novice knight's face and he whirled around, reaching for his weapon, only to have a set of arms wrap around him.

Salizar was greeted with a face-full of Kelvic. He was sent stumbling back a few steps before catching more stable footing.

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"Eheehee!" Shale had her fan in a bearhug, squeezing him armor and all. She didn't really realize he was so short until she was her proper size. Did they really let men so young join the city knights? Either way, she had her first fan in a new city! That was a joyous enough occasion to put off any such worries from her mind.

-----------------

Salizar was effectively taken unprepared. What he had first thought was an exceedingly bold assault in open daylight rapidly became a (still somewhat shocking) greeting. He tried to sputter out a question as he struggled. "M-m-ma'am?! What-" but was cut off by his "assailant."

"Thank you very much! " She tightened her grip for a moment, her face filled only with the marks of genuine happiness. "My first new fan, oh I'm so happy!" Salizar was distinctly aware of Argus and Arman snickering, but squirming wasn't working very well for him. His face was red with embarrassment and surprise.

The tall, blond-haired woman let go of him and hurried off through the gates again, leaving Salizar calling out, trying to piece together what happened.

"Ma'am! Ma'am! What are you talking ab-ah,and there she goes." He turned around to the other two knights, both watching him with cheshire smiles.

"What was that? Do either of you know her?"

Neither Argus or Arman spoke for a few moments before the horserider they were inspecting, all but forgotten, spoke up. "Can I please get moving now?"

Argus was the first to respond. "Yes sir, I'll be right with you." He left his two compatriots to pick up where he left off.

Arman, however, was still grinning with a wide smile. "We don't know her, but you do." He jabbed his junior knight in the side yet again.

Salizar was just even more confused. "What?"

"The fox you gave the coin to. I told you she was a Kelvic."

Salizar's face became crossed with realization. "Oh my."

[Dasthar]

43rd of Spring 511 AV

Dasthar was walking aimlessly along the path that led towards Syliras the city of the great knights and wonderful port that overlooks the sea. Beside him was his life long companion and best friend, along with him being a guard dog, Athos. He had been with Dasthar for more years than he could remember and enjoyed ever minute of it. As they kept along the path they finally crested the next hill to see the city upon the horizon and get a strong breath of sea air. He starts to pick up his pace and runs into some of the people traveling into the city and walks along with them when he meets with the guards. As he talks with them they tell him places he could stay for the time he is here and the location of the employment center. After that he started to walk into the city and found the building he had been directed to and smiled as he walked in looking to see what happened.


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After his time in the employment center he started walking through the city and experiencing all it had to offer him. He finally went looking for the White Swan Inn and smiled as he found it.

[Ceos]

43rd of Spring 511AV

On this chilly morning, Ceos was walking amongst this heteroclit mix of cultures and faces. Tall, short, large, thin, fat, slim, merchants, sailors, artisans...It made him dizzy. People turned their heads at his passage in every street. Isur were uncommon around here that's for sure. Then the gates appeared: They were not that exceptionnal when one has lived in an Isurian Citadel for most of his life.
Two guards, Syliran Knights he presumed, were standing watch. Ceos approached one of them to ask for pointers. That knight had the look of a man who's devoted to the cause he serves, even in a position as humble as this one. He welcomed the newcomer with a smile.

-Welcome visitor! You're an Isur right? There's not many of you around you know.
What can I do for you?

For being enthusiastic he certainly was.

-The tavern?

The tone was cold, unexpressive. The guard's enthusiasm went down a bit at the sound of his interlocutor's voice.

-After the gate, the first street to the right for the White Swan Inn; a decent place if you ask me. You could also try to...

But Ceos was already walking toward a stable bed and a real meal.
<<What a strange fellow...>>. Saide the guard before returning to his duties...

[Nadra Leigh]

OOCJust posting here so you know that my character is starting out in Syliras Please inform me if I have to actually write a little rp post here

[Celesta]

Celesta waited in line. She had been traveling from well? She did not remember where, she had awoken in the middle of no where and followed a road and that was a night ago. She held only a single bag at her side and a single talisman around her neck. She didn’t know what it represented, what it meant to her. Or if it even was hers to begin with. All she knew was that she was here.

She stood around 5’4’’, her hair light silver, but her face, was young and youthful and for all accounts attractive. Her eyes were silver as well. Her short form was skinny, but not completely bone-thin.

The clothes she adorns were not of high quality, but were not of low quality either. It seemed like a solid dress that swayed at her ankles. It was white, and had no glamorous designs on it. There was a single tattoo that she had on her right side of her face. What any of this means was mystery to her.

So now her feet brought her inline, to get into a city, perhaps here she would find some answers?

[Dusk]

Moderator's Note: Celesta, you have to actually make a character here before you can start playing. Might I suggest you look through the Starting Guide and follow the steps outlined there for character creation? You should also read through the lore in the Wiki on both the race that you are playing and the city of Syliras and the Syliran Knights. Run-of-the-mill amnesia plotlines are no excuse for not understanding the game before you start playing it.

[Seven Xu]

Seven's heart raced as he was hurried towards the main gate of the both impressive and looming structure that was Sylrias' castle wall. Large crowds worried him, made his head swirl and turned his stomach. Although, that could be the abundance of livestock that had been holding him and droves of others up in the heat of the mid-Spring sun.
Something brushed against Seven from behind and it made him gasp and inch forward. Seven didn't look back, but kept his eyes focused intently on the line that was slowly but now steadily moving its way into the castle city.

Would she be here? He didn't even know what she looked like... a Mixed Blood Symenestra, surely a breed that was few and far between. Would she even still be alive? Would she even want to see him?

"State your name."

Seven's lips opened and closed a few times in surprise. Daydreaming. Seven could feel the blood rise in his cheeks as he blushed in embarrassment.

"Seven, uh. Dra-Seven." He added as an afterthought. "I am from Lhavit, I traveled here to--" Seven was interrupted by the guard reaching for him and his voice hushed to a startled whisper, then nothing.

The guard, much taller than Seven, raised a brow and the youth could feel the look of judgment wash over him before a meaty hand cupped his chin and tilted his head roughly from side to side.

"Are you a carrier of any disease, Mixed Blood?"

Seven could feel the venom in his voice just as strong as the bitter venom that oozed from his fangs when he felt especially threatened. "N-no. I am healthy. Sir."

"What are your intentions in Syliras; can I point you in a specific direction?" Another rehearsed question.

Seven simply shook his head. Then he shrugged, unsure of his response, then red eyes darted towards the floor. "I--I do not have anywhere in specific I need to be at this moment, no."

"Your bag." The guard's brow quirked skyward a second time as Seven handed the canvas satchel over and stole a glance upwards at the iron portcullis looming over their heads curiously.

"You're fine to enter, Dra-Seven." The bag was shoved back into his hands, forcing him to peel his eyes from the pointed iron portcullis. With a relieved sigh, Seven padded through the castle walls and soon found himself uncomfortably lost in an even larger crowd.

[Rhode]

66th of Spring, 511 AV

"Hold it, hold it, HOLD it," the knight called out, stepping in front of Rhode. "You can't just walk in." Rhode looked down at the knight in front of him, a good head shorter than him, looking over him quickly.

"Is there a problem?" Rhode asked, as he closed his eyes and crossed his three pairs of arms in front of him. "Because as I understand it, no one is restricted from entering this city."

"Everyone gets checked, first," the knight countered, holding his hand out between him and Rhode. "Your bag?" Rhode rolled his eyes blatantly, and took his pack off with his upper set of hands and dropped it lazily between him and the knight, who caught it by the strap with ease. He then reached into his pants' pocket with another arm and pulled out a small comb, and began fixing his hair. As the knight poked around in his bag, the second knight spoke up.

"So, you're an Eypharian."

"Very perceptive, Ser Knight," Rhode answered, his voice laced with the subtle tones of contempt. "I wonder, what gave it away?"

"So!" the first knight interrupted, handing the pack back to Rhode. "What brings you to Syliras, mister..."

"Rhode," he replied flatly, slipping his upper arms through the straps of his backpack and stashing his comb back in his pocket. His middle pair of arms rested lazily, his hands on his hips. "And I was thinking of spending some time in your wonderful city, while I figured out what to do next. That's not a problem," he continued, pausing to shoot a glare to the second knight. "Is it?"

"Not at all," the first knight responded happily. "Just so long as you don't go breaking the law," he said, chuckling. Rhode just stared at him, as if trying to make him disappear with a thought.

"You're not carrying any diseases, are you, Eypharian?"

Rhode slowly turned his head towards the second knight. "Why don't you use your keen perception, and tell me: do I look sickly to you?"

"Of course he's not sick," the first knight cut in with a nervous laugh. "He's just being thorough, no hard feelings. Do you need any directions, perchance?"

"No," Rhode replied, again with a flat voice. He was still locking eyes with the second knight.

"Alright then, you're clear to enter," the first knight told him, backing out of his way and standing back at his post to the side of the gate. "Have a nice day," he added with a smile. Rhode could tell his words were genuine, but whether they were prompted by a kind soul or out of fear, he couldn't tell. He let his arms drop to his sides as he walked through the gate unhindered.

"Thank you, Ser Knights," he said politely as he walked past. "Keep up the good work." The truth was that Rhode did need directions, but he wouldn't give those two the satisfaction of aiding him, whether they were Syrilan Knights or not. His former employer had advised him to try and get a place to stay through the Housing Authority, just before parting ways at the intersection of North and South Kabrin Road. He also required a way to pay the rent for that place, as he was now very much unemployed.

Despite the challenges that waited ahead, and the fact that he was now a minority in a city filled with people who, if the small greeting committee he had just dealt with was any sort of indicator, he would not enjoy putting up with, for the first time in the past several years, Rhode was finally living for himself and his own goals. And despite the putrid masses of people 'living' around him, the whole concept was a breath of fresh air. "Let's get started, then," he said to himself reassuringly, as he quickened his step into a carefully measured jog, making sure to give a wide berth to anyone he would otherwise cross.