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Post by moralhazard on Mar 9, 2019 20:45:37 GMT
“THEA!” Pip’s voice would easily carry across the street, with the ragged edge of a sob echoing in it. Thea had been laughing at Arioch, or more accurately with Arioch. They were just a few blocks from the Greenglades tower, enjoying a mid-afternoon stroll, but the sound of Pip screaming her name cut through her pleasant reverie, sending her gaze up to the little half-elf. “Pip? Pip, what’s going on?” Pip was wearing her little tunic and pants, with the brown braid at the collar, now torn, stained and soaked in mud. She sprinted across the street, flung her arms around Thea, and began to sob, face buried in Thea’s stomach, smearing mud all over her.
The night before…
Pip sat in the stands of the circus, munching happily on taece and waiting for Citrine to fly up behind the rafters and join her. She’d left a big space for her friend, and guarded it jealously, even against a very large, very scary looking man who had glared down at her. Pip waited…
… and she waited…
… and she waited. Perhaps Citrine had had to use the bathroom? She hadn’t said anything about it, but maybe... or maybe she couldn’t find Pip! Pip stood up, hopping to her feet, then hopping up on the bench and looking around. There was no sign of Citrine, and that was strange because Citrine usually stood out a lot, even though her wings weren’t quite as colorful as they used to be.
Pip slowly sat back down. Citrine must just be in the bathroom, she decided. Maybe there was a line?
The show started and Citrine still hadn’t come. The taece tasted awful now, and Pip brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them as she watched the first performance, a man doing some kind of bicycle trick. Where was Citrine?
Then a man in a big red coat swooped in from the back, an animal that Pip had never seen before perched on one raised arm.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!” The man crowed. “Welcome to the one, the only, the most incredible circus in all of the Sword Coast! For your amusement tonight, we have all manner of beasts and creatures, here to perform for your entertainment.” He gave his arm a shake, and the animal leapt up off of it.
“How many see a cockatrice and leave to tell the tale?” The crowd roared. “Well, tonight, you will!” The man cried out. “At least… most of you!” The crowd laughed, drunk and rowdy, jostling one another in excitement as the cockatrice flew slow circles around the enclosure, occasionally reaching out as if to snap at someone with his jaws.
Pip felt utterly sick, now, setting her snacks down and staring the performance. Weren’t circuses supposed to have men on stilts and acrobats, fire-breathers and other harmless magic? Her eyes followed the cockatrice, and she started to shake as she spotted the small golden collar around its neck, a near perfect match for the one in her pocket.
“Excuse me – excuse me – excuse me – ” Pip mumbled the words as she fought her way out of the stands, wriggling through loudly and angrily exclaiming crowds. She ducked out of the opening, darting to the side of the tent, feet squelching in the mud. “Citrine?” She called, softly, although about as loudly as she dared. “Citrine?” Pip swallowed, hard. There didn’t seem to be very many people out in front anymore, just the woman at the confectioner’s stand and a man at the ale stand – and Pip didn’t trust either of them anymore.
She turned, making her way slowly around the outside of the tent.
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Arioch
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Level 6 — Barbarian
Posts: 333
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Post by Arioch on Mar 11, 2019 1:30:53 GMT
There was a certain quality to Arioch's stories and that was the consistent lack of shame and tone they used to had, the way no details were spared about the way they were told sometimes, or how it would highlight small details and gloss over some other things other people might consider important to the point of ending up asking about them. Some of those he didn't really consider that funny, but seeing Thea laugh was enough to make him forgive that and just smile along, and laugh as well when the sorceress laughter infected him as well. He had been just about to make an indecent proposal to her when the sight of Pip broke the air with a yell, and then broke the mood with her tears and distress.
Arioch felt his own interest in the subject quickly dropping to the ground and be replaced by a slight concern when the usual upbeat little child seemed to be quite sad. Nevermind that he was actually not even ten years older than her, but it did seem like an even bigger age gap at times. Not that it was a problem. He was already a man while Pip... Pip was still a child, and that was alright.
He waited, in silence, for Pip to tell Thea what was going on and he approached the duo.
"Pip?"
He said looking at her hair, her head sunk into Thea's stomach, and then brought his gaze up to meet Thea's, cocking his head slightly to the side before looking down again, concerned about what had happened, but trusting the young girl would be glib enough to tell them without needing to be thoroughly interrogated... If she felt like it. In the meantime, he looked at her from head to heels, in search of visible damage.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 11, 2019 1:45:59 GMT
“Pip?” Thea wrapped her arms around the little half-elf, stroking the girl’s hair with one hand. “Pip, what’s going on?” She raised an eyebrow at Arioch, then looked back down at the girl. “Are you hurt?” Pip managed a shake of her head, still sobbing. Thea exhaled a little, her hand moving down to Pip’s back, still stroking. “Okay, sweetheart. Just breathe. Just try to breathe.” After what felt like a long time, but was probably only a minute or two, Pip would manage to speak, gulping air between sentences, tears still streaming down her face. “We went to the circus,” she sobbed. “We – we – Citrine – “ Thea blinked. “The circus – the note from Phi? Oh, Pip, you… Citrine?” “I asked Citrine to go with me,” Pip hiccupped, rubbing her nose on her arm. “But it wasn’t – it wasn’t a fun circus,” she looked up at Thea, tear tracks running through the mud on her face. “No,” Thea said, quietly, resting her hand on Pip’s head. “It wouldn’t be, I – where is Citrine?” Pip began to wail again, utterly losing it.
There was movement up ahead, and Pip froze, huddling against the canvas, eyes wide in her face. There was a man, carrying a crossbow, who looked as if he was sneaking around the tent even slower than Pip was. He did not look nice!
Suddenly, a massive green snake burst from the sky, diving down. Pip watched in horror as it wrapped its tail around the man once, twice, three times – and scooped him up into the sky. Pip stared up as they went higher and higher and higher –
Then the man fell.
And the creature swooped back down.
Pip barely managed to stifle a scream, running headlong from the tent into the woods. She curled up next to a tree, shaking with terror.
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Arioch
Approved
Level 6 — Barbarian
Posts: 333
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Post by Arioch on Mar 11, 2019 2:09:57 GMT
Arioch had a lot of questions, such as who was Citrine? Another child like Pip another of her friends? Maybe she had gotten into a fight with her or something along those lines? Then it was the question of just what a circus was. So far he could deduce it was some kind of social activity, social enough to ask someone else to go with you and it was expected to be fun. Maybe a kind of party? Had Pip been partying? He squinted further. He was pretty lost on the subtleties right then and the fact that Pip was not alright made it worse, he had nowhere to focus that worry and instead had to wait around until Thea managed to get around Pip's current state and reach out to her. He wasn't good at waiting, but he was doing his best. The temptation to just grab Pip and shake her until she focused and said exactly what was the problem was bubbling up from within.
The ammount of willpower he was putting into keeping it "civil" with Pip had started to reach his limit, until it eventually did when she started to wail openly.
"Pip" He said rising his voice higher, serious, not something he had done before. It was dry, down to the point, air-cutting. No fun in his voice, no tenderness. This was serious. It wasn't a slap, it wasn't a shake, but it carried enough weight in his voice to take a child back to reality for a few seconds. "What happened?" He waited for a reply, if someone had done something to her... Every second was crucial. He was itching for something to do to solve the problem at hand, waiting around, listening to the wails... That was not something he did, that was not something that he was good at. It was a slow kind of despair, impotence, that was without a doubt something he dreaded as much as he despised it.
She would have time to wail and cry later, just as he would have time to listen to the full story later. He wanted a name, an address, a description.
He was thinking every time less of the possibility that it had been some other random kid going too rough, or too rude on her. And would be really disappointed and a bit embarassed if it turned out to be.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 11, 2019 2:15:49 GMT
Pip hiccupped, surprised enough by the intensity of Arioch’s tone that she stopped crying, at least for a moment. She squirmed against Thea, glancing back at Arioch, then up at Thea, and pulled away, a little, tugging at her shirt and trying to compose herself, physically as well as mentally. A few more tears rolled down her cheeks, but she wiped them away, taking a deep breath and straightening up. “We went to the circus. Me and Citrine,” Pip paused. “Citrine is – she’s Thea’s friend,” she glanced up at Thea, then over at Arioch. “I’ll explain later,” Thea promised. “Go on.” “We went to the circus,” Pip said again. “We – they invited us to play a special game, and we did, and we won these,” she reached into her pocket, pulling out an odd gold bracelet with gems stuck into it. “Citrine’s was a – a collar,” Pip gestured at her neck. “And… she put it on and we were supposed to go into the big tent but it just – she just – left!” Pip swallowed, hard. “And then – and then – the show started and there was a cockatrice, and it was wearing a collar like Citrine’s and,” Pip started to shake. “I got really scared so I ran outside, and this big monster – well she isn’t a monster but I didn’t know that – came out of the sky and swooped someone up and – and – “ Pip shivered, wrapping her arms around Thea again and starting to cry again. Thea hugged her close, eyes wide. "Pip, where is Citrine?" "She's still there," Pip sobbed. "They - they have her!" Pip didn’t know how long she’d stayed hidden in the woods. She had cried for a little while, holding her hands over her mouth to muffle her sobs. At first, things had been quiet - then there had been a lot of noise, screaming and yelling and what she thought was maybe magic but she couldn’t tell. Eventually, very eventually, she had started to creep back towards the tent. She had to find Citrine. She had to! And then - The same massive winged snake dropped out of the sky, landing before her. Pip shrieked, stumbling, foot catching on a root and sending her sprawling on her butt on the hard ground. She cringed away from the monster, squeezing her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face, waiting - But nothing happened. Slowly, slowly, Pip cracked an eye open. The snake was studying her, head tilted to the side. ' I will not hurt you, little one. You seek the birdfolk woman?’ Pip nodded, eyes growing wide. ‘ You may speak to me with your mind,’ The snake creature lowered its head, a soft crest on the side of its face brushing against Pip’s cheek. Pip sniffled. ‘ I - but earlier, you?’ ‘ The monsters at this place have kept me imprisoned for a year.’ The creature tilted its head, revealing a golden collar beneath its head. ‘ I would not hurt a child such as yourself. You have my word. I am Hopebringer; you would know me as a couatl.’ Slowly, slowly, Pip reached up with one dirty hand to touch the couatl’s face, sniffling. Very, very tremulously, she smiled. The couatl seemed to almost nuzzle her hand. ‘ You saw Citrine?’ Pip asked hopefully. ‘ The bird woman?’ ‘ Yes.’ The couatl’s head lowered. ‘ She set me free, but she has lost her own freedom. She is trapped.’ There was a loud crack of branches from behind them and the couatl’s head snapped up, then her luminous eyes turned back to Pip. ‘ Go! Now! Do not let them catch you!’ Pip scrambled to her feet, turning back into the wood and running. She glanced back over her shoulder, watching the couatl lift off the ground into the air. Now she could see torches bobbing in the air through the trees, hear the loud grumble of voices and the trio of feet on the ground. Pip ran faster. |
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Arioch
Approved
Level 6 — Barbarian
Posts: 333
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Post by Arioch on Mar 11, 2019 2:26:25 GMT
Arioch frowned as he heard Pip's tale. In his mind Citrine was another chiled just like Pip and the Circus was... Some kind of social event given how she was talking about a game and prizes. However that was not what caught his attention but the collar; who would have a cockatrice and a person, a child specially, wear the same kind of collar. He once had jested about Thea wearing a collar but that had been pretty explicit in it's meaning... It was the same thing everywhere in Faerun he had been. It was just about the only piece of jewelry with a double meaning anywhere.
And then in that moment the image of something he had told Thea some time ago crossed his mind. He looked at her and said.
"Olaf's amulet"
He declared with a deadpan voice, frustration and anger starting to dwell and boil within him. It was not per se Olaf's amulet that which he was referring to literally. It was the fact that some degenerate had made a magic amulet that had some unseemingly magic properties that affected those that wore them. And the degenerate was also putting them on to children. His hand curled into a fist, the way his muscles tensed he was sure could be heard in the air as if it had been leather.
Monster outside? Monster that was not a monster?
"Pip, where is this circus? What does Citrine look like?"
His tone remained the same just as earlier. His face, that of stone, his body unmoveable, eyes fixed on to the child.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 11, 2019 2:32:44 GMT
Thea nodded a little, understanding Arioch’s meaning.
“It’s – it’s outside town,” Pip would describe the location, which wasn’t far outside the gates, over a hill and then off to the side of it. “Citrine is – she’s – “ Pip wrinkled her nose, not sure how to explain.
“She’s an aarakocra,” Thea explained, looking at Arioch. “Citrine is – my best friend here in Waterdeep,” Thea rubbed her face with one hand. “Pip, why would she – ” Thea exhaled. “Okay. It doesn’t matter. Uh, Citrine looks…” Thea bit her lip. “Like a cross between a large bird and a person. She’s… about Pip’s height? She has large wings, reddish brown, and feathers all over her body. She flies. If she’s at this circus, she’s going to be giving them hell, but… it doesn’t sound good.”
“She did,” Pip piped up, taking a deep breath. “I met – I met the monster. Well, later, after I was in the woods, then – I tried to go back to the circus, but the monster – well she’s not a monster, she’s a couatl. She looks like a big snake with wings but she’s very nice actually, she talks to you in your head and she has a collar too, like Citrine, but she told me Citrine let her out of her cage but that Citrine was stuck there, and – then the circus people were coming and she told me to run so I ran.”
Pip hiccupped. “I ran really far into the woods and I – I got lost and I – it was night and I was so tired,” Pip’s eyes burned with tears of shame. “I fell asleep,” she sobbed, burying her face in Thea’s shirt again.
“It’s okay, Pip,” Thea rubbed her back, holding her close. “it’s okay, Pip. It’s okay. You did the best you could. You were very brave.”
“I wasn’t!” Pip sobbed. “I left Citrine! I just – I left her there!”
“Pip!” Thea knelt, taking Pip’s shoulders firmly. “You did the right thing coming to find me. You did the exact right thing,” she met the little half-elf’s eyes, seriously. “Arioch and I will rescue Citrine,” She kissed Pip’s forehead, and hugged her again.
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Arioch
Approved
Level 6 — Barbarian
Posts: 333
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Post by Arioch on Mar 11, 2019 2:50:11 GMT
He frowned a bit. It was great. Not only had they been targeted by a degenerate but also Pip's friend was a subhuman monster that probably had tried to get her into something bad. A cross between a bird and a person? His imagination was riddled with horrid images of nightmarish creatures oogling Pip over from her shoulder. And great, not only there was one monster but also two? And Pip had met with it? His hand clenched further as he listened on to her tale, he was already up and fired ready to begin running towards the outside of Waterdeep so fast and so hard they would probably feel him coming before he arrived.
A snake with wings that talked to her on her head? It was crazy, absolutely crazy and it was shooting all kinds of red flags for him. Nothing good ever came out of this. So far his experiences with magic had been rather benevolent with Thea's help and it had helped him ease his superstitions about magic and the grim nature of their workings but with it took only one really bad experience with Pip to make those embers a fire again.
He had no such words of reassurement inside of him for Pip, but neither did he interrupt them. Mostly because he was not there to hear them. As soon as Pip started to confess she had fell asleep and one night had passed since the event he took off. Who knew what else those degenerates were doing in the circus.
"I'll be back vith your friend and the responsible's head on a plate"
Arioch declared and he ran off seething with rage. Every second was crucial. But why hadn't he waited for Thea? He was so angry he didn't even thought of it. For the most part her comely exterior, the way she seemed so cute sometimes, and her perceived stance on killing made him separate her from the fact that she could very well smite someone with a lightning bolt if she so pleased. It was that conjuration of meekness that made him regard her as such... And to a minor extent the fact that he did not want to see her hurt, even by accident, too. Imagining another one of those freakish magical artifacts heading her way was enough to make him rage and have him run faster.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 11, 2019 3:07:26 GMT
“Arioch!” Thea cried, abruptly standing, eyes wide. “Arioch, STOP! Come back – we need to make a plan!”
Thea inhaled, then exhaled, thrusting one hand out. Lightning leapt from her palm, shooting through the air to strike a barrel next to the sprinting barbarian, bursting it open. Thea sent up a quick mental thanks that the lightning hadn’t accidentally hit Arioch.
Pip squeaked, eyes wide, staring at Thea’s hand, then up at the glassblower’s face.
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Arioch
Approved
Level 6 — Barbarian
Posts: 333
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Post by Arioch on Mar 12, 2019 16:28:09 GMT
There was something to be said about the Barbarian's reflexes, whilst the lightning bolt hadn't been intended for him there was something inside of him that reacted to it the moment it went off. A tingle in his skin, a certain instinct. Like a danger sense that had him moving to the side sword in hand watching the barrel explode, and he had been ready for combat except he realised that the one throwing the lightning bolt had been Thea. That was enough to confuse him and look at her with an accusatory expression. What was that? Had she just tried to shoot lightning at him? Was she crazy?
"Vhat the hells Thea"
He shouted back at her, stopping momentarily. Now, he hadn't been looking so he didn't really now if it was aimed at him and it had missed, or it had always been aimed at the barrel but either way it had been a little to close for his liking. It was also the first time he had been shot, or nearly shot, with magic. And it also had been Thea of all people.
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 12, 2019 16:48:34 GMT
Thea exhaled a little in relief when Arioch stopped. She was jogging towards him already, Pip trailing wide-eyed after.
“I’m sorry,” Thea’s cheeks were the dark blue that Arioch had come to know as a blush for her. She stopped in front of him, reaching out to set a hand on his arm, if he’d let her, and pulling away after a moment in either case. “I didn’t hit you, did I? I just – I didn’t think you’d stop and I – ” Thea didn’t like to think about how quickly and effortlessly the magic had come to her fingers, not right now, even if it was what she had been working hard towards these last few months. The reality of it was – unsettling.
“I didn’t know what else to do.” Thea exhaled, slowly. “I didn’t want you charging off alone. We don’t know what we’re facing, and – I know you’re strong, but I’d rather recruit some more help. Orin – Citrine’s… ah… friend, she’ll come, I know she will. And… there’s…” Thea’s jaw clenched a little. “… the person who told me about the circus.” Wind whistled through her hair. “He should be able to give us more information.”
“Just – take Pip home?” Thea asked, eyes searching his face. “Please? Then meet me at the city gates. If – I might send an elf ahead, very blonde, very tall, probably in armor,” Thea almost smiled at the memory of Citrine seeing Orin again after so long, but it was a little too painful right now. “Please, Arioch.” Assuming he hadn’t rebuffed her touch before, she would reach out to touch his arm again.
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Arioch
Approved
Level 6 — Barbarian
Posts: 333
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Post by Arioch on Mar 12, 2019 17:13:13 GMT
While he was still upset at having been shot with lightning, he was also aware of why had he been leaving in the first place. When she approached him it became clear that it hadn't been her intention to hurt him, and that it wasn't directed at him. He didn't turn away from her touch, but remained close looking for her eyes with his'. That didn't make his initial concern go away, but it cleared away the biggest one. Time was of the essence, and it was definitely not the time nor the place to let that be relevant. He summoned the energy to remain still in one place when all his instincts told him to go forth now, quickly.
"I don't see how much her friend could help; unless she can shoot fire out of her hands or is secretly a renowned gladiator"
Arioch pointed out, for him to be told that some friends would help was the equivalent of imagining someone else with a club in hand coming to the rescue. Appreciated, but wasn't sure how much helpful they would be in actual combat against unknown foes. He paused for a moment when he heard the last part.
"Vhere is this person?"
He asked, almost quietly, but with murder in his eyes. That someone had told Thea about the circus, that it could be her with a strange artifact around her neck right now and not some random half-bred monstrosity? Now that was making his blood boil, he only regretted he wouldn't have enough time to deal with both simultaneously. He took a deep breath, but remaining where he was standing was hard. Take Pip home? The question bounced off in his mind. Didn't she remember where she lived?
Most of Arioch's hard experiences as a child had him measure everyone with the same stick, and expect the same things. Not necessarily that of him, but there was a certain bar. At least the stranger that would meet him at the gates was wearing armor. That was a good sign. But, if by chance, it wasn't there when he arrived he would go off on his own. Enough with the waiting.
"Pip vhere do you live?"
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Post by moralhazard on Mar 12, 2019 17:23:15 GMT
“She’s a powerful warlock,” Thea said, reassuringly. “She’ll help.”
Thea bit her lower lip, looking up at Arioch when he asked her about the location of the person who’d told her about the circus. Slowly, she shook her head, refusing him. She wasn’t sure why; she couldn’t have explained. It wasn’t that she was worried about Phi; to be honest, she was a bit scared of what he might do to Arioch. She doubted Arioch understood people like Phi. Phi was physically weak, not – as far as Thea knew – particularly skilled in magic – but Thea knew too well how many people out there owed him favors, and she didn’t want Arioch tangled up with him.
And – maybe – she didn’t want word getting back to Dom about Arioch either. Something about that felt off, and Thea pushed the feeling away to explore at a later time. Or not. Preferably she could just forget entirely about it and never, ever deal with it.
“At – at the workshop?” Pip was looking back and forth from Thea to Arioch, clearly thoroughly confused.
“No,” Thea shook her head. “You need to go home to your parents,” She turned to Pip, crouching down again and giving her a hug. “You were so brave, Pip, and I’m so proud of you, but now I need you to go home. Arioch, please – take her?” It wasn’t so much about Pip not knowing how to get home as Thea’s fear that, unaccompanied, Pip would promptly sneak back off and try to rejoin them at the circus. She couldn’t live with herself if Pip got hurt; Thea was already kicking herself for not telling Pip more about the circus, it had been obvious from her response when she brought the note that she had been excited about it. That, and - Thea just didn't want Pip to have to be alone anymore.
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Arioch
Approved
Level 6 — Barbarian
Posts: 333
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Post by Arioch on Mar 12, 2019 17:49:12 GMT
Arioch barely moved his head to the side still staring at Thea in the eyes when she refused the answer. Why was she protecting this person? There just wasn't enough time to get into it right now but he definitely would once things were settled. And, also, he might be able to find more about that at the circus. There was definitely something else going on. He was ready to dump Pip on the spot and yet go off on his own again. He clenched his jaw and then moved one of his arms towards Pip, grabbed her like she was a bag of potatoes and pressed her against her body.
"I'll drop you by on the vay, just give me the directions."
For him it was as if the little half-elf was almost weightless, could probably juggle her about if he wanted to. But then again, the same could be said about Thea. It hadn't been particularly hard to lift her up last time, the only issue was the rampaging wind and lightning bolts.
He figured he'd learn about it if it had been some kind of friend to Thea the one that had lured her into that trap, but... if it wasn't... if the excuse wasn't good enough well... There was little he wouldn't do in a rage. Not doing anything about it was just signaling they could do anything to them and she'd forgive them. Well, maybe she would. He wouldn't. That much he hadn't said but it was clear in his face how much he disapproved of Thea's protection of the person responsible for her coming into contact with the circus in the first place. Once he was given the first hint of a direction, he would sprint towards the location and then continue on his way. Pip was less heavy than his usual bag.
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