Shrine Guardian

Date: May 30 Time: Midday Location: Temple of Doom and Despair, Myrefall Status: Self-para/Open 

Runswick has become Cinder's home in Hegaehend. His travels outside the city have been far and few in between, a measure he himself put in place as an attempt to anchor himself in one place and prevent his old vagabond habits from his homeland to follow him here. Don't get Cinder wrong: He loves traveling, believes it to be a good way to learn new things and expand a person's horizons. It's just Cinder has stopped trying to learn new things, expanding his horizons, ever since the Sais' tragedy. His departure from his homeland, his self-imposed exile, was more of a punishment than a cause to travel. 

Fortunately, there's always a good bounty at Lunacrest and often times an even better reward. This was one of those times. Cinder felt the Myrefall earthquake from around six days ago through a rich and pretty bored noble who hired him and a couple of others for an expedition of sorts. The shifter didn't actually understand what kind of expedition it was nor did he care. He only said yes because of the money, which was why he had a wide grin on his face as he sat on the back of a wagon with the other bounty hunters en route to the scar. "Money, money, money!"

His enthusiasm, however, slowly waned when they rode nearer and nearer to Myrefall. Stories of curses and strange phenomenon reached them but they were already too close to turn back: People transforming into something else, a human turning into a goblin and a goblin turning into a human; undead flooding the city, a few covered in strange flora; and even steel becoming red-hot in an instant with no apparent or visible cause. Cinder found himself worried about these stories but not worried enough to abandon his need for coin to seek safety elsewhere. In fact, he agreed with the others to insist on asking for a raise from their benefactor, which the latter gave, until a misguided attempt to clear the undead in the city led to that same benefactor dying and the rest of their party routed.

"Melora damn this place!" Cinder screamed as he found himself pursued by two of the undead. He managed to escape the bigger crowd, though his own wilted from three to just himself. Even his rage could not keep them off of him for so long. His wits did, though, and the shifter slunk safely within an undergrowth where his pursuers could not find him. Steeling himself, he kept quiet for as long as the pair of undead stayed. Thankfully, they did not stay that long. 

Soon, Cinder went out from his hiding place, knowing he needed to get out of the city as soon as he can. He tried his best to stay hidden, moving closely to the shadows, though he was seemingly drawn to a specific direction. Cinder did not know where he ended up, only that the garden of flowers around it smelled sweet. Catching a sight of stray dogs and even cats, the shifter assumed it was a place hospitable to the tamed creatures of the city, the domesticated pets. Some of them even walked beside him towards the same direction he was going, completely unaware or rather ignorant of his present. At the sight of some clergy from a safe distance, Cinder stopped. He stood alone, observing them. "Is this...her temple?"

He saw one of the men turn towards him, noticing his presence from a mile away, and the others followed suit. Cinder smiled. This could be home. At least, for the time being. He was in the middle of taking his first step when he felt something hot from within him. Was it the beast within trying to get out? He swallowed air as he slowly realized it was something worse. It was his okurimono, but something about it was strange, very strange indeed. He turned towards the men of the temple and thanked Melora they were a safe distance from him.

A bright streak flashed from within Cinder, blossoming with a low roar into an explosion of flame.

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry?  

Avi knit his eyebrows together, briefly wondering what about him looked like he was in need of a bounty hunter’s services. He wasn’t offended, just curious. Was his anxiety that obvious? Or did he just look rich? How could he possibly look rich? The man’s offer was vague, and Avi couldn’t think of anything he needed to be done within Runswick that he could possibly pay him for. But, if he was remembering correctly, this bounty hunter was a follower of Melora - and it was true that Avi had some coin to spare.

He paused for a moment, considering the offer that wasn’t much of an offer. What did he want right now? What could he possibly pay for? He just wanted to go home. He thought for another moment. And he was a bit lonely. Perhaps he could acquire a new friend under the guise of needing hired muscle. “Well,” he started, standing up a bit straighter and puffing his chest out. If he did indeed look rich, he may as well play the part. “I have no bounty for you to chase, but I do require safe passage out of the city. You can never be too sure, wandering these streets with as much gold as I have. You see, my hands were made for delicate work and for counting coins - not for protecting myself. If you accompany me out of the city and through the redwood forest, I’d be happy to… uh, share some of my wealth.”

Cinder raised an eyebrow as his subtle attempt to ask for the familiar stranger's name was ignored. That or he was being too subtle. Was he, actually? He had no way of knowing at this point, most especially since he didn't even regard the matter to be of utmost importance. Names were nice and all, but he's been in this business for a suitably long time, ever since his self-imposed exile from his own homeland, and sometimes, not everyone wants to share real names. As a shifter, he knows that too well. 

Although Cinder didn't have as many shifter relatives as he'd wanted growing up, having been abandoned as a child by his parents, he did meet quite a few as he grew and traveled. He was quick to notice that theirs wasn't a culture that kept their own language...or community. They were wanderers, vagabonds, and they mostly lived with other races, blending with humans and elves and dwarves as best as they could. Most of them adopt the language of their adoptive communities, like Cinder had, and they even tend to reserve their personal names for only a select group of people, the rest, most especially strangers, relegated with their wandering names. Cinder was a latter name.

He grinned as he fixated himself on the sound of gold and coins. The familiar stranger had too much gold? Cinder was in luck then. Perhaps his tongue was silver, after all, a magic seer of sorts. This day was indeed lucky, but most likely for him. The shifter offered the man a brief bow, his grin wider than ever. "Like I always say, an honest work of companionship is always better than a bloody bounty. You have my loyal protection, my wealthy good sir. No harm shall come your way with me by your side. That's a Cinder guarantee."

date. early may location. the crossroads                                                            ━━     ﹡ OPEN TO ALL 、

Even after a day of being out hunting to trade meat with the local taverns, though fatigued, Alva wasn’t someone that would deny someone help. So, when a woman struggling to load up her cart called on her for help, she couldn’t refuse even if the day was starting to drag on her, lugging the furs and crates that she was hauling was even a task for the relatively strong young woman. It seemed like the the day was getting the best of her as she finished up the task, the sun winding down for the day to welcome a brisk evening. She had been hoping to cover some ground on the road by the time she was done hunting, but with the night fast approaching, even she wasn’t stupid enough to travel alone at night, so she made her way into one of the inns.

The inn she’d chosen was a little bit more packed than she would have liked, but her stomach grumbling was more set on her not taking the time to pick another establishment. After ordering some food with the keep, and taking a cold beer from them, she took a seat at one of the only seats she could see available - only after she’d sat down, she’d noticed her rudeness in taking the free seat at a two person table. “Oh! Ah, I’m sorry, I must have forgotten my manners,” Alva gushed, turning her head to the other, “Are you waiting on anyone or is it okay if I sit here?”

As the self-proclaimed greatest bounty hunter in all of Runswick, Cinder had thought so little of having to travel to The Crossroads, a town so far and different from his adoptive home, with his client and the rest of their party. To him, the coin was of the right weight and color, the job sounded easy enough, and they plenty of men to go around, so what could go wrong? Little did he know, he was, as everything did go, wrong on every single account. The coin was actually not enough for the task at hand, the job was nowhere near easy, and only a few of their men actually stayed to fight the beast once it got mad, and boy, did it get mad.

Cinder stared at the woman who had interrupted his bite of a giant turkey leg, his teeth mid-chomp on that sweet, succulent flesh, his hand gripping the bone as tightly as he was hungry. It was only a couple of hours ago that he survived that job. Only three of them did, none was their client. Thankfully, they had been paid half their promised fee before everything went south, though it was barely enough for this meal. Cinder was now in a quandary: He did not exactly know how to get back home. 

They had gone south from Runswick to Arx then south again to this place. One would think that if he retraced his steps, he would easily find himself back home. Yet Cinder was currently very hungry, and his thoughts were everywhere. One of this thoughts came back to him, crossed his mind, with a strange proposition involving the woman before him. He grinned playfully, from ear to ear. "Ah, it's no worry, milady! You are free to sit with me, if you would be so kind as to accompany a lonely traveler tonight. You may call me Cinder, miss...?"

Thought it was too early to tell whether the time he’d taken to recover from Arx had been enough, Avi found himself in Runswick. Finally, he was taking a leap. He’d start with something simple - rescuing a cat, perhaps - and soon he’d be on his way toward fighting again. What a fool-proof plan, he thought. But as he approached Lunacrest, his hands were shaking. He hated being this far from home. If something went wrong here, what would become of him? What was he to do when he got hurt so far from his family, from Ewin?

When he finally approached the board, it seemed as though every job had been taken. There was nothing even remotely exciting left, and Avi didn’t bother to check if anyone was looking for an extra pair of hands. Instead, he took it as a sign from Melora. Time to head back home. Perhaps, if there had been a job open, it would have been the adventure that killed him. He wasn’t going to ignore that sign and wait for a dangerous job to be posted tomorrow.

He’d been outside of Lunacrest for a whole of thirty seconds before someone called out to him, and Avi found that his hands were still shaking. Frantically, he snapped his attention toward the voice and was surprised to find that he recognized the face. He couldn’t quite remember the person’s name, but he knew he’d met them a handful of times at a temple of the Wildmother. Maybe she really was trying to send him a sign. Maybe it really was his lucky day.

“Alright, I believe you,” He smiled, hiding his trembling hands. “What’s so lucky about it?”

With a wide grin, Cinder slowly approached his prey, almost strutting, his hands in his pockets. He put on the swagger of an overconfident charlatan, eager to haul in great amounts of coin for the day, though he was actually feeling more concerned that he would not fail and thus become unable to feed himself for the next few hours. 

Upon closer inspection, however, Cinder found that this fellow looked somewhat similar. Where had he seen him before? He just could not quite place it. Perhaps, he was just one of the many bounty hunters the city had to offer, not quite different from himself? If that were true, then either this man had a bounty on him they could cash in together or they were going to both be hungry for the night.

"I am!" He announced loudly, stretching his arms to either side, as if welcoming the uncertain embrace of the moody fates. "...and now I'm here. With you. ...offering my services as the..." 

He cut himself off, reminding his tongue that it would most likely only end in argument if he asserted himself to be the better bounty hunter, assuming of course that this man was of the same profession. "...one of the greatest bounty hunters in all of Runswick." 

He put on his best grin, before immediately, hastily, speaking the next few words, as if they were slaves running away from their masters as fast as their malnourished legs could take them. "...for a measly fee of, give or take, one, two gold pieces." 

Cinder then cleared his throat, trying his best to distract his prey from what were essentially the fine print of this verbal arrangement, before continuing, standing a few inches from him, with an extended hand ready for a shake, for the physical signing on the dotted line. "It's the best damn deal in all of Runswick, and you're a lucky man to be offered such a once-in-a-lifetime arrangement. What say you, mister...?"

Hanna felt their annoyance growing the longer they stood there letting the man called them things like ‘milady’ and ‘fair maiden.’ It made Hanna’s stomach twist, and they considered again just running, or making him go away with the use of magic. But that would be irresponsible.  They tried to remind themselves what Professor Nigh had always taught them, that it was important to be inconspicuous and observe, to wait and be patient. That had always been the hardest lesson for Hanna to learn. Maybe though, that would be the best course of action here. Hanna sighed, taking off the round spectacles from their face and cleaning the glass as the man calling himself Cinder negotiated his price. One or two gold pieces was only about a day’s worth of Hanna’s regular pay. They could probably budget that into their travel expenses. And who knew, maybe Cinder would have useful information on Runswick.

“First of all,” Hanna said, trying to sound more confident than they felt. “I’m not a maiden, or a lady. You can call me Hanna… because that’s my name. And I don’t really need protection from anything. I know I don’t look like much, but I can take care of myself.” Hanna wasn’t sure if this was a lie or not. In theory, Hanna could call on the power of Aureon to aid them in any fight they got into, but in reality, Hanna had never so much as thrown a punch.

“But I might appreciate some information on the city and a guide.” There was an awkward pause as what meager bravado Hanna had built up quickly rushed out of them on their next exhale. What more were they supposed to say? Talking to new people was always so hard. Hanna never knew what they wanted from them, though they supposed all this man really wanted was money. “Um. One gold sounds reasonable, since you’re just escorting me to Heritage Avenue. But I do have to hurry so I can get there before the shops close so, uh…”

With a frantic little wave of their hand, they stepped widely around Cinder and started to continue in the direction they’d been heading before he’d stopped them. They kept their eyes down to the ground, face flushing with heat, and unwilling to look up to see if Cinder was following them. A big part of them hoped he’d maybe think Hanna was crazy and not worth the trouble, but bullies rarely ever thought along those lines.

"Hanna... That's a beautiful name, mil— Hanna." The shifter grinned, catching himself before he could make the mistake again. He was quick to follow her, not wanting to lose his coin. One gold piece can be hard to find for someone with no stable job, who relied on postings of bounties just to feed himself. "I shall be your guide then, your escort! Onwards...to Heritage Avenue!"

Old habits die hard. At least that's what Cinder has been reminded of at this very moment. What he could not realize, however, as he was too focused on the task at hand, the task of getting enough coin to feed himself for at least the next few hours, was that it was still true despite his many attempts to kill said old habits. 

From time to time, he would still wake up and perform the early-morning rituals that he was taught, that he learned, from the Sai family back home. From time to time, he would still think in their language, words and phrases far and few in between within the walls of Runswick. From time to time, he would still see Haruhime in his dreams, in the wee hours before he'd fully slumber, in the mere instances and spaces between his eyes closing and opening again, within a blink, within a pause in every other word, within the clear cut distance traveled by a midsummer's breath through the tear drops of the afternoon sky. 

This time, however, he saw her in this maiden—Hanna's assertion. 

A name isn't just a name, Haruhime had taught him years ago. Prior to that moment, however, it had always been beyond his concern. Cinder did not have a name. At least, for a while, from his abandonment as a child up until he was found, saved, by the Sais, that was true. It was Ryuki, Haruhime's father, who had given him the name Cinder. Ryuki had told him that the name alluded to his determination to live, the fact that despite all odds he was still here, like cinders, small pieces of partly burned wood that the flames have already left but still contain embers within that could fuel more fire than ever. It was an exaggeration, Cinder thought. Yet, still, here he was. 

A name isn't just a name. It's everything a person can hold dear, a gift, a curse, a blessing, a reminder. Cinder's was all that and more.

"My apologies for giving you the wrong impression: I'm sure you can protect yourself, Hanna. You look strong and fearsome and formidable enough..." He nodded as he looked her over, walking beside her before circling her once as she continued to walk ahead, quick on his feet to not impede her own stride, with his arms behind his back, as if he was a master surveying his student. 

Cinder could never be a master, he knew that himself. He was a student, however, and he will forever be one. Ryuki and Haruhime were both his masters, mentors more precisely, and though he learned a lot from them, they were both taken away from him far too early. They still had much to teach him. That was perhaps one of his biggest regrets, disappointments. 

"...but one can never be too sure in this city where bounty hunters thrive. Who knows what dark, greedy thoughts are concocted inside their minds, which ones will affect you, which ones won't... These animals can be treacherous, believe you, me."

Player Task 001: Character Development. 

Hanna jumped back, startled as the stranger stepped into their path. They looked up at him, eyes wide and their hands balling tightly around the strap of their bag, horrified at the order of events. They’d just wanted to conduct their business in peace, and now they were being… extorted? Hanna wasn’t actually quite sure what this man’s plan was, to either mug them or that he truly thought this was the best way to get hired. Now that he was right in front of them, Hanna could see that he was definitely rough around the edges, his wolfish grin spreading across his face in a way that made Hanna’s stomach do queasy somersaults. He introduced himself as Cinder though, and that struck Hanna as something someone who was trying to sneak them off into an alley so that they could steal from them would do. So… a conman then?

But Hanna had known people like this before at university. Well, not exactly like this; most people there were much better groomed or dressed. But Hanna was more than familiar with the type of people who would flash their teeth and smile while they swindled you for all you were worth. Hanna could try to run, but it was obvious he’d already smelled blood, and wouldn’t stop perusing them until he got what he wanted.

“Um.” Hanna said, trying to come up with the words that would solve this. For a shining, brief instant, they considered taking out Aureon’s holy symbol and banishing the man to another plane for a minute in order to get away. But that likely wouldn’t turn out very well for anyone involved. Their eyes darted this way and that, looking for someone who might step in and save them, but found that most people weren’t even paying attention to this interaction.

So instead, they hunched in on themselves further. “What are your rates? I’m here to buy a book from a special merchant in Heritage Avenue. I don’t think there will be many threats to protect me from there.” Their voice was only slightly louder than a mumble. It wasn’t an outright rejection, but Hanna hoped it would get the point across that whatever fun there was to be had in this city, they would not be providing any of it. “But if it’s just coin you want, I have a few spare silver pieces. I just… I don’t want any trouble, please.”

Cinder blinked a few times. At first, he thought it was just going to be an easy job. She did appear to consider his rates, which no one has ever done, and what danger would there even be in accompanying a lost girl to a book seller in Heritage Avenue? Usually, those he would approach from out of the blue would only roll their eyes at him and wave him off. He'd try again to talk them into paying for his services, as flexible as they needed to be, and they'd wave him off again. Rinse and repeat for at least three more times, and Cinder's new client would break under his annoying persistence, though they usually stood their ground on how much they'd pay him. It was a fair compromise, he believed. As long as he got paid, he would still be able to eat.

This time, though, it seemed he had found the perfect...employer. Not only was she considering his own preference for his payment but she was also considering just paying him without him even doing anything. At that thought, Cinder grinned, a twinkle in his eye showing. He could basically take her silver without even breaking a sweat. This wasn't just an easy job, after all. This was the best job, and Cinder was going to milk this cow until she gets dried up like a freshly squeezed— Wait, did she say trouble? Did she think he was a hooligan, mugging her in the middle of the street without even considering stealth and a good story as a back-up plan? He was almost offended.

"Trouble? I'm not offering you trouble, milady...unless that's what you're into." He feigns a cough, shaking his head. He should not go down that path again. The last time he allowed an employer to pay him for...trouble, he ended up unable to walk for three days. That was not a good time to be poor and hungry. He got paid, yes, and in a lot of gold, but how was he supposed to buy himself food if he couldn't even walk to the tavern? That was a terrible plan and a worse decision. "What I'm offering you is my protection! I'll see to it that no harm come to you, fair maiden. Not even an insect bite."

At this point, Cinder had grown too confident, that he was even promising miracles. How the heck could he even prevent an insect from biting the woman. It's not like he could use his magic to keep them away from her precious, gold-having skin. Oh, wait, he probably can. But that would cost her more. It should. It's definitely one of those services that no other hunter in this city can provide. At least he thinks that's true. Overconfidence often clouds one's better judgment. Or better wits. If he even had any. 

"...and all of that for the measly cost of one, two gold pieces?" He watched her reaction to his price. Maybe he can even go higher.

Even as evening approached and Hanna disembarked from the caravan they’d payed to ride along with into Runswick, the city seemed to bustle and teem with life and beauty. It struck Hanna as feeling out of place with their current mood: exhausted, uncomfortable from the long journey, and nervous without the usual calming presence of their professor by their side. Hanna had little experience with field work, especially field work that wasn’t exactly sanctioned by the academy or temple, but they couldn’t let that stop them. They clutched their bag to them tightly, wary of pickpockets, and gave an awkward goodbye to the leader of the caravan, tipping them a few silver before heading down the street.

For a few minutes, as they walked, Hanna tried to keep their eyes on the ground in front of them and hurriedly make their way to Heritage Avenue before the shops closed, but all the noise and shouting from restaurants and taverns and stalls with merchants selling goods kept drawing their attention away to the point that it was becoming increasingly overwhelming. They wanted to dart into an alleyway, to catch their breath for a little while, but instead froze, in the middle of the street, as someone called out to them directly.

Hanna looked in the direction of the voice and found the mere silhouette of a man standing in the doorway of what had to be the biggest or rowdiest tavern in the city. Hanna felt as if they were a fawn, wide eyed at the sight of a hunter, and managed one half step backwards. They new traveling alone had been a bad idea. Now they would have to deal with this man probably trying to… con them? Somehow?

“N-no thank you,” they managed, probably too quietly for him to hear, then quickly turned and started walking quickly towards Heritage Avenue again.

With the confidence of the most handsome bachelor in the entire nation, even though he could only afford to take a bath once every two days and his grooming was barely at par with an actual stray's, Cinder strutted towards the fawnish civilian, grinning widely from ear to ear. Judging from how they froze at the sound of his imposing voice, which wasn't really as imposing as he thought but more of surprisingly shrill, the shifter had assumed they weren't from around these parts. Or at the very least, they didn't usually get called out in the middle of the street. Either way, they smelled like easy prey, and Cinder was one of the best hunters in all of Runswick. At least he thinks he is.

Of course, there was an obvious difference between hunting monsters and meeting people. Some thing, or sometimes even someone, always gets bloodied up when monsters are involved, whereas other people are just plain boring and unnecessarily tedious to deal with. Unfortunately, Cinder was by design ignorant of such differences. Interacting with both monsters and people have always ended up with him getting paid, after all, and that's all that really matters to him. Besides, today was a terrible day for him. All the bounties had already been taken, and none of those who had taken the bounties wanted him in their respective parties. Their loss, though. Cinder still had an ace up his sleeve, which was a phrase he had just recently learned from One-Eyed Jack, the old man who kept playing and losing at card games in Lunacrest. That ace? Whoever the heck this person is.

"No, thank you!" He repeated to them in response, much louder than they had managed. Cinder quickly took two wide steps, blocking the innocent passerby's path towards...Heritage Avenue? Oh, she definitely has gold then. The thought instantly fed his grin to grow even wider upon his lips, if that was even possible at this point. To this scared innocent stranger, this encounter was probably less exciting, as how Cinder was taking to the interaction, and more horrifying. He was also oblivious to that possibility. "Let me guess? You're lost? You need assistance, maybe an enforcer to keep you safe? I'll say it again then: Today is your lucky day!"

Under normal circumstances, Cinder would offer no more than a grunt or a wave at anyone else. He'd simply keep to himself, stay out of someone else's way, but his current circumstances were nowhere near normal. The past few days have not been kind to him, especially to his stomach, and he really needs the gold. "You may call me Cinder. I know this beautiful city like the back of my hand, and I am the best hunter in all of Runswick. For a couple of gold pieces, I will ensure your safety within these great walls. Shall we?"

The first time Cinder stepped foot within the great city walls of Runswick, its massive redwood forest the primary draw for the wildhunt shifter and the beast within, he found himself directed by fate to Lunacrest, where the beautiful city's many bounties were kept and celebrated. Right then and there, Cinder knew that Runswick's popular tavern, for so many obvious reasons, would be the perfect place for him, a place he could call home. ...if he wasn't sleeping in random stables all over the city, anyway. 

Authorities, nobles, alchemists, collectors, farmers... It did not even really matter to Cinder who posted the bounty. As long as they paid well and the monsters were only deadly in theory, none so far has managed to kill him, he was going to make himself worthy of that gold. Of course, bounties on deadly monsters usually required more than one adventurer, so Cinder had to work with others to make his gold.

Today, Cinder was on the prowl for a bounty to feed him. Unfortunately, today's bounties were all already taken, and even though some of them were still looking to recruit more allies, Cinder had already worked with everyone who has taken a bounty, and for some reason, they were all not fans of his work. 

It's probably because he only ever tends to communicate with others in grunts and gestures. Or maybe it's because he often gets lost in his own thoughts, reveries, becoming oblivious to his surroundings, leading to traps being triggered. Maybe it's because he believes that meddling in the affairs of others only causes troubles, which is why he had rarely helped his previous allies whenever they ended up fighting for their lives, telling them he'd rather not get in their way, even though any brief assistance would've been very helpful. It never helped that he is quite secretive as well, failing to inform others of important details that could've saved them time and effort.

"Whatever then!" He screamed back amid the laughing and jeering at his expense. 

The shifter was used to this kind of treatment. He had been experiencing it everywhere ever since... The very shadow of the memory made him scowl, as if a disgusting drink had somehow made its way down his throat. His past had never been a fun trip down memory lane. It had always been more of a place he never wanted to visit, a place he was too disgusted to visit. 

There was no point in crying over filled bounties. "I'll just find someone I can goad into paying for my service...any service. Just no weird stuff!"

Just as he opens the door out of the tavern, he spots a passerby outside who looks like they'd have gold on them, though to be fair, to Cinder, everyone except him probably has gold on them. 

"Oi! You over there! It's your lucky day!"