There;s NO p.l.a.c.e (like) home [OPEN]

[<<WHISper>>]

regular, speech, thoughts, other(s)


Swift-footed, graceful, elegant, nimble. These were a few words that easily described the Shadhavar that bounded effortlessly through the emerald blades of grass that licked at his belly every time he came close enough to the earth. He seemed to float almost, as if he weren’t a part of this world at all. His body resembled that of a gazelle, colored in a light brownish beige with a darker stripe separating the brown from the white upon his belly, chest and neck. Upon his face were dark brown lines running down his cheeks where one’s tears usually would roll but to the contrary this beast hasn’t cried a day in his life. Despite his obvious herbivorous looks this Shadhavar was a carnivore.

Ultimately it was his hollow horn that gave him away. It resembled a flute and if the wind moved passed it just right, like it did right now, the most beautiful melody flowed forth from his horn. Arias’s eyes glowed with opportunity. His looks were deceiving and his melody would draw any unsuspecting prey towards him, which meant he never really had to hunt, but he relished the opportunity every time he did have the chance to chase prey down. With fangs enough to put a leopard to shame he was well equipped to be a good a hunter as any. He came to a sudden stop just as the great East-West road unfolded before him like a book. He lifted his head high and proud, bending the wind in just the right manner and the most beautiful melody issued forth, attracting any weary travelers with ease.

//Now all we do is wait.//

[Klaus]

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[bg=white] The emperor had been particularly unhappy as of late (suspicions were that this was because a certain caravan carrying a certain expensive variety of wine had been raided en route to Kosov, but no one really wanted to say that up front). In any case, an unhappy emperor usually causes other people to be unhappy as well, since one rain cloud gets very lonely very fast. Altarspire’s constable had been brought on stage as one of the clouds in this case, unfortunately. He had been summoned, rather abruptly, to appear before the Emperor and his gang, for some reason that no one could quite agree on. The constable had stood in His Majesty’s grace for some number of eternities, being told that he did not send enough reports to Kosov and also that he sent too many, and also that he was doing too little with the area and that it was too dangerous to be doing the expeditions that were being done. It had all turned into a drone, and now, hours after, the drone was still buzzing in the unimpressed constable’s head. The Lord Premier had just needed someone to use as a verbal punching bag, and Klaus had had to come all the way down from the mountains to serve that purpose. He had much better things to be doing with his time than to be playing as an admonished schoolboy in front of an overpuffed, egotisti- Well, there were better things he could be doing. With a few well-practice pumps of his wings, the red-and-white bird rose a bit further in the air, rolling upward as does a piece of flotsam on the ocean. He was beginning his journey back home, to do the things that needed doing and all that, and was more than happy to have Kosov to his tailfeathers. As much as the undulant greenery underneath him filled his heart, it seemed a frail mask when that den of unsavory sorts was so nearby. Blah. He had worn a few pieces of armor on his mission, and with each stroke of his wings the leather and metal creaked. His breastplate caught what light it could, as the sun was to his unprotected back, and his metal claw-covers caught the leftovers. Klaus clicked these together as he drew his legs closer in, as if to remind himself that he was moving back into territory where they mattered more than political spider webs and piles of foreign bounty. And this did not displease him. And neither did that wonderful sound, come to think of it. Swiveling his head as only an owl can, he caught the faintest wisps of a song, something he was entirely unused to. It was melodic and strangely untamed by lyric or story, much unlike the folk songs that were common in the light of his homeland hearths. This was incredibly interesting to him, and he tipped himself in the direction of the noise. What else was there for it? Before long the wisps had grown together into a clear tone. It seemed, to him at least, to be less of a song per se than a chord in which the comprising notes couldn't quite decide who should be loudest. But that might have just been the wind being selective in what it carried to him, might as well find out. After skimming the grasses for a while, he came upon the source of the strangely soothing noise: some antelope-type animal he didn't quite recognize. Something seemed a little off about this individual, and had it not been for that wonderfully interesting noise Klaus probably would have decided to just go on his merry way and not bother his little head about the matter. Travelers were travelers, except this one played song. He realized he had started making a beeline for the stranger just in time to pull himself out of the dive. Disorientated, the owl curved back up and caught himself on one of the many boards tacked to the nearby signpost, wings spread to keep his balance after the immediate and unexpected landing. Well, that was odd, o say the least. Turning around, he eyed the sonorous stranger. Yes, there was something off here. {geez that turned out to be much longer than it should have}

[<<WHISper>>]

[bg=burlywood][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s)

The wind around Arias was quiet, almost too quiet. His song created an eerie echo as it danced across the plains, the only sound detectable for at least a ten mile radius. His large ears twitched in all directions, searching for any traceable sound, perked and ready to hear that faint footfall of his chosen prey; equines. Equines were so gullible, most of the time, though there have been exceptions in Arias’s life. His horn shined with pride in the late afternoon rays of the sun as he remembered Leila, a certain “below average” equine. Her flesh had been so tender and tasty. His mouth seemed to water just at the thought and he quickly shook it from his head, causing his song to hitch slightly as he did so. He regained concentration and soon the song was issuing forth once more.

Arias was known as an Assassin, not really a respectable occupation within Himaryn but he couldn’t care less. He was happiest when he was hunting or ending lives. It fulfilled him like nothing else could. He was a carnivore, what were you expecting? A fluffy pink bunny loving fawn? A sudden sound snapped him from his reverie and his muscles tensed in preparation and anticipation. It was the distinct flapping of wings. Instantly his head snapped upwards, towards the skies and he noticed an owl descending rapidly towards him. The music stopped abruptly as Arias turned to face the owl head on. If he wanted a fight he would surely get it, the owl was certainly dressed the part of a warrior. He seemed taken with Arias’s song to the point where he no doubt meant to be diving right at the Shadhavar. A cocky smile cracked upon his Gazelle-like features as he braced for impact but found that the owl had pulled up out of his dive just in time.

//Well now, he is certainly stronger than most.//

Arias was well aware of the effect his song had on most creatures, but not many have ever had the will power to snap out of the reverie that his song created. The owl seemed to pull up just in time and his metal claws clicked upon the board nailed to the signpost. His wings were outstretched as he found his perch and took to staring at the Shadhavar.

“Lost something?”

//Like your ego?//

Arias scoffed at his untimely intrusion just as his stomach started to rumble. Hunger was plaguing his body as well as his attitude. This owl, no doubt the Emperor’s pet, would chase away any promising prey. Arias stomped a hoof and continued,

“Come now, out with it! You’re ruining my little game.”

COUNTER;; 451
THOUGHTS;; I smell drama!
MUSE;; Very good thanks to my new table… *^_^*
TAGGED;; Klaus - Klaus

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[Klaus]

[style=background-color:#fff; padding:0px 25px 15px 25px;]Having been in the business of war and killing and other such physical brutalities, Klaus had often found that those with less physically-orientated affinities were... looked down upon, to say the least. Everyone can understand and appreciate a soldier with the throat of a flamethrower, but it was a little harder to understand the usefulness of visions or illusion when under the battle standard with a hoard drawing near. However, it was times like these that he was rather glad of his element.

He had a noticeably sharp intuition about the intentions and motives of others. He had labelled this as a passive bonus of his element simply for lack of a better explanation, since magical anomalies could pretty much explain everything unexplainable anyway. The supernatural was sometimes easier to understand than the natural, simply because one could just admit that one can't possibly understand it and be done with the whole matter. This was probably the best way to approach the current situation, because this strange singing creature was definitely ringing on the owl's radar.

It also meant he could stop gawking at his sudden lack of control, too, because what can you do to rationalize the face of the magic? You move on and trust in your own wits and muscles, that's what.

With that in mind, Klaus folded his dark-backed wings against his sides, fidgeting a bit to get his feathers back in their rightful rows. His feet twisted around on his perch, bringing his body along with them in a slightly delayed turn. His eyes left the stranger only when he chose to blink, which he probably did only because he felt slightly more secure sitting above the cervid's head than he would have in any other position. Horned head tilting to one side then the other, in the owlish way of sizing up a situation and its spacial relation to one's self, he clicked his beak a few times.

"Game, sir?" His voice was toeing the line between timid curiosity and confident suspicion, as it had some echoes of his trepidation regarding the creature's power. It also wore the uniform of his office, though, and it was this uniform that lent the dominant tone to his question.

[/style]

[<<WHISper>>]

[bg=burlywood][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s)

He made up all the rules,
We follow them like fools,
Believe them to be true,
Don’t care to think them through.

History. What was it truly worth? What would it mean if Arias went rambling off on it, telling others of his misfortunes and victories? Would it change your opinion of him? Would you see him as a better being? Would you have pity on him or find respect for him? Most likely you won’t and neither would Arias if someone rambled to him about their past. It was a waste of time. The past was long gone and forgotten, buried like a dead cow, not worth crying over like spilled milk. It is said that one’s history defines who you are in the present, but one’s actions are the true guide to the future. The future is what we all live for, the future is our hope and the future is our life. We plan our actions of today to suite our needs of tomorrow. We fight today so that we may survive tomorrow. That was just the way it was, nothing more, nothing less.

The sun was high in the velveteen blue sky, joined in a motionless dance by small wisps of clouds now. A few tough trees dotted the expanse of the Great East-West Road, none daring to go close to the road mind you, weathering the coming of cold with arms held high. The feathering upon Arias’ legs was stained to a muddy color from all his traveling and traversing. Being an assassin didn’t really lend much time to caring for yourself…

The owl before Arias closed his wings in a very precise manner and Arias could detect a hint of importance in this character. He wasn’t just any fly by. Coffee colored eyes weighed all the options here, picking him apart, deciphering weaknesses and strengths. The way the owl didn’t flinch for a second was almost eerie, but Arias returned the stare with confidence.

"Game, sir?"

Suspicion leaked from his vocals like a dripping liquid and Arias could tell the owl didn’t find the Shadhavar too credible. His question was also filled with dominance, a sign that he indeed was in a position of power. Arias shifted his cloven hooves beneath him and let go of the magic block he had been holding to keep the wind out of his horn. Instantly that same music followed and Arias breathed deeply as the strain left him.

“Who are you?”

COUNTER;; 418
THOUGHTS;; Arias is a little unsure and suspicious as well as a little irritated and hungry *^_^*
MUSE;; GREAT!!
TAGGED;; Klaus - Klaus

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[Klaus]

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It takes a strange sort of doublethink to cast an illusion upon yourself. Illusions, in most cases, depend upon the victim fully believing in the reality of the trick. This is why, for most, it is harder to trick someone into believing they are a blind but sentient rock than it is to trick them into believing they have simply gone blind. Knowing that the trick is in fact just that, and still believing in it, is a mental jump that usually only comes from necessity. The simple rule of thumb is this: It's best not to think too much on it.

So Klaus didn't. He didn't quite like that song as much now, and he didn't like how his head filled with feathers as soon as it started. He didn't really want to think of the specifics, or really much beyond the fact that it would be better not to hear it. But he didn't really fancy the idea of going deaf either; that was perhaps more frightening than the song. No, no, let's see...

The soothing notes of the song gave a small twang, barely noticeable and with a faint blurring that suggested being on a different level entirely. Slowly the twang grew to run alongside the true notes, matching step for step and rhythm for rhythm. The twang was ugly, cacophonous, repulsive. It was off-key and off-beat, jumping, wailing. It turned the song into something that one would much rather run away from that come towards. And this was his self-delusion.

It was timorous, fragile. It wavered whenever he had to turn his attention away, such as when he had to speak or look around. It took an active, costly effort to keep his doublethink afloat, but it was better than nothing. At best, it made that horrible tune no more than a fly in his ear. Good enough, good enough, now best to stop thinking about it. Except not. Agh, doublethink is hard. Dream magic was fragile enough on its own.

On the outside, this all looked like a few seconds spend in an overdrawn wince. As the cacophony set in he began to return to his normal stance, though one eye remained a bit more scrunched than the other.

"It's a bit rude to ignore someone's question, you know..." He sounded a bit distracted, as if he'd been jogged out of a nap or good read, as he was trying very much not to let his audio-dream waver. A bit hard, a bit hard. Oh dear.

"And as an Empirical Official, I really don't think you should ignore my questions."

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[<<WHISper>>]

[bg=E3A869][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) Arias stood stoic and tall before the owl, head held high, horn glistening in the sun as the breeze blew by, continuing the mesmerizing melody. A grin accentuated his features along with his gleaming eyes. Indeed everything in life was a game to this Shadhavar and in truth he didn’t care whether a Seir or a Haerla fell for his compelling melody, though right now he much rather would prefer any Haerla over a Seir. His stomach was telling him this much and even now the owl started to look quite tasty. He shook his proud skull, removing such thoughts from his mind. All Seir, no matter their race or species, were sons of Icarus and as such it would be cannibalism to devour them for the mere sake of their flesh. A sudden concentration dawned upon the owl and Arias cocked his head ever so slightly in confusion. The slight trickle of magic could be felt upon the airs and instantly he knew the owl was trying to fight the effects of the melody. One of his eyes seemed scrunched ever so slightly in a wince and Arias’ grin grew slightly. It wouldn’t take long to tire the owl out now. Arias almost jumped as he spoke, wondering how he managed to keep a tab on his magic and concentration to the level where he could speak and cast at the same time, "It's a bit rude to ignore someone's question, you know..." He did seem somewhat distracted though and suddenly, as if the elements had been against him, the wind died down to nothingness, taking with it the last remnants of the melody as silence dawned upon the two strangers. Arias’ smile now faded and he was about to answer when the owl continued, obviously now able to concentrate more on what he wanted to say, "And as an Empirical Official, I really don't think you should ignore my questions." Arias snorted, scowling ever so slightly he decided to suddenly gain manners, “I was hunting until you showed up… I guess you can call hunting my game, your Empirical Officialness.” Okay scratch that, it seemed Arias decided against being polite. Hey it could barely be said to be his fault. He was hungry and cranky and now while hunting a Seir instead of a Haerla shows up, how disappointing. “Forgive me, it would seem I have gone for too long without something to eat. I assure you my sarcasm isn’t aimed at you in particular.” Well now that sounded better, “My name is Arias Damon Vettias Demosthenes, but you can call me Arias. I apologize if my… uh… trap deterred you from your intended… uh… destination.”

[Klaus]

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The wind dying brought with it an overwhelming relief, as if someone had finally remembered to remove the stones upon his shoulders. He allowed the last breaths of it to carry off his concentration, and his own illusion tapered off. When one knows what to look for and what exactly has happened, the removal of a magic-bourne illusion leaves the world feeling crisp and clear in the same way that air feels wonderful in the lungs of the nearly-drowned. His eyes returned to their normal size and symmetry, and his glare returned to the normal suspicious sizing-up.

“I was hunting until you showed up… I guess you can call hunting my game, your Empirical Officialness.”

If beaks were capable of frowning, he would have done so. While he was used to occasionally getting a mouthy customer, having had so many before never, surprisingly, made the situation any more pleasant. It occasionally baffled him, as in the long run it made it harder for both parties to go about their business. Perhaps it was just perch from which he happened to look at it all, but he was flummoxed as to why he couldn't just get a simple straighforward answer and a "thank you" and move on. He supposed it had something to do with making one's self feel like a big man, but this rarely seemed like an adequate reason to taunt an officer.

Whatever floats your boat, though. In the end, it only comes back on you.

"May I suggest getting a better reign on your sarcasm: more quick-tempered folk would have had you right then and there." Though perhaps it had less to do with temper than it did simply a want to get on with it. Klaus had no quota to fill, no clock to be punched and no report to be filed. There was very little good to be brought by bringing someone in for a little cheek.

Regardless, at least the individual was now being polite enough to introduce himself. Whether or not it was the cervid's real name was of very little importance to the owl at this point, so he didn't bother to waste any time evaluating the way in which it was said. It was easier for everyone, as usual, to not cause fits about the tiny details.

"It's my pleasure, Arias," he said in a tone that clearly stated that such a saying was only a formality. Getting off on the wrong foot with Klaus very rarely led to much cheer on the bird's behalf. "I'm Klaus Rosenzylch, of Altarspire.

"Though I wonder what would possess you to lay your... trap, you said? To lay your trap in such a heavily trafficked area. Any pedestrian could have been put in serious danger, I hope you realize."

True, there wasn't any law against hunting in such a fashion, and no law against hunting in such an area. He didn't wish to be overly patronizing, but, honestly, it seemed like such a gross lapse of judgement on the shadhavar's part that negligence barely covered it.

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[<<WHISper>>]

[bg=E3A869][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) The owl seemed to visibly relax as Arias’s song died away. Inwardly Arias didn’t like that he no longer held a power over the Owl, but he shrugged it off and stared at the Official. His eyes were sharp and filled with slight irritation. Indeed Arias was slightly ticked off, but a thought suddenly popped up into his mind, //If I can get closer to this Owl I would get me closer to the Emperor, since he already seems to be too important for his size.// A new sort of determination set into the Shadhavar and his smile broadened. Indeed Arias had no desire to d anything harmful to the Emperor, but becoming a little more important in this life would not do him any harm either. "May I suggest getting a better reign on your sarcasm: more quick-tempered folk would have had you right then and there." Arias straightened his attitude and introduced himself, acquiring a few more pleasant manners than he had had before and soon the owl replied with equal pleasantries, though it seemed forced, "It's my pleasure, Arias, I'm Klaus Rosenzylch, of Altarspire.” A short pause followed and Arias knew this meeting wouldn’t get any more pleasant any time soon. Klaus continued, "Though I wonder what would possess you to lay your... trap, you said? To lay your trap in such a heavily trafficked area. Any pedestrian could have been put in serious danger, I hope you realize." Arias shook his short crescent of mane, giving a small step closer he replied, “My prey was not the pedestrians but rather the creatures who lie in wait for them. Though you do have a valid point sir. Forgive my ignorance, but it would seem I don’t care. In fact there aren’t any rules against it. Now I can see you don’t want to be here, so what is your real business, Empirical Official Klaus?” This time the Shadhavar said his words with pride and with respect, becoming a little more serious than he had been.

[Klaus]

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Klaus forced himself not to shuffle around as the shadhavar came closer; it still didn't feel right and it was only his sense of lawful duty that kept him from winging off. Well, not really 'lawful duty' as there really wasn't any such thing here. Arias was perfectly correct in what he said, in that he didn't want to be here, and that he didn't exactly have any business here in the first place.

Perhaps it was simply because he was more used to the workings of Altarspire than of Kosov, but Klaus didn't really pay much mind to the exact wording of laws. He wasn't a man of the book, per se. He was a man of gut feelings, intuitions, of an inner right and wrong that really didn't have anything to do with the book. The book may help, of course, but it was purely the realm of others. Others who sat on their daises, or perched behind their lecturns, or who stood at attention around someone else's throne. This suited Klaus fine, that was their business.

However.

"My business, as unfortunate as it would seem, is to keep an eye on those who don't care.' And, as unfortunate as it would seem, not caring was one of the trigger points of Klaus's rare ill tempers. The way he took it, this would mean Arias simply wouldn't care that he was putting others in danger. He wouldn't care if someone got hurt, someone with family or friends. And that was unfortunate, wasn't it?

"Not pleasant business, of course, but disregard for the safety of others tends to lead to more... serious offenses, if you'll understand my meaning. These more serious offenses are under my jurisdiction, so I think it is within my right to tarry."

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[<<WHISper>>]

[bg=white][atrb=width,500,true][atrb=border,0,true] regular, speech, thoughts, other(s) It was somewhat satisfying to see the owl become uncomfortable, even if it was by a sliver of a margin. He tried hard not to show it, but Arias had an imposing effect on many creatures. Some wrote it off to hid physique, others wrote it off against his mysterious nature and the danger that was hidden within him so well. Indeed he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a narcissist and a rebel. Above all he was a Vikare, ruthless in nature and impatient by heart. “My business, as unfortunate as it would seem, is to keep an eye on those who don't care. Not pleasant business, of course, but disregard for the safety of others tends to lead to more... serious offenses, if you'll understand my meaning. These more serious offenses are under my jurisdiction, so I think it is within my right to tarry." A chuckle issued forth from the Shadhavar and the light glinted from his flute-like horn, “That’s your problem you know, all of you have the same problem and then you wonder why the empire is in the state it is in? Keeping an eye on it? Really now? What difference would you make even if it was my mission to undermine the Empire?” Arias gave yet another step closer, scrutinizing the owl under strict eyes…