Gold, Silver, and Black: LIII
"So... Andraste.. Tell us a little bit about yourself, outside of the.. Murder and chaos of today, or any day for that matter you look like a murder and chaos kind of person." Asher inquired. 'My Selune.' Riu thought, how direct could this guy get? The pure lack of sympathy or even emotion in his voice for the matter truly upset her. Riu may have been from nobility giving her some airs of superiority but only against those actually beneath her! At least show some compassion.
"Well." Andraste spoke softly, her soft blonde hair hanging over her face. After Markos had left Riu made sure to provide the girl with a new set of clothes though they didn't fit the best due to height differences. A few moments of sewing gave them a perfect form. "When I was thirteen my parents disappeared.. Leaving me to raise myself and my seven siblings. I've been adventuring by myself since I was thirty, and oh, just have recently I lost my entire village and family to the cult of the dragon." Riu felt her mouth go agape for a second, Selun that was horrible.
"Oh.. I wasn't exactly asking for your backstory.. More like.. Maybe two days ago? Just kinda.. Basic things, this is Faerun you kinda expect everyone to have that tragedy of a story." Asher snorted. Riu rolled her eyes and tried to offer a hand to Andraste. She didn't take it.
"If that's not a first introduction then I don't know what is!" Herod exclaimed. She let out a small sigh, Riu was tired of these guys making a joke out of everything. What the hell was Asher's story huh? Just some low life who chose the magical word of destruction to take as his last name, going around as a sell sword? Honestly Riu felt she knew nothing about him, yet everything she needed to know.
"I'm so sorry.." Riu lamented she tried her best to show Andraste her sympathy yet the elf didn't budge much. Andraste's nature green eyes held such a contempt of sadness it honestly hurt. "You said you've been adventuring since you were thirty.. Did you do most of that alone or?" Riu inquired politely, desperate to change the subject. Andraste's face grew darker, her copper colored skin looked dull as raw iron. 'I've touched a nerve..' Riu sensed.
"I.. had a group.. Of adventurers recently.. We were traveling through the underdark.. Trying to stop the rebirth of the spider queen when.." Andraste's voice broke and she began cringing. Her eyes in frustration, anger, and sadness. "I.. I made it out alive.. The bard at the tavern.. The uh handsome fellow.." She smiled a little at that. "He tried to heal me the best he could.. But he told me to head to you guys.. The Keepers of Chaos they all called you, said you had a cleric who might fix me up for free since.. Followers of Selun and all." Riu instantly smiled. A follower of Selun? A fellow follower? That was so nice.. Not only did they have another girl in the group- shit the group.. Riu was so instantly entranced with gaining a new party member she had forgotten the others had a say as well.
"What do you think you're gonna do now?" Asher quiered, his tone was.. Lightly hostile though cautious like he was suspicious of Andraste. 'C'mon!' Riu thought she was a follower of Selun; she couldn't be bad. Riu met Asher's masked gaze seeing a familiar understanding pass through them. He eyed Herod then back to her turning his head a little in some kind of signal.
*"He's worried she's the elf I saw in my vision."* Herod's voice whispered into Riu's mind the effects of the message spell, never failing to impress her. That... dammit that made sense Riu cursed.. How could she be sure of this woman's honesty? Her moon touched greatsword did lend the credence of being a follower to Selun however that.. Didn't matter, there was too much risk in the little against her. 'Leue Rodilla.. Regardless of the most minute probability, if the outcome is unfathomable destruction, the probability is assumed absolute.' She thought to herself, she hated philosophers.
"I'm... not sure." Andraste replied in a high pitch.
"Alekzandr, what do you think?" Asher tried to ask, though Alekzandr didn't give a response. Riu could see pain in his eyes and he blinked slowly. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong but Alekzandr simply shrugged, not interested in talking. "Riu, what about you? What do you think?"
"Mm.. What do you mean?" Riu puzzled, the amount of stuff being thrown around by Asher was too much to keep track of.
"Of everything that's happened today.. What do you think?"
"I'm.." Riu stopped, was she? "I'm glad for his death.. Being rid of that scum.. It's the beginning of what I need. Yet.. it brings back memories I'd.. rather forget." Riu responded. Asher nodded.
"Adleth?" Adleth held up a middle finger and went back to her book, what she was reading Riu had no idea. She looked down at her cup, pursing her lip.
"What the hell is it with Cultists and attacking villages?" Herod exclaimed finally. "I mean your parents were in the whole cult of the dragon war, my town was attacked by the cultists of Shubniggerauth, and Markos's village also had a cultist attack! Though in that case he joined the cult so I'm not sure if it counts." Herod sat back steaming a little.
"Cultists like villages!" Adleth announced. "Easy targets, yall are just sitting there, get better next time." Riu did not feel amused.
"Well.. Andraste what's your plan, where do you intend to go after you leave here?" Asher's question was such a fair one yet also so unfair. Riu wanted to leap up and declare Andraste could join them, live in their house but she didn't have that permission. Before the elf could reply however she heard the door of the tavern open behind her. Markos stood in the open doorway a ring of keys in hand though it didn't look like he had unlocked the door. His purple eyes shone in a strange light something Riu couldn't quite place. Behind Markos she saw a familiar face, one she had been hoping for, and for the most part it looked like the cultist was in one piece.
"Hi!" Markos chirped, his signature happy tone following him. Riu cracked a small smile, ever since their conversation she had begun seeing him in.. a different light.
"That.. was some impressively quick work." Renaer pushed past Markos sitting down at a nearby table. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you until.. Maybe tomorrow.." Renaer remarked, his voice was joyful and impressed to say the least, Riu blushed a little.
"It.. wasn't easy." Asher replied, she agreed.. The damned gnome did not want to go out without a fight. Renaer smiled.
"As far as I heard.. You had an easier time than most... though with your less then.. Secretive approach: I'll have to do some cleaning up in the guard."
"Yeah, some of us didn't.. Fare too well." Riu looked around the room with Asher's comment most of everyone required healing after the fight, for most of it Asher and herself had to fight him alone. Riu shook her head, they had all jumped him and wore him down, if it weren't for the others Skeemo would still be alive. It was just.. Asher.. His fighting style, those Krono clones the way he became a vortex of blades taking hits, dishing out harder hits. She suspected he wasn't any ordinary fighter. And those swords.. When Skeemo had disarmed him Asher finally pulled out those long swords.. So intricate, so masterfully crafted. She wondered what they were.
"We really tried to make sure he didn't run away." Markos remarked. "We really thought he was gonna run away, I mean his name was literally Skeemo." Riu chuckled at that, so did Renaer, seriously who named a person Skeemo? "God he could take a hit, serious cold spells too, hurt like a tundra."
"Must've felt like my home!" Alekzandr cheered from the bar, easy for him to say, he didn't have to face the freezing spell Riu thought. Asher gave Alekz a quick deadpan face stare.
"I'm impressed with your work.. I already gave Markos the payment." Renaer pointed at Markos who smiled. "So for.." Renaer paused. "Oh.. and who.. Who is this?" He pointed at Andraste who sat beside Asher, like he was only noticing her just now. Riu giggled a little.
"Andraste.. She's.. Someone we picked up." Asher responded quickly. "We can save that conversation for another time." He added.
"She's new, don't worry about her, she helped take down the gnome." Herod raised his glass, almost bonking her in the nose. Riu pulled back to avoid being hit.
"I.. well, you have all certainly proven your worth to the harpers.. We couldn't thank you enough.. So my question is.. Are you interested?" Renaer opened his jacket, setting down a couple blue and white pins with the symbol of the harp on them. The Harpers.. Riu's heart nearly jumped. She closed a hand around her locket, her parents had talked so much of the harpers when she was a child.. Now to be invited.. On her own merit?
"Of course!" Riu yelled. The room went silent for a second and she felt awkward eyes roam her. "I.. I mean of course, sorry." She quickly added.
"Yeah I'm in." Asher jumped from the bar and picked up one of the pins. Riu elegantly disembarked the stool before selecting a pin herself. It.. was amazing.
"I would be very much interested." Alekzandr beamed, he grabbed another pin, followed by Herod though Markos and Adleth didn't reach for one. "Thank you for-" Renaer frowned and stood up.
"I.. I have to go.." He looked like he was hearing something the rest were not. "We.. we can offer protection for all of you.. Not exactly a squadron but.. In return for your aid we can keep the guard and the Zhentarim off your back.. If you'll excuse me.. I seem to be receiving a message from Matrim. Nothing urgent I just.. Have to go." Renaer turned on his heel waving the party goodbye before any of them could speak. O-k then.. Riu thought that was random. An odd silence hung in the building for a split second, on the table still sat three Harper broaches, one for Markos, one for Adleth.. And a third one. Riu gazed at Andraste so curious about what she would do.
"I.. I guess I should be leaving now.." Andraste broke the silence reaching down to pick up her bag and great sword. "It was so nice of you to help me.. I think I'll find some accommodations at the Yawning portal or.. Somewhere-"
"Wait!" Riu protested Andraste, she wasn't ready to leave someone like her out in the cold. It wasn't right. "You.. helped us today, please we have a spare room at the top next to Alekzandr you could stay there." Riu held out her hands gesturing to the party, the all seemed sheepish.
"Riu.. how do we.." Herod began. Pausing he seemed to take a deep breath. "How do we know she's not some.. Evil figure? Us. We fought through several things before we finally decided to live here.. What can we be sure about her? Questions aren't en-"
"I can use my inner sight!" Riu rebutted. Slowly the pieces began to fall in line, why hasn't she thought of this sooner. "Besides Markos is clearly not the picture of goodness, and Adleth is certainly not the kindest, I can use the spell, Inner sight. My parents taught it to me I can.. See the inner nature of a person detect their good, their evil." Riu started to get more and more worked up, happy she found a solution.
"I.. I would be honored to stay with you all.. If.. you could trust me." Andraste replied. Riu nodded, she knew this could be done. The room murmured a little looking at one another.
"Worth a shot. Try it out, noble." Asher's voice was snarky yet encouraging, giving Riu a nice smile. "But keep in mind, Rodilla theory.. Bigger the consequence the less chance we care about." He.. Riu paused. 'He knows about Rodilla? Where did he get such an education?'
"I can do it to all of you, actually finally see your natures for once." Some frowned, yet Riu held out her hand a group this large would require a physical and spoken incantation she couldn't just do it, she didn't wait for permission instead she closed her eyes and spoke. "Invenio et noctis Gratia diei, la se reen Omnis coetus inveniet." Riu chanted. Instantly a circle of arcane rune glazed into existence like a snowflake spinning before her hand. She opened her eyes, sending a pulse of mystical energy throughout the room. Instead of her compatriots she now only saw silhouettes, figures of pure grey like paint against a canvas. The room was replaced with a dark black void of nothing. The figure stood on nothing at least they would until she targeted them. She began with Andraste.
"Uh.. Riu? You ok? Your eyes are glowing fucking white!" Asher's voice came from somewhere she ignored him. Riu turned her hand to the tall figure the one she could tell was Andraste. Instantly upon flexing her hand a ray of color hit the silhouette within seconds she could see Andraste standing in the void. 'Let me see the aura.' Riu thought, magic waved and the aura began to build itself.
Green vines began to creep up Andraste's arms like snakes while their thorns dug harshly into her flesh. All round Andraste in the void a picture frame began to appear, it was made of two metals the outer band was a light foggy silver like the edges had turned into mist and were cascading off the metal similar to dry ice. The inner band was a solid gold metal that showed almost no signs of decay, silver on the outside... neutrality, gold on the inside, represented good. Andraste stood on no ground instead she continued floating in the void with no foundation below her. Where the vines once creeped up her skin now crawled against her chest though now without the thorns, before a rose bloomed over its center, where her heart would be. The vines raced up her shoulders. On her head a row of silvery moon blossoms sprouted above her like a crown. The mark of a follower to Selune. Riu smiled.
"She's good.. Selune rejoice she is good.." Riu muttered the other seemed confused but Riu pressed onwards.. Now curious about her companions. 'When else could I do this with their consent?' She turned her attention to the right of Andraste; Alekzandr. She sent the pulse out beginning the magic with Alekzandr blazing to life in color. Instantly a picture frame began to form around him, again no foundation for him to stand on. The outer layer was made of a rough silver metal that seemed to spark and shake like a bit of static, an indicator of chaos, while his inner frame was that of a lightly misty gold. The gold seemingly dripped a frosty yellow substance like a frozen molten metal. Inside the frame Riu saw Alekzandr standing in.. a snow storm. Bits of static surrounded his body but only small amounts of the expected chaos for most individuals. The harsh snow beat down at him with blue flakes thrown in at random times in the distance Riu could swear she heard gunshots.
"Alekzandr.. He's so.. Torn.. yet, he is well intentioned.. Kind.. and saddened.." Riu whispered for the benefit of the others. She took a deep breath and turned to Adleth who was only now standing seeing the grey figure. She willed the spell to continue. Adleth's form became tangible once more, her face filled with color and her clothes became visible. All around her Riu watched a frame form.. The outer ring was a pure silvery static shivering and shaking more than Alekzandr's yet the metal was still visible, touchable. The inner ring was made of a fine pure silver yet just at the edges ever so barely Riu could see hints of fog like dry ice spilling off of it, its edges turning gold in the void. She was moving towards good, yet she was.. A neutral entity.. Inside the frame Adleth stood in the void perplexed and curious at Riu, all around her Riu could see spilling fountains of gold coins like a river that always shifted out of reach when Adleth moved, the coins had static spilling off of them the chaos harder then Aleksandr's but that said little. It seemed as if a tsunami of gold surrounded her, within the fountains Riu spotted.. Gilded spines and daggers dripping with blood. Hand prints along their handles, manacles.. And more.. While the static surrounded her, Riu noted that it did not consume her.
"She's chaotic yet.. We shouldn't fear her.. She has no ill intentions." Riu conceded. Where was Herod? Riu spun on her heel. In the room remained Markos, Asher, and Herod. While Asher being six foot and some odd inches tall he was easy to pick out though Herod and Markos were closer in height. Riu took a deep breath focusing on the taller of the two letting Herod's body form before her. His forest green eyes glistened in the void with his smug figure. He looked pretty good. The frame she became so familiar with began to form slowly the outer edges held a gassy lightly static covered silver border, the indicator of chaos, yet inside she found an odd mix of gold metal with pure silver steam pouring off of it. A chaotic goodness of almost neutrality mixed together was formed. Herod stood in the void green static surrounding him on all sides, slightly shaking with energy. At its center Riu watched a blue three tailed fox spirit seemingly leap around in the mist bounding happily in the air. Behind him she was gobsmacked to see a pair of enormous deer antlers form encompassing the archway. A golden fiery sideways halo spun between the antlers with a single green scratchy symbol in its center place directly above Herod's head, like a letter C crossed over a few loops and a long dashed line.. She knew she recognized the symbol.. But from where she couldn't remember;
The presence of a god's form usually meant a champion.. She wondered..
"Chaos.. And good.. Yet so much neutrality.. Looks like you and your god aren't really in agreement huh Herod." Riu giggled a little. This was fun, so far no one seemed even the slightest bit evil, gold and silver was all she got, gold, silver, and static that was. None of the harsh black metal that showed evil. Asher was next in her mind. Turning her hand to him, Riu tried to rub it since holding it out this long was starting to get tough but she relented and continued. Now curiosity is getting the best of her. 'Show me..' She thought. Riu flexed her arm thrusting it at Asher letting his figure become himself once again. Asher's frame was interesting to say the least. On the outside there was a silver bar or what was left of one the silver was chopped at random intervals with gold static spilling off them, and holding them together. Not chaos or.. Simply order.. Inside was a far more solid silver bar that looked almost untouched. Riu couldn't find a hint of mist coming off it, just a glowing gold light. Inside.. Asher.. Changed the rules. Asher stood not on void.. But on solid granite, the granite was cracked in numerous places like it had been hit with explosions yet it held strong. In the center right in front of Asher Riu saw a carving in the ground. A large circle enveloped a book holding a weird skull, a wolf's head with a human's golden jawbone biting a bone shaped like an E. Strange runes sat in the circle.. Ones she couldn't place.. But the whole symbol.. It.. it was that of a house.. A noble house Riu could have sworn she knew who they were, but couldn't remember. Blood began to run along the stones and grey ash drifted upward behind Asher the crackle of a fire so audible to hear. Behind him Riu could see.. A burning house, a large manor on fire, a broken home. Riu grimaced, taking a deep breath as she unfocused on Asher. So much trouble.. Turmoil.. Pain.. she sensed it all.
"Asher.. He's a good man. A man plagued with a past.. But a good one." Riu whispered. This was getting far more depressing than she had intended.. Yet still her companions were not evil. Riu turned finally to the last one left. The only grey figure in the void is the short half-elf Markos. She gave a smile before she commanded her spell. Like clockwork, Markos's feminine figure came into the void, his long flowing yellow cloak dancing in a nonexistent wind around him. Riu grinned and activated the spell. 'What the..' Riu felt at a loss for words. A frame formed above Markos yet.. It was a mess, silver bars tried to form in the outer ring only to be replaced by the most violent static mist she had ever seen, like it could not decide on a form. Inside it was similar. Pure fog drifted from a tiny silver metal while gold mist sparked at the edges she also saw.. Black air in its contents. His form could not decide.. No.. her spell couldn't find any single alignment. Within the frame was the most puzzling, the aura formed slowly yet Riu could no longer see Markos at all, instead she witnessed pure uninterrupted dark purple static envelop his body for a split second she thought it was a mistake yet.. It was real his body was almost made of pure chaos. Instead of eyes Riu saw two glowing purple dots that however were away from the body. She took a fearful step left trying to look closer, behind the purple dots she saw small.. So small.. Green points hiding behind the orbs. On Markos's head a slimy yellow spiky crown formed dancing with green light; it was the same color as his cloak. 'Oh god..' Riu thought. The final piece of his figure formed around Markos's neck, a large pure black metal collar encasing his throat running behind him was a similar chain big enough to be a ship anchor before it slowly faded into mist. Riu stood there for minutes.. Maybe for hours she wasn't sure.. Where the hell was the chain going? What was it for? What the hell.. Was this.. Riu lossed her focus, the spell ending as the image of void collapsed all around her with the tavern's light now invading her eyes. Each of her party members aura's disappeared
"Riu? What is it?" Markos's voice was high pitched yet distant Riu didn't even know how to respond.. His aura showed he was not evil yet.. What else.. Did it tell her? What did any of them mean?