Scouting the Citadel

[Rylith]

Rylith entered the citadel slowly and cautiously, seeming to almost glide across the stone floor in his black robes. There were strange rumors about this place, reports of evil beings that dwelt within and did combat with one another sporadically.

As if to reinforce the credit of these rumors, Rylith found himself entering a courtyard filled with the signs of ancient battles. Bits and pieces of rusted armor and weapons lay amid the cracked stones of the path leading further into the citadel. Breathing deep, Rylith could feel the evil aura of this place deep within his bones. And evil works made here would be made that much the mightier. It was no wonder so many warriors had fought to lay claim to this place in the past.

At the conclusion of the war between Aesir and Avaren, Rylith's master had disappeared, perhaps even been destroyed. As his former lieutenant, this came as a devastating blow. Now, leaderless, he seemed to naturally gravitate to wards this nexus of evil. Eventually, one would arise who would unite the scattered forces of his dark master. Until that time, he would keep searching.

[Luna Grimm]

To be completely honest with herself, Luna was bored of pick-pocketing. She reached for another bag of gold and just turned away. She blew a sigh through her lips, letting out a disappointed puttering sound. She looked around and slipped out of the grnad enterance to the kingdom, he swords, daggers, and bow qith qwiver armed and ready to go. She stood outside the gates and let out a low, loud whistle until she could hear the running sounds of hooves coming towards her. She jumped on the back of the lovely gray stallion and whispered, in her ancient language 'to the citadel'.

The horse turned and took off towards the citadel. Sure, Alex would wonder where she went, but she was a villan and an adventurer for the gods' sake. And being cooped up in one place for too long was killing her. Plus... she would probably be home by tomorrow.

As it came into view, she slowed the horse and asked him to wait for her here. He shook his head and she smiled, thanking him. She drew her bow and began to walk into the city. She didn't know what to expect, so she placed an arrow at her bow, ready below her eager fingers. And as the wood his silver, he elvin ears picked up the faint sound of someone else here. She looked around and saw a man, almost gliding across the stone pathway, riddled with armor and weapons.

She smirked, guessing that he was here for the same reason she was: the rumored treasure. She walked up to him, trying to make herself known to him, and giving off as gracious of a vibe she could. The worst thing she could do right now would be to startle the all ready anxious man. "Chasing rumors too?" She asked lightly.

[Rylith]

Rylith heard her approach, his right hand twitching with anticipation, as though to conjure forth dark powers to hurl at the intruder. Strangely, he felt, more than heard, strange whispers from what seemed to be the very citadel itself, telling him not to lash out so hastily. No, he would instead find out more about this person, and see why the malignant presence within this castle wished them not to immediately come to blows.

"Yes, I would say this is an accurate assumption. Rumors, along with memories." He responded in a soft voice, that sounded somewhat hoarse and strained. Turning toward her, it was no secret as to the reason. His face and neck, the only skin that was not covered by his robes, was a grotesque mask of scar tissue, as though he had been at some point thrust headfirst into a furnace and lived to tell of it.

"This is an ancient fortress, always under the sway of dark lords. I come exploring, to understand the history of this place and see what these ruins might have to offer."

[Luna Grimm]

It was strange that he did not turn and lash at her, like she had half expected. She knew that since she was so light weight and an elf, her step was damn near silent. She nodded to him as he said memories. She too had remembered being here once when she was a child, when the city was full of life and full of rich people. She had always been treated with respect whenever she came here since her family came here to trade when she was little and they were the only Elves in the city. She nodded lightly again as he continued to say that he was here to see what the city had to offer.

"I do remember when I was little that this was the place for merchants to make their trades.... Some say that they left their treasures and ran for their lives, that were sadly taken, during the war... If I remember correctly, friend, the market and merchant's homes were on the far east side of the citadel..."

[Rylith]

"I have heard little of the stories of people actually living within this citadel. All I have heard of is war and strife. Tales of the lords of this place constantly striking out with their armies, bent on destruction and devastation, painting the walls of their citadel red with the blood of captives."

"Yet, as far as I know, these ruins have been abandoned for years, their last master having fallen in battle with the heroes of Avaren, his dominion left to rot and crumble as his deeds were forgotten with time."

"Though, you speak of treasures. What treasures might still remain, do you think?"

[Luna Grimm]

"You are correct... and the rumors do no justice to what happened here... it was horrible. But still... Fate has a funny way of deciding just what needs to happen...." she sighed lightly and then heard him ask about the treasures. She put a finger to her lips thoughtfully and then looked up at him. "I'm not sure what may remain... so many bounty hunters have came and never returned from here. Some say there is so much that it drives you mad when you lay eyes on it..."

Putting her hand back at the string of her bow, she gave a light grin. "But still... two minds work better than one. I will search with you. And if we find anything, half and half split?" she held out a hand to the man.

And after a long moment, she gave him her name. "I'm Luna..."

[Rylith]

"Horrible?" Rylith repeated, not agreeing in the slightest. No, as a matter of fact, it might be just the sort of scenario he was looking for. The weak perished, yet those that lingered would be all the mightier. "Those that survive from ruin and rise once more, that they may correct their mistakes and bring vengeance to those that struck them down."

"You say you know little, but I ask you again to wrack your mind. I am little interested in material wealth, but there may be other items that would interest me. I just need to know what to look for."

"I am Rylith." He said simply, taking her hand.

[Luna Grimm]

She could agree and disagree with what he had to say about the people that were here, but she knew that arguing was not what she was here to do. She was here to explore. She listened as he told her to think harder and tell him what he remembered... What Rylith remembered. She shook his hand lightly and then dropped her hand to her bow again and closed her eyes, thinking back to the days that she had been here as a child.

She could see the city come to life in her mind. People bustling about their own business, people trading, merchants shouting over the crowd at their trade posts. She was holding onto her father's hand very firmly so she would not get lost. She watched a man watch two men carry a large treasure chest into an arch way... at the end of the first road, and in a back alley that took them down some stairs. She wanted to peek, but her father pulled her along. He told her it was not worth while getting mixed up in their business. She nodded to him and then her eyes opened and she looked at Rylith...

"There was an archway... it lead down some stairs... I saw three men carrying chests down there, struggling under it's weight..." she said quietly.

[Rylith]

Struggling under the weight of chests? Hadn't Rylith just said he wasn't interested in material wealth? That sounded very much like chests of silver, gold or other precious metals and currency. None of that mattered to him.

Still, armor and weapons might also be a heavy burden to carry, though it seemed odd to fit them inside of a chest, unless this were a very large chest we were talking about.

"Very well then, would you care to lead the way?" He said, bowing slightly and making a sweeping gesture with one hand, as if to encourage her onward.

[Luna Grimm]

Her eyes opened after a moment and she looked at the man curiously. She thought about it and decided there was no harm in leading the way. They just had to be careful of what may still linger in the city. She nodded to him and stepped forward, walking into the first main courtyard and looking around. She knew it was dangerous to be out in the open here, but there was some strange vibe she got from the man, and that told her that she would probably be safe. She looked back at him and motioned forward with her head as she began to walk across the town, towards the area she was talking about. It would be quite a while until they got there.

(ooc: you can godmod here if you want to get them there quicker. I'll leave that up to you)

[Rylith]

Rylith walked several paces behind her, allowing her to lead him deeper into the ruin. Initially, they walked in the dead silence that permeated this place, their footsteps echoing menacingly. Eventually, however, his curiosity got the better of him and he spoke to her once again.

"You have given me some vague sense of familiarity with this place. Tell me more. I had never heard of the citadel being anything more than a stronghold of military might, yet you spoke of merchants and market stalls."

[Luna Grimm]

She heard his question over their foot steps and she smiled lightly. "Well... It was much more than that long before it became a stronghold. Of course... when the military was here, there were still those that supplied the men that could afford their product." she said. She was trying to remember as much as she could. "And, if I remember correctly, my father told me that the merchants stored their goods here, because they knew that war was coming, and what not better than an army to protect your treasures and whatever else?" she smiled lightly at that. Her father made a very good point.

[Rylith]

"Interesting, I would have naturally thought a powerful overlord would simply loot whatever he required for his army and not bother with silly merchants and their profit mongering. They're little better than vultures, in my opinion, leeching of the achievements of others."

"Still, in the end they got what was coming, as it seems the side they picked lost and they lost everything as a result. What ill fortune."

[Luna Grimm]

She nodded lightly. She was not entirely sure what this man's plan was and she hoped that it did not involve getting herself killed. She would much rather just take what he didn't want and call it a day. She watched him as they made their way across the ghost town. She was silent for a long moment and then she looked at Rylith.

"Rylith... may I ask what you are? Your grace gives the appearance of you gliding across the ground and it intrigues me..." she said honestly.

[Rylith]

"What am I?" He paused, throw back slightly by the question. What did she mean by that? He thought it fairly obvious he was just a regular human. Given, he was a horribly disfigured one, but a human nonetheless.

"I am a mage." He settled on, "I wear robes and move with grace. Nothing more, nothing less."