[The Disappearing Drunk] When the snow runs red..(Leviathan)

[Eryss Waldu]

40th of Winter, 511AV 21st Bell. Players: Eryss, Cade, Mok Mod: Leviathan [This Snowstorm was a nightmare. Not as much to Eryss would could create fire to keep himself warm or devise a way to build a wall of earth to block out some of the wind but even so it was extremely inconvenient. Night was conceivably worse than the day because the falling snow and heavy winds ensured it was difficult to see more than a few feet ahead of you and the wind was constantly battering you in the face but if something was going to happen now was the time for a person to make his move because the snow and winds also offered the perfect cover. Businesses in Sunberth had closed down and many people were unwilling to step outside unless they absolutely had to. It was an opportunists dream come true.] [Gripping the edges of his cloak and holding them tight around his form Eryss would have moved off the streets of Sunberth and into Stumble Alley. Inside the alley the winds weren’t as bad and the snowfall was a tad more manageable due to the natural protection that the alley offered with buildings on either side creating a sort of barrier against the weather. Regardless though the wind was still present, the snow was still falling and darkness abounded as it was well into the evening now. Eryss, looking behind himself would wait for Cade and Mok to follow. The Mage and Barbarian had both agreed now was the time to make their move in Sunberth and place their mark on something and this is where their aspirations had lead them. Into Stumble Alley. Always in need of a pair of strong hands and a willingness to shed blood Mok had been told to accompany the duo.] [Walking down the alley way Eryss would have been heard to say...”Expect anything. The rumours coming out of Stumble Alley can’t all be false.”...he was referring to the stories that occasionally originated from this alley which he was sure his cohorts knew as well.] [Never one to be too careful Eryss had woven a Shield tightly around himself before the three of them had departed the Crimson Edge encampment. Weaving complex threads together Eryss had taken his time and care in making this Shield which he draped over himself like a protective cloak ensuring that the consistency and the thickness was perfect or as close to that as he could make it. At his level he could have made a rough Shield instantaneously and it would have been to a level that was adequate but the Mage wanted more knowing that tonight could be very ugly for the lot of them. Painting the manifestation of his own djed across his body instead of exuding it as usual Eryss would have applied a total of three layers, each meant to signify the tasks of the Shield, to himself before they slowly faded from view. The Shield was tasked against three very specific things: Piercing, Bludgeoning and Slashing weapons. Eryss could have added more tasks to his Shield but he felt those were sufficient and wanted to ensure that they were particularly well done.] [Now that he was walking, trudging through snow that likely rose to the middle of his shins, the Shield that he had covered himself with was all but invisible. It would remain that way until it was disturbed by something that it was tasked against. Sword, spear, mace, arrow it didn’t matter any of these things would trigger a shimmering effect across the Shield that would ripple like a pool of water that had been disturbed. Muttering to himself as Eryss lead the other two further into Stumble Alley the Mage would have said...”Not much further now. Keep your eyes ahead and behind.”...then he’d go silent and continue trekking his way down the alley.] [Up ahead was the Disappearing Drunk. Not the most reputable tavern in Sunberth but it was a business nonetheless and one that could be controlled, extorted or taken over like all the others. It was run by Red the Elder, a man Eryss had never met but whom was apparently a resident of the alley who liked to tote that the alley was his if all the rumours and stories were to be believed. Now that time had come to an end though, or would, and Red was going to be forced to make a deal or maybe, just maybe, forfeit his life if he didn’t want to be agreeable.] [As the group neared the tavern Eryss would fall back and say...”You take the lead Cade and I will follow. Mok, you will watch the door and our backs.”...a simple plan for the most part but Eryss would also add...”Take a look outside occasionally too. We don’t want any unexpected visitors.”...then with that said he would nod to Cade. When the Barbarian had moved ahead Eryss would follow behind him, quietly, with hands folding inside of the robes that he wore, his face concealed beneath their hood, so that nigh everything about him was ambiguous. Following Cade inside the Disappearing Drunk Eryss wasn’t exactly sure what they’d find but he was ready.]

[Mok]

Mok was armored to the teeth that snowy night. Wearing his chain and brigandine was a necessary precaution to ensure that everything went smoothly. The last thing that he needed was a flesh wound. It would literally put a damper on the mission. Each and every buckle and strap were double checked to ensure a tight fit. Not to mention he looked excellent. Everything was polished and clean. Look good, fight good.

Trudging through the snow wasn't easy. Mok had lived almost his whole life in the jungle. This was his first winter in Sunberth and the snow storm blowing his mind. Wind buffeted his whole body. He could barely see so he followed the foot prints in the snow. He could tell the difference between Cade's and Eryss's easily. His cousin's tracks were large and far apart. Each step Cade took was heavy and sure footed. Like a true myrian Cade walked on the balls of his feet. Eryss on the other hand was much lighter footed. Unlike the barbarian, the magician took care of where he stepped, making sure not to get his feet too wet. Mok on the other hand took full advantage of their foot prints and stepped exactly were Cade did. This way his feet would remain relatively dry. As an added bonus no one would know Mok was with them.

To the myrian's relief they finally entered the alley. The howling wind stopped screaming. Now that he was under the protection of these buildings, Mok began to warm up slightly only to find himself shivering. The cold really pissed him off. Eryss mentioned to keep their guards up; that goes without being said. Mok nodded in silence. Glancing behind his shoulder, the myrian confirmed that no one was following them. At least no one in view. As far as he could tell there weren't any tracks in front of them either. The snow was deceptive though, anyone's tracks could be erased in a quarter of an hour with the snowfall.

A minute later they neared the tavern and Eryss stopped. He gave the instructions to the two warriors. Cade was to take point, followed by Eryss. Mok, as usual, would take the rear guard.

"Do you want to live forever?" Mok joked in response to Eryss's plan, teasing at his middle position in the group.

Unsheathing his blade, the myrian's mouth began to salivate. His gladius shimmered for a moment in the white snow, and then he hid it under his black cloak.

Mok licked his lips and smiled as he followed Cade.

Red = Myrian
Bold = Common

[Cade]

They neared Red's tavern from the stumble alley entrance, the dark mage fell behind the sword wielding barbarian giving him the order to take lead while his cousin took up the rear. Cade had spent most of his life in and around sunberth and these such winters had rarely bothered the half blood savage. He was wearing a fur tunic that lined his studded leather armour along with a horned iron helmet, all helping to protect against the elements but this day their primary job was to protect the owner from fatal aggression. Cade had his longsword sheathed and his crossbow at the ready, the butt shouldered tightly as he aimed down the empty alley towards red's tavern.

They approached the door unchallenged with Cade trying the door handle seeing if luck would allow the door to be open. The door was locked, not to the barbarian's surprise. He looked back over his shoulder to the Mage, shrugging his shoulders " I had to try" he explained then focusing back on the door. " Guess I should knock"

With crossbow ready for action Cade stepped into a powerful forward boot that smashed the door of it's hinges to the barbarian's delight. "KNOCK, KNOCK.........ANYONE HOME?" The barbarian taunted in his deep toned myrian accent that echoed through the tavern with a aura begging for violence. Then, just as he was about to enter the drinking hole a large pile of snow dropped from the overhang above, clobbering the savage in cold white powder freezing the warrior in place with pure frustration, like the warrior was use to such events. His thumb grazed Ovek's ring that made home on his right hand's ring finger. The past ten days had been filled with such incidents and he figured it had to do with this magical ring. He tried tossing it, destroying it but the ring kept coming back and his luck kept getting worse. There was no doubt in his mind that the ring was cursed and if he ever round the critter that tricked him into ownership, he was going to gut him like a pig and play jump rope with the man's intestines.

"Frek the gods" Cade snarled under a hushed breath while entered the tavern, making way for his companions to enter as he quickly tried to wipe the snow from his helmet's eye slits and shaking the white powder from his shoulders.