[Featured thread] A Wild Ride (Kaitanu, Estrellir Konrath, Viszragoneszh)

(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role playing forum. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)

This lazy agricultural settlement rests on the swampy shores of the Middle Suvan at the delta of The Kenash River. The River's slow moving bayou waters have bred a different sort of people - rugged, cultured, and somewhat violent. Sprawling plantations of tobacco and cotton grow on the outskirts of the swamp in the rich Cyphrus soils, while the city itself curls around the bayou and spawns decadence and sins of all sorts. Life is slower in Kenash, but the lack of pace is made up for in the excesses of food and flesh in a city where drinking, debauchery, gambling, slavery, and overbearing plantation families dominate the landscape.

Moderator: Gossamer

A Wild Ride (Kaitanu, Estrellir Konrath, Viszragoneszh)

Postby Kaitanu on July 24th, 2015, 10:08 pm

Image
Kaitanu could practically smell Estrellir’s fear, and it drove him nearly to panic. It was fortunate at that moment that he wasn’t in horse form or he might have gone blind with fear. As it was, he hardly needed her cry to spur him into a sprint away from the upturned alligator. Gone were worries about the Konrath woman, or Goneszh betraying their whereabouts. His feet were already flying before he was even aware, instinct driving him, adrenaline kicking in once more that day to get his body to safety. Kaitanu could not have stopped himself at that point to help Estrellir if she fell. With the tapestry under one arm he pelted through foliage and under branches, not feeling or caring if nature clawed at him on his way. He could still hear the primal hiss of the scaly creature behind them, and see its pale mouth yawning to snatch him from life.

Several moments later, he realized that white shape before him was not the alligator’s maw, but Estrellir’s fleeing form, her pale hair lit through the bare branches of winter trees by the moon. Instinctively, Kaitanu followed her path, pushing his body harder and harder as she slipped further ahead of him. Try as he might, however, the kelvic’s wounds and the stress of the day were at last beginning to truly wear on him. He had long been struggling forward on empty, and even his endurance was not endless. The fire of lungs and muscles spread far too quickly this time, and his steps faltered short of the break in the trees. As his vision began to tunnel, Kaitanu lost sight of Estrellir. Everything became one black mass of tangled branches and wavering shadows. Kaitanu was forced to stop before he passed out.

Gasping for air, he half collapsed against the bole of a nearby tree, the tapestry bundle hanging loosely from his arm. In the frosty air he trembled, insensible of his reopened wounds. Estrellir’s binding kept them from bleeding freely, but by now they were fairly soaked with sweat and blood. Kaitanu’s tongue was beginning to swell from dehydration, and he was in desperate need of fuel. The most logical solution to that was to transform back to a horse and find some winter grass. Even tree bark would work in a pinch. He could at least find some water that wasn’t too brackish. Plus, he could grab a wink or two standing up. He was terribly late already, and the beating he’d receive wouldn’t be worse for adding another half hour.

In the midst of these thoughts, and his gasping for breath, a freezing wind rattled the branches overhead. Enough fear of the alligator remained that he started and began to rush forward again without thinking. Kaitanu had sense enough this time to strap the tapestry across his back as he trotted forward, so now he had both arms free to push away obstacles in his path. Though he was no longer running, his steps were quicker than he had strength, and his head began to spin once more.

It was only through sheer luck, or perhaps the blessing of some unknown god, that he managed to head in the correct direction. Almost as his legs were ready to give way, Kaitanu’s blurred vision spotted a bright patch ahead. After the near-blackness of the forest, the night lights of the distant city were nearly blinding. Kaitanu managed to push himself through the thinning brush and out of the trees, into the open air near the shore. Unable to continue for the moment, the kelvic sank to his knees, panting greedily, his body protesting even this much movement. Where Estrellir was now he did not know, and for the moment he didn’t care. The alligator and the terror of the forest seemed to have been left behind.

Image
Common- Fluent
Pavi "spoken" and signed- Basic
Equine Language- Fluent
User avatar
Kaitanu
A Shattered Vessel Holds Nothing
 
Posts: 203
Words: 218710
Joined roleplay: June 21st, 2014, 6:28 am
Location: Sea of Grass, Cyphrus Region
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 1
Featured Thread (1)

A Wild Ride (Kaitanu, Estrellir Konrath, Viszragoneszh)

Postby Estrellir Konrath on July 30th, 2015, 8:11 pm

Image
Estrellir didn’t fall. The shock kept her on her feet and moving, pushing irrelevant sensations like thirst, pain and exhaustion towards the back of her mind. After the frantic blind flight she slowed down, observing her surroundings, and tried to head into the right direction. She never stopped moving though. At first she heard Kaitanu behind her, following her in mindless flight, then the faint rustling subsided. She only noticed he’d fallen behind when she looked around and briefly examined her arm in the dim starry light.

She kept going though. After some time, the pale Kelvic caught up to her again. He’d drifted a little to the left, so Estrellir cut through a patch of fern and high trees to walk in his steps. Whether he noticed it or not, she was the one following him now. As a Kelvic, he probably had keener senses than her. At least she hoped he’d find his way out of the swamp more easily… and by sheer luck, she was right.

The ragged and bruised Konti broke through the trees a moment or two after the Kelvic. He was on his knees which described her feelings quite accurately. Instead of joining him, however, she merely drew in a deep breath, tasting the fresh air, and stretched. Wincing, she remembered the cut across her arm and the stinging pain that it emanated. Another step brought her to the Kelvic’s side and a hand was placed on his shoulder. Estrellir knew he must be as exhausted as her, yet she simply had to lean on him for a moment. They’d been through so much in just a single day that she felt a nameless connection with the tall pretty Kelvic.

After a moment or two, Estrellir tried to clean herself up with salty ocean water, wet her hair and tie it into a loose braid, clean the cut on her arm, bind it with what was left of Kaitanu’s shirt and then wash her hands. As she climbed up the shore, her mind was already mapping out the fastest route to Blacksugar. “Alright, we’re as good as home now. Let’s find some water and a carriage.”

The journey to the plantation would take another two bells or more, but it couldn’t be helped. Estrellir figured the wisest course of action was to return Kaitanu to his owner as soon as possible to avoid additional punishment (in his case) and further explanations (in her case). On their way to the carriage service, they could even stop at the clinic for first aid. Nodding to herself, Estrellir began to lead the way, although she kept an eye on the exhausted Kelvic. Since she was still responsible for him, Kaitanu had to make it.

Unlike some of her sisters, Estrellir couldn’t peek into the future yet, but she had a vague feeling it wouldn’t be the last time she’d seen the Kelvic. The experiences they’d shared, as horrid as they’d been, tied the Dynast and slave together in a way she couldn’t explain. As she was acquainted with his master, it was even more likely that their paths would cross again sooner or later.

Either way, Estrellir decided in the flickering darkness of nighttime Kenash, she’d definitely keep an eye on Kaitanu.


OOCI believe we're finished here. If you want to post once more before I submit the thread for xp, let me know. Also, I'll start a new thread for us soon and link you when it's up! Lastly, thank you for this wonderful story. I had a lot of fun with every single post.
User avatar
Estrellir Konrath
She Who Finds What Was Lost
 
Posts: 647
Words: 338742
Joined roleplay: September 13th, 2013, 8:24 pm
Location: Lhavit
Race: Konti
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 6
Featured Contributor (1) Featured Thread (1)
Artist (1) Overlored (1)
Donor (1) Power Fork (1)

A Wild Ride (Kaitanu, Estrellir Konrath, Viszragoneszh)

Postby Konrad Venger on September 9th, 2016, 3:44 pm

Image

Nice job! Your work has pleased The Sloth! Kaitanu, if/when you come back, get your Ledger and Expenses in order then shoot me a PM. I'll make sure you get your juicy, sexy XP/Lore injection. :)

Estrellir

XP:
Planning - 2
Observation - 3
Investigation - 3
Disguise - 1
Stealth - 2
Logic - 2
Persuasion - 1
Medicine - 1
Endurance - 2

Lore:
Kenash "Winter": Rain, Mud, Little Frost
Investigation: A Noticeable LACK of Noise
Logic: Putting the Pieces Together
Dhani: Excellent Aquatic Guides
Not Healing, but Cleaning
Kaitanu: A Rare Catch
Gonezsh: A Necessary Annoyance
Always Have a Back-Up Plan
Fear That Keeps You Alive (and Running)

Additional:
+Ragged but shallow gash along right arm from the alligator's bite. Can be easily treated, but runs a serious risk of infection after time in the swamp.

Click Me! :
I really enjoyed this, Este, because it didn't go as expected. I liked how you didn't go charging the serried ranks of enemies you knew could wipe you out; you stuck to Escape and Evasion, and you did a bang-up job of showing your character's analytic, problem-solving and observant side. Perfect spy material!

Some of your prose was just gorgeous, too. The stand out for me was the alligator, and the way it moved. Beautiful and CHILLING!

Oh, and please make sure you go back and edit your post in the Request Thread to reflect the fact this one is now done and dusted. PM me with any questions and later 'tater!

||Common||Thoughts||Pavi||Fratava||Myrian||Other's Speaking||
Image
Note: As of Fall 517AV, Konrad is known only as "Hansel" in Endrykas
User avatar
Konrad Venger
Long is The Way and Hard
 
Posts: 923
Words: 1060755
Joined roleplay: November 23rd, 2015, 4:05 pm
Location: Endrykas
Race: Human, Mixed
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 4
Featured Thread (1) Overlored (1)
Donor (1) One Million Words! (1)

Previous

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests