(Flashback) Familiar Things: Part II

[Javial Kripsin]

82st day of Summer, 507 AV Clouds scattered themselves upon the sky, some collecting closely enough to shade Javial from the sun as it tried diligently to cast it’s rays through the barrier standing before it. He was first to the meeting place again, but he did not find this surprising. Despite what he had told himself several times, how he would do anything to gain a familiar, his stomach began to twist uncomfortably. The world of magic was a strange and dangerous place. It seemed the more stones one overturned, the more demons were released. Was there a happy medium? Could one control those demons, the pangs of insanity that reached upward, clawing at the trembling mind of a mortal man trying to become something more? It didn’t take long before that bald mage showed up, carrying a pack over his shoulder, the fox form of Ulnix trailing behind. With a slight wave Ilkraz gestured to Javial, and Javial now starting to understand some of the eccentricities of the mage gestured with a wave in response. The two men met, with Ilkraz starting off their dialog, “Good day to you, Javial. I hope you’re feeling better after that rejection yesterday. Sometimes people just aren’t cut out for certain familiars. Not saying you’re not or anything. Just I saw that going much better in my head. But let us not dwell on the past, it’s a new day, and I’ve already eaten. As such we can get right to work.” Javial was as prepared as ever, hands rubbing together with the prospect of covering some real ground today. He had plenty of questions prepared for a potential familiar this time, now that he understood exactly how the Summoning went down. Just as he was recalling those questions, Ilkraz removed a very familiar white blanket from his backpack and began to lay it upon the ground, much in the same fashion he had done just one day prior. Already Javial was feeling an inevitable repeat. “Another picnic? You’re not having another picnic are you? I was hoping to move straight into the actual Summoning this time.” He asked, still trying to be as cordial as possible with the man. “Yes, of course. That’s exactly what I’m doing.” Ilkraz stated as he smoothed out the blanket with his hands. Javial watched closely, intently. Watching for anything, trying to understand exactly what the secrets behind this man were. It was his second day interacting with him, and still he could not fully understand just what type of person he was dealing with. Ilkraz seemed unconcerned with how Javial viewed him, however, simply going about his business until he seemed satisfied. Removing the blanket from the ground the summoning circle was once again prepared, leaving Ilk to meticulously fold up his blanket after shaking some of the excess dirt from it. Afterward he replaced the blanket into his backpack.

[Javial Kripsin]

The fox did its previous disintegration routine before returning into the form of the scarlet tinted cloud it once was. “I’ll do the honors then, astral coordinates 6701984710485453, and away we go.” He called, which seemed to be some sort of verbal cue to his mage, whom subsequently cut his thumb and placed it upon the circle. Even though Javial had seen it once before, the reshaping of what was the ground below was still so unnerving. The landscape became soft and malleable, before transforming into the strange vortex of liquid. Ulnix disappeared inside, and Javial understood it was simply now an issue of waiting for another familiar to appear. It was quite surprising when Ulnix appeared with not one, but two familiars! Javial was just about to reassure himself with how well things were going, until he recognized that one of the familiars was Ulzix from yesterday, brother to Ulnix. The second familiar was a small clay looking thing, perhaps six to ten inches in height. It rose up from the liquid ground before taking a moment to survey its surroundings. Meanwhile, Ulnix and Ulzix were already getting into a conversation. “Hey brother, long time no see. Brought me out to see a potential partner? Wait, didn’t I say to find me one with a decent hair cut, this guy looks just like the last one.” It said, and while one couldn’t really find any extreme displeasure in its voice, it still sounded disappointed. Where these familiars toying with Javial!? “Ulzix, this is the man from yesterday, I just thought we could catch up more while he goes about looking for a familiar.” Ulnix clarified, leaving the two Avavali’s to float off to the corner of the circle in order to talk about whatever it was that interested familiars. The small grayish tinted thing looked up and down at Javial for a moment, before reshaping himself in the man’s image. With an accented, lilting voice it spoke, “Ah, what grace is this? To gaze upon but a single blade of grass, and to smell the fresh air so sweet. It is today that I find myself truly blessed, as I am one with the favored denizens of Mizahar. And what ho, before me I see a man, regal and rightly royal in both stance and appearance. Good sir, I shalt now address myself before you as Falshalen, a Kirt lost in a sea of despair and terror upon the homeworld of Fyrden. Is it you then, my liege, whom will free me from such horror? I pray thee to speak, and I shall do all in my power to reply most honest and forthright.”

[Javial Kripsin]

This was…completely different. It wasn’t even remotely similar to the creature Javial had met before, the one that was now bantering back and forth with it’s brother so nearby, restating and talking of things that had little value or consequence. What was this now, a Kirt? So well spoken and formal, in fact, almost seeming subservient. Was it really so simplistic? Was finding a familiar that would do its duties unquestioningly no harder than a few instances of trial and error? Javial had his doubts, it was best to dig a bit deeper. “I am Javial, an intelligence gatherer and information broker. I am looking for a familiar to take as my partner, so that we can become wealthy together. Tell me of you, Falshalen, what are your abilities? How could you help in this way?” The small man, made of minerals bowed gracefully at the waist before replying, “Sir Javial, it is a pleasure. Quite appropriate for you to ask of my qualifications. As a Kirt I am of the sturdiest and resilient one can possibly find in Fyrden. In fact, should I somehow become injured, I need but simply eat the rock below to regain my strength. I also have the ability to reshape my body into a variety of useful shapes, perhaps a wall to protect my liege, or when I become large enough, a hammer to crush thy foes.” He spoke with great confidence, his hands turning to clasp behind his molded earthen body, seemingly prepared for any other possible queries. Upon hearing the various tidbits of information Javial began to do exactly what he did best, collect and record the information gathered. Removing a leather bound book from his shoulder pack, he likewise prepared a vial of ink and quill, resting the ink upon the ground carefully. As he dipped the tip of the feather into the dark writing medium, he scribbled down several notes so that he could forever peruse them in the future. Sturdy, reshaping abilities to the body, great variety of valuable shapes, those were all good qualities. The creature had to have abilities for what Javial needed most though, information gathering. “That’s all very useful, Falshalen, I cannot deny. Let me ask you this though. My primary concern is being able to get ahead in my chosen profession, which involves gathering and recording valuable information for personal use or resale. Do you have any abilities which can aid in this?” he looked up from his notes, pausing his quill momentarily to prepare for new information to be added and logged within the confines of his book.

[Javial Kripsin]

“Of course, prepare your eyes, my liege. On this day of days, they shall witness that which no other race upon Fyrden can claim. Oh hark, the future belongs to us my liege, for not only shall my superior toughness suit your needs, but my miscellaneous skills are without comparison. Behold!” and much like a color changing lizard, Falshalen immediately changed his color completely into the dirt that surrounded the summoning circle, going so far as to flatten his body downward and appear as a rock. Shortly afterward his body became spiked in a way, gaining a brilliant green like fresh grass. Afterward he flattened further and became a stark brown, like a wooden plank one might find in a tavern. Javial couldn’t help it, he was impressed. His hand was furiously jotting down the various notations, adding small plus symbols next to the various bits he found particularly useful. A familiar that could literally look like anything, could regenerate its wounds, and could eventually become huge and strong, what possible downside was there? “Amazing, the perfect familiar indeed, I don’t think there’s a need to go any further here…” Javial said with a nod, blowing across his ink to quicken its drying. “Well then, I’ll go ahead and prepare the contract.” Ilkraz clasped his hands together after having been surprisingly quiet during the entire duration of the interview. “It seems like Falshalen has completely gotten his anger management problem worked out. Clearly there won’t be an incident like that one time whe—“ “Wait, anger management problem?” it was Javial’s turn to interrupt the strange mage this time, looking up from the scribblings upon his book, his brow furrowing slightly. That little tidbit was more than just coincidence, it would be worth investigating with some pointed questions. “Shut the fuck up.” The Kirt morphed back into it’s previous visage, appearing much like Javial once more. “I swear, if you ruin this fo—ahem. Oh dear look at the time, I do despair so late in the day, sometimes it gets the better of me.” Just like that the familiar’s voice had gone from venomous to saturate with rhetorical honey. Of course, little did Javial know that upon the treacherous world of Fyrden where there was no rising or falling of the sun, time meant very little.

[Javial Kripsin]

Something didn’t seem right. When you dug deeply into people, trying to pry forth information that often wasn’t immediately attainable through simple surface level conversations, you began to understand a few things. One was to trust your instinct, and two was that very few people show their ‘true selves’ in the company of strangers. Was this what was occurring now? There was a way to find out, Javial was no novice in the ways of controlling a conversation, after all. His plan was simplistic; he would make it appear as if he had changed his mind about the contract. If the Kirt was genuine, he would perhaps act disappointed, but there wouldn’t be anything as violent as the outburst directed toward Ilkraz. With a response such as that, Javial could easily mention that it was but a test of Falshalen’s emotional control and go through with the contract in the end. Putting on his best conflicted face, Javial threw things into action, “On second thought, we’ll go ahead and check a few more familiars. No use rushing things so quickly.” The bait worked. “What!? WHAT!? You bring me all the way out here, I talk about all the things I can do for you, and you’re not going to choose me!?” the Kirt raged at the man, moving to the edge of the circle, but apparently was unable to exit, “You son of a bitch! I’ll fucking kill you! I’ll gut you like a fish! You change your Gods damned mind right now, or you better be ready to sleep with one eye open for the rest of your life! If you don’t, someone will bond with me you rat bastard, and I’ll fucking find you! I’ll find you and kill you and your whole fucking family!” Suddenly, of all things to happen, Ilkraz suddenly took on a tone that Javial had not yet heard. It was precise and serious. He moved to the edge of the circle, “Ulnix, remove him from my circle, bring him back to Fyrden immediately.”

[Javial Kripsin]

“Fine, we’re taking tomorrow off though.” The Avavali sighed, suddenly seeming to release its full size, taking up the entire portion of the summoning circle. Its mist suddenly solidified, wrapping about the body of the comparably tiny Kirt and began dragging it down into the shimmering portal below. All the while the Kirt screamed, shouting curses and threats toward Javial until it was finally no more. Afterward Ulnix reappeared in its previous compact size, and Ilkraz began deconstructing the circle. Clearly Javial was at a loss for words. “In case this ever comes up in casual conversation, I don’t allow profanity in my summoning circles.” The summoner mentioned to Javial, regaining his previous uninspired tone. It seemed he was back to making little sense. What exactly was that short period of lucidity that had been experienced? Was this man hiding his true self, much like the Kirt had been? “We’ll be taking tomorrow off, so we shall meet the next day and try once more. I had a really good feeling about this one, who would have thought? After all, Falshalen hadn’t made a seen like that since the last time.” The last time!? So Falshalen was a psychotic familiar in the past, and this man summoned him only to expect the potential same result!? Javial had to keep his cool; if nothing else he was learning incredibly valuable information about the various familiars and their world. All those notes could be kept securely in his book, just as they should be. It was important for information like that to be logged, so that it didn’t leave his mind with time or age. With a soft thud the covers of his book came together, and he collected his things. “The day after tomorrow then, same place and time. I shall see you then, I’m looking forward to a less violent familiar, if you please.”

[Lazybones]

Thread Complete! Notes: I LOVE FALSHALEN. xD Rewording Shakespeare, you cad. You've stolen my heart. When I read that I was laughing, and totally hoping Javial would pick him! I'm actually writing this note before reading on, because I want you to know this gutwrenching anticipation I'm experiencing. xD (smiley overload) /reads more Oh holy crap dude that thing is crazygonuts. Good call. Javial Award : Skills: Investigation +2, Intelligence +1, Familiary +3 Lores: Ulnix and Ulzix, The Well Spoken Kirt, The Very Irate Kirt