A (not so) simple trip to Avanthal (Introduction)

Balthazaar's "fun" little journey to Avanthal.

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Encompassing a vast wilderness filled with flora and fauna of immense proportions, the Northern Reaches include all the Talderian Forest north of the Suvan and stretch into the vast permanent tundra and ice fields outside Avanthal.

A (not so) simple trip to Avanthal (Introduction)

Postby Balthazaar Kraigen on May 24th, 2012, 2:18 am


67th Day of Spring, 512 A.V.

Balthazaar took a long look into the horizon. The rising sun was creating a beautiful scene for him and his traveling companions on their trip to Avanthal. It was a shame that Balthazaar’s current mood negated the possible moments of happiness he might’ve received from seeing such a setting. Though, in all due fairness, he had every right to his sorrow and grief. His whole world had just been turned upside down, several hours ago and he was still sorting through the emotional tidal wave that only just hit him once the shock had worn off. The worst part was that he couldn’t correctly identify what exactly he was feeling. Part of him was obviously sad; he had just been forced to leave his old life behind in order to keep him safe from a threat that he didn’t even fully understand. Forced to leave the home he had spent most of his life in, forced to leave all the people he knew from the city, and forced to leave his sick mother who he had a feeling was not going to last very long. Sad was definitely an understatement.

This being said, there was anger flowing through him as well. At this moment in time, the main target of his rage was his father. In Balthazaar’s mind, he was the reason everything was bad in his life. Not just at this moment, but ever since he was born. He even blamed him for his mother’s illness which in reality wasn’t even close to being his fault. However, even for all his ire, Balthazaar couldn’t pull himself to take his father’s cloak off. It meant a lot to him, as did his father. Regardless of his anger, he just couldn’t muster any hate for the man. Those five years he had spent with him had been the greatest of his life. He had learned so much from the man and as a result had so much respect for him. It would take a lot more for that to change.

What was probably the most confusing emotion for Balthazaar at this moment in time was the feeling of relief. He didn’t fully understand why he felt this way, but if he had to guess, it probably boiled down to one factor: his true heritage. It seemed strange to Balthazaar that he would be relieved to know that he part Dhani, but it also explained a lot about him. Ever since he had been old enough to understand his actions, he had been plagued with the unexplainable desire to draw blood. Somewhat innocent at first, as he was only a child at the time, it quickly developed into an almost uncontrollable urge when he had reached the age of ten. If it hadn’t been for his father’s arrival and the knowledge he brought, Balthazaar may have done something he would’ve sincerely regretted. Knowing now that this was something that was normal for the Dhani and not a defect in his personality, Balthazaar was able to take some comfort in this. However, knowing his true heritage was not the only reason for this relief. There was a much darker reason for this seemingly out of place emotion. Although he would never admit it out loud, Balthazaar was relieved to finally leave home. Deep down inside, Balthazaar was glad that he would no longer be forced to stay at home and tend to a sick mother; unable to leave home and pursue his dream in other places. It was a selfish feeling of a relief to say the least, but a feeling of a relief nevertheless.

This was Balthazaar’s current emotional state, torn between several overwhelming emotions and forced to travel with a group of strangers who (unfortunately for Balthazaar) were happy and chipper about their current situations. Well most of them at least, the two guides leading the party were quiet and mostly kept to themselves. In fact, there was even something fishy about them. Balthazaar couldn’t quite place his finger on it or he was just too emotional distraught to figure it out, either way he decided to keep his distance, just in case. Now that he was pretty much on his own he had to be careful where he treaded and those he associated himself with. After all, sometimes people just aren’t who they say they are.

The first two days of the trip were pretty uneventful. Starting early in the morning, the group of travelers would make up as much ground as they could before the sun began to sink. At dusk, the group would set up a fire and sit around it, telling tales about their lives and adventures, laughing, singing, and generally just enjoying each other’s company. Balthazaar did not join in these nightly rituals or any form of bonding with these people. Instead he spent most of him time collecting herbs along the way, fiddling with his various kits and keeping an eye on the “guides.” He enjoyed the solitude of it all. Even though he was spatially very close to this group of people, he was emotionally a million miles away and preferred to stay that way.

Once the environment around them started to change, so did the atmosphere of the people. Suddenly the group was edgy and irritable, ready to finish their journey and find some place warmer to stay. The guides were also antsy and seemed almost confused on where they were going, stopping every few Bells to examine their map and plot the course. Balthazaar seemed to be the only one slightly enjoying himself at this point. He didn’t like the cold, but he was fascinated with the new forms of flora growing in the area. To top it off, there was also slight satisfaction he took with seeing everyone else unhappy for a change.

On the 8th day of the journey, things took a turn for the worse. By this point, the supposed guides had led the group so far off the beaten path that people were starting to panic. To top it off, food was running low, much like the moral of the party. It was in the middle of what could be considered one of the most desolate places of these lands that the guides stopped in their tracks, turned to the group, pulled out two sharp daggers and told the group to stay where they were. The bigger of the two then grabbed one of the group members who was standing in front and brought the dagger to her throat before addressing the group further.

“So, I hate to break to you all, but this journey is over. We’ll be taking whatever belongings you have and this pretty little face as well.” The large man said, as he caressed the face of his captive.

“Now drop all of your belongings and put your hands up where we can see them. If any of you try anything funny, not only will this girl die, but my associate will kill you as well.”

One by one the group began unpacking their belongings, laying them in out in the open for the other “guide” to sift through. Balthazaar knew he had to do something, he knew that once they got what they would just leave them in the middle of nowhere. Either way, everyone was doomed. However, even if he could take out one of them with a bow the girl would die and there was no way he was going let that happen. He needed a more creative plan, something to outsmart them. Jumping into action, he quickly grabbed his sack and pulled out a vial of some form of liquid and held it close to his body trying to “hide” it. Instantly the other guide rushed over to the young man and worked towards prying the vial from his hands. With a minor struggle, the “guide” was able to secure the potion and pushed Balthazaar to the ground before making his way back to his companion.

“Please, please don’t take that from me…I need that...that’s my father’s legacy, he worked his whole life to make it. It’s all I have left of him” Balthazaar said, using every ounce of emotion he could, to pull off the act.

“It’s one of the most powerful potions he’s ever made. Even a drop has the potential of doubling…no tripling your strength. Please, it’s more important to me than you can possibly imagine.” Balthazaar said dramatically, nearly forcing himself to tears. The “guides” seemed to pay little notice to end of his overly emotional plea. Instead they were now intensely eyeing the small vial of liquid substance, desire evident on their faces. It took them only a matter of minutes before the two them had released the girl and were wrestling with each other for possession of the vial. The struggle however took only a few moments before the smaller man had drawn his dagger and shoved it into the other man’s chest. Then, after procuring the potion, the smaller man started guzzling the small concoction down as fast as he could. It only took a few seconds afterwards for the man to fall on his face, unconscious but not dead.

Balthazaar breathed a sigh of relief, overwhelmed that his gambit had been successful. He hadn’t been sure at the time if his potion would work. After all, he had only ever seen his father make it once and there was chance the potion could’ve done nothing. There was also the chance that it could wear off very quickly, so the group needed to move as soon as possible. Grabbing the map of the area from the body of the dead bandit as well collecting his stuff, he led the party away from the area and hopefully to Avanthal.
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Balthazaar Kraigen
Pick Your Poison!
 
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A (not so) simple trip to Avanthal (Introduction)

Postby Creeper on July 12th, 2012, 2:51 pm

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Balthazaar Kraigen
 
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Observation: 1
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Anger Without Hate
Being Free From Responsibility
Bad Weather Creates Tension
Sometimes Poison IS Better Than Honey

 
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A lovely little solo, but I would've personally liked to have seen more detail. But its always nice to see a hero! Even a venomous one at that!
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