Open Eastern Brisshal Spilling All Over

[Harukami]

She opened her eyes after a deep breath. It was so real it was strange- she could even feel her legs shaking as if they were her real ones. Falling backward after trying to take a cautious step forward, Harukami landed on her rump with a loud "Ouchies!" escaping her lips. "Wow, they weren't kidding when they said the pain was real... But that's why I joined in the first place. If I don't learn to take a little heat, 'Tsuko's never going to be able to live her own life."

She'd joined for the sake of her sister's future- a future that didn't forcefully include Haru to be a part of it. Keeping Terrasphere a secret from her sister was hard, but her determination was much tougher. Or at least, that's what she told herself as she stood up again, dusting off the back of her skirt.

Looking around the woods she'd spawned in, the woman sighed softly. "I didn't expect to start in the woods... I don't even have a weapon or a way to use my magic..." She fist-pumped the air. "No! No being defeated so early in the game! I'm strong enough to handle this!"

And so, she began to walk aimlessly in the forest. Would anyone find her soon enough to tell her she was going the wrong direction towards a friendly town?

 

[Schilva Flasch]

The commotion of a scuffle in the bushland terrain not so far from where Harukami spawned in would be ended with the schwing of drawn steel and the loud proclamation of an activated skill.

"SILVER FLASH!"

All is quiet for a while before the crunching of leaf litter and dirt underfoot begins to approach Haru's position. From deep within the woods, like a man possessed, the dripping tip of a bloody katana is the first one would see of Schilva Flasch, emerging out of the thickets and shadows of towering trees. Eyes wild, covered in spatters of blood that did not seem to be his own, the swordsman continuously scans his surroundings for signs of movement, jumping at the slightest noise.

Mumbling under his breath, he didn't seem to notice the wholeass person standing directly in his field of view for a bit.
"...fuck, I better buy pliers when I get to town next. Hard to pull them out..."
When he notices that a seemingly completely unarmed wanderer aimlessly trudging about the woods, he perks up and begins to pick his way through the undergrowth towards her.
"Hey! You there! It's not safe out here, you know."

Unfortunately, stumbling a little on an inconveniently placed tree root, something tucked under his robes comes loose and falls to the ground. No, rather than just falling, it's more apt to say the small sack splotches upon the forest floor, oozing a dark liquid through its burlap confines that is most definitely the same blood covering the undoubtedly suspicious-looking Schilva.

The fact that he keeps looking around and refusing to sheathe his sword as he scrambles over and tucks the bloody sack under his clothes again really don't help his blunt credibility as he gestures for the stranger to approach.
"C'mere. I'll get you somewhere safe."

@Harukami

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

Brutus jauntily whistled as he walked. The path from his new little shack in the woods was about ten minutes from town. Eight for Brutus, with his long strides, seven if he felt like walking with a sense of urgency, and twelve if he kept his short legged robotic companion with him. One arm had a large sack of what appeared to be dirt draped over his shoulder, the other a sack of apples carried rather daintily as to not bruise their soft flesh. A commotion caused his trained ear to twitch, and he found himself placing both items into his inventory with a flash of blue, freeing his hands to investigate.

What he found was uh...baffling. On one side, a woman who about as fresh a spawn as one could look in this game. Eyes wide with confusion, obviously lost, the full monte. On the other side, was a man who couldn't have looked more like a serial killer if he tried. His eyes narrowed into slits, and he found his canon in his hands in no time.

"Hey!" He barked at the strange man. "Take a couple steps back from the lady!" turning his eyes to Haru, his gaze softened. "Are you alright ma'am? Are you lost? Did this man threaten you?"

@Harukami @Schilva Flasch

 

[Harukami]

Harukami was thankful- thankful, yet baffled. In front of her were two complete strangers- one offering her a hand to get out of the woods, the other offering to save her... from someone trying to save her? A nervous laugh left her lips as her throat grew dry with fear. She wasn't used to talking to people without her sister by her side. Suddenly, she was wishing she hadn't joined the game alone... How was she to clear up this mess?

Oh, right. With words.

After a deep breath, Harukami turned to Brutus first. "On the contrary, he was offering to guide me somewhere safe." There were a lot of "um"s and "er"s in between her words as she stumbled upon them- but she was speaking. To her, even that was progress.

"I just spawned in," She soon explained, starting to calm down. "I'm a new player... I don't know where this is- or where anything is for that matter. Is it really that dangerous in a spawn zone?"

@Schilva Flasch @Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Schilva Flasch]

If Schilva had known just how ominous of an aura he was exuding right now with his mere appearance, he may have been proud in proclaiming the naturally intimidating might of the Schilva Flasch, but bragging about that may have ironically been better for him as a burly cannon-toting man wandered onto the scene.

Noting the presence of the siege weapon present that would soon be aimed him if he didn't explain himself, Schilva lowers his blade to touch the ground and shrugs at the newcomer.
"No need for fretting, my good fellow. I, the great Schilva Flasch, understand why you would approach one such as I with wariness. However, rest assured that my blade will not find its place among innocents."

Still no explanation was forthcoming about all the other obvious details about his person that suggested some kind of horrific murder, though it did seem true that Schilva wouldn't strike out at either of the other two Travelers present.

"I see, a Starcalled Traveler like myself. You find yourself now in the forests of Eastern Brisshal, where all manner of banditry and wild beast roam free in the treacherous woods."
Flicking the blood off his sword and taking a quick look behind him, as if suspecting he had been followed, Schilva looks somewhat relieved and points his blade to the dappled sunlight filtering through the forest canopy.
"Fear not, however! As long as I, Schilva Flash, extend my ever-vigilant protection across this region, these dangers shall be held at bay."
He then nods towards the direction he came in, which Brutus may recognise as a path that eventually leads out of the woods.
"In fact, I was just clearing one oft-used forest path of pesky wildlife. Which is, of course, messy business."

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

Brutus squinted at the bombastic and over the top man before turning to the woman. "If you're a fresh spawn you shouldn't be in too terribly much danger. The game tends to keep the spawn areas clear of incredibly dangerous creatures, and I think there might even be something like new player protection." He looked to the blood soaked man and shook his head.

"You might want to consider cleaning yourself off Mister Flash, your appearance makes you look like some sort of crazy bandit, or l like the Haemomancer that was terrifying the people at night just a few days ago. If the forest is dangerous right now, might I suggest we all travel together? Wolves might be no problem, but bears could be quite pesky if you're not careful."

He set the canon down, resting it in the dirt given that he wouldn't likely be needing it right this moment.

@Schilva Flasch @Harukami

 

[Harukami]

Harukami laughed nervously. Frankly, she'd forgotten hemomancy was even a thing- even though she'd been in mastery selection just moments before. She could only imagine how much pain that magic might cause the user. With how realistic the pain was when she fell on her rump just a few minutes before, surely it wouldn't surprise her if slicing yourself open was much, much worse.

That was when she remembered- she had divine magic! Smiling to the two men, the woman raised her hand. "I um, I know divine magic! Or rather, uh, I should! I know- er, don't- how to use it right now, but if you give me a minute or too, um... I can learn! And then I can heal any scrapes? No, that's not it... wounds! I can heal wounds!"

She smiled as if she'd triumphed over something huge just now, which she had. Harukami was plagued by timidity around people as a whole. Surprisingly, she hadn't judged Schilva by his appearance- she was just intimidated by new people in general. Glancing to Brutus, she shyly asked, "Can I... um... help at least a little? I'm new, but well... I want to be helpful!"

@Schilva Flasch @Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Schilva Flasch]

Evidently, Schilva had been expecting more in terms of recognition than just narrowed eyes and an uncertain laugh in terms of response to the revelation that he had been working himself to the bone for the sake of the safety of every dime-a-dozen fresh-faced noob who spawned in.

"..."
Chewing his tongue conflictedly as Brutus outlines the state of the spawn area for the newbie in question, the swordsman is forced to concede that he isn't as well known as he should be right now. And that he needs to find a bathhouse. And a laundromat. Or whatever passed for that Terrasphere, anyway.
"You may be right. T'is an unflattering state that you've found me in, but such is the nature of the unsung hero; I must lay my cleanliness and wellbeing on the line for the greater good."

Upon the mention of a rogue Haemomancer, Schilva would jump to rapt attention. That sword of his is still being waved around...
"Terrorizing the people of Brisshal, you say? Where might I find and strike this villain down!?"
Catching himself, Schilva clears his throat and, with one last look around, finally sheathes his blade after way too long.
"I apologise for my surely intimidating presence. I had underestimated the amount of work that needs to be done around here; apparently according to the local Landers, bear and wolf attacks have gone way back up since their natural predators disappeared four years ago. Simply put, I-"

Schilva pats his chest with an open palm, but grimaces and pulls away as the bloody fabric makes a quiet wet sound.
"Right...simply put, I, Schilva Flasch, am here to bring peace and order back to the land! Follow in my footsteps if you wish, but t'is a path fraught with danger and hardship."
Wiping a streak of red from his cheek but leaving another across his chin instead, Schilva is starting to see the cannon-toter's point.
"Lend me your names, fellow Travelers! With me here, there is nothing to fear."

@Brutus Dahlgren @Harukami

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

Jesus christ talk about a hero complex. Do I sound like that to Corsair?

Brutus relaxed his stern face for a moment, as sketchy as the man looked he seemed to have an overwhelming sense of honesty about him, that or he'd picked up a really bizarre persona to put on, either way he was fairly certain that the man was, for the most part, harmless to anything else aside from the woodland critters of the land.

"The Hemomancer is dead, my partner and I took him out, though it did take an exceptional amount of effort. I appreciate your efforts to keep the local predators in check, heaven forbid they run rampant and injure local travelers, players, or the village. As for my name, you may call me Brutus. "

The girl on the other hand seemed like she was struggling, talking clearly wasn't her strong point with all the stutters and stammers, but she was putting herself out there, and that was impressive.

"The more help the merrier. If we are to travel together it would behoove us to all pitch in. If you'd like I can take the front or the rear. This canon isn't simply for show, I can shoot enemies out of the sky, or send them flying with one mighty swing!"

With things seemingly settled, he hefted his canon back onto his shoulder, making sure it was loaded on the off chance they encountered something gnarly.

"Shall we get going then?"

@Schilva Flasch @Harukami

 

[Harukami]

Harukami was jealous a bit as she listened to the two men speak. They were both so confident! Well, Schilva was a bit over the top, but she'd admit easily it was amusing to her. Sure, she was intimidated by the blood to a degree, but she could easily understand being soiled by the stuff when in combat based on movies and games she played with her sister. It was just part of the realism, right?

Though it took her time to reveal her name, she managed to speak calmly after a deep breath to introduce herself, bowing politely in a customary way. "My name is Harukami. It's an honor, both of you."

Standing straight upright, she gave a cheerful grin. It was still scary talking to people without her sister by her side, but she was feeling a bit more comfortable in her own skin already- well, for the most part.

"My skills are well balanced, but I'm also pretty good at housekeeping so... If you'd like, um, Mister Schilva- and you too, other kind sir- well... I'd be happy to launder your clothing for you if we can find someone willing to lend me some supplies. O-Otherwise, I'm primarily a mage of light and fire... And I took the role that lets me tame beasts, too. I p-probably can't, er, do much yet, but... I couldn't help wanting to get closer to any rabbits or other cute critters."

She laughed a bit, still stumbling over her words here and there. But, overall, she should have made sense to the two men, she thought. "I look forward to traveling with you both."

@Schilva Flasch @Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Schilva Flasch]

Ah, so the hemomancer was apparently dead. Now where am I supposed to get my first major villain kill!? You know, the start of the hero's journey, curbstomping some hapless minor bad guy?

Schilva looks visibly crestfallen for a moment, deflating as he gives a single thumbs-up at the compliment for his work. At least he was being recognised in some way for his efforts, which was nice. Never mind that for now, the hero's journey was a long path indeed and he needed at least some literal clean clothes for that metaphorical trip.

"It's a nice piece of work, I'll say. Gnarly, even."
Looking over Brutus' massive cannon, Schilva would appraisingly nod at its heft and its owner's surely impressive strength. Not his first choice of weaponry by any means, owing to the commitment to standing in one place and all that. Still, let it not be said that the great Schilva Flasch does not appreciate a fellow Traveler's armaments.

"Why yes, let's get going then, Ser Brutus, Ma'am Harukami!"
Giving the mouth of the cannon a wide berth as he went to point out the path back to town, Schilva would return Harukami's grin with one of his own, though the sight of his pearly whites against his bloodstained visage might be more offputting than friendly.
"I may well take you up on that offer when we get somewhere closer to town; I do happen to be in need of regular laundering services. Occupational hazard, you understand."

Whistling as he begins to make small talk and stroll towards the trail leading to town, Schilva is already thinking about what he'll be having for dinner at the local tavern. He's a simple kinda guy.

@Brutus Dahlgren @Harukami

 

[Brutus Dahlgren]

"You know, if you think about it, being a maid could be a pretty solid form of out of combat support..." Brutus drawled. "I have the in combat healing think taken care of for the most part with my partner, but we do need help homesteading if you need a place to crash." He wasn't quite sure how Corsair would react to him bringing another player home, but maybe she wouldn't protest too much if it meant they had help weeding the garden and cleaning up. "Though if you're a pyromancer maybe I can also teach you a thing or two as well."

Upon Schilva's bidding he followed suit, matching his pace to Haru's rather than the bloodsoaked self proclaimed hero. Keeping himself never more than an arms reach from either of them if he could help it. That was his roll, a guardian of sorts who would help keep them free of any and all danger if he could.

"So I know Haru is a new player, but how about you Mr Flasch? How long have you been up and about adventuring in these parts?"

The woman was rather easy to read, timid and unassuming. Maybe there was more to it than met the eye, but the man? He was an oddball, and would need further interrogation to determine if he was safe to deal with at all, or one of those 'part ways with as soon as possible folk'.

@Schilva Flasch @Harukami

 

[Harukami]

Harukami understood very well the occupational hazards of traveling. Well- she sort of did. Being a bit of a klutz, Haruka was one who often tripped and fell. Heck, she'd fallen pretty much immediately after materializing in this world! Her hero, her sister, wasn't as clumsy as she was- but the woman still had a habit of getting her clothes dirty at all times. So, in Haruka's eyes, it made total sense.

Turning to Brutus, she asked, "I-If your partner is fine with it!" Having a safe place to sleep would be nice, though Haruka didn't plan to spend many nights in the game- yet. "W-Would they mind me borrowing some supplies to clean M-Mr. Schilva's clothes too? Of course, I'll c-clean for both of you as thanks i-if your partner agrees." She was getting nervous again. She didn't know Brutus well, but she was thankful to him and Schilva- she'd be thankful to Brutus's partner as well, but as she was a stranger to that person, she was still a tad unsettled for the moment. She'd grow comfortable in time.

"Mr. Brutus is also a pyromancer?" She asked suddenly, wide-eyed and bushy tailed. "I-If you could teach me, I'd much appreciate it! I want to learn as much as I can, from both of you!"

@Schilva Flasch @Brutus Dahlgren

 

[Schilva Flasch]

"in combat healing...taken care of for the most part by my partner..."

As Schilva takes a moment to wring his rags out inbetween @Harukami and @Brutus Dahlgren's conversation, he notes the cannoneer mentioning a partner. Hmm, an adventuring partner...

"A partner would certainly ease the strain on my solitary adventuring. No, perhaps something more like a squire. An apprentice?"
Thinking aloud to himself, Schilva has to look up at Brutus to answer the question about his time in Terrasphere.
"In these parts? Not for very long, I've only begun seeing the sights that this lay of land has to offer, but in time Brisshal will too know the name of Schilva Flasch!"

It wasn't technically a lie, since he really was only beginning to branch out from the beginner players' stamping grounds after his entry into this world just a couple of weeks ago. Inbetween now and then, exam period also got in the way of things, so the most that he had been doing was sightseeing and mapping out where the quest-richest towns were without actually taking requests.

Now that he was getting stuck in, though, he was finding Terrasphere to be even more complex beneath the surface than he thought. People actually partnered up and settled down in-game for extended periods of time? At least, that's what he was assuming from the way these two were talking and where they were headed.

"Homesteading is usually not the purview of one such as myself, but I could spare some time for the pleasures of quiet domesticity between my...usual routines."
Patting his sword with a chuckle, Schilva's grin only widens when Harukami's enthusiasm stokes his good mood further.
"Who knows, I may deem it worthy to invest some of my wisdom in your future adventures. It's been an alright kind of day today."
Off they walk into the forest, a strange trio of caster, swordsman and cannoneer.
The misadventures of the three had converged for but a moment in time, though they would inevitably do so again, at a later point perhaps. None of them knew, but it was a certainty all the same.