|
Post by Meta on Nov 28, 2020 20:26:06 GMT -4
As she waited for the door to open, Nozomi's focus was drawn to Sobek's arrival. Rather than be put off by the Slate Gator's appearance, she found the sight most fascinating indeed. She couldn't exactly tell what brought about his existence, an amalgam of two humanoid species she would've presumed to be naturally incompatible. Could it be natural, or was some manner of spellcraft to be defined as the source for this? She could spend all day supposing and theorizing and reach nowhere. And she assumed that by her directive to help others, that Karina would likely frown upon live experiments or dissecting anyone present in Scout's Hill.
She realized she had spent an awful time pondering over this lovely specimen and had nearly forgotten the proper social interaction, having passively let Sobek knock on the door and observed as Eleanora greeted the two of them without as much as a word.
Before she could properly rectify that with a response, Karina appeared. Hm, perhaps she was ineffective in seeking out something to be doing before the leader had found her next. But it mattered little now...Karina didn't look displeased.
Nozomi put on the best smile that she could. Not too wide, she hadn't had much of a good response to those, and not too little, as she did not want to appear timid. "Of course, I would be glad to assist however I can!" She gestured towards the potion maker. "It seems you've anticipated my actions, I was to ask the very same questions to our friendly potion maker so that we could...help the infirm and injured, yes. I was even prepared to 'lend a hand', if necessary."
Maintaining her polite stance to social conduct, she moved next to the leader of the rebellion and looked to the others, doing her best attempt at a formal bow. "If my assistance is required to speed up the process, I'll be glad to remain here." She then threw a glance at Karina. "If that is not the case, however, I am very much available for that scouting run."
She felt a certain awkwardness, getting accustomed to interacting on this level with others again, especially so far out of her element. All the same, she did her best to play her part looking polite and helpful.
|
|
|
Post by sesh on Nov 29, 2020 11:09:43 GMT -4
It wasn't long before the potionmaker's place was filling with visitors. Sobek often found the locals to give him a wide berth whenever he returned to civilization, though the denizens of the fort seemed to be an odd bunch to say the least. He watched with cautious eyes as the witch's door swung open without a physical touch, his weariness for magic always a subconscious reaction. The bounty hunter moved to enter, though paused suddenly as the newest arrival addressed him directly. The generous woman was much smaller than Sobek, though she carried herself with more authority than any others he had seen in the area. He caught a glimpse of red hair peaking from beneath her hat and thought back to what Maewin had told him of his contact before.
With a face blank of emotion and no word in response, Sobek ducked beneath the door frame to enter Eleanora's house. A haze of potion fumes assaulted his eyes and nose immediately, though he was quick to adapt to the unpleasant fog. Looking about, he noticed much of the decor had been stripped away and replaced with cases of vials, hanging vines, and pots of foreign herbs. A pile in the corner seemed to be the new home of the room's previous innards: paintings done by an untrained hand, regalia of the Hylian military, and medals of valor once belonging to a decorated officer. All now trash to be tossed at the earliest convenience. The Liberation had made quick work of the outpost's previous occupants. Sobek wondered how quick the siege had taken, and how bloody the outcome was.
Grabbing a iridescent teal potion near the entrance to the shop, the Gator held the bottle up towards the witch. "Disinfectant?" he asked flatly, though he didn't give Eleanora any time to respond. He dug his sharp teeth into the worn cork and yanked it out with a pop, the exposure to air causing the concoction to swirl furiously for a moment. A black, forked tongue slithered from out his scaly lips, dipping into the bottle to taste the brew. Sobek withdrew, showing a mix of disgust and satisfaction, and lifted his scratched pauldron to reveal his bandaged wound. Undoing some leather straps keeping the armor piece secured, the hunter tossed the shoulder plate onto a nearby table with a thud and unwrapped the bandages quickly. The skin beneath was scarred and dark around the sizeable wound, with thick stony scales patching the entire surface. Sobek's blood was disturbingly dark, like a violet river beneath a moonless midnight. The contents of the blue potion were poured without hesitation over the bleeding gash, a brutal sizzle following the bubbling of his reacting blood.
"You should eat," Sobek said, his eyes turning from his wound to his road companion. The youth had barely spoken a word during their trip from the Coliseum, it he had said any at all. Still unsure of what use the young man would be towards this aggressive Liberation, Sobek had grown mindful of not underestimating those who appear weak. Many of the monsters he was hired to kill would let their guards down upon the eve of defeat only to lash out once their predator became overconfident. Grabbing a large apple from a bowl of fruit on a nearby window sill, the mercenary tossed the fruit to his small associate.
Taking in the conversation between the Sheikah and the red-haired woman, Sobek was able to learn the former was named Nozomi. It was familiar to him for some reason, as though he had read it once when researching potential cures for his 'condition', though he figured it was just another dead end like the rest. "We were headed for Hylia Village," the mercenary revealed to the others in the room. "Really only stopped here to patch up and rest a bit. Seems like we might've found what we're looking for earlier than expected." His one, black eye turned to look at Karina specifically, though the only hint of its movement was light shifting off of its reflection. "We were sent to find your operation, to speak with the Red Menace. Might be getting ahead of myself, but I'm thinking you're her. And so yes, we're looking for work."
Turning his empty gaze upon the witch, Sobek pointed a clawed finger to his no longer bleeding injury. "Stitches? With a thick needle. And booze, if you've got any."
|
|
|
Post by Nintendo Mastah on Nov 30, 2020 8:07:12 GMT -4
Eleanora watched as the lizard-like man just grabbed a random potion and drank it, and before she even had the time to call out and stop him, he had drank it all. Thankfully what he drank was a concotion to dampen pain, so he got lucky this time.
Grimalkin the cat stretched himself on his bench. "Some people truly have no manners", he said, and Eleanora nodded softly, turning to adress the newest addition to her guests, Karina. "You are in luck, Miss Karina", she said softly, her hoarse, dark voice somehow filling the entirely of the house even though she was talking very quietly, it was as if the room amplified her voice. "I just finished up a large batch of medecine moments before you knocked". She indicated with her arm to the shelf behind her and offered the libration leader a small smile, as she was one of the few she did smile to. Four rows of bottles, for a total of almost fourty of them. "Each bottle should be enough for three people, four if they are children. A cup of potion per person, half a cup for children".
Her grey-ish eyes turned and looked at Sobek. "I wouldn't recommend randomly drinking my elixirs. Not only is it not polite, but it might turn you into something hideous if you drink the wrong one". She truly didn't think he was that horrifiying, there were worse things in this world.
She did not appreciate his bossiness but perhaps nobody had taught him proper manners and she didn't think much of it, in fact in one way she could relate, as she was terrible herself at social interactions. Shrugging a little, she went and got her thickest needle and some thread, and three bottles of alcohol. Two of them were a brandy she made herself, being a potion-maker she preferred to make her own drinks, and she offered the two bottles to the lizard-man, making a guess he was quite a drinker. She rarely drank that brandy herself as it was VERY strong, but she kept it around in case she had guests and enjoyed a glass on occasion. The other bottle was a lighther sherry she enjoyed more, and she looked to a bunch of mugs in a nearby shelf. "What are you waiting for? We have guests", she said sharply to the mugs, and they rapidly came flying to the table, where she poured Nozomi, Karina, herself and Sobek's young sidekick one glass each. "A drink, perhaps?". She asked the question without looking at the trio, but if they were to say yes, the mugs would gently levitate over to them without spilling is contents.
"You can take all the potions in that shelf, Miss Karina, and the teal ones this one drank of. They should help ease people's pain", she said, adressing Karina as she took a swig from her own glass of sherry and approached Sobek with a washcloth, thread and needles in hand, cleaning his wound the old-fashioned way and stitching him up. She didn't bother to ask what had caused it, but did make a note that it was quite an injury, it must have been something fierce. Smiling softly to herself, she examined the man up close. He was a strong one indeed, muscular and athletic, and she couldn't help but smirk a little as she stitched his wounds up.
As she was quietly patching up the bounty hunter, she spoke again and although she didn't look directly at Nozomi, when she spoke, it was as if she was standing infront of Nozomi and adressing her directly, her voice could seemingly project itself all around her hut. "And how can I assist you, then?". All her little tricks of magical teacups, her voice filling the room and whatnot were not meant as petty parlor tricks to impress or intimidate.. at least not entirely.
Mostly they were for her own convenience, but they also served to make people with bad intent think twice, perhaps believing she was an immensely powerful witch that could turn them into a newt if they crossed her. She was relatively powerful, sure, but power wasn't a concern of hers and although she could curse her enemies she tried her best to stay away from violence, prefering the still life of potion-making and bandage-stitching as she was doing now.
After a few stitches she began to hum a little lullaby and laced her voice with magic to soothe and calm the mercenary a little, and lessen his pain further. To the mercenary, all the sounds in her room would feel distorted, as if he heard them through a tube or a haze, and her voice would fill his mind. It was true she often used this manner of magic to charm and hypnotize people, but her voice was neither commanding nor charming or inviting, it was comforting and soothing, her only intent to offer relax and reprieve.
Grimalkin was the one who ran security in her hut, and he kept a close eye on the boy that followed Sobek inside, making sure he didn't touch anything, as a witch's hut filled with magical oddities, herbs and ingredients could be very enticing for a young mind.
|
|
|
Post by NajaSide on Nov 30, 2020 18:49:42 GMT -4
The youth gave a small jump and stiffened at the sound of the new voice that spoke up. He quickly stumbled a couple paces to the side out of the doorway to let them by and gave a startled look in the direction of the Liberation's leader. Immediately, he caught sight of her red hair.
He slipped in and pushed himself into the corner of the room, but not before glancing in the mercenary's direction. Sobek's expression told him that it seemed like they were thinking the same thing. He was about to speak when his companion tossed the fruit in his direction. He barely caught it and seemed dazed for a moment, but then nodded. Maybe it was better to let him do the talking. At least when Sobek spoke, he got the message across for the both of them.
The young man took a bite of the apple, looking back and forth as the others spoke among themselves. For a moment, he watched as the witch started to get to work on the wounds, but then averted his gaze as if realizing he might make himself sick.
|
|
|
Post by Devixer on Dec 2, 2020 3:15:59 GMT -4
Karina scowled a little. "Red Menace. A title given to me by the Hylian nobility. They're afraid of me, and what I represent." Though her words were harsh, her face softened the more she spoke. In a way, she could use that image to her advantage. If the nobility continued to paint her and the Liberation as monsters, then their aid to the people would separate the people's perceptions from what the royalty wanted all the further. "But you're correct. My efforts started what you see before you, and I am still its leader." A few words of his interested her. "You were sent, you say? Most everyone here has come of their own volition. I'm very curious to hear who would send others to bolster my forces, and why. Perhaps you'll be able to tell me, in the future." She was no fool - Sobek had his reasons for not telling her exactly who had sent them, and he had no reason to out them just yet. But perhaps with time.
She waved off the offer to drink. Karina still had many duties to attend to, and she would need to attend to them fully aware of her surroundings - especially with a new mission looming near. "Good. Our quartermaster will be here today to take stock and distribute these to the people." Many of her plans were ones that were kept secret from most of her people - for risk of them getting into the hands of the Hylian army. But this was information that she wanted to reach far. "The priorities are Hylia Village to the south and Deya Village to the east - they're the closest, and easiest to get to while ensuring the safety of our couriers. But I want some of our supplies sent to the fortress, as well. There are a lot of families there who could use medicine like this." She had already sent a messenger bird to the fortress, informing them of the successful capture of Scout's Hill, as well as a promise of a needed resupply. Word like that traveling among her army would do much to bolster morale, and make sure her soldiers knew their needs were being met.
She took a brief moment to look around in the house Eleanora had taken as her workshop. She wasn't sure who it had belonged to previously, and she wasn't sure it mattered. After all, they wouldn't be back any time soon. Much of the garrison had fled, the surprise night attack catching them off guard. They had taken some prisoners, and were doing their best to keep them healthy - Karina had every intention of speaking to them, to try and sway them to her side. But that was for another time.
She blinked at Nozomi's conduct, remembering the times she wouldn't even nod. In a way, these practiced smiles and bows were stranger to Karina than when she had first found her, left for dead. The hesitant precision of her words as well was... perhaps a little off-putting. But she seemed like she was working on it. "Good. We'll be heading west tonight. Maybe work on your smiling in the meantime?" She glanced back, with a small grin directed to Nozomi. Seemed it was a little joke at her expense.
The two new arrivals were the unknowns, and the youth hadn't said a word since their arrival. She was unsure of their capabilities, and one of them was wounded - though not seriously. "I doubt you got that wound hunting. Did you two run into a fight on the way here?" She wondered at their ability to join her and Nozomi on their scouting mission - it wasn't far - only to Gatepost Town. But these things had a way of becoming complicated, in her experience. "In any case, Eleanora is good at what she does. She'll have you back in top shape in no time. If her work's done today, I might ask the both of you to travel with us. In case we run into a fight of our own."
|
|
|
Post by Meta on Dec 27, 2020 11:53:44 GMT -4
The visit to the potion maker was perhaps not fortuitous in the way Nozomi expected, but it was turning out well either way. The trick Eleanora used to project voices around the hut brought back some unpleasant memories to her, however. Being adrift in an alien darkness, trying to find herself lost amidst a legion. Disembodied voices were the least of it. Living lifetimes of total strangers in haphazard fashion, being the observer, the observed, and neither at the same time. She shuddered at the recollection of it.
Returning to the present, she realized both Eleanora and Karina had asked her questions. First,she looked to the witch. "Ah, apologies, there was a minor misunderstanding. I was here to offer assistance, but I see you are quite well equipped to handle things on your own."
Then, she pondered Karina's words, before responding to her leader. Work on her smiling...apparently she still needed to adjust it. What was it that made it so off-putting for others? More 'happiness' to it meant it was better, did it not? Maybe she was more out of touch with socialization than she thought. An annoying side effect to her state. This required reformulating her tests, perhaps a more measured approach would yield better results.
With this, she turned to Karina and tried a simple smile, no showing of teeth, and a slight nod to confirm she understood.
|
|
|
Post by sesh on Jan 7, 2021 14:49:16 GMT -4
Accepting the bottles of alcohol without contest, Sobek sank his beastly fangs into the cork of one and popped it open with forth. He tipped the bottle back and let the contents pour down his throat in their entirety. Pulling the sherry away from his scaly lips, the mercenary let out a pleasant hiss and proceeded to open the next bottle. He took a light swig and then sniffed at his wound, watching as the witch began tending to it. Sobek poured some of the alcohol onto the gash for good measure and set the bottle aside.
“I recognized the scent of the mushrooms you used,” he said to Eleanora, watching her nursing process with careful eyes. “Don’t know the scientific name, but it’s the long stalks and blue spots. Spent long weeks in the wilderness. Experimented with flora all over. My biology allows for... mistakes the common man can’t afford. Some of the more poisonous shrooms had me bedridden for days in a row, though. But I can always smell when you lot use the good stuff” Sobek’s voice was laden with a coat of mistrust. Most magic users he had run into during his life either wanted to experiment on him or kill him to experiment on his components. Their curiosity frequently overrode their compassion for someone like the Gator. The projected voice around the hut only amplified Sobek’s weariness of the witch, though so far she hadn’t made a move against him. That didn’t mean he would drop his awareness.
Looking to Karina once more, Sobek recalled her question. “Bandits on the road. Some new up-and-coming band of scumbags. One less on the road now. But I’ve been seeing more and more every month. King’s men taking too much and leaving lots with too little, right?” He took another sip of the sherry. “Don’t mistake me; I’m not interested in subscribing to your lot. Not a whole lot of difference between you and the sorry bunch I cut down on the way here. But I’ve been lead to believe helping this rebellion will get me access to information I need. As long as that seems true to me, I’m here to help out. Just keep in mind I don’t have the patience to listen to preaching about the plight of the common folk. Common folk don’t seem keen on fighting on my behalf, anyhow.”
Shifting his gaze to the young man that traveled with the bounty hunter, Sobek let out a tired sigh. “Try this one if you want a recruit, for all I care. He seems pliable,” The reptilian warrior leaned forward and tipped his bottle of sherry into the yourh’s cup, filling it to the brim and letting it overflow slightly. “And we’re ready for whatever you’ve got. This scratch of mine is nothing to consider. We move out when you do.
The peculiar hum coming from the witch drew Sobek’s focus away from the discussion at hand. It’s familiarity was comforting, but digging through his memories left the unsettling conclusion that he had never heard the tune before. In a moment he felt the presence of magic manipulating his mind, but like a mental fog the thought was blurred and vanished into a general feeling of content. All at once, Sobek felt more comfortable than he had in a long time and disturbed by the foreign sensation. “Watch yourself, crone,” the mercenary said, much more calmly than the words implied. He was aware of her mystical influence but largely unable to shake off the effects. “I’m feeling unusually patient at the moment, but watch yourself.”
|
|
|
Post by Nintendo Mastah on Jan 8, 2021 19:19:36 GMT -4
The glasses of sherry that had not been accepted floated back to the table and landed with a little thud. Upon hearing Karina's words about Hylia and Deya Village, the young witch nodded. "Very well. Would you like me to relocate to any of those mentioned locations, Miss Karina?", she said lowly. The resistance leader was one of the few people with whom she called 'Miss' and often spoke to, otherwise she preferred to keep conversation short unless needed. When Karina complimented her, saying she's good at what she does, she gave a warm, genuine smile and nodded. "Thank you", she mumbled lowly, an ever so slight blush on her already reddish cheeks.
Without taking her eyes off Sobek, her voice spoke up to Nozomi. "You are offering to help? Good. I can use more mushrooms and herbs. I can find them myself if you're not interested", she said, her tone indifferent, not caring wether or not Nozomi actually wanted to help. It was the same to her regardless.
As Sobek spoke to her she raised an eyebrow. The manners on this one, calling her a crone! In truth though it was rather tame compared what some other people had called her in the past, and she paid him no mind. She had used mind-affecting magic on him after all even though it was harmless, of course he would be a little cranky. His words about a seemingly increased poison resistance intrigued her, but she wasn't interested in experimenting on him, her training had taught her to help people, not exploit them. As she had stitched the worst parts of his wound, she dropped the hypnotic magic from it as she spoke again. "Knowledgeable about potions and poisons, I hear. A useful skill to have. I assure you I only use the best 'stuff' in my potions and with resistance to toxins like that, you are no doubt both a skilled survivalist and fighter".
As she spoke the last words, she moved her fingers across his wound and her tune was a little teasing, almost as if saying 'and yet you got this wound', subtly telling him she wasn't having his nonsense. As she finished up her last stitch, she gave him a soothing pat on his shoulder and cleaned it one last time. "There, good as new. Come back if you need a magical charm or more potions or stitching". She didn't care if he said thanks or not, she did what she was trained to do, no more no less, though the man amused her a little, because despite all his bluster and ruggedness, he still needed her to stitch his wounds at the end of the day.
|
|
|
Post by NajaSide on Jan 9, 2021 21:28:45 GMT -4
The young man fidgeted in the corner as the conversations between the others continued, leaning up against the wall and clutching one arm with the other. She confirmed it herself. This woman really was the Red Menace after all, the one the others were calling Karina.
Knowing this, he couldn't hide his surprise when she simply accepted their presence so easily. Perhaps, it was just that they did not seem the sort to consort with her opposition to begin with. He looked down at his own outfitting, noting the damage it had accumulated since his departure. He bit his lip. There was a moment when he thought to tell her of the strange man from the tournament, but silenced himself before a word ever left his mouth. He thought it better to keep silent, knowing that his companion had chosen not to push the information on his own.
Still, he stammered for a moment when the Red Menace began to divulge some of her plans. "Hylia Village and–?" He crossed his arms, brows knitted, and stared down at the floor, only torn again from his thoughts when the small floating tray of drinks bumped into him. He stared at it for a moment and then grabbed one of the cups, if only to be polite.
A frown crossed his face and he instantly pulled away his cup away from the bottle, spilling some of the drink. "I am not pliable, Ser Sobek. I needed–" He cut himself off and took a quick drink. He grimaced and set it aside on a shelf. "Nevermind."
He looked over toward Karina. "Where is it that you're going, Miss?"
|
|