Recent content by Afanas

"I couldn't have done it myself. I had to strike a deal with the monarch of Reikhurst. Alliria is to recognize Reikhurst as a proper kingdom. In return, the Reikhurstan king vouchsafed three thousand of his finest knights, veterans of various unholy wars, into my service." He lifted a biscuit...

Aristeia Darke He cradled the delicate porcelain cup in his hands, the intricate floral patterns catching the light. As he lifted the cup to his lips, steam rose gently, curling into the air like wisps of a soft cloud. His eyes closed momentarily as he took a sip, savoring the rich, earthy...

Aristeia Darke The question lingered in the air, piercing and unexpected. Afanas's brow loosened slightly, and he blinked, momentarily taken aback. He had been expecting a less straightforward inquiry. He shifted in his seat, one of his long digits tracing small circles against the polished...

Afanas stalked closer, bending forward to grip one of the chairs by its backrest. His hands were huge, the size of dinner plates, with long, slender digits, each of which was tipped off by a lacquered black claw, giving them a talon-like quality. His pale knuckles bulged with subtle tension as...

Aristeia Darke The heavy glass doors creaked open, their ancient hinges groaning in protest as the figure stepped through. A rush of cold air followed him, making the tree branches sway and shadows dance along the lush, grass-encrusted ground. The man, impossibly tall and draped in dark...

"It's fairly straightforward, frankly. Someone has been embezzling money intended to fund the city watch. As a result, their pay has been reduced, their living conditions have deteriorated, and their pensions have become almost non-existent. Now, I know what you're thinking: it sounds like...

Afanas motioned for her to follow and leisurely made his way towards the exit. Once outside of the warehouse, he gestured at twin columns of heavily armed men positioned no more than twenty yards away from where he stood. There were at least two dozen of them, all clad in sets of...

"Nothing good, I fear." Following up on his response, Afanas shook his head, feeling uncannily naked now that his hat was all but stolen from him. "The merchant princes have enlisted great many foreign mercenaries in their service. In the same breath, the city watch has dwindled. The council...

"Straight to business, eh?" He chuckled and readjusted the sword strapped to his hip. The damned thing was too long to be carried that way, and it kept banging against various hard surfaces whenever Afanas walked or otherwise shifted his body. "I'll need an advisor, Lorelei. I am no good at...

"Hired muscle," he replied, his tone flat. It wasn't a pleasant experience for him. Although incapable of experiencing seasickness due to his racial traits, Afanas found that being surrounded by open sea as far as the eye could stretch day in and day out was depressing, to say the least. His...

Afanas, not expecting to see Lorelei in the middle of an excavating mission, couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at the scenario unfurling before him. It stank, the whale skeleton. It stank of brine, rotten seaweed, fat gone sour, and something else he couldn't quite put a finger on. His...

Afanas, not thinking much of it, simply shrugged and followed after Learien. As he walked, the brass-encrusted tip of his scabbard kept hitting and bouncing off the wooden planks. The elven man who fashioned Afanas' newest attire advised him to wear the sword on his hip for once, saying it'd...

Ezomir Farajal Afanas willed the sword strapped to his back into action and the weapon responded in kind, leaping out of the scabbard like living lighting before coming to float in mid air by Afanas' side, its tip pointing towards the ground. Its blade was long, double edged, fashioned from...

Afanas dropped to one knee and inclined his head. His posture was humble, shoulders slightly hunched, conveying deference. As he rose, he maintained eye contact with the monarch, ensuring that his gaze remained respectful yet confident. "Your majesty," he began, his voice steady, "I am greatly...

Afanas grunted, fingers steepled under his chin, his brow furrowed in concentration. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to silence the noises of merriment coming from all around them. In that stillness, he sought clarity, hoping to untangle the threads of his contemplation.His eyes opened...