Open Chronicles First Steps on Frail Feet

[Mathlyn Mordacht]

Splinters and dust were kicked up into the air as a rickety traveller's carriage rumbled off down a road, the assorted sacks of goods rattling and clattering against aged wood whilst the shape of the carrier wobbled off into the distance.

Mathlyn stood alone, waving farewell to the generous traveller after sharing a bowl of soup and finding her bearings earlier that day. Despite the bellyful of oxtail, the Half-Elf cradled an arm around her midsection, her other hand eventually resting by her side once the carriage vanished over the horizon. The setting sun shot a spread of wavering orange light over whatever it could see, the shadows lengthening as it slowly vanished also.

Once the dust had settled and birdsong graced a pointed ear, Mathlyn took a slow, deep breath through her nostrils, the scent of evergreens and pine gracing her senses. The exhalation was nothing short of a sigh, somewhat mournful for the brief companionship she'd quite literally fallen into a day or-so ago, and with mild reluctance the now-nomadic Mathlyn took her first paces towards Elbion.

Soup, spite and a headless sword were going to carry her to a new life, and with the first steps on faltering feet taken, Mathlyn Mordacht began her first true adventure.

 

[Caits]

"Fuck, hah hah, shit hah fucking cockhams!"
As fast as his boney legs could manage Caits the thief cane bounding out of the bushes and towards the road waving one arm like a loonatic and holding an armful of honeycomb under the other.
He was of course being followed and stung by a dark cloud of angry ice bees. Which were like regular honey bees except their honey tasted of pine and mint and they were blue and black in colour. Also their stings had a chilling effect. Not nice but their honeycomb was worth thrice that of regular honey.
He looked for water, there was none but there was...
"HEY, HEY YOU IN LEATHER WITH THE SWORD, THINGY!"
New energy spurred him towards the lone figure of Mathlyn Mordacht whom he treated like a long list friend by running past with the helpful advice of "RUN!"

Mathlyn Mordacht

 

[Mathlyn Mordacht]

Mathlyn held her head up as she gazed over the sprawling shadows cast by a twilight sun, tired lips fracturing into a subtle, solemn smirk. At long last, peace was in her grasp-

"RUN!"

The Half-Elf's eyes cracked wide open as a frantic yelp whizzed by her right side, her brow furrowing when that singular moment of contentedness was so frantically whisked away. It wasn't long before Mathlyn caught ear of the frenzied buzzing also, hissing a curse before she sprang off her heels to chase after the fleeing figure! Mathlyn's rags trailed behind her as she bolted forward, still clutching her middle with one hand in an attempt to ease a freshly-welling stitch by her stomach.

Not even a day into her new life, and things were already turning pear-shaped.

Caits

 

[Bruk]

Upon the side of the road, a beryl bramble bush bristled.

Or rather, the Orc inside it did.

Bruk, prior to the sudden eruption of chaos had been gently stirred from his late afternoon nap by the grumble of a passing carriage. It had been enough to wake him but not enough to fully rouse Nature's chosen guardian from his sleepy state. He had been simply content to lay for just another moment more, hitting some internal snooze button that would only garner at least four more hours of sleep.

But then came the shouting and with it, a good nap ruined.

The rapid, and more annoyingly, noisy footfalls approached as Bruk rustled in his chosen natural tent. If he could not have a proper sleep, then perhaps he could make a friend or two? After all, his life of aimless wandering had the tendency to get very lonely and for some reason, unknown to the very loud, very frightening and very stupid Orc, the friends he had made along the way never stuck around for long.

Suddenly, he sprang upwards to his feet, the bush now around his waist like an unflattering botanical skirt.

"WHY ARE YOU RUNNIN'!?" Bruk bellowed with a mighty rumble that was all tusks and timbre, his Orcish nature betraying his playful curiosity.

 

[Hieronymus Pangloss]

Ice bee honey was valuable. But the ambrosia of ice bees, those little granules of pollen they so dutifully carried on their personage, that was worth much and more.

Due in large part to the-

RUN!

"WHY ARE YOU RUNNIN'!?"

The tether of the spell broke, and Hieron's eyes went large.

"Well," Herold, his hat, croaked. "You best start running too,"

From an all too different bush, near enough to the giant orc and the fleeing others, burst forth a wizard in red robes. Running fast past them, one hand clutched tight about his hat. A second swarm of ice bees buzzing angrily behind him.

The cloud of enraged insects pointedly ignore the fire-brush skirted orc.

 

[Caits]

Caits couldn't believe it.
He was being followed now by an elfy lady with a sword, an orc wearing a hedge for pants, an old wizard in red and two swarms of ice bees.
"Why are you runnin?"
He wasn't going to waste my ch breath answering only yelling.
"ICE BEEEEEES!!" By way of explanation.

That was when he heard it,the trickle of water.
Bees of any kind didn't dare enter water he'd be safe if he could reach it.
Jack knifing a hard right turn he made for the sound of running water and prayed to the Powers it was deep enough for him to submerge in.
"This way, to water!"
He called back, hoping to get the message to those he accidentally shared his peril with.

Mathlyn Mordacht Bruk Hieronymus Pangloss