Open Chronicles Forest of Teeth and Claws

[Valerian]

The quicksilver moonlight casted against the low-laying marsh, reflecting off of it’s pale blue-green body of still water. Lily pads and lake weed dotted along the edge as insectual organisms perched amongst the lush vegetation. Dragonflies with dew dotted wings envied the fireflies that surrounded the place with their glowing light. From beneath the moonlight’s luminous glow, large white feathers bristled as a creature stretched it’s wings, before both the creature and it’s wings disappeared back into the darkness.

A hushed silence continued to creep by as dawn threatened to break through the surface. Golden light peaked from the tree branches and chased both the moon and stars from the sky. Reaching out like overextended claws as the sun racked over the vivid greenery. Following the whispers of morning, was an awful shriek that broke through the silence. Birds took flight as the inhuman scream frightened them from their nests. Then a bellow sounded as there was a thud of something collapsing like dead-weight.

A beast taking it’s last breath before falling into a never-waking slumber.

The hollow sound of snapping twigs came from a distance as a young woman stepped from the overgrowth. Her bronze hair matched the waking dusk that still continued to rise, with smooth skin that matched the paleness of the moonlight from the night before. She looked like an ordinary elf, lost in both time and area. The woman bore a white gown with a breastplate that was loosely strapped around her small figure, almost as if she had recently been within slumber before being disturbed by something monstrous. Which was exactly what had happened.

At her waist hung a claymore with etchings placed within it’s form. The woman’s movements was almost lazy-like as she leaned her shoulder against one of the trees. Her right hand was painted with crimson gore from the beast that was recently slain. Little was she aware. . . that the beast was only an adolescence of what roamed.

Garrod Arlette ​

 

[Raisanu]

Just past the Spine was the Ixchel Wild, but the marshlands on the other side had their own unpleasant character. Bloodsucking insects, the rustling leaves that gave away animals scurrying in the undergrowth, and the shrill calls of creatures in the night were just things Raisanu had to get used to as she trekked into untamed lands. Most of Epressa and Liadain were far less hostile environments than Malakath; that was one small comfort.

Her ears stood straight up and her eyes snapped open the instant a twig crack. Draped across a thick tree branch as one of the big cats part of her form resembled, Raisanu reached a clawed hand out to climb across the branches, and when she found one too far for her to cross by simply reaching out, she braced her paws against the wood and leapt, wings flying open to carry her over. While her leather armor made no noise as she moved, the flapping of large wings, the creaking branches, and the rustling leaves were evidence of something else moving in the darkness.

The elf-like being stuck out like a sore thumb in the darkness; the stark white gown gave her away easily. Even with her relatively poor sense of smell, the coppery scent of spilled blood assaulted the hunter’s nostrils. Raisanu peered down at the elf from her perch, hunched and talons ready to draw her spear at a moment’s notice.

“Not every day you see someone wandering around in these woods,” she chirped. “Beauty sleep interrupted? What poor creature made the mistake of attacking you?” She pointed a talon at the blood and gore strewn about the ground and spattered on nearby plants.

 

[Garrod Arlette]

Altomar - Dwarven Settlement near Belgrath ​

Garrod stood before a bounty board marked by sigil of the Noct Yaegirs, his breath clouding about his lips as the frigid mountain air nipped at his skin, and his lone eye read over the postings.

Wyvern roost - Better left to a party, he thought.

Shapeshifter spotted in the lord's manor - Likely a lover sneaking in through the night, or a rogue worth their salt.

Rogue displacer beast slaughtering livestock and ambushing travelers, Near Ixchel wilds - Now, that was more his speed.

The hunter pulled tight the hood of his cloak, and looked toward the peak upon which Belgrath and its stone did reside. Best to get moving.

---

A village near the Ixchel Wilds, East of Belgrath ​

Down in the wilds, the climate was much warmer. Pesteringly so, as the air was thick with mosquitos and blood suckers of every sort. Made his usual gambeson and plate armor more a detriment. It was a good thing Noct Yaegir holds could be found near most portal stones.

The resident Keeper, a mustachioed man by the name of Ehren, gave Garrod a tired look. "Off on a hunt?"

Garrod smirked. "Kind of the whole reason for being here, isn't it?" he asked.

The Keeper shrugged. "Never quite know really,"

Garrod slid his armor across the counter. "Suppose you are right," then came a silver coin, stamped with the strange fire of their combine, the keeper swiped up the coin, took the armor and slid back a lighter set of interlinking plates. Less metal, more flexibility, and sat well over lightly padded linens. "Pre-painted and everything, huh?" he said, impressed.

Ehren smirked. "You be careful out there, Yaegir," he gave Garrod a nod as he shuffled away, cuirass and armored skirt clinking against the chainmail shirt. "Your gear will be here when you make it back," he assured.

"Thanks," Garrod replied, and went off.

---

In the wilds​

Odd, choice, Garrod, Odd choice indeed. Belephus, the demon within the jewel of his gauntlet hissed. His tone mocking, almost playful. To work alone in such a place.

"Well... you do work for some things," he muttered beneath his breath, setting low to check a set of tracks his eye saw pressed into the soft earth.

Sounds broke ahead, branches, battle. The yowl of a creature and the crack of wood.

Garrod's eye drew up, wide and at alert, his hand slipped to the hilt of his greatsword, slung across his back. He crept forward, saw in the clearing a dead displacer beast. Little more than a juvenile from the size of its tentacles, a voice came from above, Garrod looked up, saw a grifarri person perched upon a branch. Hostile?

"Hail!" he cried out from the shrubbery, and emerged with his palms up in show of peace. "On the hunt, I see," he started, his eye drifting between the two winged beings. "Could be, we hunt the same game?" he proposed. "Strange displacer beast, more rabid and dangerous than... well," he jerked his head down toward the killed one. "Your typical game," though it wasn't a good sign to see one so young on the trail of one so dangerous. "Names Garrod," he added. "Monster hunter, on the trail of a bounty for the Noct Yaegirs," sometimes, getting straight to the chase had its benefits.

Valerian Raisanu

 

[Valerian]

The Elf stiffened from where she stood, as the winged beast glided down from the branch. Her fire-dust eyes raked over its body of feathers and talons, realizing with astonishment that the beast was a Griffari.

Still. . . the Elf proceeded with a caution stance. The cool bark bit into the bare palm of her hands as she continued to hover against the side of the tree. "Indeed, not the best time for any creature who dares make a meal of me." Valerian responded to the Griffari, her eyes taking a brief moment to scan her surroundings. "What of you? Any specifics that would bring a Griffari within my path?" Her tone was laced with curiosity and lacked any sort of hostility towards the winged beast.

As Valerian waited to see how the Griffari would answer, she knelt down towards the edge of one of the marshes. The water was nippy, but worked well enough to erase some of the gore from her skin.

Not only was the wilds preoccupied with a winged Elf and a Griffari, but also by a human who lusted for the hunt. Valerian's eyes suddenly shifted to the side as a voice cried out a word that commanded their attention. She paused her shabby attempt to wash away the crimson as the mortal man emerged into their view.

A part of her was thankful for taking the time to equip her breastplate, which was enough to glamor the wings from her back. "The hunt wasn't intentional, in honest speaking. . " her eyes glanced down at the lifeless beast, before returning her gaze to the mortal. Her expression wasn't exactly soft, for reasons left unuttered. "Garrod is it? If we are exchanging names, then you may know me as Valerian." Then she rose from the water's edge, wondering to herself whether the Griffari would express her name as well.

"What are the details of the bounty you speak of?" She questioned the mortal to see if it would peak her interest.

​

 

[Raisanu]

Raisanu’s ears pricked as another stranger made himself known, but relaxed at his gesture and introduction. The young hunter noted that he had no ranged weapons that she could see, and she was still on her perch above, so she at least held that advantage. She nodded and listened intently.

“I’m Raisanu,” she introduced herself. “Looks like me and Garrod here are after the same game.” She narrowed her eyes as she stared down at the mangled corpse of the younger beast.

“Hefty bag of coin for killing it and bringing back proof. I’d guess that one you just killed may be one of its young. Guess that explains its behavior, at least in part. So, we’ve got an especially dangerous beast on our hands.” Her feline tail lashed in agitation, and her claws dug into the branch.

“Like he said.” Raisanu inclined her head toward Garrod. The griffari shifted uneasily on her branch. With their quarry being a catlike creature, even she wasn’t entirely safe in the canopy. The best she could hope for was that it slowed the beast down some. Creaking branches and the scratch of claws against bark were all the warning she needed.

 

[Garrod Arlette]

Garrod nodded in agreement with the grifarri, still perched and at advantage on the branch. Part of him did not like that bit so much, be it out of a felt threat, or a jealousy of the tactical foresight it displayed, he wasn't quite sure.

"Its as Raisanu says, Valerian," he spoke with some formality, his well traveled ears sensing some of the haughtiness common to the longer lived races of the world. An elf then? "The beast is rabid, and has left a trail of death down along the spine and into these wilds," he eyed the slayed displacer beast. "Why that is, we don't know yet," he smirked, and let his hands slowly fall down to his side. "Could be a mutant, could be afflicted by a curse, or the will of a mad spirit," he looked to Raisanu first, then Valerian again. "Rewards hefty enough for a three way split,"

He approached the armored woman slowly, never quiet taking his eye off her as he did, until he grew strides away from the downed displacer beast. He gestured towards it with a jut of his chin. "Mind if I uh, carve up your kill?" he asked, his eye already studying the lines of its muscles and joints. The best points to stick his knife in. He scrunched up his brow, saw the strange glisten of something along the branches of its tentacle spines. "Odd," he said and crouched down, reached out with his gauntleted hand and prodded the mysterious growth. "That's... not normal,"

Raisanu Valerian