Cara meets Kendrac - RPLOG
Participants
Date
9/1/479
Log
Rain falls gently on the empty clearing and its simple stone altar. It is quiet here in the old forest, aside from the steady hiss of the rain.
Cara walks along the wet trail, wearing her jacket across her usual clothing. Sadly, she is soaking wet and she walks up to the altar and checks her possessions. Among them is a small dagger, marked with the initials of her parents. She kneels before the shrine begrudgingly, and places the dagger before the shrine. As the rain pours down, she slowly begins to speak, "I never thought I would have to do this, but I don't really have a choice anymore. Kendrac, i-if you're there, please answer." Her voice trembles for a moment, "I-I have request to ask of you."
"Are you sure, child," comes a feminine voice from beside Cara, and a large umbrella is held up to ward off the rain, "My brother, while he means well, can be harsh soap for cleaning a wound." There, holding the umbrella is a curvaceous fox woman, or possibly a man? It is hard to tell. Either way, they are rather impressively fat and wearing a loose robe. Also notable is the vibrant blue and purple fur that covers the curvy vulpine.
Cara turns to face the feminine voice, and opens her eyes in surprise, "Um." She stays silent for a moment, completely unsure of how to address Shaila, but she stands up on her two feet and bows anyway, "I-I know, but I honestly wouldn't be here if I didn't need his help." She stands back at her full length and faces Shaila with confidence, "I'm aware that what I'm about to do will probably hurt more, but I don't have a choice. I-I'm not sure I can say this, but it involves certain corrupt influences. I have a feeling that I'm getting involved in something that's over my head and I seek both guidance, and if allowed, aid to take on this threat and to hopefully stop it from harming anyone else."
Shaila shakes her head. "I only offer caution, child," Shaila says, "And I counsel patience." She reaches up to caress Cara's face gently. "I could help you, you know," the vulpine spirit says, "I could ease your pain and help you help those who cannot help themselves. My brother's way is not the only way, you know."
Cara feels tempted, and the joy of taking care of others would be helpful. She begins to imagine the possibilities. She could have a life of ease, being in charge of an orphanage and helping others who underwent the same troubles as herself. Cara smiles happily for a moment, and then sighs before looking at the vulpine spirit with firm determination, "I'm afraid I don't have a choice anymore. Innocent people are being kidnapped and I can't let that happen. If I have to accept Kendrac's way in order to do it, then I will."
Shaila sighs. "Very well child," she says kindly, "but remember, my offer stands. Not every warrior fights with a sword." Then she is gone, along with her umbrella and the warm moment of respite.
"I am called and I come," comes a booming voice, back toward the altar. There is a loud, tearing sound and an immense, stag headed being steps from nowhere to stand above the stone altar. Bands and circles of glowing, greenish light swirl across his exposed yellow pelt and clouds of mist puff from his velvety nostrils to rise up through his great antlers. He holds a heavy black staff in his hand with a heavy blade at each end and his gaze lies heavy on Cara.
Cara initially begins to bow, but then, she stops for a moment. Then, she proceeds to slowly rise and look up at Kendrac, although her knees are still shaking slightly. Cara proceeds to take a deep breath, her chest rising and falling, before beginning, "I require your aid in the elimination of corrupt influences in this world. Time and time again, I keep running into their servants and every time, they constantly plague me and everyone else they deal with. Normally, I wouldn't want to get involved in this, but ever since the last incident where." She stops and lowers her head in shame, "One of them managed to sway me to point where I attacked one of teammates, I realized that I couldn't handle this on my own. I could have unintentionally killed innocent people if they had a better grip on me." She slowly begins to walk closer, with fervant desperation in her voice, "I'm sick of them constantly forcing others into their view point and now that I know more about their methods, there isn't a doubt on what I have to do." She kneels down once more and continues, "If I have to live as a weapon to stop them, then so be it."
The great stag nods slowly. "It behooves the strong to defend the weak," he intones in a deep, powerful voice, "You could be a truly powerful weapon in our fight against the machinations of the Corrupt Cou-"
He is interrupted by a loud snort from the opposite side of the clearing where an unusual figure leans against a tree. From the waist up he appears to be a handsome Creator male, but from the waist down he has the shaggy hindquarters of a feral goat. "He does not mean that as a metaphor, Cara," the strange figure says, walking daintily across the clearing, "That is all he thinks of those who call on him. Weapons to fight what he calls Corruption!"
Cara quickly rises to her feet and she turns around for a moment. "Okay, who are you?" She begins to back away for a moment towards Kendrac. "Uh, Sir Kendrac, if that works with you, do you know who this happens to be?" The feline grits her teeth for a moment as she stares at the new arrival, "Normally I wouldn't ask this, but is he a member of the Corrupt Court?"
The new arrival rolls his eyes. "Yes," he moans, "that is what your paragon of virtue there calls us. He divided the court of Spirits. What it really means is Spirits I like and Spirits I don't."
"Begone foul tempter!" bellows Kendrac, brandishing his staff, "By sacred law I banish thee from this place!"
The strange satyr only laughs at the intimidating stag spirit. "Yes, Kendrac," he says, "There are sacred laws and you broke them long ago. I am here to offer the supplicant a choice, according to the ancient traditions." Rage seems to bubble off the form of the warrior stag and he opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by the satyr. "Your sisterbrother does not count, Lawkeeper," he says, "That is just you trying to bend the rules again." He turns his back on Kendrac and looks at Cara with square pupilled eyes. "Your proposed patron is an oaf," he says, "And very rude." He gives a debonaire smile and makes a graceful bow. "I am called Olg'Ish, the weaver of ways."
Cara glares at the satyr almost immediately and a slight grin begins to cross her face, "Spare the pleasantries. I already know what your ilk did earlier and while they may have been able to stop me from finishing off one of your servants, they won't be able to stop me from allying with Kendrac. After all, nothing you can say will make me forgive them for being trafficking." She begins to walk torward the weaver of ways and stops in a fair distance from him. Underneath her jacket, her gauntlets change from their usual red color to white, "You might as well get used to us being enemies since you burned your chance to convince me the instant one of your cultists used mind control."
The satyr looks surprised, and a bit offended. "Trafficking?" he asks, "And what evidence do you have of that? No one was on that boat against his will. It is not up to Spirits how their callers use the power we give. And how can you fault a man for trying to protect his ship and crew. After all," he says, "You did attack without provocation and murdered two innocent sailors. Would you like me to tell you about poor Broderik "Bones" Softpaw and his widow and fatherless child? Was that my doing, Cara?"
Kendrac, fir some reason remains silent through this exchange. There is a sense that he is waiting for something.
Cara glares directly at the satyr and she begins to walk closer, a tear dropping from her left eye, "It was an accident okay and I never meant for it to happen. Also, I didn't know that you were the one who was responsible, but thank you for verifying that." She brings up her fists once more, "Thing is, if you were more responsible with who you gave power to, then this wouldn't have happened to begin with." She begins to walk closer, "So, it's my job to reign them in so that no one else ever has to kill anyone unintentionally. Honestly, if I knew your servant was behind it from the get go, I would have just attacked him instead."
"Behind what, Cara?" Olg'Ish says, not backing down a step, "How can a man be at fault for protecting his ship from brigands. And remember who it was that stopped the fighting. It certainly wasn't you who brought peace to that deck." The satyr shakes his head and nods toward the still fuming, but still silent Kendrac. "Just look at that buffoon," he says, "All he wants to do is get into a brawl. He is a selfish child who started a war a thousand years ago just because he wanted to be king of the sandbox." He turns his attention back to Cara. "You could be a club in his hand, if you like," he says, "I understand that it is easy to be a blind and deaf tool for him to use against those he cannot understand." He smiles in a genuine, friendly way. "Or you could take my path and I can promise you that your thoughts will always be your own," he says, "I would ask only that you use that power to change the world. Make it better in whatever way you see fit. You will never be my tool, I will instead give you the tools you need."
Cara glares at Olg'ish once again, "Get away, Olg'Ish. I have no reason to trust you at all. I've already seen how well Pyrrha responds to criticism, and all I have to go off for you is your own word. You know, I actually didn't understand why a large amount of the Shralestans despised the Old Ones, but now I understand why." From there, she turns her back to Olg'Ish. "You should know from my behavior that I'm not the manipulative type and that's not going to help anyone but myself." The feline proceeds to walk towards Kendrac and politely asks, "If I can, then may I help out in showing this intruder the way out?" Her hands begin to glow for a moment as fire and air mathemagic begin to form. "Just say the word."
Olg'Ish only laughs, a throaty and pleasant sound and waves his hand. "Please," he says, wiping a mirthful tear away, "Save the theatrics. I fear that the two of you are well suited to each other." He turns and starts to walk away into the dark and the rain. "Do say hello to Amos for me," he says, waving without looking over his shoulder, "Tell him I miss our little talks."
As soon as Olg'Ish has vanished from sight, Kendrac snorts and nods. "You have done well to resist the tempter," he says, "Why do you seek my path?"
Cara lets the fire and air mathemagic die down and her gauntlets regain their normal red coloring, "Well, I wanted to stop them from hurting innocent beings. After all, there isn't really any other reason and considering what I know. I thought it would be best to work with you. Plus, I heard that your path would give me the ability to notice the members of the corrupt court. If I know who they are, then I can potentially end their work quickly and put an end to their schemes without accidentally killing innocent beings. I also know that your path would lead to a harder time in tricking me into hurting others as well. What would you like in exchange?"
To say that Kendrac looks uncomfortable would be an overstatement, but he hesitates just an instant before speaking. "I ask nothing of you," he says in his deep, commanding voice, "Only that you stay the course." He looks off into the darkness and raises his voice. "Do you witness?" he calls out.
There is a clank of heavy armor and an enormous figure clad head to toe in black steel worked to resemble the head and plates of a fearsome dragon steps out of the trees. "I witness," comes a hard voice from within the armor and the helm turns fiery red eyes to watch Cara intently.
Kendrac nods at the figure and holds out his staff to Cara. "I bid you to battle!" he says, the words sounding like some kind of invocation, "I offer you strength and guidance. You will be my spear, striking at the corruption, guided by my hands to lay telling blows and bring balance to the world."
Cara rises back to her feet and looks at the staff for a moment, then looks to Kendrac, full of confidence and completely ready. "Thank you, Kendrac." She takes the staff and looks at it for a moment and raises it into the air, "From this day forth, I, Cara Flameclaw, promise to seek out all disciples of the Corrupt Court and prevent them from harming anyone else with the powers granted to them!"
Half of Kendrac's staff snaps off in Cara's hand, leaving her holding a forearm length baton with a sharp, black blade at one end. Whirls and swirls of greenish light suddenly start to rush down Cara's arm from her hand clutching the spear and swiftly cover her from head to foot until her own skin glows with patterns identical to those of the stag-headed spirit.
"It is done," he intones, "When you call, I will come. And when I call you shall come to me." There is a sound of tearing in the air and the Spirit steps backward and is gone, leaving Cara alone in the rainy darkness once more. Only a little different than when she arrived.
Cara takes a moment to look at herself, "Hmm, well, I'm going to need to find a way to cover myself. I better find myself a cloak to keep the marks hidden." She takes a moment to look at the baton, "I am grateful for the gift and I will treasure it even in death. I better find a suitable sheath in order to hide it as well." From there, she walks back along the trail, and eventually back to civilization.
