Post by Amanita Vernia on Feb 20, 2005 17:18:43 GMT -5
The Mask accepts an invitation to explore Schendi
Moonlight made the already white robes of the merchant illuminate as she walked along the stone pathway of the garden. Enclosed by the rest of the house keeping the precious gazebo closed off from strangers, a private sanctuary, though most of the flowers had died and weeds took over their beds. Amanita had not yet found hers, though most in the house were sleeping soundly by this time. Only a single guard rested at the front gates, one of the dozen or so men hired by Arculeius after an incident that nearly cost the merchant her life. She didn't like the idea of so many strangers guarding a decaying house, it made people suspicious, made her even more nervious, but after two months the house was slowly beginning to look as it once had. The outside still covered by a green moss, the pale cobble stone hardly seen and the vines climbing up the gates blocked half of the house from view, this she didn't mind. Inside, however, the revitalization could be seen in the polished floors and freshly hung curtains that welcomed one into the main room. One by one the rooms upstairs had been given the same make-over by rented slaves, but Amanita worked on her own room... and her next project would be the garden.
'Gifts' were not something he often received, to say the least. Though he was hardly going to send away the beauty that was coiled within the wicker basket. Along with it a note he had regarded for a while. It was about time for the boy to be returning home; one of his little experiments. He was around twenty five now, a large change from the fifteen years of age he held when the Mask sent him away. Eventually meager things were packed up and plenty of coin was taken with him as well as some of his more personal belongings. The trip was made easily enough. Tarnback carried him from Ar to the lush jungle city, where it was stationed and sold. He didn't need the animal, and if he wanted another one, all he would have to do is purchase it. Procuring a riding lizard, he traveled the rest of the way by food. As it were. It was a good thing that cotton breathed, or else the waves of black would have stifled him. Only the faintest sound of thudding, clawed feet gave away his presence within the dark. Masked still, it was hard to tell him from the background. There was usually the bit of white skin around the eyeholes, but the flesh there was blackened, to help him blend better. It was a habit more than necessity. Without bothering to get off of the ill tempered lizard, he approached the gates, looking over the building slowly before dropping the cool azure gaze upon the lone soul there.
The lone askari stood alert, but that did not mean he wasn't disturbed by the man swathed in black approaching. His grip tightened around the wooden spear in his right hand, his back straightened as he waited for whatever message the man had. Amanita did send and invitation to the Arian, remembering her visit to his home and the collection he had.. one more reptile to add to his collection, but she didn't really expect him to come. The poor man at the gates had not been warned, though it took a man with a strong back bone to stand at the gates of a house that was said to be haunted. Abandoned for nearly a decade, the house still stood, stories of it's previous owners misfortune. While Amanita continued to circle the garden, the guard cleared the lump from his throat and readied for the worse case scenario.
Tipping his head in a decidedly animalistic like manner, he regarded the man directly, his gaze sliding over him slowly before canting to the manor again. Hissing irritably, the lizard pranced slightly upon its clawed feet, and one short forearm lifted to rake along the side of its leathery snout. He gave a tug upon the reins, then tapped the riding stick along the side of its neck, leading the beast closer to the gates, as well as the guard. "Amanita is expecting me," well, she probably wasn't, but that didn't matter to Xzavier. "Shall I remain out here in this humid heat -- which I might say is doing absolutely nothing for my skin -- or shall I be invited inside?" Though the man couldn't see a brow being lifted, it was there within the casual tone. He kept giving a gentled tap of the lance, irking the animal further, who happened to have its slitted gaze settled upon the guard, as if ready to attack at any given moment.
Why he was the beast's decided lunch meat instead of the masked man tapping at him with a stick, was unknown, but rather than slink back and show his fear, the young, dark complexioned man, stood his ground. What he also did not expect was the complaint about his skin, maybe a growl or threat to do horrible things, but the guard was thrown off guard by the man's words. He stuttered at first, trying to pick out his own, then with a look back at the house before he pulled his spear back to a resting stance. "It is late for a visit. I will need to verify this with the Lady of the House, meaning you will have to wait here." Another clearing of his throat showed that he was still uncomfortable, but as long as the man, or his tharlarion, made no attempts to get past him. "Who do I tell her is at the gates?" He waited for the answer before stepping back and moved towards the house.
He.. was making him wait out here? Surely he must be kidding. His eyes narrowed slightly and he regarded the man for an extremely long time in complete silence. There was no need for him to attempt intimidation, the way he acted tended to make people leery. Xzavier was not like your normal person. What would you expect from someone that was often called mad? For a moment there it almost seemed as if he was either going to let the lizard loose on him -- which that tapping was a signal of pending attack more than just pestering the animal -- or he was going to begin doing the whole growling-demanding thing. Truth be told, the Sin's Patron did think about darting him, just to saunter on by while he had an impromptu sleep. "Very well," he finally said and glanced away toward the grounds as if he lost interest. Slowly he looked over the area, taking in every nuiance that he could, sitting so still that he might have been lost against the backdrop of night if it wasn't for the olive green of the tharlarion.
Now this was a dilemma, the guard could see that the man didn't like being made to wait, but he wasn't helping move things along either as he seemed to be forgetting about the guard's question. His throat cleared for the third time as he stepped closer this time. "Your name?" Spoken loud and clear as he waited for the man's answer. Being from the jungle region, he had not seen a black mask before, once a Tuchuck, but she was a slave. Golden ring through her nose and strong pair of thighs was all the guard could recall. He was careful not to make any sudden movements that might cause the lizard creature to react, but he did keep a firm hold of his spear, in front of him, just in case
"Mm?" Lifting a brow he turned his head and looked down at the man with mild -- but feigned -- surprise. "You are still here? Oh, yes. Right. My name. Xzavier. I am sure she remembers it. We became quite close, you see. But you do not care for such things, do you? But do be sure to mention Sin, yes? She might know more than one Xzavier, though I doubt it." House Sin. It was in Schendi that the house originated, then made their travel toward the north until stopping their progression in Ar as well as Cos and Koroba. The family had to scatter. Too many ill bred and idiot family members causing too many problems. Wasn't often families were hunted down. "Now shoo."
Moonlight made the already white robes of the merchant illuminate as she walked along the stone pathway of the garden. Enclosed by the rest of the house keeping the precious gazebo closed off from strangers, a private sanctuary, though most of the flowers had died and weeds took over their beds. Amanita had not yet found hers, though most in the house were sleeping soundly by this time. Only a single guard rested at the front gates, one of the dozen or so men hired by Arculeius after an incident that nearly cost the merchant her life. She didn't like the idea of so many strangers guarding a decaying house, it made people suspicious, made her even more nervious, but after two months the house was slowly beginning to look as it once had. The outside still covered by a green moss, the pale cobble stone hardly seen and the vines climbing up the gates blocked half of the house from view, this she didn't mind. Inside, however, the revitalization could be seen in the polished floors and freshly hung curtains that welcomed one into the main room. One by one the rooms upstairs had been given the same make-over by rented slaves, but Amanita worked on her own room... and her next project would be the garden.
'Gifts' were not something he often received, to say the least. Though he was hardly going to send away the beauty that was coiled within the wicker basket. Along with it a note he had regarded for a while. It was about time for the boy to be returning home; one of his little experiments. He was around twenty five now, a large change from the fifteen years of age he held when the Mask sent him away. Eventually meager things were packed up and plenty of coin was taken with him as well as some of his more personal belongings. The trip was made easily enough. Tarnback carried him from Ar to the lush jungle city, where it was stationed and sold. He didn't need the animal, and if he wanted another one, all he would have to do is purchase it. Procuring a riding lizard, he traveled the rest of the way by food. As it were. It was a good thing that cotton breathed, or else the waves of black would have stifled him. Only the faintest sound of thudding, clawed feet gave away his presence within the dark. Masked still, it was hard to tell him from the background. There was usually the bit of white skin around the eyeholes, but the flesh there was blackened, to help him blend better. It was a habit more than necessity. Without bothering to get off of the ill tempered lizard, he approached the gates, looking over the building slowly before dropping the cool azure gaze upon the lone soul there.
The lone askari stood alert, but that did not mean he wasn't disturbed by the man swathed in black approaching. His grip tightened around the wooden spear in his right hand, his back straightened as he waited for whatever message the man had. Amanita did send and invitation to the Arian, remembering her visit to his home and the collection he had.. one more reptile to add to his collection, but she didn't really expect him to come. The poor man at the gates had not been warned, though it took a man with a strong back bone to stand at the gates of a house that was said to be haunted. Abandoned for nearly a decade, the house still stood, stories of it's previous owners misfortune. While Amanita continued to circle the garden, the guard cleared the lump from his throat and readied for the worse case scenario.
Tipping his head in a decidedly animalistic like manner, he regarded the man directly, his gaze sliding over him slowly before canting to the manor again. Hissing irritably, the lizard pranced slightly upon its clawed feet, and one short forearm lifted to rake along the side of its leathery snout. He gave a tug upon the reins, then tapped the riding stick along the side of its neck, leading the beast closer to the gates, as well as the guard. "Amanita is expecting me," well, she probably wasn't, but that didn't matter to Xzavier. "Shall I remain out here in this humid heat -- which I might say is doing absolutely nothing for my skin -- or shall I be invited inside?" Though the man couldn't see a brow being lifted, it was there within the casual tone. He kept giving a gentled tap of the lance, irking the animal further, who happened to have its slitted gaze settled upon the guard, as if ready to attack at any given moment.
Why he was the beast's decided lunch meat instead of the masked man tapping at him with a stick, was unknown, but rather than slink back and show his fear, the young, dark complexioned man, stood his ground. What he also did not expect was the complaint about his skin, maybe a growl or threat to do horrible things, but the guard was thrown off guard by the man's words. He stuttered at first, trying to pick out his own, then with a look back at the house before he pulled his spear back to a resting stance. "It is late for a visit. I will need to verify this with the Lady of the House, meaning you will have to wait here." Another clearing of his throat showed that he was still uncomfortable, but as long as the man, or his tharlarion, made no attempts to get past him. "Who do I tell her is at the gates?" He waited for the answer before stepping back and moved towards the house.
He.. was making him wait out here? Surely he must be kidding. His eyes narrowed slightly and he regarded the man for an extremely long time in complete silence. There was no need for him to attempt intimidation, the way he acted tended to make people leery. Xzavier was not like your normal person. What would you expect from someone that was often called mad? For a moment there it almost seemed as if he was either going to let the lizard loose on him -- which that tapping was a signal of pending attack more than just pestering the animal -- or he was going to begin doing the whole growling-demanding thing. Truth be told, the Sin's Patron did think about darting him, just to saunter on by while he had an impromptu sleep. "Very well," he finally said and glanced away toward the grounds as if he lost interest. Slowly he looked over the area, taking in every nuiance that he could, sitting so still that he might have been lost against the backdrop of night if it wasn't for the olive green of the tharlarion.
Now this was a dilemma, the guard could see that the man didn't like being made to wait, but he wasn't helping move things along either as he seemed to be forgetting about the guard's question. His throat cleared for the third time as he stepped closer this time. "Your name?" Spoken loud and clear as he waited for the man's answer. Being from the jungle region, he had not seen a black mask before, once a Tuchuck, but she was a slave. Golden ring through her nose and strong pair of thighs was all the guard could recall. He was careful not to make any sudden movements that might cause the lizard creature to react, but he did keep a firm hold of his spear, in front of him, just in case
"Mm?" Lifting a brow he turned his head and looked down at the man with mild -- but feigned -- surprise. "You are still here? Oh, yes. Right. My name. Xzavier. I am sure she remembers it. We became quite close, you see. But you do not care for such things, do you? But do be sure to mention Sin, yes? She might know more than one Xzavier, though I doubt it." House Sin. It was in Schendi that the house originated, then made their travel toward the north until stopping their progression in Ar as well as Cos and Koroba. The family had to scatter. Too many ill bred and idiot family members causing too many problems. Wasn't often families were hunted down. "Now shoo."
