Rhiallis: The Next Village

      Today’s snippet, titled “The Next Village”, is a piece I wrote about my PC in Mark’s new (Good) Pathfinder Campaign.
      Be forewarned, there may be mature themes and naughty language below.
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      “She wants to get to the next village,” Rhiallis said, pressing her fingers to her temples in amazement. “What the actual fuck?”
      Her friends chuckled. The butterfly-winged woman’s answer had been the most puzzling, but to be fair, several of the applicants had had less than stellar responses to the questions the Valorous Order put to them during the interview process.
      “There’s not much to debate though, is there?” Sadie pushed her hair behind her ear as she spoke. The mug of ale before her was disappearing quickly and Rhiallis could tell the halfling was itchy to get out of the rented chamber and back to whatever filled her nights here in Kenebres.
      “Not really. I think we’re all in agreement.”
      “Yeah.”
      Zeke frowned, tossing his beautiful golden hair. “You’re right, of course, but are you sure we shouldn’t give Priya a chance? She was so-”
      Sadie interrupted. “Naive?”
      “Adorable.”
      “That’s hardly a good reason to take her deep into the ‘Wound. In fact, it really is a very good reason to leave her here. She is not really ready to venture into that kind of danger. Perhaps one day – but not this one. Yuki is the only real choice.”
      “Yeah,” Sadie said again. “We can’t take either of the men and we definitely can’t take Priya, even if she was cute. Yuki has my vote. And she did say she’d make that ring for me, too.”
      Rhiallis nodded. They had conducted four in-depth interviews after reviewing what seemed like countless applications by lesser mages. A human man with sorcerous powers, Renaldo; an elven girl with blue-black hair and butterfly wings, Priya; a second human man, Lando, who floated into the interview on an enchanted chair and whom no one was convinced could walk on his own two feet; and their unanimous selection, a human female from Tian-Min, with the characteristic slanted eyes and a cascade of white-silver hair that reached her waist. She hated herself for being so shallow, but had immediately dismissed Lando, despite his obvious experience and power, simply because she could not believe a man of such girth and apparent laziness was capable of surviving extended periods in the Worldwound. Renaldo was handsome and charming and frankly, if it were not for James’ love waiting for her back in Drezen, she might have flirted shamelessly with him and taken him for a relaxing no-strings-attached tumble. But he did not work magic upon objects and could not provide any enchanting services at all – something the Valorous Order had much need of these days. He too, had found himself summarily crossed off the list.
      That left Priya, whose bubbly spirit was undeniably infectious but seemed too young, naive, and unfocused to suit their needs; and Yuki, who instantly charmed Rhiallis with her superficial resemblance to Kumiko (and their other new recruit – Hikaru), but who was well-spoken, willing to negotiate on the creation of enchanted items within reason, and knowledgeable about the dangers they faced traversing the ‘Wound. The choice was clear, the decision almost instantaneous.
      Yuki would be the fifth member of the Valorous Order.

– – – – – – – – – – –
Signed, Josie
Note: Image is “King Jagiello Statue Central” by (Mulligand) from SXC.hu; edited by me

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