A Very Savage Species IC

[Soliloquy]

A Very Savage Species (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16367141)

You two meet each other on the road.

Lucia sees what appears to be an enormous man made wearing armor covering his entire body. You cannot devise the purpose of some parts of the armor, such as the strange contraption on his shoulder, but you notice that he seems to carry a halberd. Could he be one of those knights you have heard so much about?

Tarnemus sees what is quite possibly the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Only the longsword at her side and her blood red wings suggest that she is more than meets the eye.

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia gives a polite smile to the armored wanderer and waves a hand in greeting. "Hail to you, fellow traveler."

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus eyes the winged woman approaching him with curiosity.

"To you as well, ma'am." He hesitates for a second before continuing to speak, "I can see that you can handle yourself, but these roads are dangerous. Where are you headed? Perhaps we might both benefit from an extra set of eyes watching our backs."

[Batpope Scott]

"I was just headed to the next city on the road. I don't have a direction at the moment." Lucia shrugs and smiles before adding "But don't worry yourself none, this girl can handle herself. Only way I'd be safer is if a big warrior-guy came along, but I don't think you'd be very interested, hon."

[Harbinger]

"You're heading to the city? I know where it is, if you don't have a direction, I can show you there." He stops and thinks for a second, then looks puzzled. "And wait, why wouldn't I be interested?"

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia flexes her wings for emphasis before saying "Most men tend to avoid me because of the red wings. Fairly reminiscent of a certain devil creature."

She grins widely as she continues. "But not you, huh? Big guy like you isn't scared of little ol' me."

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus nods sympathetically. "I can't judge you for looking a bit out of the ordinary. I mean, look at me." He hesitates again for a second. "Just so long as you aren't a devil. Which you clearly aren't ...right?"

[Batpope Scott]

"Oh no, I'm not a devil at all. Well, kinda, since I look like one, but I'm not a real devil girl." she pauses, but tries to divert the conversation a bit by asking "And what's wrong with you? I can't see you through your armor."

[Harbinger]

"Armor? I'm not wearing any armor. This is my body. It's... it's quite a story."

[Batpope Scott]

It takes a Lucia a second to react, though the response is a little lackluster. "...OH, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to... I mean..." She takes a moment to clear her throat before continuing. "At least you're one hunk of a metal man?"

[Harbinger]

"It's fine, I'm not offended or anything. It's an easy mistake to make. And, uh, thanks." He coughs awkwardly. "So, if you aren't a devil, what exactly are you?"

[Batpope Scott]

"Human. Supposedly, anyway. I'm not entirely sure if I still am or why I look like this, but I was a normal little girl at some point."

[Harbinger]

Ternemus pauses, mulling this over. "How peculiar. We seem to have had the same sort of experience. I was human as well, not long ago, though I don't know the cause of this transformation any more than you do. Perhaps we aren't the only ones this has happened to?"

[Batpope Scott]

"That would be... hectic I suppose." Lucia looks to be deep in thought for a moment before grinning and throwing her arms out to either side "What if there was a guy who turned into a dragon? He'd be huge~!"

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus laughs at the thought. "That would sure be something to see. Hey, I just realized I've been talking to you for twenty minutes and I haven't even got your name. Mine's Tarnemus."

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia gives an attempt at a curtsy and a disarming smile as she introduces herself. "Lucia. Pleasure to meet you, Tarnemus."

[Harbinger]

"The pleasure is all mine, Lucia," he says, smiling warmly at her. He looks at her for a second, as if choosing his next words carefully. "I believe that we should travel together. I would like to find out the source of our mutual condition, and if there are others, and I'm sure you'd like the same. Besides, I'm not going anywhere in particular, I might as well come with you. Unless of course you have some strong objection."

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia puts a hand on her chin for a mock thinking pose "Hm, let's see... I could have a companion for my travels who's not only okay with my odd appearance, he's going to try and help me figure it out or I can wander around aimlessly scaring people for fun." She taps her chin with her forefinger as she grins widely "Such tough decisions I have to make."

[Harbinger]

"Well, I don't see why you'd want to scare people for fun but if that's your choice-" Something dawns on Tarnemus, and he looks sheepish. "Oh. You were being sarcastic. I see now. So that's it then. We're a party of two."

[Batpope Scott]

"Don't worry, hon, you'll get used to me quickly, I'm sure." Lucia stretches her wings some before stating "Now, onto the next bit. I would like to say that I have no idea where the next city is, since nobody I've met would give me directions."

[Harbinger]

"You're in luck. I happen to know that the closest city to us is a few hours walk that way." He points north, down a small dirt path leading through a wooded area. "We should be able to make it there before sundown if we move fast and leave now." Tarnemus turns and begins to walk in the direction he indicated, gesturing for Lucia to follow.

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia skips a bit behind him, coming to walk beside him on the road. "It's going to be nice having someone to stand guard while I sleep. Saying it's stressful when you have to trust your hiding place for your protection is an understatement. I even had some jerk tell me I snore! I couldn't sleep outside for a week!"

The girl has obviously given up her act of playful indecision and has taken to excited ranting. Her smile is ever-present and the rapidity of her speech makes her seem more childish than anything.

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus is slightly taken aback by the sudden and rapid change in Lucia's speech patterns. "I'm glad you're happy. I'll be glad to have someone to talk to. The last time I had a real conversation like this was..."

He trails off, staring forlornly into the distance.

"...it was... a while ago, to say the least."

[Batpope Scott]

"I wonder why? I mean, I thought you were a guy in armor, so you shouldn't be anymore off-putting than your average warrior. You seem like a nice guy, too."

[Harbinger]

"It's not so much that no one wanted to talk. It was more like I wasn't around anyone who was capable. I was wandering around in the woods for weeks before I met you. Maybe months, I didn't really have a way to measure how long it was." He sighs. "Wasted time. But it doesn't matter anymore."

[Batpope Scott]

"Ah, you see I had the opposite problem. I found people everywhere, but you're one of five I can count that were willing to talk to me. Three of those only did so to try and order me back into the Hells and the last thought I was going to eat her." Lucia laughs with her musical voice, smirking at the thought "She wasn't even tasty!"

[Harbinger]

"Yes, I imagine people would react with hostility when confronted with what they believed to be a devil. It seems like a rather rude thing to assume, though. I mean, there's strange people with wings running around everywhere, wizards and arcanists and the like, and no one assumes they're devils. Not that you're strange." He adds quickly.

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia looks up at Tarnemus with her best attempt at puppy eyes, asking "What, am I not weird enough for you?"

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus looks down at her with confusion. "No, I meant- Is weird a desirable quality? Did I offend you? I'm sorry."

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia giggles at the backpedal and states "It's alright, hon, I'm just pulling your strings. You don't have to worry about offending me, I'm a tough girl."

[Harbinger]

"Oh, alright, good." Tarnemus laughs. "If that's the case, I guess you are a little weird."

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia holds her wings over herself as she answers. "Proud of it, too. These stupid things are just so darned fluffy!"

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus stares curiously at Lucia's wings. "Do they work? The wings, I mean. Like, can you actually fly?"

[Batpope Scott]

"Mhm. 'Course they do." She skips ahead and hops into the air, allowing her wings to lift her off the ground momentarily before she lets herself fall. "I'd give more demonstration, but I get really distracted by being in the air. It's really fun."

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus watches enviously. "I would think so. I wish I could fly. Being ten feet tall and made of metal has its perks, I know but wings just seem like a really great thing to have."

[Batpope Scott]

"Yeah, they're pretty good at keeping me warm, too. OH! Speaking of that, do you get warm and cold weird? I'd think being made of metal would change that some."

[Harbinger]

"It's... different. I still feel warmth and cold, but they don't bother me anymore. I would feel the same in a desert as in a snowstorm, if that makes sense."

[Batpope Scott]

"Like you know when you're supposed to be cold but it doesn't really phase you?" Lucia is looking at him curiously, as if inspection is going to reveal a great secret.

[Harbinger]

"Pretty much, yeah. In fact, the hotter it is, the better I feel. I remember a few weeks ago I found myself in the middle of a forest fire, and this big flaming tree fell on my leg. It actually hit hard enough to crack the metal, but the fire sealed in right up again in a few minutes."

[Soliloquy]

After continuing your chit-chat for a while you begin to approach the city. You remember that despite your successes with each other, you might not have as much luck with the populous.

[Batpope Scott]

"You know, I'm a little worried for you on this one. I can escape angry farmers pretty easy since, you know, I can fly, but you'd have to fight and..." Lucia's voice trails, though it's pretty clear what she wants to say. She coughs a little bit before asking "Are we sure we want to go in?"

[Harbinger]

"Angry farmers with pitchforks cannot harm me. They could never get through my plating. There will be no need for bloodshed on either side. If they attack us, you fly away and I'll meet you outside the city. But we should come up with something to tell them to ease their suspicions."

Tarnemus sits on this, thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you are a magic user of some kind, explaining the wings, and I am your construct?"

[Batpope Scott]

"That might work if they stop to ask questions. Well, I think we'll be fine so let's give it a shot." Lucia shrugs as she walks on towards the city.

[Harbinger]

"It's not like we really have any other options." says Tarnemus, following her.

[Soliloquy]

As you enter the town, the populous stares at you wide-eyed. A few of them run off.

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus tries his best to look friendly and nonthreatening, walking casually through the streets and waving merrily at the terrified citizens.

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia awkwardly smiles at the gawking townsfolk as she tries to find a guard or town crier; she came to the city for information, after all.

[Soliloquy]

Lucia's attempt was not so helpful, but Tarnemus succeeds, and looks so unbelievably goofy, the townsfolk do not feel as threatened. Lucia fails to find a town crier, but does find a guard. He is escorting the mayor towards them.

[Batpope Scott]

Lucia visibly deflates upon realizing who happens to be walking towards the pair. "Oh. We seem to have made a commotion here."

[Harbinger]

Tarnemus spots the mayor coming towards him. He raises a massive metal hand in a gesture of greeting.

"Good day to you, sir." Tarnemus says, nervously.

[Tiny]

In the crowd a single figure stands apart by attempting to not stand apart at all. The figure is wearing a huge cloak that flows all the way to the ground and its head is covered in a equally large hood adorned with two pairs of antlers. Possibly from a deer of some kind. Its features are well hidden by the confines of the hood. "These two are brave indeed to waltz right in looking like that.." The figure whispered. "Bha! They are pretty enough to avoid the pyre unlike us." a second voice echoes. "We do have a point!" the first whispers back. "Perhaps we could approach them later if the crowd does not turn on them?" Whispered the gentler of the two. "We are to quick to draw conclusions and to trust these strangers." The second one scolded. "We know not their intent." it reprimanded. "But we are tired of only talking only to ourselves, we would seek companions that know the judging stares and mistrust of the crowd." The first one pleaded in hushed tones."Are we not good enough for us now?! Ungrateful we are!" The second scoffed. "We are as strange to the pretty ones as they are to this crowd. We can not forget that."