Character Journal - Hitori Minamoto

[NeoSeraphi]

Crackle...

The sound of a fire burning. Of flames licking at every corner they can reach. Every scrap of wood, cloth or flesh they can char.

Can't breathe...

The sensation of choking. Suffocation. The air is thick with smoke. There is no air left.

So...hot...

Burning sensations on his chest. His hands. His cheeks. He was on fire.

And then...that laugh.

The man in the black hood. A deep masculine laugh ringing throughout the smoke and over the roar of the fire. A laugh so happy, so eager, like a comedian testing out some new material.

And his parents, dead on the ground before him. The entire house in flames. But all the man before him would do was laugh.

--------------------------------------------

Hitori's eyes snap open. Another dream. This was getting ridiculous. He sits up and wipes the sweat from his brow. These dreams always made him sweat for some reason. His shirt was stained, his pits were wet. It's not like there was an actual fire anywhere near him, but just remembering it was enough to cause this reaction.

The boy stands up in his small little alley corner. He nods firmly to himself. Today is the day. He had been training for this moment for four years now. His body was lithe, smooth, and had the beginnings of some muscle, though he was too malnourished to really develop any significant strength.

He creeps to the back of his alley and brushes away the top of a huge pile of trash. This was his stash, where he kept everything hidden from anyone else on the street. The trash was all paper and iron, no food in sight so not even the most desperate would dive into it. He lifts out a small box and grins to himself, lifting the top.

Inside was a white tunic and a pair of black slacks. He had kept them hidden away for months, just so he would look good for his first day. The tattered rags Hitori was wearing now smelled of sweat, urine and mold, and the sleeves had pieces ripped out of them from when he got so hungry that he needed to chew on something just to set his mind at ease.

The boy changes. The smell isn't really gone, but it's much less distinct. His hair is filthy and there is soot from the streets all over his face, but at least his clothes look nice. He catches a glimpse of himself in the glass window of the shop he sleeps next to and nods with satisfaction. Time to change his life!

Hitori sets out on the streets, whistling to himself as he steps out of the way of anyone oncoming. He knew most of these peoples' faces, but none of their names. Street urchins like him were even less visible to these people than the tieflings. But that's how things were in Cheliax, at least as far as Hitori could tell. Not that it bothered him. He didn't really mind where he was, as long as it was as far away from Varisia as he could get.

This particular city was called 'Kintargo', but again, the young boy really wasn't interested in anything like that. Long live the Imperial Magistrex and all, but what he cared about was joining the Hellknight Order. The Order of the Torrent. Seeing their sharp, pointed, fish-like armor and their heavy tridents made the boy shiver in respect just as much as anyone else, but their commander, Octavian Sabinus, was something else entirely. Hitori had seen the man best a devil in single combat, right out here in the streets!

Hitori was terrified of demons and devils. They were monsters who wielded untold dark magic and brute strength that was no match for any normal man. But he had to fight them. He just had to. It was something he had to prove, to himself and to his late parents.

The Hellknights were very strict, and didn't let just anyone become an armiger. They only held auditions to join their Order once a year, and you had to be at least seventeen to sign up. This year was Hitori's year, and he was ready.

The knight to be looks around the city as he moves through it, on his way to the tryouts.

[3SecondCultist]

The streets of the city are near full to bursting. At the end of the merchant's week, a trio of new ships from the Lost Coast and from the Inner Sea have berthed in the Youbilis Harbor, and as a result the port's trade has been booming for the past couple of days, with barristers and local business owners coming from across Ravounel to make a few extra pounds of gold. Everyone is half-expecting Lord-Mayor Bainilius to throw some sort of festival!

The Order of the Torrent has chosen quite the auspicious time to hold their contest.

It's been harder on somebody roaming the streets to stay hidden with more passers-by than usual, but you've managed. Over your extended stay in the gutters, you have come to know these dark corners well enough to stay out of sight. Your newfound attire, however, is meant to be seen. The fine cotton fabric itches your skin around your neck and shoulders - it's not the kind of obstacle you were expecting to deal with today. But compared to the things you've done and the things you've seen, a little bit of irritation is hardly worth getting flustered about.

Making your way through quiet alley and crowded thoroughfare alike, your path takes you in a gradual northward direction, out towards the fortified peninsula that overlooks the mouth of the Youbilis. The walls and spires of Castle Kintargo loom over the district that currently holds its name, although the day is not so long yet as to cast shadows over the dwellings near the front gate. As you walk, your eyes catch brief glances of the impossibly blue river through the buildings to the north-east. You feel a sudden urge to jump into the water; the wavy heat of mid-Erastus has the entire city in its sway. You've done your best to pace yourself and keep to the cooler shadows, lest you sweat through your fine new clothes, but a dip would be quite satisfying right about now. A pair of armored men on horseback disrupt your idle thoughts, pushing towards the castle gates. The fortress itself isn't usually open, but thankfully for you, that's not where the Order of the Torrent resides.

Passing the marble colonnade of Andos Hall - where the Lord-Mayor herself holds court - you finally see it. Set apart from the high apartments of the civic district, and maintaining a respectable distance from the gargantuan silhouette of the city's central stronghold, the ramparts of Citadel Vaull are nonetheless quite impressive. A low curtain wall separates the compound from street level, complete with a series of regularly placed murder holes and sturdy towers. The famous gates of burnished living steel are engraved with the deeds of lictors past, including famous events such as Lictor Yehl's raid on the headquarters of the Gray Spiders. Right now, this portal stands open, allowing you to see into the dusty courtyard beyond. Or rather, it would, if not for the long line standing in wait.

By the looks of things, you will have more than your fair share of competition for your chance to be an armiger. Many the son and daughter of a merchant or nobleman is here today with their parents' various attendants in tow. Barring that, there are many from Kintargo's middle class, and even other urchin hopefuls such as yourself. A long table has been set up outside the entrance to the citadel, where you can see several armigers and a man in distinct Torrent Hellknight armor sitting and taking names. It could be some time before your name is called, but they don't appear to be taking any fees from contestants, so you should be able to sign up without too much trouble.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori stares in amazement at the breathtaking amount of people in the city streets. Were he a less honorable man, this would be a street urchin's dream. Many a wealthy pocket to be picked in this area, that's for sure, and his trained eyes could see a few young boys already taking advantage.

Hitori's stomach rumbles and he winces. Taking part in this tournament without breakfast was likely a terrible idea, but food needs money, and Hitori doesn't have a whole lot of that laying around.

As he passes by a few of the merchants, he bows politely. "May the Lord of the Vault smile upon your business, gentleman," he offers. Always be polite. Always show deference to your elders. Always acknowledge the faith of others. He had memorized the code of a soldier perfectly, and knew the Asmodean Principles like the back of his hand.

...Okay, fine, they were written on the back of his hand. But no one else needed to know that!

Hitori's eyes reflect a sparkle of blue as he gazes out over the river. The scars on his skin feel even dryer all of a sudden. He shakes his head as some guards walk by on horseback and smiles. "Good morning, serrah. Fine weather today, is it not?" Respect those in authority. Never raise your voice. Never raise your hand. Never raise your head. Stay on the ground, stay meek. "Are you looking forward to the contest today?"

Hitori stands in the line, feeling his stomach rumbling some more. And hearing it, as well. He blushes and tries to play it off, glancing around at the other kids who are all better off and probably have had someone train them to fight instead of just figuring it out. He draws the shortsword he picked up a while back and gives it a few experimental jabs. He's loose enough, but his blade isn't quite sharp.

[3SecondCultist]

As you draw your sword in the midst of the line, several people around you react in shock. A couple step back, and another asks you gruffly to put the sword away 'before you put someone's eye out'. Looking forward, you can see that nobody else in the line appears to be training, but that there are several sparring matches occurring on the courtyard grounds. Whatever practice these would-be-armigers might have, they're clearly waiting to get inside before warming up. Luckily for you, nobody at the table appears to have noticed you yet.

You've watched several matches through the crowd while you wait, and have picked up on what is expected of you. It would appear that the first trial is a basic combat demonstration against one of the armigers. More than most are knocked to the dirt, and all of those leave the gates with dejected expressions. Those who are able to hold their own move on, through the gates into the inner stronghold. From where you stand, you can see the keep of Citadel Vaull as well as the adjacent outbuilding of the Torrent Archives. Supposedly, it contains the grand list of every single person the Order has ever rescued from harm since its foundation.

By the time you get to the front of the line, nearly half an hour has passed. The man in the stylized plate nods at the armiger beside him - a girl not all that much older than you, with deep brown skin, dark wavy hair and intense eyes - to take your name. "Please sign your full name here. This waiver says that you are a consenting and willing participant of our trials, and that we aren't liable for any harm that befalls you during your trial period." Looking down, you can see a legal document bearing the stamp and seal of both the Order of the Torrent and of Cheliax itself. She hands you a pen and a vial of ink.

While you're signing, the Hellknight mutters something in the girl's ear. She seems to perk up at the news, shoving her chair back. "I'm off scribing duty, so I guess that makes me your partner for today!" She affixes you with a small smile that you hope isn't a bad omen of things to come. "I'm Hortense Lierre, by the way."

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori looks down at the document and picks up the pen, quickly scribbling "Hitori Minamoto" onto the sheet of paper.

When the woman exclaims that she's going to be his partner, Hitori winces. He had always been taught not to pick fights with women. Still, this was only a training session, right? And she wasn't exactly scrawny either. As an armiger herself, this Hortense woman probably had a lot of combat experience herself. So he could take things seriously with her and not hurt her.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Hitori replies, translating the sentence from Minkaian into Chelish in his head as he speaks. "My name is Hitori Minamoto. I look forward to learning what you have to teach, senpai." He blinks in realization and then corrects himself. "My apologies, I meant to say 'Miss Lierre'. That term was not rude or anything, 'senpai' is a phrase from my language that we use to refer to mentor figures or upperclassmen."

[3SecondCultist]

The Torrent armiger just chuckles and shakes her head once, as though that were a universal gesture of understanding. Her eyes, more than ever, seem to appraise you. "Don't worry, you're not the first Minkai I've ever encountered." She says little else as the two of you step through the gates and into the citadel.

The interior of the compound is somehow both bigger and smaller than what it looked like from the outside. The walls form a kind of protective cocoon around the yard, utterly enclosing it. You spot several other outbuildings that aren't connected to the main keep or the library, all of which are hidden from view from the street. These include a storehouse, an armory, and what looks suspiciously like a sizeable stable. The yard itself is almost forty meters from side to side, and largely made up of rough dirt that appears almost groomed for combat. The armigers have cleared enough space for three separate sparring matches to occur all at once, and there's a series of risers that have been put in place not too far away so that friends and family can watch the combat trials.

"You won't be needing your sword," Hortense says as one of the current fights comes to an abrupt end. A young man, who can't be that much older than yourself, gets in close under his opponent's guard and handily disarms him. The armiger yields not long after that. Grinning, the contestant meets your eyes with a kind of youthful exuberance.

"We don't use live weapons on you yet," your guide explains. "There's a specially hardened wood from the Ravounel forest that the Torrent uses for our training weapons. They're almost as heavy as the real thing, have a good balance, and aren't about to split open new recruits. You will, of course, be able to keep your weapon, but for now we ask that you use one of these." She points at a well-stocked weapons rack standing not far from you.

"Once you've picked your weapon, come and get ready. We start in a minute." Stepping into the center of the patch of scuffed earth, Hortense draws a wooden longsword and waits.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori watches the fight with interest and then glances at the weapons rack. He nods to himself and picks up a wooden hammer, testing a swing, and shakes his head. It had some power behind it, but that would not win him a fight. Maybe he needed something faster. He selects a dagger and gives it a jab or two. Shaking his head, Hitori determines that this weapon is too small to head against a longsword.

His eyes are drawn to a weapon with a longer blade, but thinner and with no hand guard. Raising his eyebrows, he picks up the blade. "You have katanas as well?" he asks in surprise, holding the weapon in both hands and expertly slicing the air in front of him.

Hitori nods. His father had a ceremonial katana hanging in their old home. No better way for him to restore his honor than with this. He walks to the center of the ring and sheathes the wooden sword on his belt. "Come at me, then," he declares boldly.

[3SecondCultist]

The training space is completely open and devoid of any cover. As you stand under Kintargo's summer sun, you can feel the waves of heat washing over the shore of your skin. This might be perhaps the hottest season you've had while living here. Hortense doesn't seem all that bothered by the heat: she watches your every move unerringly. Her sword is at the ready, but she isn't about to launch the first blow. Instead, she's waiting for you to close the distance. "Well!" she says, her voice raised just a little bit, "aren't you going to attack me?"

The sun isn't the only thing on your back now. You can feel the persistent gazes of a few of the audience members sitting on the risers. A few of them seem quite excited at the prospect of watching Hortense fight, as there are some whispers among them. Her face is clearly known among this group of enthusiasts, and they're obviously looking forward to seeing how you'll fare against her.

Roll for Initiative.

Initiative (Hortense): [roll0]

She's readying an action on her first turn, and will continue to do so until you attack or until a minute has passed.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori watches her carefully. He nods and takes a step forward. Recalling that the last fight ended when one of the men was disarmed, he keeps an she on her stance.

Another step forward. How to solve this issue? If he attacks, she will attack first. He sees her eyes watching him, waiting for a move of some kind. That's it!

Hitori takes another step forward, placing his right hand on the hilt of the sheathed sword. He sees Hortense tense up and charges forward.

While she keeps her eye on the sword, waiting for the right time to strike, Hitori's left fist comes flying out of nowhere, smashing into her cheek.

Can't beat a 22 initiative.

Hitori is going to fake that he's about to draw his weapon and then punch her with his other hand.

Bluff: [roll0]

Charge Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Edit: ****ing dice

[3SecondCultist]

Your feint does not go as planned.

Hortense's eyes narrow, following your hand's progress down to your belt where the katana lies waiting. But in the moments that follow, when you make your move to try and catch her off balance, you find that she is not as foolish as she looks. Her first swing is calculated, a reactionary sweep to try and throw you off balance and give you a few bruises before you're able to close. It clips your legs, and stings like Hell.

By the time your fist connects with her jawbone, you hear a sharp collective intake from all of those who are watching the proceedings. Your punch lands with a resounding *crack*, knocking the armiger's head backwards. She spits up a bit of blood, indicating that she's been cut somewhere inside of her mouth, but it's not a life-threatening injury. When she smiles at you, her teeth are red. She retaliates with a second swing of her wooden blade, to take advantage of the fact that you've overextended yourself for a sucker punch. This attack doesn't work as well, flying wide and missing you completely.

I thought feinting in combat was a standard action if you don't have Improved Feint or some other ability? I assume your feint was a standard, followed up by a full-round charge. So first, she's going to resolve her readied attack against you once you came into melee range, then her normal attack. Both of them work against Hitori's charge AC, which takes a -2 penalty.

Readied Attack: [roll0] for [roll1] non-lethal damage (crit confirm: [roll2])

Standard Attack: [roll3] for [roll4] non-lethal damage (crit confirm: [roll5])

Keep in mind that these training swords don't impose the -4 penalty for doing nonlethal damage. Treat your katan as if it were a normal katana, just that it can't do lethal damage.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori winces as she scrapes his leg, but slams his arm out as a shield to stop her second attack in its tracks. "Good reaction, senpai. But it won't be as easy now. Let me show you...the power of iaijutsu!"

With one motion, Hitori draws his katana and slams it into Hortense's shoulder with both hands.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] non lethal

[3SecondCultist]

Sidestepping your katana, Hortense gets in close. Just like the other trainee has done, she's slipped inside your guard and effectively worked your own momentum against you. Her red smile is wider now as she winds up for a third swing, which takes you right between the eyes. The rest is darkness.

You come to not a few minutes later. The sun is roughly in the same place, and Hortense is standing over you. Her wounds appear healed, as do yours. Strange - none of the other contestants were healed after the fact. "Wakey wakey." Her voice is only a little bit smug at the victory. "Thought you could rest a minute."

"Don't worry, you're still good. I have the all-clear to advance you as one of our armiger candidates. Orders from on-high. If you'll collect your belongings and come with me?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori sits up, rubbing the back of his head. "I lost? Damn, I can't believe the difference between us is so great."

He gets to his feet. "My 'belongings'? Oh. My sword. Right." He grabs the small blade and fits it on his belt, then follows Hortense.

"So, what's a warrior like you doing scribing and sitting behind a desk in the first place? Isn't that what the Order has enforcers for?"

[3SecondCultist]

"If you think being a Hellknight is just about fighting, then you've got another think coming." She laughs as she offers you a hand to get up, and takes your katana back to its rightful place with its friends on the nearby rack. It somehow doesn't seem as self-gratifying a gesture as you might have thought.

"The armigers are all helping out today. You wouldn't know it by looking around, but the Order of the Torrent isn't what it used to be." Her voice adopts a lower tone, although out of wistfulness or simply a desire to be unheard isn't clear. "There are less than fifty of us now, armigers and fully-fledged Hellknights alike. Most of the time, Citadel Vaull stands all but empty, since many of the Torrent knights spend most of their time out in the field." This part, at least, is common knowledge. The Order of the Torrent is well-known for being a mostly nomadic order, enforcing the laws of Cheliax abroad. "Every year, the knights return home for the trials. But only a few become armigers, and training takes time. We lose more than we gain."

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori nods. "I see. So that's why you can accept me, even though I lost. You just need men who show promise, not necessarily men who are already capable. Well then, I guess I'll just need to work twice as hard to make sure I'm pulling enough weight around here."

His eyes dart around at all the people in the courtyard. They all looked very strong to him, but if what Hortense was saying was correct, less than ten of them were probably full-fledged hellknights.

"Well, where are you taking me anyway, senpai?" he asks, trying to change the subject.

[3SecondCultist]

Hortense looks back at you with an amused glance again. Instead of answering your question verbally, she merely points directly ahead.

The yawning double doors that lead into the central keep of Citadel Vaull stand before you. Unlike the more elaborate outer gates, this inner portal is made of a plain dark wood complete with reinforced steel bands. You suspect that this layer of defense is just as potent as the one leading into the yard, however. Another armiger is at attention nearby, and him and Hortense give a quick exchange of salutes as you pass him by. A glance from the woman suggests that you ought to do the same.

Stepping out the summer sun is a small mercy, and you can almost immediately feel your body begin to cool down as you acclimatize to the indoors. The central hall is vast, great stone pillars holding up the weight of a ceiling at least fifty feet tall. Everything in here is polished stone, from the tiled floors to the gleaming granite and marble pillars. There aren't that many windows, which gives the whole space a kind of gloomy feel. But as you stand there, you feel strangely comforted by the weight of the interior. Most of the stonework in here has a decidedly nautical motif, from the floundering ships to the great limestone waves. It seems very in keeping with all of the fish-like designs sported on the actual Torrent Hellknights.

Looking around, you can see a large archway to the north that leads into another chamber, complete with a plethora of tables and benches: most likely a meal hall. To the south, there appears to be a longer corridor that intersects with the room you're in. But like most of the armigers-to-be in the room, your attention is immediately captured by the truly immense spiral stairwell that dominates the hall of the keep. Snaking around an even larger pillar, this edifice dwarfs every construction you've seen inside the citadel thus far. An extensive bas-relief of a mythic battle has been carved out of the handrail, and ascends all the way from the base and out of sight, as you cannot see where the stair ends from the ground floor.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori mimics the woman's motions instinctively, feeling a sense of pride well up in his chest. He was being included. He had done it! An official armiger in training. He would be able to learn all the best techniques for fighting the beasts of the Abyss now. The thought made him ill...or perhaps that was Hortense's blows from earlier.

The inner sanctum is amazing. Hitori stares up at the ceiling in awe as the spiral staircase rises out of sight. "Wow...incredible. Hm? Wait...why are all the candidates in here alone? Didn't their instructors escort them here like you did with me?"

[3SecondCultist]

As you turn around, you realize Hortense is already gone, headed towards the mess and leaving you alone with the other gathered youths. She didn't even say goodbye, just headed off once her duty was done.

"Welcome to the Hall of the Drowned, initiates!" The voice cuts through the air like a razor, immediately demanding your complete attention. The speaker emerges from the shadows near the stairwell, an enormous figure wearing the full Hellknight plate of the Torrent. As he steps closer, you recognize the mottled gray skin and the canine tusks of a half-orc in his unarmored face. A long scar marks him out as a seasoned warrior, and you can spot the outline of a massive greataxe over his shoulder. "You've passed the first trial of the Order of the Torrent - you're not completely useless in a fight! Congratulations!" He gives a great guffaw at his own joke, although nobody else in the great room laughs.

"As of this moment, you are all armigers-in-training. Initiates. GREENHORNS!" The half-orc clears his throat after that last thunderous yell. "For the next week, breaking you into shape will be my privilege. Let me make one thing clear to you: this will not be easy. The Order of the Torrent accepts only the best. I expect that by the end of this week, most of you will have flunked out. Anyone who remains will be formally inducted as an armiger of this lower hall, and will eventually have a chance to climb those stairs behind me to greatness! Do you understand?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori frowns as the half-orc takes the stage. That was a surprise. He didn't know of any orc clans this far from Varisia. The savage lands definitely had their share of marauders and Korvosa was home to plenty of half-orc barbarians, but Cheliax was as far from Varisia as Hitori had ever seen. He is also hefting a large two-handed axe, which tells Hitori that he is more of a brutal killer than a precise and articulate soldier. Then again, such strength is likely necessary when dealing with demons.

As the orc asserts his threats, Hitori can't help but grin to himself. "I get to sleep in a bed and have at least one meal a day provided to me, and he thinks this is going to be hard? Even if I flunk out it will still be the best week of my life compared to the streets. But I can't wait to see the look on that guy's face when he sees how far ahead of these pampered losers I really am!"

When the knight asks if the crowd understands, Hitori responds, "Yes Sir!" loudly.

[3SecondCultist]

The half-orc Hellknight accepts your salute with a toothy grin. "That's more like it! Enthusiasm!" Many of the new armigers follow your example, saluting smartly, but the massive armored warrior steps towards you. Even when he first emerged from the shadows, you didn't realize just how much he towers over you, but up close the height disparity is uncomfortably obvious. Despite the fact that he was addressing the entire crowd earlier, his dark eyes are now focused squarely on you.

"My name is Yoren Narvozh, and I'm the Armsmaster of Citadel Vaull. Who are you?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The boy blinks and stares up at the towering warrior. "Hi-Hitori Minamoto, sir! I'm...er...I'm an armiger-in-training of the Order of the Torrent, sir! That's all I, you, or anyone else needs to know about me, sir!" He nods with conviction.

Hitori looks around. He had captured the interest of the quartermaster, now he needed to keep it. "If it's alright with you, Narvozh I volunteer to be the first armiger you run through the ringer! No matter what you've got, sir, throw it right at me and I'll smash through it like it's nothing! Because I'm not going to be in the half that quits!"

[3SecondCultist]

When the half-orc claps you on the back, you feel the impact resonate throughout your entire body. "Good lad." He seems pleased at your proposal, although he says nothing else to you before moving down the line to terrorize a few cadets who were too slow to salute.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot him. The same Hellknight from before, the one who sat at the desk with Hortense. He - and the frame of his armor definitely marks him out as a 'he' - is still wearing his plate, striding in through the central threshold from the sunny yard. Beyond him, you can see a few armigers shooing out the rest of the spectators and closing the outer gates. The spectacle is over. Strangely, you get the sensation that the Hellknight is staring back at you through the black slits in his visor.

Eventually, Narvozh motions for you to form ranks and follow him. He leads the contingent down to the doors to the south, showing you a series of large rooms equipped with numerous bunks, latrines, and lockers. There's no question what this wing of the keep is for. "Bunks are assigned, check the chart. Don't get too friendly - you never know who might be next to go!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori's eyes line up with the visor. Who was this guy? Probably someone important, since he was watching the display and Narvozh didn't give him a second glance. In that case, Hitori makes a mental note to ask Hortense about him the next time he sees her.

Following the group obediently, the knight grins in shock when he sees the area he gets to stay in. "Hey, this place is pretty nice!" He takes a quick inventory by looking around. A place to store his stuff, and it was even airtight so no animals could mess around with it. Multiple latrines, so you could actually pick and choose which one based on the smell! And a bed, his own bed with his own mattress that would just feel amazing!

Hitori walks over and checks the chart, finds his bunk and immediately lays down on the bed, testing its softness. He keeps an eye peeled for anyone who comes near.

[3SecondCultist]

The stranger in the Torrent plate's gaze follows you for one more moment before he turns and begins to make his way up the elaborate spiral staircase. You get the feeling that you'll see him again before too long.

Meanwhile, the Armsmaster has left the room, with the express purpose of getting all of your training kits. He will be back soon, no doubt. The space that follows his absence is filled with chatter as the young cadets begin to talk among themselves. You find that you have been paired up with the same boy that you saw in the yard. He returns your enthusiastic grin with a wide one of his own, and offers his hand to shake. "Aristo Corvayne! I saw your fight with the armiger, that was one Hell of a punch! Looks like we're going to be bunking together." He has the aquiline nose and fair features of an pure blooded Chelish lad and clothes indicative of an upper-middle class family, but his accent is decidedly lowbrow and he doesn't carry himself with any of the pompous swagger one sees about somebody of his station.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori offers the boy a hand to shake. "Hitori Minamoto. I saw your fight as well. You handled yourself quite deftly. It would seem you prefer more precise strokes with your weapon than brute strength." He nods approvingly.

Turning around, he frowns. "Say, Aristo, do you know anything about the warrior who was taking names out in the courtyard? I didn't catch his name."

[3SecondCultist]

The other boy shakes his head at your question, merely offering you a shrug in return. "I can't say that I know. He was there when I showed up, looked at me for a while. Whoever he is, he seems powerful." Throwing a small pack on the bottom bunk, he offers you the top with an outstretched hand. "I get afraid of heights sometimes, and I roll around in my sleep. I'd only be hurting myself and others by taking the top." Aristo seems somewhat embarrassed by this revelation, as he looks away from you for a split second afterwards.

"Anyways," he says after rummaging around for something unsuccessfully in his belongings, "what do you think our next trial will be?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The new armiger nods and climbs up to the top bunk, setting his stuff in the locker by the foot of the bed. "Powerful...yeah, I guess you're right. Hm. I wonder what 'power' means to this Order anyway?" Laying down on his back, Hitori recalls what he knows about the Order of the Torrent. ...Absolutely nothing. They were a group of secretive warriors who walked around in weird fish-motif full plate and carried massive tridents. Blah blah protect the peace blah blah maintain order and civility blah blah who in the Nine cares.

The only thing Hitori cares about is meeting the man who vanquished a demon single-handedly in the streets of Kintargo. Octavio Sabinus. A peerless fighter with skills beyond what the young boy could fathom. Hitori could learn from this man, and become a slayer of demons himself. He looks down at his short sword as he wipes some grime off it on the bottom corner of his shirt.

"Our next trial? Who knows? The area we were brought to is called 'The Hall of the Drowned'. So maybe we have to do some swimming exercises or learn to fight underwater or something. Whatever it is, I'm going to be 110% prepared. In fact..." He hops off the bed, sword in hand. "I'm going to take a look around. Maybe I can find a training hall or something where I can practice some of my moves. Are you coming?"

[3SecondCultist]

Your new companion doesn't need to think for more than a second. "I'm in."

With all the commotion, nobody seems to notice the two of you slipping down the hallway you came in. Ahead, you can see the corridor open up back into the grand hall, but there are a number of other passages that could lead anywhere. There is one that leads left and abruptly ends at a set of double doors, and another that goes right and looks like it's heading down a flight of stairs. In your earlier haste to follow the half-orc to your bunk rooms, you must have missed both of these areas. Behind you, Aristo waits to see which path you'll choose.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori strokes his chin, looking around to see if they're being watched. "On the one hand, I seriously doubt they have any training halls downstairs. But on the other...whatever is down there must be pretty interesting! We can do some drills later to make up for this, but for now let's check it out."

He heads down the stairs to the right.

[3SecondCultist]

The first thing to strike you on the way down is just how cold it is down here. Despite the fact that there's little to no light, you can feel your breath leave your body in waves of precious warmth. Reaching out with your hands, you can feel the cold stone tiles as the stairs continue to lead you down beneath Kintargo's surface.

After nearly a full minute of walking, you emerge in a large room. There are no torches on the walls down here, and yet you can get a vague sense of the contours of the chamber. Evenly spaced pillars grace the edge of this area, although they lack the ornamentation of the Hall of the Drowned upstairs. Fine masonry has been eschewed for a kind of hard, angled practicality; it's functional. The only source of light is the water. A blue-green phosphorescence glows from the depths of a great pool that dominates the room. You can't see its bottom, but whatever is glowing down there is powerful enough to illuminate the entirety of the room. It casts long shadows on the walls.

"... what do you think is in there?" Your companion takes a step closer, but doesn't go any further than that. It's obvious that he's afraid of whatever is in the pool. Looking ahead, you can see another corridor leading elsewhere in this underground complex, so whatever this water is, it isn't the only thing down here.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori grins as he walks up to the pool. "This is incredible! To hide this huge secret down here:..maybe the Order knows things that no one else does. The origin of the planes, the creation of the Worldwound, the truth behind Aroden's death! We have to keep going. The Order will tell us what's in the pool when we're ready."

He draws his shortsword and heads for the corridor.

[3SecondCultist]

"You shouldn't be down here."

You see the speaker step out from behind one of the pillars. She's a bit shorter than the other Hellknights you've seen, and although she wears the requisite plate, it seems... different, somehow. Maybe it's the robes that cover some of her armor, or the stylized scrolls on her bracers and around her shoulder plates. It could also be the strange looking symbol around the woman's neck. She's got a fair bit of grey in her hair as well, making her a veteran like Narvozh. Her flecked hazel eyes are flanked by crow's feet, and her mouth is perched in a flat line.

"You're armigers." The words are meant not as a question, but a state of fact. "Which means you either just arrived in Citadel Vaull today, or otherwise know better than to come down here without a Hellknight present." She poses it as a question, and you get the impression that she will be judging you at least in part based on your response.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori steps in front of Arnisto protectively. "Leave him out of it. I talked him in to coming down here. And yes, I am an armiger. It is my first day, but I got the feeling that this place was off limits even without anyone telling me. I came down here looking for something surprising. And I found it."

He extends both his hands limply. "If you need to arrest me, punish me or even kick me out of the Order, go ahead. I was curious, but that's not an excuse for breaking any rules. Just leave him out of it. He actually has a chance to make something of himself if he becomes a knight."

[3SecondCultist]

"Kick you out of the Order? Why would I ever do do such a thing?" The severe lines around her mouth crinkle to form a mischievous smile. She has you, although you're not sure how or why. "Curiosity is hardly something to look down on, despite what some other Orders might have you believe. There is nothing wrong with being forewarned about the dangers of the multiverse."

The older woman steps forward, around the green-blue light of the radiant pool. "In fact, some might say loyalty and camaraderie in the face of danger is a virtue. I know for a fact that Lictor Octavio would - I've heard him say exactly that on several occasions." Despite her words, you find her standing in front of the corridor before you, blocking your entrance. "That said, I cannot allow you past this threshold, armiger. You will see this room again soon, but you are not allowed beyond it until you have taken the plate."

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori frowns. He didn't know much about the order, but he knew enough to know there were many more armigers than hellknights.

"Alright. We can't go past here. But whatever's in there, it isn't dangerous to us, is it? You can at least tell me that much."

If that room was some boring administrative area where all the armiger's names and addresses were kept and it was off-limits for privacy, whatever let them have it. But if there was a portal to another world that the Torrent was guarding, Hitori would be quite interested.

[3SecondCultist]

The spectacled signifier looks at you with a raised eyebrow. "I rather think you'd like it more if it were dangerous, wouldn't you?" Her smile grows wider, although she does not move from her current spot. "To put your suspicions to rest, I will tell you that it isn't an immediate threat to any of us here. It's merely something that is to remain secret for the time being. And I can also say that the only reason I am standing down here is because this hall's true guardian is taking a nap." She gestures down to the luminescent depths of the pool.

"Come on." Aristo tugs at your arm, clearly nervous at the shifting lights below your feet. While he was initially quite gung-ho, this whole experience seems to have somewhat sapped his willpower.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori glances at his new friend and nods quickly.

As they turn to go, he stops and turns around. "My name is Hitori Minamoto. I imagine you and I will meet again sometime in the future. Perhaps we can exchange some pleasantries then." He heads upstairs with Arnisto and the two of them resume their search for an actual training ground somewhere on the ground floor.

[3SecondCultist]

The woman calls after you, and although you pass the banister to head back up the stairs, her voice echoes on the flagstone. "I am Signifier Thorncraft! If you want to see me again, come to the Citadel Archives anytime."

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori chuckles to himself as he walks up the stairs. So many interesting people, and they all regarded him with some measure of respect. This was definitely different than life on the streets, and it was a very swift change indeed. He didn't have to beg for anything here, he could just talk to these people as his superiors, and they would listen to him not as someone to ignore or mistreat, but as someone to guide and mentor. He already felt like he was at home here.

"Sorry about that, Arnisto. If you want, you can go back to the barracks. I know that was a little scary. Me, I really do need to get some practice in if I'm going to survive here. I never had anyone to teach me how to fight, so my attacks are all a bit wilder than yours. That precise, direct strike that Hortense used against me was so fast, I have no idea how she was able to aim like that in the heat of the moment."

[3SecondCultist]

Aristo seems genuinely surprised at how self-conscious you are. "I thought your fight was amazing. Anyone can swing a sword, but what you did took real guts. You can think outside the box, and that's your strength. I think that's why both Narvozh and Thorncraft will remember your name."

The two of you pass a few armigers on their way back from the dining hall to their own bunks. For a second, it looks like Hortense might be among them. But it's not her, just another Hellknight in training. Looking around, it appears that the rest of the new candidates that arrived with you are gone as well. No doubt the Armsmaster returned and collected them for the next round of trials.

[NeoSeraphi]

"Oh crap! We're going to be late!" Hitori exclaims. "No way Narzovh is going to forget my name now, when he'll be screaming it at the top of his lungs in a moment. Come on, let's hurry!"

Hitori and Arnisto rush to the Hall of the Drowned.

[3SecondCultist]

As the two of you find the rest of your class - which, incidentally, has already made its way back outside into the heat -Narvozh turns to give you a glare that would make the sun weep. "Where have you been, Minamoto? Gallivanting off, I bet. Give me twenty laps of the yard! You too, Corvayne!" By the time you're finished, you are yelled at to fall in line. It would appear that the physical trials are only just beginning.


Your first weeks at Citadel Vaull pass thus. You're awoken every morning at six sharp by the barking orders of Armsmaster Narvozh, and sent out to the yard to start your morning practice. This usually consists of conditioning and flexibility training. Since the first day, none of you have yet to touch a weapon. You know you will not see breakfast for three more hours. After eating in the mess hall, all of the armigers are taken to the Archives, where you learn the fundamentals of the Torrent history and lore from the Signifiers, from the date of its foundation some seventy years ago to the present day. Each of the armigers is then given a reprieve of sorts, a half-hour mandated break period in which to eat and recover. Then, it's back out to the forge and stables. Each of you, at the beginning of your training, was assigned to an upper-class man to help with their final project before their Reckoning. Fortunately, you've been paired with a familiar face in Hortense Lierre herself.

"Here, pass me those forging tongs, would you?" The Garundi woman leans over the forge, sweat dripping from her brow. She wipes at it with her sooty gloves, which doesn't really accomplish anything besides staining her face. The two of you have been working on forging a pair of blades as a gift to the citadel's armoury. It's become obvious since your arrival that, by the way everyone talks about her, that Hortense is one of the foremost armigers in her class and is well on her way to climbing the stair. Many of your own classmates have dropped out already, although both you and Aristo have remained. Since the first day, this entire fortress has seemed quite empty, especially since the lion's share of the Hellknights have since left Citadel Vaull, just as you were told they would.

[NeoSeraphi]

Not sure if these are the blades she gives him, but I'm assuming so. If not, this post won't make sense so PM if they're just random swords.

Hitori sets down his hammer, which he was using to even out the flat of the blade, and grabs a pair of forging tongs, handing them to the woman. His fighting style hasn't improved much over the weeks but the exercise and regular meals have definitely taken their tone. The boy, who was previously just naturally tall, has now put on real muscle and gained a significant amount of healthy weight. When he picks the hammer back up and swings, it is with a force that few outside the Citadel could match.

"Senpai, I know this is your final project, but why did you choose obsidian for your material?" Hitori asks, touching the pitch black blade below him. He winces and curls his finger to stop the free flow of blood. "Sure, it's really sharp, but isn't steel a sturdier substance?"

[3SecondCultist]

The older armiger smiles, her brilliant white teeth a stark contrast to the gathered shadow marks of the forge. "You're missing the point, again. It's not just about strength, tensile or otherwise. Obsidian never rusts, is easier to care for, and will generally last longer." She rummages around the supplies before finding you a bandage, handing it to you wordlessly.

"Besides," she continues, "this leaving class gift is supposed to represent what you can bring to the Order. If I just forged a plain old steel blade, what would that say about me? All we are is the sum of our deeds, Hitori. A shout on the wind. Remember that." With that, Hortense turns back to the nascent weapon. Since you've been paired up, she seems to have taken on the role of a mentor, more so than any of the Signifiers or the Armsmaster even. They can teach you how to act, but she appears intent on teaching you how to live.

[NeoSeraphi]

The armiger-in-training considers her words. All he was was the sum of his deeds...and he hadn't done anything yet. "I see. But senpai, what should I be striving to do? All we've done since I got here is work out. I understand that strength and stamina are useful for a knight, but I still don't exactly know why I'm training."

[3SecondCultist]

"They're fundamentals. To toughen you up, give you some stamina for the real trials... not to mention weed out those who were just in it for the idea of glory, or prestige, or whatever." She shrugs. The dwindling attendance is proof enough that her words carry at least some truth to them.

The grating doors of the Citadel fly open, as you see a horse and a rider appear and trot into the yard. It's the same figure, the same Hellknight from your first day. You've only seen him sporadically - the last time he was here was nearly ten days ago - but he never fails to make an impression. The aquatic details of his blue steel armor are distinctive, even for one of the Order, but you've never seen him without a helmet on. He doesn't usually stick around for small talk, in any case. Hortense follows your gaze.

"Lictor Octavio's taken an interest in you, for what it's worth."

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori blinks in surprise and glances at Hortense. "How would you know that, senpai? I mean, you haven't even taken the plate yet. Though, now that I recall, he was talking to you the day we met. ...Wait, are you his daughter?" He raises an eyebrow.

He continues working hard on the two blades, thinking about things. "What do you know about Signifier Thorncraft, senpai?"

[3SecondCultist]

Hortense barks out a rough guffaw. "His daughter! Iomedae's mercy, no. But he was something of a mentor of mine when I started, and he told me to watch out for you when he saw you that first day. That's how I know."

She thinks a moment at your second question. "Thorncraft is... well, to put it bluntly, she's something of an outsider. She's from Egorian originally, uprooted her whole life when her husband died. Took her daughter with her. She made her way into the Order on her wits alone - she already knew quite a bit about Hellknight history at the time." She nods at the cooling stone, gesturing for you to get back to work.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hitori blinks in surprise. Watch out for him? Why? What was so special about him that Lictor Sabinus would pay attention to him specifically? He looks down at his own two hands, slightly calloused from the work but mostly pale and rather unremarkable, save for the burn marks just above his wrists.

Nodding in response to Hortense's instruction, Hitori raises his hammer and slams it down. He eyes the material with an impressed gaze, and works to start sharpening the tip. "You know, in my homeland, we inscribe words of strength on our weapons. They give the warriors who hold them power and courage. My father's sword had the word 'jijo', what we would describe as 'order', written on it. He said that it was a weapon that was made to maintain the peace and stability of the law."