Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

The walls were large, made of earth, with several grey towers of wood basking in the evening sun. The West Wood guards wore scale of grey, with the symbol of West Wood against their tabards. Long grey cloaks fell down over their shoulders. In one hand they gripped a long spear, also made of grey wood, a small shield and a quiver full of arrows set beside them. At their hips they wore short blades, and behind their cloaks, Adam could see a small bow made of a darker wood.

“Hullo,” the guard called out. “Lovely evening, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Jogak replied, handing over the fees. “Business with the North.”

“What sort of business?”

“Magical weapons.”

“Aye. Terrible times, I hear. Best of look to ye,” the guard said, tipping his helmet. “I’ll have to see some of these weapons, mind.”

Jurot stepped out, holding the long wooden box, before revealing the finely made blade.

“How strong’s the magic?”

“Greater Enhanced,” Jurot replied.

“North, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Alright,” the guard tipped his helmet once more, allowing them within the town.

The wooden buildings were small, but stacked three high, with large open spaces all about the town. Even the main road was twenty steps wide, lush gardens scattered around like petals. Each building, no matter how small or big, grew some form of fruit, vegetable, or herb. Half of the town was set against the hills, with large estates overlooking the town, and a large castle overlooking them.

The group swiftly made their way to an inn, settling within, while Jogak dealt with the payment, and Adam dealt with bathing, Jurot left to make his rounds. He made his way down a particular road, to a particular building, and for once, it was not a tavern or an inn.

“I am looking for dark clothing for nightwear, that which deals with the chill” the Iyrman said.

“We have such kinds, Iyrman,” the worker replied, eyeing him up. “You got the gold?”

“I have some gold,” Jurot assured, before following the fellow into the wooden building. The worker brought to him a selection of ten different cloths, and Jurot felt each under his finger tips. “Only half are good.”

“I have more in the back,” the figure said, before making his way to the cellar of his business. “What is your name?”

“Jurot.”

The figure reached into a set of of cloths, before finding a set of blues. He passed the bundle over to the Iyrman, who placed down the gem to pay for the cloth, before he stepped out, making his way to the inn. He placed the cloth into the carriage, quickly scanning the letters at the bottom of the roll, stained black.

The letters were stained black.

Death.

Jurot read the letters. He paused for a moment, and continued as though he hadn’t read what he had just read. He made his way to the inn, sitting down beside Jogak. He glanced to the side, noting the other Iyrmen, who were spending their time relaxing in the inn, and he turned back to stare at the table before him.

“Is it hard to kill hydras?” Bael asked.

“What do you mean? It’s a little bit hard, I mean, not for us, but it’s hard for the normal person,” Adam explained.

“So Death comes easy to a Priest of Baktu?” Bael teased.

“Something like that, but I can’t be killing too much, you know, since I’m a married man now.”

“You can’t kill because you’re married?”

“I’m a father and a husband, I can’t kill when I’ve got a family to take care of.” Adam smirked slightly, showing off to the drakken fellow.

“It just sounds like you’re making an excuse for not causing trouble?”

“Well, yeah.”

“…”

“…”

“Aren’t you the Mad Do-,”

“Whose grandson?” Adam huffed, glancing to the side, finding Jurot staring at him, though his eyes quickly dropped. ‘Is it starting to annoy him?’

Jurot’s thoughts remained blank. He decided against thinking for this evening. He would need to sleep on the information. He had to. What else could he do? As the evening passed, Jurot made his way to his bedroom.

“Jurot,” Jogak called, placing a hand on the Iyrman’s shoulder. “Let us get a drink.”

Jurot followed Jogak to one of the many taverns the Iyrmen could drink at and speak of business. It was one of a few the Iyr liked to use, due to the old treaties that dealt with the shadows. Even then, Jurot remained silent, staring into nowhere in particular.

“Okay?” Jogak asked.

Silence.

“Jurot?” As their eyes met, Jogak could see Jurot’s eyes. Not the eyes of a man, but the eyes of a boy. Jogak reached out a hand and placed it upon Jurot’s shoulder. “What is wrong?”

Jurot’s throat pulsed. Though he tried to speak, his body fought against him. Jurot had felt it now and again, times when he could not speak up, kept at bay due to the shadows, the shadows which had firmly gripped his heart. Even as the Iyrman raged, he could not speak.

“It will be fine,” Jogak said, for though the Iyrman’s silence spoke a thousand words. He squeezed the boy’s shoulder, for all he could hope was that he was right, right to have faith in the Iyr.

It was the next morning, Jogak would find out how wrong he was.

“We must return to the Iyr,” Jurot said, his words strained.

“The Iyr?” Adam asked. “Is there a problem?”

“We must return to the Iyr,” Jurot repeated, unable to say any more, not because it was forbidden, but because he could say no more.

“Okay,” Adam said.

Jurot approached the other Iyrmen, speaking in their tongue. “We must return to the Iyr.”

“What is the matter?” one of the Iyrmen replied, while another was already preparing to leave with a merchant.

“We must return to the Iyr.”

“We have other obligations.”

“We must return to the Iyr.”

“Is it so serious?” The Iyrman stared into Jurot’s eyes, and after a moment, he stood, followed by the other Iyrmen. It had taken only moments for the Iyrmen to return the coins, and the group acquired a new carriage, while one of the Oathsworn Iyrmen tied their steed to the carriage.

Adam watched as the Iyrmen worked with such efficiency, he understood why it was called Iyrman efficiency. He watched them, his body growing cold and hot, the tingling running up through his skin. His heart beat quickly, and he closed his eyes. He stared up at the sky.

“Jurot,” Lucy called out. “Hey, Jurot.”

Jurot’s eyes met hers for a moment, and the pair held the gaze for a long moment.

‘Jurot.’

‘…’

‘Jurot!’ No matter how much Lucy begged with her eyes, she could see how resolute the Iyrman remained. It wasn’t quite that he was resolute, but that the Iyrman was trapped, unable to move.

Lucy clenched her fists together, glancing between the Iyrmen. There was Jurot and Jogak, but with the other Iyrmen, it was too difficult. Bael was apparently strong, and he’d fight on Adam’s side, but what of the others? They’d probably step back, not wanting to fight the Iyrmen. Fred? Fred might fight on their side.

“Lucy.” The word broke Lucy’s thoughts. “It’s okay.” Adam smiled politely, having already resigned himself. “If you would, please complete the tasks in my stead.” Adam reached into his tunic, flipping through to the middle of the book, before tearing out the sheets, handing them to the demon. “Don’t worry about the gold, the business will pay for it.”

“Adam,” Lucy urged.

“Don’t skimp out, they need to be good, since they’ll be going to my k-ids,” Adam said, his voice shaking slightly.

Fred stared at the scene before them, glancing between Lucy, the pages in Adam’s hands, and finally to Adam. His eyes grew wide, and it was then the rest of businessfolk understood. They didn’t know exactly what, but if they were betting men, they would bet on Adam.

“Okay,” Lucy said, taking the paper from his hands carefully, slipping the pages between her tunic.

“I trust you to escort the Director safely.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want me to come along?” Bael asked, his grin wide, the drakken eager for the trouble he could smell upon the air.

“It’s fine, you can-,”

“Okay,” Jurot said.

Adam furrowed his brows, only filled with more confusion. ‘I guess he’s confident since they’re the Iyr. Well, it’s not like I’m going to fight anyway, so it’s not a big deal.’

Just like that, they left. Jurot sat opposite Adam, while Bael sat beside the half elf, eyeing up the Iyrman before him, while the remaining two sat on the driver’s seat of the carriage. The business, rich as it was, dropped the coin required for the carriage.

‘They’ll show me mercy since I paid for the carriage, right?’ Adam smiled to himself, even now, able to make his stupid jokes.

‘I promised I wouldn’t pick a fight with the Iyr, but I also promised to help him,’ Bael thought. ‘Heroes keep their word, don’t they?’

While the group left, Jogak couldn’t help himself. He made his way through his own channels, finding out it would not be fine.

It was only a matter of time.