Kerala's Inquisition

The stories and lives of the Grim. ((Roleplaying Stories and In Character Interactions))
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Kerala
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Kerala's Inquisition

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[To chronicle events, until Kerala passes or fails the Grim Trials]
Last edited by Kerala on Wed Aug 05, 2015 2:53 am, edited 36 times in total.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Kerala had not expected, when she went to see Awatu that night, that he would want to settle the Blood Debt at that exact moment. But just like the simple letters he'd sent, he was not the type to delay what could be done now. He'd immediately had her burn the cloak Lomani had made, and given her the tabard Konro had been killed in, still torn and stained all down the front with his blood.

She should have known. Should have remembered that the soldier had not been burned while wearing it. She could not quite contain her surprise, but she hoped she'd managed to disappoint the commander somewhat with her otherwise stoic reaction.

Kerala could not bring herself to go back to the Horns garrison to tell Lomani. Her sister would be appalled to see the tabard, and it did not even occur to the druid to leave it behind somewhere just to go tell the seer what she would be able to guess anyway.

It began.
So, she didn't go home.

* * *

She stayed by herself, mostly. Kerala spent most of the next day searching for an Inquisitor to try and get the tabard fitted to her. She didn't bother washing it- blood could not affect the black cloth except to make it stiff, and the red design was also only darkened.

Lilliana could not be found anywhere. Kerala had the sneaking suspicion that the troll was avoiding her, and she had no idea why. Instead, she ran across Cen. The strange little elf was an expert tailor like Lomani, and had not minded Kerala's request at all to highlight the torn fabric instead of making the mend blend in. The mark where Breygrah's sword had pierced Konro's heart stood out in brilliant crimson thread, the most notable feature of the garment. Cen's brilliant scissors had taken all the inches out in the proper places so that the tabard could perhaps have been made for Kerala, except that the Grim design on the front was ridiculously over-large.

Kerala ran her fingers over the tiny precise stitches at her heart. It gave the druid some strange satisfaction, to be wearing Konro's tabard. It reminded her of leaving Desolace. She would need the skills she'd learned there.

* * *

Her first few days as a Grim were largely uneventful. Kerala stayed around the guild hall, but usually out of sight. She'd repaired the tabard as she'd been told, and when the building was largely empty, she'd go in and read about the Mandate for a few hours until her eyes or head hurt.

One thing Kerala found odd was the amount of mail being sent to the Grim. Apparently, it was customary for those interested in joining them to declare their interest beforehand, and then wait to receive an invitation. Many items arrived throughout the day.

It was late in the afternoon when Kerala was taking a break from the onerous reading, when the courier arrived. Cautious, the man dropped off a large parcel rather than bring it inside. The wind was blowing in Kerala's direction, and the scent drew her attention. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the package being brought within the Grim walls. It was obviously intended for the Inquisitors, and there was a note.

Kerala waited until the thing had been delivered to Khorvis' office. He was absent, she'd seen him leave earlier. When the rest were gone, she crept back to the room. She opened the package, and stared at the 'gift' that had been sent to the Grim.

It was a child. The corpse of a shu'halo girl. She was bound, and had been brutally beaten, perhaps it was what had killed her. Her face was terrible. Shoved into her mouth was a fruit in bright contrast to the stains beneath her skin. A red apple. She was only a year or two older than Kerala had been...

The druid clamped her teeth together. She carefully re-closed the parcel and left it as she had found it. She exited the guild halls, walked slowly across the grounds directly for the gates, and left the Grim compound.

Then she ran. Anywhere but here.
Last edited by Kerala on Thu Jun 11, 2015 8:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Monday. The night Inquisition would start, or so she'd thought. She'd arrived before everyone else, perched high on one of the colorful ribbons strung between floating plants or whatever. It was a precarious spot, but it tested her reflexes.

When her raptor eyes spotted the sneaky form of Inzema perched high as well instead of joining the two down below, she abandoned her perch to land near him.

As far as she knew, no one had noticed her absence yesterday or all of today at all.

Inzema looked over his shoulder and smiled at the bird. "Hey Kerbear." His stained and pointed teeth showed in an expression that seemed genuine. His face no longer seemed strange, now that she'd seen it a few times. His easygoing attitude had seemed so odd, at first, as if he'd known her for years even though they'd only ever really exchanged hellos.

Kerala hopped to the edge of the balcony and looked over, eying the folks below. At his words, she twisted her head back to fix him with her raptor stare, and fluffed her feathers indignantly.

"What? You cranky?"

Kerala shifted to tauren, adjusting so that she could sit with her legs hanging off the ledge. "That is not my name," she told the rogue.

"It'sss a nickname."

Staring down at the people gathering below, she revised her outlook. It didn't matter. So long as she was a supplicant, many things would need to be ignored. She shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't matter what you choose to call me."

There was an elf hunter down there, trailed by a scorpid. That one, she had spotted wandering soon after she'd arrived. A blaze of red hair identified Lilliana. The trolless went over to Syreena, and Kerala frowned, wondering what sort of schemes might be taking place.

After a long moment, Inzema spoke again. "Why doesn't it matter? Sssorry, got dissstracted by the voisssesss in my head."

"Hmm?" And then she remembered the nickname. "Oh. Just because you call me something other than what I am... it does not change who I am. It's just annoying."

"You don't like nicknamesss?"

She didn't look up, watching several new people arriving. From up here, it was hard to identify anyone by the top of their head, and she didn't know these new ones. "Never had one before. Well...." She thought of what she had been called before. "No... never had a nickname."

"I give them to practically everyone. Like, Cobrak is Piece-of-shit-traitor-that-I-will-eventually-prove-is-a-gnome-humper. And Khorvisss isss Khorvy. Usually it'sss jussst a varianssse on the name." Noting also the growing number of people below, he added "We should hop down."

"I suppose so." She agreed with him. Inzema stood, brushed himself off, and offered a hand to Kerala.

She looked at Inzema. Something about him still bothered her, even though her instinct told her that he, of any of the Grim, was pretty much exactly what he seemed to be. Kerala ignored the offer, leapt off the ledge and shifted to birdform to join the others.

* * *

She landed amidst the appraising eyes of Syreena, and the one she knew as Khorvis. The rogue's expression was decidedly unfriendly. Lilliana and a stranger greeted Syreena, but the undead broke eye contact only long enough to return the greeting before continuing to stare.

The Shattrath terrace of Scryer Rise was largely open. Three gigantic grim battle standards had already been erected , against which the three inquisitors stood. Ahead of them was an open room filled with benches, but for some reason no one used them. Awatu leaned back against the wall opposite Kerala, watching. She put her own back to the stone. It was not the most defensible location, but it was the best available. The crowd bothered her.

"This meeting of the Inquisition does begin." Khorvis declared.

The expected speaker had apparently not arrived yet, so Ruuki called Inzema before her. She questioned him about his last trial, looking rather comical trying to view his evidence through those strange goggles of his.

Kerala tried to watch them, but she was aware that Syreena was continuing to gaze right at her ratherly openly. It was annoying. She returned the stare. Lilliana noted Syreena's stare. It was hard enough for the troll to not just stand and gawk at the tauren. She restrained herself, but she did shoot Syreena an acknowledging look, that was a bit dark in nature.

Kerala raised a brow, first at Syreena then, glancing to Lilliana, at the troll too. She leaned her back against the rock behind her. Syreena grinned, glancing briefly at Lilly.

Khorvis watched the exchange between his Inquisitor and the crafty rogue.
Lilliana caught Kerala's brief glance and sent her an overly warm and inviting smile while they all waited for Inzema to prove himself. Kerala eyed Lilliana for a long moment... she really had no idea what was going on with that troll. She smiled back, cautious and distrustful.

With an exchange of insults, Khorvis gave Ruuki leave to promote Inzema. The rogue passed his trials, and was no longer a supplicant.

The one-eyed orc turned to the troll on the other side of him. "Inquisitor Lilliana. I do think there is blood debt in the air. Settle the mist for us."

Lilliana restrained a giggle....she really wanted to do nothing less than giggle right now. She nodded at Khorvis, and then smiled towards Kerala. "Alright." She pointed at the tauren who was leaning against the wall, "Kerala?" She beckoned.

Kerala stepped forward. She was keenly aware of the empty space at her back.

Lilliana stuck her hands deep into her pockets, her gentle eyes resting on Kerala, "Why are you here, Kerala?" She asked in a most innocent tone.

"I am a Supplicant." the druid said simply.

"Why?" the troll asked again.

"Payment for a Blood Debt."

Syreena snickered at the tauren. Lilliana simply repeated herself yet again, expecting Kerala to explain further, "Why would we need payment? What are you replacing?"

Kerala turned to glance at Syreena, not really comfortable with the rogue behind her. When she faced forward again, she found Khorvis also giving her a very dark look, verging on bitterness. Her every sense commanded her to flee, for she was outnumbered and clearly surrounded by enemies seeking to harm her. Instead, she forced herself to stay where she was, very still. The open hostility provoked an answering emotion in her, the dull fury and stubbornness that had seen her through her adolescence.

"I am replacing Konro, as Awatu requested."

Ruuki frowned, crossing her arms and watching Kerala carefully. She hadn't really expected such an archaic law to be enacted. Behind them, Awatu must have nodded, confirming her words.

Lilliana looked pleased. "You are replacing Konro......." She said rudely, sarcastically even. "I'm your Inquisitor, do you think you can truly do this?"

"I'll do whatever is required of a supplicant." Kerala shrugged.

Lilliana looked towards Awatu, "Maybe like, you already spoke about this with Awatu or something.....you know what's required of you?" She asked that quickly, as she noted that Greebo had arrived and he would probably be speaking soon.

"I know there are three trials to pass." She looked at Lilliana, her expression calm, since it seemed the troll was the one assigned to tell Kerala what to do. She waited to be told.

Lilliana nodded roughly at Kerala, "Yeah. We'll talk about them. See how you do." She paused and looked at everyone, "She's here to replace Konro everyone, since he died and stuff. Show her how to be Grim, okay?" Syreena grinned wickedly at Lilliana. The inquisitor then gestured for Kerala to go step back, they'd chat later. Lilliana couldn't help but to wink at Syreena.

Kerala turned, disappointed. How long would she be kept waiting? She'd expected that tonight she'd be given the first task to accomplish, and she was anxious to start the process. Perhaps that was exactly why Lilliana had not assigned it.

Ruuki scoffed, as she wasn't entirely sure this one had what it took to be Grim. But, she wasn't one to argue with the Commander's order.

"Silence, for the Inquisition." Awatu reprimanded Ulrezaj.

"Druidess Kerala." She paused and turned back to look at Khorvis, already almost back to her place. "The Horns were an honorable lot. May be you do them some good by following our truer path." The orc snorted, nearly disbelieving his own words. Lilliana eyed the high inquisitor up and down.

An undead warlock noticed Kerala's tabard and approved.

Kerala eyed Khorvis as well, but said nothing. Her tongue was clamped firmly behind her teeth, and she did not acknowledge the comment about Horns honor, or share her opinion of the Grim's path. The image of the murdered shu'halo child on his desk was fresh in her mind.

The orc high inquisitor continued then, "We did invite the Twice-Made this night to give us wisdom from his long years under the Mandate. All Supplicants, Aspirants, and may be even Irredeemables might learn from his words."

The undead warlock, apparently called Greebo, stepped forward. "It was here, nearly a decade ago that the truth of the Mandate was made real to me. And that I learned that weakness is to be sought out and purged, constantly."

Kerala eyed the man, thinking he sounded very much like some other folks she grew up with. She crossed her arms. His speech mostly captured the attentions of everyone gathered, and his sentances were interspersed among various mumbled comments, and cheers as he continued on. He spoke of treachery and failure of the Aldor, which was why they were not on that rise, and then began listing flaws in Alliance races, his tone growing more passionate as he went on.

Kerala looked down, and began scraping at the ground with a hoof gently. Doodling. She recognized preeching when she heard it. They fear us! They hate us! Kolkar think they are strong, but we laugh at them! We laugh. And we kill them! Gelkis think our centaur mother, Theradras, protects us. They are stupid. No one protects centaur! Magram do not need protection! We are strongest! We will place Mauradine heads on pikes. So all can see strength of Magram. We will crush all others! Rule Desolace! She had ignored it before, she would ignore it now.

Inzema eyed Kerala's doodling, smirked, and also started drawing with the toe of his boot in the dirt. It was quickly obvious that his picture was going to be something lewd.

Greebo prattled on about how the terrible scum draenei sought to use the completely innocent orcish people as a shield to avoid the Burning Legion.

Kerala stopped her own doodling, watching Inzema's drawing take form. Lilliana shot a very openly disapproving look towards Kerala. She didn't even mind that Kerala, eyes on the ground, had no idea about her disapproval, she made the look so that others would see it.

Greebo spoke of the draenei luring the orcs to drink corrupted blood of Mannoroth, then scurrying away like rats to hide on Azeroth, deceitfully neglecting to tell anyone of the Legion from which they were running from. Kerala managed to look up in time to meet the warlock's eyes as he looked around at each and every person.

Inzema finished his drawing. It appeared to be of...well...let's just say "multi-racial multi-individual multi-orfice mass intercourse...thing..."

Greebo finished his speech. "The alliance will never share with us, this we know in our bones. The Legion ahhhh the Legion will burn our bones and use the ash to break the next world." The warlock glanced over his shoulder at the light beacon.

Kerala rolled her eyes at Inzema's drawing, then added a few things to hers. It was a map, an aerial view of the city they were in right now.

"Hear the words of the Twice-Made. Supplicants and Aspirants, the Mandate does fight against the Draenei as it does the Legion!" Then Khorvis thanked Greebo.

The two small goblins that had shown up to this meeting were getting impatient. When Ruuki called the elf forward, they were not thrilled. Rapacia lifted her shoulders into a small shrug. "Best for last.. yeah?" She turned and kicked the large canvas sack behind them. "Have faith bruddah dear." Hoard took his sister's lead and kicked the canvass bag of presents as well.

Kerala eyed the two goblins, suddenly suspecting she knew who had sent the parcel to the Grim yesterday. The female caught Kerala looking, and struck a ridiculous pose, while the brother pouted his lips at her and winked. She wanted to throw them both off the balcony.

Inzema knelt and placed a coin on the ground. He stepped back, a hologram of him appearing, and then he disappeared. Kerala took Inzema's vacated spot.

Kerala rubbed out Inzema's drawing with her hoof, and then her own.

A wispy elf was summoned next before the inquisitors, and Kerala blinked at Khorvis. They all questioned if she would be able to pass the trials, but don't bat an eye at these others like Shaelie?

Kerala eyed Xekanjo. He looked mildly familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place where she might have seen him.... The troll craned his head to the side, smiling at Kerala through his mask. Then he bent fully backward, becoming an upside down U-shaped troll to smile at Hoard. Kerala couldn't help but giggle.

Rukki was asking the elf a question. "Say you come across a farm that has been seen sending supplies to the Alliance, food mostly, to aid them in their fight against us. They have no fighters or defenders of their own and they claim neutrality. What would you do?"

Shaelie narrowed her eyes. "They are traitors! If they aid the Alliance, they are no better than Alliance."

"And you would slay them all, down to the infant in the cradle."

Shaelie nodded firmly. "That infant would one day grow old enough to raise arms against us. Just as the Alliance who killed my family were once infants." She shrugged. "They are the enemy."

Kerala thought if the Alliance had such an outlook, most of the Grim with similar pasts as the elf would not exist now, and THAT might have been a good thing.

The Twice-Made undead warlock took his leave early, with Khorvis, but before he did, his gaze scanned all over all the supplicants. He seemed mostly satisfied. His gaze landed on her, and Kerala frowned at him. Kerala sighed, waiting patiently for this to be over. She was glad she didn't have to answer these questions.

The two trolls were summoned up next, and the little goblins had had it with waiting. Rapacia flailed a bit in a little tantrum before Hoard leaned into her. "Meybe we cum back next week. Bring anotha' body?" Kerala's guess had been correct then. She suspected these two were responsible for the child mailed to Khorvis. They left, dragging their burlap bodybag behind them.

Syreena noticed Kerala eyeing the goblins, and she went back to staring at Kerala as she listened to the goings-on of the inquisition. The druid continued to ignore the rogue. When her stomach rumbled quietly, she ignored it too.

Then Syreena moved over to the undead priest Lupinum. Kerala looked at Lupinum, then back to Syreena and the trolls. The rogue grinned at Lupin, then went back to staring at Kerala. She smiled at Syreena. but of course the rogue did not smile back. She just stared as she whispered to Lupin, who smiled vaguely.

Kerala shrugged. It was turning out to be very similar to Desolace. She doubted any Grim would risk the wrath of the commander to kill her, but it looked as if many of them might be plotting something. She would not be surprised to be attacked later. Not for the first time, Kerala cursed Breygrah, for the way things had turned out.

"If there are no other hopefuls and no other business...?" Ruuki looked around at the gathered, giving them a chance to speak. Kerala just looked at Ruuki, saying nothing since apparently she'd get her trials or whatever from Lilliana. After a moment Ruuki nodded her head. "Then this Inquisition is sealed this night, as Khorvis would say. You're all dismissed."

Kerala waited for most of the Grim to depart. She walked to the edge of the balcony and looked around. Rukki left. Then Awatu. If something were going to happen, now would be the time.

Sure enough, Syreena eyed the druid, and prowled over. "Need a push?" she asked with a snicker.

Kerala raised a brow at Syreena. The attempt at humor was lost on her, of course, especially since she was wary of an attack. The question seemed ridiculous. "Why would you bother pushing me? I would be a bird in flight in the moment after you did."

The goblin death knight had meandered over as well. "Not if your wings were cut." Maybe that was what Syreena was waiting for. Would they attack her together?

But the rogue just shrugged. "I can hope." Then she grinned wickedly at Gazreeth's comment.

Kerala became irritated. Were they going to or not? She was hungry, as ever. "Are you threatening me?" She looked directly at Gazreeth.

The goblin's body language shifted, then. He was not. Not now, anyway. "Stating a matter of fact, a wingless bird can not fly." The moment of challenge passed.

Kerala considered the goblin's words, but said nothing. She was fairly certain the hostility would not cease until they vented it, but she would be foolish to initiate it just to clear the air. Perhaps they would all get together later and it would happen in one encounter, if she were lucky.

Kerala stepped backwards off the ledge and as she said, became a bird a moment later. She flew away.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Logging started on 05/11/2015 at 23:30:55.

Syreena eyes the strange elf, her gaze lingering on the ears a moment, then looks at Kerala.
You look at Syreena.
Kerala looks at the fire.
[Syreena]: You should have shent Lomani.
You look at Syreena.
[Kerala]: What?
Gazreeth waves goodbye to Syreena. Farewell!
Syreena waves goodbye to Gazreeth. Farewell!
Gazreeth looks at you.
[Gazreeth]: You are Grim, if anything should happen to the Shadowblade while you are around, I will hold you responsible. Grim's protect one another, even if they don't like it.
Syreena grins wickedly at Gazreeth.
[Syreena]: That one's a quick learner.
Syreena looks at you.
[Syreena]: I said...you should have sent Lomani to join us instead of yourself.
[Kerala]: Why? You all are waiting for me to fail, and I don't think she's ever killed a thing in her life.
Syreena shrugs at you. Who knows?
[Syreena]: You will fail. Because you don't want to succeed.
[Kerala]: You are wrong. I can and I will.
[Syreena]: You want to be Grim? Really? You are proud to wear that tabard?
Kerala snorts.
[Kerala]: Want has nothing to do with it.
[Syreena]: That's what I thought.
You look at Syreena.
[Syreena]: What did you think of the Inquisition tonight?
[Kerala]: It was boring.
[Syreena]: Yeah, well, contrary to popular belief, we don't spend all our time attacking other members of the Horde.
[Kerala]: Only most.
Darethy fetches a pack of ice out of his bag, and tosses it towards Syreena.
[Darethy]: "For the burn."
Syreena blinks as a pack of ice lands in her lap, then grins at Darethy.
Kerala raises a brow at Darrethy.
[Syreena]: Those meetings are informative.
[Kerala]: Informative? That twice-whatever-he-was spouted nothing but lies.
[Syreena]: Greebo has been a Grim since shortly after we went to Outland. He once led The Grim for a while.
Kerala just shrugs, unimpressed.
You look at Syreena.
[Syreena]: What?
[Kerala]: And what information, exactly, was I supposed to get from that meeting? You didn't even take in all the supplicants that were there.
[Syreena]: It's a chance to learn about those who may become Grim. To get a hint of the best way to test them, to make them prove themselves.
[Kerala]: I don't need to know that, the inquisitors do. I know an elf hates alliance for killing her family. It's seems a common thing.
[Syreena]: It is a common thing among The Grim. You don't think it's a good thing to get to know the people who may one day be watching your back?
[Kerala]: Sure I do. But you said yourself, most supplicants don't make it. Why should I care about them before they pass trials? You expect me to fail, remember?
[Syreena]: I do expect you to fail. But your failure will be your own. It won't be because you weren't given a chance.
You laugh at Syreena.
[Kerala]: You're cute.
Syreena looks at you.
[Kerala]: So.... what did you learn about me? Anything useful?
[Syreena]: Sure. That you don't want to be here. That you're not giving it a chance. And that even if you pass your Trials, you still won't be Grim. You don't want it.
[Kerala]: That would be why you're supposed to 'teach' me, wouldn't it?
Syreena shrugs. "Teach. Test. Pick one."
[Kerala]: I'm actually disappointed.
[Syreena]: About what?
[Kerala]: I was expecting to be assigned the first trial.
[Syreena]: I'm sure Lilly will assign you one soon. The first one is easy.
Kerala cocks her head, looking at Syreena a little more seriously now.
[Kerala]: What were your trials?
[Syreena]: I was Grim before there was an Inquisition.
[Kerala]: Oh.
[Syreena]: I had no formal Trials to earn my rank.
[Kerala]: Convenient, I suppose.
Kerala frowns, since that's no help at all.
Syreena shrugs at you. Who knows?
[Kerala]: I'll learn later I suppose. Goodnight.
Syreena nods at you.
Last edited by Kerala on Wed May 20, 2015 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Logging started on 05/12/2015 at 19:26:29.

Kerala orders a big strong drink. It's probably a bad idea.
You let out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Syreena]: So....how are you liking your time with The Grim so far?
[Kerala]: I read a big book over the last few days, but not much else has happened. I sort of expected a trial by now. So... not well. Reading is dumb.
Syreena nods at you.
[Syreena]: Maybe this is a trial. Staying alive.
Syreena grins at you wickedly.
[Kerala]: Hmmph.
[Syreena]: How is Lomani? The curse should be gone now, right?
[Kerala]: I don't know. I haven't gone home since... well I didn't really expect Awatu to give me a tabard right away. She was fine, though.
[Syreena]: Yeah....I'm a bit surprised by that myself.
[Kerala]: You said the other night you didn't have to do the trials... but you did anyway?
[Syreena]: Not shpecifically. I've served The Grim in various roles for nearly a decade. I'd say that covers my trials.
[Kerala]: Oh.
[Syreena]: So how long is your...sentence with us?
Kerala sips her drink, then changes her mind, because it's gross. She sets it aside.
Syreena grins faintly, trying to hide it behind her bottle.
[Kerala]: What do you mean?
[Syreena]: How long are you planning to shtay with us? How long does it take to satisfy that revenge tradition?
Kerala smirks at Syreena.
[Kerala]: Awatu asked for a supplicant, now didn't he? If I pass the trials, my understanding is that I won't be one anymore.
[Syreena]: Sho if you earn your rank, you'll leave then?
[Kerala]: I very much doubt you all will change my mind. When will an Inquisitor be assigned to me? Ruuki says that must happen, and then I get the first trial. I thought I was assigned to Lilliana.
Syreena shrugs. Who knows?
[Syreena]: It usually happens right away, but then, there wasn't anything usual about you joining us, or the way it happened.
Kerala sighs in frustration.
[Kerala]: What sorts of things have people done for the last one? The Sacrifice?
[Syreena]: Hm, let's see. Kill someone from their past, hand over their personal journals--that was interesting, destroy a shpecial item from their past....
Kerala frowns. She doesn't have any journals, or special things.
[Syreena]: Cobrak sacrificed his eye.
[Kerala]: He did tell me that. I think that's dumb, as well. He's a great shot, but imagine how much better he'd be with -both- eyes.
[Syreena]: The whole point of that Trial is to give up your past life in order to prove one's commitment to The Grim. Yours will not be sincere if you plan to leave right after, so I don't see how you can pass that Trial.
[Kerala]: I don't have anything to give up. My armor...
Kerala frowns, maybe worried about that last trial.
[Syreena]: There's always something more to give.
[Kerala]: Hmm. Well then it'll be fine.
[Syreena]: Maybe it will be.
You look at Syreena.
[Syreena]: We'll see when the time comes.
[Kerala]: There is nothing the Grim can do that has not already been done. You all look at me with doubt, but accept little wisps like that hunter without question. I am stronger than she ever thought about being. I'll be fine.
[Syreena]: But will you be Grim? Your survival is not in question. Your dedication is. And that little elf last night. *She shrugs* Well, we need fodder too.
Kerala shrugs at Syreena.
[Kerala]: I should go find someplace to sleep. Good night.
[Syreena]: Stay safe. Wait...what do you mean find a place to sleep? You said you haven't seen Lomani since you put on the tabard. Where've you been staying?
[Kerala]: I don't know. Wherever looks comfortable. I like Talador. And Nagrand.
Syreena looks at you.
[Syreena]: Why not the barracks in the garrison?
Kerala just looks at Syreena.
[Kerala]: I'm not a Grim. Not really. Just a supplicant.
[Syreena]: You wear the tabard, handed to you by the Commander himself. You have a right to be in the garrison. Nobody will harm you without risking the Commander's anger.
[Kerala]: Um... ok. I can find a spot there I guess.
Syreena nods at you.
[Kerala]: Ok then...
[Kerala]: I guess I'll go do that. Goodnight.
Syreena nods at you.
[Syreena]: Stay safe.
You nod at Syreena.
Kerala leaves.
Last edited by Kerala on Thu May 21, 2015 12:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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When Kerala entered the barracks, she was surprised to find a book laying in a bunk with her name on it. A supplicant’s handbook. Apparently this was her assigned place. There was also a package, from Lomani. The letter read:
Kerala,
You are Grim now, I know, so I am sure this will reach you. I'm ok. I'll look after the garrison while you are gone.
I've sent your things. Don't neglect your gems. I find that working my hands is soothing. Bring out the beauty of the stones, and remember them when you are surrounded in the ugliness of the moment.
Walk your chosen path with care. Be strong. I will be here waiting for you on the other side.
~Lomani
In the box was a large mostly-empty new hexcloth bag. The giant cloth satchel was folded neatly around Kerala's small collection of items.

One small wooden box held papers- every letter she had ever received, minus the battered one from Awatu that she had mailed back to him. Twenty-three from Kethrenorean, most of them faded and old. One for every month since she'd left the Glade. The very oldest letter from the night elf still held within it's folds the special altered steelbloom that came with all of them, crispy and delicate. One letter from Konro, mailed to her after his death. One letter from Tesonii. The newest from Awatu.

A small jewelry box that closed with a simple lock. Inside it contained her gem collection- a few polished and finished gems, and some still rough and uncut. They rattled around among shattered rock fragments and crumbled gem shards without care. There were a few ossified venom glands as well, from what creature Kerala could not recall. But they were pretty, and so she kept them.

A small cloth trinket pouch within the jewelry box held the non-jewelcrafting things. Inside was only one real piece of jewelry- the starkly simplistic black diamond wire ring. She'd never worn it since making it. The pouch also held a colorful rock. An essence-infused moonstone. A lovely blue charm in the shape of a bird with it's wings outstretched in swift flight. Her skytotem was in there as well, the old worn bone looking out of place next to the other, pretty things.

Folded neatly beneath the two containers of her possessions were Kerala's two dresses. The blue embroidered dress with wide neck opening and sleeves from when she'd been injured. And the oldest dress, somewhat faded, with simple beadwork and open sides. A stylish blue shirt, unofficial uniform of the Skytotem healer tribe, topped the clothing pile.

Kerala looked through the things for a moment, then grabbed a couple rough gems from the jewelry box and the tools to shape and polish them. Then she added Lomani's letter to the wooden box, sealed the hexcloth bag, and left it in the bunk with the Grim handbook atop it.
Last edited by Kerala on Wed May 20, 2015 10:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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It took several days for Kerala to find exactly what she was looking for.

She sat in Orgrimmar as a storm crow, sometimes prowling in the form of a cat to listen. She stalked the orphanage. Children came in all the time. Most of them stayed only temporarily while next-of-kin were notified. Some arrived there to live.

Finally, she spotted what she needed. She fell from her perch in a swoop toward the ground, shifted in midair, and landed neatly on the padded paws of her cat form. She immediately slunk into the shadows, her ears perked to listen.
After a few moments, she was certain. The boy child was very quiet as the adult orc delivering him explained the situation. The older sister had been killed, as well as both parents. No other known kin. He couldn't have been more than four.

She flew off to find the body.

Rigor had set in, and she had to flex the limbs to loosen the muscles from their stiffed state. She stripped the clothing, tied the wrists and ankles. The girl was considerably smaller than the shu'halo child had been. About the same age. Her hair was in pigtails.

Kerala laid the orc into the box, carefully folding the limbs- arms to the chest inside the drawn up knees. The fetal position really was the most compact. The hardest part for her was to place the apple in the girl's mouth.

Then she sealed the box. The goblin she had contacted would come pick it up later, address it and affix the note. There would be no way to trace it back to her, if he tried to. She wasn't quite sure why, but it was important to know how far Khorvis would go.

The note said simply:
Still hungry?
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Logging started on 05/16/2015 at 00:18:35.
[Leyujin-TwistingNether]: Syreena, c'mon. Shlay a bit mo'.
[Syreena]: All right, but just a little.
[Kerala]:*mumbles* Can't..sleep... [something]'ll eat... me
[Syreena]: What'sh the matter?
[Khorvis-TwistingNether]: Do your bunk be too hard, Supplicant?
[Khorvis-TwistingNether]: *snarls*
[Kerala]: Uh, what? *yawn*
[Syreena]: Why can't you sleep?
[Kerala]: Because you're talking to me.
[Syreena]: You said something about getting eaten or something.
[Kerala]: I did not, I was asleep. I'll make sure and put the stone somewhere it can't fall out and wake me up.
[Syreena]: Ah, okay. Well...rest well the.n
[Khorvis-TwistingNether]: *growls into the stone, obviously preoccupied* Then do close your bloody eyes and lips, Supplicant!
[Shaeli]: Someone has a terrible bedside manner.
[Kerala]: *clacking noise, as if the stone might have been flung away and hit something*
[Syreena]: Goodnight, Grims.

Logging started on 05/16/2015 at 12:14:55.
You lie down. You yawn sleepily.
Inzema plops down beside Kerala. "'Ey Ssscrawny."
Kerala opens an eye to look at Inzema.
[Inzema]: Lilly ssstill givin' ya shit?
Kerala shifts, and then yawns, not nearly so graceful an expression as it would have been on a cat face.
[Kerala]: She's not doing anything. Which is irritating.
[Inzema]: Prolly meditating or sssomething. I don't underssstand priessstsss. They're all "Inzema! Your mind is like a maze built by a madman hallucinating from mushrooms!"
[Kerala]: Oh, yeah she does that, but I didn't mean now. I meant she's not assigning me to do anything yet. I should have some trial or something by now, I thought.
Kerala smirks at Inzema's comment. Anything to keep people out of others' heads sounds good to her. Creepy shadow magics.
[Inzema]: Well...I have an idea that might work.
Inzema smirks mischievously.
[Kerala]: Oh?
[Inzema]: Yup! There'sss two problemsss to thisss whole dealy. Firssst is...Lilly isss sssometimesss a butt. A ssseksssy butt, but a butt nonethelesss. You gotta keep pessstering her and ssstuff until she givesss in.
[Kerala]: And the other problem?
[Inzema]: Sssecond isss that everyone knowsss you wanna chuck duesssesss as sssoon as you're done. I mean, that happensss a lot, but nobody outright sssaysss "I'm jussst gonna be here until I fulfill thisss ssstupid outdated law thingy.
[Kerala]: You're right, I have not said that at all.
[Inzema]: Actionsss, Kerbear.
Kerala doesn't deny that she might plan to do exactly that, though.
[Inzema]: You wear your thoughtsss on your sssleeve. You dessspise usss. Yeah, Grim ain't eksssactly the heroesss everyone looksss up to, but we ain't the bloodthirsssty warmongersss either. Well...not all of usss.
Lilliana is sitting rather quietly, and comfortably with Aaren. She turns her gentle eyes to gaze towards Inzema and Kerala as they have their little 'conversation'.
Kerala considers that for a long moment.
[Lilliana]: Hey, hi, elf girl *she says to the red haired elf* [Florence, who is bothering Aaren]
[Kerala]: The Grim doesn't want me any more than I wish to be counted one of you. You all think I will fail the inquisition anyway- why draw out the process?
[Lilliana]: Give me a second. *she raises to her feet, and brushes off her robes which have become rather dusty from sitting for so long*
[Inzema]: I don't think you get it. The path of the Sssuplicant is to show-
Inzema glances up at Lilly. "Hey ssseksssy."
Lilliana comes up behind Inzema and Kerala, a sweet little smile on her childish face. "Yo."
You look at Lilliana.
Lilliana looks down to Inzema, "So like, what's the path of the supplicant?" She grins.
[Inzema]: It'sss to let both the Grim and the sssuplicant know if the Grim is right for them.
Lilliana nods her head.
[Inzema]: Done it twissse, Q did it onssse, she ran the bit. You don't bend over backwardsss to make the Sssuplicant feel welcome, but you don't make them feel unwelcome neither.
Inzema gives Lilliana a cool smile from his cocked head position.
Lilliana simply smiles, "My view of supplicants is different.....but that doesn't matter." She looks to Kerala, "He's right though. The purpose behind this is to see if you can live as a Grim, and if the Grim can live in you too."
[Lilliana]: Meeting your blood debt is going to be exhausting for you. *she says this rather seriously*
[Kerala]: Can live.... in me?
Inzema stifles a snicker and lewd joke.
Kerala crosses her arms. "I don't expect it to be easy."
Lilliana doesn't try to further explain to Kerala...either because she feels she shouldn't need to...or she's being a shit to her. Take your pick. But she nods. "Yeah."
[Kerala]: So... start exhausting me. What am I supposed to do?
Inzema smirks at Kerala's remark.
Lilliana 's eyes rest on Kerala's, "Stuff." She answers.
Inzema rolls his eyes, and somehow his goggles emote that. "You're bein' a twit, Lilly."
Lilliana grins wickedly at Inzema.
[Lilliana]: Why, I never! *she cackles*
[Inzema]: You grouchy 'cause Ley ain't been dickin' you enough? Is that it?
Inzema cackles maniacally at Lilliana.
[Lilliana]: Yeah, that's probably it. *she says in utmost seriousness*
Lilliana looks at Inzema.
You blink at Inzema.
Inzema gives Lilliana a cherubic smile.
Lilliana tries really hard to look serious at Inzema, but she doesn't do a very good job. She's an idiot.
Kerala sighs, and sits back down on the sun-warmed rock.
[Lilliana]: So.... *she rubs her eyes and grins to turn back to Kerala, winking at Inzema as she goes* You need to battle something, Kerala.
Kerala snorts. Obviously, or it would not be called a Trial of Combat.
[Lilliana]: You need to like, show strength. Power, and intention to battle down something and win, for the guild that you now follow.
Lilliana leans down to say softly to Inzema, "See, I'm not always a twit."
Inzema shoots a glance at Darethy, then back to Lilliana. "You're talkin' to her like either you or she is a halfwit, and I ain't sssure which one is your intention."
Lilliana grins at Inzema, "Well, either way I have both bases covered."
Lilliana sits down in front of Kerala, and places a gloved hand on the tauren's.
Inzema flails his arms in apparent exasperation and shuts up.
[Lilliana]: So like, what ya wanna do? Since you are so intent on becoming Grim? You gonna go take something down? Some sweet little alliance folk? It's gotta be cool.
Kerala eyes Lilliana with more than a little bit of wariness. She is really really uncomfortable with the priestess, for some reason.
[Kerala]: I get to pick?
[Lilliana]: You get to pick, I have to approve, as your inquisitor. *she nods, her tone has taken on somewhat of a mature tone, but that's not likely to last long, considering who she is*
[Kerala]: Oh.... hmm
Lilliana smiles at the lack of direction she has been giving to Kerala, but then she makes it look like this is all part of the process. "So...........? What ya gonna do?"
Lilliana takes her hand back, and places both hands primly in her lap, as she so often does.
[Kerala]: Well... there's a big battlefield on this island right? I can go with the fighters and keep them safe...
Lilliana runs her fingers through her red hair, and then stretches her arms over her head. "Oh, how about this, Kerala?" She gestures towards Ashran, where the battles always seem to be raging.
Kerala hushes and listens.
Lilliana nods her head slowly, "Yes, you can."
[Lilliana]: But if you do that .... I want to see you ensure that they bring down the alliances tree thingie. You know, that stupid thing that they throw at us? And, I want you to take a goblin picture thing, and make sure that the tree falls on at least two alliance that are fighting for it. K? At least two. Otherwise, it don't freaking count.
You blink at Lilliana.
Florencé looks at the troll woman and quite literally sits in her lap. Looking up at her hair.
[Kerala]: Take a picture of a tree, after I make it fall on two alliance?
[Everyone is thus distracted by Florence]
You look at Inzema.
[Kerala]: Inzema, you look like you have gadgets. Do you have a goblin picture-thingy I can borrow?
Inzema seems to manifest with his other hand a [S.E.L.F.I.E. Camera MkII]. "One of these?"
Kerala looks at Lilliana as if to ask if that's the goblin picture-thing.
Lilliana places her attentions back to Kerala, "I want you to take a picture of two squished alliance that have fallen under the tree."
[Kerala]: Right, is that the right thing to do it with? *she gestures to the camera Inzema is holding*
[Florence is still distracting]
Kerala shrugs at Inzema.
[Inzema]: You could use one of these, or you could get sssome goblin to take your picture. Whichever.
[Kerala]: Oh. Well keep your thingy, then. I'd probably break it.
[Inzema]: Butterfingers?
You shrug at Inzema. Who knows?
Kerala thanks Inzema anyway and stands, intending to go hire a goblin photographer right that instant.
Kerala mutters a goodbye to everyone and wanders off to see a man about a picture-thingy.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Kerala stood there dumbly, looking at the battlefield. She was confused.

It had taken the entire day of fighting in Ashran before the Alliance had summoned the tree ancient Fangraal. She was sore. She was tired. Several times throughout the day, she'd taken a beating and had to retreat. The soldiers she was healing did not know her, and didn't seem to care that she was helping them. They did not protect her at all.

But then the ancient appeared, and it no longer mattered. It was time to pass the first trial.

There were two sturdy fighters that dared to keep the tree's attention, a troll monk, and then an orc warrior. She focused her attentions on healing them as they took turns dealing with the tree, and then the most stubborn of the Alliance fighting alongside it. She let the blooming nature of her spells care for the rest of the fighters. She grew mushrooms, let out her frustrations in roars to incapacitate any allies that came near her, and she danced through the fighting.

Something had thrown her and several other soldiers high into the air. She spotted a priest, weakened by the blow, falling back to the ground with her. She cast, and the woman's skin became as tough as ironbark to survive the fall. Kerala landed hard on feline paws.

Eventually, though, the Horde won. The fighters delivered killing blows to Fangraal. The tree began to wobble. Horde fighters finished off the last of the Alliance fighters, heartened by the sight. Several other gave chase to those retreating. There were plenty of corpses around for the picture that was required, whichever way the ancient fell.

The photographer that Kerala had hired started running up. A younger goblin female, she'd stayed behind, safe, for the most part. She tended to squeal very loudly and so Kerala hadn't had much trouble at all protecting the girl.

And then, Fangraal disintegrated. The thing had started falling, but then it never hit the ground. Like decay in fast-forward, the tree visibly rotted away, and crumbled upon itself. The tiny particles of it's body vanished as if the thing had never existed.

Kerala just stared, not understanding. How could she get a picture of dead people under a tree when the tree didn't fall down?

The goblin woman, ever interested in completing the task and receiving the rest of her payment, inventively found some branches and staged a few photos with Kerala doubtfully looking on. She was certain no one would be fooled by the limbs of a regular tree. Fangraal's leaves had been so very large.

She left the battlefield, and paid the photographer girl her fee, plus extra hazard pay and a bonus for trying. She got her pictures, worthless though they were.

Her confusion had quickly turned to anger. Lilliana had set her up to fail.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Kerala ascend the steps of the Hall of the Brave. She's not the first to arrive, this time. Several others are already gathered at the top floor. Her head clears the level of the floor and she identifies the inquisitors, Ruuki and Khorvis. The High Inquisitor turns his monocular gaze upon Kerala and grins darkly. The druid scowls. She's still infuriated at Lilliana and the trolless was, of course, no where to be found. Syreena nods as her green eyes scanned the rest of the room, and she nods back. Lupinum plops next to Syreena.

Ruuki looks around at the gathered. Not nearly as many as last week but it's something at least. Then the orc begins speaking.

"Dabu. This is our word for obedience." Kerala looks to Khorvis and listens. "Look around yourselves at the iron and wood. They do obey the will of the Warchief, assembled and riveted as a bastion in the honor of the Horde. Dabu. I obey the Mandate, as do we all. We are the iron and raw lumber of the Commander's aim." Ruuki nods in agreement with his words. "Does the iron of this tower groan in protest against the battlemasters and the Warchief?"

There is a pause, during which the troll Tazzuk arrives, of course with Xek'anjo at his back. They take their places quietly. Kerala frowns, listening, wondering what the point is in talking about the construction of a building.

"If it does groan, then that do be the fault of the maker. If it does snap and splinter beneath our boots, then it do be no fault of its own. Dabu. It does obey the siegesmith, the carpenter, and the Warchief." Khorvis watches the Supplicants with a dark eye. "You do obey your Inquisitors in your trials. We do shoulder the weight of your corpse if you do break and snap. But you do obey. Dabu."

Several people present, not just supplicants, nod at his words, but Kerala is thoroughly perplexed. Wood and iron were not things that could obey anything. A tree cut to build a tower was dead, and had no say over how it was used, and metal was never sentient to begin with.

"I am not a tree." she says crossly, "Or a lump of ore."

"But you are still something to be guided and shaped. All of us are." Ruuki replies.

Khorvis nods at Ruuki. "Aye. Flesh and bone to become a weapon. Inquisitor Ruuki, your charges. Let us hear them"

Kerala wonders where Lilliana is again.

The tauren inquisitor summons a goblin Kyoukimaru before her. She asks him about his last trial, his sacrifice. The goblin starts spouting nonsense about how he was created, not born, and says he ate his body. The druid looks at the crazy rogue, very confused. What exactly is going on in this room?

Khorvis crosses his gauntlets and listens to the tale. When it is finished, he asks. "Do you obey the Mandate now fully, little goblin?"

Kyoukimaru looks at Khorvis and grins wickedly. "I obey. I am the very blade of execution, waiting eagerly for my next duty."

"Say the word on the lips of these timbers and iron. Dabu. Peace through annihilation." Kyoukimaru screams it, followed enthusiastically by the others. "Aye! All of us! Dabu! Peace through annihilation!" Khorvis looks slightly manic, a gleam in his eye.

Kerala remains silent. After a few moments, they all calm down.

"Zug zug, Kyoukimaru. Well done, Inquisitor Ruuki." the high inquisitor comments.

Next, the two trolls are summoned forward. Ruuki looks at Tazzuk and Xekanjo. "I am your Inquisitor for your trials. Here are your assignments for the Trial of Combat, made public for all to watch you complete."

Malhavik arrives as she speaks, and Kerala glances to him before returning her gaze to the tauren woman. She assigns Tazzuk to slay so many Alliance that they whisper his name in hushed tones around the campfire, and constantly look over their shoulders for fear he'll be there. It seems a vague sort of thing to assign someone to do, to Kerala. Xekanjo is told to collect the souls from each ally that Tazzuk killed. Ruuki tells them each they have a month to complete their tasks.

"A proper trial, Dreadweaver. I do commend your hunger. Trk'hsk for the Mandate!" Khorvis exclaims.

"Good, you two can step back." Ruuki glances to Khorvis. "That's all I have for tonight."

Khorvis nods in thanks to the Inquisitor. "Good. Then I do call forward one of the Mandate who has obeyed our creed in with great fervor for many moons. Come forward, brother Lupinum. We will hear your wisdom this night."

Lupinum sits up, somewhat slowly. He walks to the center of the floor and salutes Khorvis with respect. "Yes, High Inquisitor." The orc returns the salute.

Xek'anjo cranes his head unnaturally towards Kerala, and smiles. She ignores him. The druid sighs, but resolves to listen at least until she's sure this speaker is spouting nonsense like Greebo had last week.

"Here is one who does know 'dabu'. Without tire and fatigue on the battlegrounds. We did hear the wisdom of the Twice-made one week past. We will now hear yours - but much more to our point. Come forward, Supplicant Shaelie." Lupinum pins his hands to his sides as he stands there, unsure and unwilling to fidgit. "Tell the Grim what you do make of this timber and iron, brother Lupinum. How might she serve the Mandate in her first trial?"

Lupinum relaxes then, and clicks his tongue in thought. He eventually assigns the hunter supplicant to finish her training and deliver to the High Inquisitor twenty-five cleaned skulls of draenei.

Khorvis gives the elf huntress an heirloom of some importance, which Syreena does not like. Kerala watches the exchange passively.

Then the high inquisitor glances at a ream of papers and sets them on the table. "Right, one last Supplicant under the ledger of Inquisitor Lilliana. Come into the light, Kerala. We do wish to see your horns."

Eyes turn toward her. The mention of Lilliana reignites the anger that was still simmering within her. Kerala shoves aside Shaelie's little scorpion and steps forward. She looks at Khorvis. She doesn't offer him a salute like the others had.

Behind her, Lupinum leans close to Syreena and whispers. In the suddenly quiet room she can hear the sound of it.

Khorvis takes a side-saddle perch on the edge of the table and irritably picks through his feedbag for a moment. He pulls out a small clean bone and flicks it aside. Kerala 's eyes follow the bone as it is cast aside, bouncing on the wooden floor. Six years of experience identified it with some degree of certainty as orcish, and feminine. Apparently, he -had- still been hungry. The knowledge is filed away, and her eyes then return to the Lasher.

"My ears do be old, tauren. Some words do slip by them and I do forget their passing. But I do know the sound of Dabu. Remind me?"

Kerala immediately repeats the word obediently. "Dabu." Apparently that was not what the orc wanted.

"Hrmph. Yes, we all do the dabu." He pauses. "Your blood debt to the Mandate do be a tricky thing. I do wonder if your heart do be in it."

"Syreena seems to share your wonder" is the only thing she can think to say. He put to words what the rogue and every other Grim seems to believe. It doesn't matter.

Khorvis slides off the table and snaps his fingers in the air! "Heart! That do be it!" Kerala can't help taking a small step back from Khorvis. Not only was he close enough after that exclamation for her to smell the carrion stench of his breath, but the tone in his voice makes every hair along her spine lift.

The high inquisitor Khorvis the Lasher straightens up to his full and imposing height. "Supplicant Kerala. Your first trial do be to eat the hearts of every race of the Alliance filth!"

Behind her, several Grim cheer and laugh. "Greatest trial ever!" she hears. Ruuki smirks a little at the assignment.

Kerala glares at Khorvis. He didn't even know that she had been given a task already! "I was given a trial, I thought." She speaks over the troll Tazzuk, who is more than willing to help her get started right now with a heart he apparently has in his bags.

Khorvis pauses. "Another trial you do say?"

"Is Lilliana not my inquisitor? Ruuki said I would get my trial within the week, and Lilliana kept it from me. When I asked in Warspear, she set me to it." she tries to keep her voice even as she explains, and mostly succeeds.

"Bah, did you complete this trial?"

Kerala pulls out the pictures and throws them somewhat angrily on the table. "She said I was to go and fell the big tree the alliance summon. I was to make sure it landed on no less than two corpses, and supply photos as proof."

"Dis be true...." Tazzuk confirms. "She wuz there when it came."

"That task is impossible!" the druid nearly shouts. "The ancient disintegrates as soon as it dies!"

Khorvis stares at Kerala, the stink of his breath wafting towards her snout. She swallows hard, disbelieving. He doesn't care at all. The orc digs around inside of his sidepouch and produces a rusty fork. He holds it out to her. "I did say that we Inquisitors do lift the weight when your wood does splinter. You have your new task. Feast with relish."

Kerala eyes Khorvis for a long moment. Ruuki moves just close enough to see the pictures on the table, frowning.

"If I may," Tazzuk offers behind her, "I gotta goo' one right here ta whet her appetite."

Again, she ignores the troll. The orc had not asked her to kill the alliance and prove her prowess, only to eat them. Staring at him, she wonders. Does he know that she had sent him the package? Is this challenge personal? Punishment? "What purpose does it serve, to consume their hearts?" Khorvis continues to hold the ancient heirloom fork of heart-eating out towards Kerala.

Gazreeth, his hostility openly obvious, can't contain himself any more. "What purpose does your questioning everything serve?"

She glares down at him, and he stares right back at her. "You all expect me to fail, and wish for it, and then I am given a task that is truly, without doubt, impossible to accomplish? Why would I not question?" she demands.

"Eating alliance hearts isn't impossible, it's actually a lot of fun." the goblins says.

Lupinum stands. "Any of us here would take a bite of that heart."

"I -meant- the trial given by my supposed inquisitor." the druid snaps.


The tauren inquisitor Ruuki speaks up. "Considering I've fought and helped fell that tree in Ashran, it does not disintegrate immediately upon death. It topples over, like any normal tree. We do not give impossible tasks to our Supplicants. We challenge them to push their own limits. If you never push, you never know what you're capable of."

Lupinum sits back down, muttering "All of here, wearing the tabard."

Khorvis nods at Ruuki. At her blatant lie. "Dabu, Kerala. The first trial is to obey. In the second, you will get your questions."

Obey. Kerala looks down, away from his eyes. The gesture of submission. She finds the bright red stitching of her dark tabard attracting her attention from the blurry periphery of her vision, and she focuses on that. Supplicant. This is one of three trials, and she will beat them. Khorvis' task is not impossible, but it will take planning.

The druid looks up, her dark eyes flashing. She steps around and eyes Tazzuk and his heart, and points to him. "I refuse that one." she declares. She can see several of the Grim openly incredulous at her defiance.

"Fine." the high inquisitor answers, "I do only want you eating ones of your kills."

Ruuki shrugs. "They're better warm anyway."

Another thought occurs to Kerala, and she eyes Khorvis. Lilliana had required proof, as Ruuki did from the trolls, and Lupinum did of that hunter. "How will you know I have done it truly?"

Malhavik raises his hand, but Tazzuk just blurts "High Inquisitor, I be fightin' wit da druid in Ashran. I kin prove witness ta her eatin' da hearts...and be grabbin' dem as she mendin' me."

Khorvis lifts his gaze from the fork held forth and twists the taladite shard embedded in his eldritch eye's device. A new soul mist begins to coalesce. "Worthy words, Supplicant Tazzuk. I will hear those of the felmancer Malhavik." Kerala still has not made any move to accept the silly fork.

"Hearts contain the essence of those they belong to. I'm quite sure a Death Knight, or warlock could ensure she's has consumed the essences of the other races." Malhavik says. "So long as it is recent enough," adds he.

"A clever thought. Zug zug. Gather Reaper Gazreeth and gauge our Kerala's progress." Kerala eyes the undead warlock up and down, unsure what to think of him. Malhavik tilts his head at the druid politely.

Lupinum meets Malhavik's eyes for a long moment. Malhavik nods at the priest.

Khorvis flings the fork down into the timbered floors of the Hall, then. It sticks into the wood, quivering. "You have your orders, Supplicant Kerala. Obey your new trial or do not. Both paths have an end." She says nothing, but nods.

"If it tries to swindle us... I'll await my orders.." Kyoukimaru glares angrily..

Gazreeth grins wickedly at the crazy rogue. "You'll have to get in line."

"Do there be any other faces that would show themselves before the Inquisition this night?" Khorvis asks, his voice louder.

Kerala looks at Tazzuk, and the heart still in his hands. Her teeth are tightly shut together.

Ruuki says after a moment of waiting "Then if there's no other business to add, the Inquisition is closed and sealed to the Mandate. Peace through Annihilation." Ruuki finishes. Again, she is echoed by the attending Grim, but for Kerala. She notices a slight hesitation as Malhavik says it.

"Dabu." replies Khorvis. If the word meant 'obey', did that mean he was obeying Ruuki, agreeing with her act to end the night's meeting? Orcish never failed to be confusing. "Peace, Grim."

"So..." Kyoukimaru piped up, "anyone up for a steak? Kerala glares at him. Ruuki tells him to mind his blades.

Kerala walks over to where the tiny bone discarded from Khorvis' feed bag landed, and she picks it up. She examines it while they are all distracted talking. She catches Cobrak's name, and someone named Morinth. The bone is from a child's finger, and she closes her fist over it. She returns to the table, and kicks the stupid fork under it. She gathers up the pictures that Khorvis had not even glanced at.

The others begin filing out following the Lasher's suggestion of continuing the discussion over beers.

Two goblins are blocking her when Kerala turns back around. She looks at Kyoukimaru's back. He had been talking with Ruuki, but the inquisitor wasn't looking this way anymore. Gazreeth reaches under the table and picks up the fork.

Kyoukimaru makes multiple loud snapping noises as his head turns back to her, despite his body facing away. He looks unharmed by the action, despite the unnatural pose. "You dropped something I believe.."

Kerala resists the reflexive urge to stab the creepy rogue in his stupid face. "No, I did not. Khorvis dropped it, not me.

Kyoukimaru cackles maniacally at the situation. "You're too funny. Don't be so arrogant in your lifebringing abilities."

"Ale!" Khorvis' loud voice reaches them. "Blood ale! I do hope."

Gazreeth throws the fork down in front of Kerala so it sticks into the wood, just like the Lasher had done. "Don't forget it, or the alliance will be the last of your worries."

The druid looks down at him, standing at eight feet tall to his- what, four? His face was right on level for her to smash it against her knee. "I don't need a fork."

The rogue chuckles. "The knight here.. too obvious. Me?"

Gazreeth leans in. "Do NOT disrespect the lasher again..." his voice trails off, leaving the threat unspoken. He turns away to join the others as they go downstairs.

Kyoukimaru has no problem picking up the slack. "or else." he warns. "Because you won't see me coming." He leaves as well, and now Kerala is supposedly alone in the tower.

Kerala heads for the stairs after waiting long enough that she can no longer hear the others. She stops at the brazier there. With a sigh, she throws the stupid pictures into the flames. Useless. She brings her clenched fist up then, and opens her fingers to look at the small bone.

She whispers the Magram funeral phrases she'd heard and uttered countless times, slightly altered. "Nees ko stroval. Strovalt lo ralt. Kek strovalt di Khorvis. Kek ralt di Khorvis. Nuth. Khorvis agol sroval." It seems appropriate. Kerala throws the small bone into the fire.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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[05/18/2015 after the Inquisition]

Kerala orders a strong drink.

On the far side of the tavern, the Grim are gathered around a table. Atop it lies a package that has apparently just been delivered. She can hear the goblin death knight saying how it would be easier to just have Kerala open it, can never be too careful. Kerala downs her glass in one breath, then coughs a bit afterwards. She eyes Gazreeth. It doesn't matter.


Kerala plops an elbow onto the table, and her head into her hand as the drink takes very quick effect in her small boney frame. She watches everybody on the other side of the room. They investigate the contents of the package. Body parts, and yet they seem not to like these ones. Picky picky.

A Forsaken in green robes is a new face in the tavern. She has a metallic jaw like Lupinum, though there is something off about it. She is staring at the druid. Kerala looks at Lightcursed.

Lightcursed smiles at Kerala, which really is a pulling of her upper lip on the stitches that hold her bony, mismatched jaw in place. "You have a rather admirable soul, did you know that?" she says, her voice having a ghostly echo to it, her lip and jaw not moving.

Kerala blinks at Lightcursed. Why did priests feel the need to share the things they saw in people? Lomani, this one. She tells the woman crossly "Stay out of my shoul, undead. You don't know me at all."

Lightcursed seems slightly taken aback by Kerala's response. "Oh, my, I've offended you. I am very sorry." Kerala frowns, but her somewhat glazed eyes are no longer on Lightcursed, but Khorvis. He is really the source of her current mood. Or rather, Lilliana is. But the troll isn't here.

"There are many ears in this tavern." the high inquisitor was saying.

Malhavik nods, but Syreena grumbles. "Not too many. It's one short."

Kerala giggles at Syreena. Syreena frowns, looking at Kerala, then notices the glazed look in her eyes. The strange new priest wanders over to them, and Kerala beckons Syreena over the next time the rogue glances her way.

"I meant to ax you, but you left too fast." Kerala starts. She sits up, which proves to feel like an odd manuever as her head swims suddenly.

Syreena looks at Alakroz, who has just arrived, and sighs. "Ask me what?"

"I need... um." she can't recall orcish words suddenly.

"More booze?"

"A... no!" Kerala exclaims.

The goblin death knight has overheard, and he offers "A fork?"

"A shpear wall, a... whatsit called. Jail! I need a jail thing. ...hic!"

"A prison cell?" the rogue asks. Kerala nods at Syreena. Then she remembers the fork comment, and she shifts her gaze to Gazreeth. She flicks her fingers at the goblin in a shooing motion, which is somewhat amusing to her.

"At the Grim garrison. Under the barracks. You haven't explored the building you're sleeping in yet?"

Gazreeth is glaring angrily at her. Kerala blinks slowly at Syreena. "I don't shleep init."

"Why not?"

Kerala looks over Syreena's head at Khorvis for a minute before answering. It would take too long to say that the scent of his roasted meal of shuhalo child lingered through the building, that she was uncomfortable in beds or hammocks in the first place, and that both lended themselves well to creating nightmares for her, which she was having plenty of already. "Shmells"

"Uh huh." The rogue briefly turns to wish a goodbye to a departing Malhavik. "So where have you been sleeping?" Malhavik belatedly notices Syreena's goodbye. He pokes his head back through the door, and gives a flamboyant bow to Syreena.

Kerala frowns, since this was really not what she wanted to talk about... but she forgot... Khorvis yells for Syreena, and suddenly it doesn't matter because the forsaken is gone, back to the others.

ATTACK! She reacts reflexively, catching the movement from the corner of her eye. Her arm blocks Alakroz, who was apparently trying to grab some of her fur? The sudden movement again sets everything to swirling, and her alcohol-cured bad mood sours again due to the dizziness. And then she notices something. Kerala blinks and reaches up to her neck, where she finds a dart.

"STOP." she commands him. Even to her it is a childish thing to do. Alakroz looks at her. Then he shoots another dart.

She doesn't bother trying to dodge. Instead, she reaches within herself and releases the magic of the natural world of which she is a part. Knowledge floods her drunken mind, bringing with it a separation from the toxin's effects. Even with her slow metabolism, the alcohol is already effecting every part of her. The heart and respiration rates are increased. The drink was wrecking havoc in the brain and of course, seeing it this way, the druid wondered why she ever bothered consuming it. She focused on the liver and other organs needed to clean up this mess, and she urges them to do so.

Kerala stays very still for a moment. She exhales poisonous vapors even as her bladder fills to capacity. It's a very good thing she had only drunk the one glass. Then, she tries to punch Alakroz, suddenly very much -not- drunk.

He was distracted yelling to the Grim about how he was a shaman and could do shaman things for whatever they were discussing, but not enough get slugged. He jerks back his head to dodge the punch and disappears into a rain of frogs. Instead of an annoying troll face, the druid instead punches the hell out of the wall. She does it again to vent emotion, since she just wasted a lot of good cider by curing most of it's effects.

Kerala sits back down, sulking like the child she kind of is. Syreena is mad at Khorvis about some assignment, and still upset that a mere supplicant was given some priceless stupid heirloom earlier at the meeting. Alakroz shoots darts at her pet dog, and Kerala has had it with that troll.

Kerala gets up and stalks toward the stairs, and the dart-happy shaman. He is distracted by the goings-on in the room below him. She mounts the stairs slowly, until she is within range.... Khorvis and the other Grim walk outside for something. Alakroz looks at the druid. He starts to talk and gesture, probably trying to Hex her into a compy or something, but she is ready for that. With a frown on her own features, she puts fist to face, interrupting him.

Alakroz is punched. So he shoots a dart at Kerala. The druid grabs at Alakroz with one hand, going for the rest of his darts with the other. She growls as she does. He is not expecting that move, and so her fingers find and easily snatch most of the shaman's pointed arsenal. He is busy trying to headbutt her with the voodoo mask thing.

A simple angling of her head takes most of his silly blow to her horns, and then Kerala jabs all of the darts into Alakroz. The troll shaman is slammed by darts of death, sleep and varying degrees of drugs. She can feel with the hand still gripping his robes as he goes into cardiac arrest. The angry tauren shoves him off the stairs. Maybe if she's lucky he'll land in the fire.

Alakroz lands in the fire. Kerala descends the few steps back down to the tavern floor and watches the troll convulse and begin to roast for a moment as Khorvis walks back in. The smell of burning cloth begins to fill the room.

"I do seek another shaman. Reports put his mad arse in this tavern." the orc declares.


Tazzuk arrives, soaked in blood....hopefully Alliance blood. He takes one look at the shaman on the fire and laughs. "Oh roasted Gurubashi. How fun."

"Why do this troll be on the firepit? He do be Horde?" Khorvis asks.

"He be filth, High Inquisitor." Tazzuk argues. "He's Gurubashi, an' onna Hakkar's puppets. ...hic! He ain't troll.

From atop the barrels of ale, the elf huntress Shaelie has witnessed the whole thing. "You're supposed to eat Alliance hearts." she tells Kerala. "Not troll hearts."

"Pull it out." the high inquisitor commands.

The druid glares angrily at Shaelie. "You shut up." The elf just shrugs at her. Kerala takes her spear and finally jabs Alakroz so that he rolls off the flames. The fabric of his robes is charred and blackened, and his flesh is scorched as well, down to deep tissues. The surface visible beneath the crispy fibers of charred cloth is blistered and raw. Kerala deems it enough damage, and her anger is completely assuaged. With his turning, she can now smell his meat. She's done.

"There do be enough Horde blood flowing just one hundred paces to the South." Khorvis is saying.

"Bout twice that of Alliance." Tazzuk laughs.

Kerala puts a hand on the crispified shaman, and heals the damage done to his body. Flesh mends, and toxins are metabolized or pushed out as needed. She saves him from death of a dozen different ways. "Don't dart me again." she growls at him. She releases the shaman and, oddly, he continues laying there. Playing dead.

Syreena walks in in time to witness the horrific burns and such, and the healing. She asks "What happened to him?"

Tazzuk offers Syreena "Guru" ears and while he thinks she is distracted, Alakroz jumps up and tries to Hex Kerala. She gestures as if to shove him backwards, toward the flames, and it seems enough to halt his cast again for the thought of the flames licking at him. She regretted the fire part of her attack. Her anger was completely gone with the oily residue of roasted troll inside her nostrils.

"This one has some spirit in him!" Khorvis cackles maniacally at the druid. Bring your prey outside, Supplicant Kerala. I do wish to see you test his skill with the spirits of the Earth." He turns and steps back out the doorway.

Kerala groans. "What?" She follows them all outside.

"Smash his skull!" Tazzuk cheers at Kerala.

"The trail of Morinth does grow cold in the earth. Test this mad elder's skill in the dirt spirits." Khorvis tells Kerala. She just looks at the orc. Does she have to?

Alakroz makes a taunting gesture. He flexes so show his readiness, and he starts some kind of dancelike motions. Troll combat stances?

Lupinum looks around and blinks. "What I miss, Shaelie?"

"Kerala and the crazy troll will battle."

The high inquisitor gives Kerala a long stare. "I do have faith in my Supplicants." He throws down a dueling flag to mark the area.

The druid sighs, and squares off with the uppity troll shaman. At least he is out of darts.

The shaman throws himself at her, and Kerala only heals at first, defensively. It is quickly clear that he is inexperienced, and though he was enthusiastic, her healing skills, even under pressure, were just too powerful. Perhaps what little poisons she's deemed harmless were still effecting him more than he cared to admit.

He threw a totem down. "Now THERE is an earth spirit!" Khorvis cackles maniacally at the Greater Earth Elemental.

Tazzuk cheers Kerala on as she begins casting offensively. "Shattah his spine!" The magic feels strange and impotent, but it seems as good a time to practice as any. She is in no danger here.

The fight drags on, and it becomes clear that she cannot hurt Alakroz with the silly nature spells any more than he can harm her through the heals. "Enough!" Khorvis calls, "Hold your fel pissing blades." Alakroz doesn't seem to hear, and continues throwing himself at Kerala.

"Might hafta speak up, Guru's be too dumb ta hear right." Tazzuk comments.

"Hold, mad one." the orc says again.

Still, the shaman doggedly tries to gain some advantage over her, and Kerala refuses to give it to him. Just the same, she can't root him long enough to give him pause, and afte each stunning blow, he comes right back at her. "JUST STOP" she yells at him.

He does not. Kerala shifts to first cat, then bear, but the day had been long and grueling. She hasn't the energy left to properly overpower the agile and bouncy troll.

"We have seen enough, strange shaman. Yield the battle Kerala, or I will drag you back onto that fire pit." Kerala mishears, thinking the high inquisitor orders her to yield.

"Its becomin' a feat o' boredom." Tazzuk yawns. "Loa's sake."

Kerala growls at Alakroz, the sound reverberating in her bear chest as she glares at the stupid shaman. She turns her back on him, ignores his totem searing her backside as she swipes at the dueling flag, knocking it over. Only then does he stop, seeming to deflate, as if disappointed.

"This one can not hear my words over his own axes. We do have no use for him in our hunt. Syreena, you have your shaman." Kerala elbows Alakroz hard in the ribs as he leaves, passing her, while Khorvis' back is turned. "My thanks, Supplicant Kerala. You might do proper service to the Mandate yet." The orc nods at Kerala without any bile. She blink at him with no small amount of surprise. The druid relaxes her ticked-off stance just a little, and nods at Khorvis. "Mok'rah. I do have business with an Aspirant of some note."

The crowd that had gaathered begins to disperse. Kerala sighs.

"Dat wuz....sumtin'."

She looks at Tazzuk. "It was terrible."

"Glad ya called it off fore we all fell sleep." Tazzuk laughs.

The druid eyes Tazzuk up and down. He is still drenched in blood from his fighting in Ashran...and his odor is rather potent. "The one troll collected souls right? And you have to... what, exactly?" Kerala stays upwind for a reason.

"Gonna kill me so many humes dey gonna tell stories o' me to their kiddies to scare em ta sleep." Tazzuk laughs again. "Bes' job in meh book. Dere be nuthin' better den squeezin' a hume's throat as he's dyin' gaspin' fer air... An' he gits that look in his eyes....knowin; he gonna die." The troll stares off, lost in his bloodthirsty reveries. "An' den...."

Right. Well that would be of no help to her. "Oh. Well nevermind then." She'd been turning the problem over in her mind since hearing the high inquisitor's task. The problems she faced were not of morals, but strategy. She would have to do this carefully. "Don't touch the ones I bring to the cells." He cackled at her, still not fully present int he moment. "I mean it, troll."

Tazzuk makes a cracking sound as he twists his arms. "Cells? Why? Jus' rip der hearts right dere." Then he realizes the tone she'd used. "Don't be gittin' tween a shadow huntah an' his prey, druid." He warns.

"I don't want to have anything to do with your trial. You go ahead and eat the still-beating hearts of random strangers you haven't observed for more than a few minutes, be my guest."

"Dass what I do bes'." Tazzuk grins wickedly. "AN; wut you be doin' eh? Get ta know em? Talk wif em?"

She scowls at him. "No, you idiot. Quarantine. I'm not keen on catching the shaking disease, or any others. So leave mine alone." She wondered if she should be telling this to Khorvis, but she wasn't sure what his reaction might be if a lowly supplicant tried to tell him what to do.

"An' why's that? Bein' Alliance ain't sum bloomin' disease. Only cure iz purgin' tha lotta 'em." Kerala eyes Tazzuk with a hard expression. She's not joking around, she's serious. "But iffin you wanna keep'em as pets, dass your deal." Tazzuk shrugs.

"You can have them when I'm done, I don't care."

He seems to perk up at that. "Okay den. Now den, I gotta go spill sum more blood."

Kerala watches him wander off, toward Ashran. She lets out a big sigh. She briefly wonders if the trial she'd been given was random. Perhaps they did not know she didn't eat meat. If that were true, then it was disturbing to think that supplicants were asked to consume the hearts of people regularly.

More likely, she thinks again, she'd made an error somewhere. She thinks Khorvis must know she was the one to send the orc girl to him, and like any dominant, he aimed to push her down.

Submit.
Obey.
Wouldn't be the first time.

So what if they did know? They'd get a surprise then, if they thought she'd break merely because they demanded that a vegetarian eat meat, even the hearts of sentient beings.
She is strong. She would not fail the inquisition.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

Unread post by Kerala »

Logging started on 05/20/2015 at 17:32:37.

You glare angrily at Lilliana.
Lilliana swings her gaze over to Kerala, and raises a brow at her glaring.
[Lilliana]: What's up?
[Lupinum]: Hrmph.
[Kerala]: You set me up.
Lilliana looks to Lupinum, "Didn't go well, did it?"
[Lupinum]: No.
Lilliana then says to Kerala, "You set yourself up." She actually says that. "So, how you gonna get around it?" Her tone is pleasant, maybe even a bit cheerful.
[Kerala]: I've been given a different trial.
Lilliana nods her head and smiles, "You gonna do it?"
Kerala stares at Lilliana. "What do you think?"
[Lilliana]: I dunno, you couldn't do the one I gave you..... *she giggles*
[Kerala]: I DID do the one you gave me.
[Lilliana]: I don't see no pictures. No picture or it didn't happen.
[Kerala]: I burned them. And it -didn't- happen. Your stupid tree ancient disintegrates before it hits the ground. But then, you knew that didn't you?
Lilliana doesn't hide it, she just grins. "Oh, pity."
Kerala wonders what would happen if she jabbed her spear, right now, through Lilliana's back.
[Darethy]: "Lily, Ker, Lulu."
Darethy nods slightly.
You look at Darethy.
Lupinum blinks and looks at Kerala, feeling her brain's wavelengths... almost.
Lilliana happens to pick up Kerala's thought, since she made it so very loud, seemingly. And she steps just a tad to the side, so she's square in front of Kerala, her back to her.
Lupinum waves at Darethy.
Kerala scowls and crosses her arms, angry, but she nods what could pass for a greeting to Darethy.
Lilliana turns to the side and smiles at Kerala. She even winks. The shit.
You glare angrily at Lilliana.
Lupinum waves at Shaelie.
[Darethy]: "....Glad to see you folks are getting along well."
[Lilliana]: Well, hopefully you can do this one, and hopefully the hearts don't disintegrate.
Lilliana pauses to greet Shaelie with a gentle smile, ever so sweetly.
Lilliana grins wickedly at Darethy.
Alykat bursts into dance.
Kerala grinds her teeth.
[Lilliana]: You know I get along with everybody! *she says to Darrethy*
Shaelie wandered in, hefting her pack higher up on her shoulder. Spotting the gathering, she nodded to them.
Lilliana looks at Alykat, "A bit early for naked elf dancing, isn't it?"
Darethy just nods at Lily.
[Darethy]: "If this is that kind of Tavern, I probably should duck out of here before my wife smites me."
Alykat punches Darethy's shoulder.
Lupinum chuckles at Darethy.
Lilliana giggles at Darethy.
[Lilliana]: You know you wanna watch *she points to the elf on the bar top*
Shaelie settled near the fire, sitting right on the floor. She leaned back on her hands and looked over at Lilliana. "What's new?"
[Darethy]: "I'v pretty much lobotomized myself to avoid those kinds of...distractions. Anything short of a supernatural charm wouldn't get me remotely interested."
[Lupinum]: Whatever floats your boat, Dare.
Lilliana greets everyone warmly.
[Darethy]: "Murder. Murder floats my boat."
[Lupinum]: Sounds like kind of a leaky boat... full of holes and burns...
Lilliana gets a giggle out of what Lupinum said to Darrethy.
[Shaelie]: "Murder. And doooom. And puppy killing."
Lupinum cackles maniacally at the situation.
[Darethy]: "Nah, no puppy killing. I like animals significantly more then I like people."
You look at Darethy. You smile at Darethy.
Lupinum shoots a glance towards Kerala and Lilliana.
Lilliana looks at Shaelie, "Puppies?!!!! Awww, don't kill the puppies!" She whines.
Shaelie looked over at Lupinum. "I killed a draenei. But it didn't count. So I didn't keep the skull. The hunt continues."
[Darethy]: "Animals are base, instinctual, their emotions guide their actions and no one can really blame themselves for it. People have the sentience to know better, but choose not to. Ignorance is something I can tolerate, selective ignorance is not."
[Lupinum]: Didn't count? How so?
Lilliana gets quiet for a moment. And she's turned to gaze at Kerala.
[Shaelie]: It was in the battlegrounds. Doesn't quite feel the same. I'd rather it be one on one, out in the world.
Kerala frowns at Lilliana.
Lupinum smiles, his iron jaw creaking loudly.
Lilliana says quietly to the tauren, "You need help with finishing your first dealie? Or you got yourself all sorted with it, you think?" She sounds sincere, although it's doubtful she is.
Alykat dances with Darethy. Alykat bursts into dance.
[Kerala]: I've got four of the seven. I need a worgen, a draenei, and a night elf.
[Lupinum]: Aye, Lilly. Kerala caught a bit of luck yesterday. Pandaren, right out in the open in Arak.
[Shaelie]: I'll join the battleground for practice. But my task will be completed outside of that.
Lupinum nods at Shaelie.
[Lupinum]: I like your fire, Huntress.
Lilliana nods her head slowly, "Awesome." She's nodding to Kerala and Lupinum.
You let out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Lupinum]: Be cheerful, Kerala! You're over half way to completing your trial!
Lupinum cheers at you.
Lilliana sneaks a snicker towards Lupinum.
Lupinum slides some coins to Lina'gar, avoiding the Elf's undulating limbs.
[Shaelie]: Oh, she's been eating hearts?
Shaelie looked at Kerala.
Lilliana nods at Shaelie. Lilliana giggles at Shaelie.
Kerala scowls.
[Kerala]: No, I have not.
[Shaelie]: I didn't think you had.
Lupinum tilts his head at Kerala and makes eye contact.
You look at Lupinum.
[Shaelie]: And I don't think you will. Beef, maybe. Or kodo. But not truely Alliance hearts. Unless of course, you slay them and feast at the next guild meeting.
Kerala glances to Shaelie. "You are an idiot."
Shaelie looked unphased.
Lupinum's voice is in your mind, speaking softly. "Why do you not relish your kills in front of your sisters, Kerala? Are you ashamed?"
Kerala looks sharply to Lupinum. She scratches her ear, as if at a sudden itch.
Lupinum has a small smile, but says nothing.
Lilliana raises a brow at Kerala, "You better be eating them."
[Lupinum]: I can vouch for her, Lilly.
[Lilliana]: And be nice. *she gestures to Kerala and her idiot comment towards Shaelie*
[Kerala]: I told you, I don't have all of them yet.
[Lilliana]: Oh, I see. You're gonna pig out on them all at once. Cool. *she nods*
Kerala looks at Lilliana. Really?
Lilliana looks back at Kerala. Really.
[Kerala]: Is there a single thing about you that is sincere, troll?
Lilliana nods with utmost seriousness at Kerala, "Yeah."
[Lilliana]: And Kerala, don't call me troll. *her tone is faintly warning* I have a name.
[Darethy]: "In my experience, Lily is actually rather sincere most of the time even if it's difficult to tell. She just has some...complications to her."
Lilliana turns to Darrethy, stares at him for a few moments, then grins way too much.
Kerala would sincerely like to see the trolless under Khorvis' supposed Lash.
You glare angrily at Lilliana.
[Darethy]: "Of course there's always the off chance that she's not sincere at all and I've had a grievous error in judgment. But I choose to deal with that train when it comes."
Lupinum catches Kerala's thought again, but brushes it away.
Lilliana raises a brow at Kerala...it's not like she doesn't catch her little thoughts...... She tilts her head at the tauren.
[Lilliana]: You'd find out long before me. *she replies as if Kerala had said that to her*
[Kerala]: What, if you were a train?
[Lupinum]: Enough, you two~
You look at Lupinum.
[Darethy]: "This is only one trial of three, isn't it?"
Lupinum tosses something towards the Troll and Tauren. [dance party thingy]
Alykat bursts into dance.
Lilliana giggles lightly, "Yeah, she has a long way to go."
Lupinum laughs at you.

[Breygrah arrives]

Breygrah smiles at Lilliana.
[Lilliana]: Breygrah! *she leaps forward, jumping at Breygrah to throw her arms around the tall tauren in a silly, childlike hug full of enthusiasm*
You look at Breygrah.
[Darethy]: "If you already want to impale your superior at this point, you'll never make it to the end. You have to grin and bear it, at least for a little while."
Breygrah snickers at Lilly and makes sure she catches her!
[Breygrah]: Lilly! Careful! I am glad to see you are well! You are, yes?
Lupinum slides off of his box, onto the stairs below.
Kerala sighs, looking at the warrior and the troll, and goes to sit down.
Shaelie glanced after Lupinum.
[Lilliana]: I'm cool. *she says to Breygrah after her ridiculous and deliberate display* You?
Breygrah blinks her eyes and frowns. "Wait... what was that..." She looks around with a confused expression.
Kerala looks down the stairs after Lupinum, wondering what that was about.
Breygrah blinks and smiles at Lilly again. "I am fine."
[Darethy]: "I'll be back in a bit."
Lilliana nods to Darrethy.
[Lilliana]: Come on and join everyone, Kerala is learning how to be Grim and is doing a fine job at it.....She can tell you all about it!
[Lupinum]: Yeah.
[Breygrah]: Doing fine? Is that right?
Shaelie snorted.
You glare angrily at Lilliana.
Breygrah looks slightly troubled, but is clearly trying to hide it.
Shaelie looked through the flickering flames at Breygrah. The tauren seemed to shimmer in the heat waves. Shaelie nodded to her.
[Lightcursed arrives]
Kerala is glad of the distraction Lightcursed provides.

[Lighticursed thinks Lupinum mindvisioned her, she goes down to the basement where he fell off the box, and wants him to apologize. Then she finds out it is Lilliana messing with her, and they come upstairs. Darethy comes back.]

Kerala stays still, not attracting Lilliana's attention again in Breygrah's presence.
Lilliana 's attention swivels, and she suddenly asks of Kerala, "So, which hearts have you already gathered for your trial to munch on? How many you got left?"
You glare angrily at Lilliana.
[Lilliana]: Oh, and how do you plan to eat them? Raw, or are you going to cook them with sauces and stuff? *she continues*
Breygrah blinks.
You let out a long, drawn-out sigh.
Breygrah looks at Lilliana.
[Darethy]: "If you're going to eat them, eat them raw. The Anima is vital energy, though I suppose that only really applies if you're a Forsaken."
[Breygrah]: That... Is what you all do?
Lilliana giggles at Darethy.
You look at Darethy.
[Lilliana]: Darrethy...... *she continues giggling* Hmmmm
[Kerala]: Really?
[Lilliana]: Yeah Breygrah, we eat hearts all day and all night long, didn't you know?
[Lupinum]: Would you, Brey? Eat the heart of your kill?
[Lilliana]: Yum. *she giggles*
Lupinum sirks at Lilliana.
Breygrah looks at Lupinum and shakes her head sadly.
Kerala is decidedly not looking at Breygrah.
[Breygrah]: That is not something that ever crossed my mind, no...
[Darethy]: "It's how the Forsaken pushed through the Pandaren campaign. When our fleet was sunk off the shore of the Jade Forest we drug the drowned sailors of the Alliance to ground. With no need to breathe, we could devour them to recover what few wounds we- -sustained. So i'm no stranger to devouring hearts."
[Kerala]: I am not a Forsaken.
[Lilliana]: That sounds pretty cool, Darrethy. *she's looking at him, and seems to be imagining that tale in her mind, undead under water, struggling alliance sailers trying to swim to the surface but instead being eaten alive, blood flittering through the dark waters*
Kerala sighs, and answers Lilliana's earlier question. "Four of the seven. I need three more."
Lilliana nods to Kerala, "that's cool. I'll be there when you eat them." She doesn't ask, it is simply an expectation....and a requirement of hers. "In fact.... You'll do it at one of our Inquistions. Hmm. Yeah, cool." Now she's saying that more to herself, but she still assumes Kerala is listening.
Breygrah pulls out a couple rough gems from a pouch to busy herself, distract herself from the talk of hearts and all that.
Lilliana looks at Breygrah.
Kerala stares at Lilliana. "No, I won't."
[Lilliana]: Maybe you could come too!
Lilliana shrugs at Kerala, "Okay. You don't have to. But then you'll fail." She sounds saddened.
Kerala repeats herself. "No I won't"
[Lilliana]: You will if you don't do as I ask.
[Kerala]: The trial was not assigned to be by you, but Khorvis.
Lilliana shrugs again, "Okay, your choice Kerala."
Breygrah blinks.
[Lilliana]: Oh! I gotta check something!
Kerala breathes a deep sigh.
Lupinum watches Lilly leave him among the Supplicants and weirdo's.
Kerala glances at Breygrah.
Kerala stares at the fire, somewhat troubled by Lilliana's earlier declaration. If she knows anything about the trolless, it's that she'll cause trouble.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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05/19/15 [In the Grim barrack's jail]

Kerala stares at the two alliance, one human and one tiny little gnome. Both are laid out on the floor, unconscious.
[Syreena]: Kerala?
You look at Syreena.
[Kerala]: What?
Syreena eyes the two Alliance.
[Syreena]: What's going on?
Kerala opens the cell door and steps out. Kerala closes the door and locks it.
[Kerala]: What do you mean? You heard Khorvis. He gave me a different trial.
[Syreena]: So you brought them here to eat?
[Kerala]: No. I brought them here for observation, but I'm an idiot. I forgot, I don't need to do that.
[Syreena]: Why do you want to observe them?
You look at Syreena.
[Kerala]: It doesn't matter. Not to undead... and I guess not to trolls.
[Syreena]: Does the Commander know you brought two live Alliance to the garrison?
Kerala hadn't thought about that.
[Kerala]: Does he care?
Syreena shrugs. Who knows?
[Syreena]: What are you going to do with them?
[Kerala]: Kill them, of course. It's a little bit hard to live without a heart inside you.
Kerala frowns.
Syreena nods.
[Kerala]: But I need all of them.
[Syreena]: For what?
Kerala sighs.
[Kerala]: Do you know I don't eat meat, Syreena?
[Syreena]: It doesn't look like you eat anything.
Kerala nods.
[Kerala]: I know. Do you know why?
Kerala looks at the sleeping alliance.
[Syreena]: Why?
[Kerala]: Because I'm damaged. Inside.
[Syreena]: So you can't eat?
[Kerala]: I can. It just... you don't survive on as little as I did for that long without being changed. I can't eat much, and what I do eat isn't as helpful as it should be.
[Syreena]: I don't understand.
Kerala searches for the right words.
[Kerala]: Ok, take a vegetable. It has good things in it, vitamins, nutrients. Right? A normal person eats it. It goes through them, and their body does all the things it is supposed to to take those things out, to nourish the person.
Syreena nods.
[Kerala]: Ok. And then there are people who are starving. They don't get enough... of anything. They start dying, and so their body does everything it can to survive. First it takes all it can from fat stores, and then when those are gone, it ...eats... other things. Muscles, organs.
Syreena peers at you searchingly.
[Kerala]: If it is stopped soon enough, they might recover.
[Syreena]: And if it's not stopped soon enough?
[Kerala]: They usually die.
[Syreena]: What happened to you?
Kerala looks at Syreena, since it should be obvious that her recovery wasn't quite soon enough.
[Syreena]: How?
[Kerala]: I grew up in Desolace. With the Magram centaur.
Syreena listens intently to you.
Kerala unslings her spear and shows it to Syreena. Kerala shrugs and replaces the weapon.
Syreena looks at the spear.
[Syreena]: That was a centaur spear?
[Kerala]: Yes and no. My last one broke, so I made this one special.
[Syreena]: What makes it special?
[Kerala]: It's ironwood, and Lomani enchanted it for me so hopefully it's more sturdy.
Syreena nods at you.
[Kerala]: Anyway, I need all of them here before I start.
[Syreena]: Why?
[Kerala]: Because if I don't, I won't finish the trial within the month, and then I will fail. I can't go fighting alliance to get the next heart if I'm busy being sick.
Kerala says that as if it's obvious.
Syreena nods at you.
[Syreena]: I see. So you do intend to do it?
Syreena is surprised by your actions.
Kerala gives Syreena a very hard stare. "You don't know anything about me. And neither do the rest of the Grim... I. Will. Not. Fail."
Syreena studies her for a moment, then nods slowly.
[Syreena]: Your determination is impressive. You'll need it. They won't make it easy for you.
Kerala snorts.
[Kerala]: It's never easy.
Syreena shrugs slightly. "For some more than others."
Kerala looks at the human and the gnome again. Kerala walks out of the jail.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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05/20/15 [late night, in Brokenspear]

Khorvis cracks his neck and glances about the room over his mug of ale.
Kerala debates, on whether or not she should leave... then decides to stay where she is.
[Khorvis]: Ah ha. Supplicant Kerala. Resting your spear on this warm night?
[Kerala]: Some, yes. Pandaren and dwarves are rather heavy.
[Khorvis]: Your shoulders do be broad enough. But fel, there do be time enough for your meals over this next month.
Khorvis smiles menacingly at the druidess.
Kerala cocks her head at Khorvis.
[Kerala]: You don't know what you have asked of me.
[Khorvis]: Come, have an ale!
Kerala hesitates, then joins Khorvis at the bar.
Khorvis hands Kerala a slammer.
Kerala looks at the drink.
[Khorvis]: To the feast that is our pleasure in the Mandate!
Kerala coughs violently, spraying the rest of the mouthful she tried.
Khorvis cackles maniacally at you.
[Kerala]: What is THAT? ...hic!
You cough at Khorvis.
[Khorvis]: A shplash of whatever brew seepsh beneath Blackrock Spire.
[Kerala]: That's.... *cough* ...terrible.
Kerala shoves the rest of the drink at Khorvis.
[Khorvis]: Enough to wash any taste from your tongue, aye?
[Kerala]: Here. All yours.
[Khorvis]: Any taste.

[Khorvis doesn't accept the bottle back, and instead hands Kerala a case containing six more bottles to go with the first. Seven total.]

You eye Khorvis up and down.
Kerala looks at the orc a long moment.
Kerala looks at the case of alcohol she's just been given, and at Khorvis. "Thank you"
[Khorvis]: Now what did happen to the Hornsh of the Shu'halo?
[Kerala]: They never were. I... shhould go... I have three more to collect.
Khorvis nods at you.
[Khorvis]: Mok'rah, druidess.
Kerala glances down at the [Sulfuron Slammer]s again, then nods at Khorvis. It's a nice gesture, if useless.
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Re: Kerala's Inquisition

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Logging started on 05/21/2015 at 01:12:26. [Brokenspear]

[Kexti]: Hoi, Kerala!
Kexti waves at you.
Kerala looks around.
[Kexti]: Come and share a meal with me!
Kexti invites the druid up the stairs.
[Kerala]: Um... ok
Kexti smiles at you.
Kerala plops down. It's been a long day.
Kexti drums his fingers along a case.
[He hands her a lunchbox with another slice of peach pie, spicy vegetable chips, and a drink]
You smile at Kexti.
[Kexti]: I was hoping something a little bit...of comfort food might be of use to you. And no meat, of course.
Kerala eyes Kexti, not sure what he knows and doesn't know of her current situation.
[Kexti]: You are well, friend?
Kexti removes his helmet and smoothes his hair. Kexti notices Kerala's flashing hearthstone.
[Kexti]: They are...running you ragged, aren't they? If you need to go, that's fine. Please, enjoy the meal on your own time.
Kexti smiles at you.
[Kerala]: Uh... kind of. Thank you for understanding.
Kexti nods at you.
[Kexti]: We do what we must, no?
[Kerala]: I'll find you later, okay?
Kexti smiles at you.
[Kexti]: Of course. Oh. Kerala, before you go.
You look at Kexti.
Kexti holds out the package. Kexti helps himself to his feet.
Kerala accepts the package, her expression curious.
[Kexti]: When you get some time for reflection, I'd like you to open this. It's nothing dangerous. Just...
Kexti rubs his beard and struggles with the word.
[Kerala]: It's not more food is it?
Kexti chuckles at you.
[Kexti]: If only!
[Kerala]: No! I can't eat this much.
You giggle at Kexti.
[Kexti]: In any case. I hope it'll help you with your challenges.
Kexti smiles at you. Kexti bows before you.
[Kexti]: Farewell, Mme. Kerala.
Kexti smiles at you.
[Kerala]: Alright, thank you
Kexti bows before you.
Kerala hearths.
Last edited by Kerala on Sat May 23, 2015 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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