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rallis-fatalis · 2 months

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Of Plots and Lizardmen

After a failed assassination and crash course in cross-country history, Rallis embarks on her first journey to the kingdom of Kourend! There was a whole new world to discover across the western sea and the dragon was more than eager to explore. Just what adventures or trouble will this dragon get into this time?

The room was dark, the morning sun’s rays not yet strong enough to pierce the shades. There was near silence in the blackness, save a quiet whistley rasp like that of a sick person snoring. Curled under a mountain of blankets, coiled around a pair of small sleeping figures, was Rallis the dragon. Skorch the void torcher and Sissel the cat were sound asleep against the dragon’s chest, her arms wrapped around them in a loose hug. It soon appeared the cat would sleep no more, thanks to Rallis’ whistley snoring, and gently removed himself from the cuddle pile for a big stretch. After a few moments to clean the sleep out of his fur, the cat gently pawed Rallis’ nose to wake her. She scrunched her snout and snorted away a sneeze, slowly opening her eyes to see the smiling face of a black cat looking back at her. The cat rubbed against her snout and gracefully leapt from the bed to paw at the bedroom door, obviously wanting to be let out.

Rallis yawned and wrapped herself and Skorch, who was now waking up from the movement of his big spoon, in a trailing cloak of blankets. She let Sissel out, who promptly headed for the kitchen for breakfast, and followed much more slowly behind. The dragon took her time, slowly stroking the little torcher in her bundled hands and sleepily admiring the work she had put into the hall leading to the stairs to the bottom floor of her and Sen’s home.

Work at the Champions’ Guild was hard to come by as of late due to Rallis’ muteness. Many already didn’t want to hire a monster for casual work, but now with the inability to speak as well, she was seen as useless. After some moping, the dragon had decided to have her own adventures, off the books from the guild. She had explored a hidden tomb inside a waterfall and laid the ancient spirits of a pair of elves to rest, helped finalize another exhibition hall for the Varrock Museum on more findings from Fossil Island, regrew the entire royal garden from scratch for the queen of Varrock, explored a series of dagannoth caves with her friend Olaf, and much more. Each adventure helped pull her out of her funk, and eventually Rallis decided to spend some time renovating the house she now called her own.

Her roommate Sen had let the castle-like mansion fall to disarray in a centuries-long fit of depression and self-harm, and Rallis had made it her duty to breathe life back into the old castle for their sake. With every renovation, the grumpy old cat’s demeanor grew less harsh and their attitude more amicable, their being restoring alongside their home. With the insane amount of money Rallis had obtained on one very special adventure, she fixed up each room to nines and then some. The room she claimed for herself boasted gilded mahogany and rich velvet curtains and the most plush blankets artisans could create. The hallway she currently shuffled through had gold-trimmed rugs with intricately stitched patterns and designs, paintings depicting some of the old cat’s adventures commissioned according to Sissel, Yomiel, and Eve’s descriptions, and some mounted displays of interesting things the dragon had come across on her adventures. The place was beginning to look fancier than anything any Gielinorian royal could ever hope to achieve.

Rallis gently placed Skorch in his favorite pot upon reaching the kitchen. Sissel was stuffing his face with a fishy breakfast in the cat corner alongside the purple cat Eve. Rallis reached through a cabinet, door creaking loudly as it opened, for a mug for some tea. She filled it under the crooked sink faucet and didn’t bother heating the mug on the stove, opting to snap a fire rune underneath the cup instead. The kitchen was the first room she fixed and it was already partially destroyed. Some avian beast with a broken wing crashed into the garden and claimed the kitchen as its den while it healed. Now that it was healed and gone, the place was a wreck and once again it was up to the dragon to fix it. But that was a later problem.

Once the water boiled, Rallis popped open a ceramic jar and reached in for a handful of tea leaves. Her brow furrowed when she removed only a few leaves and the crumbly dregs commonly found at the end of a tea supply.

“Oh, yeah, I had been meaning to tell you it was about to run out,” said a gruff tired voice.

Rallis turned to see Sen, pale white eyes half-lidded in sleep. They scratched between the spines on the back of their head and grunted as one shed off, making them shake their head in relief.

“You’ll have to go to your world to get more, too. I’m all out and the bush won’t produce more usable leaves for some weeks. Those druid friends of yours should have enough to tide you over until our bush yields more.”

The dragon motioned to the scar around her throat. On the surface, it had fully healed over, leaving behind a ghostly silver-white scar like a slash from a claw. Underneath, however, the healing was slow and painful, and the healing itching beneath her scales was driving her mad. Sen had introduced her to a numbing tea that helped soothe the pain and coughing and finally after weeks of being mute, Rallis was able to occasionally whisper or make some quiet sound. But if Sen was out of tea, then the pain would return and the coughing would ruin what healing had been done.

Sen reached for a stained pad of paper and a pencil. “I already know you’re going to ask, so here.” They scribbled a hasty note and handed it to the dragon. “Take that to your druid and if he’s any use, he’ll give you some leaves to tide you over.”

Rallis gave the larupia a grateful nod and scurried upstairs to get dressed and ready for the day.

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Oh dear… I’m sorry Rallis but I don’t have any numbing tea or herbs.”

Rallis deflated as Kaqemeex handed the scrawled note back to the dragon.

“A nasty flu swept through Varrock this winter and the apothecary there bought our entire stock,” the druid explained. “You could have some luck looking there; I imagine the apothecary should still have the amount you need now that the illness has all but passed.”

The dragon nodded in thanks, hugged her adoptive uncle, and raced away to Varrock.

Kaqemeex was indeed correct in his assumption. Rallis walked out of the Varrock apothecary with a jar full of numbing tea leaves. Reldo always made a good brew and he was sure to be in the royal library just up the way. Perhaps a short visit was in order!

As Rallis trotted up to the Varrock Square, quite a gathering had formed. It seemed like half the entire city had come out to witness something. Groups of excitedly chattering people lined the streets to the east of the square as well, as if lining up for a parade route. If only the dragon could ask what was happening!

Regal fanfare began to play out in the distance to the east and the onlookers hushed themselves. A group of people dressed in garb unlike anything Rallis had ever seen strode forth towards the fountain, where the royalty of Varrock and their advisors and personal guards were also making their way. A showy meeting of two kingdoms of royals then, Rallis surmised. Normally, Rallis wouldn’t have cared and simply continued on her way, but not only was the castle closed to the public at the moment, the dragon was rather intrigued by the non-local royalty. Their outfits were stunning, and Rallis couldn’t help but take some mental notes to try and replicate the clothing patterns some time. One of the royals had a huge snake coiled around her neck and shoulders like a living necklace. It slithered elegantly around the woman’s neck, shimmering white and pale yellow in the sunlight.

The general populace ooh’d and aah’d over the sight of such powerful and wealthy figures on display right before them; Rallis couldn’t care less. Roald was foolish and Ellamaria was mean, and it wasn’t like these visiting royals were going to give any of the common folk the time of day. She saw all she cared to see; now if only she could see a way into the castle to see her bookman friend…

Out of the corner of her vision, a suspiciously human-shaped streak slipped behind the local staff shop, currently vacant due to the visitors. They wore nothing that would make them stand out, but their shifty demeanor immediately drew Rallis on guard. She snuck through the crowd and hovered by the back of the throng of people close to the shop. She kept a careful eye trained on the suspicious figure without giving herself away. It was a woman, one whose features looked closer to the visitors’ than the average Varrockian. Was she perhaps some secret guard keeping watch for any disturbances?

Rallis immediately threw the guard idea out the window as she saw the woman untuck something from under her shirt. It was a small tube-like device, small and discreet. The woman undid a small hairpin from her long hair, shifted part of the pin into a new shape, and carefully stuffed it into the tube. That was a dart! And if Rallis remembered anything from the dart shooters she witnessed on Karamja, that dart was sure to be poisoned.

The woman brought the tube to her lips and aimed toward one of the foreign royals, one who looked to be a prince. With a silent growl, Rallis broke away from the crowd and pounced on the woman. She yelped in shock, nearly inhaling her own dart as the dragon shoved her to the ground. She swiftly discarded the dart shooter and reached for a hidden knife at the back of her belt, to which Rallis sank a claw deep into the woman’s arm to prevent her from grabbing the weapon. She couldn’t hold back the scream of pain as the claw pierced through her ulna. Now people turned to the commotion. Many did nothing but watch the fight, eager for the entertainment. But once Rallis removed her claw from the woman’s arm, forcing broken bone to tear through her skin, someone screamed and the guards were swiftly upon the scene. They took no chances, tackling Rallis off the woman and restraining her as well as the injured woman. If the dragon had a voice, she would have snarled and growled at her captors.

“Out of the way!” a commanding voice boomed over the crowd. “What the hell is going on?!”

The captain of the Varrock Guard, Captain Rovin, and a sergeant parted the crowd and took in the scene. Rovin scoffed at the sight, giving an extra glare to Rallis.

“Get these two to the castle brig,” he waved dismissively. “We’ll sort it out there.”

The sergeant nodded. “Hurry,” he commanded tersely. “Do not embarrass our kingdom in front of the visitors.”

The guards nodded and pushed Rallis and the woman along. Unable to speak, Rallis huffed and put up no fight. If worse came to worst, she could always chew the bars off her jail…

Up in the prison, the woman had her arm bandaged by an on-site medic. She glared daggers at the dragon and were she not wounded, there was no doubt in Rallis’ mind she would be at her throat in an instant. Rallis grumpily sat in the corner of the castle cells, waiting for someone to come deal with them. She didn’t have to wait long.

“Out of the way! I have permission to be here!”

Rallis’ ears perked up. She knew that voice!

Reldo rushed into the room, flustered at the sight of his former student behind bars. Rallis waved hello and came up to the bars.

“Oh Rallis, what have you done?” the librarian sighed as he rushed to the dragon. “Of all the days for you to cause a scene!”

Rallis frowned and motioned for paper and something to write with, which Reldo came prepared with. He waited for Rallis to finish writing and frowned at her scrawly writing. He gave the wounded woman a look and nodded at Rallis in understanding.

“I’ll tell the guards and get you out of there,” he assured. Rallis nodded back in thanks.

She could hear the deliberation between Reldo and the sergeant and captain in the next room over. It took quite some time, but eventually the sergeant and Reldo returned. The former unlocked the cell door and allowed the dragon out. The woman stood, ready to exit as well, but the sergeant shut the door in her face.

“Not you yet,” he warned. “Now sit back down.” He led everyone out of the room as the woman swore profanities in languages they had never heard. Two guards took the sergeant’s place on guard duty as the group continued their discussion outside the cell room, now with Rallis present.

“I have been updated on the situation,” the sergeant told Rallis. “I would like more information. Please provide every detail you can, even if you deem it unimportant.” He handed Reldo’s notepad and pencil over. Rallis nodded and got to work writing every little thing she could think of.

The sergeant read her notes and frowned at the dart shooter. “I didn’t see this at the scene.” He called for a guard, who swiftly arrived. “Search the prisoner for anything matching this description.” He showed the guard the notes; the guard nodded and got to work.

“We’ll have to send out a search party to Zaff’s Staffs to look as well,” the sergeant said. He called out to two guards standing at the ready down the hall. “You two! You will–.”

“That will not be necessary, good sir,” a new voice said. One of the foreign royals was heading their way, a swagger in his step.

The sergeant and Reldo bowed. “Prince Itzla Arkan,” the sergeant addressed. “What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be with your retainers and the delegation?”

“The politics downstairs were getting a bit dry for me. I heard there had been a bit of a commotion! I thought I’d come see what the fuss was about! It’s certain to be more entertaining than trade routes.”

“Well, I’m sorry to provide disappointment,” the sergeant started. “But I have little to report–.”

Rallis huffed and yanked the notepad away and handed it to the prince. She angrily pointed toward the mention of the dart shooter. The prince scanned the notes thoughtfully.

“Ah, a would-be assassin!” Prince Itzla exclaimed almost eagerly. “Royal assassinations are rather common back home. This woman is certainly not the first to make an attempt on my life. I believe that is where this came from.”

The prince revealed the dart shooter, now broken from the commotion earlier. The dart was still intact, and up close Rallis could smell poison on the tip.

Itzla could see the sergeant beginning to form a serious apology in his mind and stopped him before he could start. “Do not worry your pretty head. This attempt on my life was from my country, not yours. You have nothing to fear for future diplomacy. Blowpipes with venom from the desert wyrms are a common weapon for assassinations. Our would-be killer is assuredly from my home.”

Reldo and the sergeant visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Rallis couldn’t follow the politics to understand why that was such a big deal.

Prince Itzla turned his attention to the dragon. “And you must be the brave soul who saved me. Who are you?”

“Her name is Rallis,” Reldo said. “She is my former pupil and an adventurer. She would answer you herself but has lost her voice for the moment.”

Rallis flashed the bookman a smile and held her hand out for a shake. The prince took her hand eagerly. “Kuaini! Pleased to meet you. I am Crown Prince Itzla Arkan, heir to the Sun Throne. It’s not every day one gets to befriend a lizardman from a world over!”

Rallis tilted her head. Lizardman? She was neither a lizard nor a man!

“Oh is that not what you call lizard-people in this kingdom?”

Rallis shook her head. “Rallis is a dragon,” Reldo informed. “She’s rather one-of-a-kind. Are there more creatures like her in Varlamore?”

“They are mostly in the kingdom of Kourend, but I have seen my fair few. You should come visit our kingdoms! I will even ensure you are provided a private tour of every glorious corner of Varlamore. It is only fitting for one who would save the crown prince from an assassin. Speaking of…”

Itzla nicked the cell keys from the sergeant’s belt. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I will ask this assassin a few little questions. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Uh.. No, not at all, but–.”

“Excellent! I’ll get started then!” And with that, Itzla and the sergeant were gone, leaving Rallis and Reldo alone in the hallway.

Reldo grabbed Rallis’ hand. “Come. We should escape to the solitude of the library.”

________________________________________________________________________

Rallis took a gulp of her tea and sighed in relief. Reldo had brewed her numbing herbs and already the dragon was feeling the effect. He meanwhile had his own normal tea.

“You have quite the knack for finding trouble in times that are truly not ideal,” Reldo sighed. “But there is no denying your timely intervention has saved more than you could imagine. This is the first time an envoy from the western continent has embarked upon a royal visit to us here. What this means for trade and commerce and politics and… and… everything as a whole… This is history in the making!”

Rallis slowly blinked, the kind of tired look on her face he became familiar with as a bored student. “But I digress. Once Varlamore opens its borders, you should take the prince up on his offer for a tour. We know very little about the kingdom outside of the tales from the College of Bards.”

‘What is Varlamore?’ Rallis asked on her notebook, Reldo having given it to her to keep.

“They are a very secluded kingdom far to the west. For centuries they have refused entry to any outsiders. But something has occurred recently that has them clamoring for visitors. We aren’t sure what or why, but it would be wrong to look this gift unicorn in the mouth. Perhaps I shall need to use my vacation time to visit Kourend before Varlamore opens its borders!”

Rallis tilted her head.

“Ah, yes, I did not teach you about Kourend. It is one of the primary kingdoms on the western continent. They also allowed no outsiders to visit until about a few decades ago, save special circumstances. Their customs, history, wildlife, everything is so incredibly different from our own and I for one would love to learn everything I can. Did you know they have had a history of being ruled by kings like we do here but also by a council of five members? Their tumultuous history had them switching between both methods of ruling with varying success. Some rulers have been royal descendants, others notable mages or warriors, and others simple but knowledgeable farmers! I would love to know more.”

Rallis snorted a small laugh into her drink. She hardly ever saw Reldo act so giddy. It was charming to know sometimes the librarian could act just like her.

‘We should go,’ Rallis wrote.

“I can’t just get up and leave to another country on the other side of the world, Rallis,” Reldo sighed. “You can, but I am bound here unless not needed. And unfortunately I am very often needed.”

Rallis thought to herself. She supposed she could go across the world whenever she liked. She couldn’t continue her work in the guild system right now anyway. So why not? She would just need to find a way to travel there. She scribbled on the notebook.

“How to get to Kourend? So you intend to go after all. I will check listings to Zeah from Port Sarim for you. I only ask one thing in return. I’ve heard Kourend has a library larger than any royal castle. Please, if you can, bring me some books. My collection of Zeah literature is rather paltry.”

Rallis laughed a raspy laugh and lifted her mug in a cheer. That was indeed a good deal.

___________________________________________________________________________

A few days later, Rallis was supplied and ready for her first journey to Zeah. The journey would be decently long, definitely longer than the trip from Varrock to Fossil Island; Rallis prepared for the worst. She and ships had a less than amicable relationship.

The ship she was to board was rather small, able to hold ten people at the most, and was manned by only one person, a wizard who used spells instead of crewmates to manage his ship. The dark-robed wizard welcomed the crew of four passengers aboard but stopped in shock at Rallis. She was tempted to roll her eyes. People on this continent were slowly getting used to the sight of the adventuring dragon lady, but this man was not from this continent. She supposed she had to prepare herself for more closed-mindedness everywhere she explored once again.

“No one told me I’d be sailing a lizardman…” the mage muttered.

“Dragon,” Rallis hissed hoarsely.

Hearing her speak, even though nothing more than a raspy whisper, startled the man out of his skin. Without another word, he silently welcomed her aboard and scurried away to the captain’s position. Rallis rolled her eyes and sat down on what felt like would be the least rocky part of the boat. The sooner this ride was over, the better…

Almost a week sailed by and the lot of passengers were nearly three-quarters the way to Zeah. No one had approached Rallis the entire time and she liked it that way; she couldn’t easily communicate if she wanted to anyway. When not violently seasick, she spent time reading a book Reldo let her borrow about some of the more basic knowledge of Kourend and Zeah, including a simple but gorgeously colored map of the five houses.

Unlike the kingdoms she was used to, Kourend was split into five mini cities known as houses, and each house specialized in different matters. If you docked at the eastern port, you would find yourself in Piscarilius which was known for their fishing exports and cross-seas trade. South of that was Hosidius, known for food and agriculture and all things natural. West of that was Shayzien, home to the military and protectors of the kingdom. And finally to the north the was Lovakengj and Arceuus, known for mining and smithing and magic and necromancy respectively. What little Rallis was able to read when not ill was fascinating.

On what was to be the last night before sailing to port in Kourend, the wizard captain approached Rallis, taking her away from her alone time with her book.

“I’ve just come to inform you we will be making landfall before noon tomorrow,” he said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. Rallis simply nodded and returned to her reading, but the man did not leave.

“Pardon, but I feel as though I should bear a warning to you,” he continued. “You will not be welcomed once you disembark. You are putting your safety at risk by coming with us to Kourend.”

Rallis tilted her head at him. What did that mean?

“The fact that you are able to be alive around human populace tells me there are no lizardmen in your lands.”

Rallis shook her head and wrote on her notebook ‘What’s a lizardman?’.

“They look similar to you, though they are green and much larger and broader. They have been a blight upon the kingdoms of Kourend and have killed thousands of civilians and soldiers throughout our history. We still battle with them to this day. You are playing a dangerous game by coming to these lands.”

Rallis’ ears drooped in worry. Perhaps doing some more research into the kingdom other than reading pieces of one book on the trip there would have been wise before deciding to go. She just couldn’t help herself; the idea of exploring new lands was too exciting!

The wizard removed something from his pocket, a wooden charm on a ragged piece of rope. The wood was crudely carved into the shape of an elaborate X with some minor details in sets of five shapes.

“Wear this while you visit,” he said, handing the charm over to Rallis. “And make sure it’s noticeable. It’s an old icon of Kourend meant for travelers visiting on diplomatic missions. If they’ve studied their history, this should stop people from trying to outright kill you.”

Rallis nodded her head in thanks and slipped the necklace over her scarf, which was a good thing she was wearing; the rope was unbearably itchy otherwise.

The man held out his hand. “I never introduced myself, fear overshadowing reason. But I see now you aren’t violent like our lizardmen. My name is Veos.”

The dragon took his hand and smiled. “Rallis,” she whispered.

“Well Rallis, stay safe on your adventure tomorrow. Should you need my assistance again, I’m sure to be in port somewhere, or at the very least someone will know where I am.”

Rallis nodded and the two bid each other a good night, leaving the dragon to stargaze. She fiddled with the wooden charm in thought. Tomorrow was sure to be an adventure…

_____________________________________________________________________________

When Rallis disembarked the boat, she hadn’t expected her first reaction to be holding back the urge to vomit. Unlike Port Sarim, which smelled like fish but was otherwise a clean set of docks, or the dig site canal which just smelled like dirt and clay, Kourend’s port smelled like excrement and rotting flesh. Rallis gagged and swiftly ran west away from the docks with hardly a wave goodbye to Veos. Once she reached the seaside pub, the smell started to dissipate. With a wave of her nose and one last gag for good measure, the dragon was able to take in her surroundings. Before her, as if welcoming all to the pub, were five huge statues of presumably important figures, as well as the banner of Kourend, a hand reaching out to five different colors and symbols. Rallis looked at the charm around her neck. That must have been what the five dots on her necklace meant. There were five houses; maybe that’s what they meant.

She decided to follow the cobblestone path before her, looking to be a well-traveled main road. On each side as she walked were charming little houses embracing the pastoral lifestyle, alongside little ponds filled with ducks, and foxes scurrying about the underbrush. In the distance, the shape of a castle began to grow, and immediately Rallis could tell it dwarfed Varrock’s royal castle in comparison.

As she neared, the houses grew larger, more fancy and well-off, eventually leading to the castle court’s barrier walls and the most wealthy homes. A protest was happening right outside, but Rallis didn’t understand what it was about so she moved on.

The courtyard surprisingly held a plethora of shops and stalls, guarded by hounds with spiked collars and market guards armed like soldiers. It was rather off putting to say the least. Casual market goers perused the stalls, and at the dragon’s appearance, a tension fell over the court. Some people screamed, others fled, many looked to the guards for protection. A small group of them headed Rallis’ way, hands on their swords and shields at the ready.

The dragon quickly took a few steps back, hands up in defense and making sure they could all see her necklace. It appeared most of the present civilians didn’t seem to notice or care, or perhaps they were just uninformed. One guard did, however, but instead of tolerating the dragon’s presence, he flicked his head toward the southern exit of the market court, a silent way of telling her to get lost. Rallis’ ears drooped but this wasn’t the time nor place to argue against the verdict. She quickly scurried away.

She hurried along the southern path, now well-trodden dirt instead of meticulous paved stone. The castle quickly grew hidden behind the beginning of a forest that stretched to the horizon, especially to the west where the trees grew tall and dense. Normally, Rallis would have immediately gone that direction to explore and look for animal friends, but in the opposite direction wafted a delectable smell. It smelled like an entire kitchen working overtime; the scents of pizza, stew, savory and sweet pies, and something fruity Rallis couldn’t recognize enticed her nose to investigate further.

Nearby, the source of the familiar scents was found: a dining hall in the middle of the lunch rush. Rallis could hear the clamor of dozens of people talking at once from quite a distance away. She approached one of the closed windows and peeked inside, hoping to see if she could snag a seat for lunch. Alas, every seat was taken and a line hovered by the entrance, but one look told the dragon it was a good thing she didn’t go inside; every single diner inside was dressed in the same or similar attire as the market guards from earlier. This must be their local lunch hangout. Not wanting to get spotted, Rallis quickly went on her way.

The unusual fruity smell carried on the breeze up ahead. Rallis was nothing if not an enjoyer of exotic fruits and this new mystery one needed to be discovered! A far smaller kitchen came into view, the unusual smell wafting from an open window. Rallis slunk to the windowsill to get a good sniff and found an unusual-looking pie cooling off. Long curly stems seemed to grow out of the crust as if the pie was a plant pot. Honestly it looked quite unappetizing, a fruity goo colored like pumpkin rot and mulch oozing from the base of the stems. Despite its appearance, it definitely had a more appetizing smell that drove Rallis’ curiosity. The dragon thought to enter the kitchen and ask about the pie, but at the abrupt sound of an angry chef screaming at a student who just burnt a fish pie, she thought better of it, instead sketching the pie on her notepad to investigate elsewhere.

Rallis’ now casual jaunt was rather peaceful, people few and far between. Instead she was greeted by the company of livestock, wild foxes, and rows of big beautiful trees. Fields of flowers grew everywhere humans hadn’t claimed, enticing a rainbow of butterflies to flutter forth. If she remembered her reading right, this had to be Hosidius. Rallis had an inkling she might like Hosidius from reading about its focus on nature, but the book didn’t describe just how pretty and peaceful the place was.

The sound of hustle and bustle soon greeted her ears. Small stout buildings grew up ahead, alongside the colorful tarps of a market. The fruit smell was superbly strong here. Hopefully she could find what she was looking for without being chased away!

Rallis snuck behind the corner of the closest building and watched the market scene before her. There were far fewer people here than at the previous, but unfortunately there were a pair of those scary armored guards with their nasty dogs from before. There had to be a way to not alert them enough to speak with someone. She snuck farther into the market square to gather a better view.

Rallis slithered behind a large house, hidden away but still able to fully view the square. The more she saw, the more she wanted to just walk out in the open. There weren’t just stalls for raw foods like meat and fruit, there were baked goods too! Including the mystery pie! Gods, she could almost smell the unique scent from here… No actually, it wasn’t almost; she could smell it from her hiding place, but the smell was coming from behind her instead.

The dragon turned around to see an alien-looking bulbous orange fruit growing in its own garden patch. The thing was nearly the size of a shed! This had to be the new weird fruit and she was going to try it one way or another! It was so oddly shaped, the dragon didn’t know which part to sneak a bite of. Did you eat the bright orange skin like you might an apple? Were the large yellow pimply protrusions the best part instead, maybe filled with juice? Was it the inner flesh like a citrus? Surely it couldn’t be the stringy bit at the top, but then again that did look like what the pie was baked with.

As the dragon sat there contemplating and lost in thought, she took no notice of the sound of footsteps inside the house next to her growing closer to the door until it was too late. The front door swung open and out came a man with messy blonde hair and well-worn carpenter garb.

“It should be all good now, Mariah. If it starts leaking again, just pop by and I’ll take another look at—.”

He cut his sentence off with a strangled half-cough at the sight of Rallis huddled by the corner of the house. The two stared at each other, frozen and terrified.

A feminine voice broke them out of their staring content. “Thank you so much, Angelo. Would you like some tea before you go?”

“No! No, no, I’m fine, thank you,” he rushed, holding his hands to the entrance to block the resident from coming out. “I have to return to the office post-haste anyway. But I appreciate the offer. Goodbye now!”

He hastily shut the door, always keeping his eyes on the dragon before him, who in turn kept her eyes on him, watching to determine if she should befriend or flee. He stood stiff and eyed her top to bottom in fear, until suddenly that fear turned to realization.

“You… you’re Rallis, aren’t you?” he finally stuttered.

The dragon’s ears shot up in surprise. She stopped her feral little crouch and stood up straight. The sight calmed the man immediately, relaxing his stance with a small smile.

“Wow. Amy wasn’t kidding when she said you looked like a tiny blue lizardman. My name is Angelo and I’m the head of the Kourend Mahogany Homes division. Word of you traveled to our office all the way across the sea some time ago. I never thought I’d actually ever get to meet you!”

He held out his hand which Rallis eagerly took with a grin. Finally, a friend! Now she could have someone to vouch and let her explore! She scribbled on her notepad ‘nice to meet you too.’

“Oh, I was under the impression you could talk.”

She simply wrote ‘sore throat’ on her notes and shrugged.

“Ah, fair enough. Come, let’s go to the office.”

Right down the road, just the next building over in fact, was the Kourend division of Mahogany Homes. The office was far larger than the main one in Falador and furnished with woods Rallis had never seen before. They had a foresty fragrance that made the room subtly smell relaxing and refreshing.

Angelo took a seat at the office desk with a sore huff. “So what brings you all the way to Kourend?” he asked. “Visitors are rather rare around these parts.”

Rallis wrote about her desire to explore some place new and see what a new continent had to offer in ways of adventure. She wrote about the assassin trying to kill the prince of Varlamore as well and how she received a personal invite to explore the kingdom once they opened their gates to foreigners in the future.

“That’s amazing!” Angelo exclaimed. “You really are an adventurer, just like I’ve heard! I wish I could have even one exciting thing happen around here that’s not a sink clogging up or a chair leg breaking.”

Rallis wrote how the adventure she wanted to have here wasn’t going so great either, having to hide from who she came across so far because they were too scared of her appearance.

“Looking like a lizardman will do that,” Angelo lamented. “I’ve only seen one once and it was a terrifying experience. I nearly got drenched in venom! Nasty stuff…”

Rallis had an idea. If she wanted an adventure but couldn’t have one by herself, and Angelo wanted some excitement, why not go out and explore together! She scribbled down her idea.

“A tour of the town, is it? Well I don’t know how much of an ‘adventure’ that is, but I wouldn’t mind getting out of the office for a while. Mariah’s broken sink was the last job of the day anyway. I suppose I can close up for a bit and show you around.”

Rallis would have squealed if she could. She opted for a quick excited hug and raced to the door, leaving poor Angelo just a little weirded out from the spontaneous display.

“So, you must have had a reason to visit Hosidius first. What brought you down this way?”

Rallis tugged on Angelo’s hand to lead him back to the big orange fruit and pointed excitedly.

“Ah, makes sense. Gricoller’s crops are indeed famous. That one is a golovanova, the most common and easily grown one. There are also bologano, which are blue, and logavano, which are purple. You can try one if you’d like.”

Rallis jumped with joy and immediately leapt at the short fence surrounding the building-sized fruit.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Not that one!” Angelo grabbed the dragon and pulled her away. “That one belongs to Mariah! Come, let’s get you a piece at the market.”

The dragon fiddled nervously. Those guards were scary. But maybe they wouldn’t be as rude as the previous ones now that she had a human companion. As they approached, the two guards did indeed take grievance with the dragon’s appearance. She clutched the crumbly necklace and Angelo addressed the guards.

“Peace, gentlemen. This is a company worker for the Homes from the continent over. She means no harm, no matter her appearance.”

The guards muttered foul comments to themselves but otherwise let them be. Rallis was amazed. She thought they would put up more of a battle.

Angelo chuckled at her expression. “You look surprised. The people here value our work highly. When Hosidius began to fall into disrepair and had little funding to do more than fix a mend or two here and there, we stepped in pro bono. With our help, the locals were able to rebuild and renovate and now Hosidius looks brand new, far better than a decade ago.”

Rallis looked around the market square with more thought. Amy had never told her about their incredible work here. Maybe she would lend a hand to help fix things some time too!

Angelo brought Rallis to a fruit stall and pointed out a piece of golovanova fruit. “There it is if you’d like to try it.” The dragon nodded and handed over some gold. She was surprised to see the best edible part was the odd curly top part of the fruit. She chomped down half the fruit in one bite and was rather disappointed. It was rather bland, with only patches being sweet. Angelo could see her disappointment.

“Yeah, it’s not great,” he agreed. “The purple one is the most flavorful, sweet with a hint of tart, but it doesn’t seem like there are any in stock today. Golovanova pie is rather popular though!”

The dragon’s ears shot up. Pie! The mystery pie! Oh she just had to try some. At the corner of the market was a small baker’s stall, and there, shining in the sunlight as if blessed by the gods themselves, was one final slice of golovanova pie. Rallis sprinted over without waiting for her companion to follow. Seconds later, she was a whopping 125 gold lighter and a pie slice heavier. She shoved the entire piece into her mouth, smearing smooth brown cream topping all over her snout. At first, it was stringy and texturally unpleasant, with even a purple-veined leaf still stuck to the edible stem poking out. But then the flavor kicked in, and her mouth was tempted to drop open (but that would have been a waste of pie). It may have looked like dirt but it tasted like some kind of nut mixed with creamy chocolate. The fruit grew intensely sweet upon cooking, so much different from its bland raw counterpart. Watching the emotional journey on the dragon’s face even made the suspicious baker crack a laugh.

“First golovanova?”

The dragon nodded and licked the cream off her snout. “Amazing…” she hoarsely whispered. She placed a heaping handful of gold as a tip-slash-thank-you for the incredible taste bud experience.

The baker had not been expecting such generosity. “W-Well, thank you. Come early tomorrow and I’ll have more.”

Rallis nodded and waved goodbye.

With her mystery solved and mouth happy, Rallis let Angelo lead her wherever he thought interesting, from the farms where the foreign fruits grew to the long golden beaches home to gigantic sand crabs. Apparently crab cakes were also a Hosidian delicacy, and though Rallis was eager to try those as well, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the delicious pie aftertaste. He showed her to the juniper tree forest grove and from one sniff Rallis could tell this was the nicely scented wood from before in the office. She would have loved to have a few logs to experiment with. They also passed by something that although Angelo didn’t think to point it out caught Rallis’ attention: a stone circular frame almost identical to the one in Yanille, though this one was a little worse for wear and stood in a field of rusty broken equipment. One look and little flicker of magic showed Rallis it was indeed still active, and what luck that was. Now she wouldn’t have to endure another boat trip to come back here and could visit whenever she liked!

On the westernmost border of Hosidius stood their local guild dedicated to forestry. Tall spiked gates wrapped around the entire guild, keeping out any unauthorized delinquents. The two of them walked around the lengthy border of the guild, admiring the plethora of trees inside from afar. Once they reached the pride of the guild, the two towering redwood trees, Rallis’ jaw dropped in awe. She strained her neck looking up to try and see the top of the tree, but she could not. Giant ladders climbed up the height of the tree, occasionally stopping at platforms that ran around its circumference. Oh what Rallis wouldn’t give to hop the fence that second and climb to the tippy top to admire the view. But she didn’t want to get her new friend in trouble. And thus did they continue onward.

Beyond the farthest edge of the guild stretched miles of unclaimed land, home to nomadic groups and animals. The only permanent settlement was the tiny port town consisting of hardly a handful of small shacks and homes. As the two looked out over the view, admiring the red-orange birds fly by into the redwoods behind them, Angelo bid Rallis goodbye.

“I hope you’ve enjoyed a proper look around Hosidius,” he said. “I’ve got to get back to the office now to see if we’ve been left any new work or messes to clean. If you wish to explore further, these woodlands connect to the forests of Shayzien up north. I would be very careful if you head that way, however. Out of all the Kourend houses, Shayzien is the least likely to accept you and may even attempt to harm you. You will find no friends there.”

Rallis gave him a serious nod and thanked him with a wave and bow goodbye. She was sure she could have fun wandering around the woodlands without getting caught. And with that, she was off on her own.

______________________________________________________________________________

After a long day of exploration that went well into the night, Rallis was passed out under a tree at the edge of the Shayzien woodland. She had played with foxes and brightly colored birds and chinchompas, and by the time the night creatures were on her radar next, the dragon had fallen asleep. A trio of foxes she had romped with earlier slept beside her, yipping and twitching in their sleep.

When the crunch of footsteps on leaves greeted her ears the next morning, she naturally assumed it was her tricky friends, but there was a suspicious absence of soft warm fur brushed up against her. Rallis opened her eyes to see a bleary set of shapes above her, human shapes. But even closer than that was the obvious bladed tip of a weapon hovering directly over her skull. The dragon was awake in an instant, heart racing. She rolled out of the way just as the blade came down, stabbing through her leafy mattress. As Rallis blinked her vision into focus, she made out those before her.

There were three men and one woman, all dressed like those scary market guards, only their outfits were somewhat different. Instead of the red and black metal armor, white bones adorned part of their attire, and some of the metal was replaced with blood red silk and black leather and cloth. It looked far more agile and dangerous, as did their weapons.

Rallis reached for her whip, hand on its frozen hilt, and held her other hand out in a motion hoping to tell these people to stop attacking. They did not. Two leapt at her in a pincer attack; Rallis rolled backward and unfurled her whip, snagging one of them on the ankle. It sliced through the armor with ease and severed their tendon, making them scream and collapse as they could no longer stand. Although it would have been easy to leap on the other attacker and kill them, Rallis thought it might not be the greatest idea to go about her usual tactics in a new country with no one to help her if she got in trouble. Instead she tried to stop the fight again, leaping away and holding both her hands out.

“Hell’s with this thing?” one of the men grunted as he placed himself between Rallis and his wounded comrade.

The woman threw a dagger trimmed with bone edges. Rallis ducked, but the blade still managed to nick her arm. She hissed and tried to speak.

“S-Sto-p!” she coughed out.

That caught the three men off guard. “What the?! Lizardmen can’t speak!” one exclaimed.

“It’s just a trick,” another said.

The woman dashed by the three, blade drawn and ready to slice Rallis into pieces. “Just kill it!” She slashed at Rallis and thus began the two women’s deadly dance.

Every strike was met with a graceful dodge while Rallis looked for an opening to pin her assailant down. The other unwounded duo went on the offense as well, a three against one. Were she willing to kill them, this fight would be no challenge at all. But as it stood, Rallis needed to find safe ground. She turned tail and ran, keeping her eye out for the closest large tree she could find. The cries of ‘after it’ and ‘don’t let it escape’ chased her as she dodged thrown weapons and obstacles.

As they ran north into the forest, the trees grew sturdy and tall. Massive pines with sturdy trunks and branches, the perfect place to scurry up and de-escalate the situation. Rallis winced as a dagger dug into her shoulder, thrown by that nasty woman no doubt, but she hoped she would take no more damage as the perfect tree came into view, one with no lower branches whatsoever. Hopefully none of those guards were good tree climbers!

Rallis took a sharp turn and launched herself at the tree, digging her claws into the bark and scurrying up like a very dangerous squirrel. Given her tenacity thus far, Rallis was unsurprised to watch the woman try to climb after her but to no avail. The others with her didn’t even try.

One of the men scratched the back of his head. “I don’t think that thing is a lizardman. When have you ever seen one climb a tree?”

Rallis perched on a branch and frowned down at them. She looped the passage necklace over her horns and threw it at the trio, bonking one of the men in the head. The woman picked it up and eyed it dubiously. The dragon hastily scribbled a note, ‘I am not a lizard man!’ and tossed it below in a crumpled ball. The various degrees of shock on her assailants’ faces made her snicker.

“Then what are you?” one of the men shouted.

“Don’t be fooled by this!” the woman snapped. “It has to be some kind of trick!”

Rallis threw another crumpled note down at them. ‘I am a dragon. Please do not attack me.’

“Not like any dragon I’ve seen,” one of the men muttered.

“Dragon, lizardman, or whatever, it’s still a security threat to Shayzien!” the woman persisted.

Rallis leapt down from her branch, landing gracefully before them. The woman brandished her blade while the others simply took the beast before them in. Rallis gave a little wave, hoping to seem less intimidating.

“Never seen something like you before,” one man commented. Rallis snorted a laugh and wrote in her notebook ‘I get that a lot.’ She held out her hand to the woman, asking for her necklace back.

The woman scoffed. “What demented moron would give a monster a necklace of passage?” She dropped it in the dragon’s hand with disgust.

“Oh wow, I’ve never seen one of those before,” the first man commented. “Guess you’re some sort of guest then. Sorry for attacking you.”

Rallis shrugged and wrote she hoped their companion she wounded was alright. She hadn’t wanted to wound him.

“He’ll be pissed for a while, but he has been bitching about not getting time off. Hopefully he enjoys laying around the infirmary!”

“Brian, you should retrieve him and take him to the medics,” the woman said to the first man. He saluted and went on his way backtracking to their friend. Rallis thought that was that and turned to go on her way, eager to explore more, but it seemed the two warriors had other ideas.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the woman barked. Rallis motioned as if to say she was leaving. “I don’t think so. We’re taking you to Lord Shayzien.”

“We are?” the other man asked.

“He needs to know this thing exists,” she said. Rallis hissed and wrote back her name and that she wasn’t a ‘thing.’ The woman didn’t seem to care. “It has complications you’re not read into.”

“If you say so… Looks like you’ll have to come with us, Rallis. We’ll escort you.”

_______________________________________________________________________

From the looks of the guards’ uniforms, Rallis expected Shayzien to be heavily militaristic with a nasty-looking castle surrounded by knights and barricades. And while that was still mostly true, she did not expect it to be so… nice. Shayzien incorporated the forest into its architecture, hanging tent tops from tree branches, building lookouts amidst the canopy. They boasted no castle, instead sporting variously sized and shaped tents with striking red and black color schemes. The buildings that actually were more sturdy were carved from stone that matched the nearby rocks, likely locally sourced. It gave the place an almost serene feeling of cohesion that was pleasing to the eye. Well, until the rows of trainees undergoing drills and caches of scary bloody weapons broke that peaceful serenity. Make no mistake, this place was ready for war.

“Up here,” the woman said, corralling Rallis toward a half tent half building structure a few storeys tall. Up the stairs the three went, arriving at a huge table covered in a well worn map and small figurines of people and monsters and other such objects. Red banners of swords, skulls, and scales hung on the wall, presumably the sigil of Shayzien. Behind the crowded table was a desk at which an armored man sat, carefully writing something in a leather notebook.

“Milord Shayzien,” the woman spoke. “Sergeant Larcia and Private Willem reporting. We have brought a suspicious person to you we think you may be interested in.”

The man lifted his gaze from the papers. His cold blue eyes cut through Rallis, making her suppress a shudder. That look was one only the most practiced of hunters held.

“...What is this?” he said, his voice calm yet icy.

“We found this beast sleeping at the southern edge of the woodland and our territory,” Larcia explained. “We attacked, believing it to be a type of lizardman. It wounded one of our own before the situation de-escalated. It claims to be a dragon, not a lizardman.”

Lord Shayzien rose from his seat and strode over to Rallis. The man stood a good intimidating head taller than her, but she didn’t let her fear show.

“Small for a dragon,” he commented. “Scrawny, meek. Does it come from those warped beasts in the catacombs?”

Rallis nodded no, startling the man that she knew speech. She surprised him even more when she wrote actual human words on her notepad saying she was from across the ocean and paying this continent a visit.

“How curious,” he commented. “Would you say the beast is violent, sergeant?”

Rallis didn’t appreciate being talked about so rudely like she wasn’t here. She hid her snort; had she a voice she would most certainly have a few witty remarks.

“Since harming Private Fodan it has made no other attempts at attacking.”

The man nodded. “Then I should like some moments in private with it. You are dismissed.”

The two saluted and left Rallis alone with their leader. The man made no move to sit, so neither did Rallis.

“So, ‘dragon,’ why have you entered Shayzien territory?”

Rallis scribbled down a much shortened version of her Kourend journey thus far, emphasizing that his soldiers ambushed her during a nap and that she did not instigate nor mean any harm. Her only interest was enjoying the sights and learning about the country.

“Shayzien is no place for tourists,” he admonished. “And certainly not for beasts like you. If you had any sense you would leave immediately and never return. You risk your life every second you stay.”

Rallis tilted her head. ‘Why was that?’ she asked.

“Your appearance is similar to a lizardman at first glance. Granted you’re not green, but my soldiers will be of the mindset to kill first and question second, as they have been trained. If you knew of them and had a brain to think with, you would never have come here.”

Rallis scowled as he continued. “They are the bane of our existence. They are humanoid lizards that live to hunt humanity to extinction. They taint our land, poison our water, and mount our corpses like trophies. We are locked in a constant battle with them, and us Shayziens lay down our lives to ensure the safety of Kourend.”

The dragon grimaced. What a terrible situation for both sides. She understood now their violent disposition towards her a bit better, though certainly not this man’s tactless impoliteness. Even so, she wanted to try to help. Perhaps she could mend tensions between the two sides…

Rallis wrote if she could possibly meet one of these lizardmen. The lord barked a laugh.

“Have a death wish, do you? No, I think not. This isn’t a tourism agency, it’s a battlefront, and I have no time to tolerate the politics of a foreign visitor dying in an avoidable conflict.”

Rallis pleaded her case. When was the next time such a golden opportunity would fall in his lap? A dragon that was friend to both human and animal and could act as a translator? And she was volunteering for the job! Did Lord Shayzien not want to stop the slaughter?

The man stroked his beard in thought. “I suppose worded like that it’s an offer I would be foolish to refuse. But I will not permit you to enter the battlefronts. We will bring one of the beasts to you.”

Rallis perked up with a smile. She was always happy to help! And something like this was the perfect way to get her foot in the door for better relations for her to explore more of Kourend and Zeah safely. Lord Shayzien led her back downstairs to a pair of waiting soldiers and instructed them to keep an eye on her and ensure she not stray from the gaol, which was very noticeably used and bloody, with one even having the rotting corpse of some prisoner chained inside.

While the two soldiers kept guard by Rallis, a group of others instructed by Lord Shayzien marched off to the nearest battlefront. Hours passed, long boring hours. Rallis wouldn’t have minded the wait if she was allowed to explore, but nooo that could be perceived as a security threat and the dragon needed to stay where instructed. Even when a large cat stalked by in the near distance, looking like a smaller spikeless Sen, and Rallis simply wanted to be allowed a few yards to walk to greet the fluffy creature, she was denied. The dragon grumbled and huffed and plopped down in the dirt. At this rate, she might as well try for a nap.

Eventually, commands barked throughout the forest and the soldiers nearby readied their weapons and stood guard. Rallis turned to attention and saw a creature quite a deal larger than a person coming her way. Its head was covered by a sack and its hands bound behind its back. Its tail had been severed, making its walk unbalanced, and the slashes on its legs made the creature limp. The beast was escorted by no less than six soldiers with Lord Shayzien at the lead.

They led the creature to the gaol and pushed it to its knees before the dragon. A soldier removed the sack from its head to reveal the face of a large angry green lizard, mouth muzzled with spiked metal wire. The sight made Rallis flinch. The creature looked upon Rallis with surprise. Why was there a creature so similar to itself in enemy territory?

“Here is your lizardman,” Lord Shayzien said. “Speak with it. Why does it attack us?”

Speaking was going to be very hard so she’d have to keep her sentences short. She kneeled before the lizardman and was surprised at just how much it dwarfed her stature. “Hello,” she whispered in Wyvernic. She placed a hand on her chest. “Rallis. Friend.” She pointed to the creature. “You?”

The lizardman cocked its head. The language she spoke sounded odd, with just a hint of familiarity. It understood it enough to respond. “Kah R’bok,” it managed to growl through its muzzle.

Rallis smiled and bowed in greeting. “Speak human?” she tried.

Kah glared at the soldiers around them and shook their head no. Rallis frowned. It would be so much easier if they could speak and read Common. She could feel her poor throat growing sore and scratchy already without her tea. Rallis nodded and turned to the soldiers. She wrote a note asking if the muzzle could be removed so they could speak properly.

“Absolutely not,” Lord Shayzien said. “These things spit poison so virulent it can melt through average armor. I will not put my people at risk.”

Rallis pouted but supposed she understood. It would definitely make things harder though.

“Kah. Why attack human?”

The lizardman wriggled in its bindings, wanting to rip off its shackles and muzzle and scream its answer to the heavens. “Human kill us! Destroy home! Defile–!” Rallis couldn’t catch the end of their words, something foreign to the Wyvernic language. “We protect us. Do what K’uhul ajaw demand!”

Rallis nodded in understanding. Humans attacking monsterkind and them retaliating in the name of safety for their community? Oh how she could relate to that.

“Human stop, Kah kind stop?” she asked.

The lizardman blinked and stayed silent for a good while. Rallis tilted her head, asking for an answer. Their answer was not something the dragon could have expected.

“We kill all. Rallis should know. Rallis kinthis. Human blood weak! Deserve death! So say K’uhul ajaw!”

The lizardman roared and threw open its maw, barbed muzzle tearing deep into its snout. A green goo bubbled in the back of its throat. It leaned back and locked its gaze on Lord Shayzien, the goo pooling in its mouth ready to be spat. In a flash, Lord Shayzien slashed open the beast’s throat. It released a strangled gurgling howl and fell forward, blood and green venom flowing out the wound and staining the ground. He flicked the remaining blood from his blade and wiped it clean on his sleeve. Rallis scrambled back in horror, holding back a gag.

“I assume that was unsuccessful,” he looked down coldly at Rallis. “I suppose reasoning with a monster is impossible.” He turned to the soldiers nearby. “Skin it and prepare its bones for armor. As for you, dragon, I suggest you leave. You’ve now seen the dilemma we face and how simple diplomacy will never work.”

He swung his blade down to his side, Rallis able to see her horrified reflection in the steel.

“Kourend is no place for you, and if you stay you will be signing your death warrant.”

#osrs #runescape #oc tag #my writes

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xaracosmia · 4 months

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ꕥ — WELCOME TO EXO COSMIA, SIFFRIN. 🌑

ꕥ — OOC INFORMATION;

name / alias: Finch age: 27 pronouns: he/they/it ooc contact: catboycharon on twitter or @oxicwrench on tumblr other characters in xc: kokichi ouma, sou hiyori, yomiel

ꕥ — IC INFORMATION;

name: Siffrin age: mid 20s pronouns: he/they series: In Stars And Time canon point: post game app triggers: self harm, suicide/suicidal ideation, memory Loss/modification, mentions of eye trauma, child death, hallucinations, psychotic breaks/unreality

[WOW BIG IN STARS AND TIME SPOILERS! TURN BACK IF YOU WANT TO PLAY I GUESS?]

personality:

If asked, Siffrin would describe himself as a laid back, “funnyjokespun” person. He appears easygoing and even a bit jovial, never able to take much seriously beyond a surface level. Relaxed and perceptive, if a bit prone to zoning out or dozing off, Siffrin easily fades into the background until he has a pun to share. Even then he doesn’t actually speak up much, preferring to listen to others talk with only a few comments of his own. It’s easier that way, getting to be present without having to carry the conversation himself. Paired with how he rarely shares his inner workings, personal feelings, or even background, Siffrin can come across as aloof and mysterious. It might not seem like he even cares all that much, generally just going along with whatever’s easiest or immediately funny. That is until he does whatever he can to protect those he cares about. Or says something incredibly concerning. Either or, really.

On the inside, Siffrin cares more than they can put into words. More than they can say without finding it embarrassing. They like helping others, getting people to smile, both selflessly and selfishly. Both are true in that Siffrin wants to make others happy simply because they deserve it while also wanting to appear better so others will keep them around. They cling desperately to what they love, dig their claws in, try so hard to be useful, wanted, to say the right things. Siffrin cares a little too much. But they can’t say it, because, well. It’s too much. That’s the point, right?

For as much as they say they’re fine, they’re very easily overwhelmed and anxious, always struggling against their emotions and past experiences. Siffrin doesn’t know how to deal with many of their problems, doesn’t know how to verbalize them or feel deserving of help and as a result has gotten very good at running from them entirely. Even if they know what’s wrong they often refuse to think about it, as most times they do they blame themselves and sink into a self deprecating spiral. Whether or not something is even in their control Siffrin is cruel to themselves, barely able to understand that they’re lovable without having to manipulate others into feeling that way. The loops exacerbated it all, Siffrin’s self-destructive tendencies given the ability to run rampant without consequence, both physical and mental. He wasn’t particularly stable even before they started, but it’s only gotten harder and harder to hide since then. There’s no way to understand them without knowing why they’ve grown to be this way. Their forgetful nature is more than meets the eye, Siffrin quite literally cannot help how much they forget when their memory has been punched full of holes. It frustrates them to no end. They can be as perceptive, as clever, as well versed in something as they like and, inevitably, things are lost.

They’ve never managed to learn how to cope with grief. With mourning. With forgetting.

With letting go.

Siffrin isn’t very good at any of it. They don’t want to lose anything else. It’s inevitable, but they try, really!

It’s fine. He’s better now after having to spill his guts and accept help. For as difficult as it is for him to open up, for as much as he prefers to keep all the ugly, desperate thoughts to himself, Siffrin has seen what it can lead to. So he has to– has to make an effort not to fall into the same habits.

…It’s… Not fine. But maybe it will be, eventually.

something your muse struggles with: Remembering is always a good start. Places, people, events, words, you name it! They struggle to accept loss and cope with grief, clinging desperately to what little they have left. Often fueled even unconsciously by their fear of abandonment, of forgetting. They’re terrible at opening up to others to boot! Wow! And remembering… Did I say that already? These go hand in hand i promise.

your muse’s greatest strength: do puns count..? No? Okay, well. Siffrin cares very intensely and deeply for anyone who gives him the time of day. He’s fiercely devoted and eager to help those in need, strangers or friends alike. Even his puns and bad jokes are to try to cheer others up!

history / background:

There isn’t much to say about Siffrin’s history. Not further back, not where they came from. There was more, once, but nobody, not even Siffrin themselves could say. Vaguely they recall having parents? Coming to on a boat with no memory of who they were, where they came from, what language they spoke. It all hurt to think about, whatever wounds left over on their memory would never fully heal either, waiting until something prodded at them as they wandered through life. Siffrin had no home, after all, so they grew up traveling the globe, always a stranger, a visitor as they went from place to place.

Eventually, in adulthood, they revisited the country of Vaugarde where they’d washed ashore in their childhood. Maybe not the best idea they’d discover, as someone known as the King had somehow gotten the power to start freezing the entire country in time. A bit more dangerous than anticipated, but Siffrin was skilled enough to manage themselves and even help a few people along the way. Three of whom claimed to be on a journey to stop the King like some kind of heroes. Mirabelle, a woman being called the “chosen one” by locals, had the power to counter the King’s curse. She and her companions, Isabeau and Odile, asked for Siffrin’s help after they lended a hand (or knife) to defeat a particularly strong monster.

He had nothing better to do, so he agreed to come along.

On their journey to recover the orbs that would get the party into the House the King had taken over, they spotted a child on their own who’d been running from the slowly encroaching curse. Bonnie, who desperately wanted to save their sister who’d been frozen in time, insisted on coming along for the ride, completing their little party.

Siffrin didn’t realize how much he grew to care about them all, how much he loved them, would do anything for them. Not until Bonnie was in harm's way and a monster- Sadness, they were called- struck at them. Nobody was close enough to stop it, but Siffrin was the fastest. He could just get there in time to take the hit for Bonnie. It cost him his eye, but he didn’t regret it. He would do anything to keep his friends safe, no sacrifice would be too great. Injury or not, traveling with them was the happiest he’d ever remembered being.

When they finally gather the orbs and get to the town of Dormont, just by the House the King took over, things change. Not noticeably at first, Siffrin has a nice time taking a nap in the nearby meadow the day before the final confrontation. There’s a tree Isabeau is visiting, the Favor Tree, a place for people to ask for, well, a favor. Or a wish. It’s a nice sentiment, everyone surely is wishing for the King to be defeated so Vaugarde can be saved. Siffrin makes a wish himself, though he doesn’t want to take away from everyone else, so… Something small. Something nice.

He wishes to continue traveling with Mirabelle and see her get more comfortable expressing herself. He wants to stay with them!

… They all spend the night together, Isabeau promises to tell him something important after they defeat the king. The next morning, the party ventures to the House. They make it not a few rooms in before, while checking a room for traps as is his job, Siffrin misses something. The next moment a rock falls and they’re crushed to death and-

They feel a tug on their stomach.

And Siffrin wakes back up in the meadow the day before they died.

After completely failing to act like normal to hide their apparent time traveling, Siffrin hears a voice directing him to visit the Favor Tree again. When he arrives he finds a figure sitting beneath it, a person with a star where their head should be who introduces themselves as Loop. They’re grating, annoying, but they know what’s going on, at least a bit. They give guidance, albeit condescendingly, and help Siffrin navigate the time loop he finds himself in. He has to gather information, to try to get through the House and beat the king, but every time he dies Siffrin loops back in time. It’s not impossible to control, there are different points in which he can return to, but the earliest he can go back to is waking up in that meadow. Sometimes, he finds he has to loop on purpose in order to go back to get something he needs.

It’s scary how easily Siffrin adjusts to it. How easy it is to stop valuing his own wellbeing.

Loop after loop, Siffrin gets used to the same repeating lines of dialogue, the same script, the same enemies. They get stronger, they learn more, they get to fight the king. He kills them, easily, but they come back. They have unlimited tries, they’re fine, even if it hurts even if they wake up shaking and reeling they’re fine. They can investigate, find counters to every obstacle thrown their way. The King can kill everyone in one attack, Loop supports and offers ideas, Siffrin finds a way to make them real and finds a way for Mirabelle to learn a shield spell every new try.

Eventually they beat the king. They did it, they won, even if Isabeau is interrupted when he tries to tell them that something he mentioned it’s okay because they won. They can leave. The Head Housemaiden who’d been trapped by the King thanks them all, thanks Siffrin and. Something. Goes. Wrong. She breaks down, cries, apologizes. Something’s breaking, something’s failing, rotting. It smells of burned sugar.

They feel a tug on their stomach.

And Siffrin wakes back up in the meadow.

…There has to be something else. Something they missed. The loops continue, Siffrin becomes more and more desperate, they try everything they can think of. Helping everybody else with their problems doesn’t work, the power of love doesn’t work, acknowledging their lost history and the country they and the King came from doesn’t work, empathizing with the King and his plight doesn’t work and Bonnie dies for their foolish hopes, nothing works. Either Siffrin dies or makes it to the end and they loop back. They’re so tired. Every loop they pray for rest.

Occasionally, when they fail to stay on script, when they upset Bonnie to the point of lashing out, when they spend the day with Loop instead of going to the House and everyone else dies, when they act selfishly and alienate Isabeau by pushing him to confess (because Siffrin knew what he wanted to say, they need to hear it though it doesn’t count if he doesn’t say it. It doesn’t. It doesn’t. It doesn’t-) they loop back just enough to avoid that horrible new reality.

Their desperate, feverish attempts to find out why they’re looping leads them to a type of magic, Wish Craft. Something that grants wishes, either with a properly done ritual or with enough people, a whole country wishing for the same thing. The Head Housemaiden seemed to have been looking into it, but the next time Siffrin gets to her, she tells them, apologizes. It must be everyone’s fault Siffrin is stuck there, they must have wished wrong and their wish for a savior to come protect Vaugarde must have broken, failed, rotted. Turned into an endless loop with Siffrin stuck at the center. Forever.

They smell burning sugar.

They feel a tug on their stomach.

They wake up in the meadow again.

Siffrin cannot be stuck here forever. There has to be something, anything to save them. They would gladly spend an eternity with their friends but after so many of the same lines, the same scenes, the same script they don’t feel real. Everyone they love feels like an actor, a cardboard cutout, a character instead of the real people. Siffrin cannot be stuck here forever, they need to get out.

The wish was centered on them, right? Maybe they need to defeat the King by their own hand. Every time it was Mirabelle who landed the final blow, so maybe that’s it? They can’t think of anything else. Siffrin can’t hold it together, they try to push the others harder, lashes out and says horrible, cruel things without meaning to. But they do it, and none of their party, their family wants to be around them. They overhear the four of them discussing going to the House without them, arguing about if they can trust them.

Siffrin goes to the House alone, cleaves a path through it as the world itself glitches and warps around them, as they see ghosts of themself in the halls, as everything stops making sense. They continue onward, face the King on their own and. Almost manage to defeat him. He stops them in time before they can win, traps them in a nightmare of their own traumas, their fears laid out and impossible to fight on their own. Siffrin longs for what they can never have, consumed by homesickness, by grief, the fact that after what they said their family must hate them. They ruin everything they touch, cannot fight against their memories, their being, everything that was ripped from them. Their home. That everything that made them who they are is gone, forgotten by the Universe itself, and they too will be forgotten, forgotten, forgotten–

He’s pulled from the nightmare by Mirabelle’s powers as the others arrive, having gone in after to help. The four of them take the King down using some new skill Mirabelle learned in his absence that reflects the King’s curse back onto him. Siffrin, weakened after having taken everything on alone and is supported by their family as they all make their way to the Head Housemaiden once more. He can’t understand why, after all those horrible things he said, why? Something’s different, though, the sky is broken, it looks like the end of the world. Everything is normally painted in greyscale, completely absent of color. Now a huge, bright red crack in the shape of a star pulses in the sky.

When they reach the end again, where the Head Housemaiden waits for them, that’s it. The end. As every time before, they talk about it being the end. The journey is over.

Siffrin doesn’t want it to end. If it ends, everyone leaves. If it ends, everyone goes home. Siffrin does not have a home, they have their family. That’s it.

Siffrin doesn’t want it to end. Siffrin refuses to let it end. They’re consumed by the magic that allows them to loop through time, overwhelmed by it as they refuse to let their family go again. But they can’t hurt them, they have to direct it somewhere and they hurt themselves and despite looming over them as a massive, astral being Mirabelle still heals them.

They all don’t understand but he can’t say it. It isn’t the people’s wish keeping him here, it isn’t a broken one. They come to realize it was his all along.

His family says: Tell us your wish!

And he knows the answer.

‘He wants to stay with them!’

And they love Siffrin, they bring him back to himself, they all agree to keep traveling together and not let their journey be over . They agree to keep in touch, to not let their bonds die even if they aren’t physically together. Even if they’re upset, they still care. They love him.

This is so long i cant write anymore i’m so fucking sorry. Love wins or whatever also includes the loop epilogue he is loved and he loves and his maladies truly are endless but things get better okay i promise okay bye let me know if i need to elaborate on anything ever mwah

powers / abilities:

CRAFT SKILLS: Magic! Offensive Craft Skills fall under 1 of 3 types: Rock, Paper, and Scissors. Siffrin is Scissors type and, as one might imagine, is weak to Rock type. When 5 of one type is used in a row by the party they can get a Jackpot combo, which deals heavy damage of said type to all enemies while healing the party and reviving any fallen allies.

Knife to Meet You: Deals scissors damage to one enemy. May lower enemy’s defense. 1 turn cooldown.

Too Cleaver By Half: Deals scissors damage to all enemies. Might lower enemy’s attack. 3 turn cooldown.

Make Up The Time: Makes all allies faster for a few turns. 3 turn cooldown.

Turn It Up: Gives his turn to an ally. Boosts their attack and crit chance. 1 turn cooldown.

Buy One Get One Three: Deals 3 scissors hits to one enemy. High chance of being a critical hit. 2 turn cooldown.

Done Heal: Heals 30% of a ally’s HP and boosts their attack. 2 turn cooldown.

Tear You Apart: Deals big Paper damage to one enemy. Gives two Jackpot points instead of one. 2 turn cooldown.

Rock Bottom: Deals big Rock damage to one enemy. Gives two jackpot points instead of one. 2 turn cooldown.

Regener-ade: For three turns everyone in the party regenerates 10% of HP every turn. 5 turn cooldown.

(Just Attack): Deals massive Scissors damage to all enemies. Doesn’t give a Jackpot point. 3 turn cooldown.

WISH CRAFT: An additional type of craft that requires specific rituals to perform in order to grant a wish. Even if done correctly Wish Craft might not directly make a wish come true, but instead will provide the means for doing so. Warning: may break reality slightly. Don’t worry about it.

inherent abilities:

MEMORIES: They will always remember these. Only one may be equipped at a time. Most of them have effects that don’t work here, but… They are quite literally memories.

Memory of Self: It's a memory of Siffrin! They have, theoretically, so many to choose from! [+5 to all stats.]

Memory of Loops: Round and round it goes. Doesn’t seem like it’ll help much here. [+5 max HP per loops. Currently adds +630 HP.]

Memory of A Journey: The curtains will close, but the story will go on for a bit longer! [Heals 6% HP every turn.]

Memory of Victory: Boosts all allies' attack at the start of battle.

Memory of Memories: You remember this, at least. [Can read in their country’s written language.]

Memory of Touch: You had eyes bigger than your stomach. Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting. [-50 to all stats.]

Memory of Fishing: Don’t have to think about anything. [+2 attack for every time you’ve gone fishing, but -20 attack speed. Currently adds +62 attack.]

Memory of Defeat: Still a long way to go. [Get x3 memories of skirmish when defeating normal enemies. Doesn’t matter here.]

Memory of Keys: The castle’s full of keys! [Can get directions to a keys location in the House. Doesn’t matter here.]

Memory of Ghosts: House’s haunted. [No effect.]

Memory of Barrels: You like looking inside barrels. [Randomly find items when interacting with barrels. Doesn’t matter here…?]

Memory of Pillars: Paranoia also starts with a P. [Randomly find items when interacting with pillars. Doesn’t matter here…?]

Memory of Bomb: KABOOM!!! [If looping to the King, will have Bomb in pockets. Doesn’t matter here.]

Memory of Family: You don’t want to leave them behind. [EXP x2 for everyone except Siffrin. Doesn’t matter here.]

Memory of Sadnesses: They’re scared of you. [Sadnesses will flee from you. Doesn’t matter here.]

Memory of KnifeKey: Slice, slice, slice. [If looping to the King, will have the KnifeKey equipped. Doesn’t matter here.]

Aren’t you glad looping doesn’t work here? Aren’t you?? I am!

items / weapons:

Knife: Siffrin’s trusty dagger. Does the job.

Garden Scissors: Not that easy to wield. Cuts everything. [Boosts attack, lowers attack speed.]

KnifeKey: A blade gifted by the Change God, and sharpened by Siffrin. [Boosts attack when fighting the King. Doesn’t matter here.]

Starry Hat: The fabric lining the inside of the hat is filled with stars. [Boosts defense, attack speed, and crit chance, heals 5% HP every turn.]

Eternal Snacks: A seemingly endless supply of snacks. Somehow fits in their pocket.

starting ability: Knife to Meet You starting item: Siffrin’s knife

extra:

Canonically Siffrin is NOT a man, please stick to neutral titles. Saying “dude” and such casually is fine.

Ace rep btw I’m winning

~5ft or so, not quite canon but he’s the shortest out of the party barring the literal child.

Still has a residual sugary smell about them

Siffrin has all but a few of the souvenirs they can at the end of the game! Functionally they are useless, just little trinkets from home. Includes everything except for the starting silver coin (they have the special epilogue one), reminder note, loving fanmail, bomb components, and bonding earring. They have the fool as their drawn card.

The haunted look in his eye and autistic swag have bewitched me body and soul

See the wiki doesn’t have all the story information yet so i have to put it ALL myself from memory. Its SO long and i HATE IT but it’s what i gotta do. Lmk if i need to clarify anything at any point.

The thing about time loop jokes is, sure, they may be repetitive, but they never get old

discord id: mal.du.pays passcode: i made artemis assign a cosmia bc i didnt want spoiling BY GOD ILL PLAY THIS GAME

#xc application #mun: finch #exo cosmia

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