I think I'm going to withdraw from this game. I'm having difficulty getting any immersion.
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Asher places a hand on the man's shoulder, trying to give him some sort of comfort. "I'm sorry for what happened to you. What a terrible horror that you lived through. May you find the peace of Sarenrae giving your soul its deserved comfort. However, this only redoubles our resolve in this task. Others must not risk what happened to you, while the whole of this world is threatened by what might be inside. It is our choice, our responsibility to succeed here."
Asher sits down with the man, content to take him up on his offer. "Thank you. A meal offered to be shared is something that no one can take for granted. I appreciate the generosity of the gesture, far beyond its sustenance. Why do you say that we should not go?"
The holy man steps into the room, holding his hands out to the side as he does. "I have no such items, for the holy words of Sarenrae are imprinted on my tongue and my heart rather than paper and binding. I am Asher, a humble former slave dedicated to the Dawnflower's teachings. I come with these teachings in mind as I submit to her will, for it is through Sarenrae that I have been called to this place with this group. I believe that all of these that I travel with are of similar minds, though their gods and beliefs all differ. What wisdom do you offer us, sir?"
I'm going to be on vacation in Norway and Russia from July 10th to 22nd. You can DMPC Asher as you see fit. Don't have Abraxiel come down and start smiting, though.
Asher closes his eyes and begins muttering in Celestial. The runes drawn in the sand are helpful for the ritual, but Asher found years ago that they are not strictly necessary. Abraxiel will come when he is called. If a dramatic revelation is what they want, it is what they shall get.
Asher looks at Dianora, a bit of distaste evident on his face. 'Devil worshippers are an insidious group. I'm not worried that he will attack us, though it would probably be wise to only eat food you prepare yourself for the next few days. I expect that we will find ourselves in direct competition with him in the future for the secrets of the pyramid. I long for such a conflict, as it will be the day that Abraxiel smites him and I can find his slaves to tell them that they are free.'
Asher maintains eye contact with Julistar, showing him that he is not intimidated. He is neither disrespectful nor challenging, as the servant of Hell would likely take it out on Neferet. He simply demonstrates with a quiet reserve of will that he will neither bend nor break to the cleric. "Four hundred gold pieces."
Asher whispers back to the young slave girl. "You're doing it right. There's no wrong way to pray, silent or otherwise, as long as you're pure of heart. You will be free one day. You simply have to have faith." He stands and addresses the auctioneer confidently. "Three-hundred and five gold pieces."
"Well, this is lovely news," Dianora thinks to her companions. "Not only is Belgraen vying with the Chelaxian devil worshipper, but this girl is his servant. Be careful, Asher, lest we be drawn into a battle we may not wish to fight." 'There are things worth fighting for in this world, more than just killing for profit and power.' He smiles at the girl, reassuring her. "This bidding bears no interest to me. It reminds me of the day I was shown off like property, bid upon, and sold like livestock. It was horrendous. But I persevered and prayed to Sarenrae, who answered my prayers. Do you pray to the Dawnflower?"
Asher sits quietly, radiating peace and calm, but is gripped by an inner tension. He takes care to think only to himself, though Abraxiel can hear through their innate connection. 'This lust for money, for material possessions, is all that is wrong with this society. It is this love of possessions that causes men to enslave other men, to go to war for power instead of justice. If only they could see the suffering they cause, feel it for a moment...' Asher stands, serenely walking towards the girl. He radiates confidence and self-assurance, a quiet dignity in his presence. He sits down next to her and gives her a reassuring smile. He whispers to her so as to not interrupt the proceedings. "Hello. I am Asher. What is your name?"
Asher pays special attention to the girl. If she needs rescuing from a life of slavery, he will do everything in his considerable power to make it so. Hopefully Abraxiel will not object in grounds that it might jeopardize their mission from Sarenrae. While he understands this and submits to the will of his goddess and her chosen messenger, Asher still longs for freedom for all.
When the voice emerges in his mind, he shields his thoughts. He doesn't wish for Abraxiel's mind to overwhelm some poor unexpecting stranger, even if she is capable of projecting her thoughts into others' minds. 'Thank you, stranger. Might you give us a sign as to who you are? Bid 53 gold on the next item."
I figure it'll pick up soon when Levi gets things rolling. Right now, we're just sort of in a waiting position for something to happen.
Asher watches impassively, waiting for a sign of some sort. Sarenrae will send him a sign as to his purpose at this place of cheap peddlers.
As the inspiration for this thread, I approve it.
The appearance of the slaves, slaves robbed of their very humanity and manhood, nearly shocks Asher into summoning Abraxiel then and there to mete justice out upon their owner. He grits his teeth, silently tracing the summoning circle with his feet and wishing that things were as black-and-white as he saw them.
Asher focuses on the items in the chest, looking for something that may have prompted Sarenrae and Abraxiel's interest in the ruins.
Asher is careful to keep his thoughts to himself when the voice of the assassin reaches his mind. It takes a great deal of concentration, but he is well practiced in suppressing telepathic links. Abraxiel, as an immortal archangel, is nearly incomprehensible to the mortal mind; Asher had had twenty years to grow used to it. A telepathic word from the angel has been known to completely overwhelm the senses of an unprepared mortal. Asher sits in the back, trying to scan the crowd. Most people wouldn't recognize him, though they would absolutely recognize Abraxiel if he were summoned. The slaves of Osirion know him by name, as the savior of many of their freed brethren, but the types of people at this place would generally not. He breathes out and concentrates to send only a specific short message. 'Good to meet you, Dianora. I am Asher Hanafesh. With your arrival, the four of us are united.'
There are a number of us who play RPGs and video games and whatnot. It's not all bodies and chases, though there are a lot of those too. It's a wide-open profession as far as hobbies go.
Asher watches Anum head to the front, not wishing to stop him. From his previous dealings with the Abadarian, he is a shrewd judge of an item's value. It is certainly quite the advantage to be able to glance at the perfect form of a given item in the First Vault. Still, if the relics are religious in nature, that advantage is nothing compared to working alongside (so to speak) the right hand of Sarenrae. He's likely seen more about relics and myth than any other member of the group. Asher leans in to Belgraen. "Do you know what we are supposed to be looking for? Abraxiel did not tell me much. He often tells me that I know what I need to know, no more and no less. I have faith that he would share more if necessary, but it may simply present an opportunity to learn it from you." All the while, he keeps his head on a swivel for the assassin. Sometimes it is difficult to trust in Abraxiel's judgment, difficult to understand the vast kaleidoscope through which he must see the world. While he might not trust a Red Mantis, he will put his faith and trust in the angel to whom he owes everything. However, that doesn't mean he won't be on the lookout for her so that she cannot surprise him.
I'm 24 and (as mentioned earlier) an officer in the Houston Police Department. I joined right after graduating from Texas A&M with degrees in History and Speech Communication. I'm currently working on a Master's in Criminology at the University of Houston - Clear Lake. I'm married to my wife Jennifer, who I met when we were 14. (She mostly held a long grudge against me for the better part of a decade, until we met up after college and fell madly in love.) I have a knack for investigating identity theft and credit card fraud, and will likely start climbing the chain of command as soon as I become eligible to promote. I'm a decent shot with a .40 semi-automatic pistol. I started playing D&D right when 3.5 came out, through high school and college. My sergeant introduced me to Pathfinder; we are halfway through Curse of the Crimson Throne now. Is that enough information?
Police officer in a big city, which leaves a lot of time with nothing to do and a lot of time where I have no opportunity at all. It just depends. Some days are slow, some days are ridiculously busy. I have Wednesday/Thursday/Friday off, so I post a lot more on those days.
I'm going to go with the massive flaming wings and terrifying visage.
Asher Hanafesh awakes in his modest quarters. Despite being the leader of the community, he insists that he live in no better conditions than the least of his brethren. "We all once lived as slaves. Now we live as equals," he tells them. The community likely couldn't sustain much in terms of large quarters anyway. Haven was built on a secret oasis, a small patch of arable land deep in the Osirian desert. It was home to hundreds of slaves, the fabled lands that they spoke of huddled in their small tents after surviving yet another endless day of backbreaking labor. Asher personally rescued many, if not most, of them. Others found their way by word of mouth from other freed slaves dedicated to freeing them. It is not much, but they are free and they are equal. It is Heaven. Abraxiel would interject at that point, telling them that it was not, in fact, Heaven. The angel was terrible and fierce and glorious all at once, a majestic figure flying through the sky on fiery wings and protecting Haven from all who would threaten it with a sword forged in Heaven. Asher, his (half-)human vessel for nearly the last two decades, made no secret about Abraxiel. It was Abraxiel who had freed him from his bonds of servitude on his eighteenth birthday, and Abraxiel was the first sight of many slaves' free eyes as he slew their cruel overseers. The archangel's judgment was harsh and immediate to those who had displayed sadism or cruelty, but passed over those with even an inkling of righteousness in their hearts. Together, the archangel and his vessel freed hundreds of former slaves and sought out Sarenrae's enemies over twenty years, though Asher often went months without summoning the angel into his body. Abraxiel would appear to him in a vision if necessary, informing him of the need for him to descend to Golarion. It was such a vision that Abraxiel gave to Asher three days ago as he awoke. As the half-elf rubs the sand and sleep from his eyes, Abraxiel stands over him silently. Long used to such sudden appearances, Asher is not startled and quickly finds his way to one knee. Even after almost twenty years serving him, Asher still feels tremendous loyalty, respect, and awe for Abraxiel. Abraxiel places a hand on Asher's shoulder and speaks to him as a man speaks to his friend. "Asher, I will need you to summon me in three days. There is a great danger that we must face together. Go to Sothis, my friend, and seek out the elf wizard Belgraen. He will be with another, the servant of Abadar you know as Underdune Anum. Together, you will be joined by another, a Red Mantis Assassin named Sister Dianora." Asher looks up, confused and alarmed by this last compatriot. "You must trust me, Asher. Sarenrae has plans for that one." With a flutter of wings, Abraxiel is gone, returned to Heaven. Asher finds his way out of his lodging and seeks out Jarcoteth. While they have no real formal structure here, the freed slaves look to Asher as a leader and to Jarcoteth after. A half-orc frenzied oracle of Iomedae, Jarcoteth is a strange but effective leader. His hot temper does well to balance out Asher's methodical decision-making, and Asher trusts him to lead Haven well while he is gone. After he explains the situation, Asher gathers the gear accumulated during his adventures and teleports to Sothis to find the others.
Asher does not like Sothis. Too many people are bought and sold in the marketplace here, like animals. He was himself purchased here as a young boy, inspected first for signs of disease by a man with finer clothes than he could have imagined at that age. The realities of the situation, however, make him know that he cannot free them all without warping the balance of power in the Inner Sea. He contents himself with the knowledge of all those he has helped, but his heart yearns to help all those that still long for freedom. Having found the elven mage two days ago and the cleric of Abadar the day after, Asher keeps a lookout for the Red Mantis. While he doesn't trust assassins, he trusts in Abraxiel's judgment, though this is a complete leap of faith. When the elf points out the correct tent, he follows and enters. "You've done well, Belgraen. Very well." He smiles at the wizard, with whom he has spoken to a number of times over the last few years, but still barely knows. Last time they were together, while Abraxiel was summoned, he hammered the angel with a deluge of questions. His talent lay not only in his spells, but apparently in irritating an ancient and immortal servant of the goddess Sarenrae.
I will make my introductory post tonight. It deserves more than something from my phone! I will be brainstorming it all night.
It may be something he will want to do if anything threatens Haven. However, I think Abraxiel will object unless Asher agrees not to make it timeless and to use it only as a temporary location for the slaves to acclimate to freedom, as it is not meant to replace Heaven.
Most of the time, Asher is not bonded with Abraxiel. Like Belgraen was mentioning earlier, archangels can be touchy about not being present to defend the gates of Heaven. Generally, Asher will only summon Abraxiel when needed or when Abraxiel asks it of him. In this particular case, it is Abraxiel who seeks to gain entry into the pyramids, answering the prayers of the Church. (Asher hopes to find additional resources for his community, but that is secondary to him to the wishes of Sarenrae and Abraxiel.) Abraxiel (in Asher's vessel) would likely appear at the staging location without warning, simply announcing himself as the representative of Sarenerae. Whenever Asher leaves the community (named Haven), he leaves in the care of Jarcoteth, a rage prophet of Iomedae who he freed over fifteen years ago. (Jarcoteth is his cohort and a Barbarian 4/Oracle 2/Rage Prophet 7, and Asher's cohort from Leadership.)
If the Church of Sarenrae is taking part, I'm pretty sure it won't be a stretch to have an archangel of Sarenrae tagging along. If Abraxiel commands it, Asher will gladly put aside his own agenda to go. What did you think of my character ties, especially to Dianora? While Asher would likely not like her and not like working with her, he would put his faith in Abraxiel's assurance that Sarenrae has a plan for her. Also, Asher's got a Leadership score of 30 (15 Level + 9 CHA + 6 Modifiers), so he's got a lot of followers. His cohort, who I have yet to design, will not be accompanying us, but rather watching over them in the community of freed slaves.
Asher would want to seek out the treasures in his quest to secure the security and freedom of his community of former slaves. Asher met with Belgraen to discuss the possibility of creating a demiplane for the former slaves to live in. He finds the elf an interesting person to talk to, but Abraxiel disapproves of his demon-summoning past. Asher met Anum years ago when he needed assistance in gaining entry to a noble's palace to free the slaves there. The noble was a vocal follower and donator to the Church of Sarenrae, and thus Abraxiel could not openly embarrass him by unsubtly bringing his flaming sword to bear on his house. He found Anum a helpful assistant in his quest, and Abraxiel gifted him with a small trinket from Heaven in gratitude. As Abadar and Sarenrae are friendly, if not a perfect match, both angel and mortal vessel get along fine with Anum. Asher has not yet met Dianora, but Abraxiel knows of her. He watched from Heaven as her parents were killed, unable to assist because his previous mortal vessel had recently died of old age. It was their tragic murder that spurned him onward to seek out a new vessel, coming upon the pious Asher in nearby Osirion. While he does not approve of her current occupation, Abraxiel knows the value of vengeance and hopes to steer her in a more righteous path. Miniaturemarket.com only displays broken links for me, so I went to the Reaper website.
Popping my head in. I'll post tomorrow after I get back from the funeral.
Interesting mix. I'll have to figure how to be in a party with a Red Mantis Assassin. I'm not sure who will object more: Asher or Abraxiel. |