Storyboards: Aewyr (before reroll)

Note: This has no connection to Aewyr's current RP

Intro to Aewyr | Aewyr's purpose | Aewyr meets a stranger | Aewyr joins the Syndicate

Intro to Aewyr
The city gradually quieted as the sky began to darken. A pink haze outlined the horizon, frosting the distant mountains with their pastel glow. A bitter wind swept through the empty streets, kicking up dust into the air. The city looked strangely desolate, almost abandoned.
A young Arend woman stumbled along the empty streets, fumbling rather awkwardly with her cloak in an attempt to shield herself from the biting wind and the blinding dirt. 'This is certainly not a good day,' she thought to herself rather bitterly. She cocked her head and squinted to her right. With a determined look, she trudged toward the dimly lit bar.
'I'd like a tankard of warm ale and some fresh bread...if you have any,' she half mumbled, looking at the poor surroundings. A few of the still conscious men eyed her curiously. Her face turned into a scowl, then a broad grin. 'I know, it's rather amazing that one woman can smell worse than a room full of drunken ruffians like yourselves. She laughed at that, silently patting herself on the back for her humor than only she seemed to be amused by.
The men scowled and grumbled under their breath, returning their gazes back to their tankards. The bartender returned with some stale bread and a tankard of heated ale, setting them down before the young woman. He greedily took the coins from her hand before she could set them on the table. He paused for a moment and studied her.
'What's a woman like yourself doing in a place like this anyhow?' He eyed her purse, rellishing the sound of it's jingle as the woman fastened it to her waist.
'Well, good bartender I'm opening my eyes to the world. And slaying every bartender who so much as looks at my purse. You look like such a hard working man, I'd hate to add you to my very extensive list.' She smiled at him, hoping the lie was working. It did. The man's eagerness turned into a scowl as he quickly backed away to one of the back rooms.
'Congratulations Aewyr, you're learning to lie,' her brain announced to her. She winced at that. Another bad habit added in this position. She had only meant to leave for a few hours but the few hours turned into a few days and a few days turned into a few weeks. If only she wasn't so impulsive. She'd already done many stupid things in her short lifetime, but this was most definitely the worst.
She left her parents in their poor village for a few hours of excitement chasing a rabbit. Before she knew it she was lost and then in a completely different city altogether. She considered heading back to her poor village but the larger city had a way of giving her more impulsive opportunities.
Before she knew it, she had completely forgotten she ever left and it wasn't until now that she realized she'd been away from home so long. But frankly, she didn't miss it. This city brought her entertainment and best of all, gold. She learned that a few favors for some lazy shopkeepers provided her with not only gold, but the ability to see parts of the world she could only dream of. She frowned, realizing she had eaten all of her bread. She peered around the room, watching the men doze on the benches. She carefully stood up, grabbed her cloak and headed out into the cold.
'It's time to go home,' she muttered to herself sadly. She stared out into the darkness and began walking.

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Aewyr's purpose
The sun yawned its way slowly into the sky, sending warm golden rays through the air. Animals were beginning to talk amongst themselves in languages Aewyr could not comprehend, but she enjoyed their musical chatter. She was up rather early today knowingthis would be the day she would finally return home.
'Hmm yes, I must be going the right way this time,' she mumbled to herself, staring critically in the distance. It had taken her much longer than expected to return home. She was frequently distracted, only to find herself chasing rabbits or digging up old boots.

A few hours passed until she walked into what she thought to be an unfamiliar area. She covered her face as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. She walked a bit closer, seeing a village burnt to the ground.
'That certainly can't be my village,' she said aloud in astonishment. 'But I'm almost certain I was going the right direction.'
She walked closer and began peeking at the little crumbled huts that were around the area. Weariness crept in the back of her mind as she peered through the rubble. She picked up a tattered piece of a banner.
'Hmm..this is no Mimbrate banner, for sure. Besides, why would Mimbrates want to burn their tax coins?' She continued walking further into the village. The smell made her stomach churn, but a strange curiosity drew her closer. Something about this place... something familiar...
She froze in absolute horror, recognition slamming itself into awareness in her mind. All around her were the burnt huts of the families she had grown up with as child. Bodies were strewn about, half burnt faces she could still recognize. She dropped to her knees and wretched on the damp earth, her stomach convulsing with disgust.
'WHO DID THIS!' she cried to no one, frantically making her way to her own hut that she spent so many years in with her family. Various trinkets were smashed and charred. The once familiar rooms in her hut were no longer recognizable. Tears streamed down her face as she began frantically tossing boards, afraid to find what she knew she had to see. Before she could pick up another, she saw a lifeless hand from beneath the rubble. She screamed and tumbled backwards, struggling to get away from the dreadfulness before her.
Hours had passed before the young Arend woman could collect herself. She lay curled upon the dirt, sobbing uncontrollably.
The sun began to set in the distance as Aewyr's misery slowly subsided. She felt exhausted, unable to continue her frantic sobbing. In a moment of clarity, she remembered the banner in her pouch and reached for the torn fabric. She thought hard trying to remember all the stories in the taverns and the familiar banners she had seen in her life. Her mind continued sifting until she slowly stopped upon one familiar banner. Fresh adrenaline pumped through her veins and her expression turned to rage.
It was the banner of the Agnarak Army.

'LORD RAIFE, I PROMISE YOU, I WILL NOT REST UNTIL YOUR BLOOD IS UPON MY SWORD. I WILL RELISH IN YOUR HUMILIATION AND SUFFERING' she cried, fire burning in her voice. Fresh tears streaked down her face, as she pulled herself off the ground. With newfound determination, she began heading East.

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Aewyr meets a stranger
It was a nightly routine to drink into unconsciousness. She'd whip out her sword in brash moments of hostility, threatening a greedy bartender or drunkenly challenging a tree to a fight to the death. She would stumble to the outskirts of the city and sleep on the hard earth, praying that
the biting cold and freezing rain would cool the fire burning in her heart. She was a hopeless mess with too much blundering anguish. What she needed to drive her, blinded her.

Time cures little, but enough of it can turn boiling rage into a half-rational simmer. There is a general tendency to wake up out of a long stupor and repeatedly ask oneself, 'What the hell was I thinking?' as one wretches behind a tree with a blinding headache. Then something clicks and one realizes that it's time to put away the useless pile of emotional debris and do something. Aewyr had a many of those moments but as she was a little thickheaded, it took her a long time to listen to her physical turmoil and let the key click
Finally, dizzy with the flu and another massive hangover, she had enough. She pulled herself up, stumbling over to a hostel, shoving what gold she had left into the Innkeepers hand and clambered up to a comfortable room. She used the last of her energy to take off her worn out boots Someone was there to poor water down her throat and put a fresh, cool rag on her forehead. Someone with gentle hands, and a deep, musical voice...with blue eyes like the sea.
On the third day, she finally roused herself into full consciousness. A fire crackled dimly in the fireplace across from her. She was freshly bathed and her clothes clean and mended. 'This is one hell of an inn.' she said to herself, tenderly pushing herself up into a sitting position. She assumed it was the Inkeeper who kept good care of her through her sickness. She vowed to pay him well for his time and care. She slid her feet into her boots and slowly eased down the creaky wooden stairs
She pulled herself up to a barstool and studied the bartender who was busy filling a mug of ale. No, it wasn't him. He was dirty, his eyes the color of granite, and hands like rough bark. She frowned openly as he walked toward her.
'Well, if it isn't the woman who held up my best room for 3 days,' the bartender said with a suggestive tone as he approached Aewyr.
Thank you for letting me use your room. What do I owe you?' she answered cooly, ignoring the hint in his voice.
'You owe me nothing. That man who kept stepping into your room gave me plenty. I hope he paid you well too for your services,' he said with a wink.
Aewyr shot an icy glare at him. 'I'm not whore bartender, and you should feel lucky that I'm in no mood to kill you.'
He laughed at that. She spat at him and left, her mind curiously searching for the face of her stranger.

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Aewyr joins Syndicate
The sky had settled into blackness by the time Aewyr arrived at the Lusty Wench Inn at Boktor. She pulled up the hood of her rain-soaked cloak and stepped in the grimy inn. The surroundings were bleak and certainly unwelcoming except for the buxom woman standing behind the counter.
'If you're here for work, you best leave. I won't have anyone ruining business around here.'
'Look ma'am, I'm not here for work. In fact, I've got a business to do. Have you seen a man about as tall as my shoulder and fat as a barrel of ale? Aewyr slipped some gold over to the woman.
Her eyes glistened. 'He's in with one of the other girls. He'll be out in a little while. It'll cost you a few more gold to shed blood in my tavern.'
Aewyr frowned and tossed her another coin. 'I best me getting some ale for that.'
She pulled up to a table in a corner closest to the dim fireplace, propping her feet up and leaning back on the wall. The owner of the inn gave her a mug of cheap ale that she worked on slowly. Time was dragging on and Aewyr was getting rather annoyed. She was feeling a bit of a buzz from the ale and didn't realize that she was sinking into sleep.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but she woke up with a start. Someone slapped her rather brutally up against the wall and was shouting obnoxiously in her face.
'Excuse me?' She asked, frowning at the ache in the back of her head.
What? Are you deaf woman?' He said again, slamming her head back on the cold stone surface.
'If you're looking for a good time, you're talking to the wrong woman,' she grunted, feeling her stomach sink as she saw her sword on the floor out of her grasp. She reached up and futilely grabbed at the hands around her throat.
He smirked, pulling out his sword. 'You're getting in my way and I'm seeing to it that you get out of it.'
Aewyr stared in horror. Without really thinking about it, she sank her knee into his gut. It was enough for him to reel back, wheezing.
'What a way to underestimate your opponent, sir.' She knocked the sword out of his hand, grabbed her cloak and headed for the door.
'I don't think so,' he grumbled, quickly recovering and chasing after her. 'DEAD END,' he yelled as she approached the end of a back alley. She swore under her breath, frantically looking around for a way out. The man approached her, twirling his sword around in his hand threateningly.
'Now then, where were we?'
'I don't get it, why do you want to kill me? What did I do to you?' she sputtered frantically.
'You're taking my business. That man you were after tonight? My job. Suddenly less people seem to want my...assistance.'
'Well how was I supposed to know? I was trying to do honest business!'
'You call killing honest business?'
'Well, obviously these people are scum. Why else would a person want to kill someone?'
He laughed. 'It's too bad I have to kill you. You're slightly amusing.'
Aewyr's eyes widened. 'Well...maybe you don't have to.'
He paused. 'And what do you propose I do?' he asked, getting in her face. Aewyr fumbled with some sort of excuse.
The words started pouring out of her mouth before she could really think about it. 'That sword you have it's a very nice sword. And uh...erm...I was thinking, a man with such a nice sword would know how to use it.' She was babbling, obviously showing her fear, trying not to think about the other implications in what she said.
'Uh huh, so?'
'Well, it's er..a long story, but I'm trying to learn how to fight, you see. And well, I figure that since you want your business back and I inevitably want someone dead who's going to be really hard to kill, I could work for you in exchange for some training?'
A long silence passed.
'Not a bad idea. You seem to know what you're doing in this business, so it might be beneficial to have you. I'm Grekan. Welcome to The Syndicate.'

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