Card Tricks (May be M/Violence)

[Chaosmazer]

((First a small background on the world))

The year is 1876, but the history is not our own.

Welcome to the Deadlands, a horrific journey into the "Weird West". Mysterious beings called the Reckoners have given life to monsters and magic, causing history to divert from July 4th, 1863 forward. The South has won its independence, California has shattered into a labyrinth of flooded sea-canyons, and a mysterious super-fuel called "ghost rock" has spawned as much war and strife as it has "steampunk" devices.

Magic has resurfaced, the gods have granted few their powers, the spirits, good and evil, are present in this world. Demons, Monsters, Beasts of lore have appeared, yet so have heroes brave enough to stop them...


((Story starts here))

On the frontier like this, you have to trust your life to something. Most put their faith in the gods... some put their faith in science. Even more put their faith in bullets. For all Jacob knew... they were right to do so. Still, his faith was put into something not many knew existed, but most feared. The magicians of old knew what they were talking about... however it wasn't until recently that more and more people found out that such otherworldly powers were actually real. Few actually practiced it and fewer still specialized in it. It was late one night. The cards were on the table in a small backwater saloon. A young man looked up from under his hat with a smirk on his face. He was good at cards... even without his little gift. The middle aged man from across the table smiled back as well. "Pocket aces, what do you got?" the older man said to the younger. Jacob as he was known laid his cards on the table. "Read em' and weep. Royal Flush." he said.

After a few more hands with Jacob as the winner, colorful words were exchanged and he was accused of cheating, a serious crime in the west. The two men were asked to take it outside. Jacob grabbed a deck of cards that rested in his pocket. He hated fighting, especially because he couldn't use his gifts. People usually freaked out at the first sign of magic, a hanging offense. So it was either fighting a fair fight, or be hung as a mage. However this time, the fight would not happen. As the two men entered the shadows, one was blindsided by something. The man was dead before he hit the ground, his head rolled on the ground, chewed through. Jacob looked down at the creature. A werewolf. One of many creatures that have recently come into reality. He sighed... some where at least civil... this one was rabid. He took out his deck of cards. The deck glowed as he threw a glowing card. It hit the beast with a magical energy. A banishment card... it wouldn't hurt the beast, but scare it off. He didn't have the power to take down a full grown were beast... however now he had a dead body on his hands... and watchful eyes... sadly, they only seen a boy with a glowing deck and a dead man.

Captured and bound, Jacob was dragged out to the hanging tree the next afternoon. After a quick court hearing found him guilty. They removed his shirt and made him march through town. The village threw fruits vegetables at him. He however wasn't worried in the least. The crowd stared at his body, the scars and dark areas that decorated his skin. Magic had it's price. One hand was completely black, he usually wore gloves... and long sleeves. Still, the noose was placed around his neck. A deck of cards managed to be snuck in his pocket. He closed his eyes, the stool was knocked out from under him and he dropped. The moment that his neck would snap something else happened instead. Hundreds.... thousands of playing cards flew from his body, and when they all cleared, there was an empty noose. The town was outraged.

Jacob landed outside of town by a few miles. He sighed. "I was starting to like that town..." he said trying to stand... that was advanced magic... something he could rarely do. His power, his body was weakened. He hopped that there was a town somewhere near there. He laid out five cards, using up still a bit more power to predict where the nearest town was. He started walking... it might be hours... it might be days... He hoped his body would last. Still, he lacked a shirt to hide the fact that he was a mage... he was in some serious trouble if the wrong person... or the wrong creature came upon him.

[Tierra]

Mind if I join??

[Chaosmazer]

Still want to do this one? Sorry, I didn't come here often for a while, nobody would pick up my rps.

[Tierra]

Yeah I'm keen if you are ^ ^

[Chaosmazer]

Sounds good to me, just post when you are ready. Same goes for the other one

[Tierra]

do you mind if I use a similar character to the other one?

[Chaosmazer]

Sure, I don't mind

[Tierra]

Kara had been running all night in her beast form, her body riddled with exhaustion. She panted as she ran the last line of trees, she wanted to find a road and a town to rest in. Kara hadn't eaten for days and her belly growled in protest. She got to the road and slowed herself to a complete stop. A human walked passed and she froze with fright, she was still in wolf form and had been hunted for days. She slowly started to back up into the trees again but typical situation, she stood on a stick and snapped it under her pads.

[Chaosmazer]

The human looked weak, but his body had a mystical sense about it. He turned his gaze to the noise that he had barely heard. He thought it was another human, or some other monstrosity in this world... something that would have torn him to shreds... but no... just a wolf, a single wolf. He didn't fear a lone animal... but a pack of hungry wolves, that is when he would be in trouble.. He smiled. He felt as if his body was going to give out right there. His mind raced, trying to stay awake. The magic had done a number on him. He held out his hand... "Come on... I won't hurt you, I can't really do anything to anyone at this point anyways." he said kindly, if a bit weakly.

[Tierra]

Kara moved forward slowly her eyes dancing over his frail frame. She could tell he was more then what she was looking at. She stood a few feet from him now, her dark orbs looked up at him as she pressed her wet nose into his hand and smelt the magic. She let out a small moan as if to answer him back about her own sate. He was almost a weak as she was, forced into wolf for over the last few days drained her energy. She moved to the side of his body and looked up at him, Kara was a tall wolf and a smart one. She was offering him something to lean on as he walked, she knew he would take her to a village where she could regain herself. She would leave him a few meters away so the people wouldn't be afraid of a giant lone wolf in their town.

[Chaosmazer]

Jacob looked over to the wolf and grinned slightly. Animals always seemed to like him, all while he was growing up, animals seemed to like him, especially canines, such as dogs and wolves. But this one... this one seemed to be different. He couldn't put his finger on it. If his power was a bit higher... then they would be able to see a bit more in her. He leaned on the wolf slightly. "Thanks..." he said. "You're a big one, huh..." he said with a little smile. He loved wolves. There was always a mystical sense about them. "My name is Jacob..." he said petting her a bit.

[Tierra]

She took his weight with ease and slowly started to walk. Indeed she was a big wolf in strength and muscle, she gave a crooked smile showing some of her teeth. He didn't seem to bad a person but she knew once he was healed he may not feel the same, nor if he knew what she really was. 'Jacob' she said in her mind voice. Then she looked up and wondered if he could hear her.
She kept walking taking some of his weight, they were close to a small village. She would have to leave him soon and restore her health. She would have to think hard about her human shape due to her being trapped in her wolf form for so long she finds the change hard. She sighed.

[Chaosmazer]

Jacob leaned on her a bit more, she seemed to be strong, very strong. He smiled weakly. "Oddly, the most civilized person I have seen in a long time happens to be a wolf..." he said. He thought that he heard something, something in his mind. His powers were weak, but even he could hear something like that. He looked down at the wolf. He thought for a moment. He knew that there were things out there in the wild world that he didn't know... but that. He shook his head and pet her a bit more. He called out a bit in his mind, only using a small bit of his energy, yet he still felt the strain on his body. 'Hello? Who... was that?'

[Tierra]

Her smile widened. 'Civilized. Indeed more then human's without magic' she laughed. She kept on walking as he looked down at her and felt his hand rub her thick pelt. She stopped and looked up at the man whom she knew as Jacob. She thought she heard him talk to her. 'Why Hello, I'm Karias also known as Kara' she dipped her head in a bow. She was starting to feel a little weary but pulled her strength together to support Jacob. She could feel his magic in her mind, he was weak like herself they had to find the village soon before they both collapse.

[Chaosmazer]

'Karias... I wish I could talk more, but every word is starting to pain me.' He said. His hand pet her a bit more. She had a soft pelt, he could tell from the voice in his mind that it was a female voice, judging by her strength, she was most likely an alpha at some point. He knew that they were heading towards some sort of town, but still. 'Please... don't... don't take me into a town like this, without anything to hide the marks on my skin, people would recognize me as a mage... it would... only cause more trouble.' he said. He leaned a bit more on her, but was still trying to stay up.

[Tierra]

She felt his hands run thought her pelt. 'I won't let them see ether of us like this. Sit by the trees and I shell be back in a few moments.' She guided him to the tree line and eased him down by lowering herself to the ground. 'I'll only be a few moments. rest well' and at that she took off into the woods.

She thought hard about her human form, her dark hair cascading down one shoulder, her tan skin and gracious curves. Her dark eyes and blunt teeth. There she stood naked at the tree line of the village. She stole a dress and a stable boy's shirt. She ran back into the woods and changed into wolf form once more.

She left her dress not far from where Jacob sat, she carried his clothing in her mouth and called to him 'Don't be afraid Jacob. It's only me' she walked out towards him and dropped the clothes at his feet then turned to the woods once again.

[Chaosmazer]

Jacob couldn't help but collapse. She let him down to rest, his body was at it's limit. He heard her, he trusted her. He didn't know why. This wolf... He rested a bit, just laying near the tree line. His eyes closed. He drifted off a bit, he felt a dull pain pushing him, pulling him. It started to build, yet he couldn't do anything about it. He overexerted myself... he felt as if he was going to die... he seen darkness... he knew he wouldn't die... but his pain was just beginning. He looked up. He felt someone approaching, he tried to hide it. He seen the clothes... his eyes barely open. "Thank you... this... this will help." he said out loud. He couldn't use any sort of magic energy. Not now.

[Tierra]

She changed form again and moaned as her bones broke and bent back into place. She dressed and walked out towards Jacob, she didn't leave the cover of the trees. "Jacob?" she said in a soft voice. She didn't want to step into the light but slowly did and knelt a meter or two away from Jacob. Her hair was black with silver highlights like the pelt of her wolf form, her eyes were dark pools and her lips curved in red perfection. "Don't fear me. My name's Karias. The village is not far from here just around the corner. Can you walk?" she looked at him and searched for a sign of panic.

[Chaosmazer]

Jacob looked up, he didn't see much, but when a woman appeared, the same voice, resembling the wolf. He would have panicked if he had not seen creatures stranger than this before. Besides, he wasn't in any situation to ask questions... "Yeah... yeah... I can walk..." he said standing. He slipped on the shirt, he moved towards her. She was a very beautiful woman... yet he wasn't sure if she was just a figment of his imagination... this sort of thing didn't happen everyday. "For all I know, you could be leading me to my death, but... I trust you." he sighed. "Come on... I have some money on me, I can buy a room at the inn." he said. His voice trying to hide pain.

[Tierra]

She caught his elbow as he moved towards her, she was weak but took his weight . "I would be leading myself to my own death. Letting you see me is death to myself." she lead him to an inn and made sure he had a room, she took him to his room and sat him down then turned to leave.

[Chaosmazer]

As she helped him, he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. He could feel that she was weak as well, yet here she was helping him. If he had the ability, he would pay her back, give her energy, heal her... but that was not his type of magic. He laid down on the bed, he felt the pain come on stronger now. He knew it would get worse, but he would heal. Through this dark pain, came recovery. He sighed. "It takes someone special to just help some stranger out of the blue." he said. "Listen... Karias... please... don't leave just yet. I want to help you somehow... is... is there anything that you need?" he asked.

[Tierra]

She stopped by the doorway "Rest up Jacob. Our paths may cross once again." she walked to the inn keeper and left a note for Jacob.

I need to find food for I have not eaten in days and my hunting wasn't the best. I don't wish to take your money or for you to feel bad about not helping me back but if you are so inclined I shell meet you in the pub at dusk. Karias.

She found coin herself in an alleyway after she frightened a man who was attempting to rape a women. She made her way to the pub and awaited to see if Jacob would show.

[Chaosmazer]

Jacob didn't argue... in reality, he couldn't. He was too tired. He just nodded, accepting what she had said before closing his eyes, the pain was almost unbearable, but he kept quiet, not need to arise suspicion.

It was much later when he finally woke. His body feeling better, but not at full power. He sat up... it wasn't a dream. He found a note, slid under the door. Presumably by the innkeeper. Reading it, he understood why she left... but he did want to meet her, find her. People like here were rare...

Jacob entered the pub. He seemed to be feeling better, though it was still obvious that he wasn't completely recovered. His eyes scanned the room for Karias

[Tierra]

She thought about what she had done, exposing herself to him yet he seemed so much like her. Socially not excepted. She sat at a table by herself and turned down the company of a few men till Jacob entered the pub. She caught his eye and watched as he approached her table. 'I'm sorry for leaving so soon. I was frail and in need of food and water.' she spoke in her mind voice to avoid outsiders catching on to what she was and what she was up to.

[Chaosmazer]

'I was grateful for the note at least. And another meeting. I want to thank you again, I would have probably died in the wilderness had it not been for you.' he said back, using the same mind speak. He didn't want anyone else to over hear anything touchy between them, lest he give himself away as a mage. The cycle would start again... as it has several times before. He is found, panic, he runs. Over and over that seems to happen to him. 'So... I'm sorry for being so blunt, but... what exactly are you?' he asked once more with his mind.

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