Fantasy Arva: Tides of Darkness [IC]

[Oreo Cookie]

Brikaria had drank, feasted, and drank some more during the night's celebrations. She had mostly sobered up by morning, if only appearing a little bleary eyed as she stepped onto the deck to see what the commotion was about. The situation quickly became apparent to her, and the demoness would have offered her blade to deal with this situation were it not for the Utterlin Captain's adamant stance on no killing. She snorted upon hearing the Captain's reasoning, but made no comment and soon followed the rest of the company off the vessel. The troll was even larger up close, and Brikaria rested a hand on the pommel of her sword, her finger tapping impatiently on it as the other's tried to reason with the creature. To her surprise they actually succeeded in doing so.

"Hmph. I think it be faster to force him to open the passage." Brikaria chimed in. "Someone who made off with his pearl should be long gone by now, assumin' the green oaf didn't just lose it." She sighed. "But if yer all committed to doing things peacefully, I say get the big fella to show us where he kept his precious pearl and follow the trail from there."

 

[Dmaster]

Even though Gerwin made the call to go below deck to eat, Da'Vost felt that he should entertain the young Utterlin's question. He began crooning quietly as he tries to get a better understanding of her situation. "Hm, and none of your fellow kin have ever heard these voices as you do? No one in your past?" he asks, only to shake his head as he draws his own conclusions. "Your people share a connection with the water, as my kind have a connection with the sky and the Aether. To gain an even deeper understanding and connection with your home and livelihood - I do consider that a gift. From whom, however, I cannot say." The Fateseeker hoped that she would be happy with that answer, though he could tell that she was looking to get below deck and eat. Perhaps it was out of worry that there would be no food left by the time they got down there. With so many mouths it was a very real possibility.

The festivities and feasting were not something the Aervis was all that accustomed to, as even his own people's festivals tended to be rather reserved. Much of their celebrations were introspective and appreciative of certain contemplative arts, though the hatchlings did find ways to make their own rambunctious fun. For the most part the Fateseeker had his fill of exotic food and fresh water to drink, ever grateful for the outpouring of hospitality on display. When it came time to retire, he actually found somewhere out of the way on deck to rest - preferring to sleep beneath the stars for obvious reasons.

With the altercation taking place between the troll and Gerwin, Da'Vost had been one of the first to arrive on the scene as he quietly stood away from the bickering duo. His eyes were shut and his hands were hidden within the sleeves of his robe as he listened in, only opening his eyes once Hughin and the others arrive.

"But if yer all committed to doing things peacefully, I say get the big fella to show us where he kept his precious pearl and follow the trail from there."

"A fine course of action. There are many clues that a thief could leave behind, be they physical or ethereal. To attack a reasonable being due to a misunderstanding would be a horrible start to our voyage." Da'Vost chirps lowly.

 

[Breadman]

"Any unneeded conflict is best avoided, I agree." The witch looked towards the troll. Its not like it would be too great a challenge to them, but they're better off having its brute strength on their side. As for the pearl. "I can be of assistance." Fraskia spoke and motioned her shoulder to get Orso in the air. The crow flapped its wings and took off. Lora wasn't far behind as she materialized in her master's feet. "You two, get to work. We need to find the troll's pearl or at the very least clues to it's location."

"OH SHINNY!" Orso exclaimed as he shot up in the air.

"Lets hope the troll doesn't want bird stew if he finds the pearl." Lora rolled her eyes before venturing fourth.

 

[joshuadim]

"I say get the big fella to show us where he kept his precious pearl and follow the trail from there."

"Right, that would be the best place to start and we can go from there." Hughin replied before turning his attention back to the troll. "Can you show us where you kept your pearl?" he asked as politely as he could as to win over the troll's trust. The creature stared blankly at the Captain for a few moments, processing the request as it scratched its chin before grinning and pointing over towards the edge of the drawbridge it was manning. A small encampment was visible with various tributes and payments for tolls scattered about as well as a large tent, with the latter being singled out by the troll as it pointed a large meaty finger towards it.

The group approached the troll's rather humble living arrangements and saw that it must have been rather easy to sneak in and steal from the troll as there was no fences of any kind. Hughin then grunted, "Alright. Let's see what we can find out from here." That was the cue to start looking for clues as to who stole the troll's precious object as both Da'Vost and Fraskia's familiars went to work.

(Investigation: Easy - 3; Roll 1d10 = 5, Success! ) Da'Vost's own deep knowledge of magic and the aether was fruitful in his endeavor to discover anything that might have been left behind if magic was at play and the faint residue of a spell was felt in the area where the troll slept, a large pile of grasses and hay, that had the markings of an illusion of some kind. It was likely that the illusion easily tricked the troll into believing something was there that was not... or that nothing was out of the ordinary as its precious pearl was stolen right from under it.

(Investigation: Easy - 3; Roll 1d10 = 6, Success! ) Fraskia's cat familiar, Lora, meanwhile had its own luck in discerning who exactly was here as three distinct smells of men was picked up to be only two days old. As such, the theft was not only recent but the perpetrators could still be not too far away to catch up too if they were locals.

(Perception: Medium - 5; Roll 1d10 = 9, Success! ) Up in the air in the meantime, Orso searched high and low with his bird sight and found that not only where there tracks leading away from the drawbridge but that there was a village not even a half-hours journey away from the river crossing off in the distance. Perhaps the residents there know something about this crime?

(Investigation: Medium - 4; Roll 1d10 = 4, Success! ) Zakala's own search in the meantime for any clues had her finding a single strand of short red hair on the ground near the tent that clearly didn't belong to either the troll or anyone else in the company, which meant that one of the people involved in the theft had red hair.

A few moments passed before Arnas spoke up, "Well? Did you guys find anything?" he asked with curiosity.

Breadman Dmaster

 

[Breadman]

"According to my familiars" Fraskia's eyes went white for a few moments and then just as quick shifted and changed. Her left was now a cat's eye, while the right was the one of a crow. "Lora's sense have picked up a trail. Three men, their stench lingers for two days now. The perpetrators can't be too far away if they're from this region." Her attention shifted to Orso "From up on high Orso has spotted a village. That way" She pointed to where the settlement was based on their location "Track lead there." Her eyes shifted as she returned to her own senses "The thief is close. That much I am sure."

 

[Dmaster]

Da'Vost's eyes were quite attuned to looking at both the Aether and residual magics that stained the air after rituals, he just had to bring in his focus to spot them amidst the backdrop of the visible world. His head twisted and twitched to observe the bedding from various angle, the towering Aervis crouching lowly to get a closer look before he drew his conclusion and stood back up. "It would appear that one or more of those thieves are skilled in illusory magic." he chirped as he shifted on his talons to address Arnas. "The remains of a spell, perhaps to conceal themselves or distract the owner of the trinket. It is unknown if they know any other kinds of magic, but I would exercise caution when we do manage to find them."

 

[joshuadim]

"I also found a strand of red hair just next to where the pearl was being kept," Zakala then spoke up as she held up the strand towards Hughin, "Seems as though one of our perpetrators has red hair atop their dome." Hughin scratched his chin and thought about the next course of action for them to take: the village seemed like a good place to start. Either the thieves live there or passed through not too long ago and perhaps one of the people there can point them in the right direction. It was the obvious choice forward for the company, but wondered if there was more to then than the surface level. Why go through the trouble to steal a troll's pearl and cause a blockage in the waterway from the troll's rightful anger? It would certainly hurt travel between the cities as well as to the nearby village that likely relied on the various trade routes.

Hughin couldn't help but feel as though there was something more to this and kept the thought in the back of his mind as he cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention: "All right, so we have three suspects and know one has red hair and any one of them can use magic. Tracks leading towards the village... I say that is obviously our next course of action and head there to have a look. Though, if there are any objections or recommendations I'm open to hear them." Hughin then announced to the rest of the company. Arnas then quickly spoke up: "RIght... so if we do find them, how exactly are we going to get it back if they've either sold it already or passed it along to someone else?"

"...we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Hughin simply stated, "For now, we can assume that the troll's valuable is still within our grasp. So we operate on that logic. Now, anything else?"

 

[Anne Boolean]

This situation left Kahzel feeling utterly useless, and due to experiences in his past, being idle brought about about feelings of anxiety. The troll had mentioned his lost item was a pearl and another member of the group suggested they search where the pearl was meant to be and last seen. While others looked through the rummage, somehow knowing what exactly was significant and what was not, there were others who were able to gain information about their surroundings due to their innate skills and attunements. The Lusvoni shifted on his feet as knowledge of a nearby village, the remnants of a spell, the scent of three men, and a strand of red hair were presented as findings. A suggestion was then made to search for three men, one a redhead and at least one who could cast magic, in the village.

In terms of retrieving the stolen goods, Kahzel knew he could at least provide some manpower for a shakedown, but Arnas brought up an important possibility. "We may end up with quite a detour if we choose to continue the retrieval..." he commented, although not necessarily being against the side trip.

 

[joshuadim]

Hughin acknowledged Kahzel's comment with a curt nod before speaking up again, after there were no further comments or suggestions from the remaining members of the company: "Alright, let's move on out then. We got work to do. Alareal, Serge, Aelestra, and Soong: you lot keep guard on the vessel, the rest of you follow me." he spoke aloud, walking across the drawbridge followed by the other members of the company that were a part of the away party. Advancing forward through the thicket of the woods that covered the shores of the river, the group marched on a dirt road with the occasional worn down fence here and there marking their route on where to follow as the sounds of birds and wind permeated throughout the atmosphere. The countryside of the Riverlands had a peaceful quality to it as the weather was fair and the ambiance calming to the soul.

The buzz of insects gave life to the air that continued once the company breached through the forest not even fifteen minutes into their journey and came across the expanse of farmlands and fields that likely belonged to Dandolio, a sovereign republic in the Riverlands that neighbored Gwell's territory around the city. Off in the distance, one could see grazing cattle and other livestock as well as farmhand toiling away for their daily bread and not so far off in the distance across the flat land the faint outline of the aforementioned village could be seen. Yet not all was well, as both Erizthra ( FloweryMuffin ) and Brikaria ( Oreo Cookie ) could feel something was rather amiss. (Something's Not Right... 1d5 = 5, 5) It quickly became clear that the group was getting stares from the farmhands and perhaps out of sheer gut feeling, they felt that they were also being watched by someone they couldn't see. Whether this was actually the case, was yet to be seen.

The outskirts of the village proper revealed the scope of the settlement itself to the group as they arrived at last after a half hour of traveling: clearly visible were two dozen houses of various sizes and shapes, a tavern and two small shops near its center, a small church, and in the near distance what appeared to be a smoking ruin of a mill and building. Several clear landmarks were made visible as points of interest for the group which got Hughin thinking as he scratched his chin for a moment. "Alright... we can cover more ground by splitting up. The tavern, church, and that burning wreck over there seems like the best places to start for our search."

"I can head for the tavern if anyone wants to tag along with! Might get some information from the locals there." Arnas spoke up with his intentions before followed by Zakala, "I can take the burning farm over yonder, could need some backup in case there's something... unsavory over there."

"Alright, that leaves me with the Church... I'm not a particularly religious type but maybe the pastor knows something. Taking volunteers for that route."

Dmaster Breadman FloweryMuffin Oreo Cookie Anne Boolean

 

[Anne Boolean]

Walking along the riverbank with the rest of the group, Kahzel took note of the change in environment. Trees became sparse and eventually made way for fields which were being grazed by livestock and worked by farmers. The Lusvoni rose an eyebrow at the looks he got from the workers as they passed by, but thought nothing of it, assuming they were because visitors were not a common sight among these parts.

Eventually, when they arrived at the village, there were three main places of note: a tavern, a church, and mill from which smoke rose. The last caught Kahzel's attention the most, so when they were asked where they would like to search, he volunteered to accompany Zakala.

"I'll go to the burning building as well," he said, taking a spot next to her.

joshuadim

 

[Breadman]

"Me and the holy congregations don't mix well, I'm afraid" Fraskia spoke up and moved to Zakala "And while I do enjoy a drink, I wont be useful in the tavern." The witch's cat had already taken a walk towards the burning mill "I'm sure the burning wreck would have something of interest."

 

[Oreo Cookie]

It had been quite some time since Brikaria had the pleasure of venturing through the countryside, and she found their current trek through the Riverlands caused her to feel a tinge of nostalgia. The feeling quickly faded away once they crossed into the farmlands, and she became acutely aware of the attention the group was getting. It was easy to brush aside the many stares initially. A group as colorful as theirs was bound to draw many eyes, both fearful and curious. And yet, Brikaria's instincts told her there was something else. Something that caused her sword hand to itch and made her occasionally look over her shoulder. Failing to spot anything obvious should have brought her comfort, but instead only caused her to grow increasingly irritated.

Her irritation had only partially subsided by the time they reached the town, where the group was soon to split up. Her eyes were naturally drawn to the smoldering mill, but it was the prospect of a tavern that caused them to light up. "I'll be makin' my way to the tavern too." She had already started to head in that direction but suddenly stopped . "Ah. And keep yer wits about ye." She added sharply. "I gotta feelin' we might've attracted some undue attention."

 

[FloweryMuffin]

The Riverlands made for an endearing landscape to Erizthra’s eyes, but in all honesty, any of which were not of a mountain or of caves, tended to have that effect. Well, after she’s had her share of sightseeing, the woman had finally started to notice. Stares, coming from whichever direction, scrutinizing their group. Now, they were not exactly making an effort to conceal themselves and some odd looks were to be expected, but the feeling she was experience was of the ominous kind.

“The air in ‘ere ain’t right. Folks, I ask to keep an eye out fo’ any shady figures. They'd be keepin’ an eye on us, I feel.”

At the village, when they were planning to split up, her companions were much faster in making their choice, leaving the church up to her and whoever had yet to make their pick.

“I’ll be heading over to the church, I s’ppose. Hopefully they’re the sort that dun get offended by a fly restin’ on ‘em.”

 

[Dmaster]

Da'Vost followed the group along the path as they made their way into the town, the detour in search of this pearl was not exactly welcome but the Fateseeker was not in any rush. He had seen the future, and in truth any such moments he has before it may possibly come to pass are welcome. That said he made the effort to remain vigilant in the hopes of seeing any ways to change the course of fate. He personally would not advise splitting up, as their opponents were likely craftier than the company might give them credit for, and the Aervis suspected that they would not go quietly if found out. It was not his place to interject with Hughin's strategy, however.

"I shall make for the church as well." he croons with a clack of his beak, unfurling his clawed hands from his sleeves. "Puzzling as a burning building may be I do not think that it is related to our thieves." The type to wantonly burn down a building were likely the type to just kill the troll in their sleep rather than go through magical deception and stealthy kleptomania, at least that's what Da'Vost was hoping for.

 

[joshuadim]

"All right, then it's settled. We have our groups... let's see what we can find out from the locals." Hughin then said, before stopping himself for a moment. The warnings given by Erizthra and Brikaria weren't unheeded, but considering their predicament they needed to cover ground quickly. "And keep an eye out. Watch each other's backs. You especially, Arnas." the Company leader then spoke, specifically to his adoptive son, "If you're in danger, don't take any risks you can't pay for. I don't want to lose people here. Got it?" Zakala, Arnas and the others with them would give their own nods of agreement before splitting off for their respective assignments.

Salubo, Republic of Dandolio

​

The first thing that came into view was a poorly kempt sign that signaled both the village's name, Salubo, and directions to other settlements that the group could make out as the group approached to the village closer. Two posts pointed to the northwest slightly, labeling the directions to the grand city of Dandolio, and to another village called Vetrana while one sign pointed northeast to a village called Civita. It gave some orientation to where the company found themselves in the Riverlands, which was safely assumed to be quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Looks and stares continued to pile up upon the group from the incredulous villagers as they went about their daily business.

The smell of cow manure did permeate the atmosphere, given the amount of livestock grazing in the fields nearby, as well as the more pungent smells of the village itself as one peasant emptied a bucket of human filth into the outside of their house some distance away. The church and tavern were both in sight, but in opposite sides of the village which brought their respective groups to peel away from the main body of the company that was traveling which left only Zakala, Kahzel, and Fraskia to advance further beyond the village and towards the ever growing sight of smoke in the near distance.

---

Tavern Group

As Arnas and Brikaria ( Oreo Cookie ) walked side by side, the former lamented over the state of squalor these people inhabited as it was unlike anything he had seen in his years in Gwell. It was so... mundane. Could people really live like this their entire lives? Were they happy with their position in life? "I can't imagine actually living here." Arnas then commented to the demoness, "Seems like a big motive to steal a pearl from a troll... could buy someone a new life coming from here." He kept an eye out as they walked for anything unusual that either Brikaria or Erizthra had brought up, but found nothing out of the ordinary. As the two approached the tavern, Arnas opened the door first before motioning with his hand: "After you."

The two would then step into the establishment, leaving the oppressive air of manure for the oppressive air of pipe smoke and candles which only offered a slight reprieve from the outside for a more lively atmosphere. A few of the tables were filled with patrons, likely farmhands and local artisans, as they sat chatting and drinking until the presence of newcomers attracted their gazes that visibly shifted from curiosity to both confusion and vitriol. One such table in particular hosted a few rugged farmers as one spat onto the ground beneath him and snorted: "Fuckin' hellspawn settin' foot in here." he spoke through gritted, yellow teeth.

Near the back of the establishment stood what appeared to be the barkeep as he tended to mugs, plates, and rags and didn't pay the two of them any mind as he was busy with his work. "Perhaps he's where we should start asking questions?" Arnas asked in a hushed tone as to not attract any more hostility in the already growing tensions of the room. Elsewhere in the establishment, a young man ( Roda the Red ) was keeping himself occupied...

---

Church Group

Hughin, Da'Vost ( Dmaster ) and Erizthra ( FloweryMuffin ) made their way to the small house of worship that seemed to serve as the village's physical and spiritual center. While it's exterior was rather sparse and modest, similar to its surroundings, its religious markings made it clear that it was a parish for the Five Divines which was the main religion of both the Riverlands and the Vale. Not only was there the main church itself, but there was also a small dwelling behind it which was likely the permanent residency of the priest. As the trio approached the main twin doors, Hughin sighed: "Fuckin' hell. Must've been a young lad since the last time I've been in such a place." he mused aloud to the Dwarf and Aervis, "Don't even remember any prayers..."

He then pushed on the doors to allow themselves in which brought them into a much more pleasant atmosphere rife with incense that smelled delightfully of cinnamon and lavender, giving a slight haze to the atmosphere. A few pews stood for the townsfolk to sit in during services while a simple podium stood at the back of the building to face its flock. The interior décor was just as sparse as the exterior, in contrast with the grand cathedrals and churches of towns and cities, which signaled that rather than the main branch this was in fact a part of the ascetic branch of the faith as idolatry was seen as detachment from the spiritual.

A man dressed in plain white garbs, the priest of this small parish, was tending to cleaning the podium with a wet rag and didn't pay any mind to the trio as he went about his business. "Have thee come to my humble house for prayers? For advice?" the priest asked in an old, gravely voice. He took a moment to finish wiping to look at the newcomers in his midst and paused at the sight of them. "Ah... you're not of my flock here. What brings outsiders to this lonely part of the world?"

---

Mill Group

Passing through the village to approach the burnt mill was a short distance away from the main village itself. However, the smell of the village was replaced with the smell of smoke and the beginning stages of decay as Zakala, Kahzel ( Anne Boolean ) and Fraskia ( Breadman ) would feel the odors hit them full force as they approached the mill. The wood had fallen off due to the fire damage suffered and little remained operational while the house and barn nearby had been turned to rubble and ash as they had been set to the torch similarly to the mill as only the foundations and the support pillars remained standing as blackened as they were. Along with these structures, near the house a tree stood and held onto it a grisly sight: a family of three hanging from one of its branches.

A gathering of three peasants stood at the gates to the property and looked out at the havoc, not noticing the group approaching: "Those thievin' bastardi did this to 'em." one of them commented with anger laced in his voice, "They left them to rot for the corpse eater out there... Lorenzo didn't deserve this. Neither did his kin."

"What could we have done Marco? You know what they're capable of..."

"Hey, there's people approaching-" the third between them spoke up before stilling, his eyes widening at the sight of what was approaching. "Cazzo! Look!"

The other two men would turn their attentions to the approaching group with their own incredulous looks before the ringleader between the three of them took a step forward and crossed his arms: "What in the dèi dannati are two hellspawn and a witch doing here? Come to desecrate the corpses of my friend and his family, have you?"

 

[Breadman]

It didn't take long for the locals to cast suspicion on them. The two demons and her made an interesting trio non the less, but they were coming in weapons in their scabbards or nothing prepared. Hardly an inherent hostile threat to peasants. Their fear clouds their judgement to ridiculous levels.

"If we wanted to play with their corpses, I would have cast one of those perverse necromancy spells long before you even saw me." The witch spoke up as she neared the peasants "I will let the insult to my profession slide this time as bickering with you is even less useful than dragging those souls away from their rest for parlor tricks."

"Easy boss." Orso spoke with a weary voice on her shoulder. "They just lost their friends and are on edge."

"There has been banditry in parts of the area." Fraskia continued "And it would be reasonable to assume that this family are more victims of the outlaws, no?"

 

[Anne Boolean]

Kahzel eyed the sign and tried to remember any maps on which he had seen the listed names before. Sadly, no memories came to mind, at least none that were remarkable He continued along with the group, doing his best to ignore the foul odors that assailed his nose. His yellow eyes watched as their big group split into smaller ones which broke off as the previously mentioned landmarks passed by until it was just Fraskia, Zakala, and him who continued to the burning building.

The smell of soot replaced the smell of waste the closer they got, although it wasn't any more pleasant. Upon seeing the large piles of ashes near the burning mill, it became apparent to the Lusvoni that they were in the later stages of this incident. When they came into view, Kahzel's attention was quickly pulled to the bodies hanging from the branch.

When he heard the sound of voices just ahead, his eyes fell onto the three men as they turned around to gaze back at them. The accusations were nothing new for him. He would have just let the remarks slide, but couldn't help but chuckle when Fraskia gave them a quick retort.

"We could possibly be your allies in this situation, not your enemies," he added on. "We're looking to retrieve some stolen goods. Perhaps the same people responsible for taking your friends' lives are in possession of them."

 

[Oreo Cookie]

"I can't imagine actually living here. Seems like a big motive to steal a pearl from a troll... could buy someone a new life coming from here."

"Perhaps yer on to something." Brikaria mused as she cast a cursory glance at their surroundings. She continued to search for any sign of their earlier shadow, her eyes drifting from one ramshackle dwelling to the next. Spotting nothing of significance aside from the pitiful state of the village made her laugh to herself. Assuming Arnas' notion was correct, she could almost sympathize with the thieves. Almost.

Finally reaching the tavern, Brikaria eagerly walked inside, happy to be rid of the foul smells of the outside. She inhaled deeply, taking in the overwhelming scents of smoke and ale, and smiled. The typical tavern aroma was akin to fresh air for the demoness. She would have considered this a perfectly fine establishment were it not for word hellspawn cutting the air. She had expected it. There was always one of those after all, and yet each time they managed to hit a nerve in her. She met the offenders gaze with a smile still etched on her face, although it lacked any hint of friendliness. " I suggest the lot of ye just keep drinkin' yer drinks. We'll be outta yer hair before ye know it."

Nodding at Arnas' suggestion, she made her way to the barkeep. "Good day, sir." She spoke in her most amicable voice upon reaching him. "Me and my friend here are searchin' for some nefarious folk. Group of thieves to be exact, one of which has red hair." She looked about the tavern as she said that, trying to spot anyone who matched that description. "Any info ye have will help."

 

[FloweryMuffin]

The little house that the villagers considered a place of worship seemed to fit right in with the rest of the village. It seemed like it too had been forgotten by the passing of the time. Even before the three of them had entered the building, Erizthra felt out of place. She had scarcely an idea about etiquette in human churches. She merely shrugged at their commander’s words. “Dun kno’ why yer need to know some’ing like that, sir.”

She didn’t know what to say to the man that appeared to be a priest either. Well, we’re looking for a troll’s stolen pearl. D’you happen to have it?” Maybe starting from the beginning would make the man less wary of them? Explaining it in such a straightforward manner would only server to aggravate him even further. Not to mention, the group’s look as a whole was not quite favourable.

“Ah, er..g’day! We’re lookin’ for an item that’s been lost, sir. Owner’ll be in higher spirits if it were for it to return to 'im. D’you know of any recent thievery incidents in ye village?”

 

[Dmaster]

The idea of a church or any building dedicated to the worship of a god was a foreign concept to the Fateseeker, and it would be to many Aervis as well. The Spires that a great deal of their populace reside in were effectively dedicated to the worship of the Aether, yet it is not something they pray to like a deity. It was not some sentient being that was watching over them, but a force that simply was, at times perhaps seeming esoteric. Yet it was not exactly cruel or uncaring, as Aervis believe themselves to be chosen by the Aether to be its agents of change and enlightenment.

Da'Vost flicked his head about as he looked upon the interior, noting that it was rather threadbare and the only real linkage to this being a church of the Five Divines being some symbols are iconography he had come to recognize in his travels. Perhaps this was a way to illustrate that followers may worship anywhere they go, which is a concept the Aervis could easily grasp.

He craned his neck down to look at the priest, allowing Erithzra to reply to the priest first. "Yes. As she said we are in search of some thieves that have taken something precious from someone outside of your village. Any information that you may have on these less than noble individuals would be of great assistance."

 

[joshuadim]

Tavern Group

" I suggest the lot of ye just keep drinkin' yer drinks. We'll be outta yer hair before ye know it."

Brikaria's words didn't help ease the mood of the room any more than it already was and Arnas noticed this as more and more glares were brought onto the two of them. He rested a hand on the pommel of his own blade, but hoped that it wouldn't have to devolve into actually using it against these villagers. Regardless, the two moved towards the barkeep to start asking for information and when posed with a question the barkeep turned his attention to the two newcomers to his establishment. He was a completely bald man with a brown beard garnishing his face and looked rather old and tired with the lethargy that comes with his age. He looked at Arnas only briefly but kept a longer gaze on Brikaria before shrugging: "Thieves? T'is none of us 'ere I tell you that... no one in this town has red hair, otherwise I would know them..." he spoke before scratching his chin, "What exactly was taken from who?"

"It was a pearl from a troll nearby. The one who tolls the river a half-arn away from here." Arnas explained, "Maybe they're not from here but rather passed through. Did you see anyone-"

Arnas was cut off by a strong look from the barkeep as he worriedly looked around for a moment, as if searching for someone nearby before lowering his voice. "Like I says, we aren't involved... but..." he whispered, before shaking his head for a moment. "We've been... scared. Especially since Lorenzo and his family, dei loro riposo, were found dead naught but a day ago... hanged like animals."

---

Church Group

“Ah, er..g’day! We’re lookin’ for an item that’s been lost, sir. Owner’ll be in higher spirits if it were for it to return to 'im. D’you know of any recent thievery incidents in ye village?”

"Yes. As she said we are in search of some thieves that have taken something precious from someone outside of your village. Any information that you may have on these less than noble individuals would be of great assistance."

"I would be more than happy to help." the Priest quickly replied as he slowly hobbled over to the nearest pew and took a seat at its edge so he could orient himself towards the three newcomers to his parish. "But there are no thieves among my flock. They are all godly, kind people, I assure thee. Please, take a seat." he then spoke, gently motioning towards the pews across from him. "You should rest your feet. I imagine you went quite a ways to find yourselves here."

Hughin took a seat in the pew across from the priest and shook his head: "Not too far. We came by water, but the river is blocked. The troll had a pearl stolen and to gain passage we're going to bring it back to it." he explained, "We found sets of footprints leading back to your village here from the troll's encampment. Maybe they're not from your flock, but they definitely came through here."

The priest simply sighed and gave a weary look: "Yes, there are... unsavory folk that came here. A pack of deserters from Lithurnia, escaping the war likely. They came about a week ago, held me, Lorenzo, dei loro riposo, and Marco to the sword and forced us to submit. We can do nothing but watch as they hold us hostage for we are but simple villagers. We can't fight trained soldiers... I wish I could do more for my flock but..." he spoke was a tired face, "And now Lorenzo is dead."

---

Mill Group

"If we wanted to play with their corpses, I would have cast one of those perverse necromancy spells long before you even saw me. I will let the insult to my profession slide this time as bickering with you is even less useful than dragging those souls away from their rest for parlor tricks."

The ringleader between the three took a step forward aggressively at the provocation from Fraskia and visibly fumed: "You fucking vile wh-" he began to say before the man to his right grabbed his shoulder and placed a shoulder on his chest to try to defuse the situation. "Easy now Marco... we don't want to start a fight." he said nervously before turning to the group, "Sorry... it's just... emotions are high right now."

"It's alright, we apologize for our crudeness." Zakala quickly intervened, "We're not looking for trouble either."

"There has been banditry in parts of the area." Fraskia continued "And it would be reasonable to assume that this family are more victims of the outlaws, no?"

"We could possibly be your allies in this situation, not your enemies, we're looking to retrieve some stolen goods. Perhaps the same people responsible for taking your friends' lives are in possession of them."

"It's those gods-damned oathbreaking deserters. They fucking did this to 'im!" Marco spat out angrily, "Hanged them all like they were fodder! Burned his farm and took his crops and animals too. Thieving scum... no fucking honor on any single one of them. Now they'll be devoured by corpse-eaters... that's no fate for them."

(Perception: Very Easy - 1; Roll 1d10 = 2, Success!) Lora's keen senses as a familiar could detect the same scents she felt at the troll's encampment, a faint trail leading towards near where the bodies were hanged as the source of the smells. All three individuals involved with the theft were here, but it wasn't telling beyond more than that and would require some closer looks.

 

[Anne Boolean]

Kahzel reached for his weapon instinctively as one of the three approached while muttering curses. His hand left the hilt of his blade when one of the man's companions pulled him back and apologized. Listening to their explanations, the Lusvoni couldn't help but raise a brow. Oathbreaking deserters? Corpse-eaters?

"Would you please elaborate?" he asked. "In regards to the, er... corpse-eaters, perhaps we can help you give your friends the proper last rites." Not that he knew much about those in the first place. That being said, there was a small service held in honor of a lost fighter among their friends whenever they fell during a match at the arena. He assumed whatever civilians did was in a similar vein.

joshuadim

 

[Dmaster]

Da'Vost sat himself down when the priest kindly invited them to, giving a quiet nod in thanks as he rested his tall form against the pew. The Fateseeker's eyes softened when he explained who their culprits might be, but even more so when the subject of what they had done came up. "I am sorry for your loss..." he crooned with a hand over his heart and slight bow of his head. The story did give way to some questioning, as he was unsure if this group had moved on or not.

"In one breath you speak of them as if they simply passed through here, yet the next you suggest that they still have a grasp here on your community. Do they still reside in this village or have they moved on?" the Fateseeker asks, tilting his head up as it cocks about this way and that. "If they remain here, we shall bring them to justice for what they have done. Free your people from their horrid influence."

 

[Roda the Red]

It was not but a few hours ago that a certain young man woke up on a bed from the room he had rented at the local inn for little over a week now, the morning sunshine flooding the small room through the window. Another beautiful morning, perhaps a profit can be made today? though the man to himself as he stood up and put on his clothing. He then reached for his backpack and pulled out a vial containing a dark green liquid, girating it gently in his hand so the thicker bits at the bottom could rise and dissolve before pulling out the cork with his teeth and drinking the content in one go. As always the taste made bitter medicine feel like rosewater by comparison, but the man had developed somewhat of a tolerance to it, it certainly did not cause the gag reflex he experienced through the first few months anymore.

-HOURS LATER-

Today's foraging session was not as successful as the man expected it to be, he was certain he had found a location full of valuable alchemical roots further south, but sadly today he had discovered that it was nothing more than a patch of some kind of wild ginger. The dissapointing was great but so was going to be his dinner.
He now was relaxing in the local tavern enjoying some subpar wine, nowhere near the quality from his hometown, but not that bad either. He had gone around town trying to sell his potions to both locals and travelers alike with not exactly the best results. For every concoction against balding he sold, another person would call him a fraud, and for every healing salve he managed get off his stock, a lady would tell him that alchemy is a work of the demons.

His attention was then diverted towards a pair of curious individuals that had entered the tavern just a moment ago, one of them was a man that looked ready for combat, his stance alluded at the very least some decent amount of talent. The other one was a lot more interesting though, a demon no less! perhaps it was time he tried to make a bit more profit today.

"Pardon my intrusion, ser and madam, but i could not help but notice that you must be travelers of some sort, and if that happens to be the case then i assure you that my wares would be of most importance to you!" said the man as he took a large roll of thick cloth from this back and unrolled it across the counter, revealing a large array of potions and powders contained within, he rubbed his hands together with a big merchant smile on his face. He also took another second to look at the demon woman.

"I apologize if i'm being rude, but i must say you have quite the wonderful set of horns! and believe me that as a Nysinian, i know good horns when i see them"

 

[Oreo Cookie]

Brikaria made an irritated Tsk sound in response to the barkeeper's nervous mannerisms. "Yer tellin' me this whole town's scared cause of some tasteless banditry?" She laughed dryly before turning her attention back to Arnas. "Perhaps their bandits be our thieves." She said, though her voice carried a trace of skepticism. Hanging a family. Stealing from a troll. The crimes were just too far removed in her view.

"Pardon my intrusion, ser and madam"

Her thoughts were interrupted when a new person addressed her, and she turned toward the stranger with a look of mild annoyance . The man quickly revealed himself to be a potion salesmen, though she was more inclined to believe he was a charlatan of some sort. The demoness was just about to shoo him away when he complimented her horns. His comment caught her off guard, and she looked him up and down as if reassessing him. "Thanks..." She said warily, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Sorry to say, my horns aren't for sale." She gestured to his wares. "And I doubt ye have anything I'd be interested in. Unless ye got a pearl findin' potion that is."