Graded [Aston Village] Journey Through the Eastern Outskirts.

[Elvario]

This RP is part of the Isekai Hell group. It will follow Ceylan and his companions as they travel towards an isolated settlement on the border, in the cold south-east of Ryke. They'll have to brave the difficult terrain and might risk running into some hostile creatures. It's intended to focus far more on the adventure aspects than on the action aspects, but will have elements of both.

Ceylan
​

Ceylan shivered. It had gotten colder in the area, now that he was approaching the tundra-filled country east of Ryke. His destination was a very small settlement on the border in the south-east corner of the country. It was the type of destination that normal people wouldn't have any reason to go to, but that his mission as a healer and a priest had sent him too. Sadly enough, the last part of the way was going to be particularly troublesome. The road was nothing but a small path, with many obstacles and uneven to the point that even a donkey would have trouble traversing it. As such, going by foot was the only way forwards. It'd take about five days, if a steady pace could be maintained through-out.

He'd need to bring enough supplies for it, as well as for the way back, as it was doubtable that the village could offer him anything. If the terrain and the supplies weren't enough of a worry, there were rumours that a gnoll was sighed in the area. The dangerous dire beast would likely not take kindly upon a priest wandering around in its territory. Together, those three factors (the difficult terrain, the need to bring enough supplies and the threat of a gnoll) were enough for Ceylan to look around for those whom were willing to travel the road together. He didn't have much to offer, so he had to rely on either the kindness of those wishing to work for a meagre pay or the luck of finding people with the same destination.

Spoiler: The Hoarse Siren Inn

He'd spread the word around for as much as he could and was now waiting in an odd place called the Hoarse Siren Inn, hoping to find others to traverse with. He'd normally prefer to make do with a cheaper alternative than an inn, but there weren't any lodgings of the Syncretist Church in the area and he wasn't eager to test out his tent and bedroll, as he'd likely need them often enough for the next part of the journey. For now, it was a matter of waiting to see if anyone would arrive, as he was planning to leave early tomorrow.

 

[Ian Temero]

Tannia Duellona

Strength - C
Precision - B
Intelligence - C
Vitality - C
Speed - F

The Hoarse Siren. What a strange name for an inn, the red haired woman thought as she stared at the sign hanging above the door. Either someone had a strange sense of humor or terrible tastes. Not that it was really any of her business what the establishment was named, as long as it meant a roof over her head and food in her belly it could be called whatever the hell folks wanted to be.

She pushed the door open and walked inside, her armor clinking with each step she took. She made her way though the mostly empty building to the bar where she took off the pack she was carrying and dropped it on the ground with a loud thud. Sighing in relief she removed a large sword from her back and leaned it against the counter before pulling up a stool and taking a seat. "Keep, I need a room." She announced, tossing some coins down. "And something to eat. House special with a strong drink."

 

[Elvario]

Hoarse Siren Inn

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Interactions: Tannia Duellona Ian Temero

The innkeeper gave a curious glance at his latest customer. There weren't a lot of women traversing with this type of heavy armour and weaponry, especially not in these parts. That said, he had learned not to ask questions long ago, as doing so was bad for business. “We've got some left. Up the stairs, second one to the right.” The place was small enough to have only four rooms available, signified by the four nails with room numbers above them behind the bar, two of which still had keys dangling from them. The third was handed to Tannia. “Food and rink will be coming right up.”

It didn't take long for the innkeeper to return with some golabki, cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of minced pork with copped onions and rice. The strong drink she'd asked for ended up being a juniper-flavoured gin, which had a considerable enough feeling of burn when swallowed. As she'd (presumably) start to dig in, she was approached by the only other current guest at the inn.

Ceylan
​

Ceylan had almost given up hope of finding a travelling companion when he saw Tannia walk in. Even so, she was rather intimidating. She was taller than him (although most people were) and was wearing some impressive looking armour and weaponry. She also looked strong enough to use them. He'd taken a moment to gather up the courage to approach her, but eventually did so.

“Apologies, madam... Are you perhaps travelling further to the east as well? I'm headed for Aston, a settlement on the border, myself, but the condition of the road and rumours of a gnoll in the area have kept me here...” He suddenly realised he'd forgotten something. “Ah, where are my manners. I'm Ceylan, priest and healer of the Syncretist Church.” With his introduction and request turned and fumbled around, he could only pray for a positive reaction.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Ian Temero Elvario ​

Not soon after, the inn's front door would slowly pry open as a masked Cayde peeked inside. After what seemed like a few minutes, Cayde slowly pushed open the door and took a small, wary step inside, shutting the door closed behind him. Not even he knew why he was acting so careful; he stumbled across the inn during his usual stroll in the woods, and with a sudden itch of curiosity, decided to take a peek inside. While every adventurer and their mother knew that inns were places of rest and comfort, Cayde had a more warped perspective. Back in the city, he often overheard rumors of some inns being used for nefarious purposes - some of the wilder tales describing them as ruses for bandits to rob and kidnap the unsuspecting or traps created by the undead to lure in their warm-blooded prey. Surely these were just tall tales told to scare children, but Cayde and his naive brain took everything at face value.

As he took a few more steps forward, he was greeted with an unordinary empty room, but further down, he could see the entrance to another room. Adjusting the mask on his face, Cayde slowly crept over to the next room and what he saw surprised him...

It was just a room of three people.

There were no rugged bandits ready to bludgeon him and steal his equipment, nor decrepit undead beasts ready to drain him of his blood; it was just two ordinary adventurers and what seemed to be the innkeeper. Then, as the realization of his naivety started to set in, he produced a long, heavy sigh; he really needed to stop eavesdropping on his customers. Now realizing that he was in no immediate danger, Cayde awkwardly walked over to the counter and pulled up a seat. Now that he was closer, he got a much better view of the two other patrons: one was a red-haired woman clad in heavy armor, and the other was a smaller man who seemed to the ears of a dog. Cayde eyebrows quirked under his mask as he surveyed them both, but he quickly returned his gaze to the counter.

Cayde didn't really know what to do next. He knew adventurers often visited inns, but what exactly did they do in there? He looked back up from the counter and over to the two adventurers beside him, noticing that the woman had a steaming plate of food in front of her along with what seemed to be some sort of drink. Then, it hit him; he had to order something, but what?

Cayde cleared his throat and tapped the counter, trying to catch the adventurers' attention, "Uh, Um. E-excuse me?" He asked, his voice sounding meeker than he intended it to be, "What would you two recommend? Y'know, for me to eat?"

 

[Ian Temero]

Tannia Duellona

Strength - C
Precision - B
Intelligence - C
Vitality - C
Speed - F

Tannia nodded to innkeeper, taking the key and pocketing it. She was used to the odd looks. A woman in armor was a rare sight, both in this life and her last. Folks didn't expect a girl to be able to fight. More than that they didn't expect one to be able to use such heavy equipment, so it made her something of a curiosity. Thankfully the innkeep wasn't the type to ask questions and left her in peace, only interrupting to deliver her food. She examined the cabbage wrap for a moment, trying to figure out the best angle of attack, before taking a bite. It wasn't bad. Next was the drink. The taste of berries was a nice touch and it warmed her bones, though it wasn't as strong as she would have liked. Then again there was very little that could compare to a pint of dwarven fire whisky.

As she dug in a voice spoke up behind her. Turning in her seat she watched the dog eared boy as he rambled on, taking a bite of her food. He introduced himself and Tannia didn't respond at first, instead taking a drink from her glass. The Syncretist Church huh? She'd heard of them, a bunch of goodie-two-shoes that focused less on theology and more on relief work. Not exactly her cup of tea but she could respect the work they did. After a moment she set her glass down. "Tannia." She finally responded. "And yeah, I'm heading to Aston as well."

She noticed the masked man enter the inn, though she hadn't paid him any mind. When he started tapping on the counter though she raised a brow at him. He wanted to know what to order? She picked up the golabki and held it up so he could see. "Can't go wrong with the house special." She said "It's an inn's best." Okay, technically not true. You could go wrong with the house special if the place was called the Flounder Pounder. Never order food from the Flounder Pounder. One of the few places that Tannia was glad she'd never see again.

Shaking the memory from her head Tannia turned her attention back to Ceylan. "Now what was that about a gnoll?"

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan
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Interactions: Tannia Duellona Ian Temero | Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

Whether it was by luck or by the will of the gods, Ceylan had found someone heading in the same direction. It was tough not to give his tail a bit of wag at the revelation; one of his few more canine instincts. Tannia didn't seem the most talkative, but that didn't matter much. He was about to offer to travel together when he heard another person enter.

Ceylan was a bit taken aback by what he could only recognise as someone wearing plague mask entered. He was fairly certain there was no disease in this area that'd warrant such an outfit, which made him curious and suspicious in equal measure. The latter turned more towards surprise when the man asked for food recommendations. “I agree with the lady, although the baked potatoes here are also worth the money... Although, if you do not mind my inquiry, for what purpose do you wear such a mask?” He couldn't abstain from asking about it.

Tannia led the conversation back to the gnoll. “One of the local hunters warned me about it, saying they spotted the gnoll whilst hunting. He said it looked like the gnoll was alone, so it's probably kicked out of its pack... I've been told that such a creature might consider anything weaker than itself its next meal and that while they are somewhat intelligent, they don't often listen to reason, so I'd rather not take my chances traversing alone. Would you mind traversing to Aston together?”

Cayde, having some (F) knowledge with regards to various plants and animals, would be able to backup what Ceylan had heard and could recall what a gnoll might look like. He'd also be able to recall that they, when living in packs, formed a matriarchy and that the females were considerably larger as well as more ferocious and dangerous than the males, although both could easily take out the average non-combatant. Seeing as how they were fairly rare in Ryke, that was the extend at which he'd be able to recall them from mere memory.

Spoiler: gnoll

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Elvario Ian Temero ​

Cayde exchanged a quick nod to both the adventurers as he raised a hand to order his meal; clearly, they were more accustomed to traveling than he was. "One 'house special' with a side of baked potatoes, please." He asked, his hand moving to a small pouch on his waist. Cayde was just about to pay before the dog-eared man asked him about his mask. In response, he reached up and gave it an affirmative tap, "Well, I'm an alchemist!" He chirped, a dry chuckle slowly escaping his mask as he adopted a dejected tone, "Eh, an alchemist in training, actually." He took a brief moment to clear his throat and resumed his explanation, "The mask helps keep fumes out when I'm brewing, so I don't breathe anything in. Plus, the animals around here don't seem to like it, so it's like an uh, deterrent of sorts." The last reason was a half-truth. In reality, Cayde enjoyed wearing his mask just because he thought it looked cool. However, it did work as a deterrent - for people, not the woodland creatures.

His conversation was cut short by the armored woman, who mentioned something about a gnoll to the man. Curious, Cayde slightly shifted closer to the two; he'd read about gnolls and other Ryke creatures in one of his encyclopedias, and they'd gone into great detail on the brutal nature of the gnoll. With the savagery and voraciousness of a feral beast, and the intelligence comparable to a man, gnolls were tiers above the meager goblin or ghoul. Cayde had fortunately never encountered one, but he always wanted to find one in the wild, just to see if the descriptions were really true. Maybe he'd finally get that chance.

"A gnoll?" Cayde asked, slightly scooting over to the pair, "I've read about them: they look like a mix of a hyena and a man, just way hungrier. The females are bigger than the males, and they lead the pack too. In fact, if a male shows any sign of insubordination, the females kick em' out." He raised a finger and pointed at the dog-eared man, "If this one got kicked out, it's gonna be more vicious than any average gnoll, considering it has to fend for itself now."

While social encounters were not his forte, Cayde did know a thing or two about the creatures in the Ryke wilderness - or at least he knew what the books told him. Regardless, the shift in his demeanor was starting to become palpable. "Oh! and um, I don't think I've gotten either of your names..?"

 

[Ian Temero]

Tannia Duellona

Strength - C
Precision - B
Intelligence - C
Vitality - C
Speed - F

As the the two chatted about the alchemist's mask Tannia just continued to eat her food, half listening to the conversation. She wasn't really all that interested in what they were saying but figured she shouldn't pass up on any useful information, which there really wasn't any of.

Soon the conversation turned back to the gnoll and Tannia turned her full attention to it. She listened to their descriptions and nodded along. So far these gnolls sounded just like the ones she was familiar with, though she'd never cared enough to notice if they were matriarchal or not. An interesting bit of info, but not really helpful. Knowing it was alone however was good. A lone gnoll was no challenge for her.

Ceylan requested they traveled together and Tannia took a moment to look him over. He was in no way a fighter. If he ran into the beast he wouldn't survive and, while it would slow her down, she couldn't in good conscience leave him alone. "Alright." She grumbled. "As long as you carry your own stuff I don't mind a tagalong." Then turning to the alchemist, "It's Tannia."

 

[Elvario]

Hoarse Siren Inn

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Interactions: Tannia Duellona Ian Temero

“Coming right up.” The innkeeper said, as he moved back into the kitchen, only to return a few moments later with the dishes. The golabki, cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of minced pork with copped onions and rice and the baked potatoes, topped with some rich, creamy garlic-butter and fresh parsley.

Ceylan
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Interactions: Tannia Duellona Ian Temero | Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

Ceylan was confused at Cayde's explanation and Ceylan's non-existent poker-face would show it. A raised eyebrow clearly indicated that he was withholding the remark 'but you're not brewing anything' as well as a healthy dose of scepticism with regards to the animal claim. “Right...” was as much of a reply as he could give the odd explanation.

Ceylan was surprised to learn that the alchemist was knowledgable about the gnolls. Cayde's description of them made Ceylan all the more grateful that he wouldn't have to travel alone, as Tannia agreed to travel together. “Of course, thank you.” Ceylan wouldn't dream of forcing someone else to carry his burdens.

He then turned to introduce himself to Cayde. “I'm Ceylan, priest and healer of the Syncretist Church.” It was a bit of a long shot, but seeing as how the alchemist was knowledgable on gnolls, Ceylan figured he might as well ask. “Would you, perhaps, be interested in joining us on our trip to Aston as well? There is strength in numbers, after all.”

Regardless of the answer although it might be a short RP for Cayde if the answer is no, Ceylan would lay-out a hand-drawn map. “I've tried to copy a map of the area, as the path to Aston might not be clearly marked on some parts. They say it's a five day journey, most of which on paths that horses can't go on, as the forest is too dense and the tundra too uneven.” Assuming there wouldn't be any delays, the first day of travelling would be the easiest, as it'd take them across the fields surrounding the current little village they were in. They might even be able to stay in a farmer's barn if they didn't wish to camp. The second and third day would take them through a patch of forest, which also had a rougher and more elevated terrain. They weren't likely to encounter any signs of civilisation other than some hunters or the dreaded gnoll and they'd likely have to camp in the wild. The fourth and fifth day would take them through the tundra towards Aston. The tundra merely had shepherds traversing it, without any other signs of civilisation, so they'd likely have to camp out in the open in the tundra as well.

“I'm a bit worried that we won't be able to buy supplies in Aston, as they're not known for having great enough harvests to share them, so we might need to bring supplies for the return journey as well and perhaps even for during our stay there. I've personally bought extra supplies from the innkeeper and he sold me a small tent and bedroll with the promise to buy them back at eighty percent of their original price if I return them in a good state, so he's offering a surprisingly fair deal...” He realised he might come across as if he was suddenly becoming an advertiser. “... that is, eh... perhaps unwarranted advise. My apologies.”

For now, it was a matter of discussing what supplies to bring and preparing for their journey, as well as discussing a time at which to leave the next morning. If they were to leave early, they would easily make it to the edge of the forests and the last posts of civilisation before dark.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Elvario Ian Temero ​

Under his mask, Cayde's eyes widened with enthusiasm. He had a feeling Ceylan's request was coming, and it turned out his hunch was correct. Straightening his form, Cayde gave an affirmative nod, an excited grin starting to form on his face. Finally, he was about to travel with real adventurers! His mind was already racing with what he could learn. "Yes! I'd love t-" Cayde said, stopping himself before making his fervent agreement, "I mean - Sure, I'll tag along." A brief moment of pause followed as Cayde remembered something: he didn't even tell them his name, "Oh, and I'm Cayde. Cayde Whitinger. A pleasure to meet both of you."

Cayde watched as Ceylan rolled out a map on the counter not soon after, his eyes scanning the map for familiar details as Ceylan explained the journey. The map was marked with a road to Aston, leading somewhere Cayde had never been to, much less heard of. His gaze traveled along the road as Ceylan described the terrain they'd encounter; Cayde was very familiar with wooded environments but lacked knowledge of Ryke's tundras, other than their notoriously cold climates. Regardless, Cayde knew that with the proper shelter, clothing, and access to fire, traversing the tundra shouldn't be too much of a hassle. The only issue that worried him was food; there'd be plenty of game in the forest, but Cayde could only imagine the tundra to be completely bare. He could forage for some edible berries and mushrooms along the way, but they'd still need to pack more rations.

Cayde looked up from the map towards his two new accomplices, "Okay, so if we're passing through the tundras, we're all gonna need something to warm us up. We can probably get some firewood along the way and maybe pick up a few coats too." His index finger landed on an early section of the map and gave it a light tap, "We can get through the woods easily if we leave early. Maybe we can reach a town or something before nightfall." He said, his eyes studying the map's every nook and cranny, "We're probably gonna need some more rations for the trip. I can find us some mushrooms and berries in the forest, but we'll still need a surplus. Just in case, y'know?"

Cayde then thought about the threat of the gnoll. He knew that gnolls were infamously ravenous, and a single, lonely gnoll would be no exception. So they had to prepare for the gnoll's appearance, who knows what it was capable of, "And we should bring some meat too, just in case we see the gnoll. We can't reason with it - I know that, but we could probably use the meat as some sort of trap. I can brew something up to poison it, the gnoll'll eat it, and the fight will be a whole lot easier."

 

[Ian Temero]

Tannia Duellona

Strength - C
Precision - B
Intelligence - C
Vitality - C
Speed - F

Tannia rolled her eyes as Ceylan invited the alchemist along. She had agreed to one tagalong, not a crowd. Plus strength in numbers only applied when everyone could contribute equally to the group, and these two both appeared to be noncombatants. But she stayed silent. One extra person in a group this small wouldn't make a huge difference.

The map the dog boy pulled out wasn't perfectly drawn, but it was good enough for their purposes. More to the point it was a detail Tannia had overlooked. She was used to going where the wind took her, following the roads and verbal directions, living off the land, so she hadn't considered a map. As far as food went she had prepared enough jerky and trail mix to last her a week, longer if she rationed, but something told her that they were expecting a little more than bare bones.

When Cayde suggested poisoning the gnoll Tannia just laughed. "I'm guessing your books didn't talk much about their diet. Gnolls prefer live prey. They like the thrill of the hunt. And the screams. The love it when their prey screams. Pluss they're too smart to eat what you offer them. They'd much rather eat you." Finishing off her drink she slammed the mug down on the counter. "You guys worry about the logistics of the trip. I'll handle the gnoll if it shows up."

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan
​

Interactions: Tannia Duellona Ian Temero | Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

Ceylan was surprised by the enthusiasm with which Cayde was willing to tag along, which almost made him wonder if asking the odd alchemist along had been a good idea. Tannia didn't seem to think so, at the very least... Well, what was done was done. As they were strategising, Ceylan mostly nodded along with Cayde suggestions, although there was one thing he corrected. “There aren't any towns between here and Aston, just some isolated farmhouses at best and those would only be on this side of the forest.” He didn't object to the idea of scavenging. He'd eaten some pretty bad stuff before on accident whilst gathering ingredients himself, but his healing had pulled him through, so it'd probably do so again. Either that, or maybe Cayde would know better what he was doing.

He was a bit more sceptical on Cayde's idea on how to deal with the gnoll, a sentiment that Tannia seemed to share. Whilst he couldn't back-up the claim that Gnolls preferred live prey, he didn't get the sense that they'd fall for cheap tricks. “Ideally, we wouldn't bring anything that might attract it to us and just sneak past it, in my opinion.” For as strong as Tannia looked, he couldn't safely say that she'd beat it. With his healing and whatever help Cayde might offer, there would probably be a chance, but even then, he'd rather not risk it.

In either case, it was getting late. Ceylan himself stood up. “Shall we leave at the break of dawn tomorrow?” Assuming the others would agree, he'd get himself an extra coat to follow-up on Cayde's advise, although it put a decent dent in his savings.

Hoarse Siren Inn

​

The next morning arrived not with the sound of a rooster, but with the sound of a pig squealing bloody murder. The sun had just barely come up to shine its first rays upon the area and someone had already decided to butcher one of their animals. Having some fresh bacon for breakfast was nice, but waking up to the butchering process wasn't as fun. After paying for the breakfast and scarfing it down, Ceylan was ready to depart. Hopefully the others were as well.

Ceylan was fairly heavily packed, although his tent and bedroll were far more lightweight than their size revealed them to be and his many journeys as a wandering priest and healer had gotten him in a fairly good condition. The roads were easy to traverse as well, although the further they travelled from the village, the smaller they got and the more overgrown they were. Even so, it looked like they'd make it to the edge of the forest before dark without any incident. The latter gave them a lot of time to talk amongst themselves.

Ceylan would attempt to strike up a conversation not too long after leaving the inn. “So, Cayde, you said you were an alchemist? I've always thought of them as more... How to put it? Stay at home types, I guess. What made you go on this journey?”

He wasn't quite sure how to strike up a conversation with Tannia, as she seemed a fair bit less approachable. Even so, it might be rude not to try, or so he thought, so he eventually tried to strike up a conversation with her as well. “Say, might I inquire as to why a warrior such as yourself is travelling to a far-off place like Aston?”

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Ian Temero Elvario ​

Hearing Tannia disapprove of his plan made Cayde shift his eyes, but he quickly realized that she had far more experience than he did. Though Cayde treasured the knowledge books and studies provided, he knew that raw expertise was way more substantial. After a brief moment of thought, Cayde shrugged reluctantly, "Right.. no traps. Sorry." The added notion of avoiding the gnoll seemed to disappoint him too. Still, Ceylan's desire to keep away from the gnoll and Tannia's description of their behavior was enough to convince him further that a run-in would be more of a bloodbath than a learning opportunity.

Regardless of that minor disagreement, it seemed the group was ready for their adventure. When Ceylan said they would embark tomorrow morning, Cayde flashed an affirmative thumbs up, "Sounds good! I'll see you two tomorrow morning." With that, Cayde stood and made his way over to the rooms. However, he stopped mid-way and walked back over to the counter: he almost forgot he ordered a meal, "Uh, after I finish this meal."

- - - -

As morning dawned, Cayde's eyes snapped open to the sound of something squealing somewhere around the inn. Needing nothing more to wake him, he scrambled out of bed, grabbed his gear, and returned downstairs. After eating a small breakfast and purchasing a reliable coat, a bedroll, and a small tent from the innkeeper, Cayde was ready to head off. Though he left with far less money than when he entered, a few days down at the apothecary would mend his loss in no time, though Cayde was sure his uncle would give him an earful if he ever found out about this little adventure.

After leaving the inn and traveling some distance away from the village, Cayde was asked why he joined the adventure. "Well, I guess I joined for experience, really." He explained, "You see, my parents are adventurers too, and before they dropped me at my uncle's apothecary, I used to travel with them. Though I still live and train under my uncle, I wanna get back out there!" Cayde turned to the sky and reached out his arm, "There are so many things outside of Ryken. So many things to see, so many things to learn. I don't want to spend my entire life cooped up in an apothecary; I can't perfect my craft just by making the same thing over and over and over again."

Finally, he turned back to Ceylan, "And what about you, Ceylan?"

 

[Ian Temero]

Tannia Duellona

Strength - C
Precision - B
Intelligence - C
Vitality - C
Speed - F

Interactions: Elvario The Last Curse

Tannia woke to the sound of squealing. Always a great way start the morning. Not. With a groan she rolled out of bed, took the time to don her armor, and grabbed her pack before heading downstairs. She ordered breakfast and ate it slowly as she waited for the alchemist to get all his supplies. She herself wasn't worried as she had everything she needed in her pack. A small tent, warm blanket, and her rations. Very barebones.

Once they were on the road Tannia was fairly quiet, keeping her eyes peeled for trouble. When the priest started striking up conversation with Cayde she listened in. She rolled her eyes as he talked, but she couldn't judge him too harshly. The thrill of adventure, exploring the unknown, following in the footsteps of heroes before. She'd been there. Every adventurer had been there. But it was a dangerous world out there and if he wasn't careful reality would crush him.

When the conversation turned to her Tannia decided it wouldn't hurt to talk a little. "I'm running an errand for Rossle Deva. A shipment of steel." She explained, giving her pack a hard jostle so they could hear the metal clinking. "The usual courier wasn't available so I got the job instead." There was another reason for this trip but not one she wanted to share with strangers.

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan
​

Interactions: Tannia Duellona Ian Temero | Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

It was surprising to hear of Cayde's background, as there were some similarities to his own. “I used to study religion and work as a healer in the capital, but I realised there are people that need such aid a lot more in the more distant parts of the country, so I figured I'd start travelling and go where I'm needed the most. It's easy, most of the time, as our church has locations, members and sympathisers through-out most of Ryke, which makes it easy to find places to stay and travel between. This trip is probably going the closest I'll have been to the border though.”

The name Tannia mentioned sounded somewhat familiar to Ceylan, although he'd never seen the man. The type of assignment Tannia was on confirmed Ceylan was on the right track when he recalled it being a famed blacksmith. That said, he wasn't sure what relation there was between them. “Are you his apprentice then, or just a replacement courier?”

Edge of the Forest

​

As expected, the first part of the journey went by without issue. They passed through some fields, mostly potatoes and a few wheat fields, spotted a few farmers and even had to make their way through a herd of sheep that a few shepherds were herding across the road in their direction. Halfway through the day, the farm buildings became scarce and large plots of land lay unused between them. Near the end of the day, the surrounding area only had a few buildings in it, most of them looking unused. They were probably remnants from when this land was first settled and people hadn't condensed around the bigger village (the one in which the Hoarse Siren was located) they'd just come from.

After most of the day of walking at a brisk pace, they could spot the edge of the forest they'd have to pass through. The road, by now, was nothing more than a path and the landscape had considerably more elevation. There were three options for them. The first was to keep going until the last bit of light would fade, which would make them need to set up camp by torchlight, a little bit further into the forest. The second was to stop at a nearby barn, as there were a few buildings nearby. Most of them didn't look in the best of state though, as they likely hadn't been used in a while. They'd probably hold out for another night though. The third option was to find a place to camp, as they'd all brought a tent with them. Ceylan had already mentioned his preference to just use a barn building, but he'd be easily swayed by the opinion of the other two.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Elvario Ian Temero ​

Cayde nodded along as Ceylan spoke, "So it's your first time to the border too?" he said, "Yeah, I usually camp in the woods around Ryken - it's quieter there, not a lot of things to bug you. I would go farther in the country, but I don't think I'm ready for that just yet." He then turned his attention to Tannia, who mentioned a name that sounded quite familiar. "Rossle Deva... Rossle..." Cayde mumbled to himself, jogging his memory. "Oh! Rossle Deva, the dwarven blacksmith with that big dog, right? I know him." Cayde beamed, shifting his eyes as if trying to remember something, "I remember visiting his forge to pick up some things for my uncle. Rossle is an uh... loud individual, but his work is outstanding. It'd be an honor to work under him, that's for sure."

After moving past reclaimed land and venturing deeper into the countryside, Cayde stood just by the edge of the forest. He could faintly see the path stretching ahead, leading deeper into the woods. With Ceylan's earlier remark and his current observation, he could see that the forest was exceptionally dense. Though he and the group could make a good way through, he'd rather not take the risk - he had no clue what lurked in there. He looked away from the forest and towards the fields behind him, spotting several large barns in the distance. Then, Cayde got an idea, and he promptly faced his companions.

"Hey, did any of you see those barns we passed earlier?" He asked, pointing a finger towards the buildings, "Wanna hide out in them until dawn? We'll all be well-rested, and nothing'll jump out at us."

 

[Ian Temero]

Tannia Duellona

Strength - C
Precision - B
Intelligence - C
Vitality - C
Speed - F

Interactions: Elvario The Last Curse

Ceylan's background was about what Tannia expected considering the church he belonged. "Don't care much for religion, but I can respect being a healer. Never enough people trying to do good in the world." She commented.

When asked if she was Rossle's apprentice Tannia nodded. "Yeah, I'm studying under him. It's more work than learning but every little bit counts." Cayde brought up the large dog and she chuckled. "Don't let Bulky's size fool you, he's really a big softy. A lot like his owner actually. Bark worse than their bite." That wasn't to say the dwarf was all bite. No, the man could hold his own in a fight, just once you got past the gruff exterior Rossle was actually a caring individual.

Later into the day the crew started discussing where to spend the night. The alchemist suggested staying in one of the barns. It made sense to use the already available structures. Plus they didn't want to enter the gnoll's territory exausted. Though Tannia had thought that had already been the plan, but maybe it hadn't been? "Sounds good." She said after a moment.

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan
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Interactions: Tannia Duellona Ian Temero | Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

Cayde was on board with heading for the barns, so Ceylan headed in that direction. As they walked the last bit of the road before nightfall, Tannia mentioned religion. Ceylan gave her a faint smile. “Often-times, religion can be just as important to healing as magic or medicine, but aimed at the mind rather than the body. Whether it is to deal with loss and hardships or to explain the unexplainable, religion might offer salvation or soothing, but I'll abstain from preaching further.”

Barn

​

The barn they eventually found themselves at had definitely seen better times, as the roof was missing more than a few planks. Even so, it was in a better condition than the other remaining buildings in the area, considering the lower floor was mostly intact, whereas the other buildings had already mostly or partially crumbled under their own weight. Their barn-house of choice was almost entirely empty inside, as its previous residents had likely brought everything with them when they left it. Other than some cheap looking wooden furniture that had likely been too heavy to move for its worth, such as a cruse wooden table and chairs that might have been used as a workplace, there wasn't anything of worth or interest. If anything, what little remained seemed like it was already being affected by nature, as part of the wood was rotting away.

Even so, the situation did spark a question. “I wonder why this place has been abandoned.” He'd heard about people moving closer to the village itself, but he didn't get a chance to ask why they'd done so. Considering the time-frame, it was before the gnoll, so that creature couldn't be the reason for it. Then again, after a long day of walking, even the relatively experienced Ceylan was tired, so he didn't wish to bother investigating too much. He brushed off odd feeling he had about this place, as he found a good spot to put down his bedroll.

Just as he wanted to lie down, he decided it was still better to be safe than sorry. “Although I don't think it would be necessary, as I doubt the gnoll or any other threats would be in this particular area, I'd be willing to sleep in shifts and have someone keep watch, if you two were to prefer so.”

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Ian Temero Elvario ​

Cayde took a few steps in the decrepit barn, his eyes scanning the rundown ceiling and the furniture strewn across the floor. As he entered, he saw the remnants of hay and rotting wood planks litter the ground, a faint earthy stench emanating from them as he drew nearer. Underneath his mask, Cayde's face contorted in slight disgust: though the barn-house was better sheltering than any old tent, he wished it could've been just a little bit tidier - then again, he couldn't ask for much from an abandoned building. Seeing as everyone else was settling, Cayde walked over to a table and set his pack down on it before rummaging through its contents.

As Cayde fished through his backpack for his books, he heard Ceylan mention something in the background. Cayde didn't bother to turn around as he remarked on the priest's suspicions, "Well, it is pretty close to the woods. Maybe they wanted to get away from whatever's in there?" Cayde said as he pulled out a small leather-bound book, setting it down beside his backpack, "I've read the wolves are quite audacious in the countryside; perhaps that's why?"

Finishing his search, Cayde grabbed a nearby chair and placed it near the table. He was about to take a seat before Ceylan asked to sleep in shifts. Without hesitation, he raised his arm in the air, "Sure, I don't mind. I'll go first if we're going through with it." He rested back in his seat, the old wooden chair squeaking loudly in defiance, "I'm not that tired yet, plus, I've got something to pass the time."

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan
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Interactions: Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

With Cayde offering to take the first 'shift' and giving a plausible enough explanation for why this place might be abandoned, Ceylan figured he'd turn in for the night. The barn didn't keep a lot of the wind out, but his bedroll did, so he didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

Barn

​

As the sun went down, however, Cayde would start to notice something odd. A faint blue glow emanated from through-out some of the cracks in the floorboard's wood. At first, it was just a single spot, but soon multiple places lit up in a light blue glow. Even more strange was that the glow was spreading, as if floating.

The average person would probably confused by it, but in Cayde's case, he actually had an inkling of what this might be. An odd fungus referred to as the 'Blue Dream' was known to spread its bioluminescent spores at night, so that nightly creatures would be attracted to them and spread the spores as far as possible. The fungus' spores didn't have much of an effect in small doses, but if one were to breath in the spores for an extended period, they had a chance of stimulating the production of dopamine. Also, if one were to dig out the fungus itself out of the ground in which it had buried itself, the thin-threaded fungus could be put to simmer in water just below boiling temperatures. Filtering out the fungal fluid through a membrane afterwards and then distilling the extract would make for quite the potent 'happiness potion' to be sold in the underworld.

The downside of the fungus was that its effects were mildly addictive in the long run, which often caused specialized mages to be sent to clear out areas that had been infected in densely populated areas. Sparsely populated areas just got abandoned as sending a specialized mage was too expensive and staying was too dangerous. While the spores could spread far, the extremely slow growth of the fungus itself and the fact that various creatures were able to eat the entire thing managed to control the spread of them, most of the time at least. The latter was also why they and the potions made from them would fetch a decent price in the underworld, for those willing to distil and smuggle them.

What (if anything at all) Cayde would do with this rather interesting find, was entirely up to him.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Elvario ​

As night fell, Cayde was still reading from his book, his eyes scrolling past word after word. A few minutes passed, and Cayde finally set the book down, taking a moment to rub the growing tiredness from his eyes. Contrary to what he believed would keep him awake, the book only seemed to exhaust him even further. He took a glance over at his sleeping companions, gave a quick sigh, and returned to his book - all he had to do was stay awake just a little bit longer, then he could be the one soundly asleep. However, Cayde's body had other plans: as his eyes returned to the rows of text in front of him, Cayde's eyelids grew heavier and his vision darker. Cayde was just an inch away from falling asleep before he took matters into his own hands, abruptly shaking his head to rid him of his tiredness.

Cayde groaned, shut the book, and reached over to his pack, untying the bedroll attached to its side. Then, with it in hand, he got up from his seat and paced about the barn, looking for a somewhat clear spot to set it down. Finally, he found a place over a space of relatively clean floorboards. Though there were some gaps in its surface, it didn't smell nearly as musty as the ones he saw earlier, so it had to do. Cayde knelt over and unrolled the bedroll to its full length, but instead of crawling into it, he stood and stared. Cayde wanted to sleep, but what would the others think if he gave up so early?

Cayde looked back to the table and then again at the bedroll. He could feel the temptation crawl on his skin, and the longer he stared at his bedroll, the more irresistible the thought of sleep became. Then, for a brief moment, he closed his eyes and weighed his options, and when he opened them, he finally made his decision.

He shook his head and sighed, "Just a few more hours..." Cayde grumbled as he began to trudge back to his chair. But before he made it, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned to see his unordinary bedroll, but something was off: the underside was glowing blue. Cayde approached his bedroll and turned it over with a perplexed look on his face, revealing the glow coming from the floorboards. He tugged on the planks and lifted them with relative ease, and what Cayde saw underneath made him gasp.

It was a peculiar mushroom with an ethereal blue cloud of glowing spores encircling it. Cayde recognized it immediately: it was none other than the cherished 'Blue Dream.' Cayde knew very well of the fungus' properties and how it attracted junkies and hedonists alike. Due to its addictive effects, Ryken banned its sale citywide, but obviously, that wouldn't stop it from circulation. As beautiful as it was, Cayde knew it'd be a horrible idea to bring the mushroom with him, but there had to be some way to use it; he couldn't just leave such a rare fungus here.

Then, Cayde had an idea. He remembered about his 'Bewildering Brew' and the various ingredients inside it: hallucinogenic mushrooms, mind-altering herbs, and distilled alcohol to exacerbate the effects. With its dopamine-replicating properties, the 'Blue Dream' could provide his potion with more immobilizing effects if he were to distill it, Cayde didn't think twice, and his hands reached for the knife on his side. Slowly, Cayde lowered his knife to the base of the mushroom and made a quick cut to its stem. Then, he sheathed his blade and moved to retrieve the fungus, pulling it out from the floorboards.

As Cayde examined the mushroom in his hand, he noticed something glow beside him. As he turned his head to look, another thing began to glow, and then another, and then another. Cayde's eyes slightly widened as he realized what this meant: this barn was full of Blue Dreams. Quickly, he walked over to the wooden table and set the mushrooms down before walking over to another glowing area, repeating the same extraction as the last.

 

[Elvario]

Barn

​

Interactions: Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

Cayde, after bravely having fought off his desire to sleep, was working away at gathering the fungi. It wasn't one you could easily cut off at the base, however, as its biggest defence against predators was that it was mostly into the surface it grew into. Even so, with Cayde's experience, he knew how to carefully stab loose the soil around it and pull out the main fungus without damaging it any more than necessary. The fungi, thinner and longer than a carrot, were a lot less beautiful in the parts that were normally hidden beneath the ground, as only the fungal threads above ground had the bioluminescent spores that gave them their name.

What Cayde didn't take into account, was that his extraction was causing the spores to spread at a heavily increased rate. Uncovering all threats above ground by removing floorboards and then pulling out the entire fungus was exponentially increase the ease with which it let go off its spores and sent them into the air. On the assumption that Cayde had has mask on, he'd only feel a bit happier with his discovery than he normally would, as it filtered out most of the spores. Were he to not have it on, he'd start feeling like he'd made the discovery of the century and had achieved some grant life-goal that he'd always been working hard to achieve.

Ceylan
​

Ceylan was sleeping peacefully, very peacefully, even, as his slumber started to be filled with the most amazing dreams ever. He'd worked hard for this, but he was finally being ordained as a cardinal. Only the pope was still a rank above him in the Syncretist Church, but at this rate, he might soon take over that position as well. With a wave of his hand, he could save a village from starvation. With another wave, he could force two warring tribes on the outskirts of Ryke to sign a peace treaty. The combination of power and respect he'd gained were almost getting to him, but he wouldn't fall to corruption. He'd use this power to reshape Ryke, to bring it to an age of never-seen-before piety, equality, prosperity and happiness. It would be an age that'd long be remembered in the history books as the best age ever; one that might last on long after his own death.

It was such a happy dream that his tail started wagging in his sleep, slapping against the floorboards through the bedroll... until Cayde got a bit too loud with removing the floorboards and woke Ceylan up. With his mind rather drugged up by the additional spores Cayde had released into the air with his extraction, Ceylan could barely focus on what was happening. He just saw the pretty blue light everywhere and what felt like one of his dearest friends dancing among it. In his half-asleep and fully drugged up state, he just silently stared at it in awe.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Elvario ​

Cayde darted to and fro around the barn, collecting the Blue Dreams from where they hide. As he sliced and picked away at the fungi, a wide grin started to form on his face, and his mind raced with all sorts of strange plans and recipes. Sure, there was his 'Bewildering Brew,' but what else could he create with this find? Maybe if he burned them, he could make some sort of calming incense? Or, with the right ingredients, he could craft a potion that could tame animals? Then he could finally get that pet crow he always wanted! There were so many possibilities, so many things to try, and everything he needed was right here, right in front of him!

Cayde paced back and forth giddily, practically skipping about the barn. His long, almost maniacal, train of thought was only interrupted by the sound of something hitting against the floorboards. He quirked his head but couldn't see or hear where the sound was coming from; instead, he saw an equally doped Ceylan resting in his bedroll. The excited grin never left Cayde's face as he rushed over to him.

"Ceylan! My man!" Cayde beamed, "You're not gonna BELIEVE what I just found! Look, Look at this!" Cayde revealed his hand: a bunch of Blue Dream caps resting in his palm, "Yeah, Blue Dreams! Right here in this barn! Do you know how lucky we are?!" Cayde cried as he resumed his manic pacing, "Agh, you don't even KNOW what I could make with these! I could tame anything! I could tame that gnoll! I-I could glow blue!" Finally, Cayde stopped and faced Ceylan, "That'd be cool, right? If I could glow blue, right?"

Cayde's ramblings didn't seem to have an end, pointing over to the bright spots in the barn wall. He didn't even know if Ceylan was paying attention or not. "Look, Ceylan! The Blue Dreams are right there! You've gotta come help me get em'!" He said as he rushed over to the wall, prying open the wood.

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan
​

Interactions: Cayde Whitinger The Last Curse

Ceylan wasn't quite sure how to make sense of the euphoria he was feeling, but as he was waking up more and more, something started to feel a bit off. That didn't stop him from smiling and wagging his tail away at Cayde's enthusiasm. He wasn't sure what those Blue Dreams were, but making the gnoll blue was cool. Wait, was it? Ah, surely it was. “Yes!”

However, as Cayde told him to join him in gathering the mushrooms, Cayde himself forgot about the lacking structural integrity of the building. As Cayde pulled open the wood, it wasn't the wood that came loose, but the entire wall. The mostly rotten wood fell over and crumbled, burying Cayde in half-rotten wood and splinters. He wouldn't be too harmed and with his dopamine high, he might not even mind it all that much, but the breath of fresh air that his removal of the wall allowed for was just what Ceylan needed.

He was quick to use his healing on himself, upon being able to take in a few spore-free breaths, which managed to reduce his dopamine levels enough to get him to think a little more clearly. Getting a bit of a grasp on the situation, he headed over to Cayde to check up on him, healing what scrapes and bruises he had and getting rid of some of his dopamine high while at it. “I'm afraid you went a little overboard...”

Ceylan sighed. “I guess this means we'll sleep in the tents after all. I'd rather try to keep my mind clear. Let's set them up quickly. I'll take the next shift afterwards and get a few more hours of sleep just before morning.” He was still a bit grouchy and not really willing to overthink things, so he quickly got to work.

If Cayde would do the same, he'd be woken up in the morning with not much else of interest having occurred through-out the night. After a quick and simple breakfast, they'd be able to set off into the forest itself. The path was uneven and sometimes slippery, but it was well-marked thus far. Ceylan was on the look-out for something, but it wasn't exactly clear what. If Cayde wanted to spent his time focussing on something in particular during the journey, such as seeing if he could put any of his book-knowledge into practice, he could, although he'd also be able to spark up another conversation. It didn't look like Ceylan would start one, but he'd probably reply.

 

[The Last Curse]

Mentions: Elvario ​

Ceylan's thrilled reply gave Cayde all the motivation he needed. Then, with one great motion, he pulled the plank with so much force that it sent him on his behind. Regardless, Cayde gleefully giggled as he cradled the piece of wood in his arms, "I got it! I got—" His celebration was abruptly cut short by the sound of groaning wood. Cayde looked up to see the wall shift and shake before it finally came down upon him. His manic expression turned to one of shock as the wall collided with him, burying him under a pile of wood and splinters.

After a few minutes, Cayde emerged from the rubble, coughing his lungs out as the dust settled around him. Though his eyes were still wide from surprise, it seemed the wall's collapse didn't even phase him, "Did ya see that, Ceylan?!" He said, checking himself for any injuries, "Heh, I didn't even feel a thing!" A fit of goofy laughs mixed with coughing followed soon after; In his stupor, Cayde didn't even see Ceylan coming to heal him. Then, before he knew it, the euphoric thoughts running in his head ceased, and reality started to set in. Cayde blinked a few times, took in a breath of clean air, and spotted the destruction around him.

He was just about to ask what happened before he felt something in his grasp. He looked down and saw the same rotten wood plank lying in his arms, its stench provoking his regained senses. With a disgusted groan, Cayde threw it away into the pile around him. "Wha- I-" He turned to look at Ceylan, his face full of bewilderment, "Uh, sure, I'll uh, I'll go set up the tents..."

After that eventful night, Cayde woke up and continued the expedition with Ceylan. While he still had many questions on what transpired last night, he did remember the wall falling on him and feeling practically nothing. Though he was still finding splinters on him this morning, they were the only reminder of that incident. Cayde pondered on it for a while; maybe there was another use for the Blue Dreams. He shook off the thought, for now.

As the two ventured deeper into the forest, Cayde looked around him, observing his surroundings. "You know, all the good mushrooms are found deeper in the forest. I could start foraging for them if we have the time?" He said, trying to spark up a conversation. When he received no answer, Cayde noticed that Ceylan appeared to be looking for something, "Hey, Ceylan. What're you looking for?"