Fantasy Embers on the Wind

[Captain Spooks]

Knas Arda
Interactions: egglover druidquest DarKnight36
Mood: confused

Knas had mostly been taking in the scenery at the moment, constantly looking around and taking in the smells and noises. It was certainly different than home but the smell of the sea still felt familiar. He spent most of the time writing down in one of his books, it was a sort of makeshift journal as well as any other things Knas needed to write down such as notes.

Throughout the talk with the mayor he kept quiet and listened, but that didn't stop a confused expression to appear across his face at the mayors words, killing a group of creatures does sound a bit harsh. But from Knas' standpoint they were foreigners in a foreign land and they haven't seen the full story. Throughout most of the time the Meftra was lost in though, pondering the situation that the group found themselves in.

That was until a voice broke him out of his train of though, "oh uh I'm Knas" he replied sheepishly but he didn't want to be rude as well, "I don't think they could have been able to cross the river before the bridge. That is if their clan predates the settlement," He said, closing his book and placing it on his lap, "I'd certainly feel threatened if someone just started building stuff in my territory, that is if I had any to begin with."

 

[Alias]

"Um, I dont mind having salad", Todd tried to speak up but was probably ignored by the innkeeper because of the chaos caused by Rattlesnap. He listened as everyone discussed the ethics in play regarding the mayor's request. He's really not sure why they were still discussing though, they already confirmed that they don't have to kill the Gonthra. Gonthree? Gonthii? What's the plural form of Gonthra? I'd love to just call them goblins but its politically incorrect so-

His train of thought was interrupted when Myril, their Lamra companion, mentioned something about redesigning the bridge so that it doesnt break easily. She also asked if the Gonthra have been able to cross the other side of the river. "Why would that even matter... oh wait!", Todd excaimed as he figured out what she might be thinking. He might be wrong though, but he thought it was a really good idea. "Are you planning on redesigning the bridge into a drawbridge? Because if so, if ever another gonthra attack happens we can retract the drawbridge so we can minimize the damage to the bridge, plus we can prevent them from reaching the city!"

DarKnight36 egglover

 

[SavannahSmiles]

Alethea Hartwell

the Faithra

Inn

interactions

Alethea trailed after the group as their guide lead them away from the docks and further into town. She made sure to keep herself tucked towards the center of the group; she found that she struggled in crowded areas due to her smaller stature; this way the taller members of her party could provide a buffer between Alethea and the crowds around them.

As the Mayor greeted them, Alethea stood listening to the discussions quietly, her brow furrowing at the man's words. She felt that there was more to the story and she didn't feel that simply killing all of these creatures without trying to learn more about the situation was the right course of action.

Her expression remained concerned as Lionel lead them away from the mayors house and towards the inn. As she stepped inside, she eyed the tall barstools before deciding she did not feel like being accidentally knocked off of one today and instead headed for one of the tables a few in her party were settling down at.

Climbing up into a seat, she quickly realized the table was a bit too big to allow her to sit normally. She glanced over at the barkeep, but he seemed rather frazzled by their appearance so instead of bothering him to ask for something that she could sit on, she shifted in the chair until she was sitting on her heels.

She let the conversation wash over her as her mind turned to their discussion with the Mayor. "I wonder what is driving the Gothra to take such actions, could something be threatening their way of life?" She mused thoughtfully to herself.

coded by natasha.

 

[DarKnight36]

"The Gothra are quite capable of crossing the river," Lionel countered. "I'm sure they have their own bridge somewhere and even if they don't, they have boats and are quite skilled navigators." Lionel pulled out a map of the area and indicated roughly where the village was. The village was northwest of Ravalai, with the only thing separating the two locations miles of forests and hills. "This is the Gothra village in our area, and the one closest to Ravalai. But this village could be from an entirely different clan than Gothra you'd meet further south or west. There's Gothra on the islands north of here, too."

Lionel shrugged. "It's hard to say what's going on because the Gothra don't exactly talk to us. Is it that village who's raiding our supplies? It very well could be. Why they're doing it? That's hard to say. Are they short on food? Are they mad at us for some reason?" Lionel glanced at Alethea but ended up shaking his head. "The Gothra have never attacked Ravalai directly. I find it hard to believe they would attack the bridge either, but something broke it and the Gothra are the most likely culprit."

SavannahSmiles Alias egglover Captain Spooks

 

[upscalerat]

Nerine

Nerine was supposed to be waiting at the inn for the others.

She hadn't been on the boat with them. She wasn't entirely sure where they had disembarked from; maybe it wouldn't have been inconvenient for her to join the rest of the heroes. But- she was a merda. Moving through water was, frankly, one of her specialties. It was easy, and efficient; and hey, if she wanted a snack, all she had to do was dip out a bit further and grab a fish. The waters even kept her clean.

She had only arrived the previous afternoon, herself. Dried off, cleaned up, and introduced herself to Mayor Bronson and listened to his summary of their task. So- there was the last chance to back out and return to the comfort of her old life. I'm answering a higher calling. Anyone would be honored to do so. She wasn't truly ungrateful, but did wish that she wasn't about to plunge headfirst into a group of strangers.

The mayor, at least, was kind enough to pay for her lodgings for the night. She went and paid for her room, and didn't bother to mention why she had come to Ravalai. Before dinner, Nerine wandered through the town, keeping an eye out to see if the shops had anything to offer her- they didn't. She dined at the inn on bread and vegetable soup, and went to the docks to watch the sun turn the water red as it set.

Once she was dry again, it was dark, and Nerine simply went to her room, quietly, and fretted about the next day. What if the others didn't like her? Or had all bonded on the boat, and now she'd forever be the outsider? What if there had been some mistake and they were expecting her to be someone else, what if they met her and determined that she wasn't action oriented enough for this- or any other- mission? What if, what if, what if?

The sun was high before Nerine rose the next morning. She took her time washing up, slowly ate the oats and fruit the inn provided to break her fast, and spent time wandering the shops again. The hours dragged by. She wasn't sure when, exactly, the heroes were to arrive- Bronson had said it would likely be today, and that he'd send them to the inn to eat after their journey. Or- was she supposed to meet them at his house? Or was she explicitly not supposed to?

Staying at the inn would probably be safest, the alchemist eventually figured. She was- well, she hoped that she wouldn't be able to miss them then. So she returned to the inn and lunched on a salad, a roll, and a mug of ale to stay her nerves. She picked through the food slowly, and sipped on her beer daintily. It was finished, and still no sign of any newcomers. A void was forming in the lower part of her guts- she just wanted to get it over with already.

So finally, Ner slipped out to some small, private alleyway- she'd only had her room for the one night, and had already surrendered it back to the innkeep- and fussed about with her pack of supplies. A little of this, a dash of that, a powder from mint, and- there it was. Nontraditional, perhaps, but a little potion that ought to settle her nerves a little, and perhaps calm her down some. She wasted no time in throwing the liquid into her mouth and packing her things back up-

Oh. All she had done was make alcohol. Well, perhaps not alcohol exactly, but at least functionally. Faster acting than what she had been drinking, and... And what seemed to be the right dosage. Ner felt a bit looser, a bit more relaxed; ready to face the horrifying ordeal of meeting new people, she told herself, and made her way back to the inn. Which was now brimming with a large, diverse, and boisterous party. With the shock of not being there to meet them, the confidence that Nerine had been feeling wore off quickly.

On one side of the room, she could see a pontra pushing his way into the kitchen. Others were pulling around to tables, some frowning at notebooks and some chatting to others. A faithra struggled to sit comfortably in furniture designed around the larger races. She blinked- this was a lot to take in. One group, she overheard quickly, seemed to be discussing the very gothra problem that Bronson had told her about. So, these must be the heroes. There's so many of them... Plucking up the last of her courage, Nerine approached the group. A nektra man had just pulled out a map. When he finished, Nerine interjected. "Er. Excuse me. You're the heroes, right? Here about Bronson's issue with the gothra? I think I'm, um, with you. I'm sorry I wasn't on the boat ride over. I'm Nerine." Maybe Bronson would have at least told them her name? Or maybe they'd be just as uncertain about all of this as she was.

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[obscured_light]

"Further questions useless," Shaista muttered in a low, rumbling voice. "Will need to see ourselves."

A voice cut in, asking if they were the foretold heroes. Another person to add to the rather large group. Another pair of eyes that could see through her. With a slow, cautious turn, Shaista moved her head to examine the newcomer. Though if she wasn't mistaken, there seemed to be a nervous air around her, same as many of them had carried when initial introductions had been carried on the docks.

"Shaista Duanthra," she said, her voice like cracking gravel. "Welcome."

 

[druidquest]

"Theophania, cleric for our Lady of Judge- for the Herald Garuda," Theophania greeted as the woman approached. Barely two hours in Telani and their count had already grown by the same number. "You can call me Theo, I know the name can be a mouthful," she finished, before turning back to the map on the table.

"Destroying a bridge is quite the upgrade from simple banditry," she remarked, returning to the topic at hand. "Occupying it to collect tolls would be one thing, but destroying it outright is siege tactics. An odd move, unprovoked."

 

[Radish__]

When they made their way into the inn, she had a plan in mind. She was going to ask to use the kitchen, but when she saw Rattlesnap headed that way she figured he must have already gotten permission. As she passed the table she overheard the ongoing conversation and paused. She opened her mouth to speak, but paused and changed her mind. Shaista was right. No matter what they were thinking, they wouldn't know for sure until they asked investigated themselves. As she started to make her way towards the kitchen, she saw Nerine introducing herself.

"Hi, I'm Rue, Herbalist." she said with a smile before giving a small wave and heading straight to the kitchen. She waved to the innkeeper as they passed. "Hey thanks for letting us use our kitchen!" she said as she rushed past, not hearing his protest.

When she got into the kitchen and smelled what Rattlesnap was cooking, her stomach grumbled. "Wow, smells delicious," she said as she sat down her pack. The bottles inside clanked together as she opened it. She quickly snagged an open stove top, grabbing some pots and getting to work. She was setting to make some potions for their...excursion. Just in case. Before they all got on the boat, she had packed the necessities for her signature potions and herbal remedies. One of her pots started to have a pleasant aroma, similar to a sweet smelling tea, while the other was...not so pleasant, smelling of sulfur if you got to close. and the third was odorless, almost looking as if it were a thickened water.

interactions: upscalerat PiePillager

 

[Shy2Infinity]

Interactions: DarKnight36 upscalerat ​

The inn was already within sight and, without looking at their surroundings, he headed in after them. Perhaps the tavern keeper had already been made aware of the heroes because, at least until they had shown up, the tavern had been mostly bereft of people. It was just as well because he wasn't quite sure what he was going to do if the place ended up vastly more crowded than before. He looked around, considering where to sit. It seemed like most everyone else knew exactly where they were going to go.

And with Rattlesnap pushing forcing his way into the kitchens, he supposed that he didn't have to worry about asking for food. All that he had to do, was sit and wait... And perhaps socialize, if he had a mind for it. As he took a seat, Theo's and Lionel's conversation drifted to him. Curiosity was plain on his face as he considered them.

There was one other thing he was curious about, now that he thought about it. Perhaps it meant little to ask about it, but... Might as well. Leaning across the way, he rapped gently on their table to get their attention, though his gaze was on Lionel rather than the others. "If it's not too much trouble, do you know what the mayor's tried before us? I sincerely doubt we were his first option." It may not have had anything to do with this, but perhaps they could narrow down their options.

When Nerine showed up and introduced herself, he hesitated only briefly before dipping his head into a nod, "Pleasure to meet you. You may call me Lorna."

 

[FireMaiden]

Velahari Feavi
Interaction: DarKnight36 Shy2Infinity Radish__
Mentioned: PiePillager upscalerat
The mayor, Bronson, dismissed them rather quickly after Lionel's answering for him. Velahari's brows furrowed, fingers drumming against her staff. Something about this didn't sit right with her, but perhaps she was reading into it? It was very possible that she just wasn't able to pick up on the subtle nuances that was Lothra interactions. Still, something on the wind told her to be careful. She would let out a small huff finally, turning to join the group as they began to walk off toward the inn for lunch. It was about then that someone would speak to her. Lorna, if she remembered correctly. He would get a small nod in response as the Soithra looked over her shoulder. "I feel as if he's hiding something. I thought your Lothra loved inviting people inside?" She said, looking back to him now. "It makes my ears tingle." For those who didn't speak Velahari, tingling ears meant something was going on and she needed to find out what. Or would like to anyway, it was like...4 outta 10 by now. In any case, Rue would speak up in agreement just after.

"I believe there's always a non-violent solution." The number of times bandits let her and her family pass after they offered to patch up their wounded or cleanse their water was astonishing. Everyone doing something stupid or rash usually did so with reason. These Gothra were no different. She would fall silent as they continued on the way to the inn, Velahari taking note of more places she'd like to run off and explore when her belly was full. Lunch sounded incredible right now, and she didn't particularly care what they were eating. So the commotion about...whatever it was, would go ignored as she walked in behind Lorna and Rue. Apperntly, not that she remembered, there was another party member joining them. "I'm Velahari!" She'd pipe up before scurrying off to do a little exploring of the inn. More looking at the various things on the walls, the carvings on the table, the slightly grumpy looking patrons who may have been mildly annoyed by the gaggle of travellers in their bar, she was so curious!

 

[egglover]

"Apologies, Knas," Myril said with a smile, and to lighten the mood she pointed to Lionel's map, "Ah yes, I see their village!"

She did not see.

Another joined them at the table. The once quiet spot that Shaista had found was now crowded with their comrades, all eyes on the map (save for Myril's) as they discussed what to do next. Myril could sense that her quiet friend was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable with how many people now surrounded them. Perhaps she was not used to so many. Myril, on the other hand, felt rather at home with all of the warm bodies beside her. Lamra had large families and tea time was often loud and busy.

"Nice to meet you, Nerine," Myril introduced, "Come, come sit. Pull up a chair next to Alethea. I am Myril. We were just discussing what the Gothra's intentions were but, as Shaista has noted, I'm afraid we might just have to find out when we are there. Ah!" Her hand gestured, but accidentally brushed against the shoulder of the person beside her - Toddrick - to which turned to, "Sorry, dear. As for your question I believe a drawbridge is a smart idea, but I would not want to give the Gothra the wrong idea. I would like to see the situation before any decision is made."

obscured_light Captain Spooks DarKnight36 SavannahSmiles druidquest upscalerat Alias

 

[Wing06]

Krirrk had seen the ship come to port and watched the chosen heroes disembark. "Quite the motley crew," he muttered to himself. He sat perched on the roof of the inn. He could see most of the town from here and followed the heroes' trek to the Mayor's home. The trees blocked his line of sight, but he'd already learned they would be staying at the inn that night. All he would need to do was wait.

It wasn't long before the Retriance's Chosen Heroes returned. Krirrk could make out bits of their conversations. The rumors that the Mayor would assign them a task were true, and the group seemed to have varying ideas on tackling the quest they'd been given. Krirrk shook his feathered head with a sigh. He would watch for any that may leave the tavern, but he could not honestly make his move or presence known until nightfall; those were the conditions he agreed to.

 

[Alias]

"Aw man, I thought we had some shared brain cell moment together", Todd jokingly slumped back into his seat as he heard Myril's reply. He listened to the conversation in awe. All this time, he's been focused on the problem regarding how to repair the bridge and how to keep it from breaking. They seem to consider everything: terrain, gonthra culture, and even previous attempts at fixing the bridge. "I'm seriously among heroes now, am I...", he muttered to himself.

His train of thought, however, was interrupted by a newcommer who introduced herself as Nerine. Apparently, she didnt come with them on the boat. "Wait, you can do that? man, our sea sick comrades would kick themselves when they hear this. Anyway, hello! My name's Todd. If you need anything fixed, come straight to me", he reaches in and shakes her hand. "Actually, here take my seat, I need to go out for a bit", he stands up and leaves Nerrine his seat.

Outside the tavern, Todd looks around for any guards. "Coast is clear", he whispered as he pulls out a small chisel and hammer from his leather bag. He wanted to ask permission to the mayor if he can take a chunk of the lamra-made self cooling pavement so that he can tinker with it a little, but he didnt have the chance. He set his chisel and was about to strike it with his hammer when he hesitated and stood back up.

What if I get in trouble for this?

Oh cmon, who's gonna miss a piece of pavement?

But its vandalism!

And? I'm gonna ask for it anyway as a reward after we fix the bridge, might as well get it now!

Exactly! we can get it later anyway, lets not get in trouble now!

Internally, Todd struggled whether or not he should continue what he's planning. Little did he know, he's in Krirrk's open view.

egglover upscalerat Wing06

 

[PiePillager]

The smell of stewed tomatoes and oil drifted from the kitchen as Rattlesnap continued to prepare the meal for the rest of the party. "Not to worry mates! Ye won't have to wait but a tick longer!" the Pontra called out. "'Ol Rattlesnap knows yer starvin', so he figured he'd whip up somethin' that'll be ready in no time. Just had ta put in twice the effort! Harharhar!"

 

[Melon Bomb]

"Harharhar!" Tules joined in, pouring some of her ale into Rattlesnap's cooking.

 

[DarKnight36]

Lionel nodded at Nerine and leaned back in his chair, glancing at the kitchen.

"It seems the consensus is that we don't want to instigate a fight with the Gothra if we don't have to," Lionel said. "I agree with that. We also don't know what shape the bridge is in, truthfully, or what damaged it. We do know supplies are running low here. So there might be a few options we can take here. Anyone have suggestions on where we should start?"

 

[druidquest]

"What manner of supplies, specifically?" Theophania interrupted. "I've heard food mentioned a few times, but I'm sure a village like this must have no shortage of fishers."

 

[DarKnight36]

"Crops, mainly," Lionel clarified. "Grain & vegetables. Pirilai is a lot of farmland and supplies most of the area. Ravalai was built as a hub for many of the smaller towns in the area, to trade with each other and ship goods in and out, and the population grew from there. So there's not a lot of demand for fishermen or farmers in the city, at least not traditionally. The storehouses are meant to hold enough for the winter, but they need to be restocked now that the growing season's upon us. It's just bad timing in a lot of ways."

 

[PiePillager]

"Harharhar!" Tules joined in, pouring some of her ale into Rattlesnap's cooking.

"Ye like havin' the feelin in yer fingers numbed by a hot fryer? " Rattlesnap asked politely. "No..? Then kindly GET OUTTA ME KITCHEN MISSY!" the Pontra bellowed.

 

[obscured_light]

Aside from the yelling in the kitchen, Shaista paid close attention to the conversation around her. There were ideas forming in her head, a couple theories, and tons of words buzzing in her throat. Still, her tongue felt heavy. Her tail swished back and forth erratically underneath the long cloak. Her face remained stoic underneath the hood. In fact, the only words out of her mouth were, "Bad, yes. Idea. Bridge first. Gothra next."

 

[Sky_Breaker_08]

Lars spoke up, since the Shaista's words were soft-spoken, "I agree with our simple-worded friend. I believe we should move to the location of the bridge first. Once it is repaired and operational again, we move to speak with the Gothra. Perhaps we can apply some diplomatic skills not available to the mayor and see if the tribe nearby is agitated or if it is another group."

 

[Radish__]

After watching Tules get scolded, Rue just shook her head, a small laugh escaping her. Then, She reached into her bag and pulled out a small vial of dried herbs. She pulled it out, and grabbed a lid for the foul smelling pot, which had slowly gotten stronger over the last few minutes. Then, she quickly threw in one of the dried leaves and as fast at the could, popped the lid on top. She removed all three pots from the heat and set them aside to let them cool. Once they cooled, she bottled the two uncovered potions, and the third she picked up and took outside.

Surprised to see Todd standing outside, she smiled. "Oh hey Todd, what are you up to? Have time to help me bottle this?" she asked as she pulled out a couple of damp cloths, holding one out to him.

Interactions: Alias

 

[Wing06]

Krirrk sat atop the inn's roof, the heroes all inside now, every one of them accounted for. At least, they believed their party was complete. He wouldn't join them, not until the opportunity presented itself. Large groups attracted attention even while doing the most mundane things. He was a shadow; he worked alone and rarely trusted anyone. When Krirrk learned he'd been chosen for this quest, he doubted the selection process, but he held a deep respect for the one who'd told him of the quest, and that respect was the only reason he was here now. He never committed to staying, but he promised to study the group to see why they'd been chosen and if they were truly worthy of the task at hand.

A few moments passed, and the tavern door closing caught Krirrk's attention. He watched one of the heroes pull a hammer and chisel from his pack. He looked around cautiously before kneeling over the unique cooling stones. The man seemed to have conflicting thoughts; Krirrk chuckled to himself. "Curiosity conflicting with morality, go on, do it. Show the decisiveness necessary to make difficult choices. You cannot allow yourself to remain caught between what society deems inappropriate and the burning curiosity of your mind. A truly victimless crime, breaking a piece of stone, to satiate your thirst for knowledge, do it, let your hammer fall..."

Krirrk's and, subsequently, the man's thoughts were broken by the voice of a woman stepping out from the tavern. The woman carried a pot and seemed surprised to find one of her companions outside.

"Oh hey Todd, what are you up to? Have time to help me bottle this?"

"A potion master?" Krirrk mused, he hadn't observed them long, but these heroes were turning out to be an exciting bunch. He laid back against the inn's roof, and his eyes focused on the stars that had begun to shine through the darkening sky. "Well, Todd, thank you for giving me reason to continue observing your group."

mentions Alias and Radish__

 

[Alias]

Todd could've sworn he saw something on the roof. "Must've been the wind..", he muttered. Rue suddenly appeared outside of the tavern, which catches him off guard.

"Hey there!", Todd threw both his hammer and chisel to the side in panic. It doesnt really do much to hide it as Rue can probably still see it. "I was just umm... looking at the stars, thats all. Y'know what, I'll help you as long as you dont tell anyone whatever you think you saw me try to do", he proceeds to help her bottle her potions.

Radish__ Wing06

 

[Radish__]

Rue raised an eyebrow at Todd, glancing at the discarded hammer and chisel. "Todd, were you trying to take some of the sidewalk?" she asked. Just as she said that, she grinned. "How about this, you help me bottle this and I'll be a lookout. As long as you promise to only take a very small piece. Something that won't make traveling on this path difficult for anyone okay?" she saod in a whisper. Rather, she was trying to whisper. But she wasn't very good at it.

As they got to bottling the potion, she gave him a damp cloth. "Hold this over your mouth and nose, unless you want to pass out," she warned, covering her own mouth and nose as they got to work. After a few minutes, and once all of the bottles were safely corked, she sat back and grinned.

"There! Splash sleeping potion. I figured, I really don't want to have to hurt the Gothra. So. If things go bad we bust these and run," she said, handing him a potion and gathering the rest in her arms. "Now, about that sidewalk..."

Interactons: Alias