Fantasy Embers on the Wind

[DarKnight36]

"I think that's all a fair plan then," Lionel nodded. He grinned. "Let's enjoy the food for now, and we'll get on the way in the morning!"

***

The next day dawned bright as the sun rose above the sea, quickly bringing light to the already bustling warehouses of the Ravalai port. Lionel and the others gathered in the inn's foyer, ensuring they had their gear sorted. Outside, a small missing piece of the sidewalk puzzled the citizens who passed by it, but otherwise provoked no comment.

"It'll take us about half a day to get to the bridge," Lionel reminded the heroes. "I doubt we'll have trouble, but there are wolves and the occasional Dive Talon that roam the area. Nothing we can't handle."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

He woke up before the sun had even risen, full of jitters for the day ahead. It would still be a while yet before they truly went underway but he figured it was fair to recheck his gear. His bow was right where he left it, a finger trailing down its (fairly) unblemished wood. And then he checked his arrows over, reconsidering whether he had enough; ridiculous as it was. He never went out unprepared, after all, but the urge was there nonetheless. His trusty daggers were also right where they should be, and would be latched to his person when it was time to meet up.

As for makeup... Well, he decided to stay on the light side for now.

With his fan hanging around his wrist, he spent the rest of his time reading by the window, waiting for the sun to rise bit by bit. Soon enough, he was heading downstairs, yawning and trying to rub a crick out of his neck. Seems he had fallen asleep again, even though all he wanted to do was read. He immediately located the others and hastened to catch up, just in time to hear Lionel's words.

He sighed and spoke up, "Fate's willing, we won't run into much trouble."

 

[Alias]

Still sleepy, Todd let out a huge yawn as he went to where the rest of the heroes are gathered. He spent all night tinkering with the stone Rue helped him take from the sidewalk. He thought the lamras used some sort of enchantment system similar to what clythrans use but he was wrong. The stone seems to have some kind of arcane quality to it similar to what crystals have. But instead of amplifying the user's affinity, it simply copies it as its own. He was even able to turn it into a small heating stone last night. Sadly, he couldn't revert it back into a cooling stone. He needs another person with a water affinity to do that. I wonder if people with earth affinities can make the stone grow plants. Or what if, by adding a few runes, it can-

Okay, let's stop for now, Todd snapped back to the present moment. They have a quest to do and he should give it all his focus for now.

"I probably should've asked this last night, but does anyone need repairs with their gear before we set off?", Todd asked the rest of the group.

 

[druidquest]

Theophania arrived on the floor of the tavern dressed to meet the day, her light armor donned and her sword resting on her hip. She met the innkeeper's eye as she descended the stairs, but he hastily busied himself with a table at the other end of the room to avoid her gaze.

"Good morning," she greeted the other early risers, perching herself on the edge of the bar as she waited for the rest of the party to wake and join them.

Theophania crossed her arms as Lionel gave his opening remarks. Their course for the morning was clear of course, but it was kind of him to remind them all anyway. When he was done, she raised one hand, stepping away from her spot at the bar.

"May I suggest one small change to the day's agenda?" she asked, coming to stand closer to the group.

 

[PiePillager]

"If anyone's hankerin' fer some breakfast, we've got some leftover pasta from last night..." Rattlesnap shuffled into the the room with a yawn, which broke after Lionel spoke. "You say Dive Talons? Terrible feathered bastards never liked 'em except on a plate with island spices an a side 'o rum!" he nearly spat before remembering he was staying at an inn.

"May I suggest one small change to the day's agenda?" she asked, coming to stand closer to the group.

"And what'd that be, Cleric? Got some words 'o wisdom fer us?" the Pontra chef inquired, scuttling behind the bar to our himself a mug of ale.

 

[druidquest]

"I've no doubt the bridge is an important matter, but I don't think it requires the full score of our company to assess the damage," Theophania answered, stepping closer to the bar and placing a cup next to Rattlesnap. "The good King Kalva has given us the benefit of numbers, so we would be wise to make use of that."


"To that end, we should split our forces," she continued, taking a sip of the ale and wrinkling her nose. She set the cup back on the bad and left it there. "Misters Boreas and Siggurdson can attend to the matter on the bridge. Should the worst happen, Miss Duanthra, Master Arda, and Madame Tulien should be more than enough to assure their safety."


"As for the rest of us, there still remains the matter of finding another route across the river. We should know the situation with the nearest village on the other side, and I doubt the Gothra would cut the bridge without leaving themselves a route back. For that reason, I believe that you, Mister Tavaihs, should take Miss Hartwell and Mister Marruk to scout the area and find another way across."


"Misses Reykrost and Romhlúr will no doubt be best entertained exploring the surrounding hills for anything they may find useful, being our resident alchemists, and if the Gothra have reached the point they were willing to destroy the bridge, we should keep an eye out for signs of them moving closer to town. I'm sure they'll find no trouble so close to the village with Mister Snaprattle at their side, but should any hired hands skilled at remaining unseen happen to decide to join them before setting out, I'm sure they would be very welcome."


Theophania crossed her arms again. "The rest of our number should see about asking around the village. We've received some small testimony from the mayor, yes, but we should nonetheless see what the rest of the population has to say on the matter. If caravans were attacked, we would do well to find what we can among those most likely affected in the village."

 

[Melon Bomb]

Tules nodded slowly from her chair, her eyes closed in thought, and her thumb and forefinger framing her chin.

"That's crazy," she said. "You remember everyone's last names? I don't even remember half of these guys' first names." She reached over to pinch a large piece of bread from the table and tossed it into her open mouth, where it completely vanished. Chewing through her food, she continued, "Maybe don't let any of those barf bags near the river, though. They might die if they fall in.'" Her eyes dodged the candles flickering around the foyer as as she spoke, finding them a tad too bright for her morning hangover. Thankfully that seemed to be the extent of her symptoms, but she'd better lay off the booze for a couple hours before they start multiplying.

"As for me, I ain't fightin' no birds. You all can handle that."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

Interactions: druidquest Melon Bomb Alias
​

---

As he watched over the other heroes, he fidgeted in place. Already, he was itching with the urge to do something. It manifested in his foot tapping away against the ground. At least, until Todd spoke up and he shook his head, donning a small smile. "Not I, at least. But thank you." He had checked his gear again and again and again, several times over some hours before. Though certain he was ready the first couple of times, he was always overcome with the urge to check again. What if, in his overbearing confidence, the string of his bow snapped because he didn't check it clearly enough?

Nothing more to say, he tuned back into Theo as decided to take the reins of the conversation. Unlike her, it took him a moment to remember who everyone was based on last names alone; he found that somewhat impressive. As for the idea? It made sense. They would be hard pressed to take this many warriors to the bridge alone. Not only that, but it would be inefficient.

"Divide our forces, hmm?" He muttered. A snort interrupted him as he heard Tules' words loud and clear. He wasn't quite sure if she even had a filter, to be honest. "Please, I'm fine so long as I'm not on a boat." Though he turned back to Theo in the next instant, with an acknowledging nod. "It's a good plan at least. I'm fine with it if everyone else is."

 

[egglover]

"Very well!" Myril nodded, appearing from the back of the inn where she had somehow procured a cup of tea. A pale hand slammed itself on the back of Tules, forcing her to splutter her food back up, "Draw a diagram of the bridge, will you? Preferably in ink and sand so that I can read it. Cant do much in the way of repairs otherwise!"

Melon Bomb druidquest

 

[Radish__]

Rue yawned as she listened to the others talk. She nodded at Theo's plan, especially the part where she got to look for ingredients. There were some rare flowers in this region that she is dying to get her hands on. At Tule's comment, she just laughed.

"I've got no problems with rivers. Only the ocean." She said, shaking her head slightly. Then she turned back to Theo. "I agree, I think this is a good plan. And while we are discussing plans," she quickly turned and began pulling bottles of her bag. Three different kinds. A purplish swirling liquid, a clear liquid indistinguishable from water, and one that looked like an herbal tea.

"Everyone should take one. The tea looking one is a healing potion, use it wisely because I am out of ingredients for it. The clear one is an energizing potion. I figured if worse comes to worse, it could be helpful. And this," she sets a purple one on the table, "Is a splash sleeping potion. It'll knock out anything in a 15 ft radius. Please, do not drink it. And make sure to be out of range as quickly as possible once the bottle breaks."

She then walked over to Myril and handed her three bottles. "I added some wax to the corks of yours, so that you would be able to tell the difference easily. S is sleep, H is heal, and E is energy." she says, before turning back to the others.

"If you have any questions about these let me know, there's only enough for everyone to take one of each, except for the sleeping one. I'll be carrying a few extra in my bag."

 

[upscalerat]

Nerine

A chorus of introductions around the table followed Nerine's introduction. There were so many of them. But none chased her away; in fact, the party was perfectly welcoming as they dined together. Some conversation followed their meal, and then they started trickling to their rooms for sleep. She was one of the earlier ones to retire for the evening, still feeling out of place as the night concluded.

In the morning, she fretted about with her belongings and supplies as she listened for the sounds of footsteps in the hall. When she deemed it late enough to not be far too early to meet up with the heroes, she grabbed her pack and made her way down the stairs. Waiting for her seemed to be most of the motley crew. The Merda took a seat at the table with the purple haired woman, and slowly pulled small pieces of the bread away to eat as she listened to the others' discussion. Mostly it was of Theophania's proposed splitting- creating a number of smaller parties rather than throwing everything at one problem. Smart. Why didn't I think of that? Not that she would have been likely to open her mouth if she had.

She was glad to have a piece of bread on its way to her mouth at Tules' comment- laughter didn't quite seem appropriate just yet, and the food served to prevent her giggle. At this, the other alchemist- Rue, the Meftra she would be with fur the day- wasn't so reserved, laughing before handing out potions. Should- should Nerine have done that? In retrospect, how could she not have thought about it? She was able to at least get a headcount of the party at dinner... It was too late now. I'll make them something tonight, to make up for it. Especially after being able gathering ingredients today. Sheepishly, Nerine took one of each of the potions. If nothing else, we'll be able to talk shop about these while we're out today.

After doing so, Nerine looked up again, her gaze flickering between Lionel and Theo. "It- sounds like a good plan to me." She faltered for a moment as she spoke, as though she feared being out of turn. "Shall we regroup here, at the end of the day? Or would camping closer to the bridge be more desirable? And, if so, where?" Her voice was soft in the morning air, and her eyes gave one the impression of a stumbling faun as she glanced between the two.

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[FireMaiden]

Velahari Faevi
Interaction: Open
Mentioned: PiePillager druidquest Radish__
Exploring the tavern lead to nothing more than a few drunken stories and after dinner when everyone went to bed, Velahari found sleep a stranger. At least for a while, she was no stranger to travel obviously, but this was the first time without her family. It was strange how comforting she actually found her father's snoring. Sleep would finally come after an hour or two, and she would be among the last to rise and join the others. She was just in time to hear the last bit of the plan from Theophania. Velahari had to assume that everyone else included her, though she had missed what part of the plan Rue would be part of. Velahari felt...a bit awkward honestly. Rue was the only person she actually knew, her only friend. And as it turns out, she seemed fine at making new ones. And Velahari didn't want to be rude and intrude, that felt even more awkward. So for the moment, the Soithra would stand there, fingers drumming on her staff as she hoped her stomach would settle some. Leftovers for breakfast didn't sound great, but being better than nothing, she'd get a small serving which was quickly devoured. "Does this town have any sort of guild headquarters?" It didn't necessarily have to be a headquarters either, just somewhere all the hunters or traders hung out. "We could maybe start asking around in the market?" She'd say this loud enough multiple people would hear, but not to anyone in particular.

 

[PiePillager]

"Don't mind if I do..." Rattlesnap took his set of potions from Rue. He placed the potions in his pack, though he stared at the energizing potion for a moment before placing it with the others. "Heard tale 'o the wonders a potion like this could work. Never had the opportunity meself to try one. Could come in handy, aye?" he nodded at Rue.

Radish__

 

[Sky_Breaker_08]

Lars shook his head and spoke loudly so all could hear him, for he had heard enough. He looked directly at Theophania, to address her speech from before specifically, "You all say this is a good plan? To split up would be certain failure. You say we have numbers, but the Gothra will outnumber us ten to one, if not more. They breed like rabbits, reinforcing any losses they may suffer from their enemies quickly. They are cunning and sharp and surely will not hesitate to take advantage of any weakness they see. They prefer to stay in the wilderness, waiting for a small, weak group to become separated or vulnerable. That is when they will strike with overwhelming numbers and lightning precision. This is why banditry is so effective with them. They have the numbers for larger engagements, but overthrowing a town would not be on their agenda. I do not think they mean to attack directly, which means scouting around the town would be ineffective and unnecessary. Destroying the bridge must be a means to create more opportunities to scavenge and steal from the locals. That is the way the Gothra have behaved in the past, and that is the way I believe they will behave in the future. If we want to give the goblins our lives, then by all means, let us split up. Let us give them their golden opportunity. They can have every advantage, and us, every disadvantage.

"And if you are still determined to continue with your plan, let me make you aware. The river is treacherous as it moves towards the sea here. It is large and wide and turbulent. There is a reason the locals choose to take their resources across a bridge to Ravalai, rather than utilize the river, which would be a quicker and easier path in other circumstances. They could float the resources down to the sea, otherwise. But the river will not allow it. There will be no alternate route. We fix the bridge and we have our path across.

"As for exploring the surrounding hills to scout and gather alchemical ingredients, as I have said, go right ahead and travel closer to the Gothra's encampment. See if you can spot the local inhabitants, who spend their time hiding in the environment, invisible to the trained eye, before they spot you. Excellent idea.

"And finally, for the rest of the townsfolk, we have heard from Lionel and the Mayor. Both have lived here many years, I do not believe we need further testimony to speak of the same matter over and over. We need fresh, new information. We need the testimony of the people at Piralai. And we need to find the missing men, living or, as I suspect, dead, sent by the Mayor. Clearly, this is a dangerous mission and we should not split up. The time for casual investigation is over. If the Gothra are being unnaturally aggressive, then we must be prepared for that extreme aggression. Repairing the bridge is but one of several important tasks that must needs be done at Piralai. This is why I suggested our mission in the order of first repairing the bridge, and then traveling to the Gothra encampment. Together. This way, even should we be prone to over-confidence, we will have the best means of fulfilling our purpose here without any complications or, gods forbid, casualties."


DarKnight36 druidquest

"I've no doubt the bridge is an important matter, but I don't think it requires the full score of our company to assess the damage," Theophania answered, stepping closer to the bar and placing a cup next to Rattlesnap. "The good King Kalva has given us the benefit of numbers, so we would be wise to make use of that."


"To that end, we should split our forces," she continued, taking a sip of the ale and wrinkling her nose. She set the cup back on the bad and left it there. "Misters Boreas and Siggurdson can attend to the matter on the bridge. Should the worst happen, Miss Duanthra, Master Arda, and Madame Tulien should be more than enough to assure their safety."


"As for the rest of us, there still remains the matter of finding another route across the river. We should know the situation with the nearest village on the other side, and I doubt the Gothra would cut the bridge without leaving themselves a route back. For that reason, I believe that you, Mister Tavaihs, should take Miss Hartwell and Mister Marruk to scout the area and find another way across."


"Misses Reykrost and Romhlúr will no doubt be best entertained exploring the surrounding hills for anything they may find useful, being our resident alchemists, and if the Gothra have reached the point they were willing to destroy the bridge, we should keep an eye out for signs of them moving closer to town. I'm sure they'll find no trouble so close to the village with Mister Snaprattle at their side, but should any hired hands skilled at remaining unseen happen to decide to join them before setting out, I'm sure they would be very welcome."


Theophania crossed her arms again. "The rest of our number should see about asking around the village. We've received some small testimony from the mayor, yes, but we should nonetheless see what the rest of the population has to say on the matter. If caravans were attacked, we would do well to find what we can among those most likely affected in the village."

 

[Melon Bomb]

"Wake me up when you guys figure it out."

Tules drooped her head and instantly started snoring in her chair.

 

[DarKnight36]

"Well, Lars you make a valid point but I can tell you haven't had much experience with Gothra," Lionel said, chuckling a little. "The Gothra certainly do have a stereotype, I'll give you that. But they neither breed like rabbits nor do they have the numbers you speak of. They are no more cunning or vile than any other race on Keyrra, and that, I believe, is the most important thing for all of us to remember."

Lionel glanced at the others. "Whatever you may have heard about the Gothra, please keep in mind that it has been through the lens of those who suffer at their hands. There is another side to this story, one that no one has heard, including myself. We are all very different, yet we live and work together. Surely we can work with the Gothra, given the chance. I still believe that."

"Now, Velahari, you asked about a guild," Lionel said, turning to the Soithra lass. "There's several you might refer to us as such. There's a man who runs weapon training just north of the inn, and one for magic just north of that. On the east side of town are most of the crafters, including a carpenter, mason, smithy, and others like that."

Lionel tightened his breastplate strap one more time. "All right, I think that's enough dilly-dallying. We don't have all day after all! I'll meet anyone who's headed for Pirilai at the west gate in 15 minutes." He pulled a few small candle-like objects on the table. "For those who will be doing other tasks, take one of these flares. If you need help, pull one and I will do my best to find you. I do not doubt my group will be spending the night near the bridge, so I'd like everyone to regroup there if possible."

And with that, the Nektra warrior began marching down the road towards the gate, swishing his tail happily.

Sky_Breaker_08 FireMaiden

 

[Radish__]

Rue gave Rattlesnap a smile. "Yes, it'll put a little pep in your step. Makes your senses a little sharper too. Though, there is a side effect. Lets just say that if you drink it, you will sleep well tonight. It used to be worse. My first time making one of these had me asleep for 3 days after," she said with a nervous laugh.

When Lars started speaking about the Gothra, Rue frowned. She took a couple of steps backward, standing next to Velahari and looking somewhat uncomfortable. She found comfort being closer to her friend. The courage she had when presenting her potions seemed to diminish. What he said made her anxious, but she also wasn't sure how much of it came from a place of bias, and how much was founded in truth. She nodded at the Nektra's words.

"There are always three sides to a story, that's what I've been told. Yours, theirs, and the truth. I think it would be unfair to paint them as bad or wrong before getting all of the information. Grandma once said even a friendly dog will bite if cornered and pestered enough," she added. "N-not to say we shouldn't be careful, but I think approaching this situation with any...bias may have a bad outcome."

PiePillager DarKnight36 FireMaiden Sky_Breaker_08

 

[Shy2Infinity]

He was musing over the potions that Rue had offered them, studying the swirling liquid in each when Lars spoke up and he grimaced. Of course, he hadn't expected for everyone to agree to the plan wholeheartedly, but even so a disagreement already didn't exactly bode well for the days ahead. He certainly looked at the situation rather... Negatively. And while Lars had his good points, there were also a couple of points that he felt the other wasn't noticing.

The thought made him nervous. He considered speaking up, fiddling with his fan as he listened to Lars, Lionel, and even Rue speak up in their own ways. That urge grew and grew and grew until, at last, he couldn't contain it any more. "Traveling in a large group also has its own cons. Namely... We couldn't hope to keep track of every single person in our entourage without being extraordinarily vigilant. If the Gothra were truly that dangerous and cunning, then who's to say that they couldn't single one of us out anyway, before anyone could notice? Not to mention the immense resources we would need to make sure every single person is prepared."

He paused and struggled to not let his voice go quiet, "... I think every plan has its own flaws. What matters is whether you can work with those flaws."

 

[druidquest]

Theophania sighed. Lars might have been somewhat off the mark, but Lionel's brash dismissal of his concerns was still irresponsible. Looking around, she saw a few were more than a little shaken by Lars' declarations, and while Lionel's confidence seemed to rally them, Lars was right to warn about the dangers here.

Dangers Theophania had, of course, already taken into account. Of course she already understood the intent behind her suggestion, it had, after all, been her idea. Alas, the others on the team had evidently not followed her train of thought like she'd hoped - and, in retrospect, how could they have? It wasn't as though she had offered any explanation for her reasoning.

Clearly working with a team would require more effort than she had anticipated.

"Lionel is right about Gothra not being the scheming monsters of tavern stories," she began, watching the Nektra's back disappear through the inn's front door. "On their own, they're no more given to violence than anyone else. That being said, circumstance will demand what it must, as many poor souls have found out."

"I have no doubt the situation here is more complex than the good mayor would like us to believe, just as I have no doubt the Gothra wouldn't escalate to siege tactics without cause." She shook her head. "No, if they sought to isolate the village from its neighbors, they had a reason to do so, and as such Lars is correct to point out our contract with the mayor will make them see us as an enemy. However, we are all strangers here, and that strangeness will allow us a degree of oversight if we operate in smaller cells. The only one truly at risk as of today is Mister Tavaihs, who they have already crossed paths with."

"Which is why I recommended he apply himself toward a scouting mission with our company's huntsmen. It will keep him away from their most likely watchpoints, and if they can apply their experience to assist Mister Tavaihs in moving silently, beneath their notice, then we should be able to avoid conflict for the time being."

"If you question my decision to continue seeking information in the village, its because the mayor has an agenda that common traders and day laborers would not. They can tell us things and point us in directions he would rather we not go, and there is value in that. And if they should tell us the same thing he has, that would be enlightening in its own way."

Theophania crossed her arms, meeting Lars' stony gaze. "Is that more satisfying to you?"

 

[Alias]

"D-does no one really need repairs? even minor upgrades? maybe a quick shine?", Todd nervously tried to break the tension in the room as Theophania and Lars had a rather heated discussion. Honestly, either plan works for him. They'll end up repairing the bridge whether they remain bunched up or not.

It's just a bunch of goblins, what's the worse that could happen

Todd immediately looked for a wooden table and knocked on it three times, hoping that he hasn't jinxed this entire quest just yet. He looked to the side and noticed the potions Rue's handing out. He casually took an energy potion. "Some morning we're having", he tried to make a small conversation with Rue.

mentions: druidquest Shy2Infinity
interactions: Radish__

 

[obscured_light]

Shaista hated mornings.

The world had still been dark when she had risen, her skin not feeling quite right. She had cleaned herself in a rush, dried, and then set about checking and re-checking all the leather she wore. Any crack, any bend, even the smallest wrinkle and she had to comb over every detail of herself all over again. By the time the others were starting to bound for downstairs, Shaista had barely finished inspecting herself for the thirty fifth time, finally satisfied with how her scales looked.

As she donned her armor and cloak, meticulously inspecting how both looked on her, the scene of the day before replayed in her head. Shaista found herself focusing on one comment in particular: "I agree with our simple-worded friend...." She licked her lips with her forked tongue and frowned. Would the Dracothra have been referred to in such a way?

"I agree with our simple-worded friend," she said with ease but her voice was several octaves higher, the words practically tumbling out of her mouth. She cleared her throat.

"I agree with our simple-worded friend," Shaista repeated but this time, her voice was clearly straining to stay as deep as the day before. The words were also too fast still. Slow, deep. She walked over to a basin still full of water, looking down at herself in its reflection. A Dracothra stared back at her. No. Shaista was looking at Shaista.

"I agree with our simple-worded friend," she repeated but still, the higher pitched voice didn't match the appearance. It wasn't right. She wasn't right.

There had been no more footsteps for quite a while and the sun was clearly out for the world to bask in. Shaista sighed but she found herself still repeating the words over and over for several minutes before she could reach a voice she was satisfied with for the time being. Tomorrow would be a different story but a hero couldn't be late on their first foray into the field. Breakfast was optional.

By the time she bounded down, sounds of a somewhat tense discussion seemed to have died down. A question was being posed to Lars and Todd was offering up repairs and such. Shaista tried to inconspicuously walk towards the tables where she noticed the potions on the table. She picked up the sleeping one, eyeing it, before quietly asking to those around her, "Has there been a change in course?"

 

[Wing06]

Krirrk sat alone in the corner of the inn's tavern. He sipped from a steaming mug of herbal tea and picked at a plate of various parties, all the while chuckling to himself as the heroes began to argue how to handle best the task they'd been given. Lionel eventually gave his final thoughts on the matter and exited the tavern, hoping more of the party would follow.

"You know, she makes some valid arguments," Kirrk began, pointing at Theophania before rising from his table and heading to the group. "Gathering intel on a mission is never bad, but few of you seem eager to do the job. You'd rather sit and bicker while trying to imagine every possible scenario, thinking of ways to overcome challenges you're manifesting in your minds. Lionel has the right idea. Go in and figure out what you're actually dealing with; otherwise, you'll plan yourselves into an early grave."

 

[Sky_Breaker_08]

Lars quickly gathered his things and glanced at Theophania, only half-listening, "Yes, yes, but now I have more questions than answers!"

Hearing everyone speaking around him, he rolled his eyes at many of their remarks and misunderstandings. When he heard Shaista and Krirrk speak, he was halfway out the door, hurriedly striding across the room to catch up with Lionel, "There has been no change in plans! With haste! Let us depart!"

Racing down the road, Lars hailed Lionel, "Certainly the Gothra have more to differentiate themselves from the other races besides the word we use to define them," Lars argued, following Lionel down the street and through the gate. "I presume you have the most experience here of anyone when it comes to the Gothra. Let us hear what you know so that we may use this knowledge to our advantage! Do you amuse yourself with our ignorance? And when the Gothra are before us and we accidentally insult them from a custom you understand that the rest of us are ignorant of, what then? You say they do not breed so quickly, nor are they nearly as cunning or vile, which, by the way, I never said they were vile or insinuated that, as any other race. How do you know these things? You speak as if I am wrong in my opinions, yet do not give any evidence against it. The closest you spoke was that you believe we can work with the Gothra in peace, yet we could do that and I still be in the right of their customs and desires. I am happy to learn more. Knowledge is a treasure to me. Please, if you would be so kind, share what you know, even if it be a small part or little in value."

DarKnight36 druidquest Wing06 obscured_light

"Well, Lars you make a valid point but I can tell you haven't had much experience with Gothra," Lionel said, chuckling a little. "The Gothra certainly do have a stereotype, I'll give you that. But they neither breed like rabbits nor do they have the numbers you speak of. They are no more cunning or vile than any other race on Keyrra, and that, I believe, is the most important thing for all of us to remember."

Lionel glanced at the others. "Whatever you may have heard about the Gothra, please keep in mind that it has been through the lens of those who suffer at their hands. There is another side to this story, one that no one has heard, including myself. We are all very different, yet we live and work together. Surely we can work with the Gothra, given the chance. I still believe that."

"Now, Velahari, you asked about a guild," Lionel said, turning to the Soithra lass. "There's several you might refer to us as such. There's a man who runs weapon training just north of the inn, and one for magic just north of that. On the east side of town are most of the crafters, including a carpenter, mason, smithy, and others like that."

Lionel tightened his breastplate strap one more time. "All right, I think that's enough dilly-dallying. We don't have all day after all! I'll meet anyone who's headed for Pirilai at the west gate in 15 minutes." He pulled a few small candle-like objects on the table. "For those who will be doing other tasks, take one of these flares. If you need help, pull one and I will do my best to find you. I do not doubt my group will be spending the night near the bridge, so I'd like everyone to regroup there if possible."

And with that, the Nektra warrior began marching down the road towards the gate, swishing his tail happily.

Sky_Breaker_08 FireMaiden

Theophania sighed. Lars might have been somewhat off the mark, but Lionel's brash dismissal of his concerns was still irresponsible. Looking around, she saw a few were more than a little shaken by Lars' declarations, and while Lionel's confidence seemed to rally them, Lars was right to warn about the dangers here.

Dangers Theophania had, of course, already taken into account. Of course she already understood the intent behind her suggestion, it had, after all, been her idea. Alas, the others on the team had evidently not followed her train of thought like she'd hoped - and, in retrospect, how could they have? It wasn't as though she had offered any explanation for her reasoning.

Clearly working with a team would require more effort than she had anticipated.

"Lionel is right about Gothra not being the scheming monsters of tavern stories," she began, watching the Nektra's back disappear through the inn's front door. "On their own, they're no more given to violence than anyone else. That being said, circumstance will demand what it must, as many poor souls have found out."

"I have no doubt the situation here is more complex than the good mayor would like us to believe, just as I have no doubt the Gothra wouldn't escalate to siege tactics without cause." She shook her head. "No, if they sought to isolate the village from its neighbors, they had a reason to do so, and as such Lars is correct to point out our contract with the mayor will make them see us as an enemy. However, we are all strangers here, and that strangeness will allow us a degree of oversight if we operate in smaller cells. The only one truly at risk as of today is Mister Tavaihs, who they have already crossed paths with."

"Which is why I recommended he apply himself toward a scouting mission with our company's huntsmen. It will keep him away from their most likely watchpoints, and if they can apply their experience to assist Mister Tavaihs in moving silently, beneath their notice, then we should be able to avoid conflict for the time being."

"If you question my decision to continue seeking information in the village, its because the mayor has an agenda that common traders and day laborers would not. They can tell us things and point us in directions he would rather we not go, and there is value in that. And if they should tell us the same thing he has, that would be enlightening in its own way."

Theophania crossed her arms, meeting Lars' stony gaze. "Is that more satisfying to you?"

Shaista hated mornings.

The world had still been dark when she had risen, her skin not feeling quite right. She had cleaned herself in a rush, dried, and then set about checking and re-checking all the leather she wore. Any crack, any bend, even the smallest wrinkle and she had to comb over every detail of herself all over again. By the time the others were starting to bound for downstairs, Shaista had barely finished inspecting herself for the thirty fifth time, finally satisfied with how her scales looked.

As she donned her armor and cloak, meticulously inspecting how both looked on her, the scene of the day before replayed in her head. Shaista found herself focusing on one comment in particular: "I agree with our simple-worded friend...." She licked her lips with her forked tongue and frowned. Would the Dracothra have been referred to in such a way?

"I agree with our simple-worded friend," she said with ease but her voice was several octaves higher, the words practically tumbling out of her mouth. She cleared her throat.

"I agree with our simple-worded friend," Shaista repeated but this time, her voice was clearly straining to stay as deep as the day before. The words were also too fast still. Slow, deep. She walked over to a basin still full of water, looking down at herself in its reflection. A Dracothra stared back at her. No. Shaista was looking at Shaista.

"I agree with our simple-worded friend," she repeated but still, the higher pitched voice didn't match the appearance. It wasn't right. She wasn't right.

There had been no more footsteps for quite a while and the sun was clearly out for the world to bask in. Shaista sighed but she found herself still repeating the words over and over for several minutes before she could reach a voice she was satisfied with for the time being. Tomorrow would be a different story but a hero couldn't be late on their first foray into the field. Breakfast was optional.

By the time she bounded down, sounds of a somewhat tense discussion seemed to have died down. A question was being posed to Lars and Todd was offering up repairs and such. Shaista tried to inconspicuously walk towards the tables where she noticed the potions on the table. She picked up the sleeping one, eyeing it, before quietly asking to those around her, "Has there been a change in course?"

Krirrk sat alone in the corner of the inn's tavern. He sipped from a steaming mug of herbal tea and picked at a plate of various parties, all the while chuckling to himself as the heroes began to argue how to handle best the task they'd been given. Lionel eventually gave his final thoughts on the matter and exited the tavern, hoping more of the party would follow.

"You know, she makes some valid arguments," Kirrk began, pointing at Theophania before rising from his table and heading to the group. "Gathering intel on a mission is never bad, but few of you seem eager to do the job. You'd rather sit and bicker while trying to imagine every possible scenario, thinking of ways to overcome challenges you're manifesting in your minds. Lionel has the right idea. Go in and figure out what you're actually dealing with; otherwise, you'll plan yourselves into an early grave."

 

[DarKnight36]

"Uh," Lionel said, staring at Lars. "No thanks."

 

[Sky_Breaker_08]

Lars fumed silently, muttering, "Keep your secrets then!"