Fantasy Fortunes of Tomorrow | Wild & Val

[ValidEmotions]

Wilder28

1x1 adventure with 4 OCs
Quick set of spoilers for ease of character info.

Spoiler: Eltus Runeguard

Name: Eltus Runeguard
Age: 181
Race: Dwarf
Class: Mystic Knight
Alignment: Lawful Good
Ideal Role: The Tank
Personality: Stolid, level-headed, practical, and disciplined, with a very strong sense of honor. He's lived a long time, and so he's seen a lot and learned a lot, and that experience shows in practically everything he does.
Driving Force: Duty. Though once part of an old mystic organization called the Runic Order, he has since been exiled on account of corruption among their ranks, and currently wanders the lands to aid others in the name of upholding his moral code.

Spoiler: Edel Crownguard

Name: Edel Crownguard
Age: 23
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Alignment: Neutral Good
Ideal Role: The Heart
Personality: Good-natured and good-humored, with a strong moral compass and an eagerness for seemingly everything he does. He's warm and kind to pretty much everyone he meets, while also quite bold when the situation calls for it.
Driving Force: Adventurousness. For him, there's a certain pleasure to be derived from traveling all over, getting into dangerous situations, and meeting all sorts of new people.

Spoiler: Aireia Faelandaerl

Name: Aireia Faelandaerl
Race: Moon Elf
Age: 309 years
Gender: Female
Class: Ranger
Weapons: Primarily uses a recurved bow made of elm. The center where she grasps the weapon is wrapped in green cloth with thin strips of bronze curling around the wood and out for a little flair. For a backup, Aireia has a thin dagger sheathed and kept at her hip.
Appearance: Tall and fair skinned like many others in the Elven race, Aireia's skin looks as if it is perpetually covered in a thin layer of frost. Her hair is a gentle sky-blue in color and falls in soft, straight, strands down to the small of her back. A few shorter strands consistently brush against the side of her left cheek. Green eyes with golden flecks peer out from a delicate and pointed face. Upon her body, she wears form-fitted cloth that make up a light-weight tunic and pants. The bottom of each pant leg is tucked away into leather boots that reach up to mid-calf and the waist is wrapped with a leather belt.
Personality: Like many elves, Aireia is graceful and does her best to keep any falter hidden. She's confident in her abilities as a Ranger but not much else. With a bow in her hands, she's more at ease and sure of her footing. Take that away and she can't help but stumble. Fighting isn't all that she's got but it's most of what she knows. The wilderness is her home, but a sense of adventure draws her wherever it might lead.
Emotional situations are her weakest point, not knowing how best to empathize with another to comfort them. She's awkward with social interactions and often stutters (something that she profoundly hates). Stress and pressure don't help in any regard and, unfortunately, she finds that she crumples under too much weight, too easily. She's afraid of being regarded as apathetic and strange and it frustrates her to no end how incompetent she feels in such a simple thing as conversation.
Aireia is fond of being left alone, residing in the corner of a room or off to the side somewhere else. She tries not to bother others as best she can but often wants some sort of company in the form of one or two people, no more. Usually, she takes comfort in simply sitting next to someone she knows and remaining in silence. Actions speak louder than words as she believes and so she's become quite adept at reading body language while, in turn, she speaks few words.

Spoiler: Laomedeia

Name: Laomedeia [Lao or Deia are nicknames they respond to]
Age: 173 years old
Gender: Nonbinary | They/Them Pronouns
Race: Wood Nymph
Appearance:
-> Magical: Standing only 5'2" in height, Lao has a very delicate and thin build with wiry limbs and a small chest. Their skin is brown like the bark on the trees they cherish so greatly but soft as if the elements had never touched them before. Their face is oval-shaped with a small nose, full lips, and vibrant hazel eyes. Falling upon their shoulders in waves is brown hair intermixed with leafy-green tendrils; real leaves and flowers grow from their scalp just like the rest of their hair, thin and flexible branches twisting through just the same. Bark-like material - seemingly fused into their skin - runs along their sides and across their chest to cover most of their breasts. Similarly, mossy-green coloring of the same material runs down to conceal the region between Lao's legs and much of their bottom, forming into a pseudo coattail. Sprouting from the back of their slender neck, Lao has two thin branches spiraling down each of their arms to their knuckles. Likewise, branches sprouting from the "coattail" spiral around their thighs. Lastly, from their back, a pair of shimmery green and brown, translucent butterfly wings sprout and flutter.
-> Human: Much like her natural appearance, Lao's human form is small and delicate, possessing the exact same body structure and height. Their hair loses the flowery qualities, becoming a plain wavy brown; "normal" for a human. They dress more "modestly" for human standards, wearing a simple frock made of green and brown cloth with golden hemming. On their feet are plain shoes. All traces of their magical nature are hidden, a necklace with a tree pendant around their neck containing their magical energy.
Personality: Laomedeia is very shy and meek, soft spoken when they actually do talk. Due to their quiet nature, they are very easy to push around and manipulate or simply command. They're easy to intimidate or scare but they are very curious about new and strange things. Lao isn't truly a fighter - too pacifistic. However, if something they like a lot is being threatened, they'll try to defend it if running away isn't an option.
Abilities:
-> Shapeshifting - Limited to three forms: Wood Nymph, Human, and Oak tree. [Active]
-> Plant Manipulation - Capable of advancing, slowing, or otherwise manipulating plant life and growth. [Active]
-> Weapon Manifestation - If needed, Lao is capable of turning any piece of stick into a full staff that can aid in channeling their nature magic and/or be used as a melee weapon. [Active]
-> Venom/Poison Immunity - Lao is immune to all venoms and poisons. However, they are more susceptible to human illnesses from viruses. [Passive]
Other Stuff:
-> They have a very good knowledge about plant life - which ones have healing/curative properties, which ones are bad for your health, which ones will kill you, etc.

Laomedeia
The world rushed by in a blur.

Boots slapping against cobblestone as they ran, Lao's lungs burned. A foot slipped--or maybe it got snagged on an uneven stone--and they were pitched forward to the ground with a yelp. The shouting behind them drew closer, louder. They could hear the clattering of plate armor. Scrambling back onto their feet, Lao shoved past bewildered onlookers, one arm held close. The tome they clutched tightly dug into their chest.

Sunset turned the sky into a blaze above the city. The dying rays of warmth did little to ease the crispness of the air that seemed to seize within Lao's lungs. Citizens milled about, tending to end-of-day routines and socializing with fellows. Despite this, Lao was unable to successfully utilize the swarming crowd as a means of losing the guards that chased them. Frantic, desperate, Lao stretched their senses outward as far as they could.

There!

An aged tree hummed to them, as if responding to their silent plea. As they rushed towards it, they stole a glance behind their shoulder, spotting the handful of guards that were closing the distance between. If Lao could just get close enough--A bolo whipped past their shoulder to strike the ground near their feet. Startled, Lao stumbled and crashed into the wall of a building before they could right themself and keep running. Almost there--

A guard's hand snatched their elbow in the same moment they flicked their free hand. Instantly, tree branches and roots shot towards them, racing passed and bowling into the guard that grabbed them. With a shout, the man and his fellows were knocked down, giving Lao a chance to veer down a side street and leave the hollering individuals behind. They darted behind another set of buildings, curling back into the shadows and making themself as small as physically possible.

Silence stretched on as their heart hammered against their ribs, flooding their ears with the roar of their rushing blood. They flinched as guards raced by; breath caught in their throat for several agonizing moments. Eventually, their shoulders sagged, and they exhaled, relieved when no guards turned back and found their hiding spot. Still, they waited even longer, letting the sunset turn into nightfall. When it became proper dark, Lao finally rose and crept out from their hideaway, tugging their cloak closer around them.

They rubbed their thumb across the tome's cover. Skin stroked against worn leather, feeling out the subtle engravings that decorated its surface. I hope this was the right decision... Lao swallowed down the lump beginning to form in their throat. Surely, they tried convincing themself. There was no other option.... Their forest--their home--couldn't afford otherwise.

Returned to the city streets, Lao was careful to keep an eye out for any more guards as they made their way to find some place to stay the night. It took some directions from a couple strangers but, eventually, Lao found themself before the entrance to the Wooden Willow Bar. A supposedly decent tavern and inn for any weary traveler to rest at. Pressing a delicate hand against the cracked wooden door, they pushed through and entered.

Noise greeted them, a comfortable din that spoke to the pleasant liveliness of the building's occupants. Hazel gaze swept through the room, quickly examining the various customers and staff as they searched for any available spot. A small table with only a pair of stools tucked away to the side but close enough to the fireplace for some much-needed warmth. Lao smiled, hurrying over to take one of the seats. The other stool they dragged closer, using their body to put it out of sight from the rest of the tavern so as to place the stolen tome upon it.

"What'll it be, love?"

Lao startled, sharply turning their gaze upon the woman who had approached while they'd been distracted. "Oh! I--I--" What was it that humans regularly had to consume? "A-Ale? An-A-And bread. Please?"

An eyebrow arched upon the woman's face, a shrug following shortly after. "I'll also get you the menu," she remarked before turning and walking away.

A soft sigh left their lips, and they slumped in their seat, elbows finding the table before they ultimately rest their head down upon their arms. For several moments, they remained as thus, peeking out through brown strands of stray hair to idly study the various beings within the tavern. Soon, however, the woman returned with the requested items, promptly setting them upon the table and then holding a sheet of yellowed parchment out for Lao to take. "Let me know if you need anything else, hun. The kitchen's open for some hours more." She started walking away again.

"Ah, wait, actually--" Lao interrupted, hand reaching outward as if they might grab for the woman's arm. Instead, the gesture ceased halfway as the woman turned back to face them. "By--By any chance? Do y-you have any A-Ad-Adventurer's Guild here? O-Or something of the kind?"

The woman seemed to frown. "Apologies, love. We don't have the likes in this city; we're too small to be considered for one." The comment was laced with an emotion Lao couldn't quite identify. "The closest we 'ave are billboards. You'll find 'em in most taverns here or other places with high traffic." And she pointed with her chin towards the wall behind Lao, prompting them to shift on their stool. Sure enough, there was a tattered board hung upon the wall with a smattering of fliers and adverts in various stages of age. Many were job requests, posted in search of help.

"Oh, I see...."

 

[Wilder28]

Edel Crownguard
​

The barmaid's claim was true. Only larger cities were likely to have anything resembling an Adventurer's Guild. For smaller towns like this one, it was much less common, and unfortunately, this one was hardly much of a standout in that regard.

However, while they may not have had access to the constant protection that a Guild would've offered, that didn't mean they were helpless. As indicated, the billboard they had up in their tavern helped well enough to make up for it, given that it did a fine job of attracting help whenever it was needed. And while having only intermittent adventurers (or parties of adventurers) to rely upon wasn't quite as dependable a system as having a full-on Guild, it sure was better than nothing.

That being said, when it came to the likes of one Edel Crownguard, one would hardly think that there was a difference. Or, at least, that's what he liked to strive for. For him, as an adventurer who'd never once been part of any Guild, things like this were his bread and butter, an opportunity for him to get out, see the world, and gain all sorts of new experiences while meeting new people every step of the way. And that's worked out well for him! Sure, it could get quite dangerous at times without the extra manpower of a Guild to back him up, but he also found it a lot more freeing, leaving him able to pursue whatever sort of quest he wanted entirely of his own will. Some might not have thought that a wise trade-off, but for him personally, that was all he needed.

With that in mind, it was easy to see why he was here. After months and months spent meandering his way around the land, bouncing around between settlements of various sizes, Edel had simply wound up in this relatively small city of Heatherwood pretty much entirely by chance.

However, though it was technically little more than just the latest stop in his journey, he typically liked to treat each place he visited just as well as the next. That meant treating the locals and their culture with respect, getting to know the place and generally doing his best not to step on any toes, and - most pertinently - trying his absolute hardest to help everyone there, regardless of how they treated him or how important their issues actually were. For that reason, he generally tended to get by pretty well in most places, and Heatherwood was no different.

Generally, unless there really was just nothing to do, or he was really in a rush to get to a particular place, he liked to spend at least a few days in each town he passed through, since that gave him a good bit of time to familiarize himself with it and face down its issues, whatever those may be. In this case, he'd been here for two days also, and was currently on the way to finishing up his third. In the meantime, in addition to getting to know the place, he also went ahead and tackled some of the problems it faced, those on the bulletin board that he figured to be the most practical for him to take on.

It wasn't anything particularly exciting so far. On his first day he'd managed to track down and dispatch a small party of bandits that'd been terrorizing the town for a few days, and on his second he helped some of the townsfolk deal with a hobgoblin that had sprung up to cause mischief around the area. Now, on his third, and probably final full day, he had just finished retrieving a talisman that one of the village elders had lost to a local sprite from the surrounding forest. Nothing particularly difficult, overall, but that was to be expected of a place like this. More exciting quests tended to be the exception rather than the rule.

Even so, that didn't stop him from returning a fourth time, although part of the reason for that was so he could remove the posting of the latest job request he'd completed, so as to mark it finished. He'd only done three quests since arriving, but already, he noticed, the board was looking a fair bit less cluttered - probably because there wasn't much on it in the first place.

As he looked it over, while crumbling in his hand the flier that detailed his last quest, he considered taking on one more. He might as well, he figured, since it didn't seem like there were a lot of others around to do these jobs in his stead. He was quite literally the only person hanging around the board at all for the moment, and in all his time here, he'd only seen like one other adventurer doing the same, which was about par for the course in a place this size. If he didn't do these things, it was unlikely that someone else would for a while.

The question was, which job should he take? There were a few adverts left, but none of them seemed particularly interesting, nor as quick as he would've liked. He'd likely do at least one of them anyway, of course, but choosing between them was the hard part; he'd do a longer job if it was important enough to warrant it, of course, but otherwise, he felt it really would be a good idea to keep moving soon...

 

[ValidEmotions]

Laomedeia
They had eventually requested a vegetable soup to go with the bread. They forgot to touch the ale. As they ate, Lao contemplated the feasibility of finding any kind of help in this small town. Especially given the limited amount of borrowed time they possessed on account of the guards. The nymph swallowed down a thick lump, unsure if it was due to the potato chunk or their own unease.

Soon enough, they lost their appetite and gently nudged the remains of their meal forward until they could rest their head upon the table. Maybe there's an Adventurer's Guild at the next town... It was all they could do to continue assuring themself that they would find someone--anyone--who could help them. Around, they listened to the idle chatter drifting through the establishment from other tables, head lifting and gaze turning to the stolen tome on the seat beside them. If they couldn't find a Guild at the next town, maybe Lao can do this on their own? They had to try at least. Fingers curled against the aged cover, other hand rising up to clutch at the tree-shaped pendant hanging from their neck.

Inhaling and exhaling slowly to ease their racing thoughts, Lao finally grabbed the tome and brought it upon the table. They eased the cover open, unsure of what they'd find within the yellowed pages. Eyes skimmed through the scrawling lines of text. Lao was most definitely not a scholar. After several moments, a soft groan escaped as they flipped the tome closed once more. Human language was hard enough to grasp for basic conversation and navigation of the world around. How were they supposed to confidently identify the tome as what the gryphon charged them with finding? Was it as simple as the title on the cover? Their eyes drifted back down to the tome, mentally tracing the etched lettering: Tome of Curses.

Guests of the establishment came and went while Lao was there, occasionally earning a glance from them to witness who was arriving or leaving. None stood out to them and, eventually, they returned to keeping their attention upon the tome and their now cold bowl of soup. As they picked at the remaining food, Lao noticed footsteps behind them, prompting them to glance back over their shoulder. The nymph blinked slowly as they watched a young human study the job board, clearly considering the postings upon it.

They took note of the man's appearance--and the equipment strapped to his person. A seed of anxious hope planted next to the desperation clutching at their chest. It threatened to sprout as Lao watched the man take down a sheet of parchment from the board and began evaluating the others. Is he-- They didn't allow themself the chance of finishing the thought before their lips parted. "A-Are you..." they started, voice hushed and quickly dying out. Lao cleared their throat to try again. "Are you an a-adventurer?" Goddess of the Earth, they hoped so.

 

[Wilder28]

Edel Crownguard
​

All things considered, adventurers were a wildly diverse bunch, hailing from all manner of different races and walks of life. Thus, to say that there was any one visual indicator of an adventurer might've seemed a fair bit inaccurate.

But even so, for all intents and purposes, it could certainly be said that the man before her sure did look the part. Clad in a medium-light suit of freshly polished half-plate armor, he looked to be more than prepared for any manner of armored combat - especially with the sheathed blade that hung at his waist. Coupled with the fact that he clearly stood out amongst the locals here, and wore upon his back a decent-sized backpack with the implicit purpose of storing whatever necessities he might've carried, it seemed pretty self-evident that at the very least, he wasn't from around this parts.

He didn't seem to notice her at first, so focused on the board was he; but no sooner than she began to speak (the second time, anyway) did he turn to look at her, affixing her with curious, vivid blue eyes. "Hm?"

His hair was a golden blond, close-cropped so that it may not prove a hindrance in matters of close combat, and his skin seemed to sport a bit of a tan, no doubt from spending a good amount of time in the sun. Altogether, he indeed looked very much like exactly the kind of figure she had been looking for.

For a moment, he seemed to regard her in what might've been surprise, having clearly not expected to be approached in such a direct manner. However, that expression gave way in no time to a warm, friendly smile, accompanied by a single, emphatic nod to answer her question.

"Why, yes I am!" He chirped. "Did you need something?"

His asking was more of a formality than anything; he presumed the answer was 'yes', because generally speaking, why else would anyone ask that question?

 

[ValidEmotions]

Laomedeia began to fear the individual would answer in the negative, watching his expression (did they accidentally startle him? They hadn't meant to!) as it shifted. However, to their much-desired relief, the man answered positively. Laomedeia's hands came up in a sharp clap, fingers twining together as they rose on their toes and started to make an exclamation....

Then they remembered where they were, and their lungs immediately deflated as a strangled sound promptly died within their throat.

Recomposing themself, they coughed to clear their throat quickly, hands rushing to smooth down their cloak in search of something else to do. "W-Wonderful," Lao uttered, gaze darting away from the man to the ground. "I mean--" Well, they did mean something like that since it was wonderful that he was, in fact (and at long last), an adventurer. "Yes, please. I-I need an adventurer's help."

Taking a step back, Lao was immediately reminded off the chair behind them as the wooden object bumped against their leg. They stumbled as they turned, a hand flying down to the seat in an attempt to either apologize to it or edge it out of the way. A nervous sound bubbled up between their lips. "Ah," Lao began, motioning vaguely with their other hand in some semblance of a gesture for the man to sit with them.

"I ap-apologize. Would you like to sit?" They waited a moment to see what his response to the invite would be before adding, "I-I-I can buy you a meal, if you wish." Lao wasn't certain what the custom was when speaking with an adventurer and requesting aid. He needed to know what their request was, certainly, but was there some form of etiquette or paperwork to do first? "Um...."

They shifted their weight from one foot into the other and then back, fingers finding sections of their cloak to curl into. Lao had been so sure of themself just the other day, running through in their mind what they had planned to say, how to say it, and how to make sure that assistance was secured. But now? Now, that certainty had flown free from their thoughts like a spooked flock of birds taking wing.

Eventually, Lao plopped down into their seat, a hand gingerly reaching for the stolen tome to drag it into their lap. "P-Perhaps an introduction is best?" A faint cough to clear their throat and settle at least a couple frayed nerves. "My name is Laomedeia, but you are welcome to call me 'Lao' if desired. I, um... I hail from the southeast, near the Whispering Forest." Was that enough of an introduction? How much did normal humans share about themselves when meeting for the first time?

 

[Wilder28]

Unable to help a smile at the reaction she gave to his answer, however brief it was, Edel turned his body entirely to face her, a surefire sign that he was now giving her his full attention. In waiting for her to state her need, he watched her curiously, taking in her appearance in full and idly making note of the clear shyness she was displaying. If he had to guess, it was probably her first time ever coming to a place like this, or talking to someone like him. Or at the very least, it wasn't something she did often. But he wasn't one to judge; help wanted was help to be given, regardless of who it was in need of it. At least, that's how he liked to view things.

Glancing down at the chair behind her as she collided with it, having apparently forgotten it was right there, Edel's smile, which had only just begun to soften, renewed itself out of amusement, before he met her inquiry with a nod. Reaching over to grab a chair only a couple of feet from him, he pulled it from the table it was placed at and took a seat upon it, shaking his head at her follow-up offer.

"No need; I've already eaten," he told her, offering a smile in reassurance. He could see the sheer level of anxiety that she was exuding, which only corroborated his earlier speculation, and he wished to help her settle down at least a little. It wasn't uncommon for some people to be nervous or otherwise worked up when looking for help, but it usually did go a long way to have them calm their nerves when actually explaining what they needed of him. He wasn't sure what was causing it in this case, if she was just shy around other people or if there was something more sinister at play that he wasn't aware of, but either way, he hoped he could find a way to counter it, at least for now.

As she plopped down into her seat, Edel glanced down upon the tome she pulled into her lap, his brows raising in a clear sign of interest. He didn't recognize it, but he knew a mystical artifact when he saw one. Whatever she had in mind for him to do, it probably wasn't just going to be some run-of-the-mill errand, was it? He wouldn't have minded if it were, of course, but the thought of something bigger was already beginning to stir up a bit of excitement within him.

Far from showing it, though, he looked up and met her gaze while she introduced herself. He didn't technically require it, but he was grateful for the information; it saved him having to ask for it himself later down the line.

"... Well, it's good to meet you, Lao," he told her cheerily, sitting up straight. "My name is Edel Crownguard, and I hail from the city of Liara up north. And please, you don't have to be nervous around me; there's no need to worry yourself over protocol or what have you. Just let me know whatever is ailing you, and we'll go from there." He gave another light smile in hopes of putting her at ease, his eyes sparkling with no small amount of good will. "What can I help you with?"

 

[ValidEmotions]

Laomedeia

Edel Crownguard. It sounded like such a noble name...

Lao sat straighter. Wait, were they speaking to human royalty!? The realization that they were vastly underdressed for meeting human royalty caused their stomach to plummet. What if he was offended by--No, that was nonsense! Edel seemed unbothered by their present state of dress. Or maybe he just wasn't revealing his disgust? But would human royalty visit taverns such as this one? Humans were an odd bunch, as Lao understood. Perhaps human royalty enjoyed, hm... quaint and creaking establishments?

"--with?"

"Hm?" Lao blinked rapidly, gaze refocusing upon the man seated across from them. Oh. Oh dear... He'd asked a question of them and Lao entirely missed it while their frantic thoughts had been fixated on possibly making a poor impression. Guilt prickled at their chest with the thin needles of discomfort. "Ah, I-I'm sorry. I've been a bit... distracted, la-lately." Fingers curling against the cover of the tome, Lao glanced away from Edel. As they studied the old wooden planks of the floor nearest their feet, they finally took a deep breath in; slowly exhaled. "I fear that my home is dying..." The words were a struggling whisper, resistant to leaving their lips for fear of turning a nightmare into reality.

They fell silent, focusing on the texture of the tome's cover against their hands. Eventually, "I don't have the power alone to save it. I've tried, and it seemed to only get worse in response." As they spoke, they carefully reached into their satchel and slowly pulled out something wooden. The object was gnarled and knobbed, dark flakes crumbling away to faintly powder both Lao's lap and the table they set it upon. "That is from my home: a piece broken off from one of the eldest gran--trees--within the forest. It's... It's not any sort of sickness that I know of, and it feels magical in kind." Nausea wormed its way into their stomach and throat as they recalled the uneasy sensation that had slithered beneath their skin.

Tentatively, Lao began to nudge the tome closer towards Edel. "After I failed, I started my search for aid. I found... someone, who may be able to assist but he needs this tome. Unfortunately, all he can impart is knowledge and not the power it'll take to save my home. So... My search must also include finding more allies. People who might be able to possess the abilities that both he and I lack."

 

[Wilder28]

Edel Crownguard
​

Edel must not have noticed Lao spacing out, because when it became clear that they hadn't been paying much attention to what he'd asked, he seemed a little taken aback. He hardly took any offense to it, however, and in fact, he was more than ready to repeat himself as necessary; it was only because they spoke first that he didn't, especially as they segued from a timid apology into the very matter that he had wished to discuss. He knew it was coming before they said it - just the mention of a distraction was clue enough, and the way they seemed to grow just a little more reserved in their body language as they spoke only confirmed it.

Yet, even so, he found himself surprisingly unprepared for the admission when it came, his eyes growing wide as gravity of the statement sank in. He wasn't sure what exactly he'd been expecting - something small, perhaps? That's more what he had grown used seeing to these days - but this was certainly not it. Their home was dying? Just where exactly were they from?

Now thoroughly intrigued - and not to mention concerned - Edel sat straight up, all signs of casual relaxation seeming to leave his body as he proceeded to pay heed to every word they spoke next. Though at first he locked his gaze upon Lao themself, it wasn't long before it dropped to their tome, and then to their satchel as they proceeded to withdraw something from it. He tilted his head as he studied the object in question from where he was, brows furrowing somewhat as he tried to discern what exactly it was - or used to be.

Then, once they explained that for him, he gave a glance up at them, before tentatively reaching out to take hold of the object, gingerly picking it up himself. He generally knew better than to touch unknown magical artifacts, especially ones that looked as cursed as this did, but the fact that Lao themself seemed able to touch it without harm indicated that he probably could as well. But even so, Edel was cautious.

While they spoke, Edel listened, even as he focused his gaze on the withered chunk of wood and turned it over in his hands. After a few moments of close observation, he then shifted his eyes toward the spell tome as Lao pushed it toward him, before finally lifting them to meet theirs, just as they finished recounting to him the details of their quest. Now he understood what they needed, at least broadly speaking. But he still had questions - and quite a few, in fact.

Setting the object down upon the tabletop, he reached out with his other hand to grab the tome, and as he lifted it up and went to open it, he asked, "And who is 'he'? This 'someone'? What kind of knowledge has he imparted you with?"

 

[ValidEmotions]

» Laomedia

『 TAGGED 』 Wilder28

They worried the corner of their lower lip, faintly biting down on it as they weighed the consequences versus the benefits of answering Edel's question. He was studying both the tome and tainted tree root, providing the nymph with ample opportunity to examine him a little closer. Edel Crownguard seemed a genuine sort, at least upon first impressions so far. Nothing he had said or done made them suspicious of the human. But, in fairness, they'd only crossed paths in the last hour or two. It... wasn't much to go off of. Eventually, with a stiffening back, Lao replied, "I-I was sworn to secrecy. At least for now." Their gaze dropped to their lap. "Please, I--I hope you understand. It is not my secret to tell..."

A moment's pause. Looking back up, Lao once again studied the human, trying to discern how much experience with adventuring he possessed based on the number of wrinkles around his eyes or the tears in his clothing. How worn-in was the leather in his clothing or accessories? Strands of gray or white through his hair? Humans had some saying that equated age and experience, though--admittedly--Lao couldn't remember how it went. Still, if there was a saying, then it must be completely true for humans. The only issue Lao encountered was the fact that they were unable to determine how old Edel Crownguard was and thus, in turn, couldn't estimate his level of qualification. But... would it matter? They hadn't found anyone else until Edel Crownguard.

And time was precious.

They nodded once, a decisive hmph escaping them. Edel Crownguard would be a worthwhile ally. Lao couldn't afford him to be otherwise. "As of yet, he only has theories: either an ancient curse or a long-forgotten entity. He needs that tome--" Lao pointed at the book resting between them. "--to hopefully determine which theory is accurate." The conviction in their voice started to waver again as Lao--not for the first nor likely the last time--began to linger on the possibility of both theories being wrong. "I've been able to find this tome and will need to bring it back to him. Though, now I wonder if I should gather allies before or after doing so. It... Wasn't very easy to secure the tome on my own; I fear I may be underestimating the trials that lie in wait ahead."

code by @Nano