Graded [Paizu Mountains] Shadows Amidst the Snowstorm

[Tattletale]

Seth
​

Mentions: Vaudivolt Elvario SilverFeathers

Seth blinked at the offer, caught completely by surprise by the Bishop's offer. He slowly withdrew the full spoon that he'd been about to eat and carefully set it back in the bowl. “That… seems like a very high honor, Bishop Ceylan.” And came a bit out of the blue, he didn't mention. Just how influential was this man inside his church? Seth might have found himself in very powerful company. It wouldn't do to be careless. “And exceedingly generous.” The mercenary continued. “However, I would have to refuse. Please do not take this the wrong way, as I mean no offense, but I am not too keen on religion as a whole.” Seth's eyes were a bit sharper than usual on that, though he kept the smile. “Besides, I do have my own debts to pay and goals to fulfill, and I am afraid those are quite self-interested. Still, I thank you for believing me worthy, truly.”

After that, he became quiet, listening with a half ear to the talk about giants and any dangers they might found on the way, though otherwise he kept to himself. That is, until Nona's words shook him out of his thoughtfulness and he quickly got up, half-eaten bowl still in his hands, meal already forgotten. “Oh! I don't mind lending a hand, either!”

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ricti (#BD5C0F)​

Character Sheet
Vaudivolt Tattletale Elvario​

Ricti very much appreciated Nona's kind generosity, giving her a nod of gratitude and a weak attempt at a smile. Eagerly, he reached out his hands as if to eat from the bowl itself, before vaguely recalling the need to adjust to human mannerisms. Putting his right hand back down, he cautiously picked up the spoon with his left and shakily fed himself. The taste that flooded his mouth was overwhelming, causing him to wince in shock. He couldn't tell if it tasted good or bad, what was in it, or anything of the sorts. He hadn't prepared himself at all for suddenly being able to taste again, but with time, he'd hopefully get used to it.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem he'd be given that chance just yet.

Putting his spoon down, he chimed in after the others, with a slightly more firm and authoritative tone than usual after noticing Nona's glance. "It's fine, I'll help Nona out. You three should rest up before the journey ahead." He nodded simply, thinking his logic was sound enough to persuade them all to stay seated. If not, well, he would likely find a chance to chat with her after the three have left. Regardless, he got up from his seat, robotically following after Nona as her figure departed.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Nona Stoutwalker & Cenric
With one hoof already outside and her hand resting against the open door, Nona turned back to face her guests. Two of them offered to assist her, but neither was the person she was eager to have a private conversation with. However, it would be hard to justify needing Ricti's help if Nona denied theirs. And as Ricti joined her at the door, she knew it would be best to give everyone a task to complete. “It's alright, I won't turn down some extra hands.” Nona insisted with a telling glance toward Ricti. It seemed she just had to split her tasks among the group.

“Cenric, can I ask you to tidy the farmhouse while the others head into the fields?” She asked the seemingly distracted man and waited for his response.


“Oh, yes-- of course!” Cenric's reply came at a slight delay and sounded dazed as if the simple question had caught him off-guard. “Is-- there anything else you need me to do?” He added as he stood up from his chair and immediately began cleaning the table to make up for his distractedness.

“A tidy home will do, thank you, Cenric,” Nona replied with a thankful smile before turning her attention toward the good bishop and the – in the bishop's words – outstanding knight. Both of whom she considered capable of completing the task she had in mind for them. Albeit for different reasons.

“Bishop, do you remember the lakeside we passed earlier this morning?” Nona asked before continuing. “I have some of my flock grazing out there because they're a bit more rowdy than the other sheep. If you and Seth can shepherd some bighorns back to the farm, it would take a load off my shoulders.”

“You'll know which ones when you see them!” She added, not feeling compelled to wait for confirmation. Considering their eagerness and capabilities, she felt confident in moving on to the final person without an assigned task. Turning to Ricti standing at her side, she nodded. “And what about you? If they handle the bighorns, can you help me with the cart? That way, we have two people per job, which will share the load nicely down the middle!”


Then, as a statement that she had already made up her mind about the assigned tasks, Nona pushed the door open further. “Let's gather in front of the farmhouse once we're done, alright?” She said before ushering Ricti outside and leading him toward the shed next to the farmhouse. Nona grimaced when she noticed the blood on the shed door. It did not paint a reassuring scene as she opened it, but she had not yet been able to clean it up. Inside the shed, all sorts of tools and materials packed the space. The only areas not overtaken by the hoard of goods were an old worktable to the side and a pile of rags in the back serving as bedding for a sheep. The wooly animal raised her head to see who had entered, then lay it back onto the rags.

“Don't mind Dotty. She's taking some time to recover, bishop's orders.” Nona explained with gratitude towards Ceylan, then leaned back against the worktable. Her arms crossed over each other as she inspected Ricti for a moment. “Where are you from, Ricti?” She asked the question, seeing no reason to ease into the subject.

---

Elvario Tattletale SilverFeathers

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: Cenric Vaudivolt | Seth Tattletale | Ricti SilverFeathers

Wait... was offering someone to put in a good word to become a paladin a high honour? He hadn't really thought of it as such. After all, they always needed new recruits to fill up the ranks and this man seemed to meet the demands well enough. Especially the generous part. Was it generous to offer someone a job like that, when you yourself really needed it to be done? He wasn't sure, but he was almost caught of guard by the reaction. The refusal was a tad bit disappointing, but he decided it'd likely be best not to press the issue. “Very well, although should you ever change your mind, you can ask me again. You'll likely find that the religious aspects of our Syncretist faith are rarely misaligned with those whom simply wish to fight for what's good and right.” That was their entire creed, after all.

The other man was... odd. He was the one whom seemed to need rest the most out of all of them, but he told them to rest as if nothing was happening? Ceylan didn't need a sixth sense to figure out something weird was going on just then. Even so, Nona seemed to want to be alone with him. That'd be a better explanation to her sudden actions than all the odd jobs she was suddenly having them do. Telling a near-stranger to just 'clean the house' and two other near-strangers to tend to the flock she clearly cares for a lot? That was definitely peculiar.

In the end, he played along, leaving the farmhouse with Seth. “Do you happen to have any experience with shepherding? I must admit that I have none.” He spoke, having no clue where to even start. Sheep weren't the type of flock he normally tended too. In the worst case he could probably just summon them, but that meant they'd return to where he summoned them from the moment he ended the magic, which was likely going to be a tad bit problematic.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ricti (#BD5C0F)​

Character Sheet
Vaudivolt​

Just as Ricti pondered if his words had done more harm than good, Nona's social wittiness saved the day, quickly divvying up tasks at a moment's notice. As the minotaur turned to himself after her lengthy speech and reasonings, he simply nodded, knowing full well what was going on. "Sure." He replied tonelessly, quite the contrast with Nona's enthusiastic liveliness, before quietly following after the tall beastkin like a lost little chick.

Ricti was unfazed by the close sight of blood. But thinking back to the cause of said blood splatters, he momentarily stiffened up. The tattoo on the back of his left hand glowed and flashed dimly again, disturbed by his mental state, but within the private enclosures of the shed, he no longer felt a need to hide it. Noticing the injured sheep, named Dotty by the sounds of it, Ricti immediately and awkwardly sat himself down beside her, gently patting her uninjured wool.

"I don't know." He responded back as equally as bluntly as her question, before taking a few moments to ponder how to continue. "I don't remember the names of many things from back then. But I can describe them to you. Towering grey buildings with glass windows and tall signboards, people bustling about with mobile phones or laptops in hand, cars and lorries noisily zooming across wide dark roads with white dotted lines..." He trailed off in thought, sifting through those vague clouds of memories for anything else notable.

"At least, I think that's what it was like." He scratched his head after a while, before soothing himself by petting Dotty a little more. "Then the end of the world happened. Or the apocalypse, whatever you want to call it. I don't know if it really had a name. People were bitten and became zombies. I don't quite remember the cause of it all. But it wasn't long before I became a zombie too. That's when my memories became a bit vague and fragmented. Then, well... I lived as a zombie. For a really, really long time."

Slowly, he turned to face the minotaur head on. For some reason, he wanted her to realize that he was truly once, a terrible monster. "I ate people. Or, well, humans. Dug out their brains with my claws. Ran away and hid from people trying to shoot me with guns, only to disarm and slaughter them whilst they slept." He didn't know why he wanted her to know this. Wasn't he just seeking his own death? Nona could very well just grab her axe and end him right now for the things he was saying. He didn't understand his own emotions right now, but the words were already said, so he could only continue.

"I died to a pack of mutated zombie dogs. As my body became immovable, I watched them eat me alive, which is why Ceylan and the mention of werewolves kind of bothers me at times. But it's okay, I know it's not the bishop's fault, he seems like a nice person." Ricti justified quietly. He was not blinded by his fears, he was probably too out of tune with them right now to even process such a thing. "After that... well, you know the rest. I woke up in a mountain temple. Human again. In a different world." He finalized, before looking the minotaur in the eye.

"Some of my words probably sound foreign to you. I can describe anything if you don't understand. But now I think it's your turn. Where are you from Nona?" He inquired quietly, perhaps in the most gentle tone he had used so far, still simply awkwardly sitting there and petting the injured sheep by her bedside.

 

[Tattletale]

Seth
​

Mentions: Elvario SilverFeathers Vaudivolt​

​

Seth nodded, but didn't budge. “Of course. However, what is good and right is not always clear-cut in every situation, and I prefer to work on my own terms.” Still, he felt that the bishop wasn't about to insist on the matter, so he let it be. He seemed an amiable enough fellow, so surely it would be easy to work with him. Seth was not so sure about the quieter man, Ricti. The mercenary's eyes followed him and Nona as they left the room, wondering. Would he be alright? He had seemed lost, unfocused. Even when taking the cape he offered before, there was a hesitance to his way of moving that didn't bode well. Still, it didn't pay to judge anyone by their appearance. Seth just hoped they weren't leading him to too much danger.

At the Bishop's question, he shifted his eyes back to Ceylan, realizing he'd been staring, and considered it for a second. “Uh... Well, I wouldn't call myself experienced, but I did get a couple of tips on shepherding from Miss Berger, a woman who taught me a while back. We could try putting them in practice. If nothing else, I am pretty sure I can make them run without harming them.” With those words, he jumped onto his feet and dusted off any crumbs that might have fallen on him, grinning at the beast man. “Shall we, Bishop Ceylan?”

 

[Vaudivolt]

As Ceylan and Seth left the area of the farmhouse in search of sheep to herd, they also separated themselves from the signs of the late-night attack. Further from the ranch, the damages were not so abundant. And with every step towards the lakeside fields, the faint scent of iron faded. For a moment, it almost felt like there had never been an attack. The air felt calm as a gentle breeze cooled the warmth of the midday sun. Out here, livened up by the lakewater, the area seemed more lush with plants and grasses. And as they furthered along the path, a flock of sheep surrounded by fencing came into view.

As they neared the flock, the pair reached the wooden fencing supported by stone pillars. It seemed significantly more sturdy than the fencework surrounding the ranch, but the wooden gate hung loose in its hinges. And the grass lay covered with the broken ends of planks. Yet, this had not been a remnant of last night. The culprits were nearby. Up ahead, with their horns locked in a power struggle, stood two bighorns the size of cattle. The surrounding flock seemed unphased and continued grazing as the two relentlessly rammed into each other. Their hooves dug away dirt in search of steady footing. And whenever one of them broke the stalemate, they would both retreat. Allowing their opponent the space needed to reach ramming speed again. It did not appear this test of strength would end without interference.

Nona Stoutwalker
Meanwhile, back on the ranch, Nona carefully watched as Ricti sat beside Dotty. The concern of an overprotective parent was apparent on her face as he reached for the wooly animal. But Dotty appeared appreciative of the attention, and Nona shook her because of it. Chiding herself for assuming it would have been anything but a gentle patting.

It made her realize she was feeling on edge. And she had to be more open to this conversation. Nona placed her hands on the worktable rather than keeping them crossed in a defensive stance. Hoping that would make her appear less anxious, she watched with intrigue when Ricti began to speak about his former life. His descriptions were odd but not all unfamiliar. Although she had never seen the grey buildings, she knew they existed. That realization almost made her raise a question when Ricti paused to scratch his head. But she held back, and what he said next made Nona realize their worlds were much further apart than she had initially thought.

“The end of the world..?” Nona muttered quietly. Not entirely aware that she had spoken at all. She wondered how their worlds could be so similar yet so different... It took Ricti's direct eye contact to bring her attention back to the conversation. And strangely fascinated by the confession, Nona smiled. “Humans ate us.” She admitted without a second thought. “Don't feel too bad about repaying blood with blood.”

Seeking distraction from her own memories flooding back, she glanced over to Dotty. The pet sheep appeared to be enjoying the gentle attention, which brought Nona the momentary peace of mind she needed to continue. “What happened next? You came here one way or another.”

“I see, eaten alive...” She muttered again after hearing how Ricti's former life ended. Part of her could imagine how impossibly painful that must have been, and yet another side of her could not begin to understand.

“The only thing I don't understand is why you describe it as the end of the world?” Nona asked, her eyes locked onto him. “We could easily find a couple of undead wandering the Paizu, and this world hasn't ended yet.” She explained with a light shake of her head. “But, before we get into that, allow me to return the favor.”

“I think I came from a place like yours,” She began telling her own tale, “but, I never say the grey buildings and dark roads you described. Never saw much of anything living on a farm... as part of the livestock.” She admitted through gritted teeth. “I'm sure they thought we didn't understand whenever the trucks came by, but we did..!”

“They gave us what was necessary to grow up, then took it all back as they pleased!” Nona's voice steadily grew angrier as her hands turned white around the knuckles. “They raised us, sent us off, and next thing you know is your head locked in a vice!” She tore one of her hands from the worktable and brought it to her face. Placing a finger against her forehead for emphasis. “They would put this... thing against your forehead, and you'd be gone before you realized it..!”

Dotty, sensing the shift in Nona's mood, softly bleated. And the minotaur woman froze for a moment, then sighed deeply. “Still...” The whiteness around her knuckles slowly faded. “I hold no grudge against humans. I will not deny them my home for the actions of the few that were heartless. And...” She managed to express kindness in her eyes as she looked at Ricti. “Perhaps if you spend some time in the bishop's company, you will also see the difference between him and those zombie dogs.”

“Whatever you do, don't hold on to that feeling.”

“I'm sure it would have killed me a second time if I had...”

---

Elvario Tattletale SilverFeathers

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: Vaudivolt | Seth Tattletale

“My only experience is healing the one near-dead sheep, so I'd gladly follow your lead.” He stated, after hearing Seth knew at least something. At this point any form of experience was likely more than he had, as his only option might be to just summon the sheep, but he'd rather not risk it.

“A rather serene area.” He mentioned, as he was looking across the lake. That's when he spotted the sheep and sighed. “That is definitely above my ability to herd. At best, I might be able to sooth them a bit, but as this is a natural thing for them, I have no clue how much it'd do.”

He debated his options, then something occurred to him. He might use this to test Seth a little. “I could sooth just one of them, make it a little less aggressive and likely to loose as a result.” He mentioned. “Or sooth them both, whilst you see if you can use that to separate them.” He debated for a bit. “Or we can herd the flock itself back. Without the herd to fight over, I'd imagine they'd have to follow suit?” He wasn't too sure about the latter option. “So, what would you wish to do?”

 

[Tattletale]

Seth​

Mentions: Vaudivolt Elvario

"Hmm..." Seth listened to the bishop listing options while he took in the landscape in front of him. This place was beautiful in a cold, sharp way. Though he missed the warmer parts of Ryke, it couldn't be denied that it was rather charming. Scratching his chin, he shrugged. He didn't really know the best course of action, so they'd have to improvise as the went.

"Nah, I'm worried of separating the rams by force while the herd is near, if there's anything I learnt from miss Berger is that sheep are a bit skittish when in poking range. They frighten easy, better not to scare them." He glanced at the two clashing animals and winced. Seth wasn't looking forward to getting trampled again, but... With a resigned sigh, he continued. "Say, do you believe you could use your magic to calm them down once they are away? I am pretty sure if I get close to the herd, they will attack me. These things are mean when it comes to their ewes. Does the spell work if they are charging at me at speed?"

Seth gestured at the hill, pointing at a spot a bit a part from where the sheep were grazing. "If I can lure them a bit apart from the flock, and you can soothe them," he explained, "then we sould be able to herd them in if I guide them with my spear. No poking, though, mostly sweeping pushes to block paths. When that is done, the rams will follow if we are lucky or, if we are not, we can poke them in without worrying about scaring the others."

To be fair, he wasn't too sure about this, but he wasn't too proud to wrestle a bit in the mud if it came down to it. Seth sighed again."This would be much easier if I had my mare with me, but that not being the case, we will have to make do."

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ricti (#BD5C0F)​

Character Sheet
Vaudivolt​

Strangely, as dark as they were, Nona's words in response to his confession comforted him. Repaying blood with blood... indeed, there were plenty of times where if he did not kill, he would have been killed. But still, there were just as many times in which his victims didn't even fight ba-

Cutting himself off from such thoughts decisively, he continued. When he ended, he looked at her again. Nodding at her rather innocent question, he saved that thought for later and listened to her story, just as patiently as she had done to him.

To think that Nona was once livestock in the modern world. It was a life that was somewhat impossible to understand, as humans in worlds like that had always taken such things for granted. However, to know you have been raised purely for slaughter... and watching your friends and family be taken away one by one... when phrased as such, the horrors became much clearer.

Ricti was not one for empathy. But seeing Nona's rage pricked him, and he found the sight somewhat unbearable. Maybe it was because she was so lively and kind all the time, but he just felt that... he wanted to see her smile again. It only felt right when she, and the others, were smiling. He owed them much kindness, after all.

Though he did not know what to say, his plain eyes vaguely showed his concern. Just as he debated standing back up and reaching for her, Dotty bleated, and Nona's rage was quelled, much to his relief.

"...I'll try my best." To her final words of wisdom, Ricti could at first, only respond with that short statement. After a moment of thought however, he felt that he should elaborate. Now was a better time than ever to have a heart to heart after all.

"I understand that. And, with all this talk about helping the bishop quell a werewolf curse, I feel like I should help too. I need to repay him for healing me. I know that." His words were uttered at a fast pace, in quick, succinct statements. On the other hand however, as he retrieved the hand that was petting Dotty, his movements were slow and careful.

"But... I can't help but be reluctant. I only died a few hours ago. I... have barely had time to grieve over my own death. The sight of those bloodied fangs and furs, the howling, the sound of flesh tearing, it's all still so vivid..." Ricti found himself uncontrollably clenching his fists, unaware of the black and gold glow erratically glaring from the back of his left hand. Finally realizing the flashing lights, he quickly pulled farther away from Dotty, not wanting to damage the sheep's beady little eyes.

Sighing softly, he continued his rambling, holding his head in his hands. "Perhaps it was that God's intention. For me to confront my fears so soon. But... either way, I wanted to ask you for your opinion. Do you think I should go? How did you bare the feeling of wanting to strangle the neck of, or run away from, the first human you met in this world?" He questioned sincerely, looking the minotaur in the eye.

Ricti was well aware that he was whining, almost like a child to his mother. He was not usually the emotional type, he knew this very well. His emotions and thoughts too often felt so far away and hard to articulate. But for him right now, as fear is the strongest emotion he had felt thus far, he could only wish that he was more unfeeling.

 

[Vaudivolt]

While Ceylan and Seth discussed their approach to handling the combative bighorns, they stopped clashing. And both animals appeared to shift their attention toward the ongoing conversation. Granting their undivided interest to the destroyed fence – and the pair of strangers standing near it. Surprisingly enough, it almost seemed the animals needed a moment to discuss their approach like they were. By a combination of stomping hooves and bleating, they came to some form of agreement on the matter.

They had been unable to overcome their standstill and now sought to approach Ceylan and Seth in search of a new challenge. A development that suggested their clash had never been about the favor of the ewes but rather their own ability to overpower the other. The bighorns kicked back some of the already trampled dirt and charged at the fence. Yielding just short of 10 feet from the strangers, they snorted heavily.

Up close, the animals were easily chest-height and packed with a protective coat of dirtied, white wool. Their heads nearly disappeared beneath all the fluff. The only parts of the animals that really differentiated them from a ball of fluff with legs were two sets of horns. One set curled downwards and broke through the wool, like tusks, and the other set curved up from their scalp like horns. Below that, both animals wore a small pendant glimmered in the sunlight. Each with a different engravement, Capri and Corne.

It suggested they were closer to pets than wild animals, which did not seem too far off. They appeared fierce but seemed unwilling to deliver an unprompted headbutt. Instead, they stamped their hooves in place and repeatedly bowed their heads, hoping that the strangers would accept their challenge.

Nona Stoutwalker
Nona listened carefully to Ricti's words and patiently waited for him to finish rambling. The only time her kind disposition shifted to concern was when something happened to the hand petting Dotty. But, as soon as he moved his hand away, her gentle smile returned. She understood him better than she had expected. Once he finished, and sincere eyes looked at her for answers, she knelt before him. “When I woke up, I was forced to confront these fears.” She said, her eyes glancing down at herself. “I even looked more like my killers than I did when I died to them...”

Nona paused, let her words sink in, and placed her hand on Ricti's shoulder to gently rub it. “Don't you run away like I did.” She continued, using her failure in the hope it would prevent another. “This ranch wasn't always a haven for strangers. It was a haven from strangers...”

“When I woke up, I wandered around. Unable to convince myself everything was fine, even after I met no shortage of kind people.” She paused and seemed to reminisce about something. “So, I built myself a home near a dangerous mountain range - just to keep people away.”

“But, I think the mountain air was cold enough to cool my temper because eventually, you start to long for company.” She managed to chuckle at her own choice of words. “You start to allow people to seek shelter in your home. You listen to their stories and get a taste of their gratitude.”

“And now... my only regret is not allowing myself to accept them sooner.” She concluded with a smile and got back onto her feet - offering Ricti a hand to help him up. “If I could, I'd face your fears for you, but we both know that's impossible. So, the only thing I can suggest is to go with the good bishop and prevent your fear from rooting.”

“Trust me, or you'll end up in some shack halfway up a mountain.” She joked.

---

Elvario Tattletale SilverFeathers

 

[Tattletale]

Seth
​

Mentions: Vaudivolt Elvario

Seth saw the body language of the two bighorns change as they got closer to the herd. At first, the warrior worried a bit about their being aggressive and lashing out, so he moved to stand between Ceylan and both animals, blocking the path of a possible charge. If one had to get body-checked, better be the one wearing armor. At a second glance, however, he noticed that they were standing their ground. Almost… Expectant? He half groaned, half chuckled. What was with rams in this world all behaving like honor-bound warriors?

“Uh, change of plans, bishop. I think these two are itching for a scrap. If you're not opposed, I'd say I can give it to them. Maybe if they tire themselves out, they'll stay inside, and we can work on the other sheep later.” Seth vaulted over the fence to stand in the center of what had been the enclosed space, before the damage. “Ah, I'd appreciate you calming them down afterward, just in case.” In one fluid motion, Seth unslung her spear and twirled it, steel flashing in the afternoon light as he settled in a low fighting stance. His weapon was bottom-first, of course. These were simply domestic animals, and the fight, basically a spar.

Seth grinned, amused at the thought of this not being his first time dueling cattle, and called out to his two opponents. A thought came to him, and he almost let out a laugh, remembering the air-headed knight he had met not so long ago on the road. A good egg, that one. Wouldn't hurt to have a little fun like she did. “Sir Capri and Sir Corne of House Stoutwalker! I accept your challenge. Have at thee!” He braced himself, hoping that the animals would understand his meaning, if not his words.

(OoC: Any Abilities Seth uses are going to be with the Non-Lethal tag.)

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ricti (#BD5C0F)​

Character Sheet
Vaudivolt​

Ricti could resonate with Nona's first few words. Though he did not fear humans as he did canines, especially since he was originally born as one, it did not change the mixed feelings he felt towards them. Not long ago, he ate and hunted them, and when they turned on him with their bludgeons and firearms alike, he ran and hid. Safe to say just looking at Seth, and partially at Ceylan, somewhat made the ex-zombie difficult to sit still. Naturally, his traumatic fear of Ceylan's ears and tail overruled all of that most of the time, however.

Still, after hunting and running from them for a lifetime, he was now human. Imagining how it must've felt for Nona was not too difficult to comprehend.

During her long speech, Ricti merely stared at the minotaur now sat face to face with him, both scrutinizing her words and trying his best to resonate with them. Occasionally, his head would lower in thought. But by the end of it, he was staring her straight in the eye, without a hint of expression even as she light-heartedly left a joke behind.

For a few moments, all was still. But then, his face slowly moved... and he smiled.

It was a rare genuine and soft smile, one that led to a gentle expression that actually suited his body's youthful appearance, rather than that soulless, unfeeling face that seemed to age him by ten years.

"Thank you Nona. I feel like... I could have easily seen myself taking the same path as you. Closing myself off from the world out of fear and hate... What a regretful second life that would've been." He began gently, back to petting Dotty's uninjured head as he tidied the wool around her eyes. It was true. He was used to running. Such a bad habit would've definitely culminated in a similar fashion to Nona's, perhaps even worse if left undealt with. After all, unlike Nona when she transmigrated, he was already instinctively used to being completely alone. He could've spent the entirety of his new lifetime on his lonesome, afraid of the things that once hurt him. But now he knew, that is not the path he wanted.

"Your story also reminded me of my first thought. When I woke up in that mountain temple. 'You are alive again.'" His enunciation was slow as he thought back to that strange place. "That phrase probably doesn't mean much on it's own... But, I think it means quite a lot to me, so thank you for reminding me of it." He explained carefully, realizing such a thought probably sounded like something expected for anyone reborn again. But to the him that was alive, but not alive, for so long, he felt its meaning was quite special.

"I should make the most of this new life I have. One where I no longer run and hide." He stated light-heartedly, carefully standing up again as he pulled his sleeves up. "Should we get to work now? We've been slacking off for a while. And we have an extra person to pack for now too." He nodded towards Nona expectantly, his face slowly falling back into that usual, ever stoic expression. But funnily enough, there was a warm little glint in his eyes now, one that denoted the loss of the draining burden that had weighed upon his shoulders.

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: Vaudivolt | Seth Tattletale

He listened to Seth's replies. “Are you sure that applies to these rams as well?” He'd ask, as he couldn't imagine those two being skittish for the life of him. “It should work at any point, but if they're already committed to attacking, its effect will be far weaker. Think of it as the effect of a herbal tea to sooth the nerves on a cold winter night compared to on a sweltering summer day. The ingredients are there, but the situation isn't there to make the most of them.”

He wasn't sure about the rest of Seth's plans. “Aren't these rams the only two we need to bring in? In a worst case scenario, we could lure them all the way to Nona.” As he stated it, he imagined it... and realised that him and Seth running for their lives from two sheep might not make the best impression. It'd get the job done, but at what cost? “Perhaps not that.” He stated, before Seth could reply.

To his surprise, it was 'perhaps exactly that' instead, as the rams themselves started to take initiative. He nervously swallowed as the rams made ready to run for them, grabbing his catalyst and getting ready to summon them in defence of himself. It'd be his only option to defend himself, for that matter. Luckily enough, they stopped. Instead, they just challenged them. A challenge Ceylan would not accept.

To his surprise, however, Seth did accept it. “Perhaps see if you can fight them one on one in turn. They do seem to challenge you 'fairly' in some manner, so they're likely intelligent enough to possibly understand such intentions.” He suggested, observing the sheep and Seth alike. He also still doubted they needed to herd the other sheep back to begin with, instead of just those bighorns. “I'll be ready.” He stated, with regard to calming them down.

He was also ready to heal Seth, just in case. To that degree, he was a bit baffled at Seth's sudden proclamation. Was this some odd mercenary custom? He had no clue, but at this rate, he was more curious to how the sheep would react. Just how intelligent were they? He'd try to estimate it by observing their emotional state with [Empathy D] and trying to see just how much affect Seth's words had on it.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Capri & Corne
The sight of Seth's spear flashing in the midday sun elicited bleating from the pair of bighorns. Their hooves stomped excitedly against the trampled ground, eager for this challenge to commence. But also keenly aware of their opponent's backward spear. They had previously tested mettle against others but never against someone who so instinctively understood their harmless intentions. Like them, their opponent was honor-bound. Their opponent challenged them by name.

Yet, despite Seth calling on both of them, only Capri stood his ground before him. His only movement was stepping back a few paces to create distance while Corne diverted entirely to the sideline. The animal moved over to Ceylan and nudged him with his horns. Something about the bishop, whether it was his gentle air, apparent understanding of their intentions, or titles, convinced Corne to lay down at his feet. The place he would remain to observe the first round of sparring.

It began the moment Capri noted that Seth appeared ready for their fight. And in response, the bighorn dug away at the ground to find steady footing for a charge. He bleated to announce his imminent attack and tufts of grass went flying as Capri pushed off [1]. With his head bowed down and horns trained on the center of Seth's weapon, the animal charged [2]. And this time, with the intention to knock him over.

---

Action [1]: Movement [Fast E]
Action [2]: Basic Attack [Horns] – Effectiveness 5
Action [3]: -

Strength D
Natural Weapons [Horns] E

---

Nona Stoutwalker
“Hold on to that sentiment, and never let it go,” Nona added after listening to Ricti's final addition to their heartfelt conversation. She shared his genuine smile and gave his shoulder one more pat. In her belief, she had helped someone prevent a lifetime of loneliness, and she could not be happier for it. But then, Ricti pulled up his sleeves and mentioned that they were no closer to fulfilling their portion of the work.

“Gods, how am I running a ranch?” Nona said, shaking her head. “You'd think I'd be able to walk and talk by now, right?” She added jokingly and glanced around the stuff littering every corner of the shed. “Let's see,” Nona shifted some stacks around, then glanced back at Ricti, “Can you help me move some stuff? Cenric mentioned it would take a day or two, right?”

“So, we should get you all some stuff to set up a camp, grab whatever you think might be useful! Oh, and you'd also need something to get a fire started-- if we have time, I can also check the pantry for--”

Nona trailed off as she resumed searching through the shed. Whenever she found anything of slight use, she would attempt to pass it on to Ricti without a second thought. Old pots and pans. A bundle of slightly bent utensils. Other 'necessities' pulled from her hoard of stuff. She only stopped passing items along once she began pulling entire tent posts and wrapped canvas sheets from beneath old farming tools. “It's been a while since-- I've used--” She groaned, finally getting the remaining corner of the sheet unstuck.

“There we go! As I said, it's been a while since I've gone out hunting, but these will get you through the night, no problem!” She stated, hoisted the posts and sheets onto her shoulder, and patted her hand against the dusty sheets for emphasis. “So, did you find anything useful, Ricti?”

---

Tattletale SilverFeathers Elvario

 

[Tattletale]

Seth
​

Mentions: Vaudivolt Elvario

As he had hoped, the rams seemed to accept the challenge, bleating with anticipation at his readiness. Seth was happily surprised to see that only one charged once the mercenary issued the challenge. Certainly, those were truly honorable sheep, the noble peak of their kind. Scarily intelligent, too, truth be told. Still, with an amused smile, he stood his ground and carefully observed the animal dashing at him, treading on the grassy soil with remarkable speed. Seth took care of marshalling his expression, though. He had been told his face in battle took on a downright dreadful grin, and he didn't want to worry the good bishop.

The general absurdity of this duel should suffice to keep things light-hearted, though.

Seth waited until the last second before suddenly lashing out with a measured strike right between the beast's horns (1). Given the speed it was moving at, the warrior carefully angled his spear, so it would be a glancing blow. The last thing he wanted was to hurt the poor thing, and if the shaft got locked in said horns, maybe he could use that to maneuver the animal or try to floor it. That or get thrown on the floor instead. After all, winning wasn't really in this part of the job description.

—

Actions:
1 – Basic Attack [Spear] – Effectiveness 6
2 –
3 –

Strength C
Spear E

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: Vaudivolt | Seth Tattletale

Truth be told, he was pleasantly surprised when the rams acted as he thought they might and then some. Not only did one of them split off, leaving Seth to have his honourable duel, the other decided to challenge him...!?! Actually, no, false alarm. The other ram decided to just lie down instead. He relaxed again, deciding to sit down in the grass besides the ram. With a normal animal, that might be a big mistake, but somehow he felt like it'd turn out alright with this one. “Are you two training to protect Nona?” He'd ask, not really expecting an answer (cause he was talking to an animal), but thinking aloud and having his voice ensure the animal he had no intention to challenge anyone.

He'd carefully observe Seth's movements. All in all, he wondered just how much he'd be worth in combat. If he were to loose against some sheep, Ceylan would be doomed should their group run into werewolves. That said, at first glance, it looked like Seth knew what he was doing. Ceylan hoped that'd remain the same at second glance.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ricti (#BD5C0F)​

Character Sheet
Vaudivolt​

Nona's skinship was as always, a source of comfort for the recently revived human. Ricti couldn't help but pat the minotaur's tall shoulder back in reciprocation, before swiftly turning his attention back to immediate matters. "I believe so. I will admit I was not paying that much attention to the conversation about the trip earlier, because I didn't think it would have anything to do with me at the time." Ricti admitted straightforwardly, perhaps not the clearest on what he was actually getting himself wrapped up in. Having a fully functional brain again was kind of jarring, overwhelming even, at times. It would take him a while to adjust to being able to think and see everything clearly all at once, and not having to bumble through life with only the occasional acute thought.

Attentively, the ex-zombie carefully listened as Nona explained all sorts of different camping necessities and utensils, watching as well, at least, until his arms gradually became so full to the point that he could not see her anymore. Though his arms trembled faintly from the weight, with the various pots and gear clanking occasionally, he remained unaware of the pain signals his arms were yelling at him for. In the end, he only spoke up when Nona seemed to have finished up and asked him her final question, as he faintly realized he had made a mistake. "Oh... was I not supposed to hold all of this for you?" He pondered thoughtfully, trying to peek at the minotaur from behind the tall stack of camping gear.

"Aren't we only camping out for a night or two? Do we really need all this?" Ricti inquired curiously, unable to fathom needing so much for simply sleeping outdoors. If he hadn't come across this ranch, he would've just slept in a random tree without anything to his name. But, perhaps, that might not be a good habit or mindset to have now that he was no longer an undead.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Capri & Corne
As Capri's charge came within reach, Seth carefully locked his spear between the animal's horns. And, with a swift twist of the weapon, the mercenary forced the charging bighorn off its course. In response, Capri bleated as he skimmed past the intended target, his hooves hastily seeking firm ground to slow down. But all the animal managed was digging some curving grooves into the soft dirt before bumping into one of the fence's stone pillars. Luckily, the abundance of wool Capri carried softened the blow, so his pride hurt more than his body.

Meanwhile, Corne had kept himself busy appreciating the calm presence of Ceylan. And when the bishop decided to sit down next to him, the bighorn began slowly leaning into his side. His ears twitched at the question asked, but there was no audible reply. It seemed Corne was enjoying his short break while he watched Capri defend their honor. And while it appeared that Seth was taking the upper hand, Corne knew a second attack was coming.

Capri loudly bleated as he regained his footing. His hooves kicked back the dirt, initiating a second charge aimed at the weapon that had deflected him [1]. Despite losing the first round, he was still eager to knock the mercenary to the ground and claim victory over his opponent [2].

---

Action [1]: Movement [Fast E]
Action [2]: Basic Attack [Horns] – Effectiveness 5
Action [3]: -

Strength D
Natural Weapons [Horns] E

---

Nona Stoutwalker
It was not until Nona turned around to ask Ricti her question that she realized he had disappeared behind a stack of questionable camping gear. “Oh.” She initially responded as she gazed upon the pile in his arms. “No, I did kinda make you hold it, but I guess I got a bit carried away...” Nona admitted sheepishly and carefully adjusted the tents she carried before stepping closer to Ricti.

“Here, let me--” Lacking any finesse, Nona dug her arm into the middle of the pile, scooping up whatever did not spill onto the wooden floor with a hellish racket. In response to the noise, she glanced down and awkwardly shrugged at the chaos surrounding their feet. “Well, like you said, did you really need all that?” She joked while showing a slightly embarrassed smile.

“So.., let's bring this to the cart first, and then we'll see about the rest!” She quickly recovered and marched off toward the door. Reminded of the random stuff occupying her arms, she placed her hoof against the door and kicked it open. “Come, it's just around the side.” She said, glancing back at Ricti before stepping out of the shed. And mere moments later, the now familiar ruckus of dumping a random assortment of items unceremoniously onto a wooden surface filled the air once more – signifying Nona had reached the cart.

---

Tattletale Elvario SilverFeathers

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ricti (#BD5C0F)​

Character Sheet
Vaudivolt​

Ricti winced as the metallic cacophony of noise pierced his eardrums, caught off-guard by all the noise. More than the racket however, Ricti was impressed by the minotaur's strength, watching her smoothly march away despite holding both an entire tent and half of the stack of camping gear. Ah, now that he was human, he could probably work out and build up muscle mass too right? It was a strange realization, but perhaps it'd be useful to keep in mind considering this world didn't seem to be a peaceful one either.

"I'm sure you have a better eye for this than I do, so I'll trust your judgement." He tonelessly called out after the ranch owner, carefully wading through the new sea of utensils at his feet before following Nona to the wagon. He didn't care too much what was brought, but perhaps the other three had requirements that they would like met for their camp, so he thought he'd just let Nona pack whatever she thought might be useful.

As he passed by the shed door, that familiar dried crimson sight caught his sight once more. Pondering quietly, he didn't say anything until he followed Nona's lead and melodiously dumped all his stuff in the sturdy wooden cart. "When I come back, I'd also like to help you with cleaning & repairs around the ranch. I imagine I'd be better than most with gory sights, so you can leave such tasks for me." Ricti spoke up thoughtfully, stretching and twisting his sore human arms. "I'm curious though, do you have defensive or preventative measures planned in case of future incidents?" He inquired carefully, not trying to call the poor minotaur out after recent events, but more wanting to ensure her future was safe and without further heartache.

 

[Tattletale]

Seth
​

Mentions: Vaudivolt

Seth chuckled at the sight of the great ram skidding across the soft grassy floor and bumping on a stone pillar. Still, the animal didn't seem any worse for the wear and indeed, it soon bleated loudly and readied another charge. Seth dipped his head in acknowledgement of his bravery. With another swift movement, he spun his spear tip down and stabbed the ground, leaving it there like a flagless pole. After all, Capri didn't carry any weapon he hadn't been born with, so the mercenary reflected it would only be fair if he responded in kind.

It may have slipped his mind that he hadn't been born with steel armor either, but in any case, he couldn't quite doff it in the middle of a duel. Crouching slightly and holding his hands at the front, Seth braced himself for Capri's attack, ready to grab the ram by the horns and stop his charge cold. “Come at me, brave warrior!” He laughed, aware of how silly he might look from the outside, “let us see who is stronger!”

—

Actions:
1 – Basic Block (Vitality D, Heavy Armor E) – Effectiveness 5

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: Vaudivolt

He felt a slight hint of pride when he realised his [animal handling] skills had risen over time, as he felt the ram leaning into him. Perhaps if she should ever tire of being a Shepherd to his flocks of people, he should consider becoming a shepherd to actual sheep? The thought was one to entertain for a bit, but to write off. His tasks were elsewhere, even though present company was nice enough.

“It's almost a little unfair, isn't it? Having to fight against someone wielding a tool that far out-ranges your horns.” He spoke up softly, wondering if rams could perceive fairness or if they'd just think of Seth's spear as a really weird horn. At their current behaviour, he'd assume they knew fully well their foe was using a tool against them. He had to agree with Seth, sort-off, this rams were behaving surprisingly much like brave warriors. It was almost a shame he couldn't ask them to join the paladin order.

 

[Vaudivolt]

Nona Stoutwalker
When Ricti rounded the corner of the shed, he caught sight of a large, wooden cart with a rudimentary bench and tug at the front. The cart appeared well-used but sufficiently maintained for the upcoming travels. And standing next to the cart, Nona was waiting for him. Her arm leaned onto the side while her eyes followed Ricti as he added the remaining stuff to the pile. Now loaded, the cart was starting to look rather packed. The sight of it was enough to make Nona reconsider the idea of adding more. Perhaps she was overprotective in her attempt to prepare this group for everything.

Her attention moved from her own thoughts back onto Ricti when he spoke. Her eyes found him even while she leaned into the cart. “When you come back, I'd like to hear all about how you got rid of those werewolf bastards and saved the world, you hear? Then I won't have to worry about taking defensive measures against them!” She exaggerated playfully as her hands began sorting the piles on size. The large items like tents and bedding were put together along the sides, while smaller camping equipment filled up the remaining space.

Satisfied with the sorting, Nona got her arms out of the cart and placed one on Ricti's shoulder. “I'm partially serious, Ricti,” She started with a warm smile, “When you come back, I want to hear all about it, and you better come back with a good story!”

“Amnesia won't cut it next time!” She added, unable to contain the smirk growing on her face.

“Now then! Let's get this cart somewhere more accessible, shall we?” Nona rhetorically asked as she made her way to the front of the cart. Placing her hands onto the wooden poles connected to the front wheels, she hoisted them up and locked them underneath her arms.

“To the windmill, Ricti, let's go!” She instructed with some strain in her voice and leaned forward, using the combined force of her strength and weight to pull the cart out into the open. Once they reached the field before her home, she eagerly dropped the poles with a loud thud. No matter how easy she made it look, Nona took a moment to relax her arms afterward. Her gaze locked in the direction of the lake. “They'll be back soon enough, let's wait here for the time being, shall we?” She asked and glanced toward Ricti for confirmation.

Capri & Corne
Meanwhile, further down the path and out in a field of sheep, Seth had managed to get himself caught in a stalemate against Capri's horns. The animal huffed loudly but seemed unwilling to admit defeat. Seth's maneuver had been risky. He had purposefully disarmed himself and used that freedom of movement to grab Capri by the horns, but it had paid off! The mercenary's feet only slipped back during the impact, but not an inch further. And after that, the two adversaries soon got themselves deadlocked.

However, Capri's continued resistance was short-lived. Eventually, he broke the stalemate and stepped back rather than continuing fruitlessly pushing forward. The humbled bighorn lowered his head to what looked to be a bow. It represented an admission of defeat and a sign of respect toward the better combatant.

However, Capri admitting defeat did not guarantee Corne would follow suit. Not until he had tested Seth in a category of his own. Whether the bighorn had understood Ceylan's commentary on the fairness of the fight or perceived Seth's spear as a factor for his victory over Capri, he would even those odds. Getting back on his hooves, Corne wandered over to the spear stuck in the dirt. Circling it to find a good angle, he hooked his horns around the weapon and pulled it from the soil. The weapon balanced neatly between his horns, and Corne took off with it. Charging toward Nona's ranch, he would test whether or not Seth could match them both in a test of speed as well [1].

---

Action [1]: Movement [Fast E]
Action [2]: -
Action [3]: -

---

SilverFeathers Tattletale Elvario

 

[SilverFeathers]

Ricti (#BD5C0F)​

Character Sheet
Vaudivolt​

"Save the world?" Ricti mused deeply, wondering if this was that big of a deal. It did seem like she was just joking with her playful tone, but he knew too little about the world he had just dropped into to be completely sure. Were these werewolves a global threat? Were his new allies secretly a really big deal? He pondered, before nodding quietly. "I'll try my best."

Still, hearing her brush his mention of defensive measures aside worried him. Even if it wasn't werewolves next time, you never knew what the future could hold. In the end, Ricti silently made a mental note to do some research and secretly reinforce her defences and such when he came back to help repair. Observing Nona as she packed, he quickly noticed the categorization she was using and helped her move things around on the cart.

Listening to her prattle on excitedly, Ricti's gaze was warm. "Alright." He mused, wondering if he needed to bring a book with him to make sure he didn't forget any details. She had mentioned enjoying a good story twice now, so he felt he should try his best. Glancing at the loaded cart however persuaded him to make do without.

Watching Nona hoist and drag the wagon onward with ease, Ricti re-pondered if it was a racial difference, wondering if it was even possible for a normal human to reach her level of strength. Nodding at her words as they reached their destination, he glanced towards the lake as he wondered how the other two had fared with their tasks.

 

[Elvario]

Ceylan

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
Ceylan (Event) - Granblue Fantasy Wiki

Languages: Common | <Beastial>
Mentions: Vaudivolt | Seth Tattletale

“Well done.” He complimented Seth on his victory, upon seeing Capri bow down his head in defeat. He'd soon realise he'd congratulated Seth too early though. “It seems I've spoke to soon.” He said, as he laughed. The sight of Corne rushing off with Seth's spear was just too much. “I knew they were clever, but I didn't expect them to be this clever. It seems like we'll be the ones to get lured back to Nona.” He spoke, as he took a few deep breaths after his laughter. “Nona's got herself some fine guardians.” He added, as he stood up and turned to the direction of Nona's farm again. “Shall we?” He spoke, not intending to run, but to walk to Nona's farm instead. Then again, if Seth was planning to take a sprint, he wouldn't stop him.