Fantasy The Guildstone Chronicles ((Questing Thread))

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka IV
Location: Salvager Deck
Briefly Mentions: Sylph Key of Stars RatKing
​

More and more sailors were tranced, with Ashitaka running around like a madman getting the crew to pull it together. This was exceptionally difficult given that he still couldn't hear anything - perhaps earplugs were more of a curse than a blessing. With a few more hands now awake on deck, the air was getting increasingly still. He could've swore that he heard something coming from above him, or at least whatever garbled mess could make it through the sponge, and looked up to see a... bird? Now wasn't the time for questions. He allowed himself some hearing just long enough to hear the repeat:

"INCOMING!! KRAAAAA!! ALL CREW BELOW DECK! ALL CREW BELOW DECK!"

Perhaps it was time for a tactical retreat below the main deck. Returning his ear protection, he set about his new task: get as many sailors below as possible, himself included. Taking a detour to escort as many crewmen as he could find, hilt now firmly grasped in his hand, he narrowly avoided a broom shooting out of the door like a cannon, and made his way below deck, where he could finally relieve himself of the silencing tools. Note to self: figure out a better way to block out siren song. More than a few crewmates below had a rather uncomfortable red mark across their face - presumably from the steel of his gauntlet glancing their cheek. Whether they were giving him looks of contempt or gratitude, or perhaps intimidation, it just wasn't that important: they would thank him later.

And then... silence. Again. At first, he thought he was losing his mind and forgot to take out the earplugs, but they were in the palm of his hand. He tried to speak and get someone's attention, but he could not be heard - he couldn't even hear himself. What was happening? The crew looked just as uneasy as he did, albeit with more futility in trying to voice their concerns. Maybe those bards really were good at what they do.

There was nothing to do now but wait. The ship drifted on, soundless and alone, when out of nowhere... impact. He couldn't hear it, but he felt the wood tremble, and started for the main deck once more. Had they been boarded? Yes and no. It was only Ymir, thankfully. Only a short distance away from him stood Leo and Ruvo. They were clearly pouring their heart and soul - or at the very least their mana - into the music, only adding to the disappointment that he couldn't hear anything. Still, he remained wary, keeping his eye on the horizon, scanning for the Sirens.

But none came.

Eventually, what felt like ages after the silence began, it ended, and the ship was now within spitting distance of the shore. After a rather harrowing journey to sea, land was a sight for a sore eye. The crew had returned above deck, once again shooting glances his way. Surely he didn't hit anyone that hard... did he? One man in particular - Ashitaka recognized him as the first man he awoke - stood staring for a moment. He returned the gaze, looking him dead on. "Oh don't look at me like that. You're alive, aren't you?" The sailor sighed and walked away.

"Well! You made it past the sirens. I'd compliment your playing had I heard much of it. Can I ask what the cannon-fire was? Also I hate to say soon after the last disaster, but I think we may have pirates docked on the island." It was good to hear a familiar voice again, and while he didn't know anything about any cannon fire - maybe the broom? No, that would be ridiculous - he was all too familiar with pirates. Pirates? Here? Why? What were they going after that was so valuable? Ashitaka was beginning to sorely regret coming along on a Silver rank mission for his first. Still, there was no turning back now, thus he steeled his courage and set about reorienting the crew and helping where he was needed - all while awaiting further orders.

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Salvager Deck
Mentions: SilverFeathers Sylph RatKing BakaTheIdiot Uasal ​

Leonidas let out a silent sigh of relief when Ymir touched back down on the deck, though he did notice the absence of Nanalee who he assumed had gone with Ymir before, at least, they had stormed out of the cabin together.

He shook his head and mouthed a silent no to Ymir before watching her hurrying along the deck toward the helm, somewhat impressed that she didn't stumble a single time, a rather big step up from when he had to lend her his support for each step when she first boarded the ship.

"Well! You made it past the sirens. I'd compliment your playing had I heard much of it." He smiled. "I didn't do much really, it was all this guy this time." He said, giving Ruvo a pat on the shoulder. "That said, I wonder if we even had to do anything this time, Taka over there seemed to have it handled fine on his own." He pointed at Ashitaka with his thumb over his shoulder. "Slapping the living daylights out of all the sailors seemed like a fairly effective strategy." He said with a chuckle.

"Can I ask what the cannon-fire was?" Leonidas shook his head. "My guess is as good as yours, maybe one of the others knows."

"Also I hate to say soon after the last disaster, but I think we may have pirates docked on the island." He sighed, much as he wanted to say it did it really did not surprise him anymore given everything else that had gone wrong today. "Is Nanalee okay?" He asked, expression worried. He assumed that if Nanalee was in trouble Ymir wouldn't have wasted any time and told them right from the start but he had noticed her absence from the moment that Ymir came back alone so he couldn't help but wonder where she was.

"Did they look strong?" He asked after a moment of silence. He still didn't fully understand Eiru's obsession with the relic on the island but he wasn't about to risk his own or anyone else's life to obtain it if the pirates looking for it were stronger than the Salvager's crew.

 

[RatKing]

Ruvo Steelfeather
Location: Salvager Deck
Mentions: Sylph Key of Stars BakaTheIdiot
​

Ruvo was deeply focused on maintaining the area of silence, so much so in fact he didn't quite register Hanzel's signal to stop playing his instrument the first time around. Taking his hands off the strings of his lute, the silence quickly fell to the sound of the waves, creaking of the boat, and flapping of the canvas sails rushing back in. Breathing a sigh of relief that everything was okay Ruvo set his instrument aside and relaxed a bit. Maintaining the spell until they approached their destination took a fair bit of mana but he was mostly just glad that the pressure and intensity of the situation was over.

"Well! You made it past the sirens. I'd compliment your playing had I heard much of it." "I didn't do much really, it was all this guy this time." "It wasn’t all me, you were there to back me up if anything went wrong and Ashitaka helped out buying us time extra time to improvise something" he replied not wanting to have all the credit given to him. "Can I ask what the cannon-fire was?" "Cannon-fire? There wasn't any cannon-fire, at least...I'm pretty sure there wasn't" he answered clearly not quite sure himself "Then again I was focused on trying to quickly plan something to stop siren’s song, but surely I'd imagine I would hear a cannon if it went off." "Also I hate to say soon after the last disaster, but I think we may have pirates docked on the island." "What?" Ruvo questioned with a worried tone. "Like regular pirates right? Something we can handle right?" he asked hoping dearly it was not one of the pirate lords.

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Salvager Deck --> Island Shore
Mentions: Key of Stars RatKing BakaTheIdiot SilverFeathers Uasal ​

The island took on a new foreboding from below, misty drafts descending from rocky spires to meet them at the banks. The ship rocked as it slowed to a trepidatious crawl through the shallows, and hush descended over the deck.

"I didn't do much really, it was all this guy this time." Leo said, pointing a thumb at Ruvo who promptly tried to escape the sudden praise.

"It wasn’t all me, you were there to back me up if anything went wrong-" Ymir peered at the intrument he still held as he argued pointless things with Leo. She had met plenty of bards but songs of silence were new to her. "And Ashitaka helped out buying us time extra time to improvise something"

Oh? Ymir turned to raise a brow at the one she'd assumed to be a swordsman. If she found out there was another bard along for the ride--no offence to Ruvo or Leo--she was packing up her stuff and--

"Slapping the living daylights out of all the sailors seemed like a fairly effective strategy."

She glanced back to Leo, then at Ashitaka who was dealing with the sideye from a rather disgrunted worker. "Oh don't look at me like that. You're alive, aren't you?"

Oh no- this is way better. She covered her face with a hand, curling over as she tried not to disturb the conversation. She couldn't tell if anyone else apart from the sailor had a similiar expression, but she could just picture it happening. Perhaps it's worth staying after all.

"Is Nanalee okay?"

Hm? Ymir's gaze drifted towards the towering spires at the question, shifting in thought. She favoured fidgeting with the springs and coils of her glider as the shadows stretched higher above them. "She was fine last I checked. She's at the ridge watching for threats."

"What? Like regular pirates right? Something we can handle right?"

"Did they look strong?" Leo followed up, though Ymir remained somewhat distracted. She swore she saw movement at one of the peaks, but that could just as easily be a hostile thing. Or a lone creature, should any choose to reside in the barren crags. Maybe a shadow of the mist.

"They looked shipwrecked," she said eventually. "Like they'd been torn apart on the way. Mast in tatters, hull full of holes." And dressed in barnacles by the looks of it. "They have guns, which is troublesome. I think they might have hit a reef and gotten stuck, but if they're looking for other ways off the island the Salvager would make a good target." She gestured vaguely towards the silhuette of what she assumed to be their friend. "Nanalee's keeping an eye on it."

The boat lurched to a stop with a shudder, reminding with a start that she was a little too far from any support. Scuttling back to her railing she kept out of the way as Hanzel called the others over to the dingy rowboat the crew had set up. Ymir noted Eiru emerging from the depths of the cabin to join them. She shifted the weight on her feet.

"I'll meet you lot on the shore," she said to Leo, eyeing the wooden vessel with some trepidation.

The air stirred with her departure over the railing. As she swept over the still waters towards the shore she almost wished for the return of Ruvo's silence--the wind through the rocks above created a howling echo that lingered in the mind. She aimed for somewhere further up the 'beach' to land--if the grey mass of dead coral and granite shards could be called such--and settled down to wait for the rest of the adventurers.

The interim gave her some time to think, and another problem quickly arose. For Nanalee and herself getting out of the safe-haven alcove was easy. Despite the overhanging rockface and trepidatious winds the skies were free, but the sheltered nature of the cove was as much a blessing as a curse. Unless the other four had learned how to fly in the interim, they were going to need a way out of the area, and the rockface offered few. They could try paddle out for a new landing spot, scale the overhanging ridges, or there was a network of caves nearby that showed promise. None seemed particularly appealing at a glance, but then they weren't exactly spoiled for choice. Do we even know where we're going?

 

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka IV
Location: Salvager Deck (Prepared for Departure)
Mentions: (briefly) Sylph Key of Stars RatKing ​

"They looked shipwrecked, Like they'd been torn apart on the way. Mast in tatters, hull full of holes. They have guns, which is troublesome. I think they might have hit a reef and gotten stuck, but if they're looking for other ways off the island the Salvager would make a good target." That certainly didn't bode well. Of course the pirates had guns, when have pirates ever fought fair? Nevertheless, the steel from just one of the barrels would be more than enough for a good blade repair...

Ymir took off again, leaving a brief remark and sailing the winds to shore. That was that. This was going to become a common theme, wasn't it? Oh well. With no time for words, Ashitaka merely nodded his companion off, knowing they would rendezvous again. He murmured to himself, knowing full well she couldn't hear - but where he was from, words carried power even without the ears to hear them, and as such he offered a quick grace of luck: "Don't die."

Now to more pressing matters. It was time to get ashore, and he had suffered more than enough time on this blasted ship, and smelled enough salt to last a lifetime. Hanzel was already setting up the rather unsightly raft, but it would float, and thus would simply have to do. "Right. Come now, gentlemen!" He called over to Leo and Ruvo. "We've a relic to find - or not find, I'm not entirely sure at this point. Regardless! I've had enough of the sea for the next few hours, and I'm headed to shore. I advise you do the same."

With that, he made his way to the expeditionary ship - giving Hanzel a quick nod - and picked up a paddle. There was no telling what awaited on the shore, if anything at all, but now was not a time to take chances. He had skirmished with pirates before, in his brief stint as a bodyguard, and there was a reason he didn't keep that profession for long...

 

[SilverFeathers]

Nanalee Imphon | Of Spiritual Snow
A curious explorer with a love for battle, adventure and power.​

• Appearance
• Notes

• 
• Location
  At Sea - Siren's Watch - Maw/Shore w/ Ymir
  
  Mentions
  Sylph

Time passed by quickly once Nanalee was left on her lonesome. Not long after the urgency of the situation left her control, she abandoned their original mountaintop and flew to another that offered a better vantage point on the undead pirate ship. Curled up on a small icy perch and peeking over the mountain's peek, she watched the little figures finish getting off the ship and scatter in every direction. They didn't seem to care at all about where herself and Ymir had fled to. What could they possibly be searching for so urgently... could it be the same thing that Eiru mentioned? A terrible relic, hidden beneath the sea... Then again, for such a dangerous and ominous location, there were likely other hidden secrets and treasures right? She didn't like the idea of having competition, but it was best to remain prepared for anything. Hunting beasts and monsters, and even just sparring with others, was fun. But fighting seriously against other people... was a little less so.

Noticing a familiar red-sailed boat approaching the maw of the island, she wiped the solemnity of her thoughts away and prepared to depart. The air so high up was bitingly cold, but to a snow harpy like herself, she could only call it revitalizing. Taking one last glance towards the locations of the scattered undead pirates, she quietly stepped off the peak and spread her wings. Soaring close to the mountainside to avoid being seen, she looked ahead and vaguely saw the figure of a familiar white-haired individual gliding over and landing by the shore. Brightening up with a smile, she landed right beside her fellow scout, bringing a whirlwind of miscellaneous dust and loose debris.

"Hey Ymir! Did everything go well?" Nanalee shook her wings lightly before lowering her arms and peering over the horizon to the little raft as well as the Salvager behind it. "How were the sirens? And have you asked Eiru where exactly we're going?" She inquired with a smile, before waving to everyone on both the Salvager and the little raft. To go beneath an island... probably meant caves, water, or both, right? No matter which of those were the answer, she would not be very useful in such an environment. Should she just stay outside and keep watch? Well, either way, it'd be best to see what the actual situation was like first. Stretching her talons slightly, she sharply focused her gaze on the little witch Eiru, as she was the one leading this sudden new quest of theirs...

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support

Eiru spent the entirety of the siren assault below deck alongside many of the ships more vulnerable crewmembers. Sirens were an ancient seaborn race and their songs were known to be the bane of many a sailor so it came as no surprise to Eiru when many of the men began to pray to one god or another in her company. Sitting upon the floor with her legs crossed and her chin in a proped up hand Eiru watched as with a subtle grin the murmurs and prayers of those men vanish in but an instant, replaced with an eerie silence that loomed large in the compact bunk house. What was previously plaguing those men with fear was that of a song and now ironically it was the exact opposite that seemed to be frightening them even more so. The witches subtle grin soon grew to be, well, not so subtle and as she watched the crew scream out into the void in attempts to produce even a little noise the witches soft chuckle met the same fate. Eyes flashing a dim red, Eiru rose to her feet and made her way to a porthole, opening it only to gaze down at the swarming mass of sirens below. Sticking her head out the window she began to stare at the creatures condescendingly, her grin stretching to its limit as she laughed out into the silent void. This was pure chaos, how exciting.

Returning to the deck sometime later, Eiru had managed to compose herself. Her eyes were their normal shade and her smile was genuine. The small witch had barely just managed to catch a glimpse of Ymir as she took off but with everything that was going on she paid her actions no heed, surely she wasn't still upset was she? Moving to the centre deck Eiru shot Hanzel a wink and thanks before moving off to join the rest of the guild on the 'beach'. Doing so was not as easy without her broom but manageable all the same with a rope ladder and some effort. Moving to join right after Nanalee's return and question. Standing firm with her hands on her hips in a soft of power pose Eiru began to speak "Hue hue hue... Keen to get a move on are we Nanalee? That's the spirit!" Laughing softly to herself eiru Closed her eyes and mimed the words "Inie, meanie, miney... Mo!" Before settling a finger on the leftmost cave face before them. The only cave to seem completely unstable out of all of them to boot. "That one. That's the way we should take. This cave... it speaks to me." As if on queue a large stalactite fell from the mouth of the cave and impaled a seagull that was resting below.

Moving her finger ever so slightly to the right Eiru picked out another cave "As I said, this cave speaks to me!". Looking to the group with a puzzled frown Eiru spoke again "Come on, what's up with you guys. The sirens are behind us now. A cave or two isn't anything to be worried about? You all look as though you've seen a ghost. What's wrong? Can't swim?"

Sylph Key of Stars RatKing BakaTheIdiot SilverFeathers​

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Shoreline
Mentions: SilverFeathers Uasal BakaTheIdiot RatKing Key of Stars ​

"Hey Ymir!" There wasn't much warning as Nanalee landed nearby, bringing with her a cloud of calcite and granite dust as the tailwind hit the bank. Ymir in response, sweeping the air away with a flick of her wrist before it could settle atop them both. "Did everything go well? How were the sirens?"

"We didn't loose anyone, as far as I'm aware." The rocks and coral dug into her clothes as she returned to resting her arms atop her knees, but she enjoyed the sounds the ocean made against the shore. Her glider sat beside her as they watched the rowboat make its perilous journey across the waves.

"Have you asked Eiru where exactly we're going?" Nanalee continued, her talons combing through the chalky shards as she shifted the weight on her feet. Ymir eyed the gleaming weapons for a moment before deciding it wasn't a danger. Nanalee had turned out to be a welcome presence on the journey so far, for all the instinctive wariness Ymir had to contend with. She wasn't used to having someone keep up with her in the skies, but it was nice to share them with a kindred spirit.

"From what I recall she said the relic is under the island," she said easily, shrugging at the notion. "Don't know how she plans to get to it, since last I checked none of us have earth or water abilities, and those caves will only go down so far before they become submersed." Ymir was only any good with caves filled with air. She could imagine nothing worse than the winding tunnels filled with water and darkness. Hard pass on that, thank you very much.

She stood as the boat finally approached the shore, brushing off the small bits of rock and coral caught in her clothes. She followed after Nanalee more slowly, picking her way down the bank and settling as far from the trepidatious waves as she could while still being in range of the conversation.

"Hue hue hue... Keen to get a move on are we Nanalee? That's the spirit!" Eiru laughed in response to what Ymir assumed to be the same question Nanalee had asked her, and it was relieving to see the witch was still in high spirits. Ymir counted the rest of the group that joined them; Leo and Ruvo and even Ashitaka had come along--that was a surprise. Sure he was part of the guild, but it was still the first time they'd all met and she had mentioned there might be pirates. Either the swordsman was fed up with the ocean or he wasn't half as sensible as he appeared.

"Inie, meanie, miney... Mo!" Eiru's sudden movement drew Ymir's attention towards the caves once more, landing on the one opening that looked to any sane person like a gaping maw. She blinked, her eyes lighting up in a faint yellow glow. "That one," Eiru continued. "That's the way we should take. This cave... it speaks to me."

Ymir sighed as what little colour the shore possessed faded away, leaving the outline of an ants nest of rock and stone that wound through the mountian.

"That one's a dead end," Ymir said, and right on cue one of the teeth cracked to drop onto an unsuspecting creature beneath--just a seagull, granted, so it wasn't a great loss to the world--but ephasis on the dead.

"As I said, this cave speaks to me!" Eiru's arm shifted to the right, and it was almost impressive how she managed to pick the second worst option right after the first. "Come on, what's up with you guys? The sirens are behind us now. A cave or two isn't anything to be worried about. You all look as though you've seen a ghost."

"Eiru," Ymir said, still in the midst of examining the network of fissures with glowing eyes. "Your preternatural attraction towards danger is great when we're looking for enemies, but not so much when we're trying to avoid them." If the others were showing apprehension, it was probably to do with the black mass of urchins coating the walls. "As far as I can tell that one leads straight underwater."

"What's wrong? Can't swim?"

No...? Ymir's eyes flickered, returning to their normal state in time for her to frown at Eiru. "Ashitaka and Leo maybe, but Nanalee and Ruvo both have feathers-" Which probably weren't much help unless they were a waterproofed variety. "And at what point did you get the impression I knew how?" She spent most of her time avoiding water at all costs, which Eiru should be well aware of by this point--

"None of us can breath underwater anyway," Ymir huffed. "So no, if we're going through the caves we're taking the right-most one." It seemed to lead to a much larger chamber further in, and if her suspicions were correct then they were all standing on the eroded contents of a magma vent. "Unless you or anyone else has better plans for getting us out of here."

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Siren's Watch
Mentions: Sylph Uasal BakaTheIdiot RatKing SilverFeathers ​

"Come on, what's up with you guys. The sirens are behind us now. A cave or two isn't anything to be worried about? You all look as though you've seen a ghost. What's wrong? Can't swim?" Leonidas slowly shook his head. "I'm worried about several things and your seagull murdering cave is the least of those worries at the moment." He said with a sigh, he had been thinking about Ymir's words ever since they left for the island but it just wasn't logical no matter which way he looked at it.

"It just doesn't make sense, if those pirates are shipwrecked why would they attack a scout? Even if they have ill intentions surely they would still try to lure us to them before attacking, the only reason you would attack a scout is if you have a handle on things but from what Ymir told me it would seem that they don't." He said, fiddling with the hilt of his weapon. "I have a terrible feeling about this whole expedition."

"Ashitaka and Leo maybe, but Nanalee and Ruvo both have feathers-" "I can swim, but that still doesn't mean I can hold my breath for more than a minute or two, I'm not a fish. Swimming in the sea, big fan. Swimming in underwater caves with no way out? Not so much."

"Unless you or anyone else has better plans for getting us out of here." He nodded. "I do, yes. Eiru, if we're getting this relic for someone unimaginably strong like you told me, surely they can get it themselves. I can think of just a single ship that fits Ymir and Nanalee's description and..." He thought back to the information the tavernkeeper had given them. "If it really is that ship we'll all be wiped out without getting so much as a chance to fight back." He said with a grim expression.

He looked around the group. "Come on, at least one of you has to agree. We're about to undertake an expedition to get some relic we know nothing about for some big shot that none of us except for Eiru have ever heard of. I don't think we should assume there's no sirens on the island either, if that relic is that important surely they have sirens guarding it all over the island. I know we've been over this and I know I said I would come," He said, turning to Eiru. "But that was before pirates were involved. If that ship really is the Final Tomb we don't stand the slightest of chances in a fight and I refuse to get slaughtered for a relic that none of us benefit from."

He let out a deep sigh. After all, they had already gone over this and at this point argueing more with the small witch definitely wasn't going to get him anywhere. "I'll still go. But you have to promise that if the pirate on this island is actually that crazy lunatic, we give up and run."

 

[RatKing]

Ruvo Steelfeather
Location: Shoreline
Mentions: BakaTheIdiot Uasal Sylph Key of Stars
​

"Right. Come now, gentlemen! We've a relic to find - or not find, I'm not entirely sure at this point. Regardless! I've had enough of the sea for the next few hours, and I'm headed to shore. I advise you do the same." Ashitaka declared just moments after Ymir took off on their glider. It seemed the swordsman was eager to get a change of scenery. The rowboat ride over to the beach was rocky but luckily they managed to reach the shore without incident and it did help keep Ruvo's mind off the notion of fighting a band of pirates.

"Inie, meanie, miney... Mo! That one. That's the way we should take. This cave... it speaks to me."" Eiru quickly chose their path forward upon arriving on the shoreline but in a manner almost childish or random which wasn't what he expected from someone like Eiru who seemed to know what they were doing most of the time. But perhaps this was some kind of magical sixth sense thing that was hard to explain. Or at least that is what he thought until a stalactite broke off from the roof of the cave and crushed a seagull below. "We're going to die" Ruvo mumbled to himself as Eiru adjusted where they were pointing to and repeated their statement about the cave speaking to them.

"Come on, what's up with you guys. The sirens are behind us now. A cave or two isn't anything to be worried about. You all look as though you've seen a ghost. What's wrong? Can't swim?" Luckily Ymir stepped in and lent their opinion on the situation as well as suggested what he assumed was the safest path available to get below the island before asking if anyone else had a better plan.

The one to answer that question would be Leo who was trying to make sense of the whole situation from the shipwrecked pirates who fired guns at Ymir and Nanalee to the prospect of obtaining a relic for some supposedly exceptionally powerful person. But the part that really caught Ruvo's attention was the mention of the 'Final Tomb' after Leo mulled over the description of the ship. He recognized that name, it was the name of the vessel commanded by a pirate lord. If Ruvo's demeanor was noticeably worried before it was definitely much more pronounced now.

"I agree with Leo, I didn't mind helping you before Eiru. This relic is obviously very important to you since you didn't even want us to touch it. Collapsing caves, sirens, and diving into underwater lakes are one thing, but fighting a pirate lord from what I've heard is something else entirely. And what's worse is that if we're underground or underwater I don't know how safe or useful my magic will be, I may just be in everyone's way." he trailed off toward the end "So I guess maybe we should keep the option of retreat in mind"

 

[SilverFeathers]

Nanalee Imphon | Of Spiritual Snow
A curious explorer with a love for battle, adventure and power.​

• Appearance
• Notes

• 
• Location
  At Sea - Siren's Watch - Maw/Shore w/ Ymir, Eiru, Leo, Ruvo & Ashitaka
  
  Mentions
  BakaTheIdiot

"I did think about this whilst we were on board, but we really are a bad match up for this huh." Nanalee commented quietly, as she pondered over both Leo's poems and Ruvo's music. She didn't know the extent of Ymir's air magic, but she suspected that it would be harder to use underwater than well, in the air. Her ice magic would likely be difficult to control too, not to mention how her feathers would weigh her down and hinder her movements once waterlogged.

Additionally... "The Final Tomb? Pirate Lord?" She questioned out loud as she collected the few memories she had of those words. She recalled nearer the beginning of the expedition, Leo had mentioned these individuals, and that they were to be avoided at all costs... Well, looks like the already low odds of success for this mission just sharply dropped. Glancing towards the still twitching corpse of a seagull, and then back at the little witch who had unashamedly changed the direction of her finger, she couldn't help but feel that this was doomed to not go well.

Still, whether they chose to press on, or tactically retreat, didn't matter much to her. She wasn't afraid, no matter the odds. Her spine still tingled from the ominous atmosphere of the island, the shrill howls of the wind and the feeling of being watched, but such a thing wasn't enough to make her falter. Bravery, at the least, was one of her most redeeming traits.

Her eyes roamed towards the familiar ship still in sight across the sea. Whilst on the mountaintop, she had hoped that they had already discussed such matters before disembarking. It wasn't like the Salvager was going to wait for them indefinitely right? Or... were they even going to wait? They joined the expedition to the Sacred Isles, but then left the crew on a side mission... would the adventurer's guild deduct their rewards for this? "For my first quest, things sure have gotten a little complicated." She muttered quietly as her eyes wandered, silently pondering if future quests would be like this, before eventually landing back on the human swordsman who had suddenly appeared and joined them in her absence.

Eyes filled with curiosity, with her previous thoughts discarded, she shiftily sidled over to him and gave him a bright smile in greeting. "Hello! It's nice to meet you, I'm Nanalee, are you a veteran adventurer like the others?" She whispered, not wanting to disrupt the serious discussion the others were having. "I'm guessing you're a swordsman like Leo?" She glanced towards his blade for a moment, before facing his eyepatch with a smile. Her eyes couldn't help but wander to weapons time and time again, perhaps it was because of her battle-thirsty nature, but she subconsciously kept an eye out on what combat capabilities the people and creatures she meets hold.

 

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka IV
Location: Salvager Deck --> Sacred Isles shoreline
Mentions: Key of Stars Sylph Uasal SilverFeathers RatKing ​

For a brief, sweet moment, Ashitaka had completely forgotten about Eiru. It seemed that, in the time between publicly threatening Leo, openly disregarding any common calls for safeties, and the sirens, she had remained exactly the same. A pity, but it wasn't really his problem. Rowing to shore, the trip was slow and smooth, with the now heavily-packed raft holding on much better than he had prepared for, and brushing against the shore. Land at last.

Now came the all important step of where to go next. The Sacred Isles seemed like a pretty big place, with at least a dozen places to store a "relic" just off the top of his head. Before he could even open his mouth and voice a suggestion, the witch once again piped up: "That one. That's the way we should take. This cave... it speaks to me." Did she seriously pick a cave at random? Just like that, one of the overhanging stalactites fell and brutally impaled a seagull - a bad omen. Maybe.

"We're going to die." Ashitaka looked over at the avian, Ruvo. "We are not going to die. Injured or scathed perhaps, but not die." That wasn't helping. "If you're that worried about it, just stay behind me. I may not have mana, but I can give someone a really bad day through a sword or my gauntlets." He offered a brief, but warm, smile.

"Come on, what's up with you guys. The sirens are behind us now. A cave or two isn't anything to be worried about? You all look as though you've seen a ghost. What's wrong? Can't swim?"

Any other day, Ashitaka would have stood his ground and offered sharp remarks - but today wasn't any other day. It was his first day on the job, and making enemies with his superior was definitely not a smart move. By any stretch. "It just doesn't make sense, if those pirates are shipwrecked why would they attack a scout? Even if they have ill intentions surely they would still try to lure us to them before attacking, the only reason you would attack a scout is if you have a handle on things but from what Ymir told me it would seem that they don't."

"Ashitaka and Leo maybe, but Nanalee and Ruvo both have feathers-" Funnily enough, Ashitaka could swim, and quite well. "I can swim." He shrugged. "I can also hold my breath and strangle someone underwater. That's not a problem: the problem is we - I - would freeze before I suffocate." Before he could continue his response, Leo voiced some... interesting details.

"If we're getting this relic for someone unimaginably strong like you told me, surely they can get it themselves. I can think of just a single ship that fits Ymir and Nanalee's description and... If it really is that ship we'll all be wiped out without getting so much as a chance to fight back." The bard paused. "Come on, at least one of you has to agree. We're about to undertake an expedition to get some relic we know nothing about for some big shot that none of us except for Eiru have ever heard of. I don't think we should assume there's no sirens on the island either, if that relic is that important surely they have sirens guarding it all over the island. I know we've been over this and I know I said I would come, but that was before pirates were involved. If that ship really is the Final Tomb we don't stand the slightest of chances in a fight and I refuse to get slaughtered for a relic that none of us benefit from."

"I agree with Leo, I didn't mind helping you before Eiru. This relic is obviously very important to you since you didn't even want us to touch it. Collapsing caves, sirens, and diving into underwater lakes are one thing, but fighting a pirate lord from what I've heard is something else entirely. And what's worse is that if we're underground or underwater I don't know how safe or useful my magic will be, I may just be in everyone's way."

Was there seriously talk of backing out? Now? They were already on the shore. He had come so far, and he was not about to back out now. "What in the gods' names has gotten into all of you? What is this Final Tomb you mention? And can somebody tell me what the hell- oh, nevermind." All of these new names were making his head hurt. "It doesn't make a difference if there are pirates here or not - I am not setting foot on that blasted ship for at least an hour or two. We'll get the relic and get out. If we're fast, they won't even notice we're here." He had come on too strong, for sure. He stepped back behind the crowd to simmer. Moments later, Leo conceded, and as if on cue, the winged being from earlier swept down next to him and began introducing herself - properly this time.

"Hello! It's nice to meet you, I'm Nanalee, are you a veteran adventurer like the others?" Veteran was a bit of a strong word. Yes, he had seen quite a bit and done some adventuring here and there, but the irony was that he had quite literally just started working for the guild. "That depends on your definition of veteran. I've gotten around, but this is my first job for the guild, to which I assume it's also yours."

"I'm guessing you're a swordsman like Leo?" Leo was a swordsman? He hadn't noticed - rather embarrassing, actually. He did notice, however, how her eyes darted to his blade. Those eyes were filled with an almost immature wonder, as if pleading to see it. "My eye is up here. This? It's nothing impressive." Ashitaka's left hand lifted to his shoulder, and with it, the blade was drawn, its rough steel and glinted edges becoming plain. "It's a family heirloom - a dull family heirloom. I maintain it as best I can, given the circumstances - but even a dull blade can be sharp if its wielder's edge is equally fine."

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support

Eiru had meant her question of swimming in jest but apparently, not everyone seemed to be in the mood for such a thing and the reason as to why soon became apparent with the mention of pirates. What were pirates doing on this mess of a craggy island? It was true that Sirens hoarded the gold of fallen ships but to actually dive into a nest of them in search of it? That was suicidal at best. And what was this final tomb thing Leo spoke about? Why did it sound so familiar? Had she heard it mentioned recently? Moving a hand to her chin Eiru thought on the subject but for whatever reason, she couldn't place her finger on where exactly she had heard the name other, had it been mentioned while she was sleeping at some stage?

Looking back to the ship Eiru let out a sigh "If there are pirates around I'm afraid we won't be able to just leisurely pursue the relic. The ship being docked here puts it in the most immediate danger and should it fall... well our guildstones are of no use to us here. Hmu... Hanzel seemed to be of an exceptional calibre so I'm sure he alone can buy us at least an hour. Factor in the fact those pirates likely don't know our location yet and the size of the island and its terrain and we've got... psh maybe an hour and a half with luck in our favour?". Eiru had a habit of thinking out loud but as she continued her attention fell upon the cave Ymir had pointed out "Three of us cannot swim... two are skilled in swimming and then there's me... hmm. Guess there's no choice but to use it..."

Turning back to the group Eiru nodded her head in agreement with herself before addressing the group as a whole "I promise that if that crazy lunatic is on this island you can all give up and run. Deal? Anyway, Ymir can you map any further down into the cave from here? If my assumptions are correct the correct cave should be devoid of life after a certain point. This bay is proof of the relics effects, there's a reason no sirens dare approach us here." As Ymir worked her magic Eiru turned to Leo who seemed to be the most shook over the whole pirate situation and offered him a soft smile "Leo, if there are pirates here and this..ahem..pirate lord is in fact the one leading them then you have my word. I will let you all flee without a word. Not that I could stop you realistically but anyway you have my word." Pausing for a second to chose her words more carefully Eiru continued "As for why the woman I spoke of cannot claim the relic herself is rather complicated. Besides, until I discovered it but a few days ago the relic was considered lost, we're likely the first beings in centuries, other than the sirens living here, to even know of its location let alone seek it out. There will be no Sirens guarding it and of that, I can assure you. But I can guarantee there will be a plethora of seals and traps standing in our way. And from what I've seen, a lone guardian time forgot"

Turning back to the group Eiru began to laugh softly "But it will be fun won't it? To seek out a relic the likes of which mortals could never comprehend? The adventure of a lifetime!"

Sylph Key of Stars SilverFeathers BakaTheIdiot RatKing​

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Siren's Watch
Mentions: Uasal SilverFeathers BakaTheIdiot RatKing Key of Stars ​

"I did think about this whilst we were on board, but we really are a bad match up for this huh."

"The worst," Ymir sighed, continuing as Ruvo and Ashitaka pondered the odds of survival nearby. "If only I weren't blackmailed into coming along."

"We're going to die."

"We are not going to die. Injured or scathed perhaps, but not die." She snorted, not sure if that was meant to be a comfort. Ruvo didn't look particularly comforted. She almost said something, but in a strange turn of events it was Leo who brought the jesting to an end. The poet was frowning, and that was never a good sign.

"I'm worried about several things and your seagull murdering cave is the least of those worries at the moment." He'd been mulling over it for a good while, apparently. "If those pirates are shipwrecked why would they attack a scout? If we're getting this relic for someone unimaginably strong... surely they can get it themselves."

Judging by the lack of response, he wasn't the only one who thought so, but the others weren't so quick to rock the boat. Ashitaka and Nanalee were new, and Ruvo probably hadn't worked with Eiru before. They only knew her as the senior gold rank adventurer on the journey--a title she wasn't shy of throwing around. But Ymir hadn't been joking when she mentioned Eiru's affinity for peril. Disasters seemed to occur at an unusually high rate on quests where she was involved. They'd already been attacked by a sea monster, sirens, and now there were pirates on top of that. In the context of it all, Leo's suspicions were probably deserved.

"Come on, at least one of you has to agree." She snorted, keeping to herself that she'd been all for turning the boat around ever since she woke up on it. "I refuse to get slaughtered for a relic that none of us benefit from."

"The Final Tomb?" she heard Nanalee murmur nearby. "Pirate Lord?"

Ymir leaned over, speaking under her breath. "One of the strongest pirates. Apparently their ship name is meant to be taken literally." 'Tomb' certainly matched the image of the pot-holed, ripped apart hull they'd found on the water. Ymir snickered. "Still, it's funny considered he set sail looking for pirates in the first place." Now they were running at the sight of them.

"What in the gods' names has gotten into all of you?" A voice she hadn't heard raised before spoke from behind. Ashitaka had had enough of indecision it seemed. Or maybe he wasn't a fan of backing out of something he's started. "What is this Final Tomb you mention? And can somebody tell me what the hell- oh, nevermind."

She almost cheered at his comment about staying off the ship. Finally, someone got it. "We'll get the relic and get out. If we're fast, they won't even notice we're here."

"We'll have an advantage with the caves," she added, tuning out Eiru as they began to mutter to themselves. "Some of them are underwater but there seems to be a network above sea level that I can..." Ah wait, how did she explain it again? "Well, it's not exactly seeing. More like clairvoyance? As long as something isn't underwater I can make out it's form, even if it's not in my direct line of sight." Biggest downside, apart from the obvious, was it didn't pick up on anything magical in nature. "Point is caves are easy."

"Anyway," Eiru chose that moment to shake herself out of her thoughts. "Ymir can you map any further down into the cave from here? If my assumptions are correct the correct cave should be devoid of life after a certain point." Ymir made to salute, only to pause. Actually, that's- "This bay is proof of the relics effects, there's a reason no sirens dare approach us here."

"I thought they stopped near the edge of the drop-off..." She frowned, shaking her head. "I can map out the caves above sea-level, but most of the ones below that are innundated." And there were frightfully few of them who made good swimmers. I'm beginning to see why no one's managed to retrieve this thing yet.

"There will be no Sirens guarding it and of that, I can assure you. But I can guarantee there will be a plethora of seals and traps standing in our way. And from what I've seen, a lone guardian time forgot."

"A 'guardian lost to time' that lives below the water is sounding an awful lot like a sea monster to me," Ymir said, back to examining the surrounding terrain. It got blurrier the further she looked, but there wasn't so much as a hint of air in the land beneath them. They'd need a way to breathe if they ever hoped to get close to this buried relic, but even if Eiru used her ability to strengthen the air magic, pressure at those depths made it a risky drain on energy. She'd only just recovered from severe mana depletion, and they were royally screwed if she collapsed again while underwater.

"But it will be fun won't it? To seek out a relic the likes of which mortals could never comprehend? The adventure of a lifetime!"

"Hm-?" Ymir blinked, yellow eyes flickering and fading. It had been blurry, on the outer edges of her vision, but there was something that looked almost like... "I think there might be a structure to the north of here."

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Siren's Watch
Mentions: Sylph Uasal BakaTheIdiot SilverFeathers RatKing ​

"Leo, if there are pirates here and this..ahem..pirate lord is in fact the one leading them then you have my word. I will let you all flee without a word. Not that I could stop you realistically but anyway you have my word." Leonidas sighed before shooting Eiru a questioning look. "Eiru, do you perhaps not know who the pirate lords are? Your assessment of Hanzel might be exceptional but..." He paused, glancing over at Ashitaka who was busy talking to Nanalee. "And this goes for you as well, I overheard what you told Ruvo a little while ago. If you're not confident you can beat a sea serpent like the one that attacked us without breaking a sweat, don't even think of standing against one of the pirate lords. You won't end up having a bad day, you'll end up dead before you have a chance to raise your weapon."

"Even worse, the lord of the dead is the most unreasonable and cruel of them all. If we do run into him, you're fleeing with us Eiru, anything else would be suicide." He stated, expression grave.

"As for why the woman I spoke of cannot claim the relic herself is rather complicated. Besides, until I discovered it but a few days ago the relic was considered lost, we're likely the first beings in centuries, other than the sirens living here, to even know of its location let alone seek it out." "Do you know what it is? You do, don't you? You don't have to tell me but tell me at least this much, should that relic fall into the hands of someone ruthless and incredibly strong would it make them even more terrifying?" He asked, interrupting her story. He had absolutely no intention of fighting or honestly even competing with the lord of the dead but if the relic they were after was a weapon that would give Wyck even more strength he couldn't just let the lunatic obtain it.

"There will be no Sirens guarding it and of that, I can assure you. But I can guarantee there will be a plethora of seals and traps standing in our way. And from what I've seen, a lone guardian time forgot" Leonidas shook his head. "Great, of course there's traps and a monster, there always is."

"A 'guardian lost to time' that lives below the water is sounding an awful lot like a sea monster to me," He nodded. "Well, whatever it is, the one positive thing is, it's probably nowhere near as terrifying as the lord of the dead." He said with a grim smile.

"But it will be fun won't it? To seek out a relic the likes of which mortals could never comprehend? The adventure of a lifetime!" His lips quirked upwards into something resembling his usual wide grin. "Sure, if we don't die to one of the million obstacles on the way it'll probably be fun."

 

[RatKing]

Ruvo Steelfeather
Location: Siren's Watch
Mentions: BakaTheIdiot Sylph Uasal SilverFeathers​

"I did think about this whilst we were on board, but we really are a bad match up for this huh." "The worst" "Definitley not the most ideal matchup no..." he commented not feeling anymore confident with Ymir adding their opinion on the matter. His musical affinity was where the majority of his magical skill resided and the idea of entering an environment where he may have to rely on his comparatively much weaker air magic or worse yet his practically nonexistent skill with a knife was already bad enough. But to top it all off there was pirate lord lurking around making the whole relic side quest all the more troublesome and terrifying. "We are not going to die. Injured or scathed perhaps, but not die. If you're that worried about it, just stay behind me. I may not have mana, but I can give someone a really bad day through a sword or my gauntlets." Admittedly the swordsman's attempt to comfort him by saying that they would probably only suffer injuries wasn't too successful, but their willingness to act as a shield for Ruvo was quite unexpected. To be fair he did suppose leaving with a broken arm was better than losing his life, but it certainly didn’t ease his fear. Now what was that about Ashitaka not having any mana?

"What in the gods' names has gotten into all of you? What is this Final Tomb you mention? And can somebody tell me what the hell- oh, nevermind. It doesn't make a difference if there are pirates here or not - I am not setting foot on that blasted ship for at least an hour or two. We'll get the relic and get out. If we're fast, they won't even notice we're here." It seemed Ashitaka was a bit fed up with all the proceeding talk of turning back at the first sign of trouble after they had gone through all the effort to get to Siren's Watch. Ruvo had to admit he was impressed with how brave and determined the swordsman was, but at the same time things were rapidly becoming more dangerous on the island and the bard was doubting his ability to be a worthwhile asset here more and more.

Turning his attention to Eiru who seemed to be addressing the group after reassessing the situation, Ruvo was glad to hear that they had the go ahead to retreat if they encountered the pirate lord. Though now that he thought about it, unless there were a interconnected network of caves that led to the surface then wouldn't they have to fight past the pirates to escape? He rather not think about that right now. Unfortunately the attempt to keep his mind off the potential dangers on the island would not be very successful as talk of an ancient guardian protecting the relic entered the conversation. And here he thought their greatest obstacle to the relic would just be sirens.

"But it will be fun won't it? To seek out a relic the likes of which mortals could never comprehend? The adventure of a lifetime!" “Adventure of a lifetime…” Ruvo repeated under his breath. That was kind of the reason Ruvo joined this expedition in the first place wasn’t it? It was one thing to read stories of adventurers going on wild quests or to hear a tale spun by another bard, but it was another thing entirely to experience those adventurers first hand. This could very well be a story that will be passed around for ages to come if they could just survive the day. And if surviving meant giving it his all even if it may not be much then that’s alright.

"Hm-? I think there might be a structure to the north of here." “Does it look important?” he asked as he snapped himself out of his little pep talk.

 

[SilverFeathers]

Nanalee Imphon | Of Spiritual Snow
A curious explorer with a love for battle, adventure and power.​

• Appearance
• Notes

• 
• Location
  At Sea - Siren's Watch - Maw/Shore w/ Ymir, Eiru, Leo, Ruvo & Ashitaka
  
  Mentions
  BakaTheIdiot Sylph Uasal Key of Stars RatKing

"It doesn't make a difference if there are pirates here or not - I am not setting foot on that blasted ship for at least an hour or two. We'll get the relic and get out. If we're fast, they won't even notice we're here." Interestingly enough, it turned out that their newest addition of a human swordsman was incredibly adamant on collecting the relic and staying off the ship. Perhaps they got seasick like Ymir, which seemed to affect humans quite commonly. Still, it made her wonder where his confidence came from... perhaps she should ask for a spar some time for an insight into his strength, at least, if they somehow don't fight any threats on this perilous side quest.

"That depends on your definition of veteran. I've gotten around, but this is my first job for the guild, to which I assume it's also yours." She was a little surprised at heart to hear that he was a newcomer to the guild like herself, considering his calm bearing that suggested otherwise. Also unexpectedly, his blade was not as stunning or refined as the one Leo had battled her with, but she smiled in understanding as he described it. "It's a family heirloom - a dull family heirloom. I maintain it as best I can, given the circumstances - but even a dull blade can be sharp if its wielder's edge is equally fine." "A trinket from home is understandable." She nodded enthusiastically. "For me though... these wings and talons are enough to remind of my homeland. They are my weapons too." She grinned before turning back to the discussion that seemed to be slowly reaching a conclusion.

It fortunately seemed that the conflict between Leo and Eiru had ended with the witch's promise to flee from, as Ymir described, 'one of the strongest pirates'. Eiru's other calculations and utterings also did not escape her notice, particularly some of the key words she managed to pick up on. "Seals and traps? A lone forgotten guardian? Why do the number of threats keep increasing?" Nanalee scratched her head, feeling a little overwhelmed with all this new information. But her contemplation was quickly replaced with awe as Ymir described her strange ability. It seemed that the white-haired human didn't only have fancy flying gadgets and wind magic, but some kind of all-seeing magic too! Boy, does she have so many interesting things to tell her younger siblings about when she returns home, and this is just her first quest! Though Nanalee didn't say anything aloud as she listened, her eyes did sparkle brightly as she looked at Ymir.

"Wait, a structure to the north?" She pondered outloud for a moment, before explaining. "I didn't see anything of the sort when flying over... unless you mean one of the two platforms/pillars that look like the eyes of the island?" She questioned Ymir, thinking back to their first overhead view of the island a while ago. One was indeed roughly north of them, but perhaps she meant something else seen through the cave systems. Or maybe they were connected?

"Either way, a time limit of an hour and a half is not a lot of time. If we choose to move, we should move now." Nanalee reminded, thinking back to Eiru's ramblings earlier. It was up to Ymir and Eiru to plan out the route they'd take, and she didn't mean to urge them, but hesitating too long here would only further lower their already poor chances of success and survival.

 

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka IV
Location: Siren's Watch Shoreline
Mentions: Sylph Uasal RatKing SilverFeathers Key of Stars

"A trinket from home is understandable. For me though... these wings and talons are enough to remind of my homeland. They are my weapons too." Those talons certainly looked uncomfortable. They reminded him of the fishing hooks that his uncle used to take to sea - except bigger, and they could fly. Ashitaka made a note to keep his distance from the talons should they spar - or just fight. Ruvo, meanwhile, was still mumbling about his uses. Perhaps there really was nothing he could do to change his mind.

Spoiler: Attribute Buff tie-in

Ymir was saying something about a structure, Ruvo joining on the comment, Nanalee as well, but before he could open his mouth to inquire, a terrible pain in his right temple flared, causing him to pause. He winced, rubbing the spot next to his patch in an effort to ease the pain. His hearing was distorted, his vision had begun to swirl, with an almost red boundary surrounding his sights - blood? No. Couldn't be. Something else... a voice. A distant voice, one he couldn't place.

".....e....r...."

And it was gone. With it, his pain. His hearing and sight returned, and he was left confused, unsure whether to say anything or not. Phantom feeling in his right eye socket was not uncommon, but rarely was it painful enough to distract him. Still, he chalked it up to stress and a lack of good sleep, and figured he would get to it after the job. It was a pretty weird sensation, but it simply wasn't important right now.

[Intelligence +20 (OOC event)]

To more pressing matters: "And this goes for you as well, I overheard what you told Ruvo a little while ago. If you're not confident you can beat a sea serpent like the one that attacked us without breaking a sweat, don't even think of standing against one of the pirate lords. You won't end up having a bad day, you'll end up dead before you have a chance to raise your weapon." Sea Serpents? Those were real? Bizarre. Ashitaka merely looked at him. Having said more than enough on his feelings for the current situation, Ashitaka decided to be brief:

"You would do well not to underestimate me, Leo. I am not harmless."

At last, the bickering had simmered down to agreement, and Eiru's strangely, was showing a change of heart. She was now guaranteeing safety of retreat. A surprise, certainly, but hardly unwelcome. Perhaps he had misjudged her character, or simply jumped to a conclusion too quickly-

"But it will be fun won't it? To seek out a relic the likes of which mortals could never comprehend? The adventure of a lifetime!"

The adventure of a lifetime. What had he gotten himself into?

Nevertheless, Nanalee made a fair point. The window they had was short, and only getting shorter. If they were moving, it was time. "Well, you know the island better than I do, Ymir. The structure is as good a place to start as any, even if we must use the cave network. Lead the way. Unless there are any objections?"

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support

As Ymir spoke of a distant structure Eiru's curiosity began to take over "A structure? Hmm, now why would an intelligent yet feral and aquatic species like the sirens be doing with a structure above sea level? Very interesting... could this be the result of the relics' effects...". Speaking quietly to herself Eiru decided it best to leave the navigating to Ymir, they had very little time and with the dangers mounting as Nanalee pointed out, there really was an urgency to get a move on. "Lets head towards the structure for now Ymir. With any luck, it may have some clues as to how we can access the relic without drowning in the process. My Siren is rusty but I should be able to translate anything that's written with at least some accuracy. That is if there's anything there at all."

Moving to follow behind Ymir, Eiru lacked behind somewhat to create a gap between herself, Leo and the group. Addressing the man in a hushed tone Eiru responded to his question "I know what relic is hidden beneath this island, you are correct. Not that I was particularly hiding the fact but I refuse to elaborate on what exactly it is. But I will answer your question, to apologise for my behaviour earlier." Clearing her throat Eiru began "The relic we are tracking is an ancient one. Records of which are space and far between and indeed sought out only to be destroyed or covered up. You asked me if it would make a dangerous individual more dangerous? Well, to be blunt the relic is a weapon so the answer would be yes regardless but to elaborate further. In the wrong hands, this relic could quite certainly bring about the ruin of a nation let alone a kingdom. Although in saying that it's also just as likely to bring about the ruin of its wielder. It is extremely dangerous. It must be returned to its home and sealed with the utmost care. Does that satisfy your question?"

BakaTheIdiot SilverFeathers RatKing Key of Stars Sylph​

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Caverns --> Temple Staircase
Mentions: BakaTheIdiot RatKing Uasal Key of Stars SilverFeathers ​

“Adventure of a lifetime…” | "Sure, if we don't die to one of the million obstacles on the way it'll probably be fun." | "If we choose to move, we should move now." | "The structure is as good a place to start as any, even if we must use the cave network." | "With any luck, it may have some clues as to how we can access the relic without drowning in the process."

They were ready to go then. That was a start. Ymir exhaled both her relief and uncertainty. Larger groups tended to succeed more often at their missions, but casualties were far more likely amidst the chaos. The mist rolling off the spires brought with it a chill that had nothing to do with the frost.

“Does it look important?”

Ruvo's question caught up to her as they started to move, several sets of footsteps crunching over the bay of discarded stone.

"As Nanalee said, it belongs to one of the two structures we were able to find from above." The rest of the island was nothing but jagged rock sculpted by wind and waves and hail. "The one we're headed to has a larger interior, but the details are still a blur. It could be anything." It might lead them to their target, or throw them completely astray. At the very least, if there were enemies waiting inside Ymir was confident she'd notice them first. "Walking there will use up at least a half-bell of our time, so if this doesn't turn up any leads we'll have to turn back."

Neither Scrapper nor Hanzel would keep the ship docked if they noticed the pirates after them, so the group's real challenge would be in finding the artifact and making it back before they were left stranded. With the way the back of her neck prickled, Ymir wasn't so sure this place could even be connected to the waystone. There was something amiss, watching over the island, and that something would most likely obstruct any attempts to teleport in or out.

She wondered how much worse it was for the ones who couldn't just... fly away. Their only option would be swimming into siren infested waters, and there was no guarantee that sirens were the worst thing either. They were, in effect, committing their lives to the endeavour. Stepping into unknown places was one of the most dangerous things an adventurer could do, and it led to death far more often than it ended up as legend.

Truthfully, Ymir didn't like unknown things. She liked new encounters in familiar situations, and challenges she knew she could prepare for. Barring the tunnels ahead of them, she truly had no idea what was lying in wait.

The tunnels were long and dark and, unfortunately for Ashitaka, filled with salt from the high tides and winds. It thinned out as they ascended, but so too did the light and ambient sound, leaving nothing but the drip of water, uncertain breaths, and the sound of people shuffling around for whatever light sources they had to illuminate the darkness. The height of the path differed as they moved further along, sometimes cavernous and steep when in the juncture between spires; othertimes rough and circular where something had carved tunnels out of the rock.

Certain parts of the journey they had to make outside the caves, where the wind howled fiercely enough to threaten their footing on narrow ledges. A number of times Ymir had to stop, sending the group back the way they came in an attempt to prevent an encounter. Ruvo's spells of silence were particularly helpful where they had no choice but to wait out whatever entity was passing through.

Eventually they reached their destination. Near where the group emerged from, a trail of roughly hewn steps curved around the rock, leading up a slope towards the structure they had been promised. Pillars had been carved into the bluish grey slate at the top, marking the entrance to the ancient temple. Most of it appeared to be within the rockface itself, cut from the base of the towering spires.

"Well- this is it," Ymir announced, taking in the sight in colour for the frst time. The hike through dark tunnels and steep slopes had left her somewhat out of breath, but not enough to dampen a growing sense of excitement. This place was old. Ancient even. And with how well-protected the island was, she doubted there had been anyone passing through in a very long time. Having completed the part of the journey that involved navigating, Ymir turned to the group, her expression split between concern and anticipation. They'd managed to avoid any confrontation fo far, but there was no telling how long that luck would last. "Everyone doing okay?"

 

[BakaTheIdiot]

Ashitaka IV
Location: Shoreline --> Caverns --> Temple Staircase
Mentions: Sylph Key of Stars (briefly) Uasal (briefly)​

It was time to get moving. "Walking there will use up at least a half-bell of our time, so if this doesn't turn up any leads we'll have to turn back." Given how short their window already was, Ashitaka made haste to keep after Ymir - she walked surprisingly fast - taking note of Eiru and Leo drifting behind. He strained himself to hear what they were saying, but Eiru must have been conscious of this and hushed her voice. It was a fruitless endeavor: he yielded no words or information.

Ashitaka found himself reflecting on his rather sharp words earlier, thinking back to just how far he was from home. He was not invincible: in fact, he may be the one most in danger on the island. Ymir had a glider. Ruvo had magic. Eiru was a witch with magic magnitudes more powerful than his, to say the very least. Leo, too, was a bard, with magic. Nanalee could fly - and probably had magic. Was he making a mistake, coming along on this adventure? And that voice from earlier... could it mean anything?

No, and no. Now was not the time for doubt. Ashitaka was not invincible - but to call him weak was an injustice. He banished the thought from his mind, and focused on... salt. Not again. It absolutely reeked of seawater and salts in these caverns, but now was not a time for complaints. He steeled his endurance and pressed onward, tailing behind Ymir only just.

Swords presented a particular nuisance when it came to caves. Knowing the nature of their venture, and to minimize his sounding profile as much as possible, he kept the sword and scabbard in his hand, preventing it from swinging haphazardly and making any noises against the cave walls. Still, they trudged on.

At last: a clearing. Not just any clearing either, according to Ymir they had arrived at their destination. "Everyone doing okay?" She seemed concerned and a bit winded, but he was more preoccupied with the structure itself. A temple, in the middle of the ocean. It didn't particularly bode well, but at least it was a manmade structure - well, "manmade" might have been a stretch, but temples don't manifest themselves. "I'm alive and well. ...I don't think I've ever seen a place this aged before." The structure itself was recessed into the cliffs, but still had a charm about it. Ashitaka's thoughts drifted to home, to the mountain east of the village, near the summit... but it was forbidden to think of that place. His mind returned to the present.

"What can you tell? Any idea where it leads?"

EDIT: formatting

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Shoreline > Temple Staircase
Mentions: Sylph Uasal BakaTheIdiot ​

"You would do well not to underestimate me, Leo. I am not harmless." Leonidas quietly scoffed. "You will be when you're dead." He mumbled to himself. He didn't mind that Ashitaka was confident in his own abilities but there was a fine line between confidence and unwarranted pride, the man was sorely mistaken if he thought for even a second he could hold out against a pirate lord, let alone kill one.

"I know what relic is hidden beneath this island, you are correct. Not that I was particularly hiding the fact but I refuse to elaborate on what exactly it is. But I will answer your question, to apologise for my behaviour earlier." He nodded, falling into step next to Eiru a little ways away from the group. "The relic we are tracking is an ancient one. Records of which are space and far between and indeed sought out only to be destroyed or covered up. You asked me if it would make a dangerous individual more dangerous? Well, to be blunt the relic is a weapon so the answer would be yes regardless but to elaborate further. In the wrong hands, this relic could quite certainly bring about the ruin of a nation let alone a kingdom. Although in saying that it's also just as likely to bring about the ruin of its wielder. It is extremely dangerous. It must be returned to its home and sealed with the utmost care. Does that satisfy your question?"

He nodded again. "Yes, it does. I'm still not sacrificing my life or that of anyone here, and that includes you." He said with a stern expression. "But... We must absolutely not let something like that fall into the hands of someone as dangerous as the lord of the dead. If there's anyone who can wield a weapon that brings ruin to the wielder it's that guy, he's already undead and if the rumors are even slightly true he's already not right in the head either. We should do everything in our power to avoid him and keep him away from the relic." He concluded, catching back up with the group.

"Well- this is it," He tilted his head to the side slightly. "Well, it does look exactly like the sort of place that's filled with traps and other dangers." He said with a sigh. "Adventure of a lifetime, sure that's one way to describe going in there, because it just might be the end of my lifetime." He mumbled before letting out a dry chuckle.

"Everyone doing okay?" He combed a hand through his hair. "I don't like seaside caves, they have all the bad parts of the sea, like salt getting stuck in my hair, with none of the actual fun parts like the water and the sea breeze." He complained. "I could be worse off though."

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support

Eiru struggled to keep pace without the use of her broom, her small frame made climbing over the jagged ledges and rugged terrain far more troublesome than she would have liked to admit. Although perhaps that was also partly due to the fact she had become reliant on her broom for travelling such paths and was more than a little out of practice. Nonetheless, she managed to power through and although her movements were less than gracefully she made it to the end without much more than a few scratches on her knees and palms. Moving to inspect the large stone doors Eiru began to hum to herself.

After a few seconds of conversation, Eiru turned back to the group with a smile, her palm resting gently on the centre of the large structure before them "Well, I hate to bring it up but wouldn't you say it's rather odd how well preserved these stone structures are?" Hopping from the elevated step that hugged the door back down another three, one by one, Eiru came to a stop back at the group. With her hands spread out wide and with a gently bow Eiru began to laugh softly "This is truly beginning to get more and more interesting! Wouldn't you say?"

Looking back to the door and motioning for the others to look toward it Eiru continued in a cheerful tone "Do any of you think you could force open a door of such calibre? Because I for one... well let's just say physical strength isn't really my forte! Surprising but it is what it is!"​

 

[SilverFeathers]

Nanalee Imphon | Of Spiritual Snow
A curious explorer with a love for battle, adventure and power.​

• Appearance
• Notes

• 
• Location
  At Sea - Siren's Watch - Temple Entrance w/ Ymir, Eiru, Leo, Ruvo & Ashitaka
  
  Mentions
  Peeps have already seen this so I ain't tagging everyone for no reason!

Nanalee was perhaps a little naively excited now that they were finally getting a move on. Used to adventuring or exploring the vast mountains of Aestir on her lonesome, she couldn't help but feel a bit more lax with so many companions by her side. Afterall, if any trouble arose, they had each other right? Though she knew such reliance was bad, it was difficult to try and change her subconscious attitude to become as cautious as she usually was in the past.

It was interesting seeing how the caverns here in this treacherous and forgotten land differed to those from her homeland. Though both were mountainous with thin air due to the altitudes, the tunnels she was used to seemed like childs play compared to the ones before her. With every step she took, she could feel the unsteady rumble and slight quake beneath her talons, and she was forced to be wary of the ground just giving beneath her. Unlike here, the caverns in Aestir had been walked through hundreds of times, leading to their foundations to be stable. Here, however, she had no such confidence.

Nanalee had to admit, though it may have been uneventful, she found the whole experience rather fun. The deep bottomless abysses that could be found in between spires were perhaps something to fear for the others, but for her she couldn't help but be curious about what lay at the bottom. Afterall, what she inherited from her race meant that she had little fear of falling. Still, she wasn't reckless or heartless enough to just abandon the group to go exploring, as much as she wanted to.

Though the caverns were interesting, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief whenever they exited back out into the open. Being unable to stretch her wings or talons freely in the sometimes tight tunnels was rather uncomfortable. Not to mention when they were forced to retreat back through them for fear of confrontation.

By the time they stood before the ancient temple, Nanalee's interest in exploring narrow underground areas had waned significantly, though she fortunately still felt as energetic as ever. Gazing upon the structure that she had only vaguely seen from afar, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes. It looked... different from what she remembered up in the sky. Or was that her imagination? Ever since she had arrived at the island, the faint sense of unease that lurked in her mind had never gone away, causing her to doubt herself more often than she would like.

The bluish-grey colour of the temple door and its pillars both blended into the rockface, and somehow set it apart from it quite obviously. Nanalee felt that they would've been able to find this place relatively easily, even without the flying or clairvoyance abilities that their group held, if they were forced to just search around the area. She couldn't help but wonder if the other structure, that seemingly paired with the one before her now, was the same? If so... had that pirate lord crew found it already? Judging by where they had docked, it seemed that was the one they would find first.

She could only hope that even if they had found it by now... that these two structures were not interconnected.

"I'm feeling okay." Nanalee finally replied, looking towards the human that could also fly with a small smile. Following up on Ashitaka's words, she continued. "Can you still use your clairvoyance? Even in there?" She pointed at the structure, pondering if using her clairvoyance constantly on the way here had drained her energy, or if it was incompatible with the ancient structure before them.

Glancing towards the little witch that was leading this side trip of theirs, she thought about her words in silence for a moment. The structure was indeed almost pristine, even the more delicate-looking pillars appeared so. Though there were the faint signs of aging and erosion due to winds, there were wasn't really any other exterior damage, not even a small claw mark from a curious scuttling creature.

She already knew this, but she really had been caught up in something she couldn't even begin to imagine.

"Interesting huh... I can agree with that. But I can't help but wish I had gained more knowledge or experience before going on a venture like this." Nanalee responded in a faint tone, walking a bit closer to the door to inspect it. This was her first time exploring some old ruins, and she couldn't help but think that she had chosen the most dangerous location to do so in. Well, like Leo often hinted at, she could only hope that they'd make it out of this alive.

Smiling vaguely at the cheerful witch, she replied to her group question in a more relaxed tone. "I could probably create something that would help us open it, but I don't want to waste my mana till we encounter some seal, or trap, or siren or long forgotten guardian. How about we all just put our strength together and give that a try first?"

She spoke casually, gesturing to the others and getting into position to try and heave the thing open.

 

[RatKing]

Ruvo Steelfeather
Location: Temple Staircase
Mentions: Sylph Uasal SilverFeathers
​

"As Nanalee said, it belongs to one of the two structures we were able to find from above. The one we're headed to has a larger interior, but the details are still a blur. It could be anything. Walking there will use up at least a half-bell of our time, so if this doesn't turn up any leads we'll have to turn back." "Oh, well... I suppose we should get moving then. Don't want to get left behind on this island" The importance of the structure was still unclear, but given that Ymir didn't mention any perilous dangers Ruvo was able to feel a bit more at ease.

Their path forward ended up being surprisingly varied. At times the tunnels were cramped which made maneuvering difficult while other stretches of their journey took them through more cavernous area that necessitated climbing. At one point they had even ended up outside the caves where they were buffeted by winds which threatened to push them off the narrow ledges they slowly traveled on. Despite how frightening the thought of losing his footing there was, the more frightening part of their journey was probably the unknown creatures or entities that they had to move away from or wait out a few times. Luckily he had his song of silence to help hide the group, but he just hoped that whatever it was moving around in the caves that it was just a random animal and not any of the pirates.

"Well- this is it," Ruvo took in the sight and caught his breath as Ymir announced that they had finally arrived at their destination. It was an ancient looking temple with steps and pillar leading up to it. "Everyone doing okay?" "A little tired, but I'm okay otherwise"

"Well, I hate to bring it up but wouldn't you say it's rather odd how well preserved these stone structures are?" Ruvo didn't know much about masonry or stonework, but maybe the structure hadn't fallen to ruin simply because it was tucked away and unused for who knows how long. "This is truly beginning to get more and more interesting! Wouldn't you say?" Ruvo didn't really want to answer Eiru's question, the fact the structure still existed at all was amazing but the fact that there could still be traps and an ancient guardian within was still a worrying hurdle to overcome. "Do any of you think you could force open a door of such calibre? Because I for one... well let's just say physical strength isn't really my forte! Surprising but it is what it is!" "I could probably create something that would help us open it, but I don't want to waste my mana till we encounter some seal, or trap, or siren or long forgotten guardian. How about we all just put our strength together and give that a try first?"

"I agree with Nanalee, may as well give pushing it open a try first. Who knows, it might just work"