Fantasy Arva: Tides of Darkness [IC]

[Roda the Red]

Serge had spent a good while relaxing at the tavern's counter, ocassionally taking sips of his glass of wodka, it was quite the strong drink yet not without a slight aroma as well as a decent aftertaste, and at this point the alcohol was starting to get to him, nothing major though.

Soon enough a well dressed Utterlin stepping inside of the tavern, and just a moment later he was talking to Hughing about the possibility of a contract, a seafaring bodyguard job in order to find the "lost" continent of Pengiros, a name Serge had heard a few times but never cared much to learn about in detail...Serge was certainly not against the idea, he had never actually fought against pirates, so maybe they could pose a challenge, and they could even come across some dangerous monsters. Yeah, the mercenary was completely on board with the idea.

"That map looks convincing enough, i see no reason to reject"

 

[joshuadim]

"W-What?! You did not... purchase this map, did you? To sell off archived knowledge is an affront to the teachings of our people! I do agree that something such as a map to your lost continent should be distributed freely, but it is not the decision for some greedy rogue to make! Who is to say he is not selling anything more dangerous to the public?!"

Da'Vost's sudden flurry of emotions caught Gerwin, and Hughin, off guard with the former's disposition quickly turning from that of confusion and concern while the latter cocked an eyebrow at the Aervis before returning his attention to Gerwin. "Where did you get this map?" the company leader asked the Utterlin before crossing his arms. Gerwin gave off a nervous chuckle and looked away for a moment: "A shop 'ere. Look like none been 'ere in a while. Only by searchin' as 'ard as I 'ave did I find et. I boot only tha map, noothin' else." Hughin then quickly stepped in to continue the conversation: "Regardless, it seems that we can confirm a potential route."

He first pointed to the Arnnes River leading to Blackwater Bay and shook his head, "We can't take the route through the Shimmering Sea. The Bay is blocked off by Lithurnian and Kalpurnian war vessels. Not to mention the rampant piracy further up that would put us as considerable risk." He then moved his finger down towards body of water south of the Riverlands and sighed, "So that would leave only the route through the Veiled Sea..."

"I'm willing to go, although I understand everyone's concerns about it. I'll leave the decision of who you deploy, if anyone, to you."

"That map looks convincing enough, i see no reason to reject"

Hughin grunted as he looked over the map that Gerwin had procured once more and gave a slow nod: "Mhm..." was all he got out at the moment while Arnas was practically dumbfounded by the map laid out in front of him and chimed in with his own thoughts: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I say we take it!" the young man said to Hughin with a grin, "I mean, Gerwin's an experienced navigator like any other of his kin. If he says he can do it then maybe we ought to-"

Hughin raised a hand towards his son to quiet him as he deliberated his answer to Gerwin before Brikaria spoke up about the obvious elephant in the room:

"Even wit this here map, sounds like a high risk--erp" The demoness stifled a belch. "Sounds like a high risk job. High risk deserves high pay. No?" She finished, glancing between the Utterlin and Hughin.

"Aye, tis why I plan ta pay well." Gerwin replied, "Coin be not an issue fer me." The answer however wasn't something that Hughin liked however as he returned his attention to Gerwin: "If coin isn't a problem, then why come to us? You could easily be able to afford-" he said with suspicion before the answer hit him and he laughed aloud, "Ah... it's because we're a cheaper hire for being so new." This led the Utterlin to shift uncomfortably in his seat and give off a nervous chuckle: "Well... aye. Tis true ye be cheaper. But tis also 'cause I trust ye... more so than any scerge in this port."

"Five-thousand for this job. And a portion of whatever riches and spoils we might come across should we find Pengiros." Hughin quickly spoke up to the Utterlin with the price for his Company's services. It was intentionally steep as Gerwin had revealed his weakness in bargaining. He'd exploit that to its fullest benefit not only to fill up the Company's coffers but to ensure that the promise of a large payout would motivate the group. The Utterlin captain scratched his furred chin for a moment before extending his own and shaking Hughin's hand: "We 'ave a deal then Hughie! We leave tonite. Me barge is at tha docks. Be there at... mid-set?"

Hughin gave a nod which prompted Gerwin to gather his map and other belongings before quickly scampering towards the door in excitement. The Utterlin unlocked the door and took a peek outside, searching to see if anyone had followed him, before heading outside again. Meanwhile, Hughin spoke to the rest of the company: "Mid-set, so that gives us a couple arns to gather our stuff and prepare. If you have other business to attend to, now is the time. Otherwise, head for the docks."

 

[Beann]

After presenting the rose to Arnas and watching his embarrassed reaction towards it, Aelestra seated herself amongst the other recruits, listening quietly to those nearby. Admittedly, it was rather difficult holding a conversation with her circumstance but she was not much of a talker in her earlier days either. She very much preferred to listen to others and even then, she hardly gave her own opinion unless asked for. So far, everyone that showed interest in the company seemed alright. Aside from the unusual features of a few, none particularly stood out as alarming to her. Some intimidating, maybe, but no one came off as threatening or unsavory. She was, however, interested in the Lodge witch's feline companion. Mainly because she wanted to scratch the cat behind the ears but also because...well it was a talking cat! Aelestra was rather curious how that could be but she chalked it up to magic as most unexplained things were. She continued to tune in and out of the conversations nearby, not specifically interested in any of the topics but rather curious to observe how the rest of the recruits interacted with one another.

It wasn't until another person of interest stepped into the tavern, immediately requesting Hughin's presence, did she shift her attention. An Utterlin, if she remembered correctly from her travels. Interesting characters, a little bit more common than Da'Vost and his kind. She pulled her shoulders back slightly at the mention of a big job for them. That was rather quick and possibly ill-advised considering no one knew much about each other, other than first names. Regardless, she was still interested in hearing what the details were so she stood up from her seat and joined a few of the other recruits that gathered around Hughin and the Utterlin. Pengiros? The name...sounded familiar...where exactly did she hear that name before? Aelestra scratched her head in thought as she watched the Utterlin sprawl out a map on the table, displaying routes and land masses. Ah! Pengiros, the 'lost continent', she remembered clearly of the children's stories that were told in regards to that. Mainly if one was misbehaving or failed to complete their chores, they would be shipped off to Pengiros, never to be seen again. A touch harsh but it got Aelestra to carry out some errands as a child.

She didn't have any questions in regards to the job and anything that came to mind was already asked by a few other recruits. The only concern were the tales centered around those who sought out Pengiros and never returned but...she turned her attention back on the map again, inspecting the details put into it. Hopefully the map would prove to be reliable. The departure was set for tonight, was that enough time for everyone to prepare? While Aelestra didn't necessarily have much to square away, a few others may need to stop by a blacksmith or alchemist to better equip themselves. She remembered what Zakala said to her upon introduction about learning to fight with a weapon. She most definitely did not want to fight with a weapon but if it was absolutely necessary...Aelestra shifted her gaze to Arnas once Hughin gave his orders. She promptly walked up to him, staring up at him quietly for a moment before turning her attention to her writing tools. "Walk together?" She turned the paper over to allow him to read for a couple seconds before tucking it away in her satchel. Without giving him much time to consider the offer, Aelestra reached for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his before tugging him along towards the front of the tavern.

joshuadim (forbidden handholding)

 

[Breadman]

"Right then, I'll prepare for the trip myself." Fraskia got up from her seat, her familiar jumping down on the floor. "A serious undertaking like this will need some...strong magics." The witch walked out of the tavern and towards the market itself. This assignment seemed like a joke to her just weeks before. Finding a nobody sellsword in a backwater somewhere. She had a bad reputation and equally bad attitude with several members of the lodge, so it was only natural for her to assume they were setting her up to do their dirty work. But how wrong she was. The crow materialized a few meter above her head and landed on her shoulder

"What do you need boss?"

"Be a dear Oros and keep an eye on the docks for me. Just in case."

"You suspect something happening?" Lora perked her head up.

"Something like this... it's bound to attract attention, be it magical or otherwise." The witch looked down at her furry pet "Now you, while he's in the air, show me where to find magical regents."

"Hmm." The cat looked around its eyes widened "This way!" She scampered towards a direction in the market. Fraskia was soon to follow in her own pace. Her familiars may be out of sight, but never out of mind. Bound to her own essence with strong nature magics, which allow her to sense where they are and what their emotional state is. Extremely useful creatures.

 

[Dmaster]

Da'Vost fluffed his feathers once more as his concerns were so easily tabled as he decidedly closed his tome with a croak of his throat. Soon the massive book and its binding were hooked back onto the gilded chains around his waist as he began to stand up from the table. At least before his... episode he had managed to finish the meal that was graciously provided for him, and the barkeep would be elated to see that the clean bowl and plate were already stacked on each other for him to collect later.

"It is most disconcerting that one of my kin would betray our values in this way. While I would much like to pursue them and locate their establishment erected by their greed and nothing else, I am aware that it is not my fate." the avian stated as he planted his palms to his table and pushed them off its surface to aid in him standing himself up. The tall Aervis twisted his neck about as he looked toward his now fellow company members before nodding with reservation. "I shall find purpose on this journey, and through the wisdom provided by the Aether I am certain that all will transpire as it should."

With those parting words he began to step out of the tavern and move toward the docks, having no further business here.

 

[joshuadim]

To say Arnas was excited with these new developments would have been an understatement as the young man was elated to not only be a part of such a contract but also at the prospect of potentially finding a new land to set foot on. It seemed as though it was something from a child's imagination practically coming to life as he quickly planned to gather his equipment as well as to pick some other things up. However, before he could head upstairs to gather his belongings he was once again approached by Aelestra and asked by writing if he would walk with her. And what seemed as if almost as quickly she would then hold his hand and tug him towards the door as if beckoning to follow. This prompted him to involuntarily flush as well as give off a nervous chuckle before nodding: "Oh! Uh, yeah. Sure! I do need to find some things to take with me but I, uh, gotta gather my things first. I don't wanna go on this trip in just my trousers and shirt, right? Haha..." he said to the monk ( Beann ) before quickly heading upstairs.

Once in his room he scrambled to collect his things in his lodging, starting with his armor and gear as he hurriedly placed his cuirass, bracers, and boots, as well as his belt and pouches. He stuffed some blade oils and other maintenance items for his armor and weapons in a hasty manner before collecting and sheathing his trusted sword into the scabbard on his back. As he continued to look for things to take with him on the journey he also thought about the monk's overt friendliness: She's very nice to me. he thought to himself, Not speaking must be lonely.

It was then that he decided he had everything he needed and, before closing the door to his room, looked back for a moment and took a deep breath. Alright, time to head out to the unknown. It was then he quickly ran down the steps to meet Aelestra again and nodded to her, "Alright, good to go!" he said with a grin before opening the door for her and followed her soon after outside. Now in the streets, Arnas took a deep breath and looked at Aelestra: "So... uh, I need to stop by the smithy. Run by an orc by the name of Fazrul, have to pick up some leg armor from him. I suppose you'd want to tag along?" he asked the monk as he began to slowly walk down the street towards the old town district, beckoning her to follow with a wave of his hand.

As the two made their way to where Arnas needed to go he was awkwardly silent as she strode alongside him through the crowded street towards their destination. He didn't really know how to break the silence with a lady, especially one that had been so forthcoming and friendly to him off the bat but at the same time didn't want to seem uncomfortable around her. It was then he realized he had a question regarding her: "Hey... uh, I've been meaning to ask. And you don't have to answer if you don't want to..." he began to say as he occasionally made eye contact with her before looking away nervously, "Um... is there a reason you don't... speak?"

---

As Oros took to the sky to watch from above for anything suspicious, (1d10 = 4) the familiar wouldn't see or feel anything out of the ordinary through the streets and docks below. People going about their business, whether it be travelers finding a place to rest, workers doing their labor, or guards patrolling the streets. This feeling of normality was transmitted back to Fraskia to inform her of its findings. Lora's connection to magic as a familiar in the meantime (1d10 = 9) made it easy to sense where exactly Fraskia ( Breadman ) would be able to find a shop for reagents and other supplies are witch might need.

The cat familiar would dart through the streets to their destination which was a small and quaint shop that had a sign hanging above from a post advertising "Quaal's Goods". On the window were various herbs, powders, and whatever else might be useful for anyone from a witch to an alchemist. It was upon entering that the potent scents of incense and herbs would rush out to greet the witch as a man in a turban stood behind a counter and raised his hands in joy. "Ah, a customer! Welcome, browse at your leisure." he announced in a thick eastern accent that Fraskia could easily deduce as being from Manwon. "Ah, a lady of the witching craft. I believe you shall find whatever it is you require among my goods. Is there anything in particular you seek?" he then asked with a polite bow.

---

After Da'Vost said his piece before leaving for the docks, Hughin simply didn't say anything and shrugged. He didn't necessarily believe in things such as fate and whatnot, but he wasn't one to judge the beliefs of someone as such things were personal. He didn't dwell on the matter as he continued to prepare for the company's first job, but Zakala in the meantime was concerned by the response given by the Aervis. To her he had seemed rather flustered by the whole deal of Gerwin's source for his map and the 'betrayal' by one of his kin and decided she wanted some answers. "I'll be heading off, you should get prepared too." she said to Kahzel ( Anne Boolean ) before following Da'Vost outside a few moments after.

It took a minute before she caught up to the Fateseeker ( Dmaster ) and approached him: "Hey! You alright?" she asked aloud as she approached to his side and walked alongside him, but before he could respond (1d10 = 2) he would be assailed by a new vision. For what appeared to be a brief moment, he saw a red figure impaled upon a wicked sword atop a mound of bones. Their face lifeless and their body broken after having fought against an impossible foe. Yet who the figure was it was hard to discern exactly as the fateseeker returned to the present. A few brief seconds had passed in reality which prompted Zakala to speak up again, "Uh... you there?" she then asked with concern following the uncomfortable silence.

 

[Beann]

Aelestra stopped tugging Arnas along as he mentioned that he needed to gather his own belongings first. She tilted her head slightly, staring at him blankly as he made it clear he didn't want to set off on the voyage with just the clothes he was wearing currently. Another plate wearer, perhaps? She looked down at her own clothing, loose and breathable cloth was what she was accustomed to, but to each their own, right? Letting go of his hand, Aelestra offered him a simple nod as she watched him head up the stairs of the tavern. She then shifted her gaze over just in time to see the witch and her feline companion exiting the tavern, along with Da'Vost who mentioned something about wisdom and the Aether - whatever that means anyways.

"Alright, good to go!"

She turned her gaze once more and her eyes widened slightly as he grinned at her. That...what...Aelestra felt the sudden urge to purchase a bouquet of roses for him. She reeled her inexplicable emotions back in as he held open the door for her, allowing her to exit the tavern first. Looking back to make sure he was following, she adjusted her pace to maintain the same walking speed as him. Brother Merrick and a few other monks had noted she was quite the fast walker, slipping through crowds with ease and not slowing down to take a breather. She wasn't sure why but it was a hard habit to break. Aelestra turned her head to meet Arnas' gaze as he spoke up again. Smithy? Fazrul? She was unfamiliar with the orc but she nodded anyway, wanting to accompany him. While she didn't necessarily need anything from the blacksmith, she also had nothing else to do other than wait until they set off later tonight. Turning her gaze back to the streets, she allowed him to lead the way, following closely at his side in silence.

Hearing his question, Aelestra lifted an eyebrow, staring at him blankly for a long period of time. She then averted her gaze, looking down at her feet as they continued walking. Why didn't she speak? Aelestra brought her hand to her head, scratching it gently in confusion. She then lifted her head up to look at him for a moment before retrieving her writing tools from her satchel. Pausing for a moment, she tapped the piece of charcoal against her chin, unsure of what to write. After thinking for a while, she started to scribble something on the paper, looked at the response, and then scratched it out. Aelestra continued to write and scratch out her answers, unsatisfied with everything she came up with so far. Her shoulders visibly sagged in defeat before finally writing a presentable response. "I don't know." After showing him her answer, she quickly scribbled a follow up question for him. "Is there a reason to speak?"

joshuadim

 

[Dmaster]

Before Da'Vost was able to venture too far out of the tavern, a familiar sensation began to overtake him to the point that his walking pace was slowing to a crawl. The Fateseeker could note that Hughin's lieutenant, Zakala, had began to approach him from his side. Before he could make a proper greeting, his vision was overwhelmed with a bright flash and he was suddenly looking through the crystal blue lens of the Aether itself.

The gruesome sight he witnessed was enough to scare a great deal of Fateseekers, but Da'Vost had grown seasoned to the grizzly images he had been getting assailed with recently. For that reason the time of shock and awe was over, now his mind raced as he took in every detail he could of the image before him. Details in the background, the red figure's anatomy, what kind of bones had been fashioned into a pile. He was working to prevent an utter calamity, anything he could glean from these visions could prove invaluable in diverting the timeline to a more favorable course. Whether or not he would come away with anything significant from this particular vision or if it would even come to pass at all was of course in question.

Zakala would see Da'Vost frozen in place, eyes wide with a slight blue tone overwhelming their normally stark-red coloration with his beak hanging open. His thousand yard stare was broken once he finally comes back to the here and now, his neck twisting rapidly as he reassess his surroundings and sighs. "Indeed. I am here now." he replied, blinking once as he looked down at the demoness to his side. "I was... experiencing a vision from the Aether, so I apologize. Was there something you needed of me? Or did you simply wish to accompany me to the docks?"

 

[Breadman]

"I assume you are Quaal?" Fraskia asked as she looked around the shop "I'll be departing on a very long trip soon and it might prove to be very dangerous. My talents will serve me well, but I'm sure you are aware how prolonged heavy use of magic could sap the body. I'll need ingredients for potions and elixirs. Regents for wards and totems if you have any." She was silent as she looked through his stock. "And any exotic materials you may have on hand would be of great interest to me."

 

[SniperComZero]

Alarael was rather silent as the rest of the group rattled off their backstories to one another. She folded her arms over her chest, and the helmet made for a rather good shield for her expression. She was certainly... intrigued, by the group, but she couldn't say that she was all that thrilled. Oh, and it looks like that there's a couple of love birds blossoming amongst their band. How lovely. Well, she wouldn't be surprised if that it all ended in a serious tragedy later down the line. Though, 'lady of the woods' was a term that she did appreciate. The smug grin beneath her mask prompting the visage of her brother to shoot a deadpan glance towards her.

The utterlin barging into the tavern, and demanding their leader, only to show them a map, which piqued the interest of both siblings. Whilst Alarael herself had little to actually ask their employer about this job, she had an understanding of the implications that it brought. She was, however, fairly satisfied that she would be paid rather handsomely for her assistance, and gave a simple nod as she was instructed to head to the docks, since, realistically, she had little else that she needed to pick up along the way.

<< So, the 'lost continent'... Are you thinking what I'm thinking? >> << I'm no mind reader, but, perhaps. That we may find some sort of trinkets and artifacts there of the old empire, and be able to pawn them off here for exorbitant prices? >> << . . .Or, we can find our kin there and they can help us. >> << Velyon, the continent is lost for a reason, there's an immeasurably tiny chance of us finding our kin there. >> << Tbltbtlt, people are like cockroaches. >> << And even cockroaches can be killed. >> At that, Velyon let out a sigh expressing his exasperation. << But maybe there's someone there who could-- >> << Maybe, but I'm not about to scour a frozen, deserted continent to find them, Velyon. It would leave you even worse off if I got myself killed through exposure. >>

 

[joshuadim]

Arnas watched Aelestra ( Beann ) formulate a response as they slowly walked to their destination all the while making sure they didn't accidentally crash into anyone else. It was noticeable that she was taking a while and scratching out responses she didn't like which made Arnas feel bad for even asking in the first place. Maybe it really was hard to talk about? he thought to himself before seeing that she finally did decide on an answer and he looked upon what she wrote on the parchment.

"I don't know. Is there a reason to speak?"

Arnas didn't really have a proper answer to that. At least not yet. Speaking came to him as naturally as breathing to him or really anyone he knew. He thought about it for a moment as he tried to find the right words to explain how he felt about that, or really about what it was all about but struggled to do so as he stammered and gave off an audible 'Hmm' as he continued to think. It seemed as though for the time being on this topic he was just as mute as she was. He remained awkwardly silent until the two finally arrived at the blacksmith he needed to be at with a visible red-skinned figure pounding away at a piece of heated metal with a hammer atop an anvil.

The orc didn't even need to turn from his work as he yelled aloud: "BE WIT YOU IN A MIN." Fazrul yelled aloud as he continued to pound on the soon to be blade. Arnas simply shrugged as he leaned on a wooden pillar nearby and chuckled. "I don't know how he does that. Seems like he's got eyes on the back of his head." he joked to Aelestra. Soon after, the orc finished his hammering, quenched the blade in a large bucket of water before setting it aside to rest before taking off his gloves and walking over to Arnas. The orc easily towered over the two of them with his hulking size and demeanor but didn't radiate any real menacing aura as he grunted: "I 'ave your leg armor. Is over there," he then spoke in a gruff voice while pointing over to decently crafted pieces of metal, "You 'ave rest of the coin?"

The young man nodded and handed over a small pouch to the orc with the latter giving a nod before returning to his workshop. Arnas then approached his new purchase and rubbed his hands in excitement. "Great! I've been needing something to protect my legs. It's not necessarily knightly or fancy, but it does a decent job... I hope." he said as he began to strap on his new pieces. One piece went from his shins to his knees from the front while the secondary pieces were attached to his thighs. It was easily discerned that this was meant to protect against frontal attack rather than provide all around protection but also provided more movement and mobility for his legs. Once everything seemed to fit in place he wiggled his legs a bit to get used to them before nodding. "Alright well, that's that. Speaking of, do you need any armor or weapons perhaps? I'm sure Fazrul will be willing to take an I.O.U. on that..." he asked the monk.

---

Zakala wasn't entirely convinced by Da'Vost's answer ( Dmaster ) but didn't want to press on the topic any further. She simply nodded to the Aervis and shrugged, "Well... I saw how you reacted to where Gerwin got his map from. Was wondering if you could, well, elaborate on that perhaps?" she asked out of curiosity, "I don't know much about you birdfolk, and I don't necessarily have the experience of meeting one who has a... peculiar position such as yours." As the two walked at a slower pace towards the docks, she awaited his answer and hoped that what she could probe from him would be fruitful.

---

Quaal gave off a hearty chuckle to Fraskia ( Breadman ) upon her inquiry and gave another bow with his head. "But of course, I should have everything you need and more should you desire." he spoke before moving to a nearby cabinet and opening it. He rummaged through its contents for a moment, the clinking of glass permeating the air as he did so, before returning his attention to the witch and placing some vials before her. "The vials in question are the following: mageleaf, grounded lemnos root, troll pus, bone dust, moulum tongue, and of course... silverleaf. All these for whatever potions you desire to craft." he said as he pointed to the flasks one by one, "Now... some additional other materials I have are..." he then spoke as he moved to another cabinet and pulled out more materials to lay out in front of Fraskia.

"Hawkstrider feathers, thornroot berries, and brithereen scales are what I have for whatever wards you require... but as for your request of exotic materials..." he looked behind Fraskia for a moment in concern only to see the door still not moving before looking back at her, "I'm afraid I don't have what you seek." (1d10 = 4). Yet Fraskia knew he likely wasn't telling the truth, for a man such as this with these many materials available to him it was likely he had something available on the more rare side.

---

Back in the tavern as people got prepared to either check out the city or head for the docks, Hughin finished packing his things and was now fully equipped with his light armor as well as his sword and shield, both of which were a trusty duo that had served him well over the years. He took a moment to head over to the bar where Robert was to give a farewell to the man: "We'll likely be gone for... well, I don't know if we'll be back but... in any case, thanks for letting us lodge here for the past month." he said with a smile to the man who chuckled in response.

"Oh, you don't 'ave to thank me. I did owe you regardless for the time you got that dwarf off me arse for his money. Saved me quite a bit o' trouble with that." Robert replied, "And don't worry, I'll keep my lodgings here empty in case you do come back. I'll pray to the Gods for you and your company's safe return 'till then."

Hughin gave a deep sigh and patted the barkeep on the shoulder before walking over to the next person on his agenda. "Meet me outside, need to have a talk." Hughin said to Alareal ( SniperComZero ) before heading for the door and exiting the establishment. Outside, he waited for the she-elf to leave herself as he stood next to a lamppost and leaned against it.

 

[SniperComZero]

Alarael's conversation was interrupted, somewhat, by the hand that placed itself onto her shoulder. She had been just about ready to head to the docks and wait for the rest of her compatriots there, before Hughin had asked her to meet him outside. Hardly even giving her the chance to respond before he'd left the tavern. Canting her head once more to her brother. << ...Any ideas...? >> To which she was only given a shrug. Well. How intriguing.

It wasn't a few minutes later that she had exited, with her polite thanks to the barkeep, and made her way over to the light pole that her boss decided to stand in front of. Folding her arms across her chest in a somewhat expectant manner. "...I must admit, I'm rather, ahem. Curious, as to what we need to speak about out here that we couldn't out there." She wasn't intending to come off as snarky or anything, but, with a phrasing like that, it's kind of hard not to.

 

[Dmaster]

Da'Vost shut his eyes at Zakala's somewhat obvious skepticism to his words, sighing lowly as he continued to walk forward without missing a step despite his momentary blindness. It was not his place to convince those that did not believe in the Aether's existence or sway over the cosmos, but he did seem a bit more receptive to the demoness' curiosity of his culture rather than her lack of belief. The Fateseeker only wished it was over a less touchy subject, as the situation robbed him of his enthusiasm.

"Ah, yes." the tall avian crooned as he began to frown. "We Aervis come from humble beginnings as mere songbirds or raptors, so it is written. The gift of the Aether bestowed upon us knowledge, sentience, it allowed us to grow into the long-lived civilization that we say before you. Because of this, we Aervis of the Spires take it upon ourselves to archive and catalogue all manner of important artefacts and knowledge that we can obtain. Our Archivists are dutiful in their assigned tasks, venturing out far and wide to obtain these ancient pieces of lore for study and storage."

"It should go without saying that certain things we find are quite dangerous, and are better left in our hands than those that would seek to abuse the arcane powers we treasure. In most cases, my kin are able to keep to themselves, yet history has shown that some civilizations hope to attack us for the knowledge we have accumulated." Da'Vost explains, looking to the sky for a moment. "Typically such conflict builds into small skirmishes, and we are lucky that we have not been involved in something as horrible as war."

"I may ramble, but this is important to contextualize why we try to keep certain texts and artefacts to ourselves. However, we are not so selfish to lay claim to such things all on our own. Other peoples are more than welcome to meet us at the lowest floor of our Spires to learn from most anything we have collected. It is just that certain things are forbidden." the Aervis continues, pausing to shake his head. "Any Aervis is free to leave the Spire to carve out a life for themselves should they wish, as we cannot force our lifestyle on every hatchling or adult that does not wish to partake in it. We simply ask that they do not pilfer important object's from our Spire's reserves for selfish, personal gain. I have every reason to believe that is precisely what the map... salesman has done, and fear he has taken valuable, dangerous artefacts and knowledge for his own gain."

 

[Breadman]

"I see." A soft smile crept across Fraskia's face "The regends you have on hand are of good quality...or so it seems." She reached into her robe and after a few seconds of rummaging took out a purse. Another second for her to untie it and she tossed it on the counter. From the mouth a few jewels spilled out "Let's cut to the chase, Quaal. You're a serious businessman and I want to do serious business since you have what I need. The price is meaningless to me as its the Lodge footing the bill...and I'm liked enough by select people to have access to a better budget than most of those misserable misers." Liked was one way to put it, but the chapter accountant should have paid attention to his drink before signing off on anything. It's not her fault he was easily distracted by a bird pecking on the window. "Are you sure there is nothing you can offer?"

 

[Oreo Cookie]

Brikaria downed the last dregs of her drink in the now mostly emptied tavern. Most of her associates had departed to either the docks to wait or to the marketplace to prepare, and she supposed it was time she did the same. She tucked the empty keg under one arm, offered a thanks that could barely be considered such to the barkeep, and departed the tavern at a leisurely pace. Once outside, she noticed her new employer and the elf woman conversing nearby. She offered a brief speculative glance, but turned her attention elsewhere and moved on. Without a copper on her and nothing worth bartering, there was little she could buy to prepare. Then again, she didn't feel the need to prepare. The sword on her hip was all she really needed for whatever lay on the journey ahead, and with that thought in mind she made her way to the docks.

 

[joshuadim]

Hughin took a look at Alareal ( SniperComZero ) before shrugging, "Over my years of being a sellsword, I've heard quite a bit of things from the people I worked with. Stories, legends, yada yada. And I do recall the few elves that I did fight alongside occasionally talking about their own people... including what they called their 'lost kin'. Now, I'm not the smartest man in the room all the time but I can put the two and two together than it somehow involves the lost continent. After all, where else would they be referring to? Regardless, my first question regarding this is, well, if we do come across Pengiros will the story of your people's 'lost kin' be of any distraction to you?" he asked with sincerity, seeking to find out whether or not he could rely on the knight to be focused on the job.

---

"Dangerous artifacts... you mean from the many elvish ruins across the world?" Zakala asked with concern to Da'Vost ( Dmaster ), "My history isn't the best but I recall the elves having a pretty large empire a very long time ago. Some of the human cities of the Vale are built upon elvish ruins if I recall correctly but there loads of ruins in the wilds as well. I used to climb around the ruins near my people's home as a youngling with a few others but we dare not venture into the dark depths."

She then sighed as the two continued to walk, "Though I would bet given the lengths Gerwin went through to even find this seller I doubt they manage to attract a large clientele... I'd imagine having the artifacts you describe would bring a lot of unwanted attention to them."

She then changed the subject to something more pressing on her mind in regards to the job that the Company had just accepted to take: "I have to ask... you said that you have kin on Pengiros, right? I'm thinking it would be helpful to have a point of reference to navigate to and from should we get there..." she pondered aloud for a moment, "Do you happen to know where they are on Pengiros?"

---

Quaal looked at the sack of gemstones that Fraskia ( Breadman ) had placed before him and was silent for a moment before letting out a hearty laugh. "Ah... but of course. I simply can't afford to not be too careful, you see? A few of the things I have... the mage-hunters would not like it should word spread that I had such thins in my possession. I trust you will keep this... confidential to the two of us." the salesman spoke before crouching beneath his counter and pulling forth a finely embroidered velvet box and gently placing it upon the table.

He opened the two latches that kept it shut and raised the lid carefully before first pulling out a singular enclosed vial with an unnaturally crimson colored liquid within. Fraskia knew what it was even before Quaal even opened his mouth to explain (1d20 = 3): "Dragon's blood." he said in a triumphant manner, "Potent, dangerous and extremely rare... as well as extremely expensive." He gently placed it back into the box for safekeeping before pulling out a second vial (1d20 = 2) which was now filled with an unknown glowing green and thick liquid and radiated a powerful, dangerous aura. "As for this... it was brought to me by one of your colleagues from the Lodge. But even to an untrained eye like mine... I know it is dangerous. And dangerous means value!"

"Though of course..." he then spoke before placing the second vial back into the box that had been containing it, "Even with those precious stones, it will not buy both."

 

[FloweryMuffin]

Erizthra did the most natural thing with the free time she’d had after being recruited. Her mind wandered off into a strange surreal daydream about beating up some thugs, with a rather vivid landscape as the background..? Fights brought more excitement when the location where they take place is also unfamiliar, with all of the possibilities of shifting the fight in one’s favour is left tot the fighters to figure out. She had been a member of this company for no more than a few hours, yet she already envisioned the fights that the dwarven woman was going to throw herself into, prompted, unprompted. But unfortunately, the rational part of herself gently reminded her that that kind of ideal friendly fight that she imagined had no place in mercenary work.

That fantasy came to an end with the arrival of the otter sailor, who brought an outlandish proposal with himself. A journey to find the lost continent. From what she understood from the conversation between their company leader and the furry sailor, there was a pretty high chance that they could die at sea before ever reaching their destination, if it existed at all. Although, she was never, for anything in the world passing up the opportunity to sail across the ocean and admire it in its full glory in the middle of a storm, or on a sunny day. Maybe one more uneventful day she could go fishing. She was already worlds away, already looking forward to it and Erizthra couldn’t really contribute to the conversation, even to express her agreement to go, almost no questions asked. She liked long journeys and she was fascinated by water. What else was needed for a reason?

From that one she woke up around the time of departure, when Hughin told them it was about time they headed to the docks. She recalled there was a drink to be had, which she never got around to ordering. There were people to speak to besides Kahzel, which she never got around to introducing herself to. Well, luckily or perhaps conveniently, she was carrying all the required equipment already. Her hammers. The tavern was empty at that point, so she offered a goodbye to the barkeep, mostly out of courtesy.


“G’bye sir. Woulda gladly had a beer or two, if it weren’t fer my mind going off in strange places. Ey, maybe save ‘em for when we’re back from the fancy journey.”

With that, Erizthra left the tavern as well, planning to ask their otter captain whether they had an anvil on board.

 

[Dmaster]

Da'Vost's head continued to twitch and jitter as he processed Zakala's words, clacking his beat quietly as he let her say her piece. "Many Elven, yes. A good deal even before their reign. Some we have yet to even fully comprehend ourselves." the Fateseeker answers, his hands together as they hung below his waist. While the demoness made a good point about how the rogue Aervis likely did not attract a large customer base it did little to solve his unease. "Perhaps, yet it is still unforgivable how he and others would remove things from our stores for mere coin."

"My kin are there yes, communication between our Spires is somewhat regular. Hence my confusion about your people calling the continent lost." Da'Vost explained. When asked about the location of the West Spire his head tilted back slightly, as he had to ponder it for a moment. "They are between the western coast and a great lake to the Spire's east. If we are to begin our journey on the eastern coast it may take a great deal of time to travel to them." He stays silent for a moment, closing his eyes before speaking yet again. "All of this is based on what I have been told. I have not ventured outside of Argos. I cannot fly like the majority of my people. Despite that, I am aware of the Spire's location based on the shared connection and messages we have received from one another."

 

[SniperComZero]

Alarael's eyebrow piqued from behind her masked visage. She, and by extension, her brother, had gathered that there wouldn't be much room in the whole world for more than one lost continent, so it would be almost certain to be the one that had held the lost of their kin. "Well, yes, as far as I'm aware, anyway, our lost kind do-- or. Used to, more likely, resided on this 'lost continent'. I doubt that the tales that would arise from them would distract me to, ah... a crippling extent, let's say. They'd be an intrigue, for certain, but, as far as I gather, what the utterlin wants and any artifacts and stories of note that we find there may as well be the same."

She paused a moment, before giving a half-hearted shrug. "Well, glory is his mission, as far as I understand, but artifacts and treasure that've lain untouched for centuries certainly aren't a bad secondary to that." The brief moment of pause was punctuated by her gloved fingers rapping with dull thuds against her metal-covered arm. "...And your second question?"

 

[Breadman]

I trust you will keep this... confidential to the two of us.

"Me and the mage hunters are in a strained relationship. Rather uptight in their ways." Fraskia assured the shopkeeper. "You have nothing to worry about. Should they find the regends, I can simply lie." Half-truth, but he didn't need to know that anyway. He was already showing her his stock. Fraskia looked at both options and wondered which one would be more useful to her. She took the bottle of mystery fluid and looked a bit closer. There was nothing that she could tell what it actually was. The witch put it back in its place and picked up the dragon blood. "My journey is already dangerous enough, so I'll play this one safe if you don't mind." She pushed the gems forward to complete the transaction. She then pulled another purse and tossed it on the counter. "For the other reagents." The sound of coin clinked as it made impact with the wood "I trust you know how to unload the...less traditional payment for the blood." The witch began gather his normal stock that was offered earlier. The quality was as advertised, so she had no objection to grabbing what she needed.

"I don't wish to give you unsolicited advice, Quaal, but I'd be doing a poor job if I didn't. If a fellow member of the lodge gave that to you...get rid of it. You don't want that tainting your inventory. How you do that is up to you. Sell it to someone else, throw it in the dock water or give it to some animal to drink. Just get it away from you."

 

[joshuadim]

Hughin listened to Alarael's ( SniperComZero ) response in silence as she made her position and intentions clear with regards to the topic at hand and gave a nod of approval once she finished speaking. In his mind, he would not have to worry and trusted her at her word for the time being with regards to this. Yet related to this topic he had another question soon after: "My second question is do you happen to know any information regarding these... 'lost kin' of yours? Stories or legends? They might come in handy perhaps if we make land." he asked to the elf with curiosity. He hoped that there might be some tidbits of information to keep in mind and look out for in the near future with regards to their expedition.

---

"I see..." Zakala said to Da'Vost ( Dmaster ) as she digested the information given, "Given our trajectory through the Veiled Sea it's likely we would end up on the eastern shores unless we somehow sail off course... to our deaths." She muttered the last part with both apprehension and sarcasm laced in her tone, the later infused into her words to cope with the idea that this journey was indeed perilous and could potentially be fatal. "It might be confusing why everyone else calls it 'lost', but I know many vessels that have tried and failed to reach that continent only to be met with a watery grave. I lost a good friend of mine a few years back when she joined up with a vessel seeking to find their own fortune there; I never heard from her again."

The demoness then sighed and leaned her head back up so her gaze looked up at the blue skies above, taking comfort in the fact that she was still on solid ground in known lands. "I don't know what it is about those waters that make it so. Maybe it's cursed?" she then spoke, giving off an audible sigh after her last words. "Sorry... I'm probably rambling by this point."

---

Quaal took Fraskia's payment without further questions as her reassurances made him feel more comfortable in dealing out the rare item to her and accepted payment for the more common items in his stock as well. "But of course, I shall see to it that I heed your advice." he stated with a pleasant smile before bowing his head again. "Good journeys to you in the road ahead for you."

Fraskia - Items Acquired

- x1 Vial of Dragon's Blood

- x2 Vials of Troll Pus

- x4 Bone Dust

-x4 Grounded Lemnos Root

-x2 Moulum Tongue

-x6 Mageleaf

-x12 Silverleaf

With the transaction completed, Quaal went about to the back of his shop to store his payment as well as to inspect the gemstones that had been given which left Fraskia alone at the front with her acquired reagents and ingredients.

 

[Beann]

Admittedly, Aelestra was still not pleased with her response to his question so it was understandable that he didn't have much of a response to her follow up question. She was at least hoping for a vague answer but she was left staring at Arnas as he continued to ponder her question until the two finally arrived at their destination. Her eyes rested on an orc, hammering away at a piece of metal to which she assumed was a sword in the making. She could recall faintly wanting a sword as a child but her parents had advised against it, explaining that it was too dangerous for someone so young. Despite their reasoning, her father had gifted her a wooden sword a few months later. Of course she had no idea how to wield one properly but she remembered spending hours out in the field, swinging it around until she tired herself out. She couldn't remember what happened to that wooden sword. It mattered little though as she had no interest in acquiring another, or an actual blade for that matter.

Lost in her thoughts, she almost didn't hear the joke Arnas shared with her. She stared at him blankly, blinking a couple times before looking back over to the orc. Then she brought her hand to the back of her head and scratched gently while tilting her head to the side curiously. Eyes in the back of his head? Maybe...she didn't have much experience with orcs in the first place. Maybe they had great hearing? Or perhaps a strong sense of smell? She watched the exchange between the two men, wondering how much Arnas had spent for his leg armor. Her eyes followed him as he walked over to pick up the armor and strap the pieces excitedly in place. It was rather endearing if she was being honest. She looked him up and down as he spoke, considering Zakala's words in the back of her mind. While she really did not want to pick up armor or weapons, it probably would not look good to ignore the woman's suggestion. Quickly writing a response, she turned the page over for Arnas to read: "you look good in armor. I prefer to fight with my fists and without the weight of metal. Do you have recommendations?"

joshuadim

 

[SniperComZero]

In response to the second question, Alarael simply shook her head towards him. "Nothing that wouldn't already be common knowledge." There was a brief pause. Almost as if she were waiting for something or someone to come to her. "That the old empire had... well, a colony, more or less. What little information about it is that it was in the north, and that the land there was bitterly dangerous. As for anything beyond that, it's out of my knowledge. I suppose there's the possibility that they're still around. But I would doubt it." A sentence that brought her much chagrin from her brother, but, she was just telling it as to how she saw it. There's hardly a way that a people cut off can survive in a hostile, frozen hellscape for centuries.

 

[Dmaster]

Da'Vost frowns at Zakala telling him that she had lost a friend to the seas, his head flicking about rapidly a few times before he adjusts his gaze back to the streets ahead. "Most unfortunate. I am sorry that you have suffered such a loss." he replies, shuffling slowly as they continue to move toward the docks.

"I do not know much of the seas, only the skies. Though I do know that curses do exist, and some are so strong that they choke the land they are cast on. Reason suggests that the sea is no different." the Fateseeker suggested. It was a rather harrowing thought that the sea itself was cursed, but if ships and expeditions had such reputations of completely disappearing on making the voyage it would only make sense.

 

[Breadman]

With her reagents secured Fraskia left the shop. She was rather satisfied with her haul, as it would come in as useful for the potions and rituals ahead. With that business concluded, she headed towards the docks to meet with the rest of the company.