Fantasy Embers on the Wind

[DarKnight36]

"Well, two things," Lionel said, raising a finger. "One, opinions aren't always answerable by evidence. You can have an opinion that a certain fruit tastes terrible. My opinion is that the Gothra are just like everybody else. My evidence? I don't have any, it's just a feeling. Two, you want to learn something, learn it firsthand. You're a fisher, did you learn everything about the ocean by asking people who live by it?"

 

[Radish__]

Rue was watching the three argue as she answered Todd "Yes everyone seems...excitable," she said carefully. She noticed Krirrk as he spoke, and furrowed her eyebrows. She didn't recognize this person. Maybe he was one of those the mayor sent to help them? She turned to Velahari, "Do you recognize this one?" she asked quietly. It wasn't unlike her to be face blind. It was often hard for her to remember people just on seeing them.
Interactions: Alias FireMaiden

 

[druidquest]

"I believe I already mentioned he would be one of your escorts today," Theophania interrupted.

 

[FireMaiden]

Velahari Faevi
Interaction: Sky_Breaker_08 DarKnight36 Radish__ Wing06 druidquest
Mentioned:
"Hey nobody's saying it's not going to be risky, but that's what we're here for. Weren't we all recruited for doing something risky in the service of someone else?" Velahari would speak in response to Lars' outburst. "You speak as if the Gothra are no different than rabid rats." Approaching a situation like that was guaranteed to end badly, just as Rue would add moments later. The Soithra would stare at Lars, waiting for an answer perhaps, or to judge a reaction, stepping up some as to no be in Rue's shadow. But that would come later as Lionel would finally answer her questions. "That's many places to investigate," The young woman mused. Of course some may not be necessary, but Velahari wanted to do a thorough job! The more information they gathered the better chance they had of approaching the Gothra. Not to mention the library if there was on and certainly there would be records at whatever town hall they had. She wondered however, if they would be given access to said records.

As Lionel finished speaking, Lars would start again and a few others would head out already and Velahari could wear she heard the pompous ass continuing his rant. She let out a little huff. "The world will never improve with people like him," The woman muttered, more to herself than anything else. Velahari though would quickly turn her attention back to Rue as she asked another question. "Hmm?" The woman would turn now to face the bird man who had spoken earlier even though she had unintentionally ignored it. "I don't remember meeting him," Velahari assured her friend, a quick glancing at the Loithra as she interrupted before focusing again on Krirrk. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Velahari Faevi," She said, approaching him with a smile. As she got closer, her head would tilt some, almost as if she were examining him. "My, your feathers are lovely. You must take good care of them."

Whether or not the compliment was appreciated or awkward, Velahari would turn to those remaining. At least the ones who would be investigating the town with her, she would clap her hands together to grab attention. "Where should we begin? I believe the market would be a wise choice. Or perhaps finding where they keep incident records? I hear you Loithra keep things all nice and organized," She smiled, her hands clapping together gently a few times. That was true in her personal experience as well, at least when it came to illnesses sweeping an town or larger area.

 

[obscured_light]

There had been no change in plans but they were going to the market now? Shaista stared awkwardly at where Lars had dashed out and then at the group around her, still very, very confused. Apparently she had missed a very much needed explanation of the day and now she was a little scared to ask again.

"Are we...Should I...?" she began softly, her voice not as deep as the day before. She cleared her throat and asked a little more loudly to anyone within earshot, "Where do I need to be? Am I also going to the market?"

 

[druidquest]

Theophania sighed quietly. Her attempts to smooth things over seemed to have just confused matters. She should find a chance to speak with Lars later.

"Everyone here is free to follow whichever plan they feel has more value," she answered, inclining her head toward Shaista. "In your case, both routes lead to the bridge. I apologize for the lack of clarity."

 

[PiePillager]

"Well, this was entertainin' and all. Shame a brawl didn't break out," Rattlesnap noted. "Coulda ran bets on who'd win just like in the old days, harharharhar!" the Pontra chortled before he issued a cough. "...Only jokin', o'course. Best we get to business right away. Not sure what I'll be up to yet, but I'm sure all will become clear once we get a better lay 'o the land!"

With that, he scrambled out of the inn, stetching his arms as he took in the fresh air.

 

[upscalerat]

Nerine

Had there been tension brewing that Nerine had missed throughout the evening and the morning, or was it completely unprompted as it felt it was? She spent the whole of the conversation scared that, somehow, it had been her words that had set the others off- no, it couldn't have been, no one was upset with me, she reassured herself. It didn't make her feel better, but she knew it was the more realistic assumption to work with, at least regarding whether or not any of them were cross with her.

All in all, as far as a tiff went, it wasn't even that bad, she had to admit; there wasn't even a raised voice, though there was hardly a conclusion, either. What exactly was she supposed to do now? Was she still supposed to go foraging with Rue and Rattlesnap, or was she supposed to proceed with the others to the bridge? For better and for worse, their group didn't have a set leader that she could verify her instructions with, and she was sure that she would make someone unhappy by not following their plan regardless of what she did...

But she couldn't stay at the inn and do nothing. Nerine found Theo's logic to be sound, and more privately shared Rue's enthusiasm at the concept of picking up some local ingredients; given her own way, that would have been the plan that she would have pursued. The Pontra seemed unphazed as he scrambled outside, and the Meftra was left alone as her Soithra friend approached the Faldra that had just spoken up.

After a moment of gathering her nerves, Nerine turned to Rue and spoke. "Excuse me, Rue, what do you plan on doing? I would love to accompany you and gather ingredients, as per Theophania's plan, if you're so inclined. But, of course, if you wish to go directly to the bridge, I don't mean to sway you from that course of action, either."

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[Wing06]

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Velahari Faevi," She said, approaching him with a smile. As she got closer, her head would tilt some, almost as if she were examining him. "My, your feathers are lovely. You must take good care of them."

Krirrk barely had time to respond to Velahari before the group returned their interest in their task. He was grateful for that. Making small talk or talking about himself was not what he had planned for the morning.

He chuckled, watching the heroes begin to split off, thinking that following the Pontra might be his best option. He gave the remaining few heroes a curt nod before leaving the inn, tossing a few coins on the table by the door. "Remember, you all were chosen for one reason or another," He called over his shoulder before closing the door to the inn's tavern behind him. Maybe that would get them in gear. He had much to study and was willing to be a bit hands-on for now if it meant gaining the intelligence he was after.

 

[Radish__]

Rue looked at Nerine, confused for a split second. Then she smiled and clapped her hands together. "Nerine! Right? See, I'm getting better at this," she said, looking pleased with herself. "Sorry, I got a little distracted. Lets go meet up with our other group member. I know little about bridges, so I don't think I would be much help there. Plus I'm looking forward to finding region specific ingredients..." Rue started going on about the different plants they could find in the area, practically oozing with excitement to be out and collecting. Scooping up any potions that hadn't been claimed by the party members, she quickly stuffed them in her pack, pulling a still sleepy Favi out and letting him perch on her shoulder. She then quickly started making her way to the Pontra who had gotten ahead of them.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

Interactions: SavannahSmiles ​

As the group began to splinter off, he made his way towards Alethea. It occurred to him that the Faithra hadn't had much to say about Theo's plan concerning them so he wondered if she was content with this. Theo had made it clear that they could do whatever they wanted but to him, at least, this felt like the best use of his abilities. Either way, he felt like he should confirm with Alethea.

"So, what do you plan on doing?" A small smile lit up his face as he took his fan and casually blew it at his face. "I'm personally going to go with Lionel to check out the surrounding area, maybe see if I can spot how the Gothra were able to get across the river without the use of the bridge." Besides, though there might have been investigations done already, he wanted to see the area around the bridge himself with his own eyes. You never know what you'll find as an outsider.

 

[PiePillager]

Rattlesnap's ear twitched as he heard footsteps approach. Turning around without breaking his stride, he greeted Rue and Nerine with a nod. "ahoy there, lassies!" he greeted, before noticing Favi perched upon Rue's shoulders. "Oh and ahoy to the little cousin up there! S'pose you both wanna follow the Cleric's plan still?" he asked his two fellow adventurers. "Well count me in! Wanted to explore this place a bit 'fore we got down to dealin' with them Gothra anyways!"
Radish__ upscalerat

 

[egglover]

"Shaista, dear," A gentle hand petted the strong, armored arm attached to Shaista who was making its way toward the exit of the inn with the others, "If you're going to the bridge do make sure someone is able to draw up a plan of it for me. Using ink and sand, if possible, so that I may be able to read it."

Myril smiled in thanks and waved the group goodbye as they all left the inn one by one.

obscured_light

***

Ravali was a beautiful town in the morning light. Trees glistened with dew drops from the late night shower that had rattled the inns clay roof whilst they had slept, and the air was tinged with a certain freshness that melded with the salty sea air. Closer to the dock the scent of fish was prominent but was soon covered by hints of freshly baked bread from several of the bakeries that were scattered around the city. Children played in the few puddles that hadn't dried up from the warming sun, it's rays sweet enough to soak into the chilled bone of early morning workers and strollers.

Inside the inn buttery strips of sunlight lay gently atop of wooden tables and chairs that were being tidied by one of the young maids that lived and served within the quaint building. She tucked a tray under her arm and pulled out a yellowing rag, cleaning the remnants of breakfast as most of the patrons of the inn departed for the day. Myril could not see her, but listened to her quiet shuffling and chairs scraping against wooden flooring every so often. Distant sounds of a stressed kitchen echoed in the inn. Fragments of frustrated words could be heard.

"There ain't enough food for em.....there ain't even enough food for us!"

"....we've been managing fine thus far! I wont raise my prices, Gertie. We barely get any paying customers these days as it is."

Another chair scraped against wood, this time much closer to where Myril sat beside a window. Her head tilted to the young girls direction and she spoke kindly to the maid, "I am sorry if my party is causing your inn trouble - ah, what was your name, love?."

The maid stopped and looked up at Myril, slightly surprised, "It's Ayla, miss. Naw, don't you worry yerselves, it ain't you kind folks. Its 'cuz of the darn stuff with them gothra. Well, you know all about that, o'course. Anyways, we been havin' a lot more guests here lately. Ain't like the gothra are new or nothin' round these parts."

"What do you mean?" Myril asked.

"Oh, probably woulda been able to handle them gothra if circumstances were usual, is all! Gert woulda sent big ol' Borb to sort things out. Maybe sweet Lionel woulda joined him. Always liked to get involved in trouble, that one!"

Chatter from the next room stopped. There was a lull in their conversation whilst Ayla resumed wiping a table and Myril thought over her next question carefully, "I'm sorry, you said 'if circumstances were usual'. Are they not?"

Though she couldn't see it, there was a sense that the maids expression fell, "Mmm. We been havin' more 'n more soldiers come through from the north. Mayor is worried, or so the innkeep says. Ta keep trouble at bay we been givin' them the Ravali hospitality. They ain't have to pay. Best to keep them happy 'n fed but..."

"But you're running out of stores."

"Yeah."

Myril tapped the cup of her now lukewarm tea, "And now we are here. I see. Why are soldiers passing through here, love? It seems odd for a peaceful town such as this."

Ayla sighed, "Well that's the question, ain't it? No one knows. Mayor don't even know. I did overhear one of them soldiers talk about some kinda occupation at the Southern High States. Dunno what that means but I ain't got a good feelin' for Telani's sake."

From the kitchen a loud voice called the out the maids name. Ayla curtsied and hurried away to tend to the inns chores, leaving Myril to mull over the information she had just been given.

 

[obscured_light]

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

Theophania sighed quietly. Her attempts to smooth things over seemed to have just confused matters. She should find a chance to speak with Lars later.

"Everyone here is free to follow whichever plan they feel has more value," she answered, inclining her head toward Shaista. "In your case, both routes lead to the bridge. I apologize for the lack of clarity."

"Thank you for the clarification," Shaista spoke to Theophania, relieved her path was set regardless of whatever alternate plan they had made in her absence. And the bridge group seemed to have been whatever group Lars had dashed off to? The others were speaking of their plans and scoping out their group mates, no one really mentioning the bridge. Lars had said "us" however though it could have been just a general "us" and not an "us" directed towards Shaista. Asking again seemed so inconvenient for the group however who had already seemed set on their tasks but if she didn't ask then she could possibly be lost and what kind of stoic figure would she be stumbling around like a foo-

"Shaista, dear," A gentle hand petted the strong, armored arm attached to Shaista who was making its way toward the exit of the inn with the others, "If you're going to the bridge do make sure someone is able to draw up a plan of it for me. Using ink and sand, if possible, so that I may be able to read it."

The gentle hand broke Shaista from her thoughts and she rumbled in a low voice, "Of course, Myril" before her friend went off to business of her own. Shaista straightened up, task in hand, and strode out to where Lars and and Lionel stood waiting.

"Remember, you all were chosen for one reason or another," He called over his shoulder before closing the door to the inn's tavern behind him.

As she made her way there, the bird man's words settled themselves in her thoughts. It made her recall the dream she had when she was younger that had set her on this path. This was her calling but why did the words make her stomach and chest so turbulent? Shaista pushed the thoughts aside and asked the adventurers she was approaching, tilting her head slightly like her neck was too stiff to move it further, "Do either of you know how to make a map of ink and sand?"

 

[DarKnight36]

The group of heroes had split off in three directions - the first to explore the city of Ravalai more fully, the second to search the surrounding area of the Eastern Ravalai States, and the third to investigate the bridge and fulfill the mayor's request. Were any of the members of these three parties to look up at the sky, they would only see a morning blue covered here and there by rising clouds. A brisk breeze was blowing from the ocean, bringing with it the smell of salt that was so common to the coast. Yet a sense of foreboding lingered, tension that not one person could singularly put their finger on the source of. But it was there - like the prickling of hair rising right before a lightning strike...

[THE MARKET]

"Did ya get a look at those Retriance fellas? Quite the varied lot," Suiry said, squatting on the table as she chewed thoughtfully around the apple she held in one hand. "Almost too varied, y'ask me. I mean, I get that Retriance is all about that, but it's weird all the same."

"None of my business," Graid replied to his Nektra companion. "And none of yours too, to be frank." The Thytra wiped sweat off his brow. "You gonna help or just watch?"

"You're fine," Suiry said, waving a hand at Graid and taking another bite of her apple. Graid grunted in displeasure, but turned back to the grindstone. Sharpening blades was Graid's job anyway; she made armor, not weapons. She'd also finished all of her work yesterday, but Graid had wasted his time listening to the hunter's stories again.

"It's not wastin' time," Graid said, a bit harshly, and Suiry winced. She hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud. "The Great Hunter gives me tips on what to make, y'know. What people need to survive up there on those peaks." Graid pointed towards the center of Telani, where the Broken Peaks ate the sky.

"No one survives up there, it's no man's land," Suiry frowned. "Even the Clythra don't wander out of their caves. And before you start, let's just both agree that Boroboro ain't normal. Hell, he could be one of those Fallen, all we know."

"That's absurd," Graid argued, the grindstone completely forgotten. "The Great Hunter's flesh and blood, like you and me!"

"Who knows under that armor?" Suiry grinned, enjoying Graid's reaction. "He could- Oh look, it's some of those heroes!" She cupped a hand to her mouth. "Oy! You lot! Come say hello!"

"Shush Suiry!" Graid snapped, his tail swishing frustrated. "They have better things to do than come and talk to us."

"Aw shut it," Suiry said, hopping down from the table. "They're just looking around, and I wanna talk to them!"


[OUTSIDE RAVALAI]

The northern exit from Ravalai opened to rolling hills to the left and a small cliff to the right. The path wound its way into those hills, gradually losing the soft stone to packed dirt. It was clear that the northern road was not used as often as its western counterpart, but only Nerine, Krirrk, or Lionel would truly know the difference. Seagulls, who had been a constant presence over Ravalai, still could be seen all about the cliffs, as well as other types of birds held aloft by the firm sea breeze.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was just rising to the level of the clouds in the sky. The further along the path the group traveled, the more the sounds of nature filled the air. Butterflies and other small insects hung around the group, at times annoying, but mostly benign. A duo of Telani Rabbits popped their heads up from around a small bush for a moment before darting off.

All in all, it was a most pleasant walk. Still, there was a sense of unease - the rumored Gothra village was to the northwest of Ravalai. Its exact location wasn't known, but surely the Gothra would have parties of their own, perhaps hunting for food, or eyeing the road for easy pickings. At least, the mayor seemed to think so of the latter.

So, when the sounds of steel ringing on steel carried through the air, it perhaps gave the heroes all the more reason to be wary... or, perhaps, this was their chance to investigate further.


[PIRILAI]

The small village of Pirilai lay across the northern branch of the Ravalai River, which narrowed considerably as the heroes followed the western path out of Ravalai. The path was easy to follow - it wound its way between the grassy hills, none of which were very tall or steep. Only a few trees stood out here and there, and despite the warnings to be on the lookout, the group found the rushing water and quiet calm of nature to be quite relaxing.

Perhaps Lionel also helped with this - he walked with an easy confidence, his eyes only departing to one side or another to point out the various vistas, of which he seemed to think there were hundreds. Truth be told, one would hardly fault Lionel for brushing off most of the beauty of the world around him, as one often does when surrounded by it on a daily basis, but of Lionel's faults, this was not one.

It took a few hours, as Lionel had suggested, to arrive at the crossroads towards Pirilai. The road stretched both westward and southward, the south branch leading to the broken bridge. Lionel led the group this direction, and after about another uneventful and quiet hour, the heroes arrived at the bridge. Or rather, what was left of it.

It appeared as though a giant hand had reached down and scooped out a portion of the bridge in the middle. Repairs were obviously being attempted, but despite the easy day, no workers were present. On the other side of the river, several large farmhouses could be seen in the distance.

"Well, here we are," Lionel said, seating himself on a large rock to one side of the path. "What do you think? Anything stand out to you?"

 

[PiePillager]

"AHOY!" Rattlesnap chuckled as his voice echoed across the hills, scattering the seagulls about. "How's about that fer convenience, these hills here give us a good 'ol view of the bridge our friends are out venturin' to! What say we appoint ourselves lookouts as we gather these herbs in case anythin' goes awry, eh?" he asked the two women following him.

Radish__ upscalerat

 

[Sky_Breaker_08]

"Are we to repair the bridge before crossing to Pirilai? Or is there an alternate way across so that we may speak with the residents first?" Lars wondered aloud. "As there is evidence of repairs being done, I would love to speak with the residents beforehand to see what is preventing them from continuing."

 

[Wing06]

"What do you hope to learn during your exploration, Pontra?" Krirrk asked, falling into step with Rattlesnap, the Meftra, Rue, and the Merda, Nerine. "This city holds few wonders, but something is lurking in the shadows, secrets begging to be exposed." He cocked his head to one side before continuing, "take any information you're given with a grain of salt. Not all is as it seems here."

PiePillager Radish__ upscalerat

 

[Radish__]

Rue stepped away from everyone by a few steps. "Yes, yes, looking out, sounds good," she mumbled as she knelt down, investigating the ground. Her ears were twitching nervously as she listened to the clanging of metal. When Krirrk spoke, Rue looked over her shoulder at him. "In my travels, I have found that "all is not as it seems" is a pretty good statement regarding just about everywhere," she commented before turning back to what she was doing. "Personally I only believe what I see with my own two eyes as mostly the truth," she muttered.

She pinched some dirt between her fingers, rubbing it slightly, before putting Favi on the ground in front of her. "Okay Fav," she said, digging into her pocket for a treat. She held it out to him, and he took it, gobbling it down in one go. "You know what to do bud," she smiled giving him a scritch. He spun, chirping excitedly before taking off and disappearing into the grass. She stood, brushing off her knees, and turned to the others.

"Alright, Favi will be back intermittently with whatever he finds," She said before walking further out into the field, bending down and picking up small herbs and flowers, doing her best to keep an eye on her surroundings. Her ears continued to twitch as the sounds of metal lowly made her more and more nervous. She looked jumpy and on edge as she tried to focus on her task.

PiePillager upscalerat Wing06

 

[obscured_light]

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was for fear of their lives," Shaista said, staring at the large gap in the middle of the bridge. "It would be one thing if a side or the ends were damaged but the middle?"

She walked closer, all pretense in her voice gone. There wasn't anything singed however. No uneven patches. It looked clean, unnaturally so.

"I don't think repairing the bridge can be done by ourselves though."

 

[PiePillager]

"The last thing that gets me worried is secrets!" Rattlesnap chuckled at Krikk as he yawned and leaned against a tree atop the hill. "Be it buried treasure or hidden truth, ye search hard enough, and yer bound to stumble upon something interestin'!"

He turned to look at Rue as she went to gather herbs. "Yer almost quakin in yer boots, lass? What's got ye riled up?"

Wing06 Radish__

 

[DarKnight36]

"Still think this is the work of the Gothra?" Lionel asked, smiling slightly. "Anyway, there's not another safe way of crossing the river, but there's plenty of unsafe ways. The repair crew should be on this side of the river, though. Last time I was here, they were working on the bridge. Haven't been back to check on them, but I trust the mayor when he says no word's been given. Not sure where they ran off to though. Or maybe something happened to them."

***

The ringing of metal drew Favi deeper into the trees by the side of the road, where the ferret's eyes would find several Gothra standing nearby an armored man of ambiguous race. Nearby, several other Gothra, children perhaps, were sword-fighting. One of the Gothra said something to the children, but Favi, being a ferret, did not understand the words. Still, one of the Gothra youngsters nodded and swung a different way, to the adult's seeming satisfaction.

 

[upscalerat]

Nerine

Nerine bit her lip as Rattlesnap and their new feathery companion chattered. Seeing Rue send her ferret off was of some comfort; he was a cute and handsome creature, and good for the nerves. Still, the clanging metal brought her worry.

The mayor suggested that the Gonthra camped to the northwest of town, no? Seems to be the way this path leads, she thought to herself, looking down at the ground beneath them. It seemed to be less traveled than the entrance that she had come up the day before- but if rumor placed the Gonthra in this direction, then it made perfect sense, she reasoned.

Another clang! brought her head up. She looked at the hills. If it weren't for that ominous sound, it would be a perfect day for foraging: bright and not especially chilly, and right next to a town full of, so far, hospitable people. She glanced again at the others before opening her mouth and speaking softly. "I don't quite fancy the sound of that, and I wouldn't want to stumble into a Gonthra camp." Though she had her shortsword at her hip, the Merda was hardly an experienced fighter: she could hold her own against one or two assailants, but certainly not the numbers she would expect to find waiting for them.

And then another idea occurred to her- the path was less worn than the western one, but it was still in use. Could it be that they were hearing someone else who had gone out and encountered a foe? She frowned as she spoke again. "Assuming that's what it is. Perhaps we should look closer, and make sure no one is in need of any assistance."

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[druidquest]

Theophania followed half a pace behind Velahari as they strolled through the streets of Ravalai. Myril had parted from them at the door of the inn, citing her blindness as excuse to spend their first full day on the continent indoors. And so it was that the Soithra and Shiera came to walk the city alone.

Colorful cloth canopies had been stretched over the marketplace, providing shade from the bright morning sun. Theophania had expected crowds, but it seemed much of the population had decided to sleep in that day, because instead the pair found the district quiet and lazy. Several of the merchants stood around shooting the breeze with one another, craftsmen with no orders left to fill relaxing in their studios before the arrival of crowds that would surely be coming later.

While several of the district’s residents had made attempts to lure the foreign women into purchasing this or that as they passed, it was one invitation in particular that caught Theophania’s ear specifically. She tapped Velahari lightly on the arm, nodding further down the lane where a Thytra was fruitlessly attempting to prevent a Nektra woman from approaching them.

“Do you have a particularly exceptional pitch you’d like to try this morning?” Theo asked as she approached, amusement pulling at one corner of her lip. “Because we’ve heard several already, and none of the others were quite so eager.”

---

FireMaiden

 

[FireMaiden]

Velahari Faevi
Interaction: druidquest
Mentioned:
The group would splinter off shortly after they left the tavern and Velahari found herself in the company of one of the Lothra members of their party. Theophania if she remembered correctly. The other woman seemed fine enough, rather drive for their goal. That was a good thing! Though she'd find that Velahari was... easily distracted. She had of course been to many markets. Most were packed though, but today this one seemed to still sleep. While never wandering too far from Theophania, Velahari would let her eyes and feet wander to any stall that caught her attention. For the most part, those running the stalls seemed indifferent to her coming up to explore. Others may have been slightly annoyed with her lack of purchases. Small crystals and other trinkets, beautiful clothes and tapestries. There was even a few Soithra items for sale. Though Velahari had to question their... authenticity.

In any case, as she once again caught back up with Theophania, the two would be addressed by another stall. When the Lothra got her attention, Velahari would nod without a word and follow, readjusting the grip on her staff. "At least the pitches have been entertaining... albeit not very effective," The young woman chuckled, approaching the two to take a little look around their stall. "You seem excited! Has something interesting happened recently?" Velahari asked the Nektra, mostly unaware she was the one who beckoned the heroes over.