Graded [Evergate Rampart] Red Snow

[Lucius Cypher]

Interaction Tags: TheTimePiece )​

---

Much to the surprise of Orchid, the greycloaks did indeed run away. Well, aside from the ones whom she broke their legs, but that was intended. She was at a bit of a lost at what to do as they began to scatter, and the guards were starting to rally. Well, she did say she wouldn't chase or kill the cloaks that gave up, so she wasn't about to take back her word now, but that doesn't mean she can't give the guards a helping hand. Now all that was left was to deal with the only Greyhood who decided to stay, which Orchid figured she ought to make an example out of. Flourishing her blade, Orchid went on the offensive.

She dashed right to the lone Greyhood, her poleaxe raised as if she was about to chop his body in half. But instead of striking with the blade, Orchid jabbed the pommel of her Poleaxe, a quick strike aimed at the hood's sternum to crack ribs and knock the breath out of him. But this technique wasn't just meant to hurt the foe, but also trap him: immediately after the strike a blood red barrier would suddenly appear around him, preventing the greyhood from leaving unless he had the power to shatter her Blood Guard. But she could still harm him if she so desired, and was ready to finish him off when another surprise showed his face.

It was the nobleman from before, the one who was with Eliza. Alfred or Alex, something that starts with an A. Orchid glanced over to him as he more or less incriminates himself in being involved, and sighs a little. Was this really the person that Victorique was working for? Not wanting to have to deal with the possibility of getting two Talton's executed today, Orchid spoke to the silver-haired noble. "Ah right, the investigation. As you can see we have things under control here. Why don't you head inside and speak to the investigator so we can get this story straighten out? Wouldn't want there to be anymore misunderstandings here, wouldn't we sir?" Not wanting the guards to intercept and arrest the noble, Orchid took charge and started ordering the guards around. This was going to push the limits of her Persuasion E, but hopefully the other two guards can vouch for Orchid's competency.

"Follow me men! They might've scattered, but I think I know where their base is. Be swift, before these rats vanish into the shadows." Orchid was going to do her best to lead the guards towards that mech statue she had seen. She technically wasn't chasing any particular Greycloak, and if they're smart they might even avoid going there. But Orchid was hoping that she could give Victorique an opening to get the other noble out of trouble before the guards could arrest him for instigating this mess in the first place. If she's really fast maybe she'll even be able to come back and meet up with Victorique and debrief her on what information she does know.

Before she leaves, she notes that executioner looking man with the axe was nearby. Orchid doesn't know him at all but he was helping Victorique, so she could only assume he's an ally. Orchid gives him a nod and motions to the two greycloaks here. "I'll leave these two to you and the boss. I don't know how long you've spoken with her, but she's got a way with words. Keep her safe, I'll be right back." After that she would head onto a nearby rooftop in order to give the guards a highly visible armored orc to look at so they know where to go without Orchid getting lost in a crowd.

 

[Elvario]

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Kane/Adriano TheTimePiece
Languages: Common | <Beastial> | [Terran] | {Sylvan}

She was glad to get some confirmation from Adriano. She'd already told him she'd got things covered, so she didn't feel the need to do so again. To that extend, she was more surprised when Kane suddenly gave Adriano his sympathies. Turns out the dude had even more of a heart than she gave him credit for. Heck, even Adriano replying was like... weird. It reminded her of a Christmas movie. Two enemies suddenly being chummy in desperate times, right before Christmas Eve. Come to think of it. “I'll have you treat me to some of Kingdom's finest turkey, when this is over.” She told Adriano, with no further context.

What. The. Fuck. Kane's next revelation almost made her choke on her pipe. Well, scrap the almost. She coughed a lot as she tried to digest smoke and words alike. “Bloody hell, that certainly complicates things.” She eventually managed to get out. She doubted for a moment. Was it worth pursuing this Newt? This was a big revelation, yet how much more would the guy himself know? She'd already knew this 'trap' might've existed prior to Adriano, further suggesting it was the work of monsters, not rivals.

The night guards, however, might actually know more. The state of the body in particular. “Let's go to the night guards. Their knowledge might be more useful than what Newt might know. To that extend, if he saw them before... if this really is the work of monsters, he might not even be alive by now. If monsters are setting up these 'girls' to lure folk to these white strand things, they'd for sure get rid of anyone who'd spot them doing so early on. Besides, if he wants to see heads roll, I doubt he'll be easy to work with even if he's lucky enough to still be alive.”

She took some notes, mental ones with [Eidetic Memory] on the law situation Kane described. With her own Law knowledge added to that, things should be good. When he mentioned a commotion, her answer was short. “I don't fight, I run.” She shortly replied, entirely honest and without hesitation.

As for the 'commotion' itself, she arrived just in time to see a somewhat familiar shape jump off in the distance. So much for strategising with allies. For a short moment, she wondered if this meant she'd not have to pay Orchid, then she realised she'd better do so regardless. Becoming Orc dinner wasn't fun and Orchid was probably helping in her own way, or so she hoped.

She spotted Affonso as well, to her surprise. He didn't seem all that happy, but she didn't have time to deal with that. “You. I'm in a hurry, so listen up. Your brother was lured in by some sort of odd girl, possibly a monster posing as one, to an area near the wall where white strands sprouting from the ground were used to take over his body and kill the kid. I'm currently tracing back these kids, as there might be more of them, but I can't track down all. Your brother's been informed and should be able to buy some time with his testimony, but if you want to make yourself useful in the meantime, go find a guy named Newt and ask him for all he knows about seeing odd looking young girls outside his tavern, and I mean ALL he knows about it. That might give me some extra clues to help piece this together. I'll be questioning whomever found the body in the meantime.” She used [Ultimate Argument B] against him as naturally as it was to breath. With her being salty about the fact that he hadn't trusted her and instead started messing with her investigation, she had absolutely no respect or patience left otherwise.

“Also, if you want to know what just happened, use your bloody brain. You have enemies, right? They probably just planted some folk to get rid of you and your brother in one go. You were set-up by your enemies posing as allies.” One didn't even need to be a detective to reach that conclusion. “Make sure to claim that and maybe you can be of use instead of getting arrested as well. If not, do me a favour and sent someone to Eliza to ask her to go question Newt.”

That should be taken care off, to some degree. Honestly, she was salty enough to not even want to hear his answer. “Right, Kane, get me to the night guards, please. I'm done here.” She replied, not even looking at Affonso.

Ultimate Argument – Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Insight D, Perception C, Persuasion D, Law D, Energised B – Character takes in any information they can from someone and uses it when carefully picking their tone of voice and mannerisms to convey their argument in the most persuasive manner, tailored to whatever might suit the person they're trying to convince. - Grade B – 3 Post Cooldown.

 

[Clockwork_Magic]

Phoebe Penrose

Equipped Titles: Human, Mage, Compassionate, Bibliophile
Interactions: Professor Neco ( TheTimePiece ) | Gyld ( gmimperfecti )
Languages: Common | [Terran]​

---

After a few moments of inspecting those bear paw glyphs, the pinked haired mage was met with an interesting revelation. "It seems that those bear paws are some sort of trigger for something... I'm not sure what though..." She paused for a bit, looking at her 2 companions. "I'm not sure how to activate them either but..." A strange, unfamiliar feeling washed over the pink haired mage, almost akin to a kind of sixth sense feeling that you get when someone enters the room: you didn't see or hear them enter but could just feel their presence there.

Her eyes slowly and methodically looked over the imagery on the stones around them as the Professor drew their attention to them, seemingly telling the tale of some ancient people. "Hmm... If I may hazard a theory or two. I definitely agree that this place is somehow related to the White Bear and that this tapestry on the walls recounts the tale of how the ancient peoples of this land dealt with the White Bear. If these peoples were hunters of the White Bear, perhaps they constructed this place as a bear trap of sorts? A place to aid them in their hunt? Though if these peoples weren't hunters... I am not quite sure what to make of this structure then..."

As Phoebe finished proposing her theory and while awaiting the response of her companions, her eyes once again wandered to the imagery on the stones, taking in all the detail she can. With so much in the air in regards to the people that built this structure and what their purpose for doing so was in the distant past, it would definitely be a worthwhile endeavor to investigate the imagery and glyphs further.

---

Cooldowns:

• Grade E: 1/1

 

[gmimperfecti]

Gyld Aza Lyrakien tried to listen attentively as his fellow explorers analyzed the details of their ancient surroundings. A web of anticipation threaded through his mind, akin to a leaf awaiting the morning dew. His eyes, amber orbs reflecting the ethereal glow emanating from the stone structures, scanned the inscriptions meticulously, his nature-attuned senses fully engaged. While Gyld was no linguist, his intimate connection with the world around him occasionally gave him insights that a regular scholar might miss.

As Phoebe proposed her theories about the nature of the place and its past inhabitants, Gyld looked thoughtfully at the glow of the bear paws in the center of the stone circle. His intuition hummed in his chest like a resonant hymn, speaking of dormant energies and ancient wisdom etched into the very rocks surrounding them.

His gaze then swept back towards the symbolic portrayal of the human figures and the massive bear. The way they moved, almost as if animated, gave the entire place an eerie sense of reality. It was as if they were standing in a time capsule, a snapshot of a long-gone era. A history told through luminescent silhouettes, reflecting an age-old struggle between man and beast.

Turning to Professor Neco and Phoebe, Gyld prepared himself to contribute to their theories. His countenance was solemn and determined, reflecting his growing certainty about the hidden depths of this icy landscape and its connection to the White Bear they sought. The cool wind rustling through his hair and brushing against his skin carried stories of the past, whispering the tales of the hunters who had once braved these lands. Gyld had a feeling that the secrets lying dormant within these ancient stones couldn't be contained any longer! And neither could his childlike patience!

Gyld turned to his companions, his eyes brimming with an audacious plan. "I think...I might have an idea," he said, his voice hinting at the boldness of his proposal. "It's a bit... unconventional, but I feel that it's a path worth exploring."

With that, Gyld straightened his posture, his demeanor shifting as the subtle yet potent magic of the Eternal Glade began to swirl around him. "I'm going to try something...bear with me," he added, a hint of playfulness sneaking into his voice despite the seriousness of their situation.

Then, right before their eyes, Gyld began his transformation. His massive form shimmered as if enveloped in a mirage, his visage distorting and reshaping. Muscle and sinew twisted, grew, and hardened as his owlbear body gave way to that of a massive bear. His fur, once a mix of mottled brown and white, turned to a lustrous monochromatic sheen, like the perfect sculpture of a bear forged from green jade. Unfortunately the Eternal Glade didn't really do white.

Finally, as the transformation magic settled, the figure standing before Phoebe and Professor Neco was not Gyld, the owlbear, but a majestic bear, his eyes still glowing with Gyld's characteristic golden light. Taking a moment to adjust to his new form, Gyld - now in his bear form - moved with a lumbering grace, his massive paws making soft crunches in the snow as he approached the glowing bear paw prints at the center of the circle.

He paused at the edge of the prints, glancing back at his companions before stepping into them. A ripple of anticipation ran through him as his paws connected with the prints. Whether this would trigger anything or not, Gyld wasn't certain. However, he knew he had to try. As a guardian of the Eternal Glade, he felt it was his responsibility to unravel this mystery, not just for their quest, but also for the legacy of the ancient people who had once hunted the White Bear.






OOC: Clockwork_Magic TheTimePiece

Spoiler: Bear's Form - Domain E + Transform F

Note: All abilities listed here use Gyld's Nature Domain (Eternal Glade):
-- Grade E; Effectiveness 7, Cooldown 0;
--E-grade ((Range: 30ft & Duration: 1 hour; Targets: 5 | AOE: 15ft radius))
--Intelligence D, Magic E, Domain F, Selective Magic F, Componentless Casting E.

• Bear's Form: Transform F.
  
  • Heighten Sense (Smell)
  • Survival (F->D)
  • Natural Armor (F)

 

[TheTimePiece]

Orchid’s attack and detainment method proved to be effective on the greyhound who she targeted as he let out a swift cry as he was struck and then stuck, bits of blood flying out of his mouth. It looked like the light armor wasn’t doing a great job at dealing with her pommel probably due to her strength and grade. Orchid was, after all, quite strong. The Greyhood after struggling to breathe continued to try to move around but there wasn’t really much use there, being thoroughly disabled by Orchid’s move.

Affonso Talton
​

When Orchid spoke to Affonso he did a double take practically, looking up at her. “I suppose you do have things under control here.” He said almost sounding indignant once again.

“These fools got what they deserved unable, to follow simple orders, It wouldn’t surprise me if they were working against my family from the start.” He continued.

“And no I do not want any more misunderstandings..” Affonso grumbled. He didn’t even look at the hooded figures after his initial outburst, ignoring them completely, as he made his way toward the entrance since presumably that is where Orchid had been speaking about. However the Talton noble didn’t need to go all that far before he saw the investigator before him.

Guards
​

The guards were a bit surprised by what Orchid had to say at first but one of them perked up when she dropped intelligence on where the hideout of the cloaks were.

“Well you heard her men, the Orc knows where the base is, and she’s done a finer job than you two, let’s get a move on!”

Some of the other guards dropped a ‘yes sir’ before they began to head in the general direction of where Orchid was going.

“Look at the rooftops and do not lose sight of her!”

Two of the guards did stay back however and properly arrest the hoods, probably to bring them in for questioning as with the state Orchid and others had left them in they were easily enough subdued and placed in metal binds.

Kane Blackburne
​

Kane at first wasn’t entirely sure what to make of Orchid, but it seemed like she was there to help, better yet she looked like she actually knew who Victorique was meaning that she was probably a friendly since she called her boss. He definitely did approve of the orc’s combat ability regardless as he gave a somewhat casual thumbs up back to her. “Gotcha and don’t worry I won’t let anyone lay a finger on her.” He proclaimed.

He then looked to the guards, “Well you guys know what to do, I’d definitely put them in the cell, who knows depending on things go with the inquisitor when this is all said and done, maybe they’ll end up on my block too.” Kane said with a grimly smug look.

As for Orchid her movement on the rooftops proved to be a success but with the guards following her there was an increased talk in the street of passersby who were now gossiping at what they saw, while they moved out of the way curious as to what was going on.

Orchid would make it to the statue successfully without any incident as far as her parkour went, and the guards were not far behind her as they approached the statue.
The senior guard who had commanded the others earlier then turned to her and said

“Well then where’s this hideout you were speaking of?” It wasn’t a hostile tone, but best described as serious and to the point.
Lucius Cypher
---
Kane chuckled a bit at the turkey comment, but as perusal it was a bit more dark sounding then perhaps he had intended.

He was a bit surprised when she was so surprised, but it didn’t take him to realize why with what he had just said, but his gaze had suggested he was looking to make sure she was in fact okay with the coughing.

“Guards it is then, we’ll probably need to head to the barracks then and ask the superior chain of command who was guarding that day, not exactly something a civilian could do everyday but if you explain the situation and show them the Talton thing that guard gave you they’ll probably be agreeable once they know what it’s about.” He continued.

Then there was her saying that she was a runner rather than a fighter. There wasn’t too much Kane could say to that except a nod, if worse came to worse he’d keep her safe.
-
Of course not long after Kane’s interaction with Orchid, Affonso met face to face with Victorique. Kane looked over at her, and he could tell immediately that the boss was most definitely annoyed, or perhaps even more than that.

Affonso looked back at her with a scowl on his face, which formed quickly as just as he was going to speak up Victorique was quite insistent with what information she wanted to relay to him.

“Newt? Oh the commoner who runs the tavern.” Affonso said, sounding like perhaps he was in thought for a moment, but the expression of indignance came back briefly. “If I really must go speak to that slurred speech ill read one living in this hovel of a village I suppose I shall if it’s to save my brother.” He finally said. For someone who was getting information about how he could possibly save his brother and not get arrested he wasn’t exactly sounding the most gracious, but perhaps he had his reasons for his reservations.

His brows furrowed when Victorique told him that he was probably betrayed by his enemies. “That simply wouldn’t do those damn Cecils..if I find out they were up to this there will be hell to pay..” He’d grumble coldly.

“Tch of course I won’t be arrested, I’m a Talton, but I’ll go do what you say investigator..” He finally finished, the irony of his statement given the situation clearly lost on him. Even if he hadn’t exactly been the most pleasant conversation partner, at the very least it looked like Victorique’s ability had been effective enough on him to get him to go do what she said, as he made his way off presumably to go question Newt with what she suggested he ask him about.

Kane gave Victorique a nod, and didn’t say a word to Affonso, the look on his face probably said enough, which was one which did not suggest being impressed in the slightest.

Kane did then turn to the guards who had apprehended the hoods who had remained for one reason or another, before he asked, “Actually before you take them away, would you happen to know if the captain of the night guard is available? , it's of great importance for the investigation..”

One of the remaining guards then turned to Kane after he spoke and replied, “Yes actually, they’re doing some extra training exercises out in the field right now actually with their unit. With the recent increase of monster activity, can’t really blame them, I don’t envy those guys jobs, lots of unpleasant things can happen at night.”

Kane nodded, “Thanks, could you point us out exactly where the ‘field’ is?”

“Well since you’re on official business you should be able to head right through the front gate, it’ll become pretty obvious once you’ve done so..it’s a wide open area where many of the barracks and it’s amenities surround, within the walls.”

“Thanks again..” Kane reiterated. Thankfully he knew where to go from that point. It seemed he was capable of being a bit more friendly when the situation called for it in tone at least. The guards didn’t appear to be particularly adverse to him either as the nobles had been.

Kane then gestured for Victorique to follow as he headed away from the dungeons and toward the gated wall that segregated the military dwellings, amenities and training area from the rest of the settlement was. There of course were two guards there as well on either side.

On their way there Kane spoke up,
“Truthfully I wasn’t really expecting quite a robust military presence all the way out here..but I guess now it makes sense why this place is even on the map at all, it isn’t just some tiny village in Rotia, it’s also a place where they have invested the resources to train people for armed service roles..” Kane mentioned passively.

“Maybe it's why they chose here for a..higher profile execution too, you’d have to be pretty ballsy to want to attack a place like this..Plus our Queen needs to keep the military on her side after all..maybe there was more strategy put into picking the site then I was giving the higher ups credit for..”

“Guess it isn’t as bad living here as I would have imagined either, having that many armed people nearby working for the kingdom to protect you, doesn’t sound all too bad even if it’s in the middle nowhere..probably a bit quiet living here which..could be nice.”
Kane continued, being a bit more talkative than usual, perhaps on account of his warming up to Victorique more.

Presuming Victorique showed the Talton notice, the guards had no problem letting them through after Victorique explained the situation, which Kane would have given her a chance to do so. Upon the gate being opened it was pretty obvious what the guard had meant from before as there was quite literally an open field like training area, where presumably the night guards were practicing formations with their spears. What was different about the situation of course was that there were a couple mechas on the field too which were of a similar color scheme of the guards, much less ornate than the ones that Kane and Victorique had seen earlier in actuality.

The Mechas were standing in some sort of spear wall like formation, before shifting into a boarhead.

Night Guard Captain ???
​

One person stood out in particular who looked more ornate than the others, as well as adorning an eye patch of sorts..

“Lads, what did I tell you, Minimize those gaps! You can’t risk letting hostiles through our lines. It’s a matter of life and death for those on the inside, we’ll need to practice the set again.”

Kane then gestured to Victorique before gesturing to the guy as he made his way over across the field. “Hey, Night Guard Captain sir, we don’t mean to interrupt whatever you’re doing here but we’re on official business from the Taltons. The lady here has some really important business to talk to you about, it’s regarding the Talton case.”

Kane spoke very confidently, providing a segway for Victorique.

The guard captain looked at them a bit surprised at first, skeptical even, before he continued, “And I suppose you have a formal documentation to provide for this inquiry?..” He then said turning to Victorique with a serious expression on his face.
Elvario
---

Professor Neco
​

Professor Neco appeared intrigued at Phoebe’s revelation about it being a trigger, his eyes sparkling abit as she spoke. “Oh is it now? that’s quite an impressive deduction Phoebe."

“On how to activate it I suppose there are many ways to try, whether it be by introducing some simple magical energy or trying to interact with the surrounding environment, now whether or not we should trigger this is a different story, it’s difficult knowing what exactly these structures were intended for, but I do believe that your thoughts on these past people being hunters is spot on based on the story that I’m reading here based on these images.”

“And then there’s that unique presence, that feels very familiar, perhaps it’s the great bear of white itself.."

Professor Neco did focus on Gyld however, listening intently when he started to speak, letting out a bit of a chuckle

“I trust your judgment, Gyld.” Professor Neco replied with a smile. As he stood back, “I think perhaps we should give our friend some room Phoebe, after all it’s hard to say what’s about to happen.”

As Gyld shifted into his owl bear forma and stepped forward the glade became a dominant presence in the center, and as he stepped onto the bear marks, suddenly the presence from before began to get increasingly stronger, the ground practically began to rumble beneath their feet, as professor Neco got into a ready for action pose, scanning around the area, until a large white light enveloped the area, and when all was said and done a large bear of white stood before them on its hindlegs, it was probably sizable enough in weight and height to be in the [Large] category. Beneath it an ever icy blue aura danced below it, as the alignments began to freeze over. An icey aura fell over its fur, the air around it became noticeably frigid compared to the greater surrounding area.

Great White Bear of the North
​

However the bear did not look like an enemy at that moment, as it gazed upon them intensely, looking to Gyld.

“You have heeded my message so I thank you.” A decidedly mature masculine voice spoke with telepathy to the group.

“You, Guardian, I have had my eye on you.” It spoke once more to Gyld.

"The hunters on this sight sealed me in this magical structure for many years, after I had been defending my land from them, and as a result they wanted me subdued.”


The bear continued to ‘speak’

“You are the chosen one who will show us today if you can defeat me in combat and complete the ritual, in doing so finally liberate me. This is the way forward. Will you accept this challenge Gyld? If you are victorious and put me to rest, you’ll gain the wisdom and power you need to help make your dreams and aspirations a reality, you’ll gain a true understanding of the wilderness of the North.”

While this had been transpiring Professor Neco had actually taken a kneel of respect.

“If this is what you will Great White Bear of the North, then I will not be one to get in your way.” Professor Neco replied, before looking to Phoebe. "Looks like we should perhaps give them a bit more room." He said with a light hearted tone.

gmimperfecti Clockwork_Magic

 

[Elvario]

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Kane/Guard TheTimePiece
Languages: Common | <Beastial> | [Terran] | {Sylvan}

“Superior chain of command...” She echoed back at Kane. “This is going to be a pain to deal with, isn't it?” His next words pretty much confirmed it. “I'll make sure to be prepared for it.” She said, with some newfound resolve. She'd show them.

Truthfully, she was growing increasingly salty with Affonso, but he redeemed himself by actually listening to her in the end. That was the reason she didn't deem it worth her time to reply to any of his many counter-arguments either. She'd gotten him to do what she wanted, in the end, so all's well end's well. With some luck, there wouldn't be another Talton on the chopping block before they could get the first one off of it. Besides, she could get her turkey from Adriano and her compliments from Eliza, should she have need of either of those.

She silently followed along with Kane, who did well enough making his way to whomever they were meant to speak. She didn't feel the need to waste her energy here. She only perked up again when he suddenly spoke up about the situation. That was odd..? Ah, right. Friends. They were being friends, so they like... talked about stuff? Yes. Likely so. She figured she'd give it a go as well. It was part of the deal, after all. “You'd think? Having this many armed people nearby might also make you a target. Any monster wishing to crush the enemy base might as well level the village besides it while at it. Or better, like they're doing now, sow fear and chaos by attacking a village most defended. Show everyone how weak and easy to penetrate the defences to truly are.” Ah, wait, that wasn't really the friendly casual friend talk they were meant to have, was it? “I mean, yes. Nice and quite here, so long as folk aren't being forced to murder kids by creepy tendrils and put on the chopping block for it.” She realised how sarcastic that sounded directly after she'd said it. “I give up, I'm horrible at small talk.” She eventually concluded with regards to her own efforts thus far.

She was glad to move through without too much trouble, showing her notice and all. Something instantly drew her attention. “Oh... those are cool.” She'd only seen these mecha-like things in anime before, in her past life. She'd never expected them so casually in this fantasy setting. “Do you think they'd let me ride one, once this is over?” She asked, before realising she was going to have to get this over first to begin with. Getting distracted wasn't the best option right now.

Her 'good' mood deteriorated rather soon after hearing the Night Guard Captain asked her about documentation. Forgetting the fact she might want to ask for favours later, she instantly bit her tongue, but it was to no avail as the words flowed out shortly afterwards regardless. “Not yet, but if you want me to go get them, could you tell me where you'll be buried so I can leave them on your grave later?” She'd spoken before she realised it might not be the best idea to make enemies here. “What I'm trying to say is that it's urgent. Some weird tendril-like things are working with what are likely monsters disguised as kids. They have infiltrated the village and have already made one person kill someone. We're trying to figure out what happened and are trying to stop more of it from happening. No amount of documentation can keep the city safe when the enemy's already on the inside.” She used some [Ultimate Argument] to hopefully convince him to skip the procedures for this case. She had debated to mention the Talton on death row, but she had a feeling this man wouldn't care all that much about that aspect of the case, so she'd gone all in on the danger to the city aspect of this story.

Ultimate Argument – Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Insight D, Perception C, Persuasion D, Law D, Energised B – Character takes in any information they can from someone and uses it when carefully picking their tone of voice and mannerisms to convey their argument in the most persuasive manner, tailored to whateve

 

[Clockwork_Magic]

Phoebe Penrose

Equipped Titles: Human, Mage, Compassionate, Bibliophile
Interactions: Professor Neco ( TheTimePiece ) | Gyld ( gmimperfecti )
Languages: Common | [Terran]​

---

The pink haired mage had a few reservations as Glyd transformed once again into a bear and approached the glowing bear paw glyphs. They still had no idea what those glyphs actually did, what if he got ensnared in a trap somehow. Phoebe was about to voice her reservations until the Professor expressed his trust in their now bear companion's judgement. She held off on speaking out. There's nothing wrong with being concerned about your companion's safety, but the Professor was right in the notion that they should also have trust in each other, and so the pink haired mage watched in anticipation as Gyld approached the glyphs.

Like the Professor, once the ground began shaking beneath their feet Phoebe readied herself for whatever came next. Well, everything except for a blindingly bright light that enveloped them all, most likely the effect of some sort of spell triggered when Gyld stepped on the bear paw runes. It wasn't until the light dissipated and vision returned that what exactly kind of magic was cast, or rather apparently broken as before them was a magnificent white bear, Phoebe's pink eyes gazing upon its figure in awe. This had to be the white bear they were seeking.

Even more surprising than its sudden appearance to Phoebe was that it began to talk with them, all without moving its mouth. A multitude of questions swirled around in the mage's head. Chosen one? Ritual? Liberate? What exactly did the builders of this place seek to accomplish? But one thing was for sure, she definitely wasn't going to interfere with the duel between Gyld and the bear. The pink haired mage nodded at the professor as he suggested that they give the two room, stepping back with him to the sidelines, putting her faith in her companion to complete this Ritual the white bear had mentioned.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Gyld (Ge-yl-eld) Aza Lyrakien

Mentions: TheTimePiece Clockwork_Magic

---

As Gyld shifted back into his owlbear form and took the step forward, the powerful aura of the Eternal Glade swelled up, the essence of the green realm infusing the stone circle. The sensation of powerful ancient magic grew stronger, an unseen energy thrumming through the air, sending tremors through the ground beneath them. Gyld didn't notice as Professor Neco assumed a stance of readiness, his eyes darting around the area as they awaited the unfolding of events.

Suddenly, a blinding white light consumed the area, as if an unseen curtain was lifted to reveal another reality. The group shielded their eyes against the radiance, their hearts pounding in their chests as the energy around them surged and twisted. And when the light finally retreated, it left in its wake an awe-inspiring sight.

A colossal white bear stood on its hind legs in the center of the monument, its grandeur eclipsing everything else. Its size easily categorized it as [Large], the beast standing tall, its muscular frame frosted with a layer of icy fur. An ethereal blue aura danced around its form, the ground beneath it beginning to freeze over as if in respect to the creature's frigid dominion.

The air itself turned biting cold, an arctic chill descending upon the clearing, causing breaths to fog and frost to crunch underfoot. Yet, in the harsh, biting cold, there was a raw, pure beauty - the majesty of the White Bear of the North, in all its glory, a sight that stirred something deep within Gyld. The beast from his visions, the one he sought to understand, now stood before him, a grand testament to the ancient powers of nature.

The telepathic words from the ethereal White Bear rumbled through Gyld's mind. The Guardian turned his majestic bear head, glowing golden eyes fixed on the immense figure before him, now feeling an undeniable sense of kinship and awe. The realization that this powerful being had been observing him stirred up a blend of surprise and gratification.

"You've been watching me?" Gyld rumbled aloud, his voice echoing off the stone monoliths surrounding them, bouncing back in an odd harmony with the chill wind that had picked up around them. There was a distinct note of pride mixed with curiosity in his tone.

The White Bear's tale of being unjustly trapped by the hunters who were the true intruders of its territory provoked a low growl from Gyld. The unjust punishment was a bitter sting. His new form's increased size and strength mirrored his growing indignation.

"Unjust," he barked out loud, shaking his head in disagreement. The tension in the air was palpable as he continued, "What can be done to aid you, mighty White Bear?" His tone held a note of sincerity, his words echoing throughout the monument, adding to the weight of the situation. Gyld was willing to extend his help, stirred by an instinctual compulsion to aid his kin, a fellow creature of the wild.

The White Bear continued to mentally speak into their minds, “You are the chosen one who will show us today if you can defeat me in combat and complete the ritual, in doing so finally liberate me. This is the way forward. Will you accept this challenge Gyld? If you are victorious and put me to rest, you’ll gain the wisdom and power you need to help make your dreams and aspirations a reality, you’ll gain a true understanding of the wilderness of the North.”

While this had been transpiring Professor Neco had actually taken a kneel of respect.

The words of the White Bear reverberated in Gyld's mind, stirring him deeply. His eyes widened, the amber glow within them pulsating with new intensity. He could hardly believe it. He, Gyld, an Owlbear from the Eternal Glade, was chosen for this purpose. He felt an incredible sense of duty swell within him.

He listened to the Great White Bear's proposition, a fight to liberate it from its magical imprisonment, a challenge that promised immense wisdom and power, an understanding of the wilderness of the North. The thought of such knowledge, such power, was intoxicating. Yet, Gyld knew he had to approach this with honor, not a lust for power.

"I accept your challenge, Great White Bear," Gyld announced loudly, his voice rumbling through the clearing. He lowered his head in a sign of respect, then lifted his gaze back to the massive figure before him, determination burning brightly in his eyes. "I will do my utmost to put you to rest and honor your legacy. This, I promise."

He then turned to Professor Neco and Phoebe, nodding in acknowledgment as the Professor suggested giving them room. With a slight flick of his massive head, Gyld signaled them to move back, and then considered for the briefest of moments how best to respect the wishes of his prey: the formidable spirit of the North.

Gyld's muscles bunched as he swiftly leaped backward, a feat of agility and strength that belied his bulky frame. Now, with thirty feet of distance between them, the ancient ritual of combat had truly begun. His heart pounded with anticipation, his owl eyes fixed on the majestic figure of the Great White Bear.

Suddenly, Gyld opened his mouth wide, a surge of energy gathered from the Eternal Glade pooling there. His aura crackled and shimmered around him, his form radiating power. Then, with a thunderous roar, he shot forth a torrential stream of venom at his opponent.

The venom, glowing with a spectral green hue, whirled through the air, leaving a trail of sizzling, toxic mist in its wake. This was not a simple attack, but a complex interplay of potent effects designed to cripple and weaken his opponent. The venom was incredibly accurate, its path twisting and turning to home in on the Great White Bear. Should it make contact, it was designed to slow the Great Bear's movements, sapping its strength while causing continuous damage.

Furthermore, the venom possessed an incapacitating agent, designed to immobilize the Great Bear, rendering it vulnerable to further attacks. It was also imbued with a potent magic making it incurable, rendering the inflicted wounds resistant to magical or supernatural healing. Lastly, the venom was imbued with a penetrating essence, allowing it to ignore the basic magical protections the Great Bear might possess.

With this single, all-out attack, Gyld had made his move, demonstrating the full extent of his power granted by the Eternal Glade. Now, it was up to the Great White Bear to respond.

Spoiler: Venom Stream

Since combat doesn't start until attacks happen. Gyld takes a free Jump action to create a little space between them. More for dramatic effect than anything.

Then he unloads his most powerful damaging ability, he usually uses it as either an opener or a finisher.

Note: All abilities listed here use Gyld's Nature Domain (Eternal Glade):
-- Grade E; Effectiveness 8 (Magic E2, Componentless Magic E2, Intelligence C4) Cooldown 0;
--E-grade ((Range: 30ft & Duration: 1 hour; Targets: 5 | AOE: 15ft radius))
--Intelligence C4, Magic E3, Domain F2, Selective Magic F1, Componentless Casting E2.

• Venom Stream (3 actions): Magic E, Affinity Animal F, Accurate F (-1 Speed)
  • Accurate - Target's speed is treated as though it were reduced by 1 letter grade
  • Blight - Generally this is a technique that enhances an attack in some way to deal extra damage if effective. ex: poison.
  • Contact - Similar to blight, it is extra damage source added to the attack but it is one that requires repeated or continuous exposure to do its effects.
  • Continuing F - Target takes 1hp damage on their next post. The poison that courses through veins has a means of causing ongoing damage.
  • Drain F [Strength] - Poison makes the afflicted body more sluggish and painful to use (+1 action)
  • Homing - (requires ranged skill) The stream of poison can track and follow the target. If it still misses, the attack persists briefly and tries one more time before
    fading/missing again.
  • Hot Shot - Character is good at hitting called shots to hit weak points if they already know where to aim. The higher the grade of tech core, the higher the grade of creature they can hit weak points on. In the case of weak points, damage sustained is doubled.
  • Incapacitating - Action: 1 - puts a target to sleep/knocks them out/paralysis/petrification/immobilization/etc. Target must be same or lesser letter grade than technique.
  • Incurable - wounds produced by this technique will not heal nor regenerate magically or supernaturally unless skills involved are greater than the incurable technique grade.
  • Penetrating F - Ignore 1 item grade.

 

[Lucius Cypher]

Interaction Tags: TheTimePiece )​

---

With the guards following, Orchid had no problem getting them back to that statue. Well, not too much problem. She's still new to the town so she hasn't committed the full place to memory, but she did make notes about where she spotted those hoods and it was mostly just a matter of spotting the statue it was associated with. Occasionally she would have to ask for directions, but otherwise she felt she could probably find the place easily enough. She also made sure to slow down and talk to the guards following her so they knew what to exact or prepare as needed.

"Can't say I know what exactly these hoods are capable of, but I've seen them skulking about, talking in earth tongue or something. I've heard it before I just never learned the language. They use some sort of magic near the mech statue, again something I have no expertise about, so if you lads have any magic folks might wanna bring em over. Y'all don't suppose this might have something to do with the execution today?"

Orchid knew damn well it had to do with the execution, but she did have a hunch that maybe these greyhoods have more going on than just trying to bust out the arrested noble. Maybe some cult nonsense. Either way Orchid continued to lead the way to the statue, wanting to leave this to the guards as soon as possible. "I'll lead y'all to the statue, but I need to follow up some personal stuff after. Not a guard and all, so I don't wanna get in the way of your investigation." Mainly however, Orchid wanted to try and reconnect with Victorique and drop off her information. She made another mental note to maybe look into getting some sort of monkey or something that can both sneak for her, and keep notes for her. It'll be a very special monkey.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Kane Blackburne
​

Kane nodded when Victorique made her comment about the superior chain of command with a tone that was less than thrilled at the prospect it sounded like. The resolve he could detect was good at the very least Kane thought to himself, they’d definitely be needing quite a bit if they wanted to get anything meaningful done around here without having amazing connections. Even Kane who had access to certain areas due to him being an executioner wasn’t the best in the public eye as Victorique had witnessed time and time again.
---
Kane listened carefully to Victorique’s responses to his small talk, he hadn’t really thought of it that way. Still he thought to himself VIctorique would be talking about some pretty powerful monsters all things considered if they were going to be ballsy like Kane had said and take on this many suits at a semi military training facility village. Sure maybe a particularly powerful and ambitious monster would do it, or one who could sneak around, the one which Kane suspected was probably responsible for this case might cause problems because they can, but the way she put it made it sound like you were screwed wherever you were in Rotia..which to an extent Kane did recognize as true from his own experience, unless you were in the wealthier owning class, or doing armed force work which was risking your life practically on the daily anyway, Kane knew well enough that Rotia wasn’t exactly the nicest kingdom to live in having grown up in it his whole life.

“You know you sure know how to think like a monster Victorique.”

Kane chuckled a bit, this time it didn’t have a dark edge, but was genuinely light enough on his end of things.

He turned to her with a bit of a grin now, which edged back a bit dark, even if he didn’t mean it to be, “It’s not like I’m one to complain, I’m lucky to be getting small talk at all, and as far as I’m concerned you’re doing just fine.” He reaffirmed Granted Kane’s standards weren’t exactly high for that for the aforementioned reason but nevertheless.
---
By the time they saw the Mecha and Victorique was asking if he thought they might let her ride, he responded out of instinct,

“Maybe if you get in good with the ..Taltons after this they could pull some strings for ya.” He said with a bit of a shrug. He really had no idea what the policy was for letting people ride in the suits, but figured money and prestige tended to talk around here..so if that’s what she wanted to do having some noble house people on your side wasn’t exactly a bad thing.
--

Night Guard Captain ???
​

Upon hearing her next words of choice after he gave his sentence the Night Guard Captain looked surprised at first with what she said, before he looked carefully at her , with discretion even. Victorique’s ability given her proximity to the Guard Captain showed her his titles which suggested that he was in fact titled a Night Guard Captain, as well as possessing a [selfless] title.

Her follow up words did seem to strike a chord with the guard however as his clenched his fists at hearing what she said. “You’re telling me that there’s a chance this wasn’t a one off incident..whatever that thing is..is still active here?”

The captain shook his head a very serious look on his face now, “I will not allow any more to be taken…not under my watch.”
He then refocused on her.

“Then it sounds like this investigation of yours is of great importance..I’ll get what information I can on the matter.”

The guard captain then turned, “Well then you heard her Virgil! Get over here with your squad, you were all on patrol that night, I Know it was a grizzly sight but this is a matter of life and death for her majesty’s people, the sooner we get to the bottom of this the more lives we’ll save.”

A series of ‘yes sirs!’ rang out after in a very regimented fashion.

A Group of four spear mecha units made their way over after the guard captain spoke out and they presented themselves to Victorique and Kane.

The one toward the center gave a slight bow before the others followed suit, “Virgil, Night Guard Squad #2 Head, here at your service. I was present with what happened that night, as were my compatriots here wth me, what exactly do you need to know?” The masculine voice asked being projected from the mecha, perhaps through a use of magic and technology, it was loud enough and clear regardless.

Kane stood by looking rather impressed at what Victorique had managed..she was actually quite good at what she did, proving it yet again in his mind.
Elvario
---

Professor Neco
​

Professor Neco looked at the pinkette still with a wide warm closed smile, the cat man’s eyes glistening a bit.

“I suppose all we can really do now is cheer him on, If the circumstances were different I might encourage you since we’re so close to the shoreline now we really could go on ahead and fulfill your field research for the day, but Gyld has done well by us so far has he not? From the very beginning he came here with us, and was more than happy to protect us from so far away too. I think it’s only fair that we support him as he has supported us in this moment and send our good wishes to whoever is above that this battle results in his favor..as it will mutually benefit him and this great bear of white”

Professor Neco stood now and closed his eyes briefly a faint green glow coming off of him, like his was going into some sort of trance not long after he said this, and he began to softly say some sort of mantra from the sidelines, however what he was saying was in beastial so for Phoebe who was the closest one to him, it was her guess what it could be he was saying, perhaps he was quite literally praying in that very moment. But this chant like mantra long state did not actually last all too long as it ended around when the pair had started sparring.

He then looked to Phoebe and inquired like he was making casual conversation, “So Phoebe, do you have any hypotheses as to why there is such great mana variance around here on these shores?”

As his visual attention was still facing toward where the fight was going on. Regardless it seemed that the good professor was very much at ease despite the increasingly intensifying action which was going on before them.

Clockwork_Magic
---

Great White Bear of the North
​

The Great White Bear nodded at Gyld’s comment about being watched.

“You are indeed most worthy of this task.”

“Thank you for your solidarity and willingness to participate. In order for us to complete this most important ritual of liberation I will further clarify that you just need to subdue me, when I am unable to retaliate and we both are here in this circle you will have claimed victory.”

The Great white Bear of the North concluded.
With all of that said, an icey blue ring of sorts formed on the perimeter of where Gyld and the bear were engaging in combat, Perhaps they needed to remain in this ring for the ritual. Those who were sensitive to magic could see the faint icey energy barrier which had formed a wide dome around them, indeed those were their boundaries, which while considerable were still finite.
--
After all the formalities were over,

The Great Bear of White no longer spoke as its expression became more feral, it took a combat ready looking stance. In order for this ritual to be just the Great White bear looked like it was not going to be able to hold back for this to be done properly.

While Gyld’s energy was crackling and he took an action stance as well, a blue icy aura of sorts began to crackle over the surface of The Great White Bear’s large body, and upon seeing the venom stream the bear actually attempted to dodge it and when it couldn’t do that block it, what happened instead with he spectacle was that venom clashed with a magical icey layer, and there was evidence of opposing forces interacting with one another in a most spectacular way, until it broke through, the penetration aspect doing it’s job.

One thing had become apparent in the opener of this fight however, as large and strong as the Great Bear of White looked, ultimately Gyld had an agility advantage, as the large bear’s movements had been comparatively slower in the way it blocked, and now there was evidence of the venom actually sticking to it’s form and interacting with the bear. Due to the grade difference the bear hadn’t been completely immobilized, but it wasn’t considerably slower now and was taking lingering damage.

The bear snarled, feeling weakened, not only that while a blue glowing hue started to try to act up, all around its body , the venom wounds almost looking like they wanted to heal, they did not, suggesting some sort of magical regeneration had been triggered which was now being silenced by the venom.

Even if the Great White Bear showed difficulty in moving, if Gyld was being observant, he’d notice that the Great White Bear’s eyes were starting to glow a bright icy blue, and suddenly an extremely cold haze began to fill the magical arena above them, even if Gyld had physically disabled the bear, it was still capable of using magic, as suddenly sizable Icicles and hail began to rain down from the cold haze above them down toward Gyld! The area of spread was mostly localized above the two of them, so there was still plenty of arena not covered by the ice magic attack. However the icy projectile storm was a tad slower than one might expect whether it was on account of the bear not being at full strength was anyone’s guess.
gmimperfecti
---

Guards
​

The whole situation was out of the ordinary, so her explanation was quite essential to the guard’s investigation going anywhere meaningful with the intelligence she had picked up.

The senior guard from before who had instructed everyone else to follow her now looked at her curious before he continued, “so you’re telling me that these grey hoods..as you call them, used some sort of magic near a statue? I’m afraid we will need to know the location of this statue then, as there isn’t only one around here, but since you’ve offered to show us I’m certain we won’t have a problem finding it then..” He said

As they moved along, people continued to clear out of the way as Orchid led them to the statue, presumably she knew enough where she was going that while maybe she didn’t have all the shortcuts yet committed to memory, she knew well enough how to find the statue she had seen the hoods at.

The senior guard nodded at Orchid’s comment about the magic and then turned to one of his compatriots. “Once we’ve located the statue go and fetch that magic shopkeep and tell her we need her on official business, and that we don’t have time for dilly dallying this is a very high risk day as it is with the increased monster activity and a high profile execution..”

A ‘yes sir!” came back from the guard, the senior guard spoke too.

The Senior Guard then continued,
“Unfortunately I think this very well could have something to do with the execution today, as it stands Affonso Talton may be taken in at least during the execution, his actions have proven that he might be a security risk during the event.”

“I understand you’ll have done more than your part once we arrive, as I still have yet to properly thank you for helping us protect the dungeon and make those arrests earlier..”
--
Eventually the statue of the Mecha came into sight after some more traveling and the guards and Orchid arrived, and the guard who had been ordered, went off to fetch the shopkeep Once Orchid had presumably confirmed it was the statue.

“Now then before you go, there is two more questions, First, this language you heard them speak, did it sound familiar to any spoken around here?, Second, while i know it isn’t your expertise is there anything at all you can tell us about what you saw during the magical event..what exactly did they do at this statue? Any additional information would be helpful.” The Senior Guard concluded.

Lucius Cypher

 

[Elvario]

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Kane/Guard TheTimePiece
Languages: Common | <Beastial> | [Terran] | {Sylvan}

She blinked a couple of times. “I'm a detective. I need to think like a lot of bad things, monsters, criminals and all sorts of what-have-you-nots, to figure out a case.” She replied, not entirely sure why he'd made that comment to begin with, as this seemed like a basic skill to have. Right? Either way, she shrugged it off after that reply. That said, she did put up a smirk when he complimented her small talk. “Why, thank you~” She knew it wasn't really 'good' small talk, but it was fun to pretend regardless.

She groaned when he told her she needed to get it in good with the Taltons. “Ugh... they'll owe me a favour, but I don't want to hang out with them enough to butter up to them... Although, hmm, maybe I can convince Eliza. One of the few good things about looking like a kid is that it's easier to get favours from folk like her.” She mumbled, mostly to herself at this point.

Luckily enough, the Night Guard Captain was easier to convince. Good thing she'd been upfront. The 'Selfless' guy was likely going to be useful enough at this rate. “We've already asked some guards to keep an eye on those tendril-things that took hold of the body they murdered that kid with. We're just trying to figure out who, what or why that kid was to begin with and heard rumours there might indeed be more of them.” She reaffirmed.

On the one hand, talking to a mecha was really bloody exciting. On the other, it was really annoying. She couldn't really get a read on this person without seeing him or hearing his actual voice. “Could you get out, per chance? I'd rather talk face to face. Having to look up at people is already a pain enough, having to talk to a robot, cool as it is, is throwing me off my game.” She spoke, speaking the truth, but only part of it. Her main concern was whether or not she'd be able to tell a possible lie from the truth if it was just a mechanized voice she heard.

Hopefully getting him to come out, she'd be able to ask her actual questions. “Right, why don't you try to describe to me what you saw in as much detail as possible. In particular, try to recall the exact looks of the girl that got killed. Both before en after. Truth be told, an autopsy would be even more ideal, but I fear that might not be possible, so your descriptions are the most solid clue we have.” She wanted to say more, but she didn't want to risk giving him preconceived notions. She turned to the others. “Also, if any of you noticed anything Virgil didn't, do add it. Any detail may be of grave importance, as there's reason to believe this might be related to monsters sneaking into the city.” That was about all she could say to show the sense of urgency without planting ideas, which was a shame, as she would rather just outright ask if they believed that girl might've been a monster or under the influence of one. Either way, she'd just have to see what they'd say and hope that they'd give her at least a few new leads or details to follow-up on.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Gyld (Ge-yl-eld) Aza Lyrakien

Mentions: TheTimePiece Clockwork_Magic

---

As the Great White Bear's expression turned feral, its stance shifting to one of combat readiness, Gyld's instincts kicked in, reading the situation in a fraction of a second. The White Bear's icy aura clashed with Gyld's venom stream, a dance of opposing forces that created a spectacular display of magic. Gyld's penetrating venom found its mark, breaking through the ice barrier and adhering to the bear's form.

Observing the bear's slowed movements, Gyld realized he had the agility advantage. The venom was working, lingering on the bear's form, weakening it and suppressing its magical regeneration. But the Great White Bear was not done yet.

Gyld's owl-like eyes, capable of a 360-degree view, caught the bear's eyes glowing a bright icy blue, and he sensed the shift in temperature as an extremely cold haze began to fill the magical arena. The cold reached into his bones, but Gyld's heightened senses and intelligence told him what was coming next.

With a powerful leap, Gyld dodged the falling icicles and hail that rained down from the cold haze. His heart was pounding, his body filled with adrenaline, but his mind was sharp, focused, and calm. The Eternal Glade's influence surged within him, guiding his movements with a fluid grace.

As he landed, Gyld quickly unleashed his counter: Entangle. Vines and roots erupted from the ground, growing and extending at a rapid pace, seeking to wrap around the Great White Bear, tripping and tangling it. The vines were relentless, flexible, and accurate, even if they initially missed, more would erupt to continue the assault.

Gyld's internal thoughts were clear and strategic. He knew that his advantage lay in his agility and his connection to the Eternal Glade. He had to keep the Great White Bear off balance, using his agility and magical abilities to control the fight. But he also respected the bear's power and knew that he could not afford to underestimate it.

The vines reached for the Great White Bear, their grip tightening, holding their target ever tighter. The clash of magic and might had only just begun, and Gyld knew that he had to be prepared for anything. The Great White Bear was a formidable opponent, and the outcome of this ritual combat was far from certain.

Spoiler: Entangle (2 actions)

• Entangle (2 actions): Magic E, Affinity Plant F, Tangle F, Flexible F, Accurate F (-1 Speed), Homing (if miss, try again), Linked (if hit succeeds, hit again), Penetrating F (ignore 1 grade).
  • Vines and roots grow and extend, wrapping around the targets indicated, tripping and tangling them. Even when they miss, more erupt to continue the assault. Once they catch hold, more wrap tightly around, holding their targets ever tighter.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Kane Blackburne
​

Kane couldn’t help but find a bit of humor in just how unaware Victorique seemed in what she stated in his opinion, many people had a hard enough time performing their everyday tasks to survive never mind have a mind which clearly worked as well as hers. Kane didn’t particularly feel like he had the sort of skillset which she had shown off in the slightest, so he was glad that at least someone knew what they were doing.

He also chuckled when she mentioned that she didn’t exactly want to hang out with them long enough to get in good like that, who could blame her? In Kane’s biased opinion most of them were pompous and dreadfully unrelatable, bragging about how great whatever thing was about their family and about how they were better than everyone else, it was really annoying stuff as far as he was concerned, sure maybe he was dirty, but at least he wasn’t living a life where he thought he was better than everyone..

“Guess if you had to pick one of them Eliza is the least poisonous” he’d snicker. Even if she hadn’t been the most welcoming to him, he knew that Victorique was right, and she’d have a better chance getting in good with her than probably any of the others.
---

Night Guard Captain ???
​

“Those blasted things came back?!” He exclaimed, sounding surprised, “Why doesn’t anyone tell me about these things..” He’d squeeze his fist, looking a bit tense for a moment.

“This is worse than I thought..on all days of today..you don’t think there’s a possibility that..this thing knows that the majority of people living here who aren’t combative are gathering in the square do you? If the right people were notified this might be grounds to postpone the executions today very soon…and..you’re telling me that the proper authorities were alerted and..what happened then? Surely there was some kind of response..”

It was probably apparent to Victorique by this point thanks to her skills that the captain was surprised, and concerned had there been a lack of response?
---
The mecha identified as Virgil seemed to hesitate for a moment when Victorique asked if it was possible for them to show themselves , before the Night Guard Captain called out,

“Don’t worry lad, She and the axe are fine, you can get out.”

Virgil nodded, before the middle of the mecha opened up, and Virigil slipped out, wearing what looked like some sort of uniform with light armor.
After that happened a few other followed after him in getting out of their mechas as well, presumably those who were part of his squad.

He then looked down to her before he continued “Well, like the Captain said, it was a pretty grizzly sight, there had been some strange sightings of two girls who looked very similar to one another I thought maybe they were an adventurer’s children or perhaps someone in the military here… or something cause they were dressed too nicely to be from just anyone’s house all the way out here…anyway one of them was on the ground and had a large slash wound across the body and strange tendrils were holding it still but when we came over they retracted. Adriano was standing right there like he’d just seen a ghost holding the bloodied sword, nothing else unusual happened that night that I recall.. as we had to finish our patrol after securing the area and reporting the finding..”

One member of the squad piped up, someone who was bulkier and stouter looking a bit older than Virgil, having a bit of a beard. said,

“Yeah what Virgil said is true but..I remember more, what was weird was I could have sworn both of those twins had gray eyes, yet when we were on the scene just before the body fell it sort of looked like it had red eyes..which faded into gray.."

Then another one spoke up who was lankier and taller than both of them, somewhere in between the ages of virgil and the stouter one.

“I think I remember what they’re both talking about too, but you see I know my swords, my dad's a blacksmith and all..., so when we retrieved the murder weapon for it to be processed, the Talton..crest for Adriano’s sword..looked off, and to no surprise from me after the assessment we found out It was a forgery of his sword of an unknown origin, Adriano claimed someone must have stolen the original..which wouldn’t surprise me since it’s a pretty valuable piece..all things considered, but I do think it’s a notable detail miss.”

Virgil nodded, “Ah right, I didn’t even think to mention that..that was an odd bit, but I know from experience pick pockets do exist in Rotia..the prospect while riskier is much more tempting when there are those with noble blood around." It became apparent that despite being quite a youthful looking guy Virgil still had the commanding role, which suggested perhaps he was just particularly skillful.

Kane stood on standby looking to Victorique and the rest…this was quite a bit of information to take in, but there were some intriguing details. Eyes shifting colors..Kane went into thought…could it be that she was under some sort of control..was one of the girls a monster? These thoughts went into his mind..before he looked to see what Victorique had to say on the matter, looking between the guys.
---
Elvario

Great White Bear of the North
​

Gyld’s agile dodging showcasing how he truly was a being attuned with nature really shined in this instance, as his keen senses let him detect that the storm was coming with the shift of the atmosphere , and he saw the precursor which was the bear’s glowing eyes as well thanks to his enhanced vision. The large leap had been enough to dodge the icy storm which was raining down upon them. The Northern bear on the other hand, needed not to worry about the spell as the projectiles seemed to fade away just before hitting him thanks to selective no doubt.

Next there were the roots which shot up that the bear was unfamiliar with, Gyld attacking with elements of a forest which the Northern bear did not have experience in, in that sense they were environmental opposites, the Northern Bear used to the harsh snowy expanse, while Gyld knew how to thrive in a forest, Thanks to the linked nature of the entangle ability, once some vines and roots hit, even more followed trying to latch onto the already slow large bear, further limiting its movement and reduced strength as it tried it’s best to break away, while it was able to tear away at some of them, in it’s weakened state it did not look like it would be moving any great distances as it thrashed around.

The bear’s whole body began to shift from a white color to a much more deep blue tone as it eyes glowed again and it looked like the bear was shifting the environment in the arena around them to something much more frigid, like it was emitting some sort of large frozen miasma of a deepfreeze, the temperature quickly becoming bitter, vines and roots starting to freeze over quickly and become more brittle. Thankfully for Gyld, because he consumed those icey snakes earlier and gained some of their essence, the full impact of the impressive temperature was reduced somewhat.

Then with some limited motion in it’s paws suddenly sizable blocks of ice started to shoot up from the ground in the arena with high velocities at seemingly random intervals. They were not sharp, but blunt instead, Gyld would need to dodge these as well as to not get severely bashed, while the climate became more taxing simultaneously.

There were different elements at play here, the Great Northern Bear would only have so many magic reserves so if Gyld managed to ride things out..it could put the Great Northern Bear in a vulnerable state, but there was also the possibility to strike hard and definitively to end things quickly with greater risk..the ritual was truly cooling down!

gmimperfecti

 

[Elvario]

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Kane/Guard TheTimePiece
Languages: Common | <Beastial> | [Terran] | {Sylvan}

At the very first words spoken by the Night Guard Captain, Victorique already perked up. “Back?” She called out in a bit of surprise. “Ah, sorry. Could you please tell me about the other time or times you've encountered them? Or was it just the one time with Adriano?” It felt like this plot was thickening with just about every step she took. Not only were there 'things' leading people to those tendril things, apparently these tendril things weren't as new and unknown off as she suspected they'd been. She felt the same as the captain in that regard. Why didn't anyone tell her this stuff?

His next words honestly made her feel embarrassed. Her cheeks colouring red in shame. “Of course... that makes so much sense... How did I not think of that...” He basically spelled out the answer for her as she balded her fists in frustration. She was royally pissed, at herself in particular, for not tying together something so obvious. “I didn't think that, which is exactly why I've been stuck. If you take that event into account, it all makes so much more sense. I'd argue that it's not just a possibility, it's an inevitability. Monsters being able to get a massacre going so close to your base? They'd jump at the chance. They already managed to sneak in, they managed to take a hold of someone... Heck, it wouldn't even be far-fetched to assume they framed the Talton just to draw in more people to the square, as they'd come to watch a noble head roll. I'd wager my tobacco on the fact that they'll turn this into a bloodbath...”

She took some deep breaths, trying to get rid of the frustration of missing such an obvious plot-point. How could she not encounter for monsters wanting to kill people en masse and this execution being the ideal situation? She'd have figured out so much more so much sooner if she'd just realised that. Was she still not accustomed enough to thinking like the monsters and people here? Now she just felt embarrassed for talking about thinking like a monster just a moment ago. Clearly she still hadn't gotten it down well enough. That said, she had to cast that frustration aside and focus.

“We've gotten some people to watch the tendrils we spotted near the walls, but that seemed to be about it. I'd say, at the current rate, a bloodbath is still a very likely possibility.” She wondered... She couldn't confirm it, but she couldn't deny it either. “We already know those tendril-things can take a hold of someone's body, at the very least, so it's not out of the question that they infiltrated some of the chain of command, if they truly strive for something as grandiose as a bloodbath during the executions.” It was a terrifying thought, but one they couldn't simply write off.

As if all that wasn't enough of a revelation just yet, she had yet to listen to Virgil. She was still too frustrated about her earlier miss to even be salty about being looked down upon. Still, her detective mindset took over, as she managed to tune it out enough to focus fully on Virgil and his current words. However, it was one of his squad that furthered her thinking. “Going from red to gray...” She repeated. “I'm wondering if they might've been possessed, but if they did indeed look like noble's, surely someone would've reported them missing? Unless... unless their entire house got taken over?”

Well, that was a scary chance. “This is just a shot in the dark, but, better to be safe than sorry... There doesn't happen to be anyone in the chain of command overseeing the executions or village's safety that has twin daughters, right? If so, I'd say it'd be safer to assume that person and their entire family are taken over by monsters. If not, I'm afraid I've yet to figure out just what these twins are tied too, other than possible monster possession.”

As for the murder weapon, she smiled. Right. Her original mission. “Considering how much is going on, it's safer to assume the sword wasn't just stolen for monetary gain. Either it's stolen to further frame him for the murder or, in a worst case, they needed it for the rest of their plot.” She clicked her tongue. “Is there any chance that sword is special in any way, shape or form?” She had a bit of an imagination. Swords serving as keys to activate mecha's, or one of those fancy Excalibur-type swords, but right now she needed less fantasy and more facts.

After all that, she looked at Kane a bit apologetically. “I'm afraid I'll have to try and get your big day cancelled. Right now, all clues suggest monsters will try to turn it into a bloodbath.” She said, feeling a bit bad, but also not wanting to let all these warning signs go without being properly responded too.

 

[Clockwork_Magic]

Phoebe Penrose

Equipped Titles: Human, Mage, Compassionate, Bibliophile
Interactions: Professor Neco ( TheTimePiece ) | Gyld ( gmimperfecti )
Languages: Common | [Terran]​

---

As Phoebe stepped back to let Gyld and the White Bear duel, she looked at the Professor, returning the smile he showed her and nodding after he finished his statement. "You're quite right Professor. Even if we've just met earlier today, after the trek here it'd be rude to just leave Gyld to face the bear without anyone cheering him on!" The duel between the two beasts very quickly escalated as the White Bear called down a torrent of icicles and hail from the sky, prompting Gyld to leap out of the way before responding in kind, numerous vines and roots bursting forth from the ground. The elemental skill of the two beasts clashing was stunning to see, like two seasons clashing against one another.

As she watched the duel rage on, the Professor asked about what theories she may have regarding the phenomena on the kingdom's shores. The pink haired mage pondered for a bit before looking over at the cat person. "Hmm... let's see... I have heard of the Kingdom being regularly beset upon by hordes of monsters from the continent across the sea during the winter, so the best working theory I have is that somehow mana from those monsters manage to leak its way into the oceans when the seas aren't frozen over. Perhaps blood and other monster parts found their way into the continent's rivers and lakes heading into the ocean, dissolving some mana into the surrounding water?"

Her attention was briefly drawn back to the fight as both the white bear and arena seemed to undergo a transformation into what Phoebe couldn't help but imagine as an extreme blizzard given a tangible form. There was a temptation to take out the amulet she'd purchased from the shopkeep back in town to check how much mana was being expelled during the duel, but given the feats the two combatants were performing it wouldn't be hard to imagine that it was enough to make the amulet glow very intensely indeed.

Phoebe turned her attention back to Professor Neco after witnessing the White Bear's counterattack. "Ah, like I said monster biology was never really my strong suit, you're much more knowledgable in that field than I am, Professor. Do you know much about the creatures from the other continent? Are they any different than the ones that roam ours?"

 

[gmimperfecti]

Gyld (Ge-yl-eld) Aza Lyrakien

Mentions: TheTimePiece Clockwork_Magic

---

The dance between the two mighty creatures had escalated, each moment filled with tension, precision, and raw power. Gyld, feeling the weight of the ritual and the endless back and forth, grew tired of playing games. His instincts as an apex predator urged him to end this battle, to unleash his full power without restraint.

His agile dodging and keen senses had served him well, allowing him to evade the bear's icy storm and the sudden eruptions of blunt ice blocks. The temperature was dropping rapidly as the bear's body shifted to a deep blue tone, its magic altering the arena's environment. It was a chilling, bitter cold that would have frozen most beings to their core, but Gyld's earlier consumption of icy snakes had granted him a measure of resistance.

Nevertheless, the bear's frozen miasma was taking its toll, freezing the vines and roots that had ensnared it, making them brittle. The arena was becoming more taxing, more dangerous.

Gyld's mind was clear, his thoughts racing but focused. He knew he had to act decisively. The Great Northern Bear was strong, but it was not invincible. Its movements were limited, its strength reduced. It was thrashing around, fighting against the entangle, but it was vulnerable.

Leaping back to create distance, Gyld's eyes narrowed, his body tense and ready. The time had come to unleash his full might, to strike hard and end this ritual with a definitive blow.

Opening his mouth, Gyld shot another stream of venom at the Great White Bear. The venom was potent, deadly, a combination of magic and nature that was designed to weaken, incapacitate, and destroy. It was contact-based, growing more deadly with each application, and Gyld's aim was true.

The venom stream was a complex and powerful attack, with properties that included accuracy, draining strength, homing, hot shot, incapacitating, incurable, and penetrating. It was a deadly arsenal all on its own, a manifestation of Gyld's prowess as a Guardian and a hunter.

As the venom flew towards the Great White Bear, Gyld's heart pounded in his chest, his breath steady and controlled. This was the moment of truth, the climax of a battle that had tested his skill, his resolve, and his connection to the Eternal Glade.

He knew that the outcome of this attack could determine the fate of the ritual and the future of his journey. He was ready to face whatever came next, to embrace victory or defeat with honor and strength. The Great White Bear was a worthy opponent, a creature of legend and power, but Gyld was an apex predator, and he would not be denied.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Kane Blackburne
​

Kane for the time being stayed quiet at what was unfolding. He didn’t really have much desire to interrupt Victorique’s investigation unnecessarily, instead he was more focused on how those around them was reacting to her. Thankfully they seemed to be receptive so far. If need be Kane was ready to step in for support regardless.

What he did know for a fact was that this scenario that was being described sounded very much something a monster would try. His opinion still stood that it was a very ballsy move to try to make so close to the military, perhaps there was more than one who was going to act up at the same time and try to kill a bunch of people while they were gathered, who really knew for sure? He also couldn’t say he had seen any girls like those from any noble house that he was familiar with, despite the way they had been described as being dressed well.

​

Virgil actually responded to Victorique’s question directed at the Captain first “We’ve encountered them once before Adriano while on patrol at night, so this is the third time, some adventurer just beyond the walls looked like they’d been strangled by the vile things probably about a month or so before the Talton incident happened, but as soon as we went over to investigate with appraisal the damn things retreated and there wasn’t a trace of them.” From what Victorique could tell it seemed that he was being honest about the ordeal.

Night Guard Captain ???


​

“Virgil said just as well as anyone could, that’s what the report had said at the time, as far as I know there hasn’t been another instance until now.” The night guard captain replied.

The night guard captain’s face looked a bit more concerned when he heard Victorique essentially confirm what he had just said.

“That is far from what I was hoping to hear, we’ve been compromised and the worst case scenario may be upon us if we don’t act quickly.” The captain responded.

Kane eventually piped up, “Yeah I think she’s right, I know a lot of people who’d love to have the opportunity to see a Talton head roll, not like there’s a lot going on here for the average villager outside of daily life, you guys and the adventurers get in on all the action after all so something big like this gives people something to talk about, something they don’t want to miss as to be left out of the loop...seeing a criminal get justice, plenty of reasons it’d make perfect sense for a monster to frame Affonso isn’t there?” He’d ask sort of rhetorically, almost like he was thinking out loud toward the end.

Virgil looked back at her in thought, “Possessed huh? Guess that’s possible, I’m not really the sort that knows a ton about magic outside of it’s use in combat, but if you say that could be true.”

Suddenly the guard captain seemed to freeze up for a moment..a look of realization on his face one that quickly shifted to one of alarm.

“The only person I know who is in the upper echelon governing this region who has twin daughters is Lord Hoyles, this land was gifted to him so he has a large influence in deciding how to best protect this land and what events will or will not take place..as well as when,…but based on the report we have the hair and eye color for it to be his daughters is all wrong…but your shot in the dark as you call it.., for the security of her majesty’s people..We will need to go to see him at once and investigate this affair, Of course we will phrase with the primary security concern of holding the execution with this new found information..I will come with you on your behalf personally, my credentials will be needed to get anywhere near him particularly since we don’t have time to go through the usual procedures due to this being a time sensitive issue. In the case your thoughts are correct we’ll need to have some more men on standby too..”

The night guard captain affirmed to Victorique.

Virgil looked rather surprised at this revelation himself before he answered Victorique’s line of questioning.

“Yeah, swords I know more about, the thing could be used to access any of the Talton personal Mechas or gain entry into more restricted areas, it’d be a custom one with a unique magical imprint on it…so if you say it likely wasn’t stolen for monetary gain since it would still fetch a good number of coin even if you just melted it down..someone could use it to cause quite a bit of trouble if they wanted too..In my opinion I think we should send a team to go and investigate any Talton mechas and current access points in the vicinity, since this sounding like much more than just a possible theft like we originally thought.”

Kane looked back to Victorique and shrugged a bit, before letting out another somewhat dark chuckle, “So I won’t get to roll a Talton head today, no biggie if he’s innocent shouldn’t be happening anyway, but for those OTHER less important guys scheduled…wonder If they’d let me do it private, I don’t need to be in the limelight to do my job after all once you’ve gotten this all sorted out, but not really a top concern right now with what’s going on anyway like you said looks like there’s a lot of checking out to do.”

Elvario
---

Professor Neco
​

Professor Neco smiled at Phoebe’s agreeableness. Thankfully the pair were not at risk of being harmed by the duel thanks to being outside of the ritual’s ring.

“I’m glad you agree, Come on Gyld you can do it!” he’d call out himself cheerily. Even with the extreme display he seemed relatively chill all things considered.

He nodded when she mentioned the fact there were quite a bit of monsters in the Kingdom. That much was all true.
His inquisitive eyes lit up a bit when Phoebe mentioned the hordes of monsters. Most people who had heard of the Kingdom in the realm probably at least knew that much or some kind of variation of the story of how it was plagued by monsters and people like adventurers and the military there had to deal with them on a regular basis outside the walls to keep the various places and people safe.Sure it was dangerous but for the ambitious and those willing to face off against the perils of the land a good living could be made.

“I can see that you have learned some things, residual mana coming off of bodies certainly is possible depending what’s potent, things like demon’s corpses would give off quite a bit of mana if left to their own devices, and as you can imagine given the landscape becomes even more dangerous when it’s frozen over and we can reach the dark continent, it’s been a rather difficult proper research area with the threat of such high grade monsters being able to carry over, it means that culling is a necessity. I still believe that your theory is a solid one, and even if it isn’t the whole reason why I could certainly see it being a contributor to it, so I think it’s a good start just the same. The results you get from that eye will help contextualize the situation as well.”

At her question he nodded,

“Well, yes there are many monsters from different continents, I myself come from The republic of Kuridan so I have studied some of the various Yokai there, evil spirits, undead, ghosts, demons, and the like can be found around those parts in particular..even large beasts can be a problem even if they aren’t monsters..at least where I was conducting my research, here as you can see there are many dangers which thrive in this harsh environment so I’d say they are different compared to what you find in Kuridan, and of course with the dark continent so by as I was mentioning the monsters there are on whole different level from anything you or myself have come into contact with, monsters which can give even some of the most powerful adventurers of our time trouble..some with incredible magical and physical abilities, mysterious dark and dangerous entities which I am not entirely sure what family they’d fall under.. I would conduct more research but beyond what has managed to travel out here, I’ve only gotten looks at from afar due to how dangerous they are..” He said, sounding a bit more serious for a moment.

“But really I’d say I’m most knowledgeable about what lives around here and Kuridan..” He continued to speak.

“I would say that the study of Biology is a rewarding path nevertheless whether it’s beasts , monsters or even what we understand of one another, so if you’re interested in the subject I have quite a few materials you can take a look at or even take, I hardly need everything I’ve acquired at this point.” He said with a smile. “Like this great bear right here is a great example, you can see how attuned he is with this environment and his abilities reflect that, there are other beasts and even monsters who have either no doubt evolved or were created for their environments in mind.”
Clockwork_Magic
---

Great White Bear of the North
​

While this was transpiring the dramatics in the arena was heading toward a dynamic climax. With Gyld tense and avoiding the icey projectiles, with his agility, and resistance from the ice snakes he consumed in effect, the Great White Bear of the North let out a very loud roar which caused the very arena to shake beneath it’s paws as if it was one of defiance as it struggled to move from what Gyld had used on it.

Unfortunately for the great bear Gyld had managed to avoid much of it’s powerful magic and now it was only growing weaker, so once the venom hit while the bear let out this loud sound the bear was engulfed by the venom of the glade, it could be seen coursing along the surface of the already magically fatigued bear, perhaps in part from being sealed so long, but also from the initial attacks which Gyld had hit it with in combination with the powerful shows of magic it had used.

Just in that moment, suddenly the globe-like magic barrier around the arena began to fade as the Great Bear of the North found itself falling forward, until a very large thud could be heard from quite a distance away. Once the snow and ice dust had settled after being strewn about from the large impact the bear had, it began to glow a soft blue and some energy like chains suddenly appeared into view on it's limbs going around the circle before they dissipated as if they were shattering while the arena continued to fade away, and a peaceful expression fell upon it’s face, before as if by magic it lifted itself up to face Gyld.

“Chosen Forest Guardian, you have fought well and finally broken me free from that seal, I may now finally be at peace.” the bear spoke telepathically once more, as the environment became calm once again.

“Thank you for listening to my calls, and coming this far to assist me. What I had told you before is true..I now give you my thanks, so that you too Gyld, will have a great understanding of the cold expanses of this realm..”

Then the great white bear of the North, who now returned to looking quite white, reached to his chest and seemingly pulled out a very sizable blue bear heart which still looked like it was beating, icy fumes pulsating out, and levitated the heart to Gyld.

“Accept this reward, I believe you know what to do with it already.”

While this took place Professor Neco had taken another kneel of respect toward the bear.

gmimperfecti

 

[Elvario]

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Kane/Guard TheTimePiece
Languages: Common | <Beastial> | [Terran] | {Sylvan}

“They might've been used for testing or scouting purposes, back then. Perhaps they got strangled due to them failing to use the vines to control them, which they now succeeded in doing with Adriano.” She replied to Virgil, as it was all starting to add up.

She nodded at the captain's word that the worst case scenario was inbound. She also nodded to Kane. She didn't need his back-up, but she figured she'd let him have his fun for a bit. The possession seemed slightly off, or at least uncertain. She could sense that much from the man's reply.

When the guard captain spoke up again, the next bit snapped into place. She pointed at the bulkier, stouter and beadier than Virgil knight. “The hair and eye colours don't matter, as the guy over there said he saw the eye colour change, right? From red to grey. It might've been illusions altogether, rather than possession.” She wondered why, was there some sort of sacrificial doppelgänger monster pair used? She wasn't sure, but that wasn't her priority.

She sighed. “If the same man is also the one who arranged this whole time and place for the execution, it would make it even likelier he was compromised and used to set-up a slaughter, would it not?” She'd sigh. This wasn't great. “If he's truly compromised, I'd have more use of your strength than your credentials.” She muttered, worrying she'd soon have to escape a monster's wrath. “Just so you know, I'm a runner, not a fighter. Any sign of something attacking me and I'll be gone.”

That's when Virgil added the cherry on the cake. “Monsters controlling the ruler, some nobles, having infiltrators, having body-controlling tendrils and now having access to the Talton's personal Mechas? That does indeed sound like a recipe for a catastrophe.” She sighed. “Sounds like me and the Captain are going to meet his Hoyles, then? Virgil and his team going for the mechas? I'd suggest cancelling the execution at the last possible moment. If we do so now, we might make the enemy move or hide, making it more difficult to catch them or making them lash out earlier, before we can find or stop them. If we want to push it, we can send someone to say the execution is delayed due a new repeal or some other diplomatic stuff, something plausible, yet nothing mayor, to buy us some more time.” She added.

Looking back at Kane, she wondered aloud. “Indeed, there is a lot to check out. Are you going to join us to this lord Hoyles, or are you going to attempt to help finding the mechas?” Either way, her own next destination would be lord Hoyles.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Gyld watched the unfolding scene with a mix of reverence and understanding. The Great White Bear's powerful roar, the tremors it sent through the arena, and the eventual collapse were all moments that told a story, not just of the duel, but of the ancient beast's long captivity and its desire for liberation. The glowing chains that had tethered the bear, symbolizing its imprisonment, shattered, leaving behind an atmosphere of serenity.

Hearing the Great White Bear's telepathic words, gratitude washed over Gyld. To be thanked by such a formidable opponent was an honor in and of itself, but to be offered a part of the bear, a vital piece, held a significance that transcended simple gratitude. This was an act of respect, an acknowledgment of the bond forged in battle, and an offering of power.

Gyld felt the weight of the moment, deeply understanding the ritualistic and spiritual implications of what was transpiring. The act of consuming a heart, especially one as powerful as the Great White Bear's, was not just about acquiring power, but about understanding and taking on a part of the essence of the creature it belonged to. It was a mutual exchange, one of deep reverence and respect.

He remembered times in his past life when he had witnessed humans rebelling against their Spirit Guardian Animal. To Gyld, these rebellions were a sign of disconnection, of a lack of understanding about the deep bonds that could be formed between beings. Now, reborn, and standing in the presence of the Great White Bear, those memories were stark reminders of the profound difference between mere existence and true connection.

As the blue, pulsating heart levitated toward him, icy fumes wafting around it, Gyld took a deep breath. This was a sacred act, one of communion between predator and prey, guardian and liberator. He opened his mouth, letting the heart float in, and as he consumed it, he felt a rush of power, a blend of coldness, and a deeper understanding of the vast expanses of the icy realm.

Around him, Professor Neco's gesture of respect solidified the significance of the ritual. It was not just about battle, power, or dominion. It was about connection, understanding, and mutual respect. In this moment, Gyld felt both humbled and empowered, having truly experienced the sacredness of the hunt and the triumph of predator over prey.

Turning away from the spot where the Great White Bear had been, Gyld, now brimming with newfound power and a touch of newfound arrogance, faced Professor Neco and Phoebe. The gleam in his eyes held a mischievous spark, and there was a certain jauntiness in his posture.

"Quite the day, isn't it?" Gyld began, smirking, "Honestly, I'm starting to feel a little bad for all these legendary creatures. They really don't stand a chance against me."

Gyld waved a dismissive hand, the playfulness not leaving his eyes. "Now Professor...anyway, I've got the heart of the Great White Bear pumping in me now. I feel invincible!" He puffed out his chest, feigning grandiosity.

"How's that for mana, Phoebe mmm?" Gyld quipped, stretching leisurely. "So, what's next on our grand quest? Another legendary creature? An flying forest? A living mountain? I'm raring to go!"

 

[Clockwork_Magic]

Phoebe Penrose

Equipped Titles: Human, Mage, Compassionate, Bibliophile
Interactions: Professor Neco ( TheTimePiece ) | Gyld ( gmimperfecti )
Languages: Common | [Terran]​

---

Phoebe nodded song as the Professor spoke. “I see… If the residual magic from the monsters on the other continent are enough to lead to the sheer amount of mana washing up on the shores, then I imagine they’re quite powerful and dangerous indeed.” She turned her attention briefly back to the duel. This experience was quite the peculiar one was a peculiar the more she gave it thought. That's not to say it was at all a bad one, mind you. If anything, it was the exact opposite with such amicable companions! No, it was more so with the situation itself. The last place she expected to have an academic conversation was in the middle of the wilderness mere inches from a fierce combat ritual involving an ancient ice bear who's been sealed for who knows how long, but yet here she was in that exact situation. It's really starting to seem that the saying "there's a first for everything" truly included everything.

Her attention returned to the Professor as he began talking about the field of biology. Truth be told, it's been a long, long while since she's lasted studied biology, being a literal lifetime ago. Before, she'd avoid having to study the topic more than necessary with having to memorize all those complicated terms and concepts, especially especially when she ever had to study anything related to neurobiology. Now that was a nightmare to try and cram the night before an exam! So naturally, she was a bit hesitant to take the Professor up on his offer, but if it would help her deepen her knowledge of magic then perhaps she could give it a shot. The Professor's comment on the White Bear certainly helped to demonstrate the potential usefulness studying biology of magical beings could have. "I think I might take you up on that offer, Professor. Perhaps you could lend me a few texts on magical beasts?"

As she finished, she directed her attention back towards the duel between Gyld and the Bear, and just in time to witness the White Bear being struck and enveloped by Gyld's venom, the barrier separating the dueling arena and the two spectators. Taking after the Professor's example, Phoebe, too, knelt in a gesture of respect to the great beast, only rising after Gyld had consumed its heart and Gyld went back to his usual demeanor.

"That was astounding Gyld! It was like the forest itself was coming to your aid, truly an impressive display!" The pinkette was practically beaming as she responded to Glyd's comment on mana. There's nothing else that gets Phoebe quite as excited as witnessing and practicing magic. Going back to his question though. "I'm needing to head over to the shoreline to do my field research for the day. Unless the Professor has somewhere in mind along the way, I'd much like to head there."

 

[TheTimePiece]

Virgil​

Virgil looked like he had a moment of realization when Victorique said her thoughts on the strange strands.

“I never would have thought of something like that, I think you chose the right profession miss. I mean from what I saw of that Adriano fellow he seemed like a nice enough guy, nothing suspicious until the incident..I find your thoughts more plausible in my mind if it means anything.” He said with a somewhat positive intonation in his voice despite circumstances, it seemed Victorique had impressed Virgil.

The stouter guard nodded slowly at what she said, “I think whatever it is, something magical is probably afoot, if it wasn’t possession then I’d be curious how he got that Murderer title, I mean I find it hard to believe innocent girls like those would just give their lives up for whatever reason without some sort of magical tampering.” He spoke in his somewhat gruffer tone.

Night Guard Captain ???
​

The night guard captain nodded when Victorique said she was a runner rather than a fighter. “I will ensure your safety if your thoughts are accurate and a monster lurks near Lord Hoyles…Protecting the innocent is what we specialize in after all. ” He reasserted speaking with a certain confidence in his voice. Whatever this captain was feeling it was apparent that he was at the very least very skilled at putting a brave face if anything else, none of the guards seeming to pick up or react to her muttering otherwise, instead Virgil nodding in agreement and the stouter one giving a thumbs up at that.

“Yeah The captain’s like a one man army you don’t have a thing to worry about!” Virgil added in enthusiastically.

Virgil then continued with confirmation, “Yep, First we’re gonna move out and investigate the Talton Mechas. Then we’ll check out any others still in storage around here, because they might not be the only ones they’re possibly targeting.”

The night guard captain then continued, “Right then you and your squad should be off with haste, I and the investigator will go and meet with Lord Hoyles. What she says is right lads we need to be strategic about this, any cancellations should be last moment lest her theory be accurate, we can’t afford to let this enemy know that we’re on to it’s plans just yet.”

At that the night guard captain got several yes sirs from the group.

Kane Blackburne

​

At Victorique’s question, the captain and Virgil looked at him, which he wasn’t exactly used too, two figures of relative authority compared to him on the social status looking at him so he could say who he’d join? That was quite an alien concept to him indeed, rare was it ever these sorts wanted anything to do with him..It was a nice change of pace actually ,even if the reason was arguably not great, but lots of stuff wasn’t great in Rotia, lots of ways to die horrible deaths, in Kane’s mind. What else was new?

“I think Virgil and his squad can handle their search without me, not like I’d be as much help on foot anyway, I don’t know how to pilot those things..” He said before continuing “So I think it’d probably be better if I came with you and the captain.”

“Plus that way I can make extra sure nothing even gets close to harming ya, even with mr. one man army over here.” He said with a wink and still somewhat dark grin.

With everything sorted Virgil’s group got back into their mechas to go and investigate, it looked like that was their version of expediting.

The night captain was agreeable, “Given the unusual circumstances and your role in this it should be permissible, we’ll also bring two more, too many could be suspicious, but it isn’t unusual for me to have at least two of them on hand.” He replied to Kane and Victorique in part before he pointed out to two other guards who had been at the training and they got out and joined them, wielding spears, after giving him another set of yes sir.

Lord Hoyles House
​

After some traveling the armed group and the detective would make their way deep beyond the field and military complex toward another clearing which had a rather nice house which had some privacy due to the greenery around. In addition there were extra watch towers stationed on the section of the wall which was closest to the estate. Lord Hoyles had some similar looking guards at his gate but they were wearing different uniforms, perhaps unique to his house. Thankfully they had no problem clearing the guard captain through, each giving a bow his way,as they opened them up, while another went to go and inform the staff about the urgency of the situation.

“Lord Hoyles will give you an audience in his office.” One guard replied. Then the group waited for a bit before they were informed he was ready for them. The interior of the house was as ornate as one would expect of a Lord, perhaps suggesting he was rather showy.

Lord Hoyles Home Office
​

The office itself was rather fitting of a lord, plenty of gold embroidered the room., The painting looked of utmost quality There was also a bookshelf with lots of books, another classist based item, books were an expense, so was the education and or magical know- how to be able to read in lack there of. For now he sat at his desk as they came in skeptically

Lord Hoyles
​

“You know Robert, normally I’d insist people would meet me in town properly..but since this sounded particularly important I’ve made an exception..” He replied sounding a bit snooty, almost like he was annoyed to be bothered.

“Aye, your generosity humbles me, Uncle.” The night guard captain replied with a respectful kneel.

“Victorique here can fill you in extensively about the situation.” He replied, Robert’s guards also taking a kneel, before righting themselves only after night guard captain Robert had.

Kane saw this going on and seemingly a bit begrudgingly did the same thing so as not to cause a stir.

Elvario
---

Great White Bear of the North
​

Indeed by the time Gyld had accepted the heart, the bear said, “For your deed You may visit my domain again anytime, I wish you all success in your journeys ahead.” The Great Bear then finally faded away, it’s presence being felt all throughout the area like it had been revitalized somehow, after years of being oppressed.

Professor Neco
​

Professor Neco stopped kneeling by that point and let in a deep breath of the fresh air, before he found himself chuckling at Gyld’s self aggrandising comment , “It certainly is a day, That was certainly quite a show I know I’ll never forget guardian, I knew you were mighty from when I first laid my eyes on you but that was something else, I can safely say if you can take on opponents of that caliber, anyone who has you protecting them will be most fortunate indeed.”

“Well now that you and I have met our primary objective…during the battle I actually recorded various information with my eye, as I do tend to make use of every learning opportunity, but now thanks to you my vision has come true and, I can finally properly make an academic entry about that bear.”

“As for what’s next..” He then turned to Phoebe, with a smile, a residual from finding Gyld’s enthusiasm to be quite pleasant, as he continued, their conversation having gotten a bit interrupted from before, now feeling like he could properly answer her “Indeed, the more powerful the more residuals you can expect..and of course I can lend you some texts on these beasts, just point out the ones that strike your fancy, I’m always a proponent of bettering one’s self with knowledge” He said happily.

“Ah Right! Yes, What Phoebe says is true, now that she’s aided us on this trip, we shall aid her on her endeavor, the shoreline isn’t far from here where we should be able to collect some valuable information..” He’d point to the visible shoreline in the distance, which was just going to be a bit more of a trek over for the group.

He then turned back to the owlbear “Now I know that this may not sound as exciting as besting a foe in battle for you, but if you’d be so kind to join us, your senses and excellent atunement with nature may provide us with valuable information on what’s going on, and in addition your expertise as a Guardian would be most appreciated, should a monster from the shore decide to emerge..”
---
Presuming the party all agreed to go they would walk across the snowy landscape, with that same feeling of greater ease with a sense of harmony being restored to the land.

The group moved toward the long shoreline without incident until they’d get close enough to the point that Professor Neco would make a gesture for them to halt.

Along the shore line small crabs which looked like they were made of something similar that the ice snakes had been made out of, were side stepping, and there was an occasional icy sparkle, which appeared momentarily every now and again.

“This should be close enough, any closer we really may take unnecessary risk in attracting unwanted attention. I presume you brought the means to take notes? If you haven’t not to worry, I brought extra.” He said with a smile toward Phoebe,

“A good first step as mentioned will be to figure out what sort of magic signatures or otherwise we can gather, that eye which you have should do the trick, so when you’re ready to record, you should hone its gaze along the shore.” He spoke much like a teacher might to a pupil.

gmimperfecti Clockwork_Magic

 

[Elvario]

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Kane/Guard TheTimePiece
Languages: Common | <Beastial> | [Terran] | {Sylvan}

As they kept discussing the tendrils, a new worry arose. “Come to think of it, if those tendrils possessed Adriano's body... did anyone catch if he changed eye colour or something as well? I've assumed those tendrils to be stationary, but perhaps if someone is exposed to them for long enough, they can take over that person fully, like what would've happened to those girls... if that's the case, they might be parasitic. Which means Adriano and perhaps even others might still be infected by them, with them just being dormant for now.” It was a rather terrifying thought.

Truthfully, she wasn't all that worried about her safety. She just wanted the guard an Kane to know she'd definitely not have their backs and that she'd bugger off at the first sign of trouble. That said, the point had probably gotten across well enough, for now, so she left it at that. She nodded at Kane, as he decided to tag along with them. Somehow, likely due to some sort of huge flaw in her ability to reason tactically that had occurred just now, she trusted Kane more than this overly virtuous knight captain.

The Lord's house was fancy, as one might expect. Although it was a relatively rustic type of fancy. “He's got surprisingly good taste in architecture...” She mumbled, upon seeing the house from a distance. Now she sort-off hoped he wouldn't be possessed and in need of being put down, as she might want to ask him whom he hired to build this place for when she was finally ready to settle down with a house of her own.

That said, the man himself made a far worse impression. He reminded her of all those annoying nobles in fantasy, back in her past world. The type to always be the evil antagonist behind the scenes. It instantly made her want to anger him, which made her wonder. How much would she be able to get away with if she claimed it was just to test if he was possessed or not? It could get her wanted in the entire Kingdom if she played her cards wrong, but it could be very fun and satisfying if she played them right. A tough choice.

She clicked her tongue. The bastard was related to this knight captain? Great... just great. This limited her options. Still, she could push it a little. It's why she didn't kneel, even though the other two did. Cause a bit of a stir, perhaps. Most of all, she could be able to use [Ultimate Detective] on him to see if his reaction to her 'disrespect' was natural or not, or even why he'd not have one should he not react to it at all.

When she was suddenly tasked with filling him in, she wondered how to go about it. She really wished how likely the night guard was to be willing cut down this man right here and now, should it be needed. After all, what if she exposed a monster, but due to the blood ties, the night guard was unable to act fast enough to stop the monster from escaping? Ah, but she was plotting too far ahead. Actually... Kane was there. She'd shoot him a quick and hopefully meaningful glance of 'be ready' in case she might draw this out quicker than expected.

“The town's invaded by monsters and we've reason to believe your daughters are involved.” She stated, purposefully phrasing it in a vague manner. What would she see? Worry for his daughters? Anger that she sounded like she was accusing them? Shock at being revealed for being a monster? Some monstrous influence on its own? She really hoped that this very 'rough' way of phrasing it would at least draw out some useful reaction to once again study with [Ultimate Detective].

Ultimate Detective – Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Insight D, Investigation D, Perception C, Law D, Energised B – Character combines all their applicable senses and knowledge to get to the bottom of a mysteries or to be on high alert for clues, dangers or hints. - Grade B – 3 Post Cooldown.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Gyld looked in the direction the Professor pointed, the shimmering horizon of the shoreline catching his eyes. While it wasn't a grand challenge as he'd just experienced, the idea of venturing somewhere new still held an allure. The wind carried the scent of salt and water, a stark contrast to the forested terrain he was accustomed to.

For a moment, he stood silently, contemplative. Then, he shifted his gaze back to the Professor, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Information gathering, Professor? It sounds more like a leisurely walk on the beach than a grand quest. But..." He smirked, "...who am I to turn down the opportunity to flaunt my exceptional skills? Besides, the beach may have its own hidden challenges. There are creatures that lurk beneath the waves. And given what we've seen so far, I wouldn't be surprised if we stumble upon a mystery or two. Maybe an undead leviathan."

The owlbear's interest was piqued. The notion of encountering unfamiliar creatures was enticing. "Plus, I've been told my feathers look particularly dashing when wet," he added with a wink.

---

Gyld's senses had become sharper after the intense battle with the Great White Bear of the North. He found himself more attuned to the energies around him, and the thought of unlocking more forms was an exhilarating one. While Professor Neco and Phoebe were engrossed in their studies, Gyld stepped back, focusing on the newfound knowledge he had acquired.

Closing his eyes, the icy essence from the snakes he had devoured began to course through him. There was an immediate chill, and when he opened his eyes, his vision had changed. He now perceived the world with a crystalline clarity, each detail sharp and bright. He felt lighter, more agile, as he took on the form of the ice snakes, his body elongating and turning translucent blue with a shimmering sheen.

Curious about his capabilities, he tried moving around, realizing that his movement was swift and silent. It wasn't long before he re-focused, channeling the essence of the Great White Bear. A deep, internal warmth replaced the chill, and Gyld's form started to grow and expand. The transformation was profound: he stood towering, covered in thick, white fur, his body now exuding a serene and majestic aura.

He experimented, realizing that in the bear form, he possessed a strength far greater than his original owlbear form. There was also a newfound resilience to the cold. But along with the physical features, the bear form seemed to offer Gyld an enhanced understanding of the icy realms and a deeper connection to the spiritual energies of the cold.

Excitedly, Gyld shifted back into his owlbear form. He was eager to share his findings with the group, but he also recognized the importance of their current task. For now, he decided to observe the shoreline, utilizing the abilities of the forms he'd just discovered, waiting for the right moment to reveal his newfound prowess.

 

[Clockwork_Magic]

Phoebe Penrose

Equipped Titles: Human, Mage, Compassionate, Bibliophile
Interactions: Professor Neco ( TheTimePiece ) | Gyld ( gmimperfecti )
Languages: Common | [Terran]​

---

Phoebe returned the Professor's smile as she slightly bowed her head in a gesture of gratitude for being allowed to borrow some of his texts when they got back. She flashed a similar smile of gratitude towards Gyld as he agreed to come with them to the shoreline. A part of her had been a little worried he might not accompany them given that it wasn't as exciting as the bear hunt but it looks like it's worked out in the end. “It’s very reassuring to be under your protection during this field study Gyld.” She did another little bow of the head as she said that, letting out a small chuckle at Gyld’s comment about his feathers.

Fortunately enough, their walk to the shoreline was peaceful. After the run in with the ice serpents and watching that duel between Gyld and the White Bear, it was nice to have a chance to have a break in the action and take in nature. The shoreline was a pretty sight too, with the soothing sounds of waves hitting the beach and there thankfully being no sight of hostile creatures. The only creatures in sight were some ice crabs. From the looks of them, they looked like their shells were made of the same stuff the ice serpents from earlier were made of. It shouldn't be too surprising, similar environments do have the tendency of specific traits in creatures, but it doesn't make said traits any less fascinating.

It didn't take long for the Professor to stop the group at a certain distance away from the shoreline once they got into view of it, with him then offering some note taking materials to the pink haired mage. "Oh, it's quite alright Professor, I brought my journal and pen with me, but thank you for the offer nonetheless." Phoebe then produced the Frost Basilisk Eye amulet from her bag. "Alright... along the shore..." She muttered the instructions the Professor gave her to herself as she directed and moved the amulet's gaze along the path the Professor advised.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Unfortunately for her possible revelation, nobody present there knew for sure if what Victorique said was accurate about the tendrils being potentially parasitic.

Night Guard Captain Robert Hoyles
​

“It’s difficult to say, but that is certainly a dangerous possibility.” The night guard captain responded solemnly.

Kane Blackburne
​

At the very least Kane already knew well enough that Victorique had no intention of staying around if she was endangered, he had gathered that much when she said that she wasn’t a fighter but a runner, so Kane was already under the expectation she’d run if it came to it. Thankfully for the others Victorique had done a well enough job explaining herself.

When she gave a thumbs up Kane just gave her a typical grin of reaffirmation. He wasn’t about to let his new friend get killed just yet, that would have deeply lessened all the efforts he had made so far! Whether or not he was less reliable than the night guard captain was still to be seen, other then the fact that he hadn’t fled when the intruders attacked, instead Kane had held his ground as he said he had, so despite the judgment, at the very least it wasn’t based on nothing.

Kane shrugged a bit when Victorique made her comment about the good taste in architecture. Wasn’t something he was really educated or knew much about one way or another, four walls and a bed was good enough for Kane in Rotia, it was pretty similar to the conditions he had growing up, but he did reply, “Yeah I guess he does.” Probably not really thinking about the specifics about why Victorique had said this.

While Robert continued to maintain utter respect, Kane was about as pleased as Victorique was about the situation. This guy was just such a typical noble in Kane’s mind, that Kane hoped that they would be able to get this done as quickly as possible, lest he have to be restrained from wanting to knock the guy’s lights out, as he felt like he already knew how this was going to inevitably going to go as far as the noble being insufferable was.

Lord Hoyles
​

Lord Hoyles raised a brow as he looked toward Victorique when she didn’t kneel, it looked like her intentional move was immediately having some effect.


Meanwhile Robert Hoyles, aka the captain looked back at Victorique with his one good eye and gave her a side eye as if to nonverbally signal she was playing a risky game by deciding to do this, probably not aware of what she was trying to do.

Kane on the other hand had to resist his urge to chuckle as the situation unfolded, giving her a wink back when she gave him the signal to be ready.

Once Victorique spoke her piece there was a silence in the room, tension which could be cut…before one of the nearby guards spoke up,
“What is the meaning of this filth you speak girl?!”

“You dare accuse Lord Hoyles’ daughters of conspiring with monsters?!” The guard exclaimed indignantly.

However just before the guard could speak up more, Lord Hoyles raised a hand toward them.

“Be silent.”

The guard then quickly got down and bowed his head some, “Of course apologies my lord, but I just couldn’t help but let her tarnish your family’s name with such slander!”

“Your dedication is appreciated..but I’m afraid the one that perhaps I’m even more offended by..is unfortunately my Nephew..what’s the game here Robert? You know my patience wanes thin..is this supposed to be some kind of statement or joke? After all I’ve done for you? First you bring this utterly ignorant fae here, who doesn’t understand who she’s come to see apparently..and then on top of that, you allow someone who isn’t pure enough to be in the same room as me, nevermind in my office in my own home..”

Robert bowed his head, “I apologize Uncle..it’s just that as we were saying these circumstances are incredibly precarious, we believe that there may be monsters among us as she said which will pose a risk to the people in the town..and..”

“Thats enough.” Lord Hoyles said coldly.

“You’ve all wasted enough of my time now then..” He’d gesture to the guard, “See to it that they're out of my fac-”

Suddenly Lord Hoyles began to hold his head looking like he was in some sort of pain, his face grimacing. While this was transpiring thanks to Victorique’s ability She immediately smelled that something was off, something smelled of the earth in the room that hadn’t that way before…not only that but her perception allowed her to see then and there the slight sign of a white strand near the lord’s right shoulder which had slinked out, his current body language was triggering all kinds of red flags that whatever was going on wasn’t natural.

The guard exclaimed, “Lord Hoyles! What’s wrong?!” Coming over to his side, until suddenly the Lord called out as his eyes widened and expression shifted to one of great urgency.

“Robert Get out of here!”

Suddenly Victorique could see very clearly that there was a monster there along side Lord Hoyle’s information, and suddenly the small white tendril shot out and smashed the guard who had come to the lord’s side against the wall of his office. The guard didn’t even have a chance to react as he coughed out blood, then Lord Hoyle’s eyes glazed over a strange grayish color, with an absent look on his face.

Kane however immediately jumped up at seeing this, now brandishing his executioner axe, jumping between Victorique and whatever was happening to Lord Hoyles.

“VICTORIQUE GET MOVING!” He’d exclaim urgently, if she hadn’t already as suddenly two large tangles of white strands came shooting out one in the direction of Robert, who was shocked at what was unfolding as he drew his blade and Kane who blocked the hit,

“Well Come on Robert, uphold your words, help me hold the line!” Kane would exclaim, clearly struggling with the strands now, and getting his axe into a position he could use it. This had quickly become a dangerous precarious situation. There was uncertainty if they could kill the monster and spare the lord.

(Combat is enabled, ability cooldowns are in effect)
Elvario
---

Professor Neco



​

The good professor let out a chuckle at the owlbear’s comment about looking good wet. “I’m pleased to hear that you’ll be joining us then Gyld, your expertise is much appreciated, as I am most inclined to agree with Phoebe there.” Truthfully as excited as the owlbear was about the prospect of fighting creatures on the coast, it was likely that the rest of the company probably wasn’t so thrilled at the idea after that last epic fight.

“Who knows maybe you’re right and we’ll encounter something else grand that you can vanquish, If it comes to it I wouldn’t mind something rarer to dissect and study.” He said casually at that thought.

“Since moving here from Kuridan for my research I can certainly agree with you there, if you are seeking adventure and can handle harsh environments this land has plenty to offer, why I’d say it’s very likely there are other monsters and beasts very similar to what we encountered earlier..and there must be many more unexplored or forgotten areas with grand loot, so at the very least the adventurers around these parts have things to aspire for..”

“Since you seem to be more suited for this area perhaps it’d be worth your time checking out more at some point.”

After that point when Gyld had gone off shifting his form some, to be more like the material the snakes had been made off, it looked like that move triggered some flight response from the icy crabs as they immediately began to scurry away from the shifting owlbear. While Gyld did indeed feel more harmony and resilient to his current environment, like he belonged there alongside the natural white cold expanse, when he shifted into the White Bear form suddenly a few sizable large dog sized icy looking lobster creatures with large claws that appeared to be laced with some sort of frosty venom, similar to the ones the icy snakes had possessed, emerged from the nearby shore, with cracking sounds, breaking through the ice and began to back away from him defensively too, the large bear form triggering this survival reaction it seemed, snapping their claws with similar force to a snapping turtle’s mouth. However from a look they didn’t look like they were keen on attacking Gyld or the other two, just keeping their defensive stance and distance for the time being.

Icy Lobster Trio
​

gmimperfecti
---
While this started to transpire the Professor was still focused on assisting Phoebe.

Professor Neco kept up his look of warmth at Phoebe’s reciprocation. As Phoebe was more at ease it was clear to her that the professor was too, it was certainly nice for the group to just be able to take in their environment without some deadly threat on the horizon.

“Right..then that’s just about perfect, I’ll assist in making a copy of a record of your results so I’ll have a set on my end of things too..” Professor Neco replied as he focused on the way and direction that Phoebe was holding the amulet, one of his eyes now glowing that same greenish color which his energy had been when he cut those snakes with his magical slashes.

“Are you certain you haven’t done this before? To me you look like a natural~” He complimented her field work abilities.

He focused carefully on the way the amulet eye started to glow and seemingly respond to the mana which had ‘washed up’ suddenly the basilisk eye dilated some, and at first Phoebe and the professor would see a strong red glow coming from the eye, and a transparent but strong line of mana showing up on where the sightline of the eye would be if the creature that owned it had been alive.

“Right..what I expected..that reddish tone from the perspective of this eye means monster, and since the color is intense..that means that it’s quite potent too..as we were both expecting and as your hypothesis you told me earlier suggested..but..”

Professor Neko’s brows furrowed a bit when suddenly the energy line shifted to more of a darkish brown color..

“So..it looks like there’s some Fae mana in this area too on the shoreline..I can’t say I was expecting that..most of the fae around these parts are adventurers trying to make a name for themselves..and of course there are some minority populations but truthfully I’m not entirely sure why there’s enough to register here..encase you were wondering the reason it’s presenting that that color is because it’s detecting a mix..perhaps you should try moving the eye down the line further to see if there’s anything else of interest..”

Even when the professor noticed the lobsters he didn’t seem to react, focused on the task at hand still, afterall Gyld was there and he had taken down a legendary beast, or perhaps it was because the professor knew that species wasn’t something to be particularly worried about, either way, he awaited for Phoebe to shift the gaze if she desired, as he inquired,

“Any thought as to why this..concentration is mixed the way it is?” He seemed genuinely curious in her thoughts on the matter.

Clockwork_Magic