Graded [Kronum Village] Here Be Dragons

[D. Rex]

Hinkiro
It was not long after he had left that place that he had felt the pull. No... not a pull. A feeling. A sort of longing for a place that he had never been. Why was it that he looked to the Paizu mountains? Why was it that when his gaze swept the cloud covered peeks that his eyes stopped at the same spot every time?

It could not be for nostalgia... he was born further south. Besides he hadn't before had any inclination to return. So why now? It had bothered him... he had learned to trust his instincts during these years in the wild... but what where they telling him? That he wasn't yet ready for Ryken? That he needed to go home first? No that wasn't his home... but still, his gut was telling him to go.

There were many things that Hinkiro did not know... but he did know that he would go. If nothing else. It would give him time to think.







The village of Kronum
Howl Elvario
The village small, quaint. But like its people, it was solid. With the forests of Ryken to west, and the Paizu Mountains to the east, Kronum sat at the edge of the Glattzdan Hills, and was no stranger to defending itself from the various monsters that saw fit to try and nab livestock from time to time. Of course... larger dangers often presented themselves. While rare, greater monsters have left their scars on the village. Long healed scars, filled in by mortar and thatch and left as if they never happened.

The residents of Kronum prided themselves on their resiliency. Always picking themselves back up from whatever befell them. In part, this pride came from a sense of duty. Villages like this were scattered across the region. Each of them sharing a unique feature. A stone tower in the middle of their settlements at the crest of a tall hill. A signal tower. The light could be seen for miles, and night or day, burning heat or freezing snow, the towers would always be manned. Ancient duty, now simple tradition. To watch and send word to Ryken should a giant, or worse, wonder in from the mountains. Only once in the past two decades has the Kronum tower been lit. A story still told to the children here. Every telling more fanciful than the last.





The shadow of Kronum Tower was cast over the village by the late morning sun. The long slender shadow pointing towards the forests if Ryken, where lumberjacks felled trees and stacked them in large piles to be sorted out. And farmers to the north tended fields of various crops. The melons here famous for being sweet and firm, and the tobacco mild and subtle. Sheep wandered the hills to the south, crazing with the cattle while shepherd boys watched over them with cautious eyes.

A simple place. A friendly place. And the inner village was much the same... the homes had a warmth to them. Housewives did their laundry by a well, gossiping over the news from the forest village of Dalin, or who old Fet Grouher would marry despite the bachelor protesting he never would again. Word on the wind said it would be Neri Termigril. Everyone knew that they already bickered like a married couple.

The smell of bread wafted through the air as a strong breeze brought the welcome scents from the villages bakery. It served as the only tavern as well, with ale and wine as sweet as the melons, but never let Master Grin hear you say that. He didn't want his establishment associated with those rowdy drinking dens you heard about in those other village. No drunkards here. Only hard working, folk.

Grins Bakery was lively today. As it well should be. Theril had come in from Dalin last night with his shipment of bolts of cloth. And the things he had said took to the town like fire in dried grass...

Lanost had been completely destroyed.

Theril had brought in all the news he had heard. Nobody had known what to think. But he had spoken to some of the refugees himself.

They said that the town was burned and most of the occupants had been killed. But nobody could agree on who did it. Many of the rumors had claimed that it was bandits. This made sense as bandits were a frequent problem in the forests. Some of the roving bands were growing concernedly large. But bandits didn't just BURN villages and massacre the people there. Sure they would rob a place. But genocide?

No... the rumors that worried people the most was that it was a dragon attack. This was serious news. A single dragon could raze an entire village in minutes. But heavens! There hadn't been a dragon that came from the mountains in decades! Or least none that they heard of. And surely the watchtowers would have noticed something as big as a dragon.

But no! Some of the rumors claimed it was a tiny thing. Some said it was no bigger than a dog, others said it was at least the size of a cow. And others still saying it was bigger than house. Some said it had killed and devoured all the bandits before turning its sights on the village. Others were quite fervent that the bandits had been trying to defend the village from the dragon. No! The bandits were working WITH the dragon! No. The dragon had been the villages guardian, awoken from its deep slumber when the village had been attacked. There had been a few that claimed to have been enslaved by the bandits and freed by the dragon.

Whatever the case... the rumors of there being a dragon were persistent. A Dalin ranger had even seen tracks, suspecting it might be heading back towards the mountains. Said it had to be huge. But... a dragon...

The village council were discussing the possibilities and what to do over ale and Grins fresh bread. Those in the tavern with them sharing the rumors they had heard back and forth. Some frightened by the prospect, others excited for the prospect of a good hunt.








Ryken Forest, the outskirts.

Dr.Sturgeon Surgeon

For monsters, it never was nice to live near the edge of the forest. Safety laid much deeper within. But there were always so many more opportunities the closer they came to human civilization. Especially with all the woodsmen looking to make claims on the best trees.

Sadly... they were wise to monsters trying such things. And few wondered deep into the forest without guard.... but there were more guards than usual today. Where once a team of woodsman might have a handful, now they had a dozen. Kronum seemed awfully cautious... perhaps they were getting tired of the goblins sharing their woods.

I mean... sure they would harass people every now and then, but they hadn't attacked the village in at least a year. So it couldn't be that. Could it? Humans and fae did odd things sometimes. Maybe they thought that them not attacking the village for so long meant they were going to soon? No... that was just worry of young goblings who hadn't learned how to master their fear.

No, if anything it was probably related to the same news that the tribe had heard. A dragon had been sighted by the Mosstooth tribe heading west towards the mountains. But they also said that it had ignored the goblin scouts that were following it. That wasn't too surprising. But still, if a dragon was coming this way, it was enough to worry about.

Much of the tribe was hopeful, however. Dragons attacks normally left good scavenging to take advantage of. Very good scavenging. Maybe if the dragon destroyed the village, then the tribe could move in? Perhaps. Perhaps. The burrows were comfortable enough to consider staying. But still much to be had. Or they could kill the dragon! A dangerous thought... but a dragon corpse had many riches, and would make a fearsome trophy that would frighten other tribes into submission at just the sight of it. Or they could do the safe thing and stay out of its way.

Wind rushed through the woods, a warm westerly wind... shaking the canopy above and letting dappled sunlight dance across the forest floor. Oh yes. Many possibilities. Possibilities that the shaman needed to think about. Goblins were not famous for their wisdom. So all the more important they have shamans and chiefs to do the thinking for them. Of course... few goblins were smart enough to realize that. Those that did normally being the cheifs and the shamans. Annoying how that worked out.

 

[Howl]

​

Kaida scratched her cheek that was itching with her right hand, while the left held three crates stacked up on each other. She reached her destination, which was in front of a bakery, with the crates that were filled with bags of flour. Kaida excitedly lined the crates up neatly and straight. She backed up from the scene to inspect it for perfection, and then gave herself a satisfied sigh. She went to the door of the bakery she was in front of and knocked three times before entering without response. "Mrs.Feltcherrr!" She shouted with her loud voice. "I put the crates outside like you had asked!"

As Kaida finished her sentence, a plump older woman came from the back door. The lady had her hands full from holding a tray filled with bread on it. The smell made Kaida's nose twitch and her mouth water. "Yes, yes. I heard you child." The woman answered as she placed the tray down. She grabbed a loaf and placed it into Kaida's hands that were held open for her. "Thank you Mrs.Feltcher!" Kaida screamed. "My.. your manners have improved." The baker complimented as she put the bread away into the display. Kaida nodded in agreement, knowing that she has come a long way with learning how folk people function. "I'm leavin' now!" Kaida yelled as she walked out the door, shutting it closed before the woman had time to respond.

Kaida split the bread she was given in half and shoved some into her mouth to the point where her jaw had to stretch. She chewed on it viciously because of how good it was. As she was eating, she had decided she was thirsty so she made her way to the shared well of the town. Once she arrived, she saw towns folk cleaning their clothing with washboards. There were women chatting there, which initially Kaida paid no mind to. She went over to the well with the public bucket and pulled herself up some water. As she was doing so, her ears perked at the sound of some new rumors. Apparently, a dragon had attacked a city not too far off. Kaida's jaw dropped, and her spare hand almost let her remaining bread half fall. She hadn't heard about any dragon folk in a long time. Not since after she was born again and without her family.

Kaida released the rope to the well bucket and ran over to the women who were startled by her sudden appearance. "Tell me about this dragon! ... Please!" Kaida screamed with excitement. "I offer you.. my bread!" The ladies around her laughed, shaking their hands 'no' in response to the deal. "You needn't pay us anything. They're just rumors. They may not be true.. but rumors say that the city of Lanost has been completely burnt down." Kaida began to jump a little from the excellent news. Another dragon... She began to trail off in her thoughts. But how could she find it?

"If I want to know more.. how?" She asked the women as they began to hang the clothing they previously washed with clothespins. "You could try looking into the city of Lanost.. or you could visit the village council. I hear they're talking about it." Kaida nodded as her head turned towards the direction of the center of the city. Maybe she would try the village council if there were no other clues available to the whereabouts of this dragon.

 

[Dr.Sturgeon Surgeon]

Vlad was currently sitting on a rock and tried not to panic as he thought about the recent news, or at least the little bits he could learn from the goblins broken common, there was a dragon about. A real live dragon. Like a gold hoarding, fire breathing, wing flapping, dragon. He wasn't ready yet, he'd only found this tribe of misfits a few days ago, and he'd only just started to learn magic. 'No, no, don't panic. Stay calm." Vladimir took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. 'They said it went to the west, and what would it want with us. We don't have any gold and we're to small for even a snack.' He thought as he grasp his staff tightly.

He looked back towards the place he had recently been staying. It was a crude thing dug into the soil and supported by hap-hazardly placed sicks. He sighed as he watched a few of his 'tribe' wandered in and out of the burrow. They only really tolerated him because he looked and smelled mostly like a goblin. "Dame it." He mumbled to himself in his thin, raspy voice as he rose to his feet. As he observed a goblin chew on a rock and hiss at him when it saw him staring. He ignored the feral gob and started to pace. Trying to puzzle out the best action to take now.

There were a couple of possibilities that crossed his mind. 'If it attacks a village then that means plenty of loot and maybe a better home base, but the others will probably keep it all to themselves. But if I try and track it down by myself and follow it maybe..no, no that'd be t -' He was pacing in front of the burrow entrance when a strange warm wind blew to the west. He looked at the dappled light as it filtered through the leaves and sighed. "Well you know what they say nothing ventured, nothing gained." He turned around and walked into the burrow quickly grabbed his things and scurried off as quick and quite as he could. 'How hard can a dragon be to track down.'

 

[Elvario]

Regula
​

Clear goals, but an unclear path towards them. Such had been the situation for Regula for a while now. With her job at Rossle's smithy, she managed to get a stable income and she even got to forge herself some great gear. A lot of people would be satisfied with that, but she was aiming much, much higher. Sadly enough, she had reached a deadlock. Her talents at the forge weren't improving as fast as she'd like them, her training with her gun and magic was lacking at best and she hadn't even started on building herself a reputation. It was clear that things would remain stagnant if she didn't find a new road to travel soon.

That's when certain rumours reached her. An entire town had been destroyed in mysterious circumstances. She couldn't quite make out heads or tails of the story, but it was clear that something of interesting was happening; the kind of thing she might be able to inject her presence into. Whether it was simply helping villagers rebuild their home with her talents as a blacksmith or whether it was slaying whomever or whatever had caused the destruction, she was sure she'd be able to garner a more of a reputation there. It's why she'd set off in the direction of Lanost, eventually ending up in the village of Kronum, where she hoped to learn more.

The journey there was surprisingly pleasant. With the forest and mountains close by, the hilly landscape separating them was beautiful to traverse. What few threats there were on the roads were no match for her. Most would think better than to attack someone wielding a large, odd looking weapon. The few who didn't think better got to a taste of its power. She loved how well her gun was working, although she was still looking for ways to optimise it even further. Her journey was setting itself up to be a nice opportunity for field-testing.

She spotted the village from far away, as the tower at its centre managed to draw attention to it from far away. Only moments after her arrival in Kronum and managing to find her way into the only tavern in town, she learned more about Lanost. A lot more. In fact, she learned so much more that she only got confused. If she were to believe all the rumours, a dog-sized dragon had commanded bandits to attack the village of Lanost and had decided to slay both the villagers and the bandits it had been commanding afterwards, but also saved a few of the villagers that the bandits it commanded had captured... Yeah, there was no making sense of that one.

After a short sigh, she decided to approach the 'council' that was taking place. Truth be told, she didn't think much of them. They were just a bunch of old guys gossiping in a bakery. Even so, they'd be able to get something going, which was what she needed. Perhaps she could steer them in a useful direction. “Apologies for interrupting your meeting, gentlemen.” She said, as she gave them a bow. “I couldn't help but overhear your debate about the dragon problem.” In her mind, she added 'as you were gossiping about it in the middle of a tavern over some drinks like senile old fools', although she was very careful not to let a sliver of that sentiment show.

She put up a smile. “Might I perhaps offer you my services? I'd be more than willing to join an expedition to investigate these rumours, as I doubt that wise men such as yourselves would be willing to risk leaving a dragon to rummage around.” She wasn't foolish enough to go after a dragon on her own, regardless of what the rumours said, but it seemed like some of the people present were eager to go after it. It'd be ideal to join such a group, even more so if she could make it seem like she was offering a favour to the village's elders.

 

[D. Rex]

Dr.Sturgeon Surgeon

Vladimir received some suspicious looks from the "watch goblins" that were lazing about the barrow entry. They always eyed Vlad that way... most did. He was different. He didn't quite... fit... with the tribe. And that was certainly the truth. The chief didn't mind having Vlad around, every tribe needed a shaman, after all. He was smart, though. But the others... well they didn't even ask what the shaman was up to. Was he leaving? They certainly wouldn't complain. So they watched him leave... not quite realizing the chief would likely punish them later.




Vladimir was quick in these woods. Much easier when traveling alone, with no clumsy fools to hold him back. He could do just fine on his own, or at least until he found a tribe that would not be so keen on treating him like a... like a fake goblin.

A dragon, though... as easy as he thought it had been, walking through the woods made him realize just how big this forest was. He was out of his prior tribes territory, at least...

West... and if the Mosstooth Tribe spotted him... and the distance they traveled. Well surely the dragon wouldn't be that far behind the news. Vladimir was fairly certain that once he reached the edge of the forest that he would be have a better chance. If he somehow missed it in the woods, he'd surely be able to spot it on the hills when it came out. And if it attacked the village? Well! It would make a good signal fire.


Mirgris

It wasn't exactly nice to have to avoid other goblins territory. Going around meant time wasted... but if Chief didn't, it could make for a very inconvenient argument. Chief Hawkjaw had warned Chief that these southern tribes were quite unfriendly to outsiders, even other goblins. Hobgoblins? Well they would see that as an attack for sure.

Chief Hawkjaw wasn't so bad. Indeed he had been quite happy to trade with the small hobgoblin tribe. As well as given some information on the location of goblins tribes and human villages towards that side of the Ryken Forest.

That was weeks ago, And if he had to guess, he was fairly sure that the human village of Kronum was just to the east, outside of the forests. They traveled a good distance in that week. Very good distance...

"Chief!" The call was raised by a lanky hobgoblin with a rather unfortunate face. To be that skinny with a face that... fat... like he had been stung by giant hornets. It was almost pitiable. Yet he had been a scout for a while now. A fairly good one, all things considering. Loper. That was his name.

"Chief." He repeated. Stopping in front of his leader and taking a moment to catch his breath. "We spieds a goblin. Alone. With a pointy hat and staff. We did not get too close... but Tontock believes he could be a rainwalker or healer. Or even a shaman."

A lone goblin... well Chief was still learning but he did know that goblins weren't keen on being solitary. If one was traveling alone outside of a tribe territory... an outcast perhaps? Or a messenger. But those types weren't wasted for messengers... If Tontock was right though... lone hobgoblins were not too hard to conscript. Lone goblins weren't either. And if this goblin was a healer? If he was a rainwalker or shaman? Well... Chief didn't have one of those... his tribe could certainly use one.


"What shall we do with him, boss?" Loper asked.

 

[D. Rex]

Elvario Howl



The tavern... er... bakery... the "tavern" part of the bakery was on the side of the building, it was an area underneath a wide awning, held up by study poles of wood. The floor underneath was the red clay of earth, worn by decades of foot traffic and the whisking away of brooms. With tables and chairs arranged for the guests, and a window in the bakery used as a makeshift bar where one could order what they wished. Master Grin Fletcher would have seen the cafe area have a proper floor but he knew his wife would have had a fit if any man would have walked over it with dirty boots. That was right unsanitary. Well. This was a working village. If a man didn't have dirty boots he wouldn't have coin to buy anything. And Master Grin wasn't about to let people walk on his floors barefoot. No sir. That was right unsanitary.



The village council only took up one table. Five men sat in a circle around it, each with mug of one drink or another and each with with pipe. Discussing the rumors and going over ways that they might be prepared.

Mr. Nock and Master Nock, two tall wirey men with skin like sun darkened bark. Identical twins, though easy to tell apart at this age due to the wears of life. Mr. Jamin, a broad man with a face that looked like he had been carved from a tree and a neck twice as wide, was discussing with them the precautions of setting the lumberjacks out with extra guards. The youngest, Mr. Teril, was a very dark skinned man with hair that was too white for his young face, was discussing plans for an early harvest with stout Master Barmie. A short and round man, with his head a dome of glossy grey hair that looked like a helmet strapped on with handlebar mustache. Oh he looked silly, but he had adopted the look for the smiles of the children.

Elvario
All five of them looked up as Regula approached and spoke her mind.

"So you are wanting to volunteer yourself to hunt a dragon?" Master Nock asked suspiciously, being the town clerk and working directly under Mayor Anna, he was particularly quick to be defensive over the spending of coin. "Or are you here to sell your services? We happen to have some fine hunters and woodsman here. What do you have to offer that we don't have already?"

Mr. Teril gave the Nock brother a wave, and regarded Regula appriasingly. He did not seem to be satisfied. "You are aware this is a dragon we are talking about. But unless you have had experience in hunting one or such monsters, we won't be paying you more than we will be paying our own. Right now we just want to see if there is one. And to keep track of it. We aren't about to see men lead to their deaths if its just going to pass us by."



Howl
It was about then that Kaida came bustling in, having finally found the council after a little searching. The five were talking with a well dressed woman with a rather large device hanging from her. The half dragon could hear them talk about the dragon as she entered. With this woman apparently having offering her help to them. And the words "hunt" lingered in the air.

Master Barmie looked towards Kaida and gave her a broad smile. A pipe hung from his mouth, empty, she knew that it hadn't been lit in at least five years. He had given it up, but still had the habit of chewing on the stem when the others took up there's.

Despite how different Kaida was, good Master Barmie was particularly fond of her. Perhaps seeing her like a daughter, after his last had left to Dalin two years before. Being one of the two teachers in town he had helped integrate the mysterious girl into their little village. And it was because of him that Kronum started looking at her like one of their own. He always managed to find time for her.

"Is everything okay, dear? You look to be in quite a hurry. Mrs. Fletcher just stepped out to find Anna, if you were looking for her. You just missed her."

 

[Elvario]

Regula
​

Mentions: Kaida Howl

With the establishment being as 'rustic' as it was, Regula wasn't expecting a lot of difficulty convincing the men to go along with the flow in the ways she desired. Backwater places like this weren't where you expected the most talented rulers to be in charge, after all. It was a preconceived notion that this circle of gossiping men had only further established. To make matters worse, the building didn't even have proper flooring and was keeping its patrons like pigs on the dirt. It's why she was surprised about the scepticism she was met with.

Even so, she smiled away Master Nock's remark, as well as Mr, Teril's look of dissatisfaction. “I'm well aware of what I'm signing up for, mister. Going after anything less than a dragon wouldn't even be the slightest bit exciting now, would it?” She said with a smile, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. She then turned towards Master Nock. “I'm a blacksmith by trade. If you need my helping getting everyone's gear up to par, I'd gladly offer my services behind the forge. Good preparation is half the work, after all.”

She then took her gun from her back to show it. “This, however, is what I'm best with. It's similar to a crossbow, in a way, but uses magic to launch its projectiles. If you want a demonstration, I'm willing to give one, but anyone that gasps in surprise or awe will owe me a drink~” She was hoping that at least some of these men would be susceptible enough to a little bit of humour to go along with it, but she wasn't sure how much booze they'd consumed thus far, so there was always the risk it'd fall flat.

Either way, she had one more point to address. “I'll give you a discount on any blacksmithing work you might desire from me and I'll ask for nothing more than reimbursement of any incurred cost for the hunt, for as long as you'd be willing to leave me the dragon's head and the majority of its scales.” She then realised these old farts weren't exactly planning to properly hunt it and instead would be willing to just leave it be, which forced her to add another clause to to her deal. “If you end up deeming it wiser to let a danger like that roam free to attack the next village over or to come back on a later date, once it's older and stronger, I'd merely ask that you allow me to be the official messenger to the capital with all the official information and paperwork needed to get an actual hunting party started.”

Either option should give her something useful to leverage, although the dragon's head itself would be the true prize of this game, being the one to start a hunting party would get her an easier way into it, which would provide her a second chance later on.

Only then did she turn her attention to the girl (Kaida) that'd come busting in somewhere during her reply to the old men. The girl was more than a bit peculiar, to say the least. A beast, of some type, or perhaps some odd type of fae? Perhaps a little bit draconic even... that was was a peculiar thought. Something about her felt too cute for that to be true though. Regula considered using appraisal on her, but she was too far off to do so without having to move over to her. The latter option would be too noticeable, but if she'd approach on her own accord, Regula would attempt an appraisal.

She realised she'd been staring at the girl whilst debating those options. Well, it'd probably be weird not to stare at such an odd creature, so there was no harm done. She shouldn't push her limits though, so she returned her gaze to the men around the table to await their reply.

 

[Mirgris]

Dr.Sturgeon Surgeon

Vladimir received some suspicious looks from the "watch goblins" that were lazing about the barrow entry. They always eyed Vlad that way... most did. He was different. He didn't quite... fit... with the tribe. And that was certainly the truth. The chief didn't mind having Vlad around, every tribe needed a shaman, after all. He was smart, though. But the others... well they didn't even ask what the shaman was up to. Was he leaving? They certainly wouldn't complain. So they watched him leave... not quite realizing the chief would likely punish them later.




Vladimir was quick in these woods. Much easier when traveling alone, with no clumsy fools to hold him back. He could do just fine on his own, or at least until he found a tribe that would not be so keen on treating him like a... like a fake goblin.

A dragon, though... as easy as he thought it had been, walking through the woods made him realize just how big this forest was. He was out of his prior tribes territory, at least...

West... and if the Mosstooth Tribe spotted him... and the distance they traveled. Well surely the dragon wouldn't be that far behind the news. Vladimir was fairly certain that once he reached the edge of the forest that he would be have a better chance. If he somehow missed it in the woods, he'd surely be able to spot it on the hills when it came out. And if it attacked the village? Well! It would make a good signal fire.


Mirgris

It wasn't exactly nice to have to avoid other goblins territory. Going around meant time wasted... but if Chief didn't, it could make for a very inconvenient argument. Chief Hawkjaw had warned Chief that these southern tribes were quite unfriendly to outsiders, even other goblins. Hobgoblins? Well they would see that as an attack for sure.

Chief Hawkjaw wasn't so bad. Indeed he had been quite happy to trade with the small hobgoblin tribe. As well as given some information on the location of goblins tribes and human villages towards that side of the Ryken Forest.

That was weeks ago, And if he had to guess, he was fairly sure that the human village of Kronum was just to the east, outside of the forests. They traveled a good distance in that week. Very good distance...

"Chief!" The call was raised by a lanky hobgoblin with a rather unfortunate face. To be that skinny with a face that... fat... like he had been stung by giant hornets. It was almost pitiable. Yet he had been a scout for a while now. A fairly good one, all things considering. Loper. That was his name.

"Chief." He repeated. Stopping in front of his leader and taking a moment to catch his breath. "We spieds a goblin. Alone. With a pointy hat and staff. We did not get too close... but Tontock believes he could be a rainwalker or healer. Or even a shaman."

A lone goblin... well Chief was still learning but he did know that goblins weren't keen on being solitary. If one was traveling alone outside of a tribe territory... an outcast perhaps? Or a messenger. But those types weren't wasted for messengers... If Tontock was right though... lone hobgoblins were not too hard to conscript. Lone goblins weren't either. And if this goblin was a healer? If he was a rainwalker or shaman? Well... Chief didn't have one of those... his tribe could certainly use one.


"What shall we do with him, boss?" Loper asked.

"Bring him" He mutters as he places a hand to his forehead as he is bombarded with memories of watching TV with friends a football game, but in the memory he turns to see his friends and they are hobgoblins. It's surreal because he knows it isn't quite right and the mind are still oh so slowly meshing into one.

He places a hand on the axe at his hip, it's weight comforting like that of a child's blanket.

He takes a deep breath and takes a short drink from his water skin. Then shakes his head lightly to clear his head of the jumbled memories. He tries to remember the world around him, the maps he has seen. As soon as he tries to though he is bombarded with images digital, physical, old parchment, and globes. To many, to different.

He sighs in frustration as he looks over his tribe and smiles lightly, they are skilled and talented. They are the future if he can lead them to it.

 

[Howl]

​

Kaida came rushing into the bakery which she .. just left a moment ago. Sometimes directions were hard for her. Her eyes darted around in excitement, looking for the group she was told about. She then saw the small table of men discussing about the dragon. However a particular word made her eyes twitched. 'Hunt'. A large grin painted her lips as she stared at the men until she noticed a familiar face. "Master Barmie!" She screamed with joy, as she was immediately distracted from the task on hand. "I haven't seen you in [a] long time. You been eating well?" Kaida asked as she stared down at his stomach with no social remorse.

Kaida finally discontinued being so aloof as she stood up straight near the table to see a woman who was shorter than her. Her head tilted a bit to the right as she stared back while the woman was examining her. This woman was also using the word 'hunt' to describe their expedition. Was she adamant about hurting dragons? Unsure about it, Kaida narrowed her eyes at her. She opened her mouth slightly and licked her side teeth to reveal fangs. Surely this woman wouldn't talk about murdering someone of similar blood in front of Kaida, right?

"How about.. No hunt." Kaida told the table with her finger pointed at them to emphasis the last two words. Her right hand held her side as she was giving a little bounce to her stance. "Maybe I can go and assess the situation with.. [this] lady.. and report our findings before we do anything rash. I mean.. You're planning to fight this dragon before even knowing if it's possible. Investigation should be first! [We] don't even know if it's possible to defeat yet. We will write to you! With letters. I can write." She told the table as she crossed her arms and gave herself a nod of approval.

 

[_Yang]

"Am I more than you bargained for yet? I've been dying to tell you, anything you wanna hear, 'cause that's just who I am this week~"

What Gamatsu lacked in pitch and tone, he made up for with sheer confidence. He blissfully sang as he sat by the river bank, going through his triweekly routine of washing his tools and suit of armor. His staff and crafting tools - mainly his forging hammer, tongs, chisel, and burin - just needed a quick wipe since he didn't use them that much recently. But his cloak and armor, those were different matters. Spending the past few days within the forest made it hard to avoid the grime and occasional foliage that got stuck on his cloak and between the crevices of his armor. With a little bit of water and a whole lot of tenacity - you know, for those hard to reach places - all that was left was for Gamatsu to rub himself down with some oil. It was a tedious task, but that was the price he needed to pay if he wanted to be a shiny and spotless black knight.

Setting his cloak and some of his rags aside to dry, Gamatsu couldn't help but adore his reflection on the river's surface. His lustrous shine and gloss were exactly what he needed to lift his mood. The past few days were more difficult that usual given the increased number of woodsmen. Learning the hard way that humans weren't all that fond of living suits of armor, Gamatsu had to move more cautiously when near villages. The only advantage of having more humans around was that it it made news that more available. Gamatsu for one, was what you'd call a gossipmonger and enjoyed eavesdropping on unsuspecting travelers. The most recent rumor that he heard was that of a dragon that was heading to the nearby mountains. Never encountering one before, curiosity and a tingle in his metal body made him want to see one first hand.

Packing up his things, Gamatsu donned his cloak, neatly wrapping it around his steel physique. Seeing as the forests were getting too crowded for liking, Gamatsu turned west and set out to the mountains.

"Down, down in an earlier round. And sugar, we're going down swinging~" With a spring in his step, a song in his head, and his armor cling-clanging, he sang his heart out and went on his way. Hopefully, the baleful noise he called singing, would make others more wary of him.

 

[D. Rex]

Regula
​

Mentions: Kaida Howl

With the establishment being as 'rustic' as it was, Regula wasn't expecting a lot of difficulty convincing the men to go along with the flow in the ways she desired. Backwater places like this weren't where you expected the most talented rulers to be in charge, after all. It was a preconceived notion that this circle of gossiping men had only further established. To make matters worse, the building didn't even have proper flooring and was keeping its patrons like pigs on the dirt. It's why she was surprised about the scepticism she was met with.

Even so, she smiled away Master Nock's remark, as well as Mr, Teril's look of dissatisfaction. “I'm well aware of what I'm signing up for, mister. Going after anything less than a dragon wouldn't even be the slightest bit exciting now, would it?” She said with a smile, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. She then turned towards Master Nock. “I'm a blacksmith by trade. If you need my helping getting everyone's gear up to par, I'd gladly offer my services behind the forge. Good preparation is half the work, after all.”

She then took her gun from her back to show it. “This, however, is what I'm best with. It's similar to a crossbow, in a way, but uses magic to launch its projectiles. If you want a demonstration, I'm willing to give one, but anyone that gasps in surprise or awe will owe me a drink~” She was hoping that at least some of these men would be susceptible enough to a little bit of humour to go along with it, but she wasn't sure how much booze they'd consumed thus far, so there was always the risk it'd fall flat.

Either way, she had one more point to address. “I'll give you a discount on any blacksmithing work you might desire from me and I'll ask for nothing more than reimbursement of any incurred cost for the hunt, for as long as you'd be willing to leave me the dragon's head and the majority of its scales.” She then realised these old farts weren't exactly planning to properly hunt it and instead would be willing to just leave it be, which forced her to add another clause to to her deal. “If you end up deeming it wiser to let a danger like that roam free to attack the next village over or to come back on a later date, once it's older and stronger, I'd merely ask that you allow me to be the official messenger to the capital with all the official information and paperwork needed to get an actual hunting party started.”

Either option should give her something useful to leverage, although the dragon's head itself would be the true prize of this game, being the one to start a hunting party would get her an easier way into it, which would provide her a second chance later on.

Only then did she turn her attention to the girl (Kaida) that'd come busting in somewhere during her reply to the old men. The girl was more than a bit peculiar, to say the least. A beast, of some type, or perhaps some odd type of fae? Perhaps a little bit draconic even... that was was a peculiar thought. Something about her felt too cute for that to be true though. Regula considered using appraisal on her, but she was too far off to do so without having to move over to her. The latter option would be too noticeable, but if she'd approach on her own accord, Regula would attempt an appraisal.

She realised she'd been staring at the girl whilst debating those options. Well, it'd probably be weird not to stare at such an odd creature, so there was no harm done. She shouldn't push her limits though, so she returned her gaze to the men around the table to await their reply.

View attachment 952595​

Kaida came rushing into the bakery which she .. just left a moment ago. Sometimes directions were hard for her. Her eyes darted around in excitement, looking for the group she was told about. She then saw the small table of men discussing about the dragon. However a particular word made her eyes twitched. 'Hunt'. A large grin painted her lips as she stared at the men until she noticed a familiar face. "Master Barmie!" She screamed with joy, as she was immediately distracted from the task on hand. "I haven't seen you in [a] long time. You been eating well?" Kaida asked as she stared down at his stomach with no social remorse.

Kaida finally discontinued being so aloof as she stood up straight near the table to see a woman who was shorter than her. Her head tilted a bit to the right as she stared back while the woman was examining her. This woman was also using the word 'hunt' to describe their expedition. Was she adamant about hurting dragons? Unsure about it, Kaida narrowed her eyes at her. She opened her mouth slightly and licked her side teeth to reveal fangs. Surely this woman wouldn't talk about murdering someone of similar blood in front of Kaida, right?

"How about.. No hunt." Kaida told the table with her finger pointed at them to emphasis the last two words. Her right hand held her side as she was giving a little bounce to her stance. "Maybe I can go and assess the situation with.. [this] lady.. and report our findings before we do anything rash. I mean.. You're planning to fight this dragon before even knowing if it's possible. Investigation should be first! [We] don't even know if it's possible to defeat yet. We will write to you! With letters. I can write." She told the table as she crossed her arms and gave herself a nod of approval.

Master Nock shook his head. The clerk was clean cut, and for a mud footed peasant, cleanly dressed. Despite an inkstain on one of his sleeves. "Child by the time any missive reaches Ryken, it would have time to burn a couple villages and still be halfway across the hills. Even with our best riders. It takes time to travel the forests. Theril brought these rumors hot from Dalin, so I expect the dragon is not far behind. If a missive is going to Ryken, it will be from Jahanor receiving our tower signal. Its closet to the capital." He explained.

"And warning will be sent." Said thick Mr. Jamin. "We are not some soft city folk who are scared of a wolf because your close enough to hear its howl. We deal with giants and the like frequently enough. And dragons are enough of a threat that we are prepared to face them if need be. Dragons are an unpredictable lot. Attacking it without a proper hunt prepared could risk the lives of a lot of men and women, and draw its anger to the closest villages. Which is probably what happened to Lanost."



Master Barmie patted his stomach and gave an exasperated sigh, "Yes, I've been eating well. Anna has been seeing to that. Every time I try to loose a few pounds that woman says I am wasting away, and she starts packing me full of her gravy pies and Mrs. Fletchers sausages." Despite the words of complaint, he didn't seem entirely displeased. "Harin and Horin are the skinny ones. Not me." He added, gesturing to the Nock brothers. Mr. Teril chuckled, and Barmie shot him a look. "You could stand to gain a few pounds yourself Joul."

Mr. Teril held up his hands, "No thank you. She's your daughter, not mine. "

Mr. Teril cleared his throat, "Anyway, don't worry Kaida. We aren't about to hunt the thing yet. If it passes us and heads to the mountains, we won't likely see it again for decades. But you need to understand that we need to be prepared. We already sent a message to the towers north and south of us to send us some hunters in case we need to kill it. If they ride all night they will be here sometime tomorrow."

Master Barmie looked to both the girls, though his gaze grew a little sad looking at Kaida. "If the dragon proves a threat, we will be forced to deal with it accordingly."



Mr. Nock was not so clean as his brother. And looked mean as a snake besides, with eyes in an almost permenant squint. His grey hair came down past his shoulders and a leather hat hid balding top. Days of growth stubbled his cheeks and neck. He was one the villages ranger. Kaida knew him to be nicer than he looked and sounded. And he sounded like he ate rust for breakfast."I will be sending out a few teams to be tracking this dragon this afternoon once Jamin pools the woodsman back into the village. If either of you think you are good enough. I would not say no. The more eyes in the woods, the quicker we can find it. But you will be doing so knowing this thing may just snap you up if you get to close. If we are lucky... then its probably just some dire bear with barkskin fever. If we aren't, then the rumors are confirmed. Either way we will know what's coming."

 

[D. Rex]

Per request of Elvario

Appraisal, grade E used on Kaida ( Howl )

Now that she was close enough, upon looking at the girl, Regula concentrates on her ability. A bluish tinged translucent screen flickers into existence in the air beside Kaida. Invisible to all here save for Regula herself.

The writing is tidy and organized, yet some of the writing seems to be blurred out beyond recognition.


Race: Dragon-Human Hybrid
Classification: Beast

Height: 5'9".
Weight: 150 lbs.

Strength - [Blurred]
Precision - [Blurred]
Intelligence - [Blurred]
Vitality - E
Speed - F

Features and Skills
Claws F
Heightened Sense: F (Smell)
Skill Survival: F
Fire affinity: F

Abilities:
Ability Name: "[Blurred]"
Affinity: Fire Affinity F
Details: [Blurred]

 

[Elvario]

Regula
​

Mentions: Kaida Howl

Regula couldn't help herself from raising an eyebrow at the newcomer's (Kaida) remarks. Not only was she foiling her plans, or trying to, she was also suggesting they'd go find the dragon together. That was a really tough one to wrap her head around. Was this some beast that had wrapped the villagers up in its plot and was it going to murder her or sacrifice her the moment they were out in the open or was this some naïve girl thinking dragons were fun to sneak up on? Regula regrettably lacked the insight to make out Kaida's motivations.

She did manage to find out something else. Kaida had approached her close enough for her appraisal to work, revealing the girl was a Dragon-Human Hybrid. That was the first thing that stood out. It also put a lot of things in perspective, such as why the girl was against going on a dragon-hunt. Oddly enough, the villagers seemed to not just trust her, but to clearly be fond of her as well. It meant antagonizing her would be a bad move. As such, Regula was trying her best to come up with a middle-ground. Eventually she came up with something.

First of all though, she didn't like that one of them made a good point about missives, but at the same time ended up making the argument as a counter to something she hadn't tried to suggest. “What I meant, is that if you're going to let the dragon retreat to the mountains under the assumption it'll just stay there, I'd like to get anything formal that will help me go after it.” She instantly regretted letting her frustration lead her to be more informal. Slip-ups like this wouldn't bode well for her future plans.

There was one thing they seemed to agree on. “Right, you've got to be prepared. Does that mean you plan to make use of my services as a blacksmith? I fully understand the need to wait for back-up, so I'll have the time to spare until the tracking teams leave.” She wasn't eager to sit around and wait until the back-up arrived, but being able to work the forge to pass the time would be an ideal distraction.

That left the primary issue; the half-dragon girl. Regula merely had the information from her appraisal to go by, which was far too little to come up with anything solid. She would have to ask about it, but struggled on how to phrase the question. Eventually, she settled on an open and direct option, directly addressing Kaida herself. “You're part dragon, aren't you?”

The question wouldn't tell Regula much. She knew the answer already, after all. It was Kaida's reaction and the reaction of this village council that might actual teach her something. Would they openly admit it, would they hide it, would it make them uncomfortable? The girl seemed naïve, so perhaps she'd even spill other information whilst at it. On that note, it was probably best to defuse any tension such a question might cause, so Regula would flash her a disarming smile. “Anyhow, it looks like we'll be working together. I'm Regula. Nice to meet you.”

 

[D. Rex]

_Yang

It was supposed to have been a peaceful walk. Mostly peaceful, anyway. More than have harassed him... but that was to be expected. Goblins being goblins. Not that they weren't a threat... goblins were always a threat. But no more than wolves to a human. If you were prepared and didn't do anything stupid, you'd be fine.

It was amusing, he thought to himself, how easy they seemed now compared to when he had first traveled from the mountains and into these woods...he wasn't much bigger than a goblin himself then either... Now, Hinkiro could probably match shoulders with a pony. Not bad. It had likely helped that the lands around the capital were rich in things to eat.

Still... however big he had gotten, he wasn't too keen on messing with the human villages. Certainly not after Lanost. That had been a complete disaster... one he could live with. Of it wasn't for the rumors that could paint a target in his back. But that is what he gets for thinking he could get away with doing something heroic. Not even a thanks...


Hinkiro reached up with a claw to scratch at a memento of that village. An empty eye socket. Aside from what he had seen in the reflection of streams he had passed, it didn't look bad.

By bad meaning it didn't seem to be infected. At least the madman had the courtesy to use a CLEAN rock... as his talon traced along, he could feel the traces scaring on the outside. Those had healed at least. The eye injury, however, had not... the exterior pain wasn't so bad. Not compared to the powerful dull ache that just lingered without end. Like a bad Headache from straining your eyes at something. And even if it had been some time... he didn't think he could get used to seeing with only one eye. So he wondered if healers accepted dragon clientele. Could they heal a missing eye?

But no use crying over spilled milk. It was time to trudge along. Even smthough by staying away from the road he wasn't moving as fast, he knew he had to be nearing the Hills. And probably those stupid tower villages too... was... was that singing?

Hinkiro took a moment to pause and cook his head to listen. No... he was pretty sure that had to be some creatures death wails. It could be a goblin singing, but not even they sounded that bad. If it was an animal... it sounded bigger than a rabbit. It could make for some very easy food if he was lucky. Never nice to turn down a free meal.

Hinkiro approached the sounds. The closer he got, the more he was displeased that it was indeed actual singing. And by the time he actually came into view of the armored... what he assumed to be human... whatever it was, he was fully soured that he had wasted his time in coming. His face reflected this. He was not looking forward to eating human again so soon after Lanost... especially not one he would have to go through the effort of deshelling.

 

[_Yang]

"Here we are, don't turn away now. We are the warriors that built this town~♫♪♪"

With staff in hand, used more like a mic stand and less like a walking stick, Gamatsu continued his one-man ballad as he journeyed to the west. Brimming with confidence, he did well in hyping himself up for what was to come. He had quite the day ahead of him; it might have been his last day as a knight without a lord. If things went well, he could be a vassal to an actual dragon. An all mighty beast that ruled over the elements. A living catastrophe with enough destructive prowess to take out armies with a single breath. Gamatsu would've been lucky enough to be chosen by such an entity.

"From dust, will co-"

Gamatsu's singing was put to a sudden halt. His grip on his staff immediately grew tighter as mana started to flow into it, making the runic symbols etched around its shaft release a faint purple-hued glow. From a distance, it looked like a monster had appeared. It wasn't something Gamatsu had seen before, but if it was not afraid of showing itself in broad daylight, it must've been formidable. It was too far for Gamatsu to discern or appraise, but he had no intention of letting it get any closer. The last time he was in a similar situation, he ended up with a horned rabbit lunging at him. Just the thought made his steel body shudder and jangle; it wasn't a memory he enjoyed recalling.

Pulling on his staff's bowstring and taking aim, Gamatsu nocked a magical arrow before giving out a warning.

"Yo! Black, uh, horse-looking...lizard...bro?" He didn't think of it right away, but Gamatsu had no idea what he was talking to. If it talked, cool. If it growled, snarled, or came at him, he had no choice but to open fire. "Who goes there?!" Hopefully he had no reason to take his shot.

Interactions: D. Rex

 

[D. Rex]

Eccentric_Undead

The exodus of Lanost was not a large one... While a respectably sized village, only a fraction of its inhabitants had survived. Whatever happened there, conflicting reports aside, had been a traumatic affair. That was a fact that could be seen in the deadened eyes of the refuges. Just over a dozen, of women, and children with only a few men among them. The shock hadn't quite left them... of seeing neighbors and friends and family slaughtered, and everything they owned burned to ash.

This made for a very quiet and somber march through the forests of Ryken. The refugees keeping mostly to themselves. In three groups. Two families, and a grouping of three who claimed to have been slaves to the bandits. They were the last of this group that needed to be located. The village of Dalin having taken in whom they could, though they were kind enough to lend a wagon for the children and a few supplies. This made Juliette's job all the easier.

It was a simple humanitarian mission. These people needed help, and who better than the Church to be involved? Juliette had been suggested by name, for the forests of Ryken were not a particularly safe place. Between bandits and goblins and other such creatures, relocation had already proven a but difficult.

Thankfully She did not have two do it alone, as there were a couple men from one of the villages they passed that volunteered to help guard the caravan. As well, she had with her an initiate of the Church. Brother Gero, in his humble humble brown robes and a shaven head. A man of his middle years, he had taken to caring for these refugees as they traveled. Seeing them fed and comforted the best he could. He was far from a combatant, but Juliette had seem him take up his quarterstaff against a goblin in the last small attack a few days back.

No more attacks. Especially not this day. They had seen a few people already, and the sound of felling trees was already behind them. They had passed the treeline and the borders of the village were but steps away. A peaceful looking village that sat in the shade of a large stone tower, it looked oddly out of place. But most of the villages of the Glattzdan Hills had one.


It had no walls, so it had no gates. They simply approached via the main road. A woman in a colorful dress of reds and yellows was there waiting for them. No doubt she had already been told who they. From the description Juliette had heard back in Dalin, this woman was surely Mayor Anna.

 

[D. Rex]

"Here we are, don't turn away now. We are the warriors that built this town~♫♪♪"

With staff in hand, used more like a mic stand and less like a walking stick, Gamatsu continued his one-man ballad as he journeyed to the west. Brimming with confidence, he did well in hyping himself up for what was to come. He had quite the day ahead of him; it might have been his last day as a knight without a lord. If things went well, he could be a vassal to an actual dragon. An all mighty beast that ruled over the elements. A living catastrophe with enough destructive prowess to take out armies with a single breath. Gamatsu would've been lucky enough to be chosen by such an entity.

"From dust, will co-"

Gamatsu's singing was put to a sudden halt. His grip on his staff immediately grew tighter as mana started to flow into it, making the runic symbols etched around its shaft release a faint purple-hued glow. From a distance, it looked like a monster had appeared. It wasn't something Gamatsu had seen before, but if it was not afraid of showing itself in broad daylight, it must've been formidable. It was too far for Gamatsu to discern or appraise, but he had no intention of letting it get any closer. The last time he was in a similar situation, he ended up with a horned rabbit lunging at him. Just the thought made his steel body shudder and jangle; it wasn't a memory he enjoyed recalling.

Pulling on his staff's bowstring and taking aim, Gamatsu nocked a magical arrow before giving out a warning.

"Yo! Black, uh, horse-looking...lizard...bro?" He didn't think of it right away, but Gamatsu had no idea what he was talking to. If it talked, cool. If it growled, snarled, or came at him, he had no choice but to open fire. "Who goes there?!" Hopefully he had no reason to take his shot.

Interactions: D. Rex

Hinkiro had half a mind to just leave right then. There was no point if this man wasn't lunch. His disappointment was immeasurable and his day was ruined. Yet... yet something about the words being "sung" had been tickling his mind. Faintly. As faintly as the taste of fruit in those "Favored" seltzer drinks.

He knew those words. Yes... he knew them. Had heard them before. But not in this life... not as Hinkiro. They were in his head nonetheless. That was perhaps the main reason he didn't just turn and leave when the man raised a bow at him. Thankfully he had the courtesy not to shoot. Hink might have had to kill him then. So Hinkiro didn't make any movements forward.

"I am a dragon. And I dont look like a horse." Hinkiro said, with a touch of indignation to his words. "I had come to see if there was some bear that was being castrated and left to die a torturous death. Color me surprised that I found only you."

"And what of you... you are not from this world either, are you? No you are not. I recognize those words. An oddly fitting band name, I would say, given these circumstances."

 

[Dr.Sturgeon Surgeon]

Vlad had been making great time as he moved westward, though he still hadn't seen any signs of the dragon. "Dame, and here I was hoping it'd be easy." He said as he wandered. He glanced around and sighed letting his tense shoulders relax a bit. He hadn't noticed how stressed he was with his former tribe. 'I should of left sooner.' Vlad thought to himself as he worked out kinks he hasn't noticed before. He would stop every now and then to pick up a mushroom, or a few berries every now and then and add them to the pouch at his side or his bag 'At least I won't have others stealing the food and ingredients I collect.' He thought to himself as he picked a few wild blackberries and put them away. 'Well let's hope the rest of the trip is as pleasant as this.' He continued on his way with a smile as he snacked on his edible spoil's. He let the sound of nature and the nice day sooth him. Vlad had never been an outdoorsy type before, but now he felt a connection he didn't before. It was like coming home after a hard day.

 

[D. Rex]

Vlad had been making great time as he moved westward, though he still hadn't seen any signs of the dragon. "Dame, and here I was hoping it'd be easy." He said as he wandered. He glanced around and sighed letting his tense shoulders relax a bit. He hadn't noticed how stressed he was with his former tribe. 'I should of left sooner.' Vlad thought to himself as he worked out kinks he hasn't noticed before. He would stop every now and then to pick up a mushroom, or a few berries every now and then and add them to the pouch at his side or his bag 'At least I won't have others stealing the food and ingredients I collect.' He thought to himself as he picked a few wild blackberries and put them away. 'Well let's hope the rest of the trip is as pleasant as this.' He continued on his way with a smile as he snacked on his edible spoil's. He let the sound of nature and the nice day sooth him. Vlad had never been an outdoorsy type before, but now he felt a connection he didn't before. It was like coming home after a hard day.

For all the rumors, and the circumstances of leaving the tribe... it really was a pleasant day. Humans always saw the Forest of Ryken like some sort of savage death pit with goblins and bandits and deadly animals... there loss really. It really was quite a lovely place. Just had to live here and know how to go with the flow of the woods. He even saw a hobgoblins earlier, though it seemed to have had no intention to talk. Probably just a scout keeping track of who was in their territory.

Vlad's foraging was fruitful. The puffball mushrooms were just right today, and as soft as fresh baked bread. They went well with the bittersweet of the blackberries. Ha! No human would find berries this plump, Vlad was sure of that. Was all this just some wistful thinking? It very well could be. But what would be wrong with that when it felt like a burden had been lifted. Now, the world was open to him.

The only thing that did happen to ruin the tranquility of the day... was the rather horrible sound of wailing and gnashing of teeth. It sounded horrible. No... Vlad had been with goblins long enough to recognize bad singing when he heard it. He was relatively certain that it was indeed someone singing.


Curious. Certainly it wouldn't be the dragon he was looking for. Dragons didn't sing, did they? Only one way to find out.


If Vlad chose to investigate he would come across the scene... that of a man in armor... and that dragon.

_Yang

 

[D. Rex]

"Bring him" He mutters as he places a hand to his forehead as he is bombarded with memories of watching TV with friends a football game, but in the memory he turns to see his friends and they are hobgoblins. It's surreal because he knows it isn't quite right and the mind are still oh so slowly meshing into one.

He places a hand on the axe at his hip, it's weight comforting like that of a child's blanket.

He takes a deep breath and takes a short drink from his water skin. Then shakes his head lightly to clear his head of the jumbled memories. He tries to remember the world around him, the maps he has seen. As soon as he tries to though he is bombarded with images digital, physical, old parchment, and globes. To many, to different.

He sighs in frustration as he looks over his tribe and smiles lightly, they are skilled and talented. They are the future if he can lead them to it.

No sooner than Loper had left to comply with the order given by Chief, then had had come back. It couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes, but he was panting as if he had sprinted that distance. The fat-faced hobgoblin did always pride himself on being a quick one. However surely he didn't get to that goblin and back and in that short of time.

Loper had his hands on his knees, bent over and panting. But spoke on in gasping breaths. "Ch-chief... the... goblin... can't... can't bring... saw... Tontock...halfway... coming... to report... that the goblin... is heading... to meet... a dragon!"

Lower took in a big deep breath to try and talk straight again. That seemed to have done the trick, as spoke relatively normally after that. "The goblin, we thinks it might.... be working with the dragon. Its the one we heard about i think... there is also... a man in armor with them."

With another ragged breath, Loper stood up straighter and saluted, "Shall I rouse the spears, Chief?"

 

[_Yang]

"Huh?" If Gamatsu could make facial expressions, he wouldn't been giving off one that was chocked full of doubt. "Uh, cool story bro. And I'm, like, Lancelot du Lac." The apprehension from Gamatsu's words weren't baseless. When he thought of dragons, he had images of mythical creatures as massive as towers who ruled the skies. Not horse-sized lizard thing walking around in a forest in the middle of the day.

“Pft. Fancy words, glue boy.” Not only was his appearance confusing, but the words it spoke were strange as well. “No clue what you’re talking about, bro. But this right here is a hundred percent Ryken steel. Home grown and Locally-sourced.” Gamatsu had a certain flair in his movements, and it wouldn’t been more apparent if he wasn’t too busy maintaining his stance and keeping his aim. His words would’ve been much more impactful if he could mix in a few hand and arm gestures.

“Anyway, bro. Got places to be, and an actual dragon to meet.” With his grip loosening, Gamatsu released his arrow, sending it flying through the air towards the scaled beast's chest. “Sa – yo – na – ra ~♪” Gamatsu bobbed his head from left to right with each syllable, singing it like a song while taking aim and prepping for another shot. The art of double tapping was something Gamatsu wanted to master. Missing wasn't wrong, but failing to follow up kind of was.

Ability Used:

• Seeker + Piercing Shot – Archery God F, Penetrate F, Homing F - Gamatsu lets loose a magical arrow that pierces armors and items of similar or lesser grade. It can track and follow its target. If it still misses, it persists briefly and tries one more time before fading/missing again – Grade E – 0 Post Cooldown

Interactions: D. Rex

 

[D. Rex]

"Huh?" If Gamatsu could make facial expressions, he wouldn't been giving off one that was chocked full of doubt. "Uh, cool story bro. And I'm, like, Lancelot du Lac." The apprehension from Gamatsu's words weren't baseless. When he thought of dragons, he had images of mythical creatures as massive as towers who ruled the skies. Not horse-sized lizard thing walking around in a forest in the middle of the day.

“Pft. Fancy words, glue boy.” Not only was his appearance confusing, but the words it spoke were strange as well. “No clue what you’re talking about, bro. But this right here is a hundred percent Ryken steel. Home grown and Locally-sourced.” Gamatsu had a certain flair in his movements, and it wouldn’t been more apparent if he wasn’t too busy maintaining his stance and keeping his aim. His words would’ve been much more impactful if he could mix in a few hand and arm gestures.

“Anyway, bro. Got places to be, and an actual dragon to meet.” With his grip loosening, Gamatsu released his arrow, sending it flying through the air towards the scaled beast's chest. “Sa – yo – na – ra ~♪” Gamatsu bobbed his head from left to right with each syllable, singing it like a song while taking aim and prepping for another shot. The art of double tapping was something Gamatsu wanted to master. Missing wasn't wrong, but failing to follow up kind of was.

Ability Used:

• Seeker + Piercing Shot – Archery God F, Penetrate F, Homing F - Gamatsu lets loose a magical arrow that pierces armors and items of similar or lesser grade. It can track and follow its target. If it still misses, it persists briefly and tries one more time before fading/missing again – Grade E – 0 Post Cooldown

Interactions: D. Rex

This was... certainly a very... confusing development. The man's words did not make any sense. That was fine. Would not be the first time he came across someone who didn't make sense. Hinkiro could have easily have put that aside, meeting someone from another world as well would have been nice. However, it seemed like any chance of finding kinship between otherworlds ahead been flung right out the window... as quite unprovoked... the man raised his bow and shot. Twice. A hunter then...


Both arrows flew and hit true. Both into the left side of his chest where his heart should be. Neither penetrating deep enough to pierce it... He made no effort to dodge, he just tanked it.

That isn't to say it didn't hurt like hell. Which it quite rightly did. But Hinkiro did not flinch or cry out. Showing nothing more than a sharp intake of breath that he had been shot at all. A low rumble broke from his throat as he looked down at the two arrows sticking out of his chest.

With a claw he reached up, grabbing both of them and ripping them out. Ignoring the barbs that ripped at him as he did so. Compared to losing his eye... this was a flesh wound. Though the blood that now soaked down his scales said it might have been a little more than that.

Oh yes... he was very tempted to just kill this man right here and now. But no... no he had enough to deal with already with people blaming him for Lanost. No... no this wasn't worth it.

Hinkiro looked back at the man. He didn't even say anything. Then he just turned and began walking back from where he had come.

Dr.Sturgeon Surgeon (not mentioned but close enough to witness)

 

[_Yang]

Gamatsu's arrow zoomed through the air and...hit it's mark? He'd raise an eyebrow if he had one, but he settled for a quick whistle instead. He was impressed, though not with his shot, but with the dragon's ability to shrug off his attack like it was nothing. For something that had much to say, it uttered no words and simply turned it's back at Gamatsu.

At that moment, any further hostilities were no longer needed. Both Gamatsu and the dragon would've went their separate ways. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Whether it was his pride that stemmed from Galahad as a knight or Matsu's fickly personality as a player, there was no denying that Gamatsu's ego was a bit bruised.

Taking aim and still in position, Gamatsu wondered why someone would turn their back to another when an arrow was pointed at them. Shrugging his shoulders briefly, Gamatsu let loose a second arrow, aimed at the base of the dragon's neck, close to where it met it's torso. Unlike his first one, this one was a bit more defined and solid.

As his arrow flew, Gamatsu took a step forward before preparing for a third shot.

Ability Used:

• Snipe + Seeker + Piercing Shot – Archery God D, Penetrate F, Homing F, Range F - Gamatsu lets loose a far reaching magical arrow that pierces armors and items of similar or lesser grade. It can track and follow its target. If it still misses, it persists briefly and tries one more time before fading/missing again – Grade D – 2 Post Cooldown

Interaction: D. Rex

 

[Dr.Sturgeon Surgeon]

Vlad was making his way towards the horrible sound, mainly to find out what sort of creature could make such terrible sound. As he carefully made his way towards he came upon a camp site with a knight and a dragon. 'Holy shit, It's the dragon!' He thought as he ducked lower into the underbrush. He watched from a bit away as the dragon to his surprise seemed to be trying to converse with the human, though he was to far away to really hear them.He had meet a few humans and in his experience they weren't nice in this world so, he was less surprised when the human shot at the dragon. 'And now the dragon ea- walks away?' He thought to himself as the big creature simply tried to walked away. He saw the dragon pull the arrows out and the blood that gushed from the wound. He then watched as the human drew back his bow once more and fire'd at the dragons now turned back. This enraged Vlad as he had seen the dragon try to deal with things peacefully. Vlad with out thinking launched himself from the underbrush and towards the conflict. His eyes flashed a vibrant green as he rushed forward. He stopped in front of the dragons and slammed the butt of his staff into the ground and willed the forest to his aid. The grass and plant life in front of the human burst to life as it grew rapidly and blocked his line of sight. The once humble growth was now as thick around as a wrist and several feet long. "You stupid human, he was trying to end things peacefully!" Vlad yelled as he poured his wrath into the ground. This caused the grass to grow small hooked barbs. He then turned to the wounded dragon keeping himself between the dragon and the threat. "I'll try and steam the bleeding." He said as he tore a sizeable chuck of cloth from his robes and pressed it against the wounds.

• Entangle E-Magic Affinity E + Nature Affinity F- A small area that the user targets adjacent to them bursts forth with plant growth, if a creature is there it may become entangled and take minor damage. Affects a five foot square. Cool down 1

 

[Howl]

​

The woman not too far from her seemed a bit adamant on a hunt - talking about going after the dragon if it didn't stay in the mountains. Or at least, that's how Kaida took what she said. She didn't know how to process what the stranger was saying - but the first reaction was to get a little upset. The other reaction was just appalled. What's the benefit of hunting it? Kaida didn't quite understand the rewards that it may come with. After all, she didn't think of her own kind as possession gifts. Kaida began to chew at her bottom lip to hold back her tongue - worried she may say something out of raw emotion.

The strange lady had then asked about Kaida's blood origin, specifically asking if she was part dragon. Kaida's fingers slowly wrapped around her horns as her face looked a bit pink. She thought it was embarrassing that she was being stared at directed towards her kin features - especially by a stranger. Her attitude took a quick 180 as she thought the woman was being friendly with her. She gave a beaming smile with her fangs showing. "Was it that obvious?" She asked her shyly, her blush still apparent. "I'm Kaida! Nice to meet you! I like your...hair!" Kaida screamed excitedly as she pointed to her head.

Kaida then turned her attention back to the table - where Master Barmie explained that if the dragon became a threat that it would have to be taken out. She sighed. She loved her kin, but also loved the people of the town that took care of her when she had no one. They even thought her how to speak as humans do. She scratched the back of her head in frustration. The only way to win this situation was to make sure that the dragon never leaves the mountains. Could Kaida convince it to? Will it be as nice to her as her original family? Just as there are bad people - there are bad dragons so she wasn't sure.

Mr.Nock gave them a choice - they could go into the forest and look for the dragon, maybe at least hints, or they could wait to see what will progress. Kaida's arm immediately shot up erratically. "I'll go! Into the woods, I'll go!" She screamed as she started to excitedly jump up and down. Even if this dragon turned out to not be what she wants or expects, she hasn't seen one of her own in a while. Nothing would make her happier to at least be in the presence of a dragon again.

Kaida then turned to the woman to see what she would answer. "If you come.. no killing without reason..." She told her as her eyes narrowed at her. Kaida's personality with her was clearly very bipolar, and unpredictable. After all, she had the energy of a village of children. She wanted to become friends with Regula but that was a two person job - and she wasn't sure if the other party was as willing.