Fantasy Realms of Nymserine: Main Thread [[CLOSED]]

[Purize]

Verity stood shakily, seeing stars as Roland helped her to her feet. She offered a daze smile and nodded to him. "And that was a lot of air time you got there, sailor. We'll shake you from those sealegs yet." She chuckled softly, wincing at some of the bruises she'd sustained. Her hands and arms were burned from the acidic ichor and her head felt a little fuzzy, but otherwise she found she was alive and in one piece, and so were her friends. She looked over each of them, each face accounted for was a silent sigh of relief, though she noticed Fernwe's pet was injured worse that the rest of them.

She glanced at Tura, awaiting her answer. It did seem like a good idea to shelter in Akron for the rest of the day to rest and heal... there was also the possibility that the demons would return. Verity walked over to Fernwe and rested a light hand on her shoulder, giving the halfling a warm smile. "You both fought well." She gave the small cat creature a soothing pet on the head. "I'm sure Finwinnie will be alright. If we go into Akron we can get her patched up."

 

[Reis]

Soliel held his blade out in front of him for a moment. When he saw Tura protecting that strange girl, he allowed himself to get lost in his battle with the demons. His weapon sliced and cut through the demons like a knife through butter, spitting flames and engulfing them in a searing heat. Sol was fighting to keep the smaller demons from Tura, Roland, and the others, trusting them to win their fights with more menacing foes. The world around him blurred as he spun, gracefully ending demonic lives with each attack. If the demons tried to retaliate, they were answered with a torrent of blazing mana, and he moved like a restless fire would through a forest while bringing death to all that it touched.

His assault ended all too soon, however, as the demons disappeared as suddenly as they arrived. Sol watched with red eyes as the remaining demons slinked back into the shadows. He stared menacingly at the town, mentally daring them to come back and hurt anyone else. After another few seconds of standing, his body sagged from relief. They seemed to have won the battle--at least, this one, anyways.

Once Sol sheathed Dawnfang, he felt the fight take its toll on his body all at once. There were scratches and bruises all over his body, and now that the adrenaline of war left him, he finally felt how exhausted he was. Wobbling from the sudden pain, Sol took comfort in the fact that the thunder clouds were leaving the sky. He took a moment to praise the sun for its rejuvenating rays, letting it help somewhat relieve the pain of battle. Energy gradually filled his body, and with it he walked to where Tura and the girl were. Nodding to the powerful shapeshifter, he turned his attention to Cassia. "Hey, it's me again. Are you okay?" Wincing slightly from looking down at her, he rubbed one of his many scrapes as if that would heal it. "By the way, it would be nice to know your name. That is...if you wanna share it."

Zazz @everybody

 

[Zazz]

The dark-haired woman, Daeryse, nodded timidly and got to her feet. Kaeli slipped away and brought a cloak for both herself and the other woman, and Azaria led the three of them out of the Sultry Pearl. The day was young, with the sun still low in the sky. The half-elf led Maximus and the two whores back through the winding alleys of Aeredale's lower ring, every now and then glancing back to see Kaeli kindly ushering the other young woman along. Döthrangus had been a considerable source of income for Daeryse before his untimely death.

As they passed into the middle ring and grew closer to the innermost ring, Azaria led less and walked alongside Maximus more. She much prefered traveling by night in this place, under the cover of darkness. The shadows of the lower ring were better for disappearing into. The closer they got to the castle, the more open everything was.

 

[Zazz]

Staying close to the feathered beast, Cassia peered out at the group, particularly Soliel, the man of fire. Having pulled up her hood again, her little stubby horns were hidden from view, but her yellow irises glinted in the sunlight that had replaced the rain. "I'm Cassia," she answered him just above a whisper. She was timid and shy, even despite the smear of ichor around her mouth. She rubbed the black stuff and made a face as if it tasted bad. It hadn't burned her like the others, though it left a warm, tingly feeling and a reddish glow like she had been sitting too close to a fire.

 

[SilverFlight]

Tura looked down at her small charge. "We can't leave her."
Then turning to the group she nodded. "Recollect the horses and pile the corpses. The tainted must be burned. Then we will make out way to Akron."
Pyrrhus came walking over slowly, his armour dented and splashed with demon ichor, but he was otherwise unharmed save for the bite on his hind leg. He made a face at his blades, no black with demon blood. It would take some effort to clean them.
"I've decided I don't like fighting demons," he said matter-of-factly, "But if I' fighting them with you lot then I am happy to do so. Those abilities of yours are amazing!"
Sol looked about ready to fall over and has he swayed slightly Pyrrhus put a gentle hand out to steady him. They closed the distance to Tura together.
"Cassia hmm? Quite the mystery to this little girl. Thank you for healing my leg by the way." The burning pain was nearly gone now and Pyrrhus was grateful.
"Where on earth did she come from?"
"I think the bigger concern here is, where did the demons come from? And how do we stop them." Tura added, flicking her ebony tail. "But we won't find answers standing here will we now?"

BugDozer73 Purize Zazz Reis Lekiel

 

[Zazz]

The little one giggled at Pyrrhus's statement as he came near. Hugging herself to Tura's front leg, she pointed up the mountain where she had said the demons had came from, earlier. "I came from up there, in a cave. Ma and Pa live in the forest," she added sadly, looking to the west.

Cassia bit her lip, peering over at Fernwe's cat. "Um... Your tikitooth is very brave," she told the halfling timidly. From inside her cloak, she pulled out a handful of small odd items that had been lounging together in a pocket. She separated one such item and put away the rest. Then, the strange girl held out a tikinom for Fernwe's pet.

 

[Purize]

Verity nodded to Tura, happy to leave that forsaken, desecrated village and do something useful and picked her way over the ruins to look for their horses. She was tired and felt drained... as she most likely was from using up so much mana. The stone pendant that hung around her neck looked dull and lackluster. If anything, that was a sign that she needed to train harder... she shouldn't have exerted herself so quickly.

With a jolt she remembered that her sword had been tossed aside and lost in the rubble. Her heart clenched and a small wave of panic washed over her. She paused her search for the horses and began looking for her sword. She stepped around a corner, the dust-strewn street covered with more filth and debris. A small twitch of movement caught her eye and a chill rose up her arms, making the hairs stand on end. Just as she took a step forward to investigate, a shadow rippled into existence before her, taking the shape of a shrouded man.

Verity let out an exasperated sigh. "Sylas," she hissed quietly, not wanting to alert the others, "What are you doing here? Thanks a lot for the help by the way." She stood there, expressionless as ever, with his arms crossed over his chest. "You seemed like you handled yourself just fine," His voice growled with disapproval.

The elven princess bit back a spiteful remark, seething silently. There was a time when Sylas gave Verity a sense of hope and a will to fight. He was something of a role model. A teacher. But now all she felt when she was him was hurt and angry. She felt abandoned. And then, when he did decide to pop up literally out of nowhere, he acted like he had the entitlement of a God in the way she lived her life. It wasn't fair.

"What do you want?" She asked finally, trying to match his steely, moody glare. The corner of his mouth twitched and he lowered his arms, reaching behind him and drawing out a long object wrapped in leather. He handed it to her and she unfolded the cloth, revealing her sword. Remarkably, it looked cleaner.

"Thank you." She said, feeling herself relax a little.

"They will be back." He said suddenly, making her head snap up again to look at him. "What do you mean?"

"There's more to all of this than just demons. These aren't simply sporadic attacks. They are planned," he said, his purple eyes flickering like firelight behind his gauzy veil. Before she could open her mouth to ask him anything else, he continued. "I said it to you before, I'll say it again. Dark times are coming. This is bigger than you think. Be careful and fight hard. Keep your wits about you..." He paused, no hesitated. Sylas never hesitated. Then, as if deciding he;d said enough, he turned and faded into wispy tendrils of smoke that rose into the sky and vanished.

She blinked for a moment, holding her sword close to her. She was still angry... Angry and confused and tired of Sylas's stupid riddles and vague secrecy. What good does it do to tell someone that there's doom and gloom ahead but not give them any explanation or detail as to what awful thing was going to happen. It was like a bad cliffhanger in a cheesy novel written by a literate troll.

Verity continued to mentally grumble to herself and get creative with insults towards her mentor as she looked for the horses. A couple of them had fled to the edge of the town and were nibbling happily on the tall grass like there hadn't just been a big, scary demon battle. She coaxed them back to the village's center where the rest of her companions were, and by that time her sour mood had more or less faded once again to tiredness.
BugDozer73 SilverFlight Lekiel Reis Zazz

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maximus once again let Azaria lead through the lower ring, happy to finally be on their way. As they got closer to the heart of Aeredale he began to viably relax more. Not that he felt safer or preferred the company of aristocrats (it was quite the contrary) but he'd much rather be surrounded by the distractions of loud, busy streets and pompous blue-bloods than be reminded of his childhood.

They made good time and soon enough they were back to headquarters. Maximus turned to to women once they reached the main hall. "I will go gather the elders and call for the trial to start. You three can wait here..." he eyed Azaria. "And do keep out of trouble." He allowed a small lopsided smile that made him look a bit boyish before he walked away swiftly towards the council room.
Zazz

 

[Zazz]

Azaria's eyes followed him with a smirk. "Me? Trouble? Never." As he left, she led her lover and the other woman to a row of chairs. Kaeli kept her coworker calm. Azaria stood against the opposite wall, leaning back against it with her arms crossed, foot flat against the stone; she wanted to avoid anyone thinking that their relationship might have created false information. Kaeli glanced at the halfling now and then, brows pulled in concern and worry. Who knew what the Elders would believe. Azaria gave the faerie a soft smile, but it did not reach her furrowed brow. She, too, did not know how the trial would go.

 

[BugDozer73]

"No, we won't" He answered Tura. Verity left to go find the horses, and Pyrrhus and Sol seemed to be talking with the little one. Roland took a second to drag the corpses he could find into a heap, and with a log from one of the houses still burning hearth's, he set the dead ablaze.

"May Erebus guide you away from this tragedy." Roland whispered as he watched the dead burn. The stench was horrid, and it made his eyes burn, but all he couldn't look away as he watched the women and children in the pile with the men turn black and crumble to ash. Roland had killed before, and dealt in death more times than once: But never with women: never children. This darkness was like a a storm cloud on the horizon, and it left the air filled with tension. Despite his new strength and new abilities, Roland still felt an irritation, an uneasiness, a discomfort, and it beamed out from the scowl on his face. But for the sake of the others he smiled back at them. "That wasn't so bad. The last demon had it's tail between its legs. Thanks for the lift, by the way." He smiled at Pyrrhus, and pretended he wasn't still a little irked that he had hurled him off his back. Roland didn't mind it so much on a ship with the ocean beneath him, but on land, he and heights didn't really get along.

Verity cae around with the horses and the group remounted, and made their way to the city. The sun was already setting by the time that arrived at the gate. The city was just as tired as they felt: The guard's eyes were underscored with bags, and deep shadowy circles. Clearly they had been pulling double duties. The people on the streets hardly smiled, and everyone could sense a feeling of despair within the walls. Perhaps it was an after effect of being so close to the Briar glenn. Although they had been experiencing more monster attacks then usual.

"I suppose we should find an Inn. What about Cassia though? Should we look around town? take her to an orphanage? She might still be in danger if that demon was serious when it said it was there for her. Maybe she should stay with us?" Roland mused to the group, wondering if they could trust a demon. They were notorious liars.

 

[Lekiel]

Fernwe smiled when both Verity and the fae child approached to express their concern for her fuzzy friend, but she visibly stiffened when the faery offered a tikinom to Finwinne.

"O-Oh... thanks." Fernwe replied, taking the treat from the girl. However, instead of giving it to the cat, she pocketed it and awkwardly backed away before wandering off to the edge of their circle of companions. Though it seemed as if she didn't trust the fae child, in reality the halfling was quite possessive over her tikitooth, especially in its current state.

. . . | . . .
​

The atmosphere was far from the stories she had heard of the fabled city built upon an ancient ruins. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, the golden fields of wheat leading up to the front gates bowed and waved with a dull luster; or at least that was how Fernwe perceived it. It was as if the growing taint of the lands had seeped into the soil, and the halfling thought she could still hear the tortured wails coming from the blood of those who had been slaughtered crying out from the very ground. She remained stoically subdued as her pony wearily trotted past the overworked guardsmen. Roland broke the relative silence, posing a question about his concern for the fae child they stumbled upon, but Fernwe's thoughts were drifting. Still clutching at her sleeping cat, her hazel eyes were drawn to the gold and red pennants billowing in the wind. Somehow, it reminded her more of battleworn flags than celebratory decorations. Tales of the neverending festivities that supposedly lined the streets of the mountain city flitted like absent ghosts along the quiet cobbled pathways. Fernwe let out a barely audible sigh.

I guess we just missed the dance parties Finny...

 

[SilverFlight]

Pyrrhus helped pile bodies in an uncommon silence. This was not the first time he had dealt with death either. Often mercenary bands were employed to take out raiders and bandits plaguing thinly-guarded border villages. Sights like this were sadly a commonality with those jobs. The centaur managed to catch the tail end of Roland's long scowl and nudged him in sympathy, matching his bright smile when the pirate turned to the rest of their companions.
"Right you are, those monsters were a bunch of wet blankets." He flexed his injured leg even as he said it.
"You're welcome. Sorry about chucking you," he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "but...in the end I believe you had the softer landing. I hit the demons."
As the group moved off Pyrrhus went searching through the rubble, as if he had just remembered something. After a few moments he came up again holding the splintered neck of an absolutely crushed lute...the instrument that he had found in the supply room.
He gave it a brokenhearted look. "I must have landed on it when I threw Roland...Yet another victim to my string of musical bad luck."
The wood twitched. Then it jerked and Pyrrhus nearly dropped it in full surprise. The pieces were reforming! Splinters wiggling out of the ruined ground and fitting themselves good as new back to the whole. In no time at all the instrument was just as it had been, gilded and gleaming and Pyrrhus' grin was wide as it could go.
"A magic lute!" He cried, nearly skipping back to the party. "Look! It's got an indestructibility charm on it!" They didn't last forever of course, but for now the enchantment looked freshly-cast. The thing could likely be broken a hundred times over before thee spell wore off.
"I think this might call for a song."
As they walked away from the ruined village, the burning corpses and the soil tainted with demon blood, Pyrrhus began to pluck slowly on the strings, not a sad melody per se, but one that sang with the wind whistling through the tall grass, and told of battle, and the peaceful rest at its end.

The gates stood tall before them before long. Tura had walked with them, keeping Cassia close. She had been in silent thought for most of the journey, but seemed to have become slightly protective of the child.
"We can't risk the chance that those creatures are after her, and if they are, then she is useful to our purpose here." her words were logical, but a wing crept down about the child't shoulders, a subtle message that she was not giving the child to an orphanage.
"An inn it is then." Pyrrhus chimed in happily. "Does anyone know a good one?"

Purize BugDozer73 Zazz Reis Lekiel

 

[Purize]

Verity couldn't bear to look at the bonfire of the dead, pillars of smoke rolling into the sky above the ruins of the freshly decimated village. It seemed there had been no survivors after all... except Cassia, but from what she heard, she doubt the child had lived there. She mounted her horse with the rest of them as they made their way to Akron, only a few, hushed words being spoken under Pyrrhus's soft tune. The music, as many things did, reminded her of home. The Elves were notorious artisans. Often even those who were not royal were equally revered if they had a special talent for the arts, whether it be dancing, singing, painting or playing melodic instruments.

Her mother had been one of the best dancers in Shylanora, not that she did it often. She would preform at the palace sometimes. Her and father would dance using long, silken ribbons that hung from the high ceiling of their ballroom. Although Verity was very young when these dances would take place, she remembered them vividly. Naturally, her mother taught Verity what she knew... but the elven princess hadn't danced in years.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They soon reached the city. The three god-founded cities of Nymserine were all miraculous and beautiful in their own ways, but Verity had always loved Akron for it's bright colors that mirrored the hues of the sunset on a blazing summer day. It was always full of life and color and events that would light up the night long past a young child's bedtime. It was a city that never slept... but it looked as if the fire of Aurora that once burned brightly and fueled the energy of the place was now a slow-burning ember.

Verity listened to the conversation between Roland, Pyrrhus and Tura about what to do with the child. She silently agreed that it would be best to not leave the poor thing to an orphanage... It was clear that Cassia wasn't like other children and she would likely receive much scorn and torment there.

"An inn it is then," she heard Pyrrhus decide. "Does anyone know a good one?" Verity offered a small smile and nodded off down the cobble street. "I've actually been here quite a few times myself... The Flame Lily Lodge is my personal favorite. It's just up ahead off the corner of the square."
BugDozer73 Zazz SilverFlight Lekiel Reis

oO*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*Oo
​

Maximus soon returned with the Elders and a few other upper-rank members of the circle. They entered the room where the induction ceremonies took place and a couple of guards closed the large double doors and locked them, keeping out any disturbances.... this was, after all, to be a private trial. Maximus and two of the Elders filed to the front of the room on the elevated platform. As promised, the sword-bearing Elder was not present, and once everyone was settled, they began.

"Azaria Eldrvarya. Please step forward and recount, how it was you came to find Döthrangus and the details of his death." One of the Elders said, their wrinkly grey eyes falling upon the half-elf's face.
Zazz

 

[Zazz]

Azaria stepped forward and stood before her judges. Holding the man's gaze with ger own, she held her hands behind her back and her chin up. She looked every bit like the assassin she claimed to be, with her knives, shined and sharpened, in a neat row on her belt. The tips of her ears, smudged black, hid within her long hair. Roland's belt crossed her chest to her hip, the sheathes of her twin daggers black as coal.

The halfling told them of learning the information from Kaeli, and of coming to investigate. She told them of the secret passages within their own walls and ceilings that she used to travel and hide, and of what she had witnessed. She neglected to tell them of the tunnels that had brought her there, but Azaria told them of the items in Döthrangus's room that led to the discovery of why he was going to kill the king. Why he had lost his mind.

 

[Zazz]

The child slept through most of the ride to Akron. Despite being wary of these strangers, she eventually drifted with Pyrrhus's music and the rhythm of her steed's footsteps. By the time they reached Aurora's city, Cassia was passed out on her horse, her eyes shielded by its white mane. It was only when Tura's wing brushed her cheek that she came to, licking her lips as she groggily raised her head. Slowly, she recognized the place she was in, and she gave a whimper, pulling her hood over her head. She didn't much like cities. There were too many people and they frightened her. A darkness crept in, tightening around her new companions' chests, unbeknownst to the youg fae.

 

[Reis]

"Pleased to meetcha, Cassia." Sol's welcoming grin faded as she rubbed goopy demon blood all over her face, leaving behind a bright red mark. He wondered if she would be okay...it was probably fine, right? Now that he thought about it, Cassia was quite special. Not only was she able to survive a horde of demons, she was also able to help take one down earlier. Sol still wondered about that, questioning what other surprises the mysterious girl had in store.

"Those abilities of yours are amazing!" Sol grinned once again as Pyrrhus helped steady him. "Thanks, your skills aren't too shabby either. I'm looking forward to working with you all!" Sol turned his attention to the whole group. He was glad to have such an amazing team by his side. If the Circle wasn't there to help him fight those demons...who knows how this fight would have turned out?

A solemn feeling entered his body as the group burned away the villager's corpses. Hatred began to burn beneath his skin as he watched their remains turn into ashes. So many innocent lives taken by the darkness, so much bloodshed being done right outside his home. Sol offered a prayer to his mom, asking her to take care of these poor villagers and swearing to stop such terrors from happening again. If another life was threatened by the darkness, he would be there to send it back into the shadows before it was too late.

Soliel felt sunlight embracing his skin, as if welcoming him to the home made in honor of his mother. He never stopped thinking about the beautiful city. Even after running away for adventure, Sol continued dreaming about the vibrant colors and energetic sounds found throughout Akron every day. But as he approached, his mood slowly worsened. There was a grim atmosphere here, something that made the colorful city seem dulled into a lifeless gray. The stillness was almost shocking, and without Pyrrhus' peaceful tunes, he might have started panicking right there. Festivals in Akron were like bards in a lively inn, and without it, everything seemed more hollow than it was supposed to.

The demigod was brought back to reality at the mention of an inn. "Ah, the Flame Lily Lodge, huh? I used to go past that place all the time. I wonder if I ever saw you there before, Verity?" Sol racked his brain, wondering if Verity was actually a more familiar face than he initially thought. Well, even if she was, it was rare for Sol to be allowed near an elf or any fair folk. His family believed that if word got out of his relations to Aurora, there would be no end to those who felt hostile towards that particular goddess.

@everybody

 

[Purize]

The elder that had spoken to Azaria, Jeremiah, listened vigilantly to her side of the story until she finished. He glance at Elder Klien, who met his knowing gaze. They had already known about this testimony from Maximus and Azaria's visit the day before, but still the news about the succubus blood was shocking.

Maximus then motioned the timid dark-haired girl forwards. "Miss Daeryse. You are here today because you knew Döthrangus while he was alive and have possible evidence to further validate the claims of Azaria Eldrvarya. Please, tell the court what you witnessed the last time you saw Döthrangus last."

"Then Miss Kaeli will give her own testimony." Maximus nodded at the two of them and let them speak.
Zazz

 

[Zazz]

Azaria bowed her head and stepped back. Kaeli ushered her coworker forward with a reassuring smile and touch of her hand. Daeryse stepped in front of the Elders, holding one arm in what was obviously nervousness. She had never been to a trial, before. Azaria observed each face carefully as the woman spoke.

"I-I... Yes, I knew Döthrangus. He.. he often came to see me between.. between missions..." Her brown eyes flitted across the faces before her. "I-I-I knew him as a kind man. Always treated me with r-respect." Daeryse glanced back at at Azaria, who had started fidgeting with a dull throwing knife to releave the tension in her body. This was far too much attention on her. The half-elf met and held the gaze of one Circle member who was scowling straight at her under grey brows. "The last time he.. visited, he seemed... on edge. Like there was something he needed to do. I didn't think much of it, until I saw what he had written - I-I didn't mean to pry, his book was there, and I couldn't sleep... I told Kaeli about it in the morning, at breakfast, and she told me not to worry, she would.. she would look into it. That's all I know, Sir."

It was soon Kaeli's turn to speak. The faerie tucked her red hair behind her ear as she approached the elders. "I thank you for hearing us, today," she said softly, her musical voice serious in its tone. "As Daeryse stated, she came to me that morning, and I took to serving him in order to speak with him. I... have a gift, you see, of loosening one's grasp on their secrets. And what Mister Döthrangus had to say was... concerning, to say the least. Unfortunately, I can't recall what exactly it was, it was so long ago, but it sounded as though someone might be in danger. Shortly after, Azaria came to me. I told her of my concerns, and I did ask her to take a look if she was able."

 

[BugDozer73]

Roland was tired: even though his mana had returned quickly after the fight, his body ached from the blows he had sustained. The prospect of a warm bed to collapse into was no doubt appealing, only seeming better were it a hammock on the lower deck of a ship half way out of the harbor, sailing for the skyline. Roland sighed, very subtly drawing out a small bit of water from his water-skins and letting the cool crystallin liquids refresh the skin of his palms. There was not much left in them, after the fight, just enough for a drink. He lifted the skin to his face, but paused, and looked over at the child.

He crossed a few steps and handed her the water skin. "Drink up." He ordered gently, subconsciously willing the water to glow with cleansing properties. He would have to replenish his supply at the inn.

It wasn't too far to the door of the place: a few blocks down the street leading to the old withered wooden framed structor. It was newer than most buildings: a human construct, so it was no made from stone like much of the rest of the buildings were. Inside was a portly fellow in a stained, once white cotton shirt, faded green trousers and torn shoes, sweeping the hearth with a long splintery broom. The fire in the place crackled brightly and let off a lot of heat, and the glow from the flames was warm and inviting. A strong smell of stew wafted from the kitchen, Making Roland's Stomach rumble. The man smiled, raising the thick dark mustache above his lips into a pointed grin. He scratched his thinning hair as he placed down the broom and stepped over to greet them. "Bless the creator and the light of Aurora, if it isn't Sol! You look like quite the little nobel now, don't you? And is that Ms. Verity I see? What a coincidence. Ann, we have company!" He cried out, and a woman's voice shrieked in irritation about not leaving the stew.

"Woman! Leave that bloody soup, we have guests, for gods sake!"

A loud crash came from the other room and a larger woman exited the room, and a doleful smile blossomed on her face. "Verity, my moon flower! You look as beautiful as ever! Come in, come in!" She rushed over, lifint up her long dress as she walked so as not to trip over it.

"I have a pot of lamb stew cooking in the kitchen! You and your friends must be hungry!"

"Adamine's toes, would you forget about your stew!" The man turned to Roland and smiled, removing his soot covered hat.
"Sorry about the misses, she can be a bit of a troll from time to time." His voice was full and masculine, but still raspy from age. He chuckled at his joke, shaking Roland's hand. "Im Peter Stalich. You can call me Pete, or Peter. The cook is Ann."

"I heard that, you ungrateful grell. One of these days I am going to feed you to the mules"

"Oh, throw it in a sack and send it down the river!" He growled back. They had clearly been married for a long time.

The woman looked over the rest of them, smiling particularly at Pyrrhus. "My goodness, you are a big boy, aren't you. So handsome. Would you like something to eat, dear?"

SilverFlight Purize Zazz Lekiel Reis

 

[SilverFlight]

Tura had changed back into her human form for the short walk through Akron. The city folk had probably seen quite enough strange black creatures running about the farmlands and city limits. She kept little Cassia within eyesight. The tavern was clearly not what she was used to, she sniffed with discrete disdain and went to choose a seat close to the fire, keeping silent as the innkeeper and his wife bickered.

It was clear Pyrrhus loved the place from the moment he set hoof across the threshold. He was the last to squeeze himself through the door and beamed at the interior.
"It's perfect." He declared, waiting in the hall for the others to find seats before he moved, not wanting to tread on toes in the small space. He chuckled at the couple's back and forth, catching the underlying love in each insult. His attention was drawn when the woman caught sight of him and he preened under the compliment.
"Verity, your taste in establishments is impeccable." Then to the innkeeper's wife he added, "If you have a bit of barley bred, a pot of porridge and a few carrots. I'm not much of a carnivore, though with the smell of your heavenly cooking, I am starting to regret that."

When they were all settled at table and chair Tura spoke softly. "We should consider our next move. Cassia said there was a specific point she saw the demons appear from. I think its worth investigating as soon as we are able."

BugDozer73 Purize Zazz Reis Lekiel

 

[Purize]

The Elder Jeremiah, his eyes softer than the other stringy, grey Elder, held up his staff and stepped forward once everyone had finished giving their testimony. Maximus's eyes flickered from the staff to the three women convened in front of them. "Now that all of the evidence and testimony has been presented, our magi elder will preform a spell that discerns the truth." He explained, motioning to Jeremiah's artifact. "He will cast it and a mist will settle over he three of you. If you are speaking the truth and nothing but the truth then the mist will clear. If not, it will turn red and the trial will continue until the truth is told." He frowned a little, remembering his promise to get Daeryse and Kaeli back to the brothel on time... for their sakes he hoped they all told the truth.

With a nod from Maximus, Jeremiah raised his staff from the floor and tilted his wrist in a small circular motion. The round crystal set at the top of the warped stick of wood glowed softly and mist formed in the air. It drifted delicately towards the three women and hung around them harmlessly. The motes stirred under their breath and clung to their skin like dew. It caught the light that filtered through the windows, making a dazzling display of shimmering colors, but for each of the three it touched, it did not turn red. After a moment the mist settled and steadily faded away.

Maximus's chest rose and fell with a stifled sigh of relief and he turned once more to the Elders beside him. "The spell has finished and detected no lie. Given the evidence and witnessed accounts of Döthrangus given today, I conclude that our late friend and brother met his end by following his own road of wrong choices. I see no foul play or punishable action conducted by Miss Azaria Eldrvarya. What say you Elders Klein and Jeremiah?"

The elders glanced at one another and Jeremiah offered a smile. "The Elders herby pardon Miss Eldrvarya for charges of murder..... and breaking and entering." He chuckled at the last bit and gave Azaria a subtle wink. Elder Klein didn't look to amused by any of this but didn't object. With that, Maximus took the steps down from the platform and approached Azaria. "It's over now. Lady Kaeli and Daeryse are free to leave now, and you're cleared of all charges." He hesitated for a moment and then continued," I suppose the news about Döthrangus will spread and some may still be angry... but others, I'm sure will understand. The Circle is more than just a guild backed by the King... it's a family. And I hope that you find yourself fitting in and getting along here with the rest of us." He smiled almost sheepishly at her before dipping his head in farewell and following the elders out of the room.

oO*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*Oo

The warmth of the inn was a welcome feeling after the cold of the battle had chilled Verity's bones. As soon as she stepped through the doors and Pete came lumbering towards them, a huge smile broke out onto her face. Despite her weariness, she couldn't help it. She loved these two hardy innkeepers like family and she was relieved to see them all fine and well amidst the chaos. "Mr. Pete is good to see you as well. I trust you've both been well?" She gave Mrs. Ann a quick embrace before leaving her to cater to Pyrrhus.

Verity beamed at her centaur friend's remark and dipped her head dutifully to him. "Well Mr. Pete and Mrs. Ann are simply the best of the best in Akron." She giggled and sat down among the plush sofas that circled in front of the fire.

Almost immediately, Tura reminded them that they had business to attend to and that was the end of Verity's little reunion. "Most likely the caves in the mountains at the edges of the plains." Verity contributed quietly. She listened to the fire crackling in the hearth as she thought. It made the most sense. Where else would they be hiding? Surely they would have to stay close by to attack so quickly. Even Briar Glenn wasn't close enough to the city for that. It had to be the caves...
BugDozer73 SilverFlight Zazz Lekiel Reis

 

[Zazz]

Cassia stayed very close to Tura, even as the feathered beast turned into a perfectly normal woman. The girl timidly left her horse with the others and followed the group into the inn. She looked all around, craning her neck to see the wooden beams above her. She had never been to an inn. It was cozy, and a fire crackled to one side. Cassia kept her hood up and went to sit close to the fire, on the floor. To Tura, she whispered, "Are we gonna sleep here?" The little one pulled out a small handful of coins from a pocket and frowned at the meager amount. "Is this enough?" Cassia held out her open hand to Tura, lint and small stones mixed in with the coins.

SilverFlight

 

[BugDozer73]

Roland smiled at the older gent: in a way, he reminded him of crooney. "I'm Roland. Nice to meet you pete."
The woman smiled at Pyrrhus. "Anything for you, deary. Go, sit! I will bring you all some supper. Peter will raise some beds for you all. Go on, now, relax and kick your feet up. You look like you just finished wrestling a demon."
Roland shot a knowing look at the others, his eyes wide in surprise, but he kept his mouth shut.
Tura sat down at a table, and the others seemed to gather around, and so Roland followed suit, taking a seat next to Verity. He made sure not to touch her, but he sat as close as he could, thanking all the gods that it was a pretty small couch.

Ann emerged from the kitchen with a platter filled with bowls of steaming stew, and a plate stacked high with bread. To Pyrrhus, she handed him so porridge and 2 carrots. At the site of Cassia handing forward some meager coin, Ann smiled as if it were the cutest thing in the world and put her hand around the Childs, helping her to close her fist. "That wont be necessary, little one. Any friends of Verity's and Sol's are welcome here. Even though Sol was a bit of a hell raiser." She shot him a loving look and leaned back up, making her way out of the room.

Roland nodded as they spoke, agreeing that Briar glenn was simply too far out for demons to move in that number.
"Did anyone else think it was strange how many of them there were? I mean, I have never really encountered demons before, but Greuwn had. He said they normally only work in groups of three or four when necessary, and even then it's rare. The last time demons were working together like this was.... the first blight." Roland said, stumbling upon his conclusion as if he hadn't seen it laying there when he started.

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[SilverFlight]

Tura smiled down at the proffered coins in the little girl's hand. She nodded to the innkeeper woman too. "I wouldn't dream of staying here without paying. The circle can afford it." Looking back down at cassia she added: "and the circle can also afford to pay for you too."
Zazz

Pyrrhus beamed at the innkeeper's wife and went to obey, choosing a comfortable carpet by the fire and folding himself daintily onto it. He listened to Verity's theories quietly. "But what in the Gods' names are they doing here? Killing farmers and generally spreading chaos doesn't sound like a terribly organized strategy, but I doubt a gaggle of extremely evil beings just decided to pop over here for some light mayhem. Right?"
He considered Roland's words with a bit more thought. "Now that you mention it, that was a bit strange. I've had jobs dealing with the blighters before, but there were never more than two or three. You're right."

Tura held her peace for a long while, her grim expression betraying dark thoughts. "And during the first blight, they were being controlled...by Azarath."
Even Pyrrhus grew a shade paler at the mention of the name. "But he was defeated. Gone. Dead. It couldn't possibly be him...maybe someone dabbling in black magics, a half-baked attempt to recreate the 'old evil glory days'...or something."
Tura glanced at the centaur, her expression unchanged. "The body count wouldn't make me think 'half-baked'."
She looked about the faces gathered. "There is an artifact of life here."
Pyrrhus thought about it. "Those things won it for us before right...could someone be using demons to try and get them?"

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[Purize]

Demons... Verity recalled reading about them in her youth, among the hundreds of books and stories that she'd combed through in her family library. The pictures that often accompanied their descriptions often terrified her. She thought hard, dredging up time-worn memories about the legends of the Dark Age and Moon Children. Roland was right about the numbers... it didn't seem likely to be a natural occurrence.

She listened to Pyrrhus as he spoke and she couldn't help agree that it was strange the demons were only attacking villages on the outskirts of Akron... had they even tried to attack the city? Surely those numbers and that sheer power would have given the city guard a run for their money... But she didn't recall seeing any carnage along the outer walls to the city. Only sad and tired people on the inside.

"And during the first blight, they were being controlled...by Azarath." Tura reminded them grimly. Everyone in Nymserine was well aware of the Dark Wizard Azarath and his role in the Dark Age. "Azarath... is long dead." Verity agreed, albeit a bit shakily, "But it's not too far-fetched an idea that someone else would want to finish what he started."

At the mention of the artifact of life though, something clicked in her mind. It honestly hadn't occurred to her that that could be the reason for the attacks... but it made sense. "But why not attack the city..." Verity whispered to herself. Then, her eyes flicked to Tura's. "Unless they are not trying to directly attack Akron... that would draw too much attention. What if the attacks outside the walls are a distraction?"

BugDozer73 SilverFlight Zazz Lekiel Reis

 

[Lekiel]

With her hooded head pressed facedown against the tabletop, a bowl of vegetable stew steaming before her and an exhausted tikitooth curled in her lap, Fernwe appeared to be asleep almost as soon as their merry little group had settled down at the Flame Lily Lodge. Truth be told, while the halfling displayed a significant mastery over nature magic, she was not used to such head on clashes. The events over the past few days had left her a little worse for wear. Nevertheless, she suddenly jerked awake when Verity made a remark to Tura.

With a broad red patch marked across her forehead - from where it had pressed against the table - Fernwe wobbled sleepily on her chair with half lidded eyes. Then with great suspense, she raised a finger as if to gain the attention of an imagined audience before beginning what could only be described as a sleep rhyme.

Sound the Gjallarhorn,
Raise your voices,
O sing ye men of ol'
Sing ye men of Akron old!

Stalwart as deeprock,
Immovable as the mont'ns,
O set your fields ablaze with gold!

Sound the Gjallarhorn,
Raise your voices,
O sing ye men ol'
Sing of our Goddess Queen!

Draped in crimson splendor,
Beautiful as a raging fury,
O let your hearts burn within!

T'was to the Mont'n King,
The First Flame our Queen bequeathed,
A gift of cleansing flame.

With p'wrful fists afire,
Greuwn brought Her fury to bear,
And smote he the creatures of deepest dark!

Remember!
Remember ye O men of Akron!
Guard ye Her precious gifts within!

Sound the Gjallarhorn,
Raise your voices,
O to know ye men
Know O'the Everlasting Flame within!​

"Wait...-! Why was I singing this again?" Fernwe blinked around in surprise, finally waking up towards the end of her rhyme. She turned sharply to frown at Verity, vaguely suspicious that she had something to do with whatever the hell was going on.