Fantasy Saga of the Nineteen Islands

[Baconhands]

Kadri nodded at Keenan's invitation. She approached the group but ultimately resolved to tell them all about her current situation later. She was off the ship a minute or so later and began wading through the snow, looking for a shop that would sell winter coats. It wasn't too difficult to find one. In fact, most of the merchants seemed to have a few extra that they were willing to sell for a reasonable price. As per Keenan's advice, Kadri made sure to ask for a specific type of fur - she asked for one that wouldn't be quite so heavy to carry but would still provide enough warmth to keep her from freezing to death further in to the interior. This garnered her several odd looks from the merchants she spoke to. A few even ventured a few questions about her reasons for heading there, to which she replied her purpose was partly for tourism, partly for academics.
"I would recommend that you take good, strong company with you lass," one of them had warned, "The natives have been restless of late. We haven't had a raid in a few months but settlements up and down the borderlands have been seeing them in droves. Nasty rumours of torture and murder, even more horrific than normal."
Another shook his head at her, speaking in a tone that betrayed that he thought she was mad, "If you see a blizzard, you run. You'll probably already be dead by the time you've noticed it. There's something that lives among them; any one that's been caught by a blizzard is never seen again."

After a long but successful browse, Kadri found herself at the local inn. It was small, rustic and had a pleasantly cosy feel about it. A fire burned in each of the corners; although their flames were imprisoned by metal, the warmth they provided still worked their way around the room and the lineaged was thankful for it. The room had seven round tables, all roughly the same size about six or seven feet in diameter. Each looked polished and in remarkably good condition and each was host to six wooden chairs. Only a couple of the tables were occupied; Kadri took the furthest empty table from the door and sat down. There was a window next to the table; as she looked out of it, she noticed a peculiar sight. It was snowing. But the snow didn't fall from the sky, it rose from the ground. The white blanket on the ground didn't seem to be getting thinner either, even as layer upon layer gently jumped from the floor into the air. Her musing was only interrupted when a voice asked if she wanted anything to drink. When she asked for tea, a premium price was her response but the lineaged didn't care. She paid the price mentioned and waited patiently for her order to come to her.

 

[FTR]

Even after 5 years in Norgard, the frigid weather of Frost Veil chilled Lilianna to her marrow. Not even her full length beaver fur could keep her from it's embrace. The coat accompanied with her sable cap, padded leather gloves and thick woolen boots probably made her look ridiculous. But cold was a feeling she'd always had a hard time tolerating for very long. As she sat in a lone chair off towards the corner of the room the only thoughts she had were of why exactly she was suscepting herself to this insanity. Lili stared off into the flame, each sniffle of her dry nose letting in the aroma of firewood and the comestibles of the nearby kitchen.
She held the titan of sword against herself as if hugging it for warmth as she contemplated.
It was as she started to whisper something that one of the innkeepers returned with her black tea and a teapot handing her the saucer and cup, leaving the tray with the pot to her left.
"Takk fyrir." She thanked, putting the tea up to her lips. The scent was heavenly and the warmth passing her throat even better.
She'd spent the hours retracing her steps out in the cold, digging through snow. Hours more before that asking around. She couldn't believe she'd lost her coin purse. There was no way she could navigate this terrain on her own.
Lili clearly remembered Esdras speaking of Gorm the Grey in Frost Veil. A druid of the North and a man of great knowledge and wisdom with connection to the pagan gods of the Regaln and Sverge. If anyone could help her with what she was going through, it stood to reason that it could be him.
But, if she didn't find her purse then the search for him would have to be cut short and she'd have to plead to be returned to Norgard or barter her clothing. Lilianna was not a prideful person but the idea of returning home under those circumstances and because of an incompetence rubbed her entirely the wrong way.
She concluded that once sufficiently warm and sated with tea she would get back to it. She just had to hope she'd find it before nightfall. Lili wasn't totally sure how the weather worked in Frost Veil, but figured leaving it out there overnight would make find it significantly harder to find. That and going out alone at night in most colonies isn't the greatest idea. That was especially true here in Frost Veil.
While rationalizing her plan, Lili noticed a girl across the way sitting by the window and found herself staring at her as the innkeeper took her request. She hadn't been there a moment ago, must have come in while she was deep in thought.
The girl looked as though she had just made a few purchases. The notion that she used her lost purse to make them briefly crossed Lilianna's mind. But it was quickly dismissed and she looked away from her, a bit embarrassed. She hadn't meant to stare or assume the worst of a random person. The cold must be making her weary and irritable.
The little ball of gooseflesh, furs and steel that was Lilianna Erlandsson sipped her tea continuously, as if hoping the more she drank the more collected she'd become.
Eyes locked on the fire again, she shifted in her seat.

Baconhands (maybe?)
(Writing on a phone somehow always feels claustrophobic :T)

 

[SilverFlight]

Keenan watched Kadri go, hoping her decision to postpone telling the group was a good one.
"Blue!" He called over the side of the ship. His dog appeared out of a drift, pink tongue lolling, snow flecking her sandy-coloured muzzle.
Keenan made his way off the ship too and looked up at the others. He caught Isolde staring off into the distance again, as she had been doing more and more often lately. He began to wonder if the site of the frozen lands reminded her of her powers, and the worries they brought. He wanted to ask her about it, but wasn't sure how.
"Isolde?" He called up, "I need to head to the smith before I get to the market. Did...um, did you want help with choosing your supplies?"
He glanced at the others too, a gesture saying that either of them were welcome too.
Dominaiscna
Athanas A Not So Wonderful Story

 

[A Not So Wonderful Story]

Velma was definitely not a lady, and would prove that as the night went on. She brought home several bloody, skinned snakes for everyone to eat, and didn't even give anyone a chance to talk to her! As soon as she was done eating, she crashed and snored all night with Shrimp curled up to her side. Even if someone wanted to wake her, no one wanted to get near those sharp tarsals of the Krilk Needless to say, she didn't have to wake up for watch. How sweet! First to sleep first to wake, and that was true with Velma. She didn't talk much in the morning, and sort of secluded herself in nervousness. When it got to the ship, she was even more secluded. She didn't like ships at all, really. And alas, they arrived to their destination. Velma had received her gold gingerly from Kadri, and added it to her own. She thanked her before running off to find herself some items. She made sure to restock her potions with materials, bought a treat for Shrimp, which everyone eyed at as they walked by, and a beautiful coat for herself. It was expensive, yes, but was too warm and well made to pass up on. They were remarkably well made, and extremely flexible so she would still be able to move efficiently in them. Besides, her previous robes had been cut during the battle with the dragon. She changed into the magnificent, durable robes and continued on her marry way, a comfortable amount of gold still in her pocket. She also grabbed some thread and a needle for her robes to wear underneath in case she needed to shed some weight to improve her dexterity. She would be sure to visit the blacksmith later, probably teach them a thing or two, but her stomach pleaded for breakfast. Velma pushed into the Inn that Kadri had waited in and smiled as she saw her back turned. Shrimp shook the snow off of his thick coat and looked around nervously at all the wandering eyes. Velma looked rather elegant in her robes, and dropped her hands onto Kadri's shoulders as she chuckled, sitting beside her.
"Hey! Mind if we join you? I'm not appreciating all the stares me and Shrimp are getting. Whadja' order?"
Again with that young and playful attitude. Velma was awfully friendly and high-spirited for someone who was just in a dragon fight. She was definitely an odd ball, if not more... It was definitely different than what happened back when they went hunting.

Dominaiscna Athanas Baconhands SilverFlight FTR

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri noticed a woman eyeing her from the other side of the inn. Her mind wandered back to the tavern she'd been in when she'd met three of the party what felt like months ago. Specifically, she thought of the man who had shot her, whom Destrian had brought to the Salts and subsequently tortured and then left for dead, wandering the flats with nothing thanks once more to Destrian, who had robbed him. A sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head free of the doubts and the fear that had begun welling up; the chances one of the Triumvirate's agents was here was astronomical. A border town in the colonies? For any sort of network to exist here many conditions would have to be fulfilled.
A couple of things broke the lineaged's train of thought. The first was Velma. As she sat down, her somewhat disturbing pet beside her, Kadri simply responded to the young woman that she'd ordered a pot of tea. Instead of stopping entirely however, the train of thought simply ended up heading down a different path.

Its destination was a memory; a recent one, the one of the pair hunting. Velma had spotted some prey, a snake. Not exactly a healthy meal but it was better than nothing. The lineaged of Olikah had turned to her accomplice, offering her an arrow with which to throw at the snake. Kadri, initially confused, obliged. The snake was startled as the arrow landed next to it and began to slither through the salt flats. As the pair watched a potential meal distance itself, Kadri looked at Velma sceptically.
"A bow and arrow is made up of several parts, Kadri." She said, knocking an arrow, "The arrow." She pulled the string back, "The string." She let the arrow loose, "The bow itself and," the arrow hit the snake, pinning it in to the ground, "the archer."
The lineaged of Olikah turned to face Kadri with a grin, "While the archer does the aiming, every part has its purpose. You unders-"

Her train of thought was interrupted, secondly, when her tea arrived with only one cup. Milk and sugar had also been provided. She looked across at Velma, "Do you want me to order another cup for you or are you okay?"
She let Velma answer before she continued, "That's a very nice coat you've got. Though I wouldn't have pegged you as wanting finer clothes. Though I suppose if someone is paying for it..." Kadri trailed off, bringing her cup to her mouth after she had filled it. A smile came to her face; they'd only been in the Frost Veil a couple of hours and she already missed the Salts. She started scratching at her forearm as she put the cup down, the smile disappearing from her face, a serious tone to her voice, "When we find the next arte-... guardian don't start a fight with it. Not until I give the signal to. I've got some questions I need to ask it before we get into any form of fight. Is that alright?"
A Not So Wonderful Story FTR

 

[Dominaiscna]

Isolde had been staring at the landscape around them, surveying the small buildings of the town, half buried in snow, when Keenan called to her. At his voice, she looked up, startled for a moment. Her eyes found him in the snow below and she leaned forward, resting her arms on the railings, to better see him.

"..Um...I do but..." she wondered for a moment, running through her head a list of items she would need to buy. "...I am going to go find a place where they sell coats first then..." she called down, her voice raising slightly so he could hear her, " .. perhaps we can meet at the market later...?"
After a pause, she added, "Would you like me to get you a coat while I'm buying one for myself?"

SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Keenan wasn't sure what to make of the reply, perhaps Isolde needed more time to think.
"Yes all right. I trust you to pick a good one." He whistled for Blue and started off toward the smith, calling back over his shoulder:
"Try not to make me look fat!" He shot with a teasing grin.
Dominaiscna

The smith took the order with a skeptical look at the man buying armour for his dog.
"She uh, likes to antagonize bigger animals." Was all Keenan could say in explanation.
He paid the commission fee and went to find Kadri once he had acquired the rest of what he thought they would need.
Blue trotted into the tavern first, shaking herself thoroughly and going to investigate the space.
Keenan took a seat beside Velma, setting his satchel down by the table.
"Kadri, Velma...nice coat. I brought a few more items we might need. Like..." He rummaged through the bag before putting a rolled sheet of parchment on the table, unfurling it for them to see. "...A map."
He offered it to Kadri, a gesture that spoke of his encouragement for her, then he saw the tea. "Ooh yes please!" He caught the server on her next pass by and ordered a steaming cup for himself. Kadri explained what she wanted to do before they picked a fight with the next guardian and nodded solemnly, as if he had heard it before.
Baconhands A Not So Wonderful Story

Blue was busy sniffing around the room, making her steady way under tables and through the forest of legs until she came to one particular table. Her head came up to rest on it, just by a cup of hot tea. The rusty-coloured dog peered up with her soulful blue eyes into the face of a stranger. Her stumpy tail began to wag.
FTR

 

[Athanas]

Destrian was in a pretty good mood when the ship finally came to a halt. The past few days of travel had been mostly devoid of bad memories, and his sleep had been more or less stable. He had achieved this by practicing with his magic to the point of exhaustion, using up most of his time in this manner. While this had certainly been a risk(he had almost decapitated Elena with a stray bolt twice, and a small chunk of the hull had been sent careening when he had tried to summon a warhammer made of energy. Still, some minor progress had been made, with him actually managing to create some sort of crude shield with his magic(that same power imploded mere seconds later, however, giving him a nasty gash on his stomach).

He was slightly taken aback by Kadri's decision to talk to Keenan privately, but at this point he couldn't blame her for only trusting him with crucial information. Plus, he was certain he could take both of them, if they for whatever reason decided to turn on him. So Instead he instead had gone with Keenan to the smith, where he had purchased a battleaxe. It was nothing of particular quality- It was however heavier than an average axe, while still being light enough for one to wield with just one hand. This loss in speed due to the weight was more than made up for by the sheer cutting power of the weapon, capable of inflicting grievous wounds, even against moderately-armored foes. Combined with his own magic-fueled strength, He was confident in his ability to endure the enemy's blows while he took his time with swinging the thing. Risky, yes, but what's life without a little risk? The rest of his gold went into pretty normal adventure gear-supplies, coats, and the such.

Arriving at the Inn, he sat beside Keenan, ordered another cup for himself("Though Ale tends to be more helpful against the cold, I'd rather stay sober for the moment."), he began talking to his companions, showing off his new weapon

"So, What do you think? Can probably cleave through any sort of hide if given enough force. I can also get us some timber with it, help us stave off the cold. So long as there are trees around, at least."

Upon hearing of Kadri's request of holding back, he couldn't help but express a certain distaste for it:"Kadri, you probably know more about the guardians and the artifacts than I ever will. Even so, I must ask: Given our past experience with the dragon, who I presume was one of these "guardians", it is safe to assume that these creatures couldn't care less about us "mortals". Even if this one wasn't immediately hostile, how can you be sure it will even spare you a moment? More importantly, how can you be sure it won't just feed you false information?" He made a short pause, filling his own cup with tea and taking a sip."I'm by no means against the whole "Peaceful approach". I'm just offering my thoughts on the matter."

His remark was cut short as he noticed that Keenan's beast had apparently taken an interest in a woman sitting on the edge of the inn. Instinctively, his fists clenched, ready for another ambush."Keenan. Your dog appears to be very interested in this one over at that table. Does this mean something, or does she just have a habit for going up to strangers for no reason?"

SilverFlight Baconhands A Not So Wonderful Story FTR

 

[Dominaiscna]

Isolde watched Keenan go, cracking a soft smile at his teasing. One by one, her group members left the ship to go buy items and stock up on supplies. She watched each one disappear between the buildings and after awhile, when she could no longer out it off, she too climbed down the ladder to leave the ship.

On the last rung, she hesitated for a moment, before dropping down to the ground. Her breathe caught in her throat as snow crunched softly under her feet. She could feel the coldness seeping through the soles of her boots and spreading through her blood to her entire body. She watched as each breathe came out as steam and studied each tiny, snowflake that fell from the heavens closely.

Gingerly, she picked her way through the snow, treading as lightly as she could. In her attempt to find the eight store, she got a little lost... but it helped to ask the locals for directions to shops where she could buy winter clothing. While she didn’t need to, she had communicated to them in the local language, a tongue she had not used in ears, made obvious by her heavy accent and rustiness... but it was nice to see the way the townspeople reacted to familiar words and replied with warm smiles. It reminded her of her time in Frost Veill... the good times.

Upon finding the store that sold coats and other sorts of winter clothing, Isolde busied herself with sifting through all they had to sell. For herself she bought a long, black, hooded, winter cloak lined and edged with white fox fur, simple yet elegant. It was no where as thick as the coats, but as Isolde suspected she was resistant to the cold, the cloak was more than enough.
As for Keenan, she took a long time to look through the store owner’s recommendations, all the while cursing herself for offering because she didn’t know what to buy him and stressed that she’d make a bad choice. In the end, after much thought and convincing from the owner, she settled on a relatively long, dark brown, fox fur coat. It was not too big or long or bulky, or fattening for that, yet incredibly warm and comfortable to wear. It was also relatively easy to move around in and would not hinder him during fighting. Satisfied yet still slightly nervous, she left the store with her cloak on and Keenan’s tucked under her harm. SilverFlight

While outside, she stood for a while, gazing at the strange phenomenon before her. The snow all around her was floating heavenwards... as if being drawn from the earth by some magic.
She raised her free hand, feeling the small pieces of ice caress her skin. As she walked out into the snow, she felt each snowflake rise... each ice cold touch made her blood thrum and her body shiver. There was magic in the air, she could feel it. It made her feel so much more alive... and the feeling scared her. Hurriedly, she went to find her group mates, brushing off the sensation.

While she was picking her way through the snowy streets, Isolde stumbled over something buried in the snow. Bending down, her fingers dug through the ice till they found something soft to touch. Upon pulling it out, Isolde realized that it was a coin purse, something some poor soul had lost.
Straightening up, she looked around yet there was no one who looked like they had lost or were looking for something.
Isolde’s eyes fell on the nearest building, the inn, and decided that it was best to hand the coin purse in to the owner. Whoever the coin purse belonged to would most likely go to the inn, where most people congregated, in search of people who might have seen of picked up their lost possession,
She entered the small establishment and, having not yet noticed her group seated at a table in the corner, Isolde made her way to the counter, hand clutching the coin purse closely.

“Um... excuse me, maam” she she softly to get the owner’s attention. “...I found this outside... some one must have lost it...”

FTR

Baconhands Athanas A Not So Wonderful Story 11254man

 

[FTR]

She was pulled out of the grey and just from the edge of falling into somber thought by the sudden bustle of the inn. The sounds, smells and sights of life suddenly filled her senses again. She hadn’t realized so many people would be visiting this remote colonial inn. Lilianna looked around for a moment taking in the faces that had once again come to surround her without much notice on her part. It made her feel fuzzy, she was usually one to be well aware of her environment. Her body relaxed back into the seat from its upright position and from the ceramic pot she poured herself another glass of tea. Bringing it up to her lips, the woman noticed the girl from before had become a quartet. Another girl, a young man and a odd fellow now stood around her, speaking in voices she couldn’t quite make out. Being slyer about her observation of them this time around, she spaced out her looks between theirs at each other. After several curious glances towards them. Lilianna finally caught herself and decided her fascination with them was one of anxiety and was best left alone.

Finishing her second cup, she set it down on the tray, intending to continue her search for her purse. She let the claymore off of her and onto the ground intending to use it as a handle to pull herself up from. Her fading interest in them was cut even shorter as a dog approached her. Such happy things, dogs were. Lili had seen most aggressive of guard dogs and most ruthless of hunting dogs all sport the same expression as the one in front of her now. She degloved one hand and brought it down to pet the creature, the interaction brightened her mood as it always did and for that she was grateful. "How adorable you are!" she smiled bending slightly at the hip as she cuddled the dog. Instinctively, Lili sent a final glance in the direction of the four. The fact one of them was looking at her caught her off guard. Being slightly embarrassed about something they had no way of knowing about she looked expectantly at him before resorting to a friendly smile. Now was as good a time as ever to make her exit.

Still determined against failure Lili slung the greatsword onto her back with a grunt and moved on. The heavily fur-clad Norgardian slipped between the other patrons, or tried to, making sure to keep a hand on the sword behind her back and hold it out of everyone’s way. The weapon was every bit as tall as her and its hilt extended over her as if meant to bear a banner. Some gave her looks and made comments to which she responded with “Excuse me.” and “Pardon me.”
Upon making her way to the door of the inn, Lilianna was met with a surprise. Another strange face, this one with her coin purse in tote, walked in and past her to the inn counter. The breeze she’d let in nipped at Lili’s exposed skin, causing her to close the coat more tightly around herself. “My purse…” she mused as she watched. Briefly apprehensive of the situation Lilianna hardened up and followed her to the counter with a mind to set things straight.

“Excuse me.” She interjected, addressing Isolde. “I’m sorry.” She directed at the Inn Keeper before turning her attention back to Isolde. Lili was normally a pleasant person, but she turned it up to 11 in this situation. “I see you’ve found my purse.” Her tone and continence were ones of kindness and grace. She paused for a moment, and then continued by bringing the claymore down from around her torso. Its scabbard thudded against the ground, indicating a much heavier construction than what was usual for even blades of its size. Lili strained slightly as she unsheathed a few inches of the blade showing that it bore the same insignia on its ricasso as the velvet sack did. “You see?” Lili assured, pointing at the sword and then to the purse. “I really appreciate your honesty and would love to offer you a reward in thanks. You really saved my skin by finding it.”

Dominaiscna Baconhands SilverFlight Athanas

 

[Baconhands]

Slowly but surely, Kadri's companions had joined her at her table. She was happy she wouldn't need to repeat herself to Destrian and Keenan, and truly didn't mind having to only mention the idea of holding off attacking the next guardian to Isolde. It was likely, the lineaged thought, that Isolde wouldn't attack the guardian without some sort of order given by one of the other members of the party, and since the rest appeared to be on board with the idea, Kadri was assured that she could at least have the opportunity to get answers about her current situation. Destrian cast doubt on the viability of the plan, and the concerns he raised were valid. Kadri had, however, already thought about the problems he was raising, and offered him a somewhat confident look that was emulated in her voice.
"The guardian will answer our questions because we have gotten this far. Before we begin our encounter with the next creature I will collect the orb and bring it with us. Then we will have not one but two... items with which we can prove that we are worthy of the guardian's time." She paused, thinking about Destrian's next concern before she sighed, took a sip of tea and then continued, "Honestly, I can't guarantee that the information given will be factual. But I'm hoping that the guardian will behave in a similar way to the Aspect it represents. Olikah's would be more deceptive, Awramaar is the most rational of the siblings. Selta... well I never really liked hearing the stories around her - she's an Aspect of change. One moment she could be honest and quiet, the next wrathful and spiteful. It always made the stories too unpredictable. Maybe this could work to our advantage."

The lineaged looked over to Isolde, who was returning a purse to the woman that had been looking at the group and was now being accosted by Blue. "Did any of you get any information about a place called the Garden while you were walking around?"

Dominaiscna SilverFlight Athanas A Not So Wonderful Story FTR

 

[Dominaiscna]

At the sound of a woman's voice behind her, Isolde turned to look at her just as Lilianna apologized to the owner and explained that the lost coin purse was actually hers. However, as she was worried about being tricked and giving the money to someone else entirely, Isolde kept a tight grip on the purse as she watched the other woman bring down her very large sword. The air chilled slightly with her nervousness as she wondered what Lilianna was doing...as it would not make sense for her to resort to violence, especially not in such a crowded place.

However, when Lilianna revealed the insignia on her sword that matched the one on the purse, Isolde visibly relaxed. With that, she handed the small pouch over to the stranger, offering her a small smile. "Thank you... but there's no need for that. ...it's reward enough for me to see it returned to its rightful owner..." she said softly, feeling a little shy and awkward, eyes flickering away from the other woman. As she did so, she spied Blue hanging around nearby the stranger. Her immediate reaction was that of surprise, as must have shown quite obviously on her face, and she came to the conclusion that Keenan, and potentially the others, were in the inn or in the nearby area. Casting her eyes around the room, she soon spied them seated at a corner table. Fortunately, she didn't have to go looking for them then.

Turning back, she bowed slightly, bobbing her head to Lili with a polite smile on her face before stepping back as if to go.

FTR

 

[SilverFlight]

"Destrian makes very good points." Keenan said thoughtfully. "We may get ourselves killed trying to get answers instead of fighting. If we knew more about this guardian, perhaps we could lure it into some sort of trap, force it to answer."
He'd watched Destrian buy the weapon. "It's an impressive blade to be sure, seems a shame to use it on trees, you'd dull it in no time." He reached into his satchel and pulled out a piece of rock, shaped and smooth, and offered it to Destrian.
"Whetstone." He said, "You'll need it if you want your weapon to keep its effectiveness. Actually, I'd like to spar with you at some point, see how good you are." There was a mild air of challenge to his tone as he said it.
At Destrian's word about Blue Keenan turned. He watched the scene unfold. Blue leaned into the stranger's hand, her tongue shot out and gave it a good washing before the woman got up to reclaim her purse.
Blue, happy to see Isolde trotted to her and butted the woman's leg with her squared head.

"I haven't found out much beyond the fact that the garden is a place nobody wants to visit. I'd say they're tall tales mostly, if I hadn't just fought an evil dragon that breathed mind-altering gas...but I digress, the stories say people who go there freeze solid, become perfect statues of ice. They say to get there we need to head due North, and the colder it gets, the closer we are."
Baconhands Athanas Dominaiscna FTR

 

[FTR]

Lili took her purse back and smiled at Isolde in return. “Thank you very much……I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.” She said loosely tying the pouch to her harness by its straps, just to get it out of the way. “I’m Lilianna Erlandsson.” She said with a curtsy. “Don’t worry, it’s a married name.” she jokingly assured Isolde she wasn’t in fact a son of a man named Erland. Lili noticed her eyes shy away from her and to another part of the room, she glanced out of the corner of her eye to where she had been staring. The four from before, she must be their fifth. Her eyes drew back to Isolde before she could notice she had been staring off too.

Lillianna thought for a moment. Having been reunited with her means meant that she could now continue her search for answers. The now bustling inn was as good a place as any to pick back up and perhaps this girl and her friends could be a good starting point. Besides, that it allows her to redeem herself in her own mind for her odd behavior. As she figured this, Isolde physically started to back away from their interaction. Something Lili understood, she probably wanted to get back to her friends, or at least who she assumed were her friends. Not wanting to act on assumptions she simply waited for her introduction intending on saying her goodbyes afterwards.

Dominaiscna

 

[Dominaiscna]

Isolde paused as the other woman introduced herself, politely listening to what she had to say. At her explanation of her married name, she let out a light laugh and, after a slightly pause, gave her own name too. “Isolde... my name is Isolde... of Eastern Volk..” she said softly, her voice trailing off towards the end of her sentence before adding in an attempt to offer an explanation “...I uh... I don’t have a surname...”
The natives of the Salt flats didn’t use surnames, only first names. And back then, she wasn’t even Isolde yet, known by another name entirely. Only when she was brought into the orphanage in Frost Veill was she given the name Isolde. She did not have a family name, none of the orphans did. When she came to Volk and became apprentice to the village healer, she was never officially adopted into the family. So she was only ever Isolde.
As Blue butted her head against her leg, she looked down at the dog, a grin forming on her lips. “Hey there, Blue...” she cooed softly, trailing her fingers down from her head to her back.
Turning her attention back to Lilianna, she offered her one last smile. “ah I need to um... go back now... it was nice meeting you, Mrs Erlandsson... ” with one last bob of her head, Isolde turned to go back to the group, shifting the fur coat in her arms.

FTR SilverFlight Baconhands A Not So Wonderful Story Athanas

 

[SilverFlight]

Blue circled Isolde once, then went back to investigating Lilianna. The pouch she had just tied to her belt reminded the dog of one Keenan had, that containing bits of dried rabbit or venison he would feed to her after training. Gently she placed the pouch between her teeth and pulled. Blue was smart enough to know what she was doing was wrong, and so, as soon as she had the item she way away, loping between the tables, only when she was back at Kadri's table did she stop to turn around and see if she was being followed.
"What've you got there?" Keenan noticed his dog and the guilty look on her face, then he saw the purse.
"Hey! Blue, who did you take that from?!" He made a grab for it but that was the wrong thing to do. Blue danced away from him, tossing her head and flaunting her prize. Normally she was very obedient, but the length of time they had been cooped up on the ship had made her restless and she wanted to play. Blue would stay away from anyone who wanted what she had.
"I think we might need to find something she wants more than that purse." Keenan suggested.
FTR Dominaiscna Baconhands
Athanas A Not So Wonderful Story

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri was happy that somebody had gathered some information. They had a direction and something to head towards. But Keenan raised yet another valid point; what was the guardian they were facing going to be like? Kadri got out one of her many books and laid it down; it was bound in leather and had four playing cards ingrained into the front of it, all of them aces for a different suit. She opened it, skimming page by page until she reached the last one she had written on. It had runes written on it, exactly as had appeared on the orb. There were only five lines of these.
"I believe I can answer that question to a degree." She looked at the others somewhat cautiously, and lowered her voice as she leaned in, "This book is for the information I've gathered on the artefacts. The last page here is for the artefact of ice, or at least the information that was inscribed on the artefact of darkness. There were only five lines and one of them mentioned Selta's blood, another the Garden and-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Blue had trotted over, a purse in her hands. Kadri blinked in surprise. She sat back as Keenan grabbed for the item, only for Blue to triumphantly evade him.
"What exactly does your dog like more than money?" She asked with a light tone to her voice. She found this situation to be quite amusing - how had Blue managed to rob someone so efficiently?
Her eyes wandered over to Isolde; was she a secret master criminal, Kadri jokingly thought.
The lineaged closed the book and looked over to the woman who had been eyeing them; Isolde had returned Blue's purse to her only a few seconds ago. Kadri resolved to wave her over.
"We might have to purchase her something small to say sorry," Kadri said, trying to hide her grin.
SilverFlight Dominaiscna A Not So Wonderful Story Athanas FTR

 

[A Not So Wonderful Story]

Velma had completely zoned out after kindly declining Kadri's offer of tea. She thought really hard for a long moment. Then she started to have a rush of anxiety. Yes, this was fun. Yes, she's been in worse situations but... What was she thinking?! She trusted these people for their morals, but she barely knew their names! Now Kadri was speaking of yet another artifact to collect. She gulped a bit and was clearly nervous, which was very unlike her from what she's shown. She casually pulled out an odd shaped rib bone from her bag and hid it in her sleeve, not really minding if her team saw, but she hated stares. Then, she did the unexpected. She lifted the bone to her mouth and crunched into it like it was ice. She chewed slowly and took a deep breath as she calmed down. Crazy girl's stress food is bones. Who woulda' thunk. She saw Blue slobber out a purse and smiled a bit. She slipped the bone out of her sleeve and wagged it in front of Blue's face.
"C'mon girl, these are tasty, I promise."
She then chuckled as she tossed it up into the air for her before turning to Keenan.
"Thanks, I think it fits nicely."
She traced her finger over the embroidery before looking down towards Keenan's feet.
"Say Keenan, you mind chattin'? You're kinda the one I know best out of the group so far, and even then I don't know you."
She looked up to him as she pet Shrimp with that subtle grin of hers. Shrimp gurgled happily before pulling away and running into Blue, headbutting her playfully and huffing out of his nose(?).
If anything, Velma looked nauseous and queasy. She was clearly uncomfortable now that she had a firm realization of the situation at hand, and did her best to hide it with a grin.

SilverFlight Baconhands Dominaiscna FTR Athanas

 

[FTR]

"Isolde, what a wonderful name. Good enough without a surname I suppose." Lilianna commented noticing Blue come up to her as Isolde spoke. She didn't think much of it until it was too late. "Well don't mean to keep you. Thanks again for finding my purse. You don't know how h-" Lili was cut off by Blue having made off with her just retrieved coin purse and she lunged at the dog. But missed, landing face first onto the ground.
"Hey st- Someone catch that dog!" She yelled with a slight stammer, rising to her feet. Trying to make her way through the crowd as fast as possible didn't play out as gracefully as she may have hoped. She ended up bouncing off many of the larger men like a pinball as she followed the animal's path. "Sorry. Excuse me. Pardon me. Get out of the way!" Lilianna exclaimed.
Finally on the other side, she came to a momentary standoff between her, the dog and what she assumed was their owners. The kids from before, figures.
"Easy, girl. Come on....give me the bag. Come on. You don't have any use for it. Here, doggy." Lili said in a singsong tone of voice, bent low and whistling for the dog's attention.
"She's got my purse." She said directed at the group, though not breaking contact with the dog.
One of them brought out a bone of some kind, trying to coax the dog away from her money with it.
Hoping it'd keep it's attention, Lili inched her way closer to the hound likely resembling a bald-faced, dwarf yeti stalking something.

SilverFlight Baconhands Athanas Dominaiscna A Not So Wonderful Story

 

[SilverFlight]

Blue's attention stuck to the bone in Velma's hand. When she tossed it the purse came tumbling out of her mouth and she leapt up to catch her new prize. Keenan snatched the purse away before Blue had time to rethink. He looked at their new acquaintance apologetically. "I am very sorry about that...she's still young."
The purse was no worse for wear, save being a little moist.
"Would you let me buy you a drink to apologize? Come, sit with us."
He called the waitress over and told Liliana to order whatever she wanted at his expense.
FTR

When he sat back down he was grinning at Velma. "Brilliant thinking." Blue went to lie on the carpet by the fire, gnawing her bone happily until Shrimp came over, then she tried to tease him with it, seeing if this strange new dog would play tug-of-war.
"I'd be happy to talk." He said, watching the two play. "Actually, I'd like to learn more about you...are you all right?" She looks a little uneasy, was it the crowded space?
"We can step outside if you like."
A Not So Wonderful Story

 

[Dominaiscna]

Isolde had just been about to turn away from Lilianna and return to her group, when she had a gut feeling and turned back just in time to see Blue pull the coin purse free of the woman’s harness. However before she could even make a sound to warn her, the dog was off running with Lilianna trying her best to keep up as Blue weaved through the tables, making a beeline back to the main group.

Though initially stunned and largely filled with concern for the poor woman’s coin purse, Isolde’s hand shot up to her mouth to cover a light giggle as she watched the events unfold before her. Seeing how Lili chased after the runaway Blue and bumped into the various other patrons at the inn was quite funny to watch... she didn’t want to laugh at the poor woman’s expense but she couldn’t help herself.

Making her way over in a notably more graceful manner, Isolde took a seat at the table by Destrian and Kadri where there was still a seat to spare, a smile still tuggin at her lips as she watched the others figure out ways to get Blue to abandon the purse. In her arms, she still carried the coat that she had gotten for Keenan, tucked neatly into her lap so that it wouldn’t drag on the ground. She had intended on giving it to him as soon as she saw him, but the incident with Blue had made her momentarily forget about the coat.

When Keenan called the waitress over, she took the opportunity to order some hot tea herself. It was not like she was cold or anything... but now that the laughter had died down, some of her uneasiness and nervousness was creeping back, magnified by the howling of the wind outside. Isolde found that any sort of warmth helped her relax... and she could always do with a cup of freshly brewed tea.

A Not So Wonderful Story Athanas FTR SilverFlight Baconhands

 

[Baconhands]

Keenan had left to talk with Velma, or at the least it looked like he was going to go. He had essentially left the table with the lineaged of Olikah... though I suppose he was one as well now. Or he had always been lineaged but simply hadn't known it. That was the only explanation for it; how that had been kept from him until now was completely beyond Kadri. With the... cousins (Kadri supposed) gone to discuss something, that left her with Destrian, Isolde and the person whose purse had been stolen by Blue. She was going to reveal her scales, and the black, growing colony that was emerging among her blue ones, but with the arrival of the stranger, she decided against it. The information she was going to digress about the artefact was also muted, lest the newcomer proved to be working for a different power hunting for the artefacts also. Her suspicion led her to put her book back into her satchel.

An uneasy silence settled among the group for a few moments before Kadri decided to break the silence. She spoke slowly, awkwardly, trying to mask her suspicion and unease, "So... um... what brings you here? Assuming you're not from around here."
Her accent quickly betrayed that she was not a local by any stretch of the imagination, or even from any of the Commonwealth's nations. It was clear she wasn't trying to be rude or hostile, but she was very much uncomfortable around the new person.
Athanas Dominaiscna FTR

A bell started ringing in the middle of the town. Many of the tenants started to leave the inn after finishing their drinks. Kadri, curious, looked to the waitress. Her question didn't need to be asked.
"There's a blizzard coming. Ten minutes or so. They tend to last an hour or so though some have lasted days. Best to stay indoors until it passes. Most people that go out in the blizzards tend to disappear without a trace." The waitress said almost nonchalantly.
SilverFlight A Not So Wonderful Story

 

[SilverFlight]

((Silver & Not So Wonderful Story collab))

As soon as it was offered, Velma would hook her arm with his and practically drag him out the Inn as she pulled him out the door. She was quite strong for her size. As the door swung open, she let go and paced lightly in the snow. "I-I am not sure what I've gotten myself into. What exactly are you guys doing? Collecting artifacts?? There are thousands of artifacts! What makes these so special?" She was clearly distressed, her elegant robes billowing behind her as she left small footprints in the snow. 'Olikah has guided me into many terribly surprising scenarios, but this is insane! Why would he throw me into this! She stopped and looked to Keenan with a worried grin. "Is this not mad? I just, I don't know how to comprehend this..."(edited)

"Whoa!" Keenan was not expecting the strength that pulled him. He let himself be dragged out the door. Blue watched, relatively nonplussed. Once outside Keenan listened to her seriously. in his opinion Velma had every right to be concerned. He barely grasped what they were doing, but it was the why that was important, and that is what he tried to explain. "These aren't just any artifacts." He cast his gaze about, making sure there were no unexpected eaves droppers. "They're special. Born of the aspects. They hold immeasurable power. I've seen it work. That horse that Kadri summoned? It came from one of those artifacts. There are dark forces after them. Kadri found out, so, she recruited us to help her get them before those who would put that power to nefarious purposes." Keenan paused for a moment to let her process the gravity of what he was saying.
"It is mad, and dangerous yes, but if we don't try...there's no telling how much damage could be done..I..I think the people we're up against might happily turn the world to flame and ruin."

Velma soaked in all the information. Her grin took a weird shape before she gulped. "By Olikah, if you're pulling my leg!" She pointed to Keenan with a suddenly angry expression before throwing her hand down. "Ugh! I can't even be mad at you!" She sighed heavily and finally calmed down. Evil after power, and Good to stop it. Wonderful. "I'm sorry Keenan, it's just that I've been trying to stay away from these forces you speak of. Shrimp is the only thing I've ever had to protect before..." She chuckled with reluctance. "And now I'm charging straight into them..." She thought Keenan would definitely understand her now. To be alone all her life then suddenly thrown into saving the world, and all. She seemed very grateful to get it all off her chest, and rubbed her elbow awkwardly in silence.

Keenan tried not to step back as the energy of the situation escalated. He let Velma rant. Knowing it wasn't directed at him. When the silence settled he offered her an understanding smile. "I won't think any less of you for turning around and walking away...but something tells me...that's not who you are." He looked past her, watching the snow rise eerily up from the ground around them. "Besides. at least with us...you're not on your own anymore."

Velma smiled lightly at the comment of her not being one to walk away. She definitely wasn't. For better or worse, she always committed to what she did. Once she heard him yell her she wasn't on her own, her breath caught in her throat. It's been so long she had lost track of the time between her last interaction with someone. She looked at Keenan with a softer grin of sharp teeth and nodded. "Thanks Keenan... I'll call it even for saving your cans from the dragon." She grinned and chuckled a bit. "But seriously, I'm grateful for your time." She looked around a bit and concluded that she was emotionally sober now. "We should continue inside, I'll tell you anything you want to know."

Keenan returned her smile, still slightly unsettled by her pointed teeth, though he attempted to hide it. "We're even then." He bowed his head politely. "Whatever time I can spare, feel free tot take what you need."
At the offer of information Keenan straightened. "Well, outside of where you came from...what your story is...which perhaps you're ready to share, perhaps not...eventually I want to know more about your...our lineage." It was still strange to say it. "But it can wait. The others will be expecting us. Kadri will be eager to start up the mountain." He moved to the door and held it open for her. "After you."

Velma headed inside, her normal smile back in place. "I have much to say about our lineage. Perhaps we'll speak tonight of it. As for the mountain, Kadri has best learn our route from a local before hand. You can't follow signs to a place you can't find." Velma seemed to dodge her background for the sake of keeping the group's trust. Who would trust an assassin? Sure, Destrian was a mad man, but Velma was very professional. It was chilling to most. "But Keenan, do tell me of your stories! I've never met a knight before." She sat back down at the table their group was and smiled at Keenan with her white fangs.


Keenan joined her back at the table, a little sheepish at being called a knight.
"Well, technically I'm not a knight...not anymore." He was keenly aware that the others were now around them too. "It's a bit of a long story."
He seemed rather subdued when he said it and his eyes drifted to the shield sitting back against the wall, the rampant silver gryphon on a field of blue, maw open in mid cry.
A Not So Wonderful Story Baconhands Dominaiscna FTR Athanas

 

[FTR]

Unable to fight the lure of food, the dog dropped Lili’s purse and one the boys quickly swiped it up. She watched Blue trot away with the bone, slightly annoyed with her. Though that was overshadowed by the bewilderment from seeing a krilk follow. Her hand twitched towards her swords upon seeing it. She’d only known one method of dealing with varmints like them and it wasn’t making them pets. Witnessing it act somewhat domesticated relaxed her some, though she still found it strange. She returned her attention to the young man who was now in possession of purse. It seemed her hands were the ones that’d held it the least today.
“It’s no issue so long as I got it back.” She lied for the sake of pleasantry. The fact her rather expensive little bag was now covered dog saliva did bother her some. “Thank you very much…Sir…(?).” Lili responded with a stress at the end, fishing for him to the proper thing and be the introduction between them. Having been around royal etiquette for the entirety of her life now it had become her modus operandi and as an extension those she interacted with. Especially someone clad in such a knightly fashion.
As a matter of fact this whole ordeal sat awkwardly in Lilianna’s mind. Her suspicion and interest in the group, something about her talk with Isolde, the fact she’d managed to lose track of her purse TWICE in one day, and having to chase an animal through a crowded room for it, it all seemed incredibly uncouth; especially relative to her.
The informality in the exchange with Keenan reminded her that she’d not exactly acted in a way that warranted anything more. From that fact she drew a bit more embarrassment than she was already feeling. The warden was no doubt looking down on her with furrowed brow and squinted eye on this day and that idea made Lili become extra conscientious as a means of damage control. She took back the purse and accepted his grace even though it wasn’t his entire fault, since denying it would be impolite. Though, the fact she still had an unfinished kettle not a few yards away did seem a bit wasteful.
“Einn Snúður, vinsamlegast. “ She requested and then added. “Og fimm fleiri.” Likely giving the waitress more than the pastries all cost. The forwardness of Kadri’s inquiry caught Lilianna off guard. An interesting thing to assume, even had an air of suspicion to it. It seemed like a product of paranoia and that fact coupled with the girl’s accent had Lili tilt her head slightly at her question.
“I guess I am and I’m not.” She smiled. “I arrived from Norgard very early this morning.” Lili continued pulling out a handkerchief to wipe off what she could from the velvet; she would definitely have to wash it. “As to why I am here, I’m in search of someone. Someone I believe can help me….” Her hazel brown eyes stared passed Kadri, a somber look flashing across her face as she contemplated the reason why she was there. “-with a family matter.” She finished, snapping back to reality and stashing her purse more securely on her person. “One moment.” With that, she excused herself for a moment and returned to where she had started and poured herself another cup of black tea. While she did so, Lili noticed one the girls pulling the young knight out of the door. The sight made her smirk as she briefly wondered whether the two were an item. Upon returning to the group she stood off to the side of the table, not knowing which seat was taken. “I had actually been hoping one of you knew the area well enough to point me in the right direction. I am looking for Gorm the Grey.” Lili looked around at the group, trying to get a feel for each of them just from how they were carrying themselves. So far, they seemed to be a group made up of a nervous one, a bashful one, two into each other, and an another she was unsure about.
Then there was the dog. And then there was the vermin.

Baconhands SilverFlight A Not So Wonderful Story Dominaiscna Athanas

 

[Athanas]

Destrian had perked up in delighted surprise as Keenan offered him the whetstone."Why, thank you! Honestly, I hadn't even thought about buying one. Thought I'd manage to somehow break it mid-fight. Even so, thanks."
...You might need to remind me how it's done properly though. I haven't had a proper weapon in years." He finished his remark with what looked like an awkward smile.

His attention was shifted to the spectacle of Blue having literally just robbed a woman of her coinpurse. He couldn't help but let out a loud fit of laughter, almost falling from his chair. The sight of the woman desperately fumbling through the crowd, and then trying to reason with the damn thing was just utterly droll, even though the woman didn't seem nearly as amused as he was.

Eventually Keenan, with Velma's help, managed to retrieve the purse from Blue's jaws, and of course, being the Gallant Knight that he so insisted on being, gave it back, even offering the woman a drink. Destrian merely decided for a little jab of mockery:"I must congratulate you! You're the first person I've ever seen get robbed by an animal. Truly an achievement!"
He laughed again, gesturing for her to sit. He kind of hoped that she wouldn't take offense to his jabs. His first Impression of her didn't mark her as some sort of threat: She was scrawnier than him, and from the looks of it, easily startled. The second sword she carried seemed odd to him though: It was a claymore, almost as tall as she was. Truly, such a heavy weapon would be far too heavy for someone her size-so why did she keep it?

His expression got slightly more serious at the mention of the oncoming blizzard, and the claim that all who went out during the phenomenon apparently vanished. he turned to Kadri:Maybe you've heard of some legend, or tale, or something along these lines that can help us pinpoint what the thing is? I'd rather not risk us getting caught out against an unknown threat when we're nowhere near civilization."

His pondering was interrupted as Keenan and Velma returned from their private conversation. Truly, he was slightly annoyed. First Kadri, now Velma, both insisted on having one-on-one sessions with the Knight. He was more than certain that before long, Isolde would also seek him out. His mind insisted that they chose to discuss in private because, clearly, they did not trust him. He was more than a little annoyed at that point, given how long they had spent together, and just how much he had contributed. Surely, overlooking a few slightly-erratic behaviors was not too much to ask of them?
Destrian sighed. Of course it was.Despite everything you've done for them, eventually they will hate you, after all.

Deciding not to let that small piece of Information bother him, he instead finished his cup of tea and started pouring another. As he did that, heard Keenan's remark about no longer being a knight. He decided to try and inquire."Why's that? Were you actually honorable?" The implication was a bit more snide than he'd have wanted, but alas.