Fantasy The Guild of El'yssi: Advent

[Azukai]

The rise of the morning sun came with an unnerving disturbance that rippled across Genroi. For most long term residents, the bone-chilling shrieks of Omen Speakers were common enough that they had grown numb to their cries. The same, however, could not be said for anyone else, whose experience with these creatures were either minimal, or whose mental fortitude was weak against dread. "Remind me, Vin. Whose bright idea was it to send Omen Speakers at the crack of bloody dawn?" Sylvia uttered in a fear-stricken tone; her gaze focused on the ominous birds that soared in every which direction away from their roost. The man, known as Vin, only chuckled in response to his companion's agitation, knowing full well that he, himself, was the cause of her and everyone else's terror.

"Keep it up and you'll attract one." Sure enough, a blood-curdling shriek was heard directly above their heads, as a ginormous bird began its circling descent towards Sylvia. Omen Speakers had more than just a terrifying call. With a wing span that stretched nearly twenty four feet and a body that stood as high as the average adult, Omen Speakers were one of the largest avian species to soar across El'yssi's skies. With a loud thud, a cloud of debris was stirred into the air as the bird collided against the dusty ground and began eyeing Sylvia with a sinister gaze. The bird was grotesque in every which way. Patches of feather and skin were sloughing off its body, while oozing pus seeped from its festering wounds filled with crawling, vomit-inducing life. Sylvia grunted in disgust; however, she still reached forward and began petting the top of the bird's head, doing her best to ignore the revolting wetness that began to coat her hand. In an instant, the waves of dread emanating from the bird's body dissipated away, as did the horror of its figure. In its place was an ordinary avian body, coated in black feathers and happily squawking at her and Vin. "Just because their demeanor scares me, doesn't mean I don't know how to handle myself around one." She announced in a chiding tone which again made Vin laugh. "A cruel test you have placed upon our hopeful Seekers, however. Fail to placate the Omen Speaker, and they will never receive the location of the Selection, nor would they receive the emblem to even qualify in the first place." She gave the bird a hard smack against its wing, then watched as it burst into the air and returned to its roost.

Genroi was a magnificent city-state, not only because of its unparalleled architecture and technology borrowed from the Synthian, but also because of its vast nature preserves that acted as conservation grounds for the Tamers and Alchemists of the Guild. The Roost was one of these grounds--specifically for endangered species of avians and other flight-gifted creatures--which existed along the hills that surrounded the outskirts of the city. Because of its elevated location, the Roost provided a jaw-dropping view down into the valley where the city laid adjacent to the Southern Okino Ocean. Even though the sun had only begun its ascent, numerous merchant ships were visible on the horizon, some of them returning to the homes abroad, while others brought fresh goods for the bustling Guild marketplace.

A small sigh escaped Sylvia's lips as she plopped onto the ground, unfazed by the grass and dirt which marred the underside of her pearly silken dress. Immediately, she closed her eyes, leaned backwards, and began resting her upper body against Vin's legs. "Why did you bring me here?"

Vin, who was unfazed by the sudden interaction, continued to gaze towards the ocean horizon with a small smile on his face. "I may have been absent for the last five years, but that doesn't mean I've grown ignorant to the mainland. It isn't a mere coincidence that the great Rosenwald, herself, has summoned me of all people to oversee the growth of new Seekers. So tell me, Sylvie. Why did you bring me here?"

This time it was Sylvia's turn to chuckle. She leaned her head back as far as it would go and gazed up towards Vin with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Vit du, du svarinc zenath upp va..."

_____________________________________________
​

Quest: Your character will have an encounter with the chosen messenger of the Guild, an Omen Speaker. You must subdue the Omen Speaker's guise in order to claim your right at the Seeker Trial.

Reward: Seeker Emblem and a Map to the Trials

Beast Compendium Entry​

Omen Speaker: Omen Speakers are a rare avian species that only appear as a harbinger of something to come. They are native to the swamps of Afevresi. Because of their natural dread guise and blood-curdling screech, they have been considered a poor omen throughout El'yssian history. As such, they were hunted into near extinction by the Synthian people. In the present, they are considered a protected species under the Guild's conservation program and have shown great promise as messenger birds. To the unaware, they are considered a dangerous species under guise, due to their fear aura, grotesque appearance, enormous size, and seemingly aggressive temperament; however, such behavior is nothing more than a facade. Once the guise is broken, an Omen Speaker is a calm, intelligent bird that becomes quite affectionate with its Tamer.

 

[BippityBoppityBoop]

Wilfre
Location: Currently searching Punau, Dazkla for their parent
Mentions/ Interactions: Omen Speaker

The cool morning air settled uneasily over Wilfre and their grandparent, Azlay. Punau lay like an old forgotten ruin before them, and both Fytali stared helplessly at the charred earth. It was quiet. Too quiet for a forest that was once so full of life. Like every time before, Wilfre could feel the beginnings of tears form in their eye, and they looked quickly away from Azlay before they noticed. Of course, they did anyways. They shared the suffocating feeling of dread and sadness just as their grandchild. It was an awful thing that had happened to this beautiful, peaceful jungle. Nothing deserved this kind of destruction, and yet here were the marks, taunting both of them.

Look what you couldn't save! It seemed to say.
Look how I took everything! How I took your purpose away. Your pride. Your family.

It was a familiar, silent voice that Wilfre could hear every time they came. The only thing the voice couldn't seem to drown out was their hope. Hope that one day things would be back to normal. Wilfre and Azlay would find their missing comrade and everything would start to piece back together.

"I suppose it's time." Azlay spoke up, their old, croaky voice trembling. Wilfre simply nodded and headed off into a random direction. They weren't exactly sure what it was they were looking for or where they should even find it. Fre had a feeling it would jump out when they saw it though. As they walked they could feel the sharp twigs that poked up from beneath the ashes under their bare feet. The smell of smoke seemed to hang heavily in the air, even after 15 years. Perhaps it was all in their head. Fre remembered the event as if it happened yesterday, the scars on their body burning with the memories. Turning to scan the area, Wilfre realized their grandparent had disappeared. They had probably walked back into the healthier part of the forest. There were still brambles and bushes the fire hadn't gotten to take, which was where Azlay often started their search. Sighing, Wilfre started back into the direction they were headed before they stopped yet again as a feeling of nearly overwhelming fear came over them.

They glanced around nervously, wondering what had sparked such an intense feeling. There first thought was to go find Azlay and make sure they were okay, which was quickly deterred as the sound of a large bird came closer and closer. Wilfre tried to calm themself. It was only a bird, nothing to fear. But as the sound drew closer, the feeling came stronger than ever. Wilfre dropped to their knees in fright and cover, their wide eyes scanning the sky. Finally they landed on an extremely oversized avian that halted before the trembling Fytali, covering them with the ash that was scattered beneath them. Wilfre stared, frozen, unsure what to do. They had never seen anything quite like it before, and beneath the fear came a glimmer of curiosity.

The bird gave an ear piercing shriek which quickly mingled with Wilfre's. They scampered back a few steps before halting again, chest heaving with wild breaths. The bird did not seem to come closer, but regarded them with a fearsome eye.

"Who are you?" Wilfre breathed, awe consuming their tone. Of course it said nothing. Some of its feathers were missing and puss seemed to fall slowly from the sores on its skin. Despite this Fre didn't seemed too deterred by it. It kind of reminded them of their own flaws in their skin. They got slowly to their feet and started toward the beast, only to get snapped at. Fre gasped and withdrew again. The bird made the first move, making a threatening step towards them.

"I am not here to hurt you! Are you in pain?" Wilfre asked, and again was met by silence. The sores looked like they hurt, and Fre gazed at them in concern. However they took another frightened step back as the bird took one forward.

"Wilfre?!" Azlay's voice came nervously from somewhere behind them. Fre turned to find their grandparent staring at the avian.

"An Omen Speaker!" They exclaimed quietly. Wilfre had no idea what that meant, but turned back to the threat nonetheless, putting up a trembling hand.

"Please. Do no fret. You are safe here." Wilfre tried to reassure it in their most calm voice. They took a step forward this time, heart thumping loudly in their chest. The avian snapped again, but Fre didn't back down. She placed her hand calmly on its chest, the few feathers that lay there tickling their palm.

"I'll take care of you." Fre's sudden confidence was lost again when the bird seemed to transform before the two. They gasped and stepped back as it shrunk into a smaller form. Fre's fear quickly dissipated along with the gruesome appearance. A black feathered avian took its place, and Azlay laughed.

"You tamed the beast!" They mused, walking up next to Fre.

"I don't... understand what happened." They said, still gazing at the bird that now squawked happily at them.

"Omen speakers are under the protection of the guild. I believe your destiny is beginning."

 

[glooomycinnamonroll]

Desimir
Location: Pokos, outskirts
Mentions/Interactions: Omen Speaker

The morning sun found Desimir in the garden, cutting the dried purple flowers from a tall plant, humming a folk song under his breath. Being way too excited about the future and waiting so eagerly for the Guild’s answer, he could not sleep any longer. He got used to waking up early anyway, so he could get to the university and have a bit of alone time before classes. As if he had ever arrived in time. Nevertheless, old habits stick, so he was very much awake, tending to the colourful plants around his house.

It was a tiny island of peace and joy. Or it had been before the monstrous bird-like creature arrived, its shriek freezing his blood. Desimir straightened up, violet petals falling from his weakened grasp, dancing in the swirl of wind the enormous wings had caused. The creature sank in the air, fast and seemingly determined, like a hawk hunting for its prey. The prey - the former professor of phytology - froze as a deer would when listening to a crack of dried branches. He was unable to move for a moment that seemed like eternity. Neighbours shut their doors, pulled the curtains together, and he could still not run, not reach for a makeshift weapon, as he watched the long claws tearing the air just above his head, inches from the very flesh. Unimaginably loud rumbling sound wiped away his paralysis as the avian reached the ground and turned its head towards him; those gleaming, wild eyes staring at the former professor.

Desimir ran for the door, shut it behind himself, almost loosing balance, so that is shook the whole building. He gasped, pushed his back against the wood, trying to regain at least his ability to think. He glanced at the kitchen window, looked at the creature on the other side, to which the thick glass would be as easy to break as an eggshell. Desimir stared for long, at the damaged flesh that made his stomach twist, at the sharp beak, at the claws that almost touched him. He was sure the bird could hear his heartbeats. He was supposed to think clearly, to get his crossbow and sink an arrow between the monster’s eyes. Yet all that came to mind was disconnected fragments of folktales, warnings and old sayings about bad omens.

The next moment, the bird looked at him, right in his very eyes and he found it greatly entertaining that the only thing coming to mind was how similar that curious, dark gaze was to his. Then: funny how he is about to die just before actually starting exploring and getting involved into adventure. That was the moment it clicked. Detached pieces of information - that the beast was so unlikely in Synthian territory, that it reminded him so much of an Omen Speaker from the tales, that it happened so shortly after applying to the Guild and that its deadly claws just missed – suddenly came together. The picture was nicely framed by the facts he had read recently considering the Guild.

He turned around, ventured out into the garden and stopped right in front of the bird. His breath was shallow and his senses sharpened. Yet he started to mumble.

“You are a tricky one, aren’t you?” he said, his heart still beating in his throat. The avian looked at him, almost suspiciously. “Come on, this is not how you actually look, right? You would’ve eaten me minutes ago if you were as dangerous as you seem to be.”

He stopped. He doubted the creature would understand his words, but he also talked to his plants sometimes – not expecting an answer.

He took a deep breath – even though already being aware of what he was dealing with, the aura of fear still affected him – , raised his hand and softly ran it along the creatures neck. The scent of blooming flowers lingering around his fingers mingled with the stench of the gruesome wounds for a moment. Then the horrendous figure shifted, revealing its true form.

 

[Azukai]

Let the Trials Begin: Part 1​

Sunday, Year 1430, Moon of the Stag, Day 14
Vin and Sojin
Location: Afevresi Farm

The atmosphere was ripe with tension. Sojin could practically feel the agitation which came from the next room over, but he did his best to ignore it. "I-Its uh, a nice day we are having, isn't it?" He wasn't one for awkward small talk but waiting for a kettle to boil was an exceedingly boring task, and any conversation, even with the batty old grandmother kneading dough, was better than listening to the vitriol of his companions.

"Now, don't mind me, son. I know you and that other boy are of good company. The words of the other men don't bother me." At that point she began to chuckle. "Besides, when you're as old as I am, living as a Synthian farmer, insults tend to grow quite boring. They never change over the years. Very boring indeed." There was a loud thud as she slammed the finished dough into a nearby bowl and began covering its mouth with a single, large leaf. For the next hour, the yeast in the dough had to ferment--a signal which also meant that the previously-prepared bread in the oven was ready to be served.

"You and the other boy must be hungry after your journey. If you can prepare the tea, I shall whip you up a little snack." Sojin nodded at the request and immediately sprung into action. Three cups, filled with tea leaves, were already resting on the nearby counter, all they needed was some boiling water. With a flick of his right hand, three tendrils of steaming water rose from the kettle and poured themselves into each cup. It was a handy trick, and one of the many perks he had gained as a noble of Nothalass. In no time at all, three platters of butter and toast were prepared alongside each cup of tea--one for the host and the others for her esteemed guests. With a quick bow of thanks, Sojin took two of the platters and began walking towards the front of home. Along the way, he experienced numerous jeers from his fellow associates--many of whom were ridiculing him for his courteous behavior in the home of a farmer. However, he did his best to ignore their taunts and eventually found himself on the porch with Vin.

"This is quite uncustomary in regards to the usual initiation trial," He explained while offering the man one of the platters. "I worry the moderators may stage a revolt if they are kept at this location much longer." Vin never replied. He simply pointed at the nearby table with his empty hand and continued to smoke from the pipe in his other. Sojin did as he was instructed without any complaints. He placed the platter on the patio table and stood in wait for further instructions. Although he had never had the opportunity to interact with Vin, he had heard stories about the man's temperament--none of them were good.

He seems...chill though. Sojin contemplated with a bemused expression on his face. But appearances could be deceiving, and Vin was an enigma. No one really knew what he looked like, much less his past, nationality, or even race. Ever since he had become a notable figure in the Guild, he had been known for his obscure appearance, primarily due to his bowl-shaped hat and oversized cloak which worked to conceal his face. Regardless, it didn't change the fact that Vin had been banished from the Guild five years ago. How Vin came to be in charge of Seeker intake was another enigma entirely, but Sojin's pay grade was nowhere near a rank where such questions were worth asking at the expense of his career. With nothing else to do, Sojin began surveying the surrounding farmland. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. In every way, endless fields of wheat were ready for harvest, and there was certainly nothing special about ordinary, Afevresian wheat.

Is this really where the trial is going to take place? He questioned in his head. Just what is Vin thinking?

"The first has arrived." Vin suddenly announced, startling Sojin back into reality. Again, he began surveying the land to see the applicant Vin was referring too; however, no one was apparent in any visible direction.

"Uh, where?" He asked in a confused tone, his eyes still searching for the applicant. He never did receive an answer, however.

Sojin sighed. It was going to be a long day.

 

[Azukai]

Let the Trials Begin: Part 2
​

Wilfre Clarimoux, Vin, Sojin
Location: Afevresi farm

The events of taming the Omen Speaker we’re replaying over and over again in their mind as Wilfre walked through the forest, this time alone. Fre couldn’t remember the last time they had ever been alone, and they couldn’t deny the uneasy tension in their body. They were thankful the fear that had consumed them when they had met the avian was long gone however, so there really was nothing to be complaining about.

They had left Azlay just two days ago, and already the same hollow feeling they had felt when their parent went missing struck them. They thought it was quite odd considering Azlay was just fine when they had left.

Was just fine. It didn’t comfort Wilfre in the slightest.

“You worry too much Fre. Calm down.” They said out loud, as if speaking could put them at ease, and somehow it seemed to work. They felt less alone. As they trudged through the forest they hummed quietly to themself, occasionally glancing at the map that had been provided by the bird. Fre had never been good at map reading, but they were sure this was the right way. They brushed the thick vines that sprouted from their head away from their face and suddenly noticed the sun that seemed much too harsh than it was in the past couple of hours.

Fre glanced up and noticed the thick foliage of the trees were no longer granting them cover. They turned and noticed they had walked a few feet out and into an open field full of what seemed to be wheat. The air smelled strongly of the stuff and as they turned to admire their surroundings they noticed a small structure peeking at them from the horizon. So they were close to civilization. Again the feeling of unease crept up on them and they fought to push it down.

You wanted this. Azlay said it was a good opportunity. They support you. Don’t be such a wuss.

A few deep breaths later and they set off in the direction of the building. They enjoyed the sun immensely, a rejuvenating feeling that only spurred them forward and helped with the anxious feelings. As they walked they had the sensation of being watched. Somehow instead of scaring them, it only encouraged their newfound determination to get to the building. At this moment they felt like they could take on anything.

Nearing the structure, Fre saw that it was simply a small farmhouse. Two people sat out front, and they noticed that this must have been the source of the watchful eyes. Fre pauses, took a few hesitant steps forward, then paused again, moving the tangled vines from her vision.

They watched the two men apprehensively, dropping the map to their side.

“Hullo. I’m Wilfre. Is- is this where I’m supposed to be?”

 

[Azukai]

Let the Trials Begin: Finale
​

Vin, Sojin, Shulchung, Seeker Applicants
Location: Afevresi farm

Sojin was the first to react to Wilfre’s arrival. Although there was a smile on his face, his tone was stern as he responded to their question. “That depends. Bare the symbol of the Seeke--..Ow.” His words quickly faltered into sudden pain. A hand had firmly grasped his left shoulder with several fingers digging deep into his nerves. Sojin’s immediate reaction was to turn and protest, but his bravado quickly faltered upon realizing the source of his pain. “A-Advisor Shulchung, I was not aware you were among the testing council.” Like himself, Shulchung was a nobleman from Nothalass; however, unlike Sojin, Shulchung’s rank far outweighed his own, both in the Guild and in royal standing. In his current position, he was the advisor to the Nothlathian representative of the Guild--essentially giving him authority over every examiner on the site.

“I came out of concern, after hearing that the traditions of our great Guild were being broken by a certain...outsider.” There was disdain in his voice as he spat a reference towards Vin. After releasing Sojin’s shoulder, the nobleman took several steps forward and made himself Wilfre’s primary focus before speaking to them. “I commend your dedication to the journey; however, this trial is invalid--or rather I should say, inapplicable to you.” There was a smile on his face--the same, condescending smile given to someone considered far beneath them. “There are...priority applicants, if you will, and their exam must come before your own. I can see there was an obvious error in the distribution of invitations; however, I must still ask you to leave the premises for today’s. Your true invitation shall come at a....later time, when it’s more...suited for someone such as yourself.” To further his point, one of the “priority” applicants had arrived on the scene during his explanation--another obvious nobleman based on the fact that an ornate carriage, driven by freshly groomed steeds, had delivered him to the testing grounds. Even his appearance screamed money, with the finest Chitonian armor clad against his body and the mastercrafted rifle strapped against his frail Synthian back.

Fre watched the scene play out before them in both confusion and anger. Another man who’s name had already escaped them had startled one of the men that had been waiting. This man was clearly above the others, shown only to Fre by the way one was cowering. The one in charge held an air to him that immediately rubbed Fre the wrong way. The way he carried himself reminded them of how their parents would do so when their Brigand would run into another on accident. It happened very rarely, but it did happen.

They opened their mouth to argue but were interrupted when conveniently, a very pristine looking carriage pulled up to the little farm house. As if to rub it in Fre’s face, a man clad in very intimidating looking armor hopped out, a sneer spread across his face. Wilfre scrunched their face in anger but showed no emotion otherwise. Turning to the men now, they stared for a moment before speaking casually, their ugly emotions that were bubbling so fast to the brink of overflowing somehow controlled.

“To waste one’s time like this is looked down upon I hope you know. I travelled two days to get here, only to be turned away because of some wealthy man that, when you get down to it, is no more important than you or I. I do not understand your rituals.” Wilfre held their gaze a bit longer, then turned and began to leave--at least until their departure was interrupted by a sudden, apathetic interjection.

“Has the bickering come to an end?” Vin said with a trailing yawn. “I almost thought I was back at the bar, listening to the drunkards bitch and moan about the most senseless shite.”

Shulchung looked as if he had been struck in the mouth. His jaw hung open and sputtered nonsensical utterings which Vin effectively ignored. Instead, he tilted his head in Wilfre’s direction and began addressing them with equal annoyance. “You, plant, negative 5 points off your score. Your lack of conviction pisses me off. And you...” Vin grew silent when his eyes fell upon the armor clad Synthian. “You know what, actually, I don’t even care. You'll drop out of this trial in the next ten minutes after you suffer a heat stroke, anyways. Who wears a full, bloody set of armor in hundred degree weather? Absolute morons, the noble breed are.”

Sure enough, the nobleman was already showing signs of heat exhaustion--his body swaying from side to side--yet that didn’t stop him from taking offense to Vin’s statement. He began a stream of expletives and threats; all which were quickly silenced the moment Vin rose from his chair.

Vin was massive in comparison. Towering near six and half feet, he was easily the tallest person on the farm and likely the most meanincing, given the uncertainty which surrounded his name. Even Shulchung knew better than to begin a tirade of his own, knowing full well Vin, banishment aside, was known for being one of the best Subjugators* in the history of the Guild--a title you did not receive as a frail, incapable being.

“I see more of you have arrived…” Vin announced in a booming voice which could reach the numerous applicants approaching from the distance. “Consider yourselves lucky for arriving in a timely manner as I only plan to say this once. You have less than twenty four hours remaining to complete the Quest that has been assigned here. Everything you have to know has now been explained. Everything you need to know to solve the quest...well, that will be on you to figure out. Let the Trial begin...”

--------------------------------------------------------​

Subjugator: A highly specific subclass of Tamers whose primary focus is the subjugation of dangerous, S-class beasts.

Quest: Solve the mystery of the farm within twenty fours. Failure to do so will result in failure of the Seeker Trial. Vin has given you no information surrounding what needs to be done. Good luck figuring it out, Explorers of young and old.

Notable Observations:

1. The weather is very hot. It is roughly 100 degrees, and the sun is shining with minimal cloud coverage.
2. The wheat seems generally unhealthy. There are numerous patches of missing growth.
3. The Farmer’s home seems unkempt, as if it had not been maintained for the last couple of weeks.
4. Tools are strewn across the field.
5. There are a group of unhappy examiners sitting within the home.

 

[Lazaro1505]

Akiri Dayir
Location: In a undisclosed location near a forest
Mentions/Interactions: Omen Speaker

A peaceful day..... but he wasn’t here to relax. He was here to gain the right to become a Seeker, and it seems it would not be an easy task to do. Had it been a single week, or weeks that he spent waiting for any form of answer from the guild. This was one of the thoughts as an armored figure sat near a dwindling campfire, and at their side was a resting form of a wolf. Dawn has almost arrived, and it was another day full of unexpected events and things to watch out for at the very least, but for now, he rested near the campfire, as the flames began to die, reminding him that life is like a fire...... burning bright one second, and slowly dying the next.

But he didn’t account for anything arriving to his small campfire, for he had heard a terrifying call from above, one that would make anyone who was not ready cower in fear from the unexpected noise. While he was surprised, he made no such threatening moves as he slowly move up from his sitting form, the armor of the man making no noise as he got up. It was when the beast who made its call, was a large and grotesque looking avian creature, who landed near the sitting place of where he once lie on.

Akiri made no threatening and sudden moves to the avian creature, but the once dormant wolf who once was resting near him did not make the same moves as it owner. The wolf would get up and bare its teeth at the bird, showing it’s dagger like weapons it contained in its mouth, making a low growl as it prepared to fight tooth and claw in order to protect its master.

Akiri however, had no such plan for violence, as he extended his arm in the direction of the wolf and saying “Down girl.... we have no need for such violence, for it would have already made motion to striking us instead of staying out of our reach.” as the wolf stayed down, still at attention in case the bird made any clear threat to their wellbeing.

Walking slowly to the creature, he made sure to make no threatening motion, but the bird seem to give a piercing gaze from it’s eye, before making a snapping motion towards Akiri. This however did not deter him, for he felt no reason to feel fear from this bird. The bird only did more motions, such as snapping its beak at him, and made threatening motions towards him in order to stop this advancement. This was all in vain, for it did little to stop him from getting closer to the horrific looking bird.

After reaching the bird, he slowly extended his right arm towards the chest of the creature, as he slowly whispered “You may think that I will be afraid of this, but I know I have no reason to fear you.”.... the bird now desperate in warding off this armor man, but as he caressed the damp feathers in its chest with his armored hand, it stopped all it’s threats towards him. A few seconds after, he released his hand from the bird, it seemed to change its shape and reveal what was truly hiding behind the illusion. And what was left behind, was a ordinary bird coated in black feathers, happily chirping at him.

The neutral emotion of Akiri’s metal mask did not change at all, but underneath it, he felt that this was the first of many other tasks sent by the Guild, and so, prepared to leave camp as soon as possible.

 

[HowlingWolf]

Despite the months spent outside the deserts of Agriagi, Koze hadn’t quite gotten used to the concept of a deep sleep yet. In the tribe of Shapeshte, all Thauri had been expected to be up at the first rays of sunlight stretching over the golden plains, hunting or performing some other task that had been assigned to them. The night held little peace as well; one always had to keep an eye open and an ear flicked for warnings signs of an attack.

Koze had always enjoyed the hunt. With Vuka by their side, almost nothing escaped their notice or grasp. They moved as though one creature with two bodies, always in sync, always connected. Now, stalking the deer in front of them, the pang of something wrong echoed through Koze’s chest as they realized, as they did every morning when they hunted, that their twin wasn’t with them on this hunt. Vuka was far away, traveling on their own time while Koze waited. For what, he almost didn’t know how to answer. On a whim he had decided to send an application to the… Guild, though the why was still a mystery to them. Did they really think they were ready to face more people, especially without their twin at their side? Did they really think that he was ready to be around so many others that weren’t Thauri?

Their prey jerked its head up in alarm, disappearing into the trees in the span of a breath. Koze almost didn’t notice, their vision blurring over at the thoughts that raced through their mind. What if the Alphas had been right? Their heart thudded against their chest and Koze sucked in a sharp breath, feeling as though his lungs were constricting. What was—

Koze only had time to throw themselves to the ground as wind pushed against their back and the sharp click of talons closed right above where their head had been. The constriction in their chest squeezed tighter as they looked up and saw what could only be described as a bird— or at least a bird-like creature— skidded against the earth, its huge talons sinking into the hard dirt beneath their feet. They had never seen something like this before. This— this was a monster.

The monster looked halfway between life and decay, something that had been dug out of a grave far too soon. Its very presence festered with rot and sickness, and the overpowering stench made Koze flinch back. It turned towards them, its eyes bright as it opened its massive beak and let out a deep, throaty cry that shook its way through Koze’s body.

He narrowed his eyes, claws digging into the ground as they raised themselves into a crouch, hackles raised behind them, Koze gave the harshest snarl they could manage. It seemed pitiful in comparison to the monsters, but it seemed to give the beast a pause, however slight.

The monstrous bird gathered itself, rearing back just enough that Koze could see the retreat of its shoulders and they dove to the side, tucking close and rolling with the momentum as the bird exploded towards them. Faster than Koze thought was possible, it cut through the air, raking its talons only a hair’s breath from Koze’s chest as they jerked back, slashing out with their own claws. They were met with wet, sticky flesh that curdled into their silver-black fur. Their claws hardly seemed to do anything to the beast, and it rammed into his side with one of its wings, sending him skidding on the ground. They coughed, spitting onto the dirt, their eyes widening as they watched the bird rear back once more and turned into a black streak—

But nothing happened. Koze felt the wind push against their chest and fur, watched the black omen of death flew at him like a comet— but as if they had dodged out of the way like the other times, the monster only seemed to barely scrape the farthest edges of their fur and arced off. It was— it was toying with him. Was it not going to kill him?

Even if Koze was wrong, they knew when they were bested— and since this monster could outpace them, they tried going with their new idea. If this bird was playing with him like a newborn cub learned to fight, who’s to say it wasn’t intelligent like a crow? A giant, seemingly-murderous crow, but a crow nonetheless.

Koze crouched down again, getting on all fours, but instead of growling, they let their tail fall down behind them. The bird stared where it had landed, watching almost curiously. At least Koze hoped it was curiously.

“I’m playing,” they said, feeling like their twin would be laughing at them if they could see. “Do you play?” The bird did what Koze would almost consider a cock of the head. They let their tail come up, wagging though they wanted nothing more than to disappear into the trees. Then, before Koze’s eyes, the monstrous bird became distinctly less monstrous, its terrifying assortment of disease pouring off of the beast and evaporating into the morning air. In its place now stood an almost normal bird, though its size was nothing to underestimate. It cawed happily, giving a flap of its large wings as it hopped up and down. Only then could Koze see that it held something, and as he raised up, the bird seemed to remember it, placing it on the ground before them.

With a narrowed, suspicious glance at the bird, Koze stalked forward and looked at the items it had deposited. Some sort of emblem, a symbol they recognized from the application they had to fill out, and what looked to be a map with a marked location, not too far from where they currently were. They looked up at the bird, who still watched them expectantly.

“Oh. You’re a Guild thing. And— it appears I’ve been told to attend the Trials.” They squinted at the bird again, who shook its tail. “This Guild has very strange accomplices on its side.”

 

[mikyuu]

Tuvïa Vrýsiliá
Location: In an unnamed patch of forestry
Mentions/Interactions: Omen Speaker

Tuvïa was pretty certain she was lost. She had been overly elated to hear about a guild that resided in the center of the continent that she didn’t pay enough attention to what anyone said about directions. While she knew bits and pieces of this guild, most times it was related to political matters and thus she avoided it. She hated having to read anything out of politics and selectively skipped over readings about it, but this had lead to her ignorance of the guild‘s true purpose till now. She couldn‘t remember if someone had given her special instructions about how get to the guild, or was it to be recruited? Her memory seemed to be just short of recalling any specific details about what she had been told from and elderly looking Fytali. The ends of her kelp skirt were beginning to yellow, signifying their loss of moisture in the scorching temperature. Some point Tuvïa knew she need a bit of a wardrobe upgrade given she still sported the outfit she’d first left Nothalass with. It never dawned how ill fitting the kelp would be on land, or maybe she had overestimated how often she’d be in contact with water. She dragged her feet as she walked, scuffing up dirt in the process. Her lower fins occasionally brushed against the ground as well, it was a conscious effort for her to keep her lower fins elevated.

Her pace was gradually slowly as her own motivation dwindled, was she ever going to reach this proclaimed guild? The kelp in her hair had also shriveled along with her skirt, making it rather uncomfortable. She desperately wanted to find a body of water in which she could douse herself in to not only salvage the kelp, but also her on sanity. She’d never in her life been out of water for so long, it was taking a bit of a mental toll on her. Mostly because of how inconvenient it was to traverse on land compared to in water. Her fins were of great help while she navigated the ocean, but on land they were nothing but a huge burden. How decided that leafy sea dragons would have such disproportionate fins to their bodies? Then again, they were exactly designed for any land survival. She plopped herself down onto a patch of grass and groaned, “Tuvi does not know if she can keep going. Tuvi’s fins make it so difficult.”

The cry of a bird echoed through the air, the sound shook Tvuïa to the bone. A chilling sensation creeped up her spine, the kind of feeling she only felt when she heard stories of the beasts in the northern sea. The hair on the back of her neck rose and she scrambled to sit up and identify where this sudden terror originated from. Seeming to react to her sudden reaction of fear, a huge beast, at least twice her size, came barreling down from the sky. It’s yellowed claws outstretched and ready to snag the tiny Soeri. Her nose was immediately smashed with the smell of decay and death, it only grew stronger as the beast rapidly approached. Tuvïa’s instincts quickly kicked in and she barely managed to roll at out the way before the beast collided into the ground. She was no stranger in having in fleeing, with her siblings and cousins all much bigger than her who’ve inherited traits traits of much larger sea creatures than herself. While those situations were much more innocent cases of chase, they still had the same fundamentals in this case, to not get caught.

As she gazed up at the avian creature, an overwhelming amount of excitement measured up alongside her fear. This was a creature she’d never seen before in person. The thrill of encountering something new that she’d only ever read about in books was exciting, even with the creature‘s flesh looking like it would fall off any second. Tuvïa knew this creature was an Omen Seeker, something that had been hunted by the Slynthian. She also recalled something along the lines of this creature not being what it actually seemed. It’s foreboding demeanor was not really it’s true nature. Plus it’s insistence of not attacking immediately after it landed seemed to support that theory. Tuvïa began to inch closer to the monstrous creature, “Wow, you are much bigger than Tuvi,” she commented, her eyes gleamed with curiosity. While her instincts told her to get away as fast as possible, she didn’t want to miss the chance of begin able to interact with an Omen Seeker herself. The bird remained strangely still as she moved closer and closer, almost curious itself to see what she was doing.

Tuvïa had to stand on her tippy toes in order to reach the side of the beast’s head and scratch it. The menacing aura it had originally presented quickly melted away into a much more docile one. It seemed especially content with her scratching away at it’s head, it looked like she had found a special spot. She didn’t mind when she felt something wet coat her fingers, in fact once she’d stopped she was even more delighted to see the squirming maggots that stuck to her hand from the creature’s open wounds. “Oh! Tiny little creatures, Tuvi like this,” she exclaimed poking the tiny white insects as they struggled in her hand. The Omen Seeker turned away to pick up something before dropping it in front of her. With it’s job finished, the giant bird stepped away before out stretching it’s giant wings and taking off into the cloudless sky, a few stray feathers coming loose as it did so. Tuvïa freed the maggots onto the grass before picking up the parchment the bird had left. She undid the scroll and a tiny little emblem fell out, she picked it off the ground before reading through the document. The smile on her face from the Omen Seeker encounter only grew as she read the documents. Tuvïa leapt up with joy and cried out in happiness, “Thank you big bird! Tuvi will make sure to go to the trials!”

 

[glooomycinnamonroll]

When he set off on the journey towards the trials’ place, he was wearing his usual clothes. A well-made white shirt with ornate copper coloured designs, his scarf tied loosely around his neck and simple black trousers. The closer he got, the more he regretted this choice.

He had payed for a battered but comfortable carriage, one that was just good enough for him, but it would’ve seemed like a wheelbarrow next to a lord’s. Not that he had had the opportunity to be picky – he had already lost way too much time.

He loosened the scarf and folded it onto his lap. Sweat was running down the bridge of his nose. He was grateful he was born as a Synthian, because if he had been from the far north, he would have lost his sanity already. A few minutes later, he rolled up his sleeves. When he was doing it as a child his mother would threaten him that he would have to do the ironing. Nobody ever believed those words. Desimir smiled to himself.

He checked if he had the Guild’s emblem safe and secure in his pocket. It was there. The cart jolted along, and he spotted a building in a field of wheat. He could tell from afar: if he owned it, he would tend to it better than the current owners. None of his plants looked so… sad. Desimir frowned.

A few minutes later, the carrier stopped a bit further from the house – as unkempt as the fields that surrounded it. Desimir stepped out, crossbow in one hand, the guild’s emblem in the other, scarf dropped across the shoulder. A bag was hanging to his side. He was grateful to be able to finally stretch his legs.

He just caught the few sentences the examiner said. Thanks for nothing, he thought at first. But he realised the problem is probably in him. Maybe I’ve missed something already? Or is this the catch? Working it out without any additional help?

Then his gaze fell on the other applicants around the building and his eyes widened. There was another Synthian man, but he quickly glanced over him, looking at the young fytos standing nearby. Desimir forgot to look away. He could not say anything for a moment, and he wasn’t even sure the others noticed him.

“Excuse me.” he turned to the bright green figure, his voice noticeably nervous. “Maybe I came too late… Just because none of this makes sense. Did they give any information before? About this whole trial thing…”

Most people look the other in the eye when they speak. He was looking everywhere but there. Fascinating, he thought, observing the multiple mouths on the fytos’ limbs. The other resembled an Aiderian plant, except for the purple and black markings, which he could not make sense of. When he realised he was staring, he hastily bowed his head, so that he was only seeing the ground.

 

[BippityBoppityBoop]

Wilfre Clarimoux
Location: Afevresi Farm
Mentions/ Interactions: Azukai glooomycinnamonroll

Wilfre turned when they were addressed and watched as the man who had been silent the few minutes they had been here finally stand and speak. They recognized the voice as the one who had called them out when they had arrived. They snorted at Vin's sour attitude but stayed quiet. It was clear to see how the ranks were divided. The man who had cowered at the general was the lowest of the three. He was no threat, obviously not even important enough to be kept in the loop. The general was another matter, yet he still somehow fell behind the man who had begun the quest. Until it was clear whether he held actual authority Fre would play their little games of favor.

They turned to look back near the wooded area they had emerged from when Vin again turned his own attention to others unseen. The rules of the quest were incredibly unclear and Fre almost went to ask if there was anything else he may have forgot to mention, but thought better of it. Vin was obviously not an empathetic man. He probably thought it was amusing to watch them panic in their confusion, but that didn't bother Wilfre. They were perfectly happy solving this on their own time. Things would get done much faster, and they knew they could trust the information their own senses provided. As the men on the porch turned to their own inner circle, Fre took that moment to relax and feel the earth around them. It was clear that the wheat here was dying from dehydration. The air was incredibly dry. So perhaps a drought had struck this farmland?

They glanced around now at the property. Tools were carelessly strewn about which made Fre wonder what had happened to the people who lived here. Maybe nobody lived here and this was all just set up specifically for the quest? Fre huffed in agitation. There could be so many answers to this. What were they even trying to look for in the first place? Before Fre could make up their mind on where to start first another more quiet voice caught their attention. Fre spun on their heel to come face to face with quite an unassuming man. He peered at them from behind large, golden rimmed glasses. To Fre he looked almost delicate, like a little flower himself.

They cocked their head at the man, fighting the urge to turn and just ignore him. They were here to solve this quest, not stick to their old habits of isolation.

"Hullo. I'm Wilfre." An awkward pause followed, then, "The man gave no direction. I would not trust him anyways, so don't worry too much about that. I can tell you there was most likely a very severe drought that struck this land. The wheat is dying. The grass isn't doing much better. There are so many tools around, but I do not know what that means. He didn't say what we are supposed to look for." Wilfre was happy to see they weren't the only one who was bad at conversing. This man looked incredibly uncomfortable, yet he kept staring with fascination at them which didn't make much sense to Fre.

"What...what is your name?"

 

[glooomycinnamonroll]

Desimir Cordius
Location: Afevresi farm
Mentions/interactions: Azukai BippityBoppityBoop

He was thaught that if someone introduces himself, one should answer with something along the lines of "That's a really nice name" or "I'm pleased to meet you". Instead, the only thing he could squeeze out was: "Oh." It was an honest sound though, an amazed little vowel bursting out of him.
For the rest of the conversation, he forced himself to provide a somewhat better performance.
"Thank you." he said. "Well, this explains why the wheat looks so miserable. If you ask me, this place itself looks pretty much run-down. Whoever lived here must have left if now this is the place for the trials. From what I have heard, people don't just provide their gardens willingly for this purpose."
After a moment of silence, he added: "If I had to make assumptions, I'd say they left hastily, given that they haven't put their tools away."
He stared for a moment, when Wilfre asked for his name, as if it was an utterly surprising act. "I almost forgot about that." he explained, then initiated a handshake. "Desimir Cordius."
Now was the second time he really regretted the unlucky series of events that made him leave the university. The first was when he had let his parents know that he apparently lost his job and befriended a gigantiv bird to join a guild that may or may not accept him as a member.
How much better this would have sounded with a title like 'professor of phythology', he thought. He gestured towards the abandoned tools on the ground.
"Shall we?"
He felt terribly awkward the moment he said that. Bold of me to assume they want to cooperate with me.

 

[Lazaro1505]

Akiri Dayir
Location: Afevresi Farm
Mentions/ Interactions: BippityBoppityBoop glooomycinnamonroll Azukai

The Journey was lengthy..... but that was to be expected when trying to reach the location from where he used to be located at in the morning. The rhythmic stepping of his feet, the small trot and panting that his wolf companion, and the occasional tapping of the spear to the ground were the only noises they made while walking.

He had already wasted time taking down the campsite, and at this rate, he would arrive late to the location. While this would result of him being a bit late to the party, he knew that this would not bring a good impression to anyone of the guild training him, and made it look like that he was lazy and slow individual. Let’s hope that they at least understand his situation.... but that may not be the case.

Let’s hope that whatever is planned, it does not result in the damage of his friend, whose wolf skull was hanging from the right side of his waist. But, he was apparently arriving to the location of the trial, which seemed to be a farm land, to which he can already tell that it looked like it had seen better days in its time. But, he can tell that there were already individuals at the farm, as he quicken his walk in order to reach them.

To those with a good eye, they would have seen the the flag of some sort of spear, before seeing the owner and the companion of said spear. The former, was fully encased in a strange armor, along with a wolf skull hanging off from the waist of the man. The latter, was a black furred wolf, that seem to be the pet of this armored man, and the two of them were walking towards them.

After they had finally reached them, Akiri would say in a quiet tone, “It seems that I am late..... would any of you kindly aid me by telling me of our current objective.” as he waited for an response, his wolf already beginning to sniff not only the strangers near its master, but also the surrounding area.

 

[BippityBoppityBoop]

Wilfre Clarimoux
Location: Afervesi Farm
Mentions/ Interactions: glooomycinnamonroll Lazaro1505

Wilfre nodded as he explained his thought process concerning the farm. They glanced around at the tools again. It made perfect sense, but how did that tie in with the drought?

"Maybe they left because they were getting no rain? When my brigade saw there would be no sign of rainfall we would immediately travel to another location." They explained. It was sad really. These poor crops were here to provide and this is what they got in return. Wilfre stared off in the field's general direction, a sympathetic expression clouding their features. It was only when the man offered his name and a hand did they come back to reality.

"Desimir. A lovely name." They offered politely, although really it just sounded like a bunch of letters randomly bunched together. They were sure it was nice where they came from though. They didn't take the hand that was offered however, not sure if it was some sort of trap. This man seemed kind. Unassuming even, but he was just as likely to be hiding a competitive and ruthless act underneath. One wrong move on their part and they could be taken out of the trial or worse, killed. Instead Wilfre turned when Desimir offered to continue inspecting the property and only got a few feet before yet another voice interrupted their search. Wilfre realized it was another trial goer that was a bit late to the party.

They were a bit less willing to give the new guy a rundown on what they had discovered so far. Fre had already offered information to Desimir and even that had seemed a bit risky. Although they didn't quite trust Desimir, they certainly felt more comfortable around him than this new person. A huge skull dangled lazily at their side. Fre recognized it immediately as a wolf's skull and suddenly they became quite defensive, their eyes dilating and their vines on the top of their head snaking around their body. Their mouths opened and closed slowly, a reaction that happened when Fre felt threatened.

"That's a wolf's skull. Why do you have that?" They looked at the wolf by the man's side. It didn't seem scared at all. In fact, the wolf was very much comfortable with him. Was this man going to kill it when it's defenses were down? Fre wouldn't put it past him.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

↽LOCATION⇁‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎↽MUSIC TO SET THE MOOD⇁
Somewhere in Afevresi -> ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎Same Vibes
Afevresi Farm
‎
↽INTERACTIONS⇁‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎↽OOC⇁
Angry Birb & Annoying Birb ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Sorry this is a long one
BippityBoppityBoop
Lazaro1505
glooomycinnamonroll
Azukai

≔ THORA HELVIG ≕​

The sun had barely been up for an hour and she could already feel it's heat.

A soft hoot caused her to stir finally. Thora opened her eyes after a second of struggle, peering over at the bird looming over her. Perched upon the branch of a dead tree, Salazzar wound his head back around to stare at her unblinkingly; his feathers ruffled as another hoot left him. Perturbed, she rolled over on the log she had draped herself across. A huff of air flew past her lips as she attempted to settle back into a restful sleep once again.

But that damn owl.

"Sal, would you shut up?" She snapped bitterly. Pulling herself into a sitting position, she leveled a glare at the owl; who hooted in return. After a second of silence Thora raised a fist and popped her middle finger. His wings arched out, feathers ruffling, as he puffed himself up. His classic owl-shape utterly lost to the point where he looked more like an over-stuffed child's toy.

Thora snorted, "Yeah, I know you don't like that one. But maybe, if you didn't wake me up so early, I wouldn't have to be such a bit—"

A shrill screech burst through the relative serenity of early morning. She lifted her head in confusion, needing to ascertain what the hell was making that noise. When the ear stabbing squawk came again a second later, much closer than before, a bit of fear sparked in the pit of her stomach. Having lived on a mountain her whole life, she couldn't possibly think of a single creature that made her wish for deafness. It was that fear of the unknown that propelled her to her feet.

"What is that!?" She screeched, borderline hysterical as she half climbed atop the log. Thora reached for her weapon, gaze sweeping across the marshy grasses and overly tall trees. For a moment there was nothing but silence and the frantic beating of her heart.

The sound of powerful wings flapping was the only warning she had before it descended on them with another shriek. The smell hit her first, a pungent order of spoiled meat and stale...something. Her nose crinkled, spinning in a slow circle as she searched for the large shadow weaving among the trees. Tightening her grip on her sword, she braced herself for a fight that never came. Instead of diving at her, the large shadow lowered itself to the ground an arms length away.

"By Pakaigos! I don't think I've ever seen something as ugly as you!"

There was a bit of morbid curiosity in her gaze as she assessed the creature. Bits of its flesh had been pitted and burrowed by insects. She could see them wiggle and squirm in the different crevasses of its torso. Though the bird did not seem to be as phased by the sight as she was. Nor did it seem to care about the molted, disgusting, feathers that stuck out in patches. When it didn't immediately attempt to peck her eyes from her head, Thora lowered her sword.

"What are you?" Thora questioned to herself just as much as she did to the bird, "Are you hungry?"
The avian moved its head from side to side like it was clockwork, like there was a switch in its brain that flicked to choose the direction to look but not the speed of the motion. Every turn was rapid, almost too fast to see. She didn't know if it understood her, so she kept her movements slow and precise.

"I've got some food, assuming you're a carnivorous type," Thora mumbled, reaching for her bag and pulling out a small package that held a few pieces of raw meat. Once upon a time the parchment had been a scouting map, but after Salazzar began to expect treats she had to use something to keep the gore from contaminating the rest of her belongings. Picking up a long, slender, piece of rabbit, Thora tossed it toward the strange bird.

She watched as it arched through the air, noticed the larger bird open its beak in preparation before it was snatched right out of the air. The strange bird screeched at the owl as it landed on a nearby branch, tearing into the meat it had just stolen. Irritation sprawled across her features, "Sal, stop being a dick!"

Golden irises narrowed into slits. Then he let out a series of low hoots, four, possibly five and before opening out large and rounded wings.

"Don't you look at me like that!" Thora scowled, grabbing another piece of meat and tossing it to the strange bird who consumed it with an exaggerated gulp. She carefully folded the package and slipped it back into her bag, sighing dramatically as she lowered herself back onto the log. She stared at their ugly visitor for a long moment, gaze drifting over the bald spots on it's wings. With so many feathers missing, it was a wonder the beast could even make it off the ground.

"Listen, buddy bird, I was having a nice time sleeping so if you could not—"

It screamed again.

Thora squeezed her eyes tight, mentally trying to block it out, "Yeah, yeah, okay you've made your point. No need to keep bullying me."

Standing once more, she cast a weary gaze toward the bird only to find it staring back. It was unnerving to say the least.
"I'm sorry, I can't share anymore food." Thora took a cautious step forward, reaching a hand out slowly, "But thank you for the heart attacks. I uh," She paused, a small smile cracking at the corner of her mouth, "Didn't need sleep anyway."

Her fingers brushed against the onyx feathers of the birds hood. It craned its head into the touch before ruffling its feathers in appreciation, the action rippling down the rest of its body and somehow peeling away the gore. As if it had never existed in the first place. In it's place stood any onyx bird, feathers now sleek and obviously well cared for.

Thora blinked, startled by the sudden change in appearance. "That's new," she mumbled, still stroking the strange and mystical bird. It was then that she noticed the silver chain that had been hanging from its neck. Curious, she lifted the emblem from the avian in favor of inspecting it. Thora squinted, the dim light of early morning making it nearly impossible to read the text.

She knew there had to have been something important behind all this, she just couldn't figure out what. Maybe, if or when she found the guild they would have answers?

Her lips pressed into a thin line, her shoulders sagging a bit, "Guess I have no choice but to start walking."

❄ ❄ ❄​

She felt like she was going to die. It was so hot she could hardly think. In an effort to keep herself from cooking her insides, Thora had divested herself of the bulky furs layered over her armor. Shoving them violently into her pack, she trudged through the forest. Partched and hungry beyond belief, Thora picked up the pace as soon as she thought she heard voices in the distance.

“It seems that I am late—⁠—aid me by telling me of our current objective.”

"Maybe they left because they were getting no rain⁠—no sign of rainfall we would immediately travel to another location."

Emerging from the canopy of trees, the first thing she was met with was a golden pool of saggy, dry, wheat. Metallic irises drifted across the cracked dirt and toward the farmhouse a handful of meters away. There were a couple humanoid figures grouped at the front and she assumed that they must have been responsible for the voices she heard. Turning her head toward the avian perched on her shoulder, she whispered a command before he took to the sky. Thora rolled her shoulder, took a deep breath, and set a determined pace toward the group.

"That's a wolf's skull." Thora's gaze dipped in the direction of what the Fytali was focused on, taking note of the bone absurdly dangling from the hip of a taller man, "Why do you have that?"

There was a wolf too, which was...interesting. Thora's head tilted slightly to the side, seeming to contemplate something before deciding against it. Her armor clanked with each step giving away her presence even though she hadn't been trying to hide it. She was still baking, boiling really, and after a second of hesitation she began to fumble with the leather clips on the side of her breastplate. By the time she came to a stop a couple feet away from the plant humanoid, she had pulled the heavy armor over her head with only a second of struggle.

"How you flat-landers stand this bloody heat is a mystery," she hissed, dropping the armor into the dirt. A dust cloud plumed from the impact though she didn't seem to notice, her hands planted firmly on her hips and her gaze moving from face to face with palpable disinterest. Thora's nose wrinkled as she eyed a finely dressed stranger. Her attention snapped toward a man with gold-rimmed glasses, but her question didn't seem to have an intended target, "Who lives in the house?"

Thora didn't wait for an answer, marching straight toward the house before she halted suddenly. A farm tool laid in her path, wood tarnished and faded with rust beginning to lick at the metal. Her brows furrowed for a moment, slowly sinking into a squat. She stared at it. Then at the house. Then turned to look at the poor excuse for a wheat field.

"Pakaigos, this place is a cursed fuckin' shit hole!" She exclaimed with a note of exasperation, "I can't think while my skin is boiling!"

 

[Lazaro1505]

Akiri Dayir
Location: Afevresi Farm
Mentions/ Interactions: BippityBoppityBoop Hell0NHighWater

Not long after his arrival, he noticed green skinned person look at him, and both his friend and wolf companion that his currently next to him. He watched as the vines on her head began moving like a snake, as they opened and closed their mouth, like they were speechless of what they currently see. His metal mask had a neutral expression the entire time, as he heard her talk about the reasoning of having that mask.

Saying nothing, the Wolf instead rose up to challenge this stranger, who was threatening their master, by growling and revealing their teeth. Akiri, who did not move his sight away from the green person, raised his left arm and said “Down girl...... she is not a threat..... she is merely asking an unneeded question.”. The wolf calmed down at the words of their master, and now showed passiveness, while Akiri prepared himself to speak. “As of the origin of the mask.... it’s...... an old friend of mines..... but they were someone special to me. The other wolf is in no danger...... she is like a daughter to me, and I would not hurt her in any way.” as he planted the spear into the ground, before carefully taking off the skull of the wolf, and slowly caressing it. Suddenly stopping, as he went to put the skull back onto its place, before picking up the spear again as he watched another armored figure arrive, who spoke about them and why they were unfazed by the heat.

He didn’t have enough time for an answer, as the person already went towards the house, before stopping in their tracks, talking about this farmland and why its so hot, to which he shrugged in confusion at the latter. Walking much closer, the wolf began smelling its environment, before becoming visibly concerned, as it looked around frantically, trying to find the source of the smell. Akirir looked at his wolf, before saying out loud in a audible tone “The wolf smells something strange here..... but cannot seem to find the origin of the smell. Whatever it is, it seems to be unnatural.” As he continued his way towards the house.

 

[mikyuu]

Tuvïa Vrýsiliá
Location: In an unnamed patch of forestry
Mentions/Interactions: Azukai Lazaro1505 Hell0NHighWater

Tuvïa had arrived quite a while earlier to see everything play out. The travel to get here hadn't taken as long as she thought it would. However, her brain slipped into panic mode when she had reached the location the map had guided her to, the sight of other Soeri terrified her to the bone. With her extremely close blood relation to the king, it was likely she could be recognized by other Soeri. This was something she tried to avoid at all cost, she didn't want word getting all the way back to her father. While there wouldn't be an all out crusade to find her because she wasn't one of the king's children, but she was his direct niece. On top of that, her father had authority as the younger brother of the king to have people go out look for her. If she wanted to get into the guild, she'd have to make her presence known with the group of people and figure out what exactly was happening. There was clearly a discussion going among everyone that she could only make bits and pieces out of. She was simply too far to hear anything important other then hear the loud shouting of the very tall Chitós who had arrived not that long ago. Tuvïa need a plan for how she was going to manage to slip into the group unnoticed, considering that everyone towered over her, she could possibly use that to her advantage.

The tallest of the bunch was a heavily geared man who looked unbelievably irritated with everyone given his posture. His arms were crossed and his weight shifted to one side as the group interacted. He seemed to be someone not to be reckoned with and people's attention seemed to be averted from him in the given moment as well. Her idea was bazaar and the chance of it succeeding was slim, but it was the best shot she got to avoid any interaction with the two Soeri. Given how well both of them dressed and the jewelry that decorated them, they had to have some level of nobility to them. Tuvïa also stuck out like a sore thumb with her pearls and gold that she wore, she wasn't ready to depart with the possessions she'd had since childhood. She could only hope that they wouldn't notice them. She began to walk towards the group, trying not to make a huge entrance that would draw attention to herself. majority seemed to preoccupied in questioning another member of the group who had a wolf skull. He also had a live wolf by his side, which was another creature she'd never encountered in person. She'd have to quell her excitement for now as she attempted to as be as stealthy as she could. It was proving to be much more difficult than she had expected with her gold accessories clinking together each time she took a step. Eventually she managed to make her way beside the towering male, she tried to make herself scare as possible while listening in on the discussion going on. She made sure to angle herself so that she wouldn't be seen by the two other Soeri gathered there with the heavily armed male obscuring her out of view.

 

[HowlingWolf]

Koze
Location: Afevresi Farm
Mentions: Akiri, Thora
(Sorry, I personally don't like tagging people ^^)

The temperature only seemed to grow as Koze made their way towards the location on the map— or at least, they thought they were headed in the correct location. They were much more used to traveling by verbal directions and navigating based on the sun or the stars. It had taken them the better part of an hour to figure out which direction to go first, then abruptly had to change course when they realized it was the wrong direction.

As the temperature grew, the tree cover only lessened. With it, it brought the gusts of cooler breeze— this was weather Koze was used to. The sun was brutal in Agriagi. The coverage provided by the trees Koze had been traveling in was almost unheard of in their homeland.

Soon enough, the trees opened up into a clearing. Except, upon second glance, the clearing wasn’t a clearing at all, but some sort of open valley with fields of long, yellowed grass. For just a second, Koze thought that maybe they hadn’t followed the direction correctly at all and ended up back in Agriagi. Except this grass was longer, more golden, and had strange tails at the ends of all of its leaves. It also seemed to all be grown in a deliberate straight line, which was something they definitely weren’t used to.

At the edge of the straight grass stood a party of others, one of whom had separated off towards a run down house. The rest of the group was a haphazard mix of species, most of which Koze had never seen in their life. A wolf wove its way around a… metal encased figure? Who had the skull of one attached to their hip. A hunter, maybe.

The others didn’t appear to be much of anything related to hunters or warriors. Maybe the one who was closer to the house. If their scent was anything to go by, the strange white owl flying above was theirs, and Koze had heard of other tribes of Thauri using creatures like birds to aid them in hunting. Perhaps that bird was something of the same origin?

Koze narrowed their eyes, making their way cautiously to the group. The same silver flash accompanied by their own pendant they had received from the persistent black bird hovered around some of them. Presumably, they were part of these Trials too, and new at least more than what Koze did about what was going on.

 

[Azukai]

Shulchung, Synthian Rich Boy, Sojin
Location: Farm
Mentions/Interactions: Anyone paying attention I guess?

Shulchung was in a poor mood. Not only had he suffered humiliation at the hands of Vin, but now, even the fate of his sponsored applicants were at risk. Why did this disaster of an explorer have to return to the Guild. He should have stayed banished in the wilderness where he belonged. A low growl escaped his lips as he began gritting his teeth out of sheer frustration. It was the worst possible situation. A lot of money was riding on the success of the sponsored applicants and any form of failure was not an option; lest he wished for a terrible outcome upon his return to the Guild. With a deep sigh, he quickly shook his head. It wasn't time to be worrying about worst case scenarios. So long as everyone solved the mystery of the Trial, each applicant would be given their acceptance into the Guild. It was a minor inconvenience, since this meant he would have to get his hands and clothes dirty, but it was a small price to pay for the safety of his prestigious family name.

First, he needed to find each sponsored applicant--a task which was already proving difficult since the armored Synthian was no where to be found. Where did that blasted idiot run off too. Shulchung was in a tough predicament. As an advisor of the Guild, direct assistance to any applicant was strictly forbidden in the context of the Trial. Normally, this wasn't a concern since the sponsored Trials never took place in a scorching country-side farmland with a potential threat lurking about, yet here they were, all suffering thanks to a single man.

"Sojin." He said while beckoning for the lesser noble who immediately walked over and greeted him with a bow. "Where has the armored Synthian run off to? I am concerned for his well being. I fear he may overexert himself in this heat." There was genuine sounding concern in his voice as he questioned the Synthian's whereabouts, but Sojin wasn't sold on it. He knew better than to believe the words the advisor spouted; however, at the end of the day, a superior member of the Guild was still a superior.

"I can't say for certain, but I believe he caught wind of the Fytali's explanation and went to investigate the wheat in the fields." Sure enough, Sojin's prediction came aptly true as the nearest bunch of wheat began to stir, and from it emerged the Synthian in question. He stumbled into the open clearing and immediately threw his helmet to the ground. Not only was his face incredibly pale, but it also harbored ample signs of discomfort. Gurgling noises began to form in his throat, as he fell to his knees and grasped his stomach from the gut-wrenching pain that twinged within. Without warning, a sudden stream of vomit spewed from his mouth and continued to pour until he finally toppled over and fainted, face first, into his own excrement.

Shulchung was left stunned--a pitiful reaction compared to Sojin who immediately sprung into action. He burst forward and flipped the Synthian's body onto its back. Then, with two fingers, he dug under the victim's neck piece and quickly located his pulse. "It's not weak, he isn't in critical condition yet." Sojin announced with a sigh of relief. "It doesn't look good, though." He added upon noticing the excessive drool which began to foam around the Synthian's mouth. Yet nothing seems to be out of the ordinary, he thought to himself while continuing to inspect the body. Unless...
He ran his fingers across the Synthian's armor. Sure enough, it was coated with an iridescent powder which glistened like a set of priceless gems. He gave the powder a quick sniff, only to immediately realize the mistake he had made. "Fucking hell. Really Vi--" Sojin collapsed onto the ground next to the Synthian--his body overcome by the sudden dizziness which left him on the verge of fainting.

 

[Azukai]

Vin
Location: Farm
Mentions/Interactions: mikyuu

Vin was bored. Not a single applicant had managed any significant process; not that he expected much from them in only an hour. Nonetheless, he had at least hoped for a minor breakthrough by now. After all, the culprit was relatively simple to discern. Hell, given enough time, it would even go as far as revealing itself to them. "But it looks like that time is still a while awa--" Vin's personal mutterings were interrupted by the sounds of ceaseless vomiting--a sudden turn of events which left him thoroughly confused. Nothing in the trial posed any significant threat to an applicant’s life, unless said applicant ignored the growing symptoms of overexposure and never gave their body ample time to detox.

More proof that a majority of the noble class is nothing more than a waste of Guild resources. He mused with a roll of his eyes. Though I suppose watching a man face plant into his own vomit does qualify as entertainment. He concluded with a sigh.

"I doubt you can hear me, tin-head, but your Trial is over." Vin announced in his usual apathetic tone. "And when you're done sun bathing, Sojin, take him into the farm house and make sure he doesn't choke on his own vomit. Tonight is gonna be especially rough on him." Although Sojin's conscious was still spinning from the toxin, he still managed to give Vin a weak thumbs up in response.

With nothing more to focus on, Vin reached under his cloak and retrieved a small leather pouch, filled with a pungent herb. With a flick of his opposite wrist, he emptied the ashen contents of his pipe and began refilling it with the dried leaves--fully aware that a small child had taken solace behind him. Unperturbed by her sudden appearance, he returned the pouch under his cloak and placed the pipe up against his lips. There was a small flash of fire which abruptly ignited the contents and gave him the immediate satisfaction of its calming effect. "And to what do I owe this honor, Tuvï?" Vin began amidst a billowing cloud of smoke. "Have you come to reap the benefits of your privilege, or are you here to prove the merit of your worth? Either way, cowering behind my back accomplishes neither of those goals."

 

[glooomycinnamonroll]

Desimir Cordius
Location: farm
Mentions/interactions: BippityBoppityBoop Lazaro1505 Azukai

Desimir listened to Fre’s explanation about the drought and how it might have affected the crops. He mumbled in agreement, and shared his further ideas without second thought.
“Certainly true. Though Synthian technology is far beyond… I mean…” he got nervous for a moment, but took a deep breath and tried to make his statements as clear as possible. “Obviously, I did not mean there is anything wrong with traveling from places like this. In a way, that’s natural. What I try to say is that it is not the way we usually do it. If we got water supply issues, we build canals. Though what you suspect is possible, especially given …“ I am rambling so much even I cannot see the point anymore. “Given they were probably not so well-off. And this seems like an extreme case.”
As their exchange went on, Desimir noticed the look on the Fytali’s face as they looked towards the field. It appeared to be pity, but he dared not to mention it.

Furthermore, he had just enough things to contemplate when Wilfre rejected shaking his hand. He suddenly felt himself flushing with embarrassment and knew exactly how obvious that is from the blushing of his cheeks.

The next figure, wearing full armour arrived with a perfect timing, provided they came to see him ashamed. Otherwise, the newcomer was late, and he made his awareness of that obvious. For a few moments, Desimir did not feel ready to answer, but withing a couple of seconds, he gathered himself to say: “Not much instruction was provided. Almost 24 hours to solve the mystery of this lovely place.”

He would have thought his company was not that inviting, but another person emerged and dropped a few words towards them along with her breastplate. This time, it was a Chios lady. From the way she carried herself and from the masterfully crafted armour pieces, Desimir anticipated she was from a noble family, but later on, he questioned his previous suspicion. He attempted to answer the question about the inhabitants of the place, but by the time he would have managed to tell he didn’t know, the shorter figure paced towards the building.

Instead of fretting about failing to inform the Chiosian woman, he tried to pay attention to the silver Thauri closing in, but also noticed the men – probably Soeri – on the porch. Soon, events followed each other overwhelmingly quickly for a man who was used to giving lectures to half-sleeping students about the identification of certain plants.

This is why he stood as a pillar of salt when the fellow Synthian fell to his knees and soon ended up collapsed on the ground, not too far from them. The thing that finally helped him shake off the bizarre, dark enchantment of the sight was one of the Soeri rushing to help. As he followed the occurrence, he noticed the strange, almost shimmering presence layered upon the fainted figure. He knew the one who came to the aid recognised it, which may not have been enough for him to make himself step forward. If the swearing figure would not have fallen too, he would probably have stayed and stared for a while.

This way; however, he forced his boiling fear deep down his consciousness and pulled his gloves from his bag. If he dared to touch poisonous mushrooms in it, he was ready to touch mystical dust-like shit too. He covered his mouth with his scarf and stepped closer.

“May I?” he offered a hand to the still conscious individual on the ground. Meanwhile, he glanced at the dust around the Synthian figure, trying to figure out its nature. If not from this much, he will have plenty of time examining it after helping the Soeri get to his feet. Or, at least so he assumed.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

↽LOCATION⇁‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎↽MUSIC TO SET THE MOOD⇁
Afevresi Farm ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎Same Vibes

‎
↽INTERACTIONS⇁‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎↽OOC⇁
Fancy-Pants & Granny ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎Sorry this is also a bit of a read
Lazaro1505
glooomycinnamonroll
Azukai

≔ THORA HELVIG ≕​

Heat licked at her already slightly sunburned face and coiled around her limbs like a great hot-blooded serpent. The ground smoldered and sent up a disorientating haze. Even the birds were silent and the trees stood still as if it were too hot to move. A bead of sweat rolled down the back of her neck and soaked into the collar of her tunic.

“The wolf smells something strange here…” Thora lifted her head at the sound of the voice, rising from her squatting position as a metal giant walked toward her, “but cannot seem to find the origin of the smell. Whatever it is, it seems to be unnatural.”

Her lips flattened into a flat line, casting a dubious look toward the man and his wolf, “And here I was under the impression that wolves are excellent trackers.” Clicking her tongue, Thora folded her arms over her chest, “But if Fido can’t discern a direction then I suppose we’ll have to use another method.”

Thora took two determined steps toward the farmhouse before a noise caught her attention. A Synthian that she hadn’t previously noticed emerged from the dead sea of wheat, throwing his helmet aside without care. The corners of her mouth dropped into a slight frown, gaze darting from the beautifully crafted helmet to the jerkface who tossed it aside so carelessly. Her irritation, however, ebatted the moment he dropped to his knees and began to projectile vomit.

“By Pákaigos’ hanging hammer!” She gasped, practically sprinting toward the farmhouse to make sure that she wouldn’t be sprayed with a stranger’s stomach acid. A scowl formed across her features, fighting to suppress her own gag reflex, “If I wanted to see someone face plant in their own vomit, I would’ve found a tavern.”

"It's not weak, he isn't in critical condition yet." The one with the fancy clothes announced, as if she or anyone there gave a shit, "It doesn't look good, though."

“Aye, ‘cause landing face first in your own puke is a good look.” Thora drawled, narrowing her gaze as if that would help her zoom in on whatever the fancy-pants synthian had swiped from the other’s armor. She tracked his movement as he lifted the finger toward his nose, blurting out a warning before she could completely stop herself, “Hey! I wouldn’t do that!”

Of course, he did it anyway.
"Fucking hell. Really Vi--"

The effects were fairly immediate. She watched him sway a bit before his body flopped to the ground with a dull thud. Thora covered her laughter with a snort, fighting to keep her lips from curving into a smile.

The man with the glasses offered a hand to fancy-pants who was still somehow conscious. Thora arched a brow but said nothing, deciding to shift her focus back to the matter at hand, her metallic irises focusing on the wheat. Thora tugged on her shirt for a moment, trying to fan the fabric to keep it from sticking to her skin. There weren’t many other layers she could take off and she’d rather be dead than openly walk around in her undergarments. Humming in thought, she pivoted toward the farmhouse and marched up to the open door.

It had once been an impressive dining-room, by a modest farmer’s standards, but weeks of neglect had taken its toll. The table was long and solid wood, but looked to be slightly off level. This observation was supported the moment one of the men at the table adjusted his weight. There were two of them fashioned in clothes most could only dream to afford, sitting as if they had a rod for a spine, looking too afraid to touch anything. Above the table hung an old wrought iron candelabra with several black-wicked candles burnt to waxy stumps. The floor at first glance appeared to be mud, but as she rubbed her boot across it she could tell it was made of large flagstones covered in years of grime.

Clay plates had been set out, filled with what looked to be warm roasted nuts and cheeses, but no one had seemed to touch them yet, and there was a homely aroma coming from the kitchen area.

Pulled by an invisible string connected to her gurgling stomach, Thora found herself standing in front of the table reaching out to snag a handful of nuts and some pieces of cheese.

One handful turned into three.

A throat cleared and she took the time to look up with her third piece of cheese halfway to her lips. Two judgemental pairs of eyes stared back at her, disgust clearly evident in their facial features. Thora blinked suddenly, feeling as if she were back in Pagothró, subject once more to her mother’s incessant etiquette classes.

Open rebellion dictated that she continue to eat, though with her mouth open this time. Which only earned her more uncomfortably horrified judgemental looks. Swallowing the last of her food, Thora flashed an overly fake smile as she wiped sweat plastered hair out of her face, “Something I can help you with, Flat-lander?”

“This is not a buffet, applicant.” The look on his face was the very image of snobbery mixed with a hint of ruplusion.

Thora’s smile dropped like a deadweight, “Well I don’t see you eating any of this, it’s actually quite good.” She didn’t have the height to be intimidating, but that didn’t mean she didn’t try. Thora placed her hand on the table, slightly leaning into the man’s personal space with a sneer, “But you’d know that if you weren’t such a poor guest.”

Following her nose, Thora meandered away from the table and into the kitchen. There was an old woman by the stovetop, not the kind with old bones and feeble limbs, but the kind who could still tend to a farm. She stood quite tall and slim, her short grey hair neat and pulled into a tight bun.

Taking a hesitant step forward, Thora cleared her throat, “Excuse me, ma’am? Do you live here?” She paused, “Has anything unusual occurred within the past month or so?”

She stepped further into the kitchen, noticing that it looked just as unkempt as the rest of the house. “Does anyone usually come around to help out? I noticed some tools laying about and it just strikes me as odd that they weren’t put away...” Thora trailed off, shifting her weight a bit, completely distracted by the loaf the woman was pulling out of the oven.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

THE BEAN & THORA HELVIG
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.​

​

WITH: Granny & Co.⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ WHERE: Afevresi Farm⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀MENTIONS: Lazaro1505 glooomycinnamonroll HowlingWolf BippityBoppityBoop mikyuu ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ OOC: A collab post between Hell0NHighWater & Azukai ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

In a single motion, the woman swung the loaf onto the nearest counter, where a cooling rack was pre-positioned for the steaming bread. She had a glowing smile on her face, which only grew the moment she turned her attention towards Thora.

“Sheila Holt, proud co-owner of the Holt farm for the last sixty years, at your service.” The woman, known as Sheila, announced in an unusually chipper tone. “To answer your question, however, will take some time, so have a seat over there while I prepare us a snack.” She pointed towards the furthest wall where two empty stools rested under the kitchen’s only window. Without a second thought, she returned to a nearby counter and began slicing away at an older loaf of bread.

"You had me at 'snack'," Thora mused, moving toward a stool.

“Hmm, I guess not everyone has rocks for brains, then.” A third voice spoke from the kitchen doorway where a small, Synthian girl was standing with her arms on her hips. Based on her short stature and baby-like face, she couldn’t have been any older than twelve, though the sheer confidence her posture exerted was a far cry from any expectations of her age--as was her overall appearance. A puffy dress was her base outfit; however, all across her body, various leather and metal accents were present. Pouches, straps, gloves, and other random nick nacks all contributed to her overall image which screamed Synthonian inventor. To further complement the look, a pair of oversized goggles rested atop her short brown hair and a backpack, almost as tall as she was, hung from her seemingly frail back. “Make that a snack for three, grannie. I’d like to hear this story as well.”

Sheila flashed the girl a quick smile, before slicing additional bread for her newfound guest. Satisfied with the prospect of food, the girl happily pranced over to the other chair and plopped herself onto the seat. Curiosity danced in her eyes as she began examining Thora. Even going as far as modestly touching her body and hair. “Hmm, hmm, peculiar color for the hair, and very short for an adult, yet high muscle density unlike a Synthian body. I wonder how this would affect various stimulants and remedies...”

"Hey! I'm not short!" Thora folded her arms defensively over her chest, legs swinging off the edge of the stool absently. She eyed the girl with thinly veiled annoyance, shifting in her seat as the girl's fingers quickly ran through the longer strands of her snow white hair. "Well keep wondering, Synth, you aren't testing any of that mumbo-jumbo on me."

The girl crossed her arms against her chest and began visibly pouting at the sudden rejection. “And here I thought the Chitos were brave.”

Thora let out a partial laugh, allowing the corner of her mouth to tilt into a smirk, "Aye, but that doesn't mean we're stupid. There's no way I'm letting some strange little girl inject me with unknown substances."

The girl simply shrugged her shoulders. “Your loss.” She attempted to say with a straight face. However, she soon lost her composure and burst into a fit of jovial laughter. It wasn’t until Sheila came bearing buttered toast that she fell silent in anticipation of the farmer’s story.

“Now, where to begin.” Sheila announced once both trays of toast and tea were in the hands of their recipients. “I’d say everything began a couple of weeks ago. There hadn’t been any rain for a while--nothing out of the ordinary mind you as it happens from time to time--but we noticed the health of the wheat was rapidly declining. Oh and by we, I mean my husband, sons, and I…” Her voice trailed as she walked back over to the counter and retrieved a small family portrait. She handed the portrait, which depicted the grandfather aged husband and her two adult sons, to Thora before continuing with her story. “Afevresian wheat is hardy. A few weeks of drought aren’t great for its health, but it’s nothing to be concerned about. Not to mention, we have systems in place to provide water to the fields, yet in this case, the systems did nothing. No matter how much we watered the land, the soil would be as dry as the southern plains by the next morning. Now by the end of the first week, we started to notice the soil was...unhealthy...like there wasn’t any life or nutrients left in it. My husband and the sons went to investigate, and as you can imagine, they never made it back…” Again, her voice trailed off, this time overcome by a wave of sadness.

Thora lifted her gaze from the picture, quietly assessing Mrs. Holt before handing the picture off to the little girl. The girl greedily snatched it from Thora and began a close examination of its contents. Thora took a sip of tea in an effort to get rid of her cottonmouth before attempting to speak, "I'm sorry for this difficult time, Mrs. Holt," She smiled weakly, hoping that the older woman could see the genuine empathy in her expression, "Do you know where they went to investigate? Or perhaps what direction they headed in?"
She paused for a second, tilting her head slightly to the side as if she had just thought of something, "In the days leading up to your husband and sons' disappearance, were any of them sick? Particularly after a day of working in the fields?"

Sheila’s emotions did a complete one eighty. One moment she was lamenting a supposed loss, only to become a spitfire of a woman with a snappy reply. “Well if you’d let me finish my story without all this speculation, I’d reckon you might have an answer already. Now...” She took a moment to regain her composure--her usual smile back on her face as she flashed Thora an amicable wink. “As I was saying, they never came back. By the time early evening rolled around, I was quite concerned and went to go check on them myself. I don’t remember much from that night. I opened the door to a cloud of dust, and that was it. The next morning when I came too, the Guild was at my doorstep, helping me out of a pool of my own vomit; meanwhile my family was being shipped off to Genroi for intensive care. That was a week ago. Ever since then, no one can go into the fields without collapsing, and the wheat has gotten no better. I expected everything would be better by now, but that nice gentleman, outside, informed me that the only time they could fix the problem was today.” She fell silent, her story finally done.

Thora's brows drew together as she chewed thoughtfully on her piece of bread. She had never heard of a toxic dust cloud, then again there were probably a lot of things she had never heard of. Setting her now empty plate on the counter, she chased the food with the rest of her tea before turning her attention back to the older woman, "Thank you for the food, story, and your hospitality, Mrs. Holt." Practically having to jump from the stool in order to reach the ground, Thora managed a real smile, "Rest assured, your farm will be back to normal in no tim--"

“That’s a bold promise, Chitos.” The child interjected with a sudden sense of gravity in her tone.

“I have a name--”

“Do you have any idea how to even begin fixing the issue. Cause I don't. What I can tell you is that there are no native species of any sort that meet the criteria she described. Which makes me wonder…" A spark of inspiration lit in her eyes as she reached into a pouch on her belt and retrieved a small glass vial. Inside was a miniscule sample of the same iridescent powder, which she placed on her finger, then subsequently her tongue. The effects were immediate. Her lower face began to droop and her speech slurred as she began to talk. "Ish a pwretthy stwrong noorotohin." Without waiting any longer, she reached into another pouch for a leafy herb which she crushed between her fingers then rubbed throughout the interior of her mouth. Like the toxin, the herb's effects were near immediate and soon, her facial motor control returned to normal. "Neurotoxins are common to the rainforests of Dazkla and the southern Okari ocean. Obviously, the latter makes no sense in this context, which leaves me to believe we were dealing with an invasive species from the rainforest." She fell silent and began pondering Sheila’s story, until another realization made her burst out with a sudden, loud 'OH'. Without any care for its contents, she threw her pack off her back and began rummaging for a particular device. She extracted what appeared to be a sundial, before turning tail and sprinting out of the house.

“Hey, kid, wait!” Thora shouted after the child’s retreating form. She paused to give Mrs. Holt a thumbs up before running after the girl.

"What are you doing!?" Thora called, taking the porch steps two at a time. "What even is that thing?"

She had taken about three steps away from the farmhouse when a blur of white and brown zipped past her face. Thora turned to watch as the bird made an ungraceful landing and hobbled a few feet before regurgitating a pellet. The bird ruffled its feathers in agitation, looking like a stumbling drunkard as it attempted to take flight.

The child remained oblivious to the happenings behind her. Instead, she was focused on the device which had been placed on a level portion of ground. “It’s a sundial, you rock for brains. What else would it be?” She sarcastically muttered in response to Thora’s question, all while she observed the position of the shadow which pointed towards the right side. “This is not good.” She finally concluded with a heavy sigh. “Vin lied, we don’t have twenty four hours. We only have a quarter of a day until we’re going to see the culprit of this farm.”

Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.​

 

[Lazaro1505]

Akiri Dayir
Location: Afevresi Farm
Mentions/ Interactions: Azukai Hell0NHighWater

His journey to the house was interrupted when a armored fellow appeared out of the the wheat field, barfing up the contents of his stomach , before falling face first into the contents. He only raised a brow underneath his metal helmet, as another person went to check up on the man, before using their finger on a shiny powder of the former’s armor, before sniffing it. Like the first one, the Latter too also fallen into a great sickness from sniffing the powder, and showed the same symptoms as the former.

“It seems that whatever is causing it, is a powder that reacts heavily when breathed in or applied into the mouth...... so a helmet will not be useful here.” as Akiri took out his journal, taking a small quill from it and began writing down the new piece of information down. He ignored a few other events, as he put away his belongings, before heading towards the house once more, hoping to find an answer there.

Before he had even a chance to knock on the door, it was quickly opened as two people, one a strange clothed short person, along with an armored female from earlier both exited the house, and a few more events such as a bird who was acting like a drunk.

Slowly making his way towards the two, using his spear as a walking stick, he looked at the device known as the sundial, and was told they only had a quarter of a day until they are gonna see this culprit behind the powder. Speaking up, he voiced his thoughts “I do not know what we are dealing with.... due to my inexperience with the world around me. But what seems to be a cause for the powder here.” As he waited to an response.

His wolf however, left his side while he was busy, and went to the two fallen people, looking at the powder that was on the armored figures form. It thought of sniffing the powder, but seeing the consequence of the other person smelling the powder, it decided to watch the others try to help them.

 

[Azukai]

The Bean
Location: farm
Mentions/interactions: glooomycinnamonroll BippityBoppityBoop Lazaro1505 (Direct), Everyone is capable of hearing her explanation though.

Sojin was struggling. He couldn't feel anything above his chest, and his conscious spun as if it were drifting in an endless void of nothingness. It was an awful, almost frightening experience brought on by the neurotoxin, and it left him cursing Vin, over and over, as he waited for its effects to fade. He could hear the voices of the applicants all around him, yet everything sounded far more distant than it should have. Even Desimir, who hovered directly above him, sounded as if he were in another room. That being said, Sojin still managed another thumbs up as a response to the man's request for further examination--were it not interrupted at least.

Having concluded her findings with the sundial, the Synthian child rose to her feet and walked over to Desimir's side. Like her older counterpart, she began examining Sojin's condition and immediately came to a conclusion of what he needed. "Snapsalt Root will clear his head." She explained while digging in pouch for yet another vial. Once the remedy was in hand, she tossed it Desimir's way, after which she began curiously inspecting his facial features. "You're Professor Cordius...or rather ex-professor, aren't you? Not that your active title is important, what matters is the fact that you specialized in phytology. Administer the remedy, while I explain what I have uncovered alongside of that Chitonian woman..." She paused for a moment and turned her attention towards Fre, whom she pointed a finger at before addressing. "You, plant, listen to this as well. You may have insight to contribute."

The child rose to her feet and walked over to the vomiting victim. There, she knelt down and brushed his armor with her right index finger. With a finger coated by the iridescent toxin, she turned the face a majority of the applicants and extended her finger for everyone to see. "Like the wolf-man guessed. This powder is the root cause. It is a fairly potent neurotoxin. Neurotoxins are generally common to the rainforests or the southern seas, and we sure as hell don't have lion fish flopping around. Thus, I've concluded that this is likely the work of an invasive, parasitic species from the rainforests. So smart pants and native plant, or anyone else at this point, ring any bells to you?"