Spoiler
Khunbish Avagnar: It's a rather blistering day out by Forgotten springs when the group arrives, and people are more than happy to point out where Old Lady J'osie resides, being a small cabin just outside the walls, the reason for this is apparent by the alchemical smells as soon as one gets close, the smells are far from pleasant as well. Sitting on a chair on a porch is a weathered older miqo'te woman who looks rather sour as she spies the group, "If'n ya lookin' fer somethin' to make th' nuhn more palatable t' deal with, yer'll need t' come back later, ain't got nothin' that won't just knock 'im out and limp"

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah, um... no no. 'm here ta help ya out wit th' whole stolen cane thin'?"

Kai Averniss coughs slightly behind a gauntlet to obscure a wrinkling of her nose against the strong smells. "Indeed, madam. We were informed that you required assistance."

Reis Okeya has her hand over her nose and mouth guarding her from the smell "....ummm what is this stuff....exactly?" she points to all the titems about the place

Khunbish Avagnar: The old lady nods her head as she glances about the group with narrowed eyes, "Good! Azeyma be praised some competent folk that aren't too busy dealin' with a too sober Nuhn." she stands up and pats down her robes, "Well... what d'ya need t' know afer you go runnin' off into th' deserts." she looks at Reis, "Alchemy sweetie, lots of alchemy stuff, keeps the kids in the springs in one piece, keeps other people happy so they don't bother trade with the springs."

Chachanji Gegenji cants his head this way and that in thought. "Well, um... I guess we'd need ta know what happen'd, who dunnit, 'n where they done went."

Kai Averniss looks at the other two, then back to the woman. "A question or two, perhaps.. the leveplate names the culprits as a group of seekers. Are you sure of this? It couldn't be Amalj'aa, or foreigners..?"

Kai Averniss nods to Chachanji Gegenji.

Chachanji Gegenji glances to the other two for some confirmation.

(î‚“Reis Okeya) "or any idea why they would steel your cane...of all things?" she looks at the other two members of the group then back to the little old miqo'te.

Khunbish Avagnar: J'osie snorts at the last part, "Durn right it's got t' be seekers, Amalj'aa wouldn' sneak in an' jus' knock guards out, foreigners... maybe... but that's a lot of foreigners t' empty out a keg house, an' what they'd want with an' old ladies cane's beyond me! But sure as ah'm standin' 'ere they took it!" she motions towards the desert, "Lot of 'em ran that way carrying an' rollin' 'em"

Chachanji Gegenji looks in the direction indicated, scratching idly at his cheek. "... I wonder if'n there'll still be a trail left by 'em at this point..."

Reis Okeya looks over to where the old lady was pointing "......so they stole the towns spirits and your cane and went off into the desert.....thats really odd."

Kai Averniss shakes her head in bemusement, then looks as well. "Alright.. well, nothing to it but to look." She pauses. "Were they seekers from THIS tribe?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, stealin' in general ain't a nice thin' ta do... so tha's already odd ta me. I dun think I could steal nothin'."

Khunbish Avagnar: J'osie blinks a few times and shakes his head, "Naw, there are other tribes out in th' desert, normally don't steal but some rumors been flyin' about some tribe taking a new nuhn that ain't a seeker been flyin' like flies on a dead sand worm, actin' all strange like an' such."

Reis Okeya: "so you need us to return your cane and the other stolen goods then?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "M-master? I ain't worth tha' much of'a lofty title..." He shakes his hands in front of him as if to dismiss some bad luck blowing his way from such things. "'n-n I'm jus' hopin' a good stern talkin' ta will get them ta give back what they done stole. I mean, seriously. Stealin' an old lady's cane is jus' rude."

Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes! Nuhn's been intolerable since 'e's been sober all th' time an' it's makin' the younglin's come mewlin' t' me an' I ain't here t' help them figure out how t' make 'im enjoyable! Cane is very important, good memories."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Jus' Chachanji 'r Chachan's fine, really," he suggested, rubbing at the back of his neck. "'n I'd recommend a hat if'n ya got one. Will help keep th' sun offa yer face 'n stuff."

Kai Averniss: "We could wait until evenfall.. but that will give the hooligans that much more time to consume the stolen spirits." She blinks. "Not that that's.. a bad thing. Ah, but it means more bells lady J'osie must endure without her cane. If we intend to leave later, I will insist on remaining on hand here to help, until then. It's only proper."

Kai Averniss: "..perhaps a new cane might be crafted?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, I could prolly make a metal one... but I dunno if'n tha'd be any good in this sorta weather... plus she said she's got good mem'ries in tha' cane."

Khunbish Avagnar: "Pah! Cane has... memories attached yes." J'osie nods her head, "Can't be easily replaced. If'n ye want t' wait tha's fine."

Chachanji Gegenji: "It'd be disrespectful ta th' kami in it if'n ya jus' abandon it like tha'."

Reis Okeya: " i havent noticed any decent sized tress that could provide well enough materials to craft a cane....unless we could use bone or some such."

Chachanji Gegenji: "'sides, we're goin' after those meanies anyroad... so there ain't much pro'lem in tryin' ta get 'er cane back while we're doin' it."

Kai Averniss: "Oh, yes, I imagined that your cane had sentimental importance." She smiles at the old woman. "But a spare cane might alleviate some difficulties in the interim."

Reis Okeya: "or we can help her out with her daily needs while we wait for night to come?" she looks about the place.

Khunbish Avagnar: She waves her hand, "I ain't invalid yet, jus' memories, and whackin' people comin' with stupid questions."

Kai Averniss: "Very well." She nods firmly. "We'll help out until the evening. And then.."

Khunbish Avagnar: She snorts, "Fine then, what can ya' do t' help 'sides chasin' hoodlums int' th' desert?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ya don't seem all that annoyed."

Kai Averniss: "Annoyed?"

Khunbish Avagnar: The woman nods and opens the door to motion to a stove in the corner of what looks like a very well stocked and set up alchemy lab, "The stoves been 'avin' problems, if'n ya can fix it." she says to Chachanji then looks over to Reis, "Hrm... Needs some more Natron." she looks at Chacha, "Yer 'ere, yer'll get it back, ain't no use in tryin' t' push ya' out th' door, yer th' professionals."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ya said ya were an annoyed knight."

Khunbish Avagnar: She points at Kai then the water, "Since yer ain't got other skills t' 'elp, need some more bottles of fresh water from th' spring source, careful, slippery gettin' there."

Chachanji Gegenji: "... mebbe takin' care'a me forge might come in handy 'ere..."

Khunbish Avagnar: She nods her head, "Might be, ain't a smith, been fillin' th' place with smoke."

Kai Averniss: "Anointed.." She looks back to J'osie, and nods. "Just show me the bottles and the water, and I will do the rest, madam."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, there might be a crack what needs fillin'!" he chirps thoughtfully with a nod before looking back at Kai. "Tha's what I said. Annoyed. Ya dun look it." He gives the knight a shrug and then patters over to the stove, fishing tools from a bag at his hip.

Khunbish Avagnar: J'osie opens an unmarked crate and then motions to Kai, it is filled with empty bottles, she points towards the grassy rocks across from her, "Over there."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Huh... well, 'ere's yer pro'lem..." Chachan comments as he produces the hardened material. "I took it out 'n fixed up th' pipe so it should work jus' fine now..."

Khunbish Avagnar: J'osie was chuckling over Kai's misadventure but deposits the bottles of water in her lab. She nods her head to Chacha, "Ah huh...good, can keep it, don' want it." she nods her head to Reis and motions, "Sun is finally fallin' since yer all said ye wanted t' wait till got cooler."

Khunbish Avagnar: J'osie hands the excess salt back, "Don't 'ave use fer salts like this."

Kai Averniss: "Mrrf.. seems I'm being tried today... miss Reis, could you help with this..?"

Reis Okeya: "hmm? oh sure lets see here."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Izzat normal fer an annoyed knight?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Is that why ya slipped? Too much oil?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "I'd hope so."

Khunbish Avagnar: J'osie chuckles as she listens and sits herself back down on her chair like a good NPC.

Kai Averniss: "I believe it is time to go!"

Reis Okeya: "yes we shouldn't have to woory about the heat as much now."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, I've never been really bothered wit heat... but 'm glad it'll be more comfortable fer ya two."

Reis Okeya: " well i was more concerned for our friend in the heavy metal armor the heat dosent bother me that much guess the scales might have a hand in it?'

Chachanji Gegenji: "Um... not really?"

Reis Okeya: "err not really but i always keep my eyes to the ground i find all sorts of shiny stuff that people walk by or just drop."

Kai Averniss: "Let's go, then. I'm sure the gods will guide our steps."

Khunbish Avagnar: Well finding a trail was easy when one of the kegs must have been leaking, even in the moon light the lines and coloring of the sand was noticeable.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, huh. Well, I was figgerin' th' trail'd be all covered up by th' sand by now... tha's pretty helpful."

Reis Okeya: "......hmm you think that whater spirit they had would of dried up by now i guess we are really lucky huh?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, it could still get covered up if'n a sandstorm kicks up'r somethin', right? So we prolly should get goin'."

Reis Okeya: "...it was nothing special....errm thank you for the praise though."

Khunbish Avagnar: The trail leads a fair bit of time into the desert, the moon already high by the time a camp comes into view. One massive pavillion tent is set up, several smaller tents circle around it, even though it is night it is busy enough to see a fair few miqo'te moving between the large tents entrance and the smaller ones.

Chachanji Gegenji: "I get th' feelin' we're gonna be a bit outnumbered if'n they ain't open ta talkin' this out..."

Reis Okeya: "......ummm what should we do? try and talk to them?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, 'm all fer tryin' ta find a nice, friendly way'a solvin' this, but... they IS bandits, right?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "I dun think we can jus'... walk down there 'n say hello."

Reis Okeya: "mabe we can wait and see if thay get drunk enough to not notice us?"

Khunbish Avagnar: There are a pair of guards standing outside the front of the large tent, but they don't look terribly attentive, more bored

Reis Okeya: and what is that large beast over there?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "S-so... SHOULD we go 'n just say hello, then? I got a pretty friendly hello."

Reis Okeya: "mmmm mabe one of us can distract the group in the big tent while the others try and find the cane?"

Kai Averniss: "Then, I would say that's our best plan.. barring objections?" She looks back to the camp. "..also, we can wait for them to get a -little- more drunk, I imagine."

Reis Okeya: "its worth a shot i guess."

Khunbish Avagnar: As the party carries on, the voices and music changes, different instruments, some miqo'te are carried out, it looks to be mostly women, a few others make their way inside as if to replace those that tapped out., eventually the two guards are replaced

Chachanji Gegenji: "So, um... do we go down now? Or are we waitin' s'more? 'r what?"

Khunbish Avagnar: One of the guards starts to peer in your direction but turns out he was just leering at another passing miqo'te that was tending to the elephant things.

Reis Okeya: "i think we will need to go soon they may start to notice us if we stay here to long."

Chachanji Gegenji: "So... we jus' walk on down there, then?"

Reis Okeya: " i hate to say it but i think the big tent may have everything we need to complete this leve...." she gulps

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, if'n we can make nice wit 'em, mebbe they'll just give us th' cane back?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "S-so... are we goin' ta go talk ta 'em? I mean... 'm all fer it, but I 'unno 'bout goin' down there all by meself, y'know? 'm jus' one Lalafell."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, yer back. So, um... I guess let's go, then?" He rubs at the back of his neck. "Unless we gots another plan? I ain't really good at th' plan-makin'."

Reis Okeya: "well i guess its with her plan you two go and distract them and ill try and sneak around to the back of the tent and look for the cane."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, akay... here goes, I guess..." He fidgets about for a bit before making the slow trek down to the camp, trying to look as open and non-threatening as possible. Which wasn't too hard, considering. He was never the sort that looked intimidating, even when trying to be.

Kai Averniss: "Good. Do what you can, but if it's too much, shout for help." She considers. "Setting fire to the alcohol reserves, or forcing those massive animals to panic or stampede would make good covers for escape."

Khunbish Avagnar: One of the two Miqo'te guards shouts out, "Hoy! You there! What's a lalafell doing out here? Get chased by a toad?" the other one snickers and nudges the first one while laughing.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ah, um... not really? Didn't ev'n see any toads on th' way 'ere..." He comments with an awkward little chuckle in a faint echo of their shared laughter. "Um, actually, 'm lookin' fer a cane fer an old Miqo'te lady."

Khunbish Avagnar: The two look at each other and shrug, "I haven't seen a cane, have you?" "Nope, 'cept the one you get beat by but I haven't pissed my mom off lately" "That's because she's been too busy with the new nuhn."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well... um..." He rubs at the back of his neck again. "If'n I could ask, where'd she get th' cane? It might be th' one we're lookin' fer?"

Khunbish Avagnar: The first one blinks a few times then looks to the other one, "Q'iche, where'd your mom get her cane?" "Huh... you know... think she got it off some dead adventurer Q'inoa"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, huh. Tha' might not be th' cane, then. We're lookin' fer one belongin' ta an old Miqo'te lady from over at th' Springs."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Seems someone made off wit it 'n th' trail brought us over this'a'way."

Khunbish Avagnar: They both shrug in unison, "If that's the case, maybe ask the new Nuhn, we're just camp guards, no one tells us anything" the other one grunts, "Go ahead inside, Nuhn's rules, guests welcome if they want to party."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ah, thankya!" He gives them a smile and nod before taking them up on their offer.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Um... I 'unno. I was too focused on jus' tryin' ta make nice, y'know?"

Khunbish Avagnar: The guard that Reis just bumped into makes an attempt to grab at the smol lizard girl but manages to miss her barely, "HEY! What are you doing sneaking around back here! Party is inside!"

Khunbish Avagnar: Inside the Pavillion there are pillows scattered everywhere, music instruments, various tools, there's a banquet table that is almost spilling over with food interspersed with bottles and several different kegs can be seen along one side, some with Amalj'aa markings too. Everyone seems to be in the throes of vices until the group enters and all goes quite. There are only two males to be seen.

Khunbish Avagnar: Amidst a massive pile of pillows is a Hyur that could only be described as a well toned Thavniarian with tawny skin and red hair. The most noticeable thing about him is his left arm, which appears to be encased entirely in what looks like cooled lava, an angry red glow emitting from the cracks in it. There is a similar glow to his eyes. To his left, kneeling and holding a cup is the other male, a seeker who is looking down at the platter he holds, ears pinned, tail limp.

Khunbish Avagnar: The hyur blinks a few times at the lalafell and his face splits into a grin, "A lalafell! I have not seen your kind in a couple years! And another Hyur! hahaha!" he stands up and claps his hands, "I admit I was starting to get tired of Miqo'tes, come in! Join the party!"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ah, um... sure thin'?" He looks up at Kai. "I-it'd be rude not ta, I 'spose."

Khunbish Avagnar: He flops back down on the pillows before glancing about, "Evening is still young! Continue the party!" the women start picking up the music again, a few others dancing and singing some grab a bottle here, or a plate of food there. The man motions the two of them forward, "I'm Efreeti." he glances and pushes the Maleqo'te, "Een! Get me a bottle of the green stuff!" the Male nods his head and moves over towards the table, his movements stiff, limited, there's a jingling as he moves and he never stands up straight.

Khunbish Avagnar: The guard sighs and lifts up a flap, "Get back in there then!" he shakes his head and sighs, "ugh... just hurry up."

Khunbish Avagnar: Efreeti nods his head to Chacha then looks over at Reis as she's ushered in, he suddenly doesn't just look, he focuses in on her, there was a glint to his eyes as he licks his lips before grinning.

Khunbish Avagnar: Efreeti stands up and approaches the group, more following than anything, he is fascinated by Reis, "You, horned one, what are you?" he leans in, as if smell her, he was clearly radiating a lot of heat, "I will have to reward that guard for sending me someone so... unique." he pauses a moment and steps back, "What brings a group like you to my tribe?" he retrieves the bottle as it arrives and retrieves two cups off the table, pouring two cups before holding one out to Reis.

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah, well, we're kinda lookin' fer an old lady's lost cane," Chachan stated, figuring honesty would be the best policy here.

Khunbish Avagnar: Efreeti straightens up as he takes a long gulp of his wine, "An old lady's cane... all the way out here in the desert?" he laughs a bit as he makes his way towards the pillows and flops back down upon them, "I don't know anything about a cane, no use for them." he motions to Reis, "Now her, I have a use for, what do you want for her, never seen an Au Ra before."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, um... she thinks it mighta gotten snatched up wit some alcohol from th' Springs..." he explains, rubbing at the back of his neck. "N-not sayin' yer th' guys what snatched either'a 'em... but she pointed us in this direction ta find it." He blanches at the request to purchase Reis before nodding and pointing at Kai. "Um, yeah... what she said."

Khunbish Avagnar: "Huh? Free woman? Pah, maybe I'll have to go to Sil'dih and see if they have any in their slave markets." he waves dismissively, "Shame, that one is pretty."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Anyway, um... would it be akay if we look around fer it? I dun want to impose on yer guys' festivities 'n whatnot."

Khunbish Avagnar: "What? You speak for her, but she's a free woman, I'm assuming then she's clearly in a contract with you or a retainer but can leave...hrm." he strokes at his chin, "You." he points at Reis, "How would a life spent having your every desire fulfilled at my side sound?" he glances at the maleqo'te and snorts, grinning at the poor man. He looks back to Chacha, "No imposition! Guests are always welcome as long as they aren't here looking to try and kill the mood!"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, a'course not... parties'r fun, y'know?"

Khunbish Avagnar: "Of course! And so I party from the time I wake up to the time I pass out amidst a pile of miqo'te women that have been worked to the point of exhaustion." he winks at Chachanji, "In fact! Stay and enjoy the revelry! I can even get you a miqo'te each to keep you company!"

Khunbish Avagnar: "Een, go tell them to roll one of those new Kegs we liberated from that Miqo'te city last night." the Maleqo'te bows and shuffles out, jingling all along the way.

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah, a-actually, I already have... um..." He pokes his index fingers into each other, before finishing more quietly. "... a girlfriend."

Khunbish Avagnar: "Nonesense! She's not here to keep you warm and happy!" he looks at Kai, "yea, but if they wanted to keep it, should have kept it better guarded." he looks to Reis and steps up to her, "You want to come sit down with me, Reis is it? I'm sure you would thoroughly enjoy it."

Chachanji Gegenji: "'m plenty warm'n happy jus' havin' 'er as a girlfriend..." Chachan responded with a fidget. "'So, um... I-I'mma pass. More fer ya, I guess?" A shrug and a strained smile. "I-I'm sure she didn't mean ta upset ya, Mr. Efreeti," Chachan jumps in, trying to soothe the man's ego a bit. "'n-n ya never know what some folks'll put in their wares."

Khunbish Avagnar: He tilts his head, "...That is Absinthe, strong absinthe." he states and snorts, "Ul'dah? what a stupid name, Sil'dih was a jewel." he nods his head before he turns back to the group, a decently large Miqo'te male steps in, the first thing noticeable about him is half his face was badly burned at one point. He walks up to Efreeti and kneels, the fur on his short ears and tail seems a bit fine for miqo'te, "Yes father, you asked for me?"

Khunbish Avagnar: Efreeti grins at Reis, "Reis, you are welcome to stay as long as you like. I want to know more about the Au Ra, and where they come from." he grins, "I am sure there are new things I could experience that I haven't before." he licks his lips again.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Maybe ya grabbed it accidentally in th' rush? I mean... it still wasn't nice fer ya ta jus' take th' kegs insteada buyin'r tradin' fer 'em..." He puts on a little 'you should be ashamed pout' there. "But... if'n it's akay, could we take a look 'n see?"

Khunbish Avagnar: Efreeti sighs and motions towards the back, "Q'ing, take them to the kegs." he turns his attention back to Reis, grinning to her, "Do you like to travel and try new things Reis?" he motions towards the tables, "I was considering taking the tribe to Thavnair soon..." he was really laying it on with the tone as he speaks to Reis. He glances at Kai a moment, narrowing his eyes at her, "You could take one of the males if you wanted, it might loosen you up some."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ta be fair, I dun always know what's goin' on neither..." Chachan comments to Kai, but also seems eager to go check for that cane. He looks to the one identified as 'Q'ing.' "And, um... sorry fer th' trouble. Shouldn't take too long at all."

Khunbish Avagnar: "- mind a chance with a woman, even if it is not a miqo'te." he settles in and takes a gulp from the bottle of absinthe directly.

Reis Okeya: "why...yes....i like to see the world..i..was...never awllowed to see it before...come on miss kai its so late! we could stay till morning.....right1?" she tugs on her arm.

Khunbish Avagnar: Q'ing shrugs and moves for the back of the tent, "Follow me, there was no Cane." he guides them across the way, any who follows to a tent piled high with kegs from all over by the markings.

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, it can't hurt ta check, right?" Chachan chirps, trying to remain friendly. He gets to looking, trying to balance between being thorough and being quick.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Jingly? Like tha' one Miqo'te that was wit yer new Nuhn? He was pretty jingly."

Khunbish Avagnar: Q'ing shrugs, "Only jingling in camp is our former nuhn Q'een, but that's his chains, he's got anklets attached to piercings."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Was it th' same kinda jinglin'?"

Khunbish Avagnar: "The chains are too short for him to do more than hobble." he shakes his head, "No like... bells like collar bells some wear."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, huh... Well..." He pouts a little bit again. "In either case, ya guys wouldn'ta had ta rush 'round like that if'n ya had gotten th' kegs fair 'n square rather'n jus' takin' 'em. If'n ya guys'r gonna be 'ere a while, it'd be good ta make nice wit th' other people 'round."

Khunbish Avagnar: Q'ing blinks a few times and folds his arms, "No challenge in it if just trading. You asking us return them?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "It'd be nice," he states, keeping that pout. "I mean, if'n it's a challenge ya guys want... 'm sure ya could see if'n th' folks from th' Springs'd be willin' ta spar wit ya or somethin'."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Then ya can have yer challenge 'n still make nice wit yer neighbors."

Khunbish Avagnar: Q'ing snorts, "Doesn't challenge th' hunters. You really want us to put them back hm?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, 'gain... it'd be nice..." He cants his head thoughtfully as a strange idea hits him. It's unusual for him. "Oh! Mebbe ya can make that a challenge too! Like, gettin' 'em out wit'out noticin' was a challenge... could ya get 'em back wit'out them noticin'?"

Khunbish Avagnar: There was a pause as he ponders the Lalafell a moment, "Hrm... would be new, never tried that..." he watches the lalafell, "We will try it. this time."

Chachanji Gegenji nods cheerfully. "I bet yer gonna do great! I mean... sneakin' somethin' in sounds like it'd be jus' as hard, if not harder'n sneakin' somethin' out..."

Khunbish Avagnar: Q'ing nods his head, "Yes." he shouts, "Q'iche, Q'inoa! Get the hunters, we're sneaking the U' kegs back."

Chachanji Gegenji gives the Miqo'te another smile and nod, and then returns to the others. "So, um... no cane. I looked. Mebbe she jus' misplaced it?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh, um..." He glances back in to wave to Efreeti. "Thanks fer bein' so helpful! Enjoy yer party!" He pauses for a bit of thought, then pulls out a bag from his belt. "Um, here... ta make up fer th' troubles, I have some Yellow Drops ya guys can have! Um... if'n ya like lemon-flavored candies, tha' is." He looks about and put it on a nearby table. "I'll jus' leave this 'ere if'n ya guys want it."

Khunbish Avagnar: Efreeti peers at the candy before he gets up to approach the candy, pondering it for some time. Back across the desert, J'osie is upset but resigned. She does grumble a lot about her missing cane but accepts that at least things will be better with everyone drunk enough to handle the nuhn of the U' tribe again.

Chachanji Gegenji offers to try and make her a new cane to make new memories of answering stupid questions with!

Spoiler
Seito Moonclaw wanders up to the camp, pausing here and there to idly admire the crystals, even prodding at a few of them. He gives a nod and brief smile. "Hmm, I believe this is where the leve said aid was needed..."

Khunbish Avagnar: Rammbroes was having an animated and worried conversation with an Elezen that was just as animatedly responding back as the group arrives. He finally just holds a hand up and looks to the group, "Here for the emergency Leve?"

Astra Bluestar nods to the Roegadyn "Yes sir. I am."

Artoria Aldsan nods slightly. "I have heard you needed assistance. What seems to be the issue, exactly?"

Adeya Evenar nods once. "That's right," she says. Folding her arms, she glances between Rammbroes and the rest of the group. "Yes, some more details would definitely be helpful."

Seito Moonclaw likewise nods, "Indeed."

Khunbish Avagnar: Rammbroes glances at the group and sighs, "So some time after the crystal tower was locked back up, there was an earth quake and some adventurers reported part of the ground collapsed into a tunnel. We sent some guards with a couple researchers in, they never came out, so we sent more guards and they never returned so we're having to resort to people with more experience."

Artoria Aldsan nods slightly. "I see. Are we to simply scout the interior, or are we to prioritize search and rescue then?"

Khunbish Avagnar: The Elezen man was about to talk but Rammbroes holds a hand up, "Fontraux I understand, that is why I put this leve out in the first place!" he looks back to the group, then Artoria, "Search and Rescue, we'd like our people back, if even to bury them properly. We don't know what's in there other than the normal Gigas issues in the area."

Adeya Evenar reaches up to run a hand through her hair as she thinks. "It sounds like they ran into something in there then. Which... considering where we're talking about, could be any number of things." She glances over towards Artoria, her tail swishing thoughtfully behind her, before turning back to Rammbroes and adding: "In addition to that, how long ago was this?"

Khunbish Avagnar: "This was yesterday, we put that leve up quick because of the expediency especially if people are injured down there."

Seito Moonclaw rests his hands at his belt as he nods, listening closely while his tail sways about. "Do you have a count of how many we are seeking?"

Adeya Evenar nods once. "Well, there might be a chance then," she remarks before falling quiet once more. She was curious about that as well.

Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes, the first group had two researches, G'randi Tia and Halcyon Sapphiraux, plus four guards, the second was another group of four guards with the two adventurers that found the opening originally."

Astra Bluestar: "Where is this opening?"

Khunbish Avagnar: "It was found near the original crystal tower gate." he motions towards one of the guards, "He'll show you the way, Fred? right his name's Fred." The hyur nods his head, "I'm Fred." he leans against his spear looking not to pleased about going along.

Adeya Evenar purses her lips slightly at the sight of Fred. "Don't worry," she says. "You're not the one going down in there." She then looks towards the others. "Well, I think that's everything then?"

Seito Moonclaw nods to Fred, "Thank you then." He turns to the others, "Shall we be on our way?"

Astra Bluestar nods to Adeya "I think that is all we need for now."

Khunbish Avagnar: Fred nods his head and motions for them to follow as he makes his way towards the Crystal tower, "This way."

Astra Bluestar: "My name is Astra by the way. Good to meet you all."

Artoria Aldsan nods slightly at Astra's introduction. "Artoria."

Seito Moonclaw: "I am Seito, and likewise."

Adeya Evenar inclines her heard slightly. "You as well. I'm Adeya."

Khunbish Avagnar: As the group approaches the collapsed opening, it's clear where it is by the floor droping in near the door to the eight sentinels, and the two Gigas that are peering into it, grunting at each other while they look in.

Artoria Aldsan: "I suppose that is our way in. Let's clear out the Gigas first."

Adeya Evenar pauses at the sight of the Gigas, her hand moving warily to her grimoire. "Agreed. They'll be a problem otherwise."

Astra Bluestar nods to Artoria as she takes her sword and shield in hand. "I doubt they would just leave if we ask nicely."

Seito Moonclaw chuckles softly, "One might hope but you are likely right." He shifts a hand to his sword.

Seito Moonclaw lowering his center for a moment, Seito focuses on the Gigas on the left before he dashes forward, drawing his blade as he closes the distance and attempts to cut along the back of the rather tall creature's leg.

Khunbish Avagnar: The gigas didn't dodge as he takes a 2 stress hit, but he sure seems focused and angry as he turns around to face Seito with a howl of pain.

Khunbish Avagnar: The Gigas takes the other hit like a champ, about to lose his title for a 3 stress hit

Astra Bluestar lowers her shield and charges in on the Gigas that Seito has already attacked and slams into him hard with her shield and stabs into his leg.

Artoria Aldsan crouches befor leaping through the air for the second Gigas, her sword arcing as it aims for the creature's head.

Khunbish Avagnar: With the first one well under the state of being waylaid, it's only right the second one takes a hit to the brainpan, although he survives with some blood and whirls about to face whoever tagged him good.

Artoria Aldsan snorts as she hits the ground. "Damned thick skulls."

Adeya Evenar hangs back as everyone else rushes in. Her grimoire glows in her hand as she fires off a blast of aether towards the first wounded giga in an attempt to finish them off.

Khunbish Avagnar: The gigas' hide is pretty thick but still takes a solidish hit from Adeya's spell

Khunbish Avagnar: L.Gigas after getting triple teamed decides to take on the first thing he can swing at, that being Seito, after all, he did hit first.

Seito Moonclaw hops back but not far enough to avoid the blow entirely, raising his blade to try and parry it aside.

Khunbish Avagnar: R. Gigas aims an overhead swing at Artoria, going for a good skull for skull thumping.

Artoria Aldsan takes the blow on her blade, turning it aside.

Seito Moonclaw attempts to land another solid hit on the Gigas, still striking low on the huge creature.

Khunbish Avagnar: It is in that moment, the Gigas remembers, /Oh hey! I have a shield!/ and just walls off Seito's attack like it was nothing making him /Well Guarded/ for the moment

Astra Bluestar throws herself against the thing's shield as hard as she can to try and get it to shift out of the way. Surprisingly the gigas stumbles and she creates an opening.

Khunbish Avagnar: The Gigas manages to avoid taking any damage from Astra's attack, but his shield was knocked out of the way.

Artoria Aldsan twists, her sword coming across to continue attacking the second Gigas as she strikes at its dominant arm.

Khunbish Avagnar: The Gigas manages to interject the shield almost as if it knew what it was doing when it realizes /Oh hey! I have a shield too!/ gaining /Well Guarded/

Adeya Evenar purses her lips as she readies another spell and throws it at the same giga. Surely it couldn't take much more.

Khunbish Avagnar: The first Gigas takes the hit like a champ, that just lost the title, tumbling backwards, missing the opening into the tunnel and tumbling off into the darkness below.

Khunbish Avagnar: R.Gigas glances towards where his friend went and then turns to charge at Adeya, attempting to swing at her using his reach with the giant club to maxium effect. Ironically, leaving him entirely open to anyone like Artoria to get clean shots on him either way later.

Adeya Evenar 's eyes widen as the giga charges towards her. She leaps back as she quickly conjures a shield into place to block the giga's swing.

Seito Moonclaw turns his attention to the remaining Gigas, springing to attack him now that he's wide open.

Khunbish Avagnar: R.Gigas is taken out pretty cleanly by Seito's sliced and diced action, guess he shouldn't have forgone his defense to try playing smash the kitty.

Seito Moonclaw gives his blade a swing to clean it before flipping it around and sliding it into the sheath. "Now that we are limbered up...shall we proceed?"

Khunbish Avagnar: Fred stayed out of the way like a good NPC, honestly, that spear was probably more for show than anything. Now that the Gigas' were gone he very helpfully points at the hole, "They went down there."

Artoria Aldsan: "Well, that takes care of that. Let's head down."

Artoria Aldsan jumps in the hole like a good adventurer.

Astra Bluestar: "Have a rope for us to use Fred?"

Adeya Evenar lets out a breath as the second giga falls and closes her grimoire, though she keeps it in hand rather than return it to her belt. She flashes Seito a grim smile. "After you," she says.

Seito Moonclaw: "Or...the forward approach," He states, watching Artoria hop down. Nodding to Adeya, he looks around, "A rope would be helpful, in case it is a rather deep hole."

Khunbish Avagnar: Upon a closer look, there's a rope ladder already set, it's only about 10-12 fulms down into the hole then the ground slopes down, it was more like the roof of a tunnel collapsed.

Astra Bluestar moves to the ladder and starts to climb down. "The gigas dead down there?"

Seito Moonclaw waits for Astra to descend a bit before likewise making use of the ladder.

Adeya Evenar follows Seito down the ladder. "I don't think gigas know how to use ladders.... or would be able to fit down here," she calls down, her tail flicking behind her as she glances uneasily up at the cieling. Opening up her grimoire, she uses it to summon up a bit more light.... which, judging by her expression, doesn't seem to improve matters.

Khunbish Avagnar: There is a quiet thud echoing up from the chasm next to the tunnel.

Artoria Aldsan: "I suspect we do not have to worry about the gigas. Be on your guard for other enemies however."

Astra Bluestar: "I will go first if that is acceptable."

Seito Moonclaw squints a bit with the rather close, added light but nods. "No, this was certainly the work of those who came before us." He pauses at the thud, beginning to look around slowly. "Enemies or those we seek. They are, after all, our main reason for being here."

Adeya Evenar 's eyes narrow at the thud. "You all heard that right?" she asks, before nodding once to Artoria. She was perfectly content to let the people with armor and swords go first.

Astra Bluestar starts to head down the tunnel, her eyes open for threats or people they need to help.

Seito Moonclaw: "Mm. Whatever it was, it was not far from us."

Khunbish Avagnar: As the group moves along the passageway, there are clear signs that this used to be a nice, clean, pretty Allagan/Crystal tower tunnel until it was comprimised by the crystals that tore through and spread all about it. Part of the ceiling ahead looks particularly unstable and everyone clearly sees that, not being under that section when a small tremor causes it to collapse in a spray of debris and a few beams that could have really hurt someone if they were caught under it.

Astra Bluestar: "This place is still collapsing...are earthquakes common here?"

Adeya Evenar 's face visibly pales as the ceiling crashes down near them. "I don't think so..." she murmurs quietly, her ears tilted back and tail lashing uneasily behind her.

Artoria Aldsan: "I wouldn't say common. The Calamity caused a rather large one in this region however."

Seito Moonclaw: "I could not say." He looks back towards where they'd left Fred. "Our guide may have known but for now all we can do is tread carefully."

Astra Bluestar nods and keeps heading down the tunnel.

Khunbish Avagnar: As the party continues along, there is a bend in the tunnel as it reaches a section that looks more stable at least. As they round the bend they come to a gruesome sight. There's two earth elementals standing there, and six bodies that look to have been thoroughly smashed, a pile of rocks nearby at least hint that they might have taken one or more elementals down before they fell.

Artoria Aldsan lets out a small sigh. "Well, we found one of the two groups."

Adeya Evenar draws in a sharp breath as she steps around the corner. "Looks like they got overwhelmed," she murmurs quietly, before shaking her head slightly. "Well, there's still hope for the others. Let's deal with these quickly."

Seito Moonclaw pauses as he takes in the sight, eyes narrowing. "...." Exhaling softly, his attention shifts to the elementals. "An unstable area such as this is not where I would choose to fight however...we may have little choice."

Artoria Aldsan: "I agree, Adeya. Let's clear out the sprites quickly and mark the location, the other group takes priority for now."

Astra Bluestar frees her weapons again and stretches out a little "Ready?"

Adeya Evenar nods once, her grimoire open. "Whenever you are."

Khunbish Avagnar: These are not sprites, each elemental is a pile of animated stone that stands taller than a roegadyn, these are sprites on steroids.

Seito Moonclaw: "Then let us begin."

Seito Moonclaw circles about the pair of large elementals, drawing his weapon before attempting to stab one of the stone creatures

Khunbish Avagnar: The blade simply glances off of the stoney exterior harmlessly.

Astra Bluestar charges in on the second monster. It turns as she swings and her blade makes a ringing sound as it is batted aside. She slams her shield into it to knock it off balance though. Next time rock dude.

Artoria Aldsan frowns seeing both of the attacks before her simply bounce off. She takes a deep breath, golden aether running along her blade as she dashes in to strike at the creature.

Adeya Evenar considers the rock creatures for a moment, then aims a blast of aether directly at the center of it.

Khunbish Avagnar: The two elementals are both hit decently well, one by Artoria's large blade assault charged with Aether, and the other by a blast of Aether from Adeya.

Khunbish Avagnar: Seito Elemental lifts an arm up to smash it down at him with the hefty weight of stone behind it.

Seito Moonclaw leaps backwards as the elemental's fist smashes into the ground. When the massive fist withdraws, Seito notices a /Crack in the Stone/

Khunbish Avagnar: The second Elemental attempts to return Artoria's kindness, the stones that make up its arms whirl about in a quick orbit about the central body, one shooting outward like a punching stone missile.

Artoria Aldsan quickly steps back, sword coming down to deflect the shooting stone to the side.

Seito Moonclaw moves swiftly, taking aim at the /Crack in the Stone/ as he focuses his attack there!

Seito Moonclaw: "Take that!"

Khunbish Avagnar: The Crack is definitely bigger after Seito's strike and the Elementals shell, or maybe whatever aether is holding it together appears to have become comprimised after that strike.

Khunbish Avagnar: Apparently even comprimised it manages to avoid taking any noticeable damage from Astra's attack, though it does put her in a slightly better position for the next attack

Astra Bluestar growls a little "I should have brought a pick axe."

Artoria Aldsan steps around, hers sword swinging in a wide arc as she aimed to cleave through the elemental. "It would be helpful about now, yes."

Khunbish Avagnar: The second elemental takes a solid hit from Artoria, the stone taking the non-aether charged strike fairly well, although afterwards it appears to have become comprimised like the first one.

Adeya Evenar narrows her eyes, focusing on the obviously damaged portion of the elemental. Aiming carefully, she fires a bolt of twisting green aether towards, hoping to corrupt it's aether even further. She then turns towards Artoria, placing a quick shield spell on her.

Khunbish Avagnar: First one takes the strike from Adeya as the aether reaches full instability and the stones just scatter across the corridor, lying there unmoving.

Khunbish Avagnar: The remaining Elemental whirls about to smash at Artoria, not elegant, but it's still a giant hunk of stone being swung at her

Artoria Aldsan handily blocks the elemental, smashing part of it into the ground to leave a [gap in the rocks].

Seito Moonclaw turns back to the remaining elemental and, having had some luck before, he attempts to slash into it as well!

Khunbish Avagnar: In the motions of its attacks and attempts at evading Artoria's combat already going on, causing Seito's attack to barely glance off, leaving a few scratches but nothing worth noting.

Astra Bluestar growls in frusteration as the thing swings at her and knocks her shield way. Deciding its time to try something else she flips the sword around so she is holding it by the blade and swings hard at the thing's leg. She slams the crossguard into its knee and with a crack it come apart. The beast topples over and she proceeds to smash the thing to pieces using her sword as a hammer.

Khunbish Avagnar: With the second elemental collapsed, that leaves only the clear corridor, and moving onwards towards the end, after all, the first party was still unaccounted for.

Astra Bluestar looks up after she finishes "Right...I think that has done it." She goes over to pick her shield back up before coming back to the group.

Seito Moonclaw watches Astra for a moment then tilts his head before looking around. "It would seem they found a rather aptly skilled group for this leve. Is anyone injured or shall we continue?"

Artoria Aldsan spares little fanfare for the defeated elementals, simply slinging her sword once more across her back. "Let's continue. We still have the others to find."

Adeya Evenar looks a bit impressed as the second elemental is taken care of. "Nice work," she remarks before turning to Seito. "I'm all right. Let's keep moving."

Astra Bluestar gives a little bit of a sheepish grin at the others as she begins to move down the passage again.

Seito Moonclaw nods in return to Adeya before moving to follow behind Astra.

Khunbish Avagnar: There is a couple more bends in the passageway until they arrive at a shattered door, inside is a well lit room, the flooring has been torn up to expose the stone beneath. There are four dead guards, an elezen woman(?) lying off to the side that's not moving. At the far end of the room is some tube like device that's been opened and a Male Miqo'te standing before it, tail lashing. His right arm appears to be made of stone, with a faint yellowish glow emitting through the cracks.

Artoria Aldsan frowns slightly at that. "...There were to be six, were there not? Two scientists? Is that one of the people we were meant to bring back?"

Adeya Evenar draws in a sharp breath and takes a step back at the sight of the miqo'te. "...If I remember correctly, one of the scientists was a Seeker. I'd be willing to bet that's him," she whispers back.

Seito Moonclaw surveys the room, remaining quiet. He gives a brief nod to Artoria, whispering low, "I do not like the look of his arm, nor it's glow."

Astra Bluestar looks at the others and nods to Arotria. "Yes. He may be. I have a feeling he will not be coming back willingly."

Astra Bluestar moves to head into the room unless someone stops her

Artoria Aldsan lets out a slow breath. "Adeya, when we enter, see to the Elezen woman and see if she can be saved." And with that, she pushes her way into the room, walking forward to confront the mio'te.

Khunbish Avagnar: There was a chuckle as the Seeker turns around, his right eye a brilliant shade of red, offset by the yellow glow coming from his eyes as well, "HAH! Stronger allagans have come!" he kicks one of the nearby bodies, "You allagans have all become such frail and weak things since shoving me, Shaitan the earth into a tube." he looks right at Artoria and pauses a moment, "...Huh did they start crossing themselves with dragons?"

Astra Bluestar: "We are not Allagans. They destroyed themselves millenia ago."

Adeya Evenar nods once to Artoria. As the others go ahead, she creeps over towards the elezen and studies her quickly, looking for first a pulse, then if she was still alive any obvious injuries. However as she does this every few seconds her eyes flick back up to the Miqo'te. "That thing looks to have affected his mind," she says bluntly.

Khunbish Avagnar: "Then you're the children of the Allagans, and have inherited their sins." he flexes his right hand a bit as he stares at everyone Balefully, "But..." he yawns and stretches himself a bit, "I don't have to crush you all right now like the others." // The elezen was alive, concussed and injured but alive.

Seito Moonclaw: "Where then, did you come from?"

Artoria Aldsan stays silent for the moment, eyes narrowing as she studies the miqo'te.

Adeya Evenar quickly starts to cast a healing spell on the elezen to mend the worst of the injuries. It was a patch job, but all she needed was something to tide her over until they could get out of here. However at the miqo'te's words she looks up, her eyes narrowing. "If you're willing to let us go, then why did you attack them? What do you /want/?" she asks.

Khunbish Avagnar: "Me? I came from the earth, I AM! The earth." he gestures a hand towards the exposed ground as an earth elemental tears itself from the ground only for him to gesture again and the stones scatter across the room as if it was slapped so hard it broke, "And the Allagans sinned against me! I will destroy them, I will destroy everything they created, those that carry on their legacy of abuse against the elements!"

Astra Bluestar: "We are not responsible for anything that these long dead people did. To hold us accountable for it is misplaced."

Khunbish Avagnar: "They were unfortunate enough to try and remove me from this body, wanted to seal me back up in that device. They resisted and so I had to crush them."

Artoria Aldsan: "Then you did possess one of the people who came down here. This body is not your own."

Seito Moonclaw looks around for said device.

Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes, you are accountable, you are all children of the Allagans!" he motions to Artoria, "Except you, I don't know what you are, never seen anything like you." he hops down to stand on the ground, "This body is mine now, I need it to accomplish my goals and it was easy to crush the owners weak mind."

Khunbish Avagnar: The aforementioned device was behind him, There's also a large stone spike sticking through what was probably the control console.

Adeya Evenar: "Gee, I wonder why that might be," she mutters under her breath. Louder, she says: "We can't just let you run around in that Seeker's body threatening to crush people. I hope you realize that," she says coldly.

Artoria Aldsan: "You said you crushed his mind-- then even if you were to give up his body he could no longer be recovered?"

Seito Moonclaw exhales slowly and peers at the others, "Are any of you perhaps...skilled in repairing such a device?"

Astra Bluestar: "The allagans were destroyed. Utterly. Completely. There is no legacy. We are not their children. The elementals are not abused. One of the current city states actually works in harmony with the resident elementals."

Adeya Evenar glances sharply over towards Seito and shakes her head slightly. "I've been around Allagan devices before, but the last time I tried to get one to work it almost blew up in my face."

Seito Moonclaw: "Then it is better that we not repeat that. Does she yet live?" He gestured to the elezen nearby.

Khunbish Avagnar: "You don't understand anything..." he grits his teeth, his expression darkening, "The Allagans legacy is everyone, I can feel it spreading throughout the earth, poisoining, their feet stomping everywhere. You are all their children, except you, again never seen your kind before. They could have easily crafted you, you're here in their lands, wielding powers they held, and I can still smell the stench of corrupted aether." it was clear he was getting angrier.
Seito Moonclaw frowns and turns his attention back to the miqo'te. "Will you leave that form and surrender it to the rightful owner's mind?"

Adeya Evenar nods once as she gets to her feet. "She does. She should see a proper healer once we get out of here, but she'll be fine," she says quickly, her hand hovering on her grimoire as she studies the miqo'te. "You're wrong," she says bluntly. "Getting revenge on us won't do you any good. The Allagan Empire has fallen long ago and your attempts at revenge will accomplish /nothing/."

Artoria Aldsan closes her eyes and lets out a slow breath. When she opens them again, it is to draw her sword. "Your hatred is not unfounded, but it is misguided. If you continue in this course, I will stand against you and I will destroy you, Shaitan."

Astra Bluestar: "You can not be allowed to hurt innocents anymore."

Khunbish Avagnar: He pauses as he focuses on Adeya, "...Yes, it would accomplish my goal. To wipe every last trace of the Allagans from this world." he looks to Artoria and stands up straight, "You will destroy me? I AM the earth! I have existed from times primevil! Before even the allagans thought to tear me away from the rest of the elemental energies of Hydaelyn and warp me!" he chuckles a bit, "And so what if you are not directly allagans... you are all collateral so long as there is even a single shred of allag left on this world, it must be crushed no matter the cost."

Artoria Aldsan tilts her head. "I care not what you are. The Allagans tore you away from Hydaelyn. That is proof enough that the world can live on without you."

Astra Bluestar draws her sword and shakes her head "Just like that idiot dragon."

Adeya Evenar considers this for a moment, then she sighs and rolls her eyes. "This isn't working," she says bluntly. "And it doesn't seem willing to let that researcher go." Her grimoire begins to glow softly as she begins to channel aether into it. "I say we deal with this overblown earth elemental and be done with it."

Seito Moonclaw simply nods and draws his blade.

Khunbish Avagnar: He laughs a bit and stands up straight, "Then come at me. Prove you are stronger than the chattel that came before you! Prove that you are not more flailing foundlings without a clue how to fight..."

Seito Moonclaw narrows his eyes, "You claim to hail from a time before time? Then I welcome your challenge and will test my blade against you!" And with that he will swiftly from A to B.

Khunbish Avagnar: With Seito rushing at Shaitan, the crazed elemental miqo'te looks more than happy to lash out at him, the ends of the stone arm going from a hand to earthen claws.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitans arm came up to glance off Seito's attack, it wasn't clean enough to cause significant damage at the moment. He then Wheels about to bring the claws down attempting to rake Seito.

Seito Moonclaw attempts to leap away from the attack but has the front of his armor dramatically clawed away, leaving crimson lines on his chest.

Artoria Aldsan takes a few running steps before leaping for Shaitan, a low growl rumbling in her throat as she brings her sword down.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitan was not in position to put his arm in the way of Artoria's attack, his clothing tearing as her blade cuts into him, for a brief moment there was a cluster of stone that absorbed some of her darkside rage.

Astra Bluestar comes running in, shield held in front of her and slams into the possessed miqo as hard as she can. The slam causing him to be /off-balanced/

Adeya Evenar hangs back, her grimoire at the ready. She gathers up aether, then flings a sickly green looking bolt of aether at Shaitan. It had worked well enough on the other elementals after all.

Seito Moonclaw shifts to make room for the others in the growing melee, attempting a quick slash along Shaitan's back.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitan gets his arm up in time to glance that spell off of it, growling angrily as he is now in a melee cluster with a catte taking pot shots.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitan snarls violently as he drops down, slamming his hand into the ground using /Absolute Earth Control/ To rip earthen spikes up against everyone in Melee against him.

Astra Bluestar tries to dive to the side as the spikes shoot up. She mostly gets out of the way from his aim being off but still ends up cut up.

Artoria Aldsan hisses as she's forced to weave between spikes, several of them piercing through her armor. She kicks her way through, golden aether lighting up along her blade once more as she rushes to try and strike down Shaitan.

Seito Moonclaw just barely dodges and rolls aside, managing to avoid the spikes but finding himself with /bad footing/ in the process.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitan takes another clean strike from Artoria's blade, buffered briefly by another patch of stone appearing upon his body. He snarls out in pain from the strike.

Astra Bluestar: Astra notices him touching the ground to cause the spike burst and quickly drops her weapons and rushes in. She grabs him by the back of the shirt and the belt and with a yell lifts him up off the ground "Try that again!"

Adeya Evenar: Adeya's eyes widen as Astra lifts up Shaitan. Quickly she throws another spell at the creature, hoping to capitalize on her earlier corrputing spell and the fact that Shaitan was now in the air, before hurriedly throwing a shield on Astra. She suspected that their angry earth "friend" wasn't going to be happy with her.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitan takes the blast pretty handidly not being in a position to escape the attack at the moment.

Seito Moonclaw: Regaining his footing to take advantage of Shaitan's new height, Seito leaps up to attack him at his /weak spot/.

Khunbish Avagnar: Takes a solid hit from Seito's attack, snarling even louder from the hit. He attempts to overwhelm Astra's grip by off balancing, maybe some of the bleeding from this body will cause her to lose her grip.

Artoria Aldsan: With Shaitan on the ground, Artoria quick to stomp her foot onto his neck before driving her sword down to try and pierce through his back.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitan manages to wiggle out of the way of the attack, it wasn't elegant having been near prone but he's out of the way. The ground starts rumbling again, another earth quake.

Astra Bluestar: Astra growls as he managed to get out of her grip. He was too heavy to keep that up long but he didn't spike them again. She grabs her sword and takes advantage of the fact hes lying on his face to stab him.

Adeya Evenar: Adeya narrows her eyes. Aiming carefully, she sends a choking bolt of purple aether towards Shaitan, figuring that there was still enough of the mqio'te to be affected by the poison. She then turns towards Astra and throws another shield on her. She still hadn't quite ruled out Shaitan trying to get revenge for earlier.

Seito Moonclaw: Seito wastes little time and instead focuses on pressing the attack on the coughing Shaitan, this time focusing his strike on one of the several cracks that had formed around the once-elemental.

Khunbish Avagnar: Shaitan growls, stumbling as a crimson line forms along his side before it begins to bleed from /Deep slashing wound/. His hand going to his side he growls in frustration as he /Walks the Stone/, quickly metling away into the ground as he cheesecakes out of there, the last image of him being absorbed into the ground was a stoney clawed middle finger and blood from his wounds.

Artoria Aldsan: Artoria lets out a short, frustrated breath. "Coward." She shakes her head and looks to the others. "Let's get the survivor to the surface and let the Sons know what occured."

Seito Moonclaw: "Hrmph." Seito watches him go, even stomping once on the ground for good measure. Exhaling out a huff, he nods to Artoria and after a quick swing to clear his blade, sheathes it. "That is likely best, he could yet cause another earthquake."

Astra Bluestar: Astra shakes her head and sighs a bit before moving over to help with the elezen. "We will have to tell them the rest all died and will need to have rite performed. And the we will have to look at what we can find about that thing."

Adeya Evenar: Adeya growls in frustration, her tail lashing angrily. "Great. Well I don't think there's any way to track him now," she admits. Putting her grimoire away, she glances over towards Astra. "Right. But first we should get out of here like Seito said. That thing seems petty enough to want to kill us, and we're in the perfect spot for it to do it." She then glances back towards the Allagan device on the other side of the room. "And it would damange that, which is probably our best chance of finding something out about it."

Astra Bluestar: Astra nods to Adeya "I had thought of trying to shove him back into it. But unless it is fixed that will likely not do anything."

Seito Moonclaw: "Mm, my thoughts exactly. Perhaps someone at camp will be able to repair it in the meantime."

Adeya Evenar: "No, it probably would have just angered him more and damaged it further." She gives Astra a small grin. "What you did seemed to work rather well, even if it was risky. And hopefully," she adds to Seito.

Seito Moonclaw: Seito wanders over to try and carry/assist in getting the elezen woman up and out of there now that imminent danger had passed.

Astra Bluestar: Astra shakes her head, blushing a tiny bit "It was crazy and risky. I do not know what possessed me to try it."

Artoria Aldsan: "No, given how he was behaving and his clear connection to Earth aspected aether, it was smart. If we face him again, it might be best to find a way to keep him off the ground."

Adeya Evenar: "Perhaps we could manage to trick him somehow. Or use magic," she muses as she follows after Seito. "Either way requires finding a way to find him first though."

Seito Moonclaw: "Yes...let us not get ahead of ourselves. For now our focus should be on," he gestures to the woman he's carrying with his tail, "her returning safely. It is my hope that there is much she will be able to tell us."

Khunbish Avagnar: Fred was waiting for everyone when they made it back up and out of the Tunnel, "Oh good, I don't have to go in to die seeing if y'all died." he blinks at the woman, "Oh...Fontraux will be happy his daughter survived...wait son?...hells can never tell." he leads the group back to the Find. Rammbroes is happy for the return and that at least there was one survivor, concerned by their find but having no idea what to say. It'll take Halcyon a few days to recover however but once they're awake they'll be available to question.

Spoiler

Anstarra Silverain looks around as she makes the last few yalms to the shore; the ferry captain didn't seem too eager to stick around. She looks about, wondering what other adventurous sorts might've accepted this leve, always nice to meet new faces, and... "!"
Seito Moonclaw was standing on the shore, seemingly taking in the sights, the smells and more, even on this supposedly 'haunted' isle. He was only vaguely aware of the others arriving but if the last 'job' he'd performed was any indication, meeting his comrades would be beneficial. Turning, he stops and stares, a bit blankly at the familiar face....before offering a wide, fanged grin.
Seito Moonclaw: "It would seem, we have a habit of meeting on islands."
Anstarra Silverain laughs, shaking her head. "Indeed.. it's been a while hasn't it? Or it feels like it." She walks over to Seito and gives him a big hug.
Seito Moonclaw chuckles warmly, "Too long, you look well, Anstarra."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Mm, you too~" She smiles, then looks over, as someone else arrives.. and beams again. "Jana?"
Seito Moonclaw gives her a friendly pat on the shoulder, peering past her at Jana, "Ah, a friend of yours?"
Jana Ridah grumbles to herself as she gets off whatever ferry she presumably took to the remote island. If one listened closely enough, they could hear something about the gil-grubbing ferries... She looks up with some surprise when she hears Anstarra's voice.
Jana Ridah: ...Weren't you supposed to be rotting in gaol or something?
Anstarra Silverain clears her throat, her smile becoming a bit forced. She answers over her shoulder to Seito. "It's been a while since we've seen each other." She looks back to the other girl. "Too long, apparently. Bringing up old news like that."
Seito Moonclaw blinks a few times, looking between the pair. "...or perhaps not," he offers, quietly. At the explanation, he nods slowly.
Khunbish Avagnar: A large roegadyn woman in a yellow jacket steps up towards the group, she nods her head towards them "Are you the Adventurers come to help with this issue of the missing Sahagin?" he spits on the ground and sighs, "Can't believe we're worried about them hiding."
Seito Moonclaw: "It would seem we are. Might I ask...why the sudden concern?"
Anstarra Silverain looks to the roe, grateful for a distraction, and beams warmly. "Indeed! That's us." She looks around, as though expecting a fourth - blinking as she spots the blue butterfly - then looking back to the yellowjacket. "It's weird times indeed."
Jana Ridah frowns, mostly to herself. "I didn't think it was so long, but if you're here and talking to a Yellowjacket, then I suppose all was forgiven at some point..."
Anstarra Silverain smiles and doesn't bother to correct the other girl. Nor is she about to go into the arrangements she made to have her crimes disappear.. odds were the Yellowjacket wouldn't know her at all. And former criminals working for the state was hardly odd in La Noscea...
Seito Moonclaw listens and makes a note to perhaps inquire more later, but for now - there was the task at hand.
Khunbish Avagnar: Wiltgybet sighs and shakes her head, "Las' time the Sahagin went and disappeared on us, we lost boats and had to gamble on that Garlean defector and some special nobodies to deal with Leviathan, my bosses don't want to risk us leaving our patrols and such just in case, I drew the short straw on this."
Seito Moonclaw: "Leviathan..." he glances out towards the sea instinctively. "And should we find them ind the midst of such an act again, we are to stop them, it would seem."

Anstarra Silverain 's ears fold back slightly, as she too looks at the sea. Leviathan... "Well, we're pretty special as nobodies go, too, so. Hey, um. So where do you think we should start looking..?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Wiltgybet gives a shrug, "Maybe look 'bout there camps, see if you can find any clue, if you find a clue, would be good to make sure not to have any primals headed our way."
S'imba Tia wanders up to where he notices one or two familiar faces. He puts on his most angsty teenage expression and walks forwards. Not really saying anything and standing a bit back away from the group, looking around with a forced bored expression.
Anstarra Silverain glances to the side and her ears perk up. "Ah! A fourth. Now the world's in balance again." She beams. Could it be she doesn't recognize him? With the hair, and the bandana...
Seito Moonclaw turns and eyes the newcomer, squinting briefly before he nods. "Four pairs of eyes are surely better than three after all. Is there more or shall we begin the hunt for their camps?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Wiltgybet shrugs, "Ain't no more that I have. Just want this done, if the sahagin all jumped off into the sea and died that'd be perfect."
S'imba Tia gives An his most bored looking expression he can muster, if he could fool her then he knew his disguise was legit. His eyes flicked to the morpho then to Wilgybet the only response he gives is a short. "Tch."
Anstarra Silverain feels like something's vaguely familiar about the other male. Something... overblown and conceited. It was at once familiar and annoying. She can't put her finger on it. She goes to say something, then flinches as the butterfly lands on her shoulder. "Gah!"
★Anstarra Silverain: "I'm watching you!"
★Anstarra Silverain: "I mean, um."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Let's go check out those camps."
Seito Moonclaw looks around then gives a single nod. "Indeed. Ah, but first," He turns to Jana and bows slightly, "I am Seito." Peering at their fourth, he seems to stare for a few moments more. "And what might we call you?"
S'imba Tia blinks for a moment blanking, he tries to come up with something totally edgy. His eyes flick to An again causing his tail to wrap around his leg and his ears pin back. He looks back to Seito for a moment before saying. "Mutt."
Jana Ridah: Seems useless. Let's leave it behind.
Seito Moonclaw: "I don't think the butterfly is causing much harm. I doubt we can make it stay anywhere..." He peers at the Morpho then shrugs. "Shall we then?"
Anstarra Silverain was totally watching the Morpho, but it's understandable that S'imba might've thought she meant him, they were in the same direction. She nods to the others. "Yeah, let's go!"
Khunbish Avagnar: The trip to the Sahagin camp was terrifyingly uneventful. It truly looks as if they all just picked up and left on the spot, grabbing whatever was at hand before disappearing.
Anstarra Silverain swishes her tail, nostrils flaring as the group moves through the empty camp. "Mm.. hard to tell how long since they've been gone, huh. But it's weird.. what could make them all leave?" She looks at the others. "I really hope it's not Leviathan..."
Seito Moonclaw crouches down to inspect a shell, turning it over in his hand. "I am unsure any of us are...equipped to deal with a primal, if that becomes necessary." Letting out a breath, he makes a face as he avoids stepping in a rather nasty looking pond. "Still, moving an entire camp, there must be a trail somewhere."
Jana Ridah: We don't have enough fodder for me to have a go at it. ...In any event, let's look around. I guess.

●S'imba Tia: "Tch...I hope it is, then we could baptize his followers in his blood." He said in a monotone bored voice.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Haha, yeah.. if I Primal shows up, I'm leaving." She shrugs cheerfully, and starts looking around as well.
Seito Moonclaw: "Eager for battle, it would seem." He remarks, continuing a search of his own.
Jana Ridah: Oh sorry, I'll succeed at a cost
Khunbish Avagnar: Anstarra and Seito's search through the camp bring up nothing of import, aside from the discovery of the latrine pits, for beastman at least they try to keep it away from the rest of the camp. S'imba now has the /high ground/ as he scampers up the rock face like a Paissa. Alas Jana's footing slides a bit as she's investigating and /smashed her foot/ on a large shell that gave out sound of garbled whining.
Jana Ridah lets out a small yelp, followed by even more grumbling under her breath.
Seito Moonclaw: "Ugh," Seito pinches his nose, frowning, "Of course, that explains what I saw earlier..." Giving a gagging sound, he fans the air and motions for An to join him in looking somewhere, anywhere, else.
Anstarra Silverain backs away from the latrines. "I don't care if there are secrets buried there, no way." She hears Jana's yelp, ears twitching, and cranes her neck to look over...
S'imba Tia looks at the others before wandering over to a rock, the various handholds were going to make this a breeze. He decided to do a bit of show boating. He runs at it and smoothly makes it look like he just ran up the wall as he moved. Once at the top he looks over the area, looking for any sign of sahagin.
Anstarra Silverain notices 'Mutt' scamper his way athletically up the rocks, and grins, miming a bit of clapping if he looks her way. Her demeanor's not sarcastic; she likes a bit of showing off. "Anyone see anything?"
Khunbish Avagnar: From where S'imba is perched, he can see a lot of ripples heading towards shore in the distance, but they will take some time to arrive. There was also more garbled noises from under the shell Jana kicked.
Seito Moonclaw makes his way towards Jana, looking around quickly, "Is everything alright?"
Jana Ridah mumbles under her breath, not really answering the questing... Or seeming to notice it was asked.
●S'imba Tia: "Something is slowly heading this way!"
Jana Ridah eventually stops grumbling long enough to realize that she wasn't the only one grumbling, and gives the shell a light nudge with her foot.
Khunbish Avagnar: The Shell dislodges a bit and a webbed foot can be seen before it disappears and more noises.
Seito Moonclaw stares at Jana, waiting for her to respond to his question, which she must have missed. But his attention turns away, missing the webbed foot, as he looks up at Mutt, "What? From where??"
Anstarra Silverain hears weird sounds in Jana's direction, then shakes her head as she remembers she doesn't believe in Murlocs.
★Anstarra Silverain: "What? Heading our way? From which direction?"
●S'imba Tia: "The depths!" He calls back pointing out into the water.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Hrm.. how big! How many!" She draws her spear, less because it's immediately time than out of habit..
Jana Ridah moves to snatch the foot from under the shell before it can escape her, holding her breath as her hands dart forwards!
Khunbish Avagnar: Jana's hand easily catches the webbed foot and drags a small, hunched Sahagin that looks even more fishlike than they normally do, it makes a gutteral fish noises, "Noooo!"

Seito Moonclaw turns towards the water, taking a few steps forward as he tries to make out just what or who is heading their way.
S'imba Tia is glad he is so high up, easy enough to hide that he was actually terrified of whatever could be making it's way torwards them. The top two fears being Leviathan or a kraken.
Jana Ridah steps out from her corner and takes a coule steps back to the group, holding the Sahagin out as today's catch.
Jana Ridah: Found one.
Anstarra Silverain is distracted from the incipient threat by the.. she blinks. "What the hells? Is it a baby? Er.. hello there!" She wiggles her fingers at it.
Seito Moonclaw: "Something's...certainly moving, but I cannot tell what it is yet..."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Nooo! Let Murlocsss go! Othersss be back, if hidesss they not ssstrikesss!"
Jana Ridah: Whaaaat? Sorry, I don't speak fish.
Jana Ridah totally has the Echo and can understand whatever language she wants to, and is jsut being patronizing for its own sake.
Seito Moonclaw glances at the two women and their 'captive', instead moving towards the shoreline, if possible. Perhaps he could see something more if he were closer...
Anstarra Silverain decides to come say hi to the beastie, letting the boys keep an eye on the water..
★Anstarra Silverain: "So, um.. Murlocs? Are you a sahagin?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Am Ab-abberant! Her voice unable touch me! Othersss ssstrike me becaussse ssstrange!"
★Anstarra Silverain: "'Her voice'?" An tilts her head curiously. "Who is 'she'?"
Khunbish Avagnar: The shapes are resolving into Sahagin and one not Sahagin.
Khunbish Avagnar: "She! She! One who is not sahagin!"
Jana Ridah holds the miniature Sahagin away from her, keeping her arm straight out as An "interrogates" the beastman.
S'imba Tia draws his sword with a snarl tail thrashing back and forth. "Sahagin...and something else...." He said squinting trying to make out whatever the not sahagin was.
Anstarra Silverain scratches her cheek, then points at Jana. "Her?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Murloc shakes its head quickly, "noo nooo nooo! She isss... in watersss sssmall but Sssahagin followsss except me becaussse aberrant!"
Jana Ridah clears her throat.
Anstarra Silverain looks over toward the oncoming commotion.. "Might that be her?"
Jana Ridah: So the Sahagin were lead offshore by a woman... A Siren or something?
Khunbish Avagnar: "Noo! Not Sssiren!" it wiggles about, "Can't sssee! Not back! Not want more hitsss and hurtsss!"
Jana Ridah shakes the Sahagin a bit.
Seito Moonclaw stands at the shoreline, peering out at the oncoming bubble stream.
Anstarra Silverain ponders the diminutive beastie, looking sceptical. "Hrm.. what else can you tell us about 'her'? Is she the reason everyone is missing? And does she have an actual name?"

Khunbish Avagnar: "Noo! she showed up! Hid under shellsss! not catch name! othersss jussst follow!"
Khunbish Avagnar: S'imba caught sight of a seagull with a strange patter on them, wait... if he turns his head this way, is that a sword... no it's kind of more like a... Seito you clearly see the Sahagin swimming in wedge formation, these ones look normal, and surround what appears to be a Lalafell that's struggling, seems she might have a /Skittish Nature/
Anstarra Silverain looks at Murloc, then at Jana, then over at the males. "Well.. shall we go see what's going on?"
Seito Moonclaw blinks a few times then reaches up to rub at his eyes. "Anstarra, Jana...look there." He calls out to the pair, pointing out the V and the Lalafell.
Anstarra Silverain makes her way over to look, peering at the V in the water...
Seito Moonclaw: "We may wish to...hide ourselves. Just to observe, at the least."
●S'imba Tia: "Or we can talk to them....if not we kill them all."
★Anstarra Silverain: "I'm uh. Not great at stealth."
Seito Moonclaw: "Somehow, I am unsurprised."
★Anstarra Silverain: "But! Feel free to be sneak, so you can jump out at them? Unless you wanna stand here all honorable-like if the engaging of glorious battle becomes imminent."
●S'imba Tia: "What snowflake said."
Anstarra Silverain is the specialest snowflake.
Anstarra Silverain peers at Mutt.
Seito Moonclaw: "Now you're offering me quite the choice." He looks back (up?) at Mutt then at An, chuckling softly. "Snowflake? It is fitting enough."
Jana Ridah: Honestly? I think we should just provoke them over to us and get it done with. We can interrogate any who survive a... Sound thrashing.
Anstarra Silverain blows a lock of her hair up, then shakes her head. "Nah Jana, I think the Sahagin who live here are the 'friendly' ones."
Seito Moonclaw: "We wish to know where they've gone. If you are able to speak with them, let us do so to begin with. Besides, there is a Lalafell among them."
★Anstarra Silverain: "I mean if they attack us.. a what?"
Seito Moonclaw: "Oh...I thought you saw as well."
Seito Moonclaw leans over and points a bit more directly this time. "Look. There."
★Anstarra Silverain: "I was looking at the pretty reflections. A lalafell? This little one here said that 'she' is a little one. Could it be a lalafell?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "I mean, setting aside how ludicrous this is, because there is a lalafell there.
★Anstarra Silverain: "What the hells."
Jana Ridah waits a moment before raising her arm and shaking the sahagin she's still holding in the air.
●S'imba Tia: "Told you all Lalafell are of the void."
Jana Ridah: Hey. What can you tell us about this.
Jana Ridah -says to the sahagin with a deapan tone.
Khunbish Avagnar: The sahagins make it to shore first and spread out, holding weapons at the ready. Mostly spears a few javelins, they do split for what is a Lalafell, plainsfolk by the look that stands there looking at the group. Her legs are made of bluish rock with a faint glow coming from between the cracks.

★Anstarra Silverain: "You guys are seeing this right? I didn't breathe in some sort of fishy spores making me hallucinate a lalafell with glowing rock legs?"
Jana Ridah: I see it too. We should dissect it.
Seito Moonclaw gives a low hiss, his hand going to rest at his sword. "Be on your guard," he mutters. "I encountered something -very- similar near the Crystal Tower."
●S'imba Tia: "What is it?"
Seito Moonclaw: "A very unhappy elemental had possessed a researcher. It was..earthen in nature but the glow and stone, it is too similar to be coincidence."
Khunbish Avagnar: The Lalafell perks a bit at Seito's words, "You... You have seen another like me then?" she raises her hands, "Children calm down I want to ask them questions." The Sahagin glance at each other and lower their weapons slowly, some hesitating more than others. The lalafell steps forward, "Shaitan? They're still alive/"
Jana Ridah: We're a little far from that place.
Jana Ridah: Oh look, it talks too.
Jana Ridah shakes the Sahagin in her hand more vigorously.
●S'imba Tia: "S-she's not tempered is she?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Crystal Tower..?" She narrows her eyes, tail slashing a bit, then the lala is speaking. "Shaitan? Oh, and hello, sorry we came when you were out, I'm Anstarra, who might you be?"
Seito Moonclaw narrows his eyes at the Lalafell. "Do your goals align with his then?"
S'imba Tia thrashes his tail back and forth, eyes locked on the lalafell suspiciously, standing ready to split her in half like a pig if she tried any funny business.
Khunbish Avagnar: Anstarra's most winning smile manages to ease the nervous looking Lalafell into thinking she might be a bit /Friendly/
Anstarra Silverain totally fingerguns. It's only threatening if you know what guns are. Which many people do. But that smile!
Khunbish Avagnar: "I am Marid." she jumps backwards at the fingerguns and hides behind the Sahagin who encircle around her, "NO! Please no! If you continue with that I'll have to kill you!"
Seito Moonclaw holds a hand out towards Anstarra, "Perhaps a little less, she appeared to have a /Skittish Nature/ from what I observed."
Anstarra Silverain blinks in astonishment, and spreads her hands inoffensively. Then eases them to her sides before someone assumes she's casting a spell. Wouldn't that be a weird thing to assume. "Sorry! Not here to hurt you~ We were just wondering where all the Sahagin had gone! Other people were wondering too. But you said you wanted to ask us things too, right? We can trade questions!"
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid nods her head a bit, "Yes, I'm very curious and the Sahagin told me some stuff but they know very little beyond survival necessities." she steps around them again to look at them, "So...um... You saw Shaitan then? Was he well!?"
Seito Moonclaw is still giving a narrow eyed stare. "When last I saw him? He was not. He murdered three researches, possessed another and sought to do the same to us. Claiming that the sons of man had ruined nature." He delivers it all straight faced and evenly.

Anstarra Silverain shakes her head. "I didn't meet him, but apparently Seito did, so.. oh, this is Seito~" She looks at the male.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Oh. Huh. That's kinda awful.."
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid nods her head a few times, "Well, Allagans were destroying everything, some still are the sahagin tell me far to the north and I see new structures that are like rough Allagan copies all around."
Seito Moonclaw: "So I ask again, are your goals the same as his?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Rough.. OH! The Garleans."
Khunbish Avagnar: "My goals?" she ponders the question a moment, "I don't want to kill people, I am water, water gives life and nurtures, we crush only if we have to." she shakes her head, "If what you said is true, no, I do not wish to destroy you all, unless you wish to poison the waters."
Seito Moonclaw shakes his head, "Such is no desire of mine. I do wonder though, what has caused you and he, Shaitan, to arise now after so long? And where are the rest of the Sahagain who reside here?"
Anstarra Silverain shrugs, looking to Seito. "I don't see why we would. We need water to live..." she looks back to the girl, contemplating her as Seito inquires some more.
Khunbish Avagnar: "Oh... um... when I was awakened there was a great torrent, and a serpent these Sahagin called Leviathan, I think it struck my thing... am happy to be free, was found by the owner of this body. The other Sahagin they are dispersing the crystals they had back to the oceans where the aether belongs."
★Anstarra Silverain: "The owner of that body.." An frowns a little. "So you are..." She looks at the rocks, then at the lalafell... host? "What.. are you exactly?"
Seito Moonclaw looks over at Anstarra and 'Mutt', speaking low. "The other, we found him near some sort of...allaghan device. It was damaged somehow, freeing Shaitan. The same must have happened to her."
●S'imba Tia: "What Snowflake said."
Khunbish Avagnar: She shrinks away at the mention of Allagans from Seito a bit, "I am water." she states simply to Anstarra, "Marid was name given when torn from water." She frowns and fidgets a bit.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Being water... are you... an Elemental?" It's the thing that makes most sense to her. "I mean you're clearly not just a sprite..."
Seito Moonclaw keeps his attention on Marid but shakes his head, seemingly at An's question.
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid nods slightly, "Yes I am water, sprites are extensions of ourselves..." she reaches up and touches a strnad of hair, "Like a strand of hair."
Seito Moonclaw looks around but pauses when his attention settles on Jana's small 'friend'. "Jana, is -she- the one that the creature spoke of?"
●S'imba Tia: "What does that even mean?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Murloc has been gibbering for a moment
★Anstarra Silverain: "Huh..." She taps her cheek with her finger. "It means the world is full of things we don't know yet..." she says to Mutt, before nodding to the lala again. "So.. you say you are water, but were also torn FROM water. Who tore you? The Allagans?"
Jana Ridah shrugs at the males question, holding the Sahagin in his directo so it could answer.
Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes Allagans did tear but..." she shies back more, "Can we talk about what you plan to do with the one born wrong?" she motions towards Murloc.

Jana Ridah: Definitely not eat him.
●S'imba Tia: "Make sure he isn't beaten and tortured for being different."
Seito Moonclaw stares at the sahagin. He's not sure he can understand it.
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid sighs and nods slightly, "That is why I came back, that one doesn't hear the water."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Not to hurt, but I learned from these ones that they hurt him."
Anstarra Silverain tilts her head. "What do you mean by that exactly? It said the others hurt it.."
●S'imba Tia: "Hear the water?" He said tilting his head. "What does that mean?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "That one was born from a previous leader, but born wrong, he cannot breath and live in the water like a Sahagin." she motions towards them, "Like you all can't."
●S'imba Tia: "Hey I can outswim a Sahagin any day!" He said with a huff. "Done it before!"
Anstarra Silverain peers at Mutt again. He was sounding like someone else she knew...
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid doubts Mutts words, they sound a bit doggy, the Sahagin snickers and one steps forward, "You ssswim better? How long can be underwater!"
Seito Moonclaw seems to simply be looking between Marid and the small 'wrong' sahagain.
●S'imba Tia: "Fine I can't stay underwater indefinitely....yet...."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Hmmm..."
Seito Moonclaw: "You convinced all of the Sahagin here to leave, returning crystals to the sea, correct?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Even the other ones..? The Tempered ones?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid tilts her head, "Tempered? No, there are ones who call themselves drowned...They were attempting to bring a bad water into the world."

Seito Moonclaw: "And you, along with all of them," he gestures to the group accompanying her, "...all came ashore to find the small one?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes I did, I wanted to see if that one I could heal." she motions, "Looking at him I don't believe he is something I can heal, but he will not suffer abuse so long as I'm around."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Well... I think we have enough to report on the leve. The Sahagin went away because a water Elemental told them to get rid of their crystals. I'm pretty sure people will be more happy than concerned; primals are often seen as literally the worst, after all, and Marid here helped avoid a Summoning."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Oh...uh...It was summoned, giant water snake right?"
Jana Ridah: ...Just need to make sure whatever crystals they unloaded aren't jut picked up by the population out at sea.
●S'imba Tia: "Wait....Leviathan has been summoned?"
Seito Moonclaw double takes, "Did you say it was summoned?"
Khunbish Avagnar: She nods her head, "Yes, but I returned the water back to the ocean, like all the crystals." she frowns a bit, "What do you mean gather the crystals up? they are gone, they are water again."
★Anstarra Silverain: "You.. made Leviathan go away?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid nods her head slowly, "It was water, I took the water away and returned it."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Well... good!"
Anstarra Silverain isn't sure if she should be freaking out. She's pretty sure the answer is yes.
●S'imba Tia: "Huh...."
Seito Moonclaw: "You...removed Leviathan and are able to speak to nearly all Sahagin if they can hear the ocean?" He exhales, that's a dangerous combination.
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid nods her head slowly.
Seito Moonclaw frowns slowly in return, looking to the others.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Well, I mean, like Marid said. She likes pure and clean oceans and clean, life-giving water." She looks to the.. lalafell? "Incidentally, those people to the northeast are probably the ones causing the most damage to the oceans. All that metal industry."
Jana Ridah: It's an Allagan thing possessing a popoto who claims to be able to... Dissipate crystals and primals. Should we suffer it to live?
Khunbish Avagnar: At that the Sahagin are armed and closing defensively around Marid.
Khunbish Avagnar: The sahagin don't notice Jana's words but Marid starts shrinking backwards behind them, her ears twitching, "I don't like you."
●S'imba Tia: "Well....it kind of sketches me out about how much control she holds over the sahagin....then there is the fact that she -is- an Allagan construct and nothing ever good comes from them....plus pretty sure possession is not ok..."
Anstarra Silverain curses inwardly, then laughs a bit loud, trying to draw the elemental thing's attention away from Jana. "Oh, don't worry about her. She asks that about pretty much everything, and we don't end up killing anything that doesn't attack us first!"
Khunbish Avagnar: Murloc has passed out at this point from dangling upside down.
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid calms down a bit, seeming to /Trust/ Anstarra's words for now at least, "Um... can she put the damaged one down before it dies?"
Jana Ridah notices the sahagin's movement cease and lays it (him/her?) at her side, well within her reach and out of the lalafell party's.

Jana Ridah: I barely damaged it...
Seito Moonclaw whispers, "Something is not right here, I can practically feel it..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Oh, uh." She blinks, seeing the.. unconscious.. beasty. Bites her lips as Jana puts it down, then beams at Marid again. "There, all's well that ends well. So, what're you going to do next, Marid?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Maybe you have gas."
Seito Moonclaw gives An a sidelong glance.
Khunbish Avagnar: "I am... going ask Sahagin help remove all of Allagan things from the oceans." she trails off and frowns, "You said Shaitan wanted kill everyone?"
Seito Moonclaw: "That we all held the sins of Allag and should be punished for it."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Probably anyone who's hurt the earth.. he sounds a little insane."
Seito Moonclaw: "Very."
●S'imba Tia: Sounds like an Elemental...sad we don't have a conjurer..."
Seito Moonclaw: "Yes and no. He, too, needed a form to take hold of."
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid shifts a bit, "We were all... Allagans do bad things, forcing us onto perfectly healthy people...." she looks to Seito, "I am going to try to find Shaitan too and reason with him not to kill everyone, just the people actually hurting things."
Anstarra Silverain makes the 'I'm watching you' sign at Mutt! Then grins at him, before looking back to Marid..
★Anstarra Silverain: "Onto healthy people.. you say that like that's not something you would do normally. What about your current host? How'd you come to possess her?"
Seito Moonclaw: "And if he will not listen to reason? I assure you, we tried as well."
●S'imba Tia: "Whose on the obliterate and decimate list?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "The um... Allagans with the rough machines."
★Anstarra Silverain: "They're called Garleans!"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Their Empire is Garlemald."
Jana Ridah: Are we certain it's not jsut imperials with their own war machines?
★Anstarra Silverain: "They're actually our enemies."
●S'imba Tia: "These Allagans....did they come from some sort of stasis tube and green goo?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Gar lee ans?" she mouths it and the Sahagin shrug as she looks at them, backwater bumpkins, some help. She frowns and nods her head, "If name then yes." she looks towards the waters and sighs, "I needs go but... can I see the hurt one first?" she looks at S'imba and frowns, "What?"
Seito Moonclaw: "There was a sort of...tube in the room where we found Shaitan. He'd destroyed it and the controls, unfortunately." At her mentioning that she needed to go, he taps his chin. "There is another, one who also met Shaitan, could I send her here, to speak with you, or perhaps do we have a means of contacting you?"
●S'imba Tia: "Just trying to figure out if we're talking about the same people."
Khunbish Avagnar: She ponders a moment and reaches towards the water and creates a watery conch that she then puts into a random conch on the ground, "...Um.. someone will have to stay... watch this, can be called with it if needed."
Seito Moonclaw nods slowly, giving a glance at the others. "Alright, then. Ah...thank you."
Anstarra Silverain relaxes a bit. "Sounds good to me."
●S'imba Tia: "Hmmm....right then..."
Khunbish Avagnar: With things coming a close, if allowed, Water of a strange consistency is splashed onto Murloc who regains conciousness and is handed the conch. Apparently Murloc is now the one with the honor of being in charge of guarding and using the Marid Flute.
●S'imba Tia: "Right then we'll not bother you for the time being...but start causing trouble then you're going to have to answer to S'imba mother fucking Tia....legendary dark knight."
Seito Moonclaw looks back at Mutt and smirks
Seito Moonclaw: "That seems to be that then. For now at the least." He sighs and looks to the murloc. "I will likely return, to make use of the conch."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Iiiiii knew it!"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Butterfly, get him!"
Jana Ridah: ...If that's you in that getup, S'imba Motherfucking Tia, I'm gonna throttle you.
●S'imba Tia: "YOU KNEW NOTHING!!"
Anstarra Silverain | The Morpho continues to flutter peacefully.
Seito Moonclaw: "I suspected the same, in truth."
★Anstarra Silverain: "I knew it when you started talking about outswimming Sahagin!"
Khunbish Avagnar: Marid tilts her head, "You slept with your mother?" she shakes her head and departs, "Explains this bodies concerns about miqo'tes."
Jana Ridah: Only some of the slit-eyed ones do. Don't worry.
Seito Moonclaw: "It is an expression."

Spoiler
Artoria Aldsan: "So you are the others looking into this thing?"
V'aleera Lhuil: "Aye. When the greatest amongst Ishgard's High Houses calls for aid, the only choice is to answer."
Orrin Halgren | In the distance the sound of an airship docking is heard, it is a small swift looking schooner of a ship that promptly takes back off in the direction of Ishgard the moment a lone figure steps off. Heavy metal plate clanking against the cobblestones. he receives some salutes from guards near by and approaches the aetheryte, perhaps just on time with V'aleera's quip. "V'aleera, a pleasure to see you on this little hunting trip."
V'aleera Lhuil nods at Orrin, "And you as well. Hopefully today's excursion shall prove both entertaining and fruitful!" She stands in place with her hands on her hips, tail swishing lightly over the paved stone below.
Artoria Aldsan lets out a soft hum, glancing between the three gathered. "I take it that the two of you are acquainted already, but it seems introductions are in order for the rest of us. I am Artoria."
Orrin Halgren motions "If we find no bird it will be equally fruitful, I do not need cloudtop guards spooked and delaying deliveries to the eastern front when we finally decide to move on account of some spurious bird rumor mongering. best to nip the problem in the bud. Who better to handle it than 2 dragoons?" it was then he noticed Artoria and gives a proper, courtly Ishgardian bow "Orrin de Halgren, bannerman of house fortemps and banneret tactician of the temple knights, at your service. Ishgard >
Orrin Halgren: "thanks you for answering the call"
V'aleera Lhuil responds with military brevity, "V'aleera Lhuil. Pleasure."
Artoria Aldsan bows her head in return. "A pleasure." She cocks it after a moment, a small frown crossing her features. "Orrina and V'aleera? Quite the coincidence, the two of you were mentioned to me just recently. Well, I'm sure Renaea will be amused to hear of this."
Khunbish Avagnar: A dark skinned Elezen with green hair steps up towards the group, shifting to sling a bow over his back. He looks a bit malnourished and tired but he smiles at the group, "Would you all be the adventurers that answered my Leveplate?"
Artoria Aldsan: "So it would seem, Sir. Can you describe to us what exactly you saw?"
Vincent Sarkoza: "so I -am- in the right place." Vincent smiled, looking around at the 4
Orrin Halgren nods, he doesn't seem too bothered by the lack of any acknowledgement.
Khunbish Avagnar: The elezen nods his head a bit and motions up, "Yes, Saw what I would swear to be a green light streaking through the sky, it came from the west, but the others passed it off as a bird, or just our imagination, I think it's something else."
Artoria Aldsan: "A green light... could be a lot of things. How fast did it travel?"
V'aleera Lhuil cocks her head curiously, "That is a very insignificant thing to get so terribly nervous about."
Vincent Sarkoza: "I mean hey, we could sit here and debate for another hour on what that thing could be or we can just go check it out." vincent shrugged at the people he did not know save for Orrin who introduced himself
Artoria Aldsan introduced herself as well.
Orrin Halgren crosses his arms, metal plates clattering a bit as he readjusted. "A green streaking light? When during the day? is it consistent? how many times and where did you see it?
Khunbish Avagnar: The man presses his lips together, "So was a red flash of light suddenly descending to the south, that small thing ended up in an endless winter and a lot of destroyed farms." The man introduces himself when everyone else does, "I'd rather know it was nothing then worry it was something and nothing was done." the Man, Artois smiles thinly.
V'aleera Lhuil shrugs, shaking her head, "Well if it shall put your mind at ease than the simplest solution would simply be to go chasing your phantom light. Assuming you set us in the right direction, it should be a quick enough matter to ascertain whether or not there is any issue of substance to the matter."
Orrin Halgren coughs and reiterates, his previous suite of questions, perhaps a bit more forcefully, mayhaps the guard would recognize the tell tale outfit of an Temple Knight commander and be a bit more forthcoming.
Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes a green streaking light, it was sometime before the lunch bell the first time, I've seen it a few times and by now a dozen or more times."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Oh right I almost forgot, I'm Vincent, Vincent sarkoza" he turned quickly to the others. "Pleased to meet you all, and you ser" he nodded at Orrin, "and madam" he nodded at Vallera.
Orrin Halgren nods to Vincent in acknowledgement and returns his attention "where abouts? Best to do is stake out the area and see if it could be followed, did it have a heading? a possible destination?
Khunbish Avagnar: Artois tilts his head a bit as he thinks, fingers holding his chin a moment, "North mostly, it does seem to go towards the Vanu quite a bit."
Artoria Aldsan: "It's a place to start, at least."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Agreed, lets go see what the Vanu have to say about this streak through the sky."
Orrin Halgren nods "Perhaps, aye, failing that, the Cromlech is the highest point in the sea of clouds, we camp around there, I am certain we can ascertain a more clear direction."
V'aleera Lhuil: "Sounds reasonable."
Khunbish Avagnar: ((Anyone need a seat or everyone able to get there?))
Vincent Sarkoza: ((i have never been in a two seater...take me? ))
Khunbish Avagnar: Along the way towards Ok'Zundu there was a green streak moving parallel to the part and easily outpaces their chocobos before disappearing past into the distance.
Artoria Aldsan: "Well, I would say that confirms that he wasn't simply imagining things, at least."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Huh...almost forgot how big the Vanu are" vincent looked around at the Vanu gathered about them, doing their dances or what looked like morning exercises to vincent. He then looks back at the green streak and then toward Khunbish.
V'aleera Lhuil peers about warily at the beastmen's primitive architecture, nose wrinkling as a disapproving frown forms. "It's certainly encouraging to know we've not been sent on some wild goose chase."
Orrin Halgren blinks and pulls the bird to stop in midair "woah" he calms the bird "That disappeared far off, if the streak is firing the same way multiple times, perhaps an object is launching it...let us see what the beastmen have to say, but I advise we try to find the origin as opposed to the destination now."
Khunbish Avagnar: With the distraction of the green streak in the sky, V'aleera, Orrin and Artoria fail to notice that the Vanu's sashes and belts are of a similar shade of green, almost uniformly, Vincent is the only who catches this.
Vincent Sarkoza while watching the Vanu do their vanu dance, vincent notices that their attire bore a similar shade of green and alot of them had it. "Hey is it me or are they all wearing green sashes and belts?"
V'aleera Lhuil shrugs, "Probably just a coincidence. They're savages, beastmen; who knows if they're even cognizant of the things they adorn themselves with?"
Orrin Halgren snaps his attention to the vanu and narrows his gaze, thankfully he wasn't colorblind. "Calm yourself v'aleera, there is occasionally truth in their superstitions."
Vincent Sarkoza: "They obviously are cognizant, otherwise the sashes they wore before wouldnt have been decorated. And besides...its the same green as that streak over there in the sky. could just be coincidence be we should still investigate." Vincent shrugged.
Artoria Aldsan glances back at V'aleera. Wasn't this going to be a lovely investigation. She shakes her head head, walking forward to actually speak with the Vanu.
Orrin Halgren nods and follows Artoria, he figures he'd let her speak for now.
Vincent Sarkoza watches orrin and artoria head off toward the vanu. he then looks back at Valeera and Khunbish deciding to stick with them.
V'aleera Lhuil holds the rear, remaining silent and continuing to watch the beastmen with suspicion, glancing to and fro about the village now and again.
Artoria Aldsan: "Good afternoon. Can you spare the time for a few questions?"
Vincent Sarkoza keeps his arms crossed, doing the same as Valeera, albeit with less suspicion. He thought it was quite funny the way the vanu looked, and would occasionally watch some do their weird dances. Other times he would look up at their huts.
Khunbish Avagnar: The Vanu turns around towards Artoria, "Ishgardians come to Ok'zundu? What can I help you with." he turns and motions towards some that are carrying fresh caught fish, "To the chieftain make sure they are good enough!"
Artoria Aldsan lets out a small hum. She wasn't Ishgardians, but half the party was, so it wasn't exactly inaccurate. "We're following sightings of a green light flying through the sky. I was wondering if you had seen anything?"
Khunbish Avagnar: The Vanu claps hands together, "You have seen the great wind spirit that has come upon Ok' Zundu and the clouds as well then!"
Vincent Sarkoza: "hey" he spoke low toward Valeera, "where do you think they got the fish?"
Artoria Aldsan frowns slightly. That sounds... familiar. "Great Wind Spirit? An elemental?"
V'aleera Lhuil: "From the Sea of Clouds. The aetheric construction unique to their species lets them survive amid the clouds in this region."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes! He is the wind, flying endlessly through the skies, a benevolent spirit unlike what the other Vanu had summoned when they tried to bring back Bismarck"
Orrin Halgren: "He was /summoned/?"
Vincent Sarkoza: "Fair enough, guess thats why some of them over there have their fishing rods out." VIncent pauses, hearing Orrin's words. "Oh man...what have the vanu done this time." he chuckles, shaking his head.
Khunbish Avagnar: "No not recently but some time back Bismarck was, and then defeated." He motionts towards the north where the green light had gone, "The great wind spirit however does not try to temper us! We are left free to be ourselves, sometimes he brings us things we need."
Artoria Aldsan: "Would there be a way for us to speak with this spirit?"
Khunbish Avagnar: The Vanu ponders a moment, "We are preparing a feast in hopes he will stay for a time!"
Orrin Halgren ponders for a moment to himself "To think a primal has escaped the purview of the scions.."
Artoria Aldsan glances back at the other three. "It would seem our best course of action is to remain here then. And... I am not entirely sure this is a Primal, Orrin. We shall see when it arrives."
Khunbish Avagnar: There is a call and the Vanu waves, "Come along, we will consider this a chance to better our relations with Ishgard."
V'aleera Lhuil shakes her head, "Damned savages." She scoffs and peers toward the sky, "False gods, heathen spirits... I feel unclean just standing in their midst here..." The dragoon mutters with discontent.
Artoria Aldsan: "There was... an incident I recently investigated in Mor Dhona. An elemental spirit of sorts, escaped from an Allagan machine. That one was of Earth."
Orrin Halgren: You figure this is one of wind."
Artoria Aldsan: "It would stand to reason."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Well as long as it isn't a primal, and since they're known to temper their followers i think we've good reason to assume its an elemental."
Khunbish Avagnar: A large feast has been set up, the Chieftain conferring with Vanu of other tribes at the head of the table. Introductions are made very briefly before Kundu Vanu is left in charge with the group at the far end of the feast.
V'aleera Lhuil wrinkles her nose in disgust at the sight and smell of the Vanu's foreign, primitive dishes on display. "Ugh..."
Orrin Halgren speaks in a low whisper "Miss Artoria, of what nature was this earth elemental? Do we have a fight on our hands?"
Vincent Sarkoza sniffs the air and tries to maintain a neutral expression despite the smell.
Artoria Aldsan whispers back, "It... possessed a researcher. It seemed to require a host after its escape from Allagan confinement. It was... angry, declaring vengeance against the Allagans and those descended from them. This Wind spirit may be different, but I would still be ready."
Orrin Halgren looks sidelong, lips thinly moving, hushed "And the defeat of this elemental, able to save the researcher's life as well?"
Vincent Sarkoza walks up to the vanu, "so, are we to join your feast or should we wait here?"
Artoria Aldsan shakes her head. "It escaped. When we were to strike it down, it fled. It could... traverse through solid rock, even in the researcher's body."
Khunbish Avagnar: The vanu settles himself down by the food, "Join, we will wait to see if he shows, if not, then we eat, if he shows, then we eat and celebrate!"
Vincent Sarkoza: "Hmph" vincent smirked, "sounds good. Its a party either way." <"the food is going to take a little getting used to..."> he thought to himself.
Orrin Halgren nods and he sets his halberd down by his side and assumes a comfortable position to sit in full plate. "Of course, we are honored to be your guests."
V'aleera Lhuil remains standing, crossing her arms and planting her feet firmly in place with no intention of joining the feast. "I am afraid my apetite has departed me."
Artoria Aldsan: "How often does the Spirit visit your people?"
Khunbish Avagnar: The Vanu shrugs a moment, "He comes some days, he doesn't other, some days he comes several times." he motions about, "He is unlike any of you, he is of the taller kind with the long ears."
Vincent Sarkoza: "That sounds like an elezen..."
Artoria Aldsan glances at Orrin. "That sounds familiar."
Orrin Halgren raises a brow "Indeed it does.." it is as if he answered Vincent's and Artoria's statement at the same time.
Vincent Sarkoza: "So this...long eared fella, he streaks through the sky leaving trails of green and lands here bearing gifts?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Everyone spots the green streak approaching, just before hearing the loud booming sound. There was an elezen descending down onto the ground. He was dressed like he came from one of the noble houses in finery.
Vincent Sarkoza looks up at the sky noticing something off the corner of his eye. Vincent's eyebrows raise upon noticing that it was indeed an elezen approaching. "Well I'll be damned..." He stands back up, ready in case anything happened once the elezen landed.
Artoria Aldsan stands to greet the Elezen, bowing her head. "I take it you're the Great Wind Spirit we've heard so much about?"
Orrin Halgren narrows his gaze "Well it definitely is not a bird..." he says softly, his icy blue eyes watching with great intensity. Though the halberd was at his side.it was not at any disadvantage to be drawn
V'aleera Lhuil glares at the man following his sidden entrance, "Not a spirit at all, but a man. A man perhaps possessed of foul magics, no doubt!"
Khunbish Avagnar: The elezen reaches up and ruffles at his hair a bit, brushing it back and tying it, "I am not a bird." he says to Orrin before smiling and clasping Kundu's hand, "Kundu it is good to see you again." he looks about and adjusts his vest then looks to Artoria, "I am the wind yes." he blinks a few times at V'aleera, "If you believe I am possessed by foul magics, then every thing that breaths air in this world is possessed of my foul magics, and the flight achieved by birds is unnatural as well."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Youre using the aether currents? I've heard they're green as well."
V'aleera Lhuil wags an accusatory finger, "You are not the wind sir; the wind is the wind. You are a man, emboldened by some cheap aetherical trick!"
Khunbish Avagnar: The man steps up to V'aleera as he adjusts his coat, "I am wind that was cut away from the rest of myself, I have no other name that is truely appropriate."
V'aleera Lhuil narrows her eyes in a stern glare, "I do very much doubt that."
Artoria Aldsan: "You do not have a name as Shaitan did then?"
Orrin Halgren remains seated for now "My apologies, to our most esteemed host" he says to the Vanu Vanu, but pray, can you tell me when this spirit started to appear?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Shaitan...? Oh the names the Allagans gave us, the Allagans called me Djinn." he rests a hand on Kundu who was getting antsy, "Don't worry Kundu everything is good my friend." he motions, "Thank you for the feast go ahead and eat! I shall partake soon!"
Khunbish Avagnar: Kundu frowns a moment, "The great wind spirit first showed up a moon ago."
Artoria Aldsan lets out a small hum. "I see. Then for ease, would it be better if I referred to you as such? Or would you rather discard the name?"
Orrin Halgren nods "I thought as much." he says and stands, picking up his Halberd "My apologies, but you have no spirit of your culture, but rather the younger son of house Dzemael" he motions to the crest on his finery "Who had disappeared near the same amount of time ago." He looks to the possessed Elezen highborn "That is no body you have any right to."
V'aleera Lhuil: "A wicked sorcerer -and- a thief!"
Vincent Sarkoza: "Well...that escalated quickly.." vincent looked around at the others, then back at Djinn
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn sighs as he looks down at his clothes, "Oh you are ishgardians." he sighs as he looks at Orrin and V'aleera. He reaches up to rub at his face, "A thief I am not, nor am I a sorcerer." he motions for the Vanu who were up in arms at the moment, "In... deferrence to the Vanu, follow me to some place a bit less...crowded, if this is to descend into a fight, I do not wish them to come to harm."
Vincent Sarkoza looks at the Vanu who towered over every one here. Probably for our own good as well... I'd rather not have to fight so many but...does this really need to be a fight?" He reaches down and picks up a bottle that he assumed was a drink.
Orrin Halgren: "need not be a fight, so long as the lordling is returned.." he says, but he acquiesces to the command. "No blood need be shed on these grounds, we shall follow."
V'aleera Lhuil glares with suspicion as Djinn, taking her weapon in hand but not yet leveling it as she follows the man beyond the sight of the Vanu.
Khunbish Avagnar: The man had not yet move, "Tell me... your kind have a problem that steal the wind from your chest right?" he glances between them, "Understand that if I let go of this body, he can no longer hold air in his lungs."
Artoria Aldsan: "...A side effect of your possession, Djiin, or a pre-existing malady?"
Vincent Sarkoza keeps his hands away from his weapon, preferring not to escalate the situation since Orrin and Valeera had already drawn theirs, even though they werent pointing their spears yet.
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn looks towards Artoria, "Before me." he taps his chest, "I am wind, I can fill the chest with air, even if the body cannot do so." he starts pacing a bit, "I was brought to him if that is what you want to know."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Brought to him to help this body you now possess breathe?"
Artoria Aldsan: "Who brought you to him?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn falls silent as he seats himself down again, "I am asked not to say."
Orrin Halgren looks to Artoria and V'aleera "it is true the lordling was suffering from pneumonia..so there is some truth to the statement." he grips his weapon's haft tightly however. "However the one in front of us is not him, not his words, nor his will. The man may as well cease to be if that is the case. A life in bondage is no life to be had."
Artoria Aldsan: "Slaying him might disperse the elemental, but I doubt it will save the scion of Dzmael, Orrin. There's nothing to be gained from a fight here and now."
V'aleera Lhuil nods, "I agree. There is nothing good to come from allowing an innocent man to be enthralled to some external entity and denied a proper deliverance to the afterlife."
Vincent Sarkoza: "-Especially- not here. We slay him and we'll ahve the vanu to deal with. Lets leave this place first before we decide anything. Djinn, we'll follow you. For now lets just say both you and us want to keep the vanu out of this."
Orrin Halgren shakes his head and looks to Artoria "I speak not of slaying, merely the cessation of the wrongful possesion of this man.
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn raises an eyebrow and motions to V'aleera, "What afterlife awaits him then? A man who has spent their life in bed sick." he takes some food and eats.
V'aleera Lhuil: "The Gods have set his path. It's not your place to mandate a detour, 'spirit'."
Artoria Aldsan: "Djinn. You say you were brought to him. Did you speak with the man who's body you now possess? Did you hear his thoughts on the matter? Or simply those of the one who asked you to save him?"
Vincent Sarkoza looks toward the Vanu that were watching the back at the group
Khunbish Avagnar: "So you would consign me instead to darkness to sit immobile, in bondage, unable to move, unable to do anything?" he stands up and watches V'aleera a moment before he looks to Artoria, "He is here, he doesn't want to die." he sighs and shifts a bit.
V'aleera Lhuil points with a chastising finger, "No one wants to die! But when they Gods call us to their presence we must answer! If the boy's thread has reached the end of its length, it is only right to allow his suffering and fear to cease and to let him pass on to his true place beyond the mortal realm."
Vincent Sarkoza looks to Valeera, "you dont know what the will of the gods is or isn't. For all you know, the fact that Djinn is possessing this body now is the will of the gods. The man doesn't want to die, and I can understand that. The will to live burns strong."
Khunbish Avagnar presses his lips to a thin line as he looks at V'aleera, "You are also telling me to consign myself to eons of entrapment again, of being entirely cut of, to be in a box, in darkness, in stillness." he narrows his eyes at V'aleera, "You would sooner leave me in bindings helpless as the Allagans had done."
V'aleera Lhuil: "Evil spirits possessing innocent bodies and corrupting their minds is most certainly not the Gods' will, I can tell you that!"
Artoria Aldsan frowns slightly, closing her eyes for the moment. "It is a terrible thing to be a prisoner in ones own body. I cannot completely condone the current situation, Djinn, however benign in nature it might be. However... It is something he wished for, agreed to. And it is better than the alternative, at least until something can be found to help the both of you."
V'aleera Lhuil: "Hmph."
Vincent Sarkoza: "I agree with miss Artoria. For the time being i think you should stay in that body until we can find away to help the man breathe. As for you, you can take one of the vanus since you seem to be visiting so often."
Orrin Halgren still had not drawn his weapon with any sign of aggresion, though it was held in his left. "And what if the boy changes his mind? or the Vanu who decides to offer up in his stead, will you ever willingly give it up?"
Artoria Aldsan: "The Vanu show no less worth to their lives than an Elezen, Vincent. It is... a difficult conundrum, that will take some thought."
V'aleera Lhuil brightens up, "Yes, a fantastic solution! Force yourself upon some beastman or another; they're not children of the true gods and shall be far less imposed upon by your intrusion. I dare say their simple minds may perceive such a thing as an honor."
Khunbish Avagnar: He shakes his head as he motions towards the Vanu, "The Vanu had me for a time, I cannot bond to them." he looks back to Vincent, "I leave this body he will stop breathing I cannot stop that, and I have promised to keep up the guise of his life in Ishgard." he adjusts his coats.
Vincent Sarkoza: "well i guess there goes that idea then" vincent sighed.
Artoria Aldsan: "The first thing to do then is to find a way to save the host's life, Orrin. A solution for Djinn can be thought up once that is found."
Orrin Halgren shakes his head "/you/ shall keep the guise, not him, is that right?" he says more with a more accusational tone. "I've no trust for a man who speaks for another that cannot speak himself." he looks to Artoria "He has no intention of leaving, even if the boy wished it."
Artoria Aldsan: "I suspect he will, given an alternative. A way in both the boy's life is saved and he can continue living in freedom."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Anyone know any physicians? Surely someone has done some research on the man's ailment. We still have to fix -that- issue first before we deal with Djinn."
Orrin Halgren: It is clear enough he need inhabit a physical vessel, as was the case with Shaitan.
Artoria Aldsan goes silent, chewing on her bottom lip.
Khunbish Avagnar: He pops a bit of fish meat into his mouth, "You spoke of Shaitan." he starts pacing, keeping an eye on V'aleera, his shoulders are tense, "He is here, in the head still, but there is no way to put him in the fore." he takes another bit of fish, "They had decided to try using me because he had stopped breathing completely." he nods his head to Orrin, "If the boy wished it, I would have him take me to someone else desperate enough to accept me, I will not force myself on another."
V'aleera Lhuil glares silently at the evil spirit.
Vincent Sarkoza: "So he -is- still there, seeing through your eyes, living vicariously through you. Seems to me like both of you have a symbiotic relationship."
Orrin Halgren looks to the possessed spirit "You prey on the weak and desperate, if anything has been taught to me of the Allagan in the past is the mistakes they made were in keeping things captured and locked up instead of destroyed."
Khunbish Avagnar: "I choose to, so does Marid, neither of us could appeciate having the Allagans force us on person after person."
Khunbish Avagnar looks back to Orrin, "Would you prefer then, I forced myself upon someone perfectly healthy? You you rather I just took you over instead? Or rather someone on the brink?"
Orrin Halgren makes a cutting motion with his free hand "Much rather you prey on none at all."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Hang on a sec, how fast can you jump from one body to the next, Djinn? Because if you can, why dont you take a deep breath and hop to my body, give the body you possess a quick moment to voice what in the world is going on, and then quickly hop back from my body so the guy doesnt die."
Khunbish Avagnar narrows his eyes at Orrin, then to Vincent, "If that was an option, I would have, then you could listen to this mans gasping breaths, attempting to beg you."
Vincent Sarkoza: "damn..." vincent takes a moment to think things over
Khunbish Avagnar: Everyone can feel the wind gathering about you. V'aleera is now /watching for an escape/
V'aleera Lhuil levels her spear toward Djinn, "Whatever cunning betrayal you're thinking of perpetrating, you'd best not count on surviving it, demon."
Vincent Sarkoza 's body tenses, his hands not yet reaching for his weapon but was prepped to do so.
Vincent Sarkoza seeing Valeera raise her spear at Djinn he looks back toward the Vanu to see how they would react
Orrin Halgren looks about, assuming a much more reactive stance, slightly more weight on his legs in order to kick off at moment's notice "You can cantrol the wind can you not, then you can let him breath from the outside."
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn stares flatly at V'aleera, "You are the betrayers." he looks to Orrin, "I cannot, without a connection, I am cut off from the wind entirely." he glares at Orrin then back to V'aleera, "You're nothing more than an Allagan who lost their torture tools."
V'aleera Lhuil: "Don't you levy insults about torture while you hold a man's soul and body hostage to satisfy your own twisted whims!"
Vincent Sarkoza: "What twisted whims?" Vincent kept his eyes on the vanu
Artoria Aldsan frowns slightly, sensing where this is heading. She takes a step forward, readying herself to move.
Orrin Halgren: "We have accepted your offer to step out, if it must come to blow, make good on your own arrangement, or your evil intent will be made all the more clear
Khunbish Avagnar: The Vanu were bringing their weapons back to bear, "Vanu do not fight!" he shouts to the Vanu, clearly they aren't planning to listen to him though. He lifts up off the ground, his coat billowing behind him, "Follow me then."
Vincent Sarkoza: "aboud damn time."
Artoria Aldsan 's lips thin as they land up above. "Orrin. We don't need to do this. We can still search for other solutions."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Im with Artoria. We've been making a looot of assumptions here."
Khunbish Avagnar rolls his arms, "It's clear they are intent on kill him." he steps back from the group, leaving the coat on the ground.
V'aleera Lhuil: "The possession of an innocent body by a malicious spirit can not be overlooked. We have given you every opportunity to depart and flee back to whence you came."
Vincent Sarkoza puts his left hand on his scabbard
Khunbish Avagnar: He snarls at V'aleera, "I have told you repeatedly, I can't flee! I become a plate unable to move, unable to do anything but lie there! helpless! Trapped! Imagine someone takes your arms, your legs, your eyes, and ears and voice from you! Now live eons like that!" the wind starts picking up again.
Vincent Sarkoza 's thumb pushes against the crossguard of his katana and it extends outward an inch with a click.
Orrin Halgren speaks, eyes still on the figure "What do you suggest, we let this shade walk? My apologies, but when two are left to drown in the ocean, whose right is it to push the other under to stave off death?"
Vincent Sarkoza: "Seems to me like the two are keeping each other afloat."
V'aleera Lhuil: "It sounds to me like this foul creature is more than willing to impose the very same imprisonment upon others that it so despises itself in order to prepetuate its own self-gratification."
Vincent Sarkoza: "Then our minds are made" Vincen sighed, drawing his katana and holding it with one hand while the left drew a dagger.
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn holds his hands out before him and is encased in a swirl of air causing him to be /protected by the wind/
V'aleera Lhuil takes the initiative, chargin forward and thrusting her lance toward the conjured wall of wind, her powerful lance arm probing for a weakness or opening in the violent, churning barrier.
Artoria Aldsan dashes forward to intercept V'aleera, her sword coming around to try and block the woman's strike.
Vincent Sarkoza dashes forward as well to try to intercept Valeera's attack with his katana while he kept his dagger close for defence.
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn failed his attempt to back out of V'aleera's jumping strike, her spear manging to /Find a pattern/ in the swirling wind about him.
V'aleera Lhuil proceeds with little hindrance despite the best efforts of her accomplices, dodging under Artoria's thick blade and transitioning into a powerful leap over the head of Vincent, proceeding to probe for weaknesses in her enemy's defense and finding success.
Vincent Sarkoza: "tch" vincent grits his teath as Valeera leapt over him. He immediately pursues her, tossing his dagger toward her head to hopefully get her to parry upward and open herself up for a slash from him toward her mid section.
Orrin Halgren moves in front swiftly and drags his halberd out to the right , blocking off the motion with the pole of his weapon across Vincent's front "Stopping a fight is one thing, attacking an ally is another."
Vincent Sarkoza: "she's got full plate its fine" he retorted quickly
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn jumps backwards closer towards the ledge as he throws the wind shield at Orrin's blade, he's looking desperate.
Artoria Aldsan rushes after Orrin, trying to swing her sword to catch against the dragoon's lance while he is still airborne, twisting in an attempt to grab it by the axehead and pull the weapon away from him.
Orrin Halgren leaps up high into air, coming down like a spinning buzzsaw, but the wind delays his decent, even then, when he came down into the ground, it was the polearm's butt that smashed into the dirt.
V'aleera Lhuil ignores the continued interference of her non-dependable pair of allies and continues her assault, now stabbing more vigorously into the swirling barrier of wind, armed with the knowledge of its flowing pattern.
Artoria Aldsan: "Orrin! Stop this! I know you mean well, but you would murder the boy without trying to find another way?"
Orrin Halgren pulls the weapon butt out from the ground in time to wheel his weapon about. and catch Artoria's weapon "He cannot be free to leave, you study these beings do you not? Get him to come with you, to be watched. I'll not have him disappear into the mists!"
Orrin Halgren is in /weapon lock/ with Artoria
V'aleera Lhuil: "Aye! Convince the creature to submit, and I'll consent to a reprieve. But no sooner!"
Artoria Aldsan blinks at Orrin's assumption that she studies elementals. "He can hardly disappear if he has sworn to live the boy's life in Ishgard, Orrin."
Orrin Halgren: "He lived the boys life as a doppleganger, who is to say he'll remain now that the truth is known?"
Vincent Sarkoza: "Well we probably could've figured that out before you drew your weapons."
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn moves towards C in a sudden blast of air and crack of wind as he bolts backward to C - Artoria, V'aleera, Orrin roll will
Khunbish Avagnar: Artoria /dug in/ against the sonic boom of Djinn's movement pretty well
Orrin Halgren ducks down and resists the spell "See, no more than a beast, who would strike you down as well as I!"
Vincent Sarkoza brings his left arm up to cover his face
V'aleera Lhuil braces against the howling wind.
Artoria Aldsan snorts, barely moved. "I would hardly cause that trying to strike us down, Orrin."
V'aleera Lhuil recovers from the impact of the sonic boom and immediately leaps forward with immense speed, bringing her weapon to bear against the wind spirit, the thrust of her weapon accounting for the patterns present in his barrier of wind.
Khunbish Avagnar: V'aleera's spear impales Djinn's body, she feels it connect something hard before suddenly gaining resistance and there's a brief glint of something heavy disappearing off the ledge. Djinn's body begins to pale quickly and starts coughing blood.
Artoria Aldsan 's eyes go wide and she grits her teeth before saying in a low growl, "Does she seek to detain him as well, Orrin? Will you have his murder be on your conscience?"
Vincent Sarkoza: "damn.." Vincent's expression turned serious, noticing Djinn's dire situation. He digs his feet in and pushes off hard toward the left as fast as he can toward Valeera. He angles the point of his katana toward her seeking to impale her. He didnt like her at this point, and seeing the level of violence she had escalated to he'd match it. Vincent would aim to impale Valeera in her torso.
Khunbish Avagnar: Djinn's host is trying to reach for a link pearl at his ear as he's having coughing fits, he's clearly having problems breathing as well.
V'aleera Lhuil swiftly adjusts her position to deftly deflect the oncoming katana, sending it wide and away from her body. "Idiot! The spirit has been exorcised; can't you see the boy coughing? He must be tended to!"
Vincent Sarkoza stops and looks over at the now Djinnless body. "oh -now- you care about the kid, great job impaling him. If he dies this is on you."
Artoria Aldsan: "And I suppose you have the medical training to save him, you murderer?"
Orrin Halgren breaks away from the /deadlock/ or at least attempted to "After the disc, it cannot take another." he says as he tries to run for the lordling before he collapsed.
V'aleera Lhuil "Tch." The dragoon brushes aside the condemnations and accusations, turning her gaze to the distant gleam of the disc falling through the mists, swiftly jumping off their present landing and whistling for her bird as she gives pursuit and leaves the dying man in their hands.
Vincent Sarkoza sheathes his katana
Khunbish Avagnar: The lordling was having a really bad time trying to breath and is clearly getting weaker though he's holding the link pearl now, he starts trying to speak.
Vincent Sarkoza: "Now we'll see if Djinn was telling the truth" vincent folded his arms.
Orrin Halgren holds the boy, waiting for a response, though with his free hand, his own linkpearl was at work, ordering an airship to their location as soon as poosible.
Vincent Sarkoza: "Artoria, that disc. Was that Djinn?"
Artoria Aldsan: "We have no way of knowing for certain. Not unless it is recovered, at least."
Khunbish Avagnar: The link pearl was working, the Lordling, "V...k...HACK...kill...v...va..." he starts coughing again before he starts fading out of consciousness
Vincent Sarkoza: "We should find it before Valeera does. I'd rather that she doesnt find it before we do."
Artoria Aldsan grunts softly, not willing to leave while the boy was still holding on to life.
Orrin Halgren moves down to tries to pluck the linkshell from his ear and put it into his own, who was on the otherside to listen?
Vincent Sarkoza: "I'll go ahead" vincent reaches in to his pocket and hands Artoria a linkpearl. "Take this, its a linkpearl my company uses. Call me after you finish up here."
Artoria Aldsan nods slightly. "Go quickly."
Vincent Sarkoza pulls out a grappling pistol and anchors one end to the ground before running off the side and jumping off.
Khunbish Avagnar: On the other end was a flurry of questions from various members of House Dzemael trying to find out what Lanfellar was talking about, wh o and why he was coughing and why he's not answering
Orrin Halgren speaks back into it "This is Orrin De Halgren of the Temple knights, send an airship now, your son has been found is need of aid."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Everyone BE SILENT. There is an airship on the way, what do you mean my son is in need of aid, why is he coughing?"
Orrin Halgren: "The spirit that has taken his body has been expelled. More can be explained later." He then takes the pearl and places it back into the lordling's ear and he works into his satchel and tries to patch up the v'aleera -imposed mess.
Orrin Halgren: ((wanna roll lore for a medicine check to help stabilize))
Orrin Halgren looks back at Artoria, hold him steady, I must need dress his wounds.
Artoria Aldsan doesn't respond to Orrin, but does as he asks, helping to hold the boy down.
Khunbish Avagnar: The wound from V'aleera's attack is patched up, front and back, it's clear where the disc was covering the back by the redness of the skin. The smell of his breath was sickening.
Orrin Halgren squeezes and tightly binds the bandages, he had smelled death and burning flesh and yet this still unnerved him "This is useful for later, if what I see is correct...then the possession is externally facilitated through contact of the disk, the force of the strike must have ejected it off of the lordling..."
Khunbish Avagnar: Lordling is thoroughly unconcious, but he's still coughing and it's not good coughing
Artoria Aldsan is simply silent, watching the boy, showing no inclination to respond to Orrin's speculation.
Orrin Halgren looks off to the horizon, Where in the hells is that airship, both the temple knights and Dzemael, that shouldhave moved something." he continues to scan the horizon.
Khunbish Avagnar: A large airship comes into view, one of the look outs on it starts waving and shouting at the group.
Orrin Halgren nods and moves to shoulder the lordling, would be here that a dragoon's agility would perhaps be a boon. He looks back to Artoria for a moment, then leaps off.
Khunbish Avagnar: Once Orrin and Artoria are on the Airship they are whisked to Foundation, where the lordling is taken in the care of Conjurers and Astrologians to Dzemael's manor in a flurry. A house steward lingers and bows to Orrin and Artoria, "Your returning of Lord Lanfellar Dzemael is appreciated and expect to be summoned so that house Dzemael can ask what happened."
Artoria Aldsan: "I am sure our distinguished dragoon would be happy to explain things. I will have to ask that you pardon me for not staying, sir."
Orrin Halgren of course would have to agree to the summons. He nods in agreement that Artoria would not be necessary, to at least grant her that little kindness
Khunbish Avagnar: There was a moment of silence and a nod of his head, "Mind that if it is deemed necessary you will be requested to show miss."
Artoria Aldsan: "Understood. I can be reached through the Adventurer's Guild if necessary."
Orrin Halgren nods "As I am available throught the usual Temple Knight channels until the eastern front's advance is resumed

Spoiler
The path through Dimwold was at least clearly marked, along the way it quickly became apparent someone artistic was living in the area as the tree trunks became more and more heavily carved with swirling designs, and carved designs of people and ships, oceans and monsters, some of the carvings even looked similar to primals. The house itself was covered with such carvings, one of the front doors ajar. This was the place Oddmar wanted to meet.

Anstarra Silverain makes her way into the cabin, wearing an outfit that COULD be something like a survivalist's.. but those tights look a bit too silky, and the way her shirt bulges under her breasts - not to mention the open jacket - suggest that aesthetics played a larger part in her dressmaking than functionality. She beams at Artoria when she sees her. "Hey~"

Artoria Aldsan returns the smile with a small one of her own. "Anstarra. It's a pleasure to see you. I suppose we'll be working together then?"

Anstarra Silverain: "Beats the alternative~" Her grin widens briefly, before she casts a look over at the third member of their party, assuming she's here already. "Hello there~”

Adeya Evenar glances over towards the other two. "Hi. I'm Adeya," she says. "And I caught your names," she adds with a small smile. "So what do you all make of this so far?" she asks, gesturing towards the carvings they had passed on their way here.

Anstarra Silverain wonders when the other girl might've caught Artoria's name, then has a quick mental image of Artoria talking about herself in the third person for some reason before An herself arrived. She shakes it off, looking around suspiciously for spores in the air. "Hmm? Oh! Yes, it's very pretty. Clearly this person has some artistic bent. Though with a name like Spittle..."

Artoria Aldsan: "With the amount of work done, he's likely been out here for sometime.... or his is not the only hand to carve them."

Oddmar perks up at the last name and shakes his head, "What? Me? No no no! I ain't got no skills at carvin' things. The spittle is uh... nickname... that stuck..." the highlander was big, but other than that nothing particularly out of the ordinary, nothing that would cause him to stand out from among other highlanders.

Anstarra Silverain looks sympathetic. "I understand. I used to be a sailor, I know how nicknames stick. Incidentally, I hope you CAN fight. Unless you wanted us to do the heavy lifting and say YOU beat some legendary warrior. In which case, I hope you can pay."

Adeya Evenar shrugs. "I've heard of stranger things," she says, though she doesn't seem especially confident about that. She then looks over towards the highlander, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studies him. "I see," she says slowly. "And yes, I agree. Especially if you want us to keep quiet about it."
Oddmar shakes his head and hefts up a fairly large sized club that is fairly well studded, "Oh have this t' fight with, can swing mighty good jus' you know, makin' it through to the hills, hear tell he's perched up where can see the garlean's bridge."

Anstarra Silverain: "Ahhh..." She nods, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You want us to go into dangerous territory in the middle of a war. Well, I hope you can pay anyway!" She laughs. "Though honestly that sounds kinda fun ANYway."

"Well if things weren't in a stand still liken as they are now... wouldna be able t' get away t' do this any which way. Jus' lucky I was that I was posted guard away from where everything when sour."

Adeya Evenar wrinkles her nose. "Because just what we needed was having to worry about the Garleans as well," she grumbles. She arches a brow at that, debating whether to ask, then shakes her head slightly. "So anything else that may try to kill us on the way there?"

Oddmar frowns a bit, "Well th' trees... hear might be large cats in the hills too, spirits, garleans, whelks... ya know, normal stuff anymore."

Anstarra Silverain laughs, "Sounds exciting~" She moves over and nudges Artoria, smiling. "Gonna protect me?"

Artoria Aldsan: "Sounds like quite the journey. Still, I suppose that is why you called on us. And of course, I can hardly let some bear pin you down."

Anstarra Snickers.

Oddmar shifts uncomfortably, "Depends... long as he's completely furred, c-could be better 'en the last bear dealt with."

Anstarra Silverain blinks, and tilts her head.

Artoria Aldsan: "You fought a naked bear?"

Adeya Evenar wrinkles her nose. "Wonderful," she mutters. She then gives Oddmar an odd look, apparently wondering the same thing.

"T-that was the hellsguards name you know him?" Oddmar looks a bit more hesitant now.

Anstarra Silverain: "A defurred bear? A bare bear?" Anstarra Silverain gazes upon Oddmar in deep reflection.

"Ah y-yes please." Oddmar nods his head and starts for the door, "Uh...a-anyone a tracker?"
Adeya Evenar shakes her head. "No... and I suspect I might like it to stay that way." She glances over towards Anstarra and nods. "That's probably a good idea."

Anstarra Silverain smiles at Adeya Evenar.

Anstarra Silverain hums as she pads along.

The dimwold is darkening as the day creeps along, the shadows casting ominously upon the carvings upon the trees, and the wooden walkway, for such an abandoned area the path is incredibly well kept and sturdy.

Anstarra Silverain thumps her feet a bit on the wood, ears twitching. "Huh. I would've.. hmm. Did you work on this walkway, Oddmar?"

Adeya Evenar glances around curiously as they walk. "So who /is/ doing all of this, if it's not you?" she asks. "It's certainly not the Garleans."

Anstarra Silverain: "Well, the Garleans do like their roads.. but yeah, wood, not so much."

Oddmar shakes his head, "No ain't done no work, only arrived bit before you all did, um... might have...scouted, supposed someone lives here, but ain't seen no bodies."

Anstarra Silverain: "Hmm. Mysteries~"

Adeya Evenar purses her lips. "So I suppose we can add that to the list of "things that might come bother us"," she remarks.

There do appear to be a fair few Diakka about but no more than when everyone showed up originally.

Anstarra Silverain eyes the giant tree-person-things, tail slowly swishing.

The sight of one of the Diakka focusing intently on the group and following them at a distance causes Artoria to miss a step causing her to end up with a /sprained ankle/ as her foot jabs into the ground next to the pathway.

Anstarra Silverain looks at Artoria Aldsan in shock! “Oh wow! Are you okay?!”

Adeya Evenar pauses and looks over at that. "Everything alright?" she asks, her ears tilting back slightly.

Artoria Aldsan lets out a small grunt of pain. "Fine. The local flora seems to have taken a liking to us, however."

Anstarra Silverain: "The flor-" She looks around, blinking.

Adeya Evenar blinks at that, then glances back behind them. "Well... that's odd," she remarks slowly.

Anstarra Silverain: "Hrm.." Her fingers drum against her legging. "Maybe they're just making sure we don't go into their territory. Or getting ready to ambush us."

Adeya Evenar considers this for a moment. "It /would/ make it harder for us to run, if it's the latter," she admits.

Artoria Aldsan: "No need to run. If they intend to come for us, then we need simply cut them down."

Anstarra Silverain: "Putting the 'leaves' back into 'levequest'."

Adeya Evenar rolls her eyes. "That could be more difficult if they have friends waiting up ahead," she points out.

Oddmar gives a nervous chuckle towards the group, adjusting the grip on his club, "But ah we need t' keep going, only path ah know of is up that way int' the hills."

Anstarra Silverain: "Mmm... either of you any good at scouting?"

Adeya Evenar shakes her head. "Not particularly," she admits.

Artoria Aldsan: "It's never been my preferred way of operating."

Anstarra Silverain chuckles. "And I'm not really dressed for it." She sighs, and shrugs. "Well, looks like the best we can do is get ready. Incidentally, Adeya, are you a healer?"

Adeya Evenar nods. "It's not my specialty, but I know how to cast a few spells, yes," she says.

Anstarra Silverain: "Mmm.. can you toss up a protective barrier? The sort that lasts a while? Might not be a bad idea now, before we're in the middle of a fight."

Adeya Evenar considers, then nods. "I can try," she says as she reaches for her grimoire. Flipping through it, she considers a few pages, before finally settling on one. A soft light glows from the pages as she starts to cast.

Adeya Evenar makes a sharp gesture, and magic expands outwards from the pages of her book, settling over each member of the group in turn. "That should hold up for awhile," she says as she closes her grimoire once more.

Anstarra Silverain motions joyfully to Adeya Evenar, “Well done!~”

Adeya Evenar smiles. "Thank you," she says.

Anstarra Silverain takes out her spear, giving herself a little space as she begins twisting it.. turning and spinning, loosening herself up. Her movements are sharp and focused, and done with only one hand at a time.. it's not that she's trying to intimidate anything, but hey, if it works.

With the preparations complete the group continues along to the end of the carved wooden walkway, the carvings one the trees becoming progressively newer looking.

"Huh.." She frowns scratching her head under the beret. "Newer carvings.. maybe it's our man who's done them all, and he's been moving along this way over the.. moons? Years?"

Artoria would notice that the Diakka that was keeping an eye on the group had moved on ahead of them, but maintained a fair distance until it scaled up into the trees prior to their arrival at the end of the walk.

Adeya Evenar purses her lips. "I wonder if we'll find our mysterious wood carver up here," she remarks. "And mayhaps. It would make some sort of sense, at least."

Artoria Aldsan frowns softly, eyes following the diakka's path. The trees here were large, and relatively lacking in foliage.

The Diakka jumps to the large tree ahead before landing heavily in the cart, "Who trespasses the dimmenvold?"

Anstarra Silverain 's tail curls this way and that, an inadvertantly sensual little dance, especially in conjunction with form-hugging tights... but then goes a bit poofy as suddenly the tree-man leaps down ahead of them. Her eyes light up with excitement. Would it be a fight?

Adeya Evenar arches a brow at this. "We're adventurers, that's all," she says to the Diakka. "We're just here on a job, nothing more."

Artoria Aldsan: "Oddmar, you're the leader of this expedition. Do you care to answer the diakka?"

Oddmar glances at the group and the highlander steps out to the front, just when did he slip behind them, "Ah j-jus' here t' fight th' thing tha's been beatin' everyone. I-is that you?"

Anstarra Silverain chuckles. "C'mon, don't stutter~" She steps up and with her free hand gives Oddmar a firm, open-handed SMACK on the butt.

Oddmar yelps as he is smacked and stumbles forward, the Diakka grumbles and waves his staff about, "You seek then the one who has defiled my kind with his blade and left the dimmenvold then?"

Artoria Aldsan: "It could be the same person. It's hard to say for sure, unless you care to come with us and identify him."

Anstarra Silverain 's tail is dancing once more. "Oh, yes. Oh wait." Her smile flips over. "He left? I hope he's not gone far."

The Diakka pauses his staff rattling, "Cautious... you folk could be playing trick on old baum bart here..." he narrows what passes for eyes, "What business again? A fight? Why would you fight your kind?"

Anstarra Silverain: "Well, we don't even know if he's our kind yet, to be fair. Is he? Does he have ears like me and Adeya?" Wiggle, wiggle.

Adeya Evenar: "Just because he's "our kind" doesn't mean we have to be friends with him," she remarks.

Baum bart tilts his head jerkily, his motions a mimicry of human movement that was jerky and unsettling due to being close but not quite right, "Kind kind...yes true kind kills own kind... soft ones kill soft ones and call the Diakka uncultured, barbaric and backwards."

Anstarra Silverain: "We do? That's rude." She smiles and spreads her hands. "We can be mean, but we can also be friends. Wanna be friends with us? Then we can go beat up that guy you don't seem to like much anyroad~"

Adeya Evenar shakes her head. "I don't think anyone here has called the Diakka uncultured. Because yes, it /would/ be quite rude," she agrees. "And it's not quite as simple as you say. Surely you can see that there are differences between all of us?" she asks, swishing her tail pointedly.

Anstarra Silverain walks forward a bit, lowering her spear. A spear's not threatening to a tree anyway, right? It's not like it was an axe. "See, ser Baum Bart~ There are nice 'soft ones' and mean ones. But we're just like you in some ways, right? Surely you're mean to people who deserve it, and nice to those who also deserve it. We're not so different. I mean aside from being much smaller and squishier and funnier-looking than you~" She inclines her head. "Would you kindly let us move along? Or even better tell us where we might find the man we're looking for? I'm sure you wouldn't mind if we got a little revenge on your behalf.. especially since it suits our purposes, too. Everyone wins~"

Baum Bart tilts his head back and forth, the beard of leaves flopping about and rustling as he does. He appears to be considering Anstarra's words before he nods firmly, "Fine... points good you have made the trail is there that he has taken." he points with his staff towards what's best described as a goat trail, "Harrassed you will not be if alive you return."

Anstarra Silverain bows courteously to Baum Bart, "Thanks kindly~ May, Azeyma's warmth, uh, nourish your.. head?" She looks to the others. "We should go."

Adeya Evenar glances over to Anstarra. "Nice job," she murmurs. "And yes, we should," she adds more loudly. "Just so they don't change their minds," she adds under her breath.

Artoria Aldsan: "Let's."

The trail was simple, and the ascent pleasant enough until a chill began to settle in, it was mild at first, but it grew as the group continued along the trail. Whole Logs were lodged into the ground and carved, no bark unlike the trees below, these had seen more care, sanding, even some basic treatment

Adeya Evenar draws her coat tighter around her as the temperature begins to drop. "I'd say we're getting close," she remarks as she studies the carvings around them. "I don't think it should be this cold, even up here."

Anstarra Silverain takes deep breaths, seeming to take a perverse enjoyment from the chill. Or perhaps she has piercings under her shirt. "Mrrr. I'm thinking my hypothesis was correct.. our warrior is a warrior-artisan. I admit I'm getting more intrigued. It's the creative ones who are so much more.. Interesting."

Artoria Aldsan doesn't even seem to notice the cold, though her breath mists with each exhale. "One wonders what he is doing up here."

Oddmar stops to examine some of the wood carvings before he continues along with the group, a curious look to his eyes, "S-stories are-" he is cut off by a voice from just across the rise, "What stories are they telling of me boy?" the voice echoes. At this point, the ground was covered in snow. There were frozen remains of garleans, ala mhigans, a shattered reaper lies crumpled to the side. At the far end was a large highlander with a girdle that looked of cracked rock and ice, next to him was an axe that would make a warrior weep with the carvings along the haft and etched into the metal. Strewn about is everything for an open air smithy and wood carver, a half carved log resting before him on the ground.

Anstarra Silverain 's tail and ears perk up at the sight of the man... and the devastation, all around. A light comes into her eyes, an excitement that's almost sexual. "Oh my..." she murmurs, walking forward a bit more as she examines the damage that was done.

Adeya Evenar draws in a breath as she looks around. "Well, it looks like we've found who we're looking for," she murmurs, eyeing the frozen reaper warily before looking back to the highlander. "Well, it seems the stories about you being good in a fight aren't wrong," she remarks.

The man sighs as he stands up, dusting himself off, "That is all there is, fighting and carving." he reaches over, his motions slow, practiced as he pats the haft of his axe, "Are you here then, to defeat me in battle as well? Or try?"

Artoria Aldsan: "So it would seem. Though, this cold isn't natural to the region-- not at this time of year, at any rate. I take it you are responsible?"

Anstarra Silverain is fingering the haft of her spear lovingly... though it's with a regretful sigh that she admits; "Technically we're just here to escort our friend here to fighting you..." she nods to Oddmar, then quirks her ears at Artoria's comment. "Isn't it? We're high up..."

The highlander hefts the axe up, resting it against his shoulder, "The snows follow me wherever I go, the ice is as my breath, the frost is my blood, no gigas nor dragon can resist me forever, for I am Jotun, the ever waiting ice."

Adeya Evenar narrows her eyes at that. "So... you're not really a highlander then." It sounds more like a statement than a question. "I don't suppose you're friends with Shaitan then?" she inquires.

Oddmar was shaking at the back of the group and doing his best to not run like a scared rabbit. Jotun reaches up to stroke at his face, "Shaitan... the one of the cracking earth. Yes I knew him, when we were all simply the elements, and then after in Allag." he rests the haft of the axe against the ground, leaning against it, "Have questions before I take on whoever has come to challenge me?"

Artoria Aldsan: "So you are like the others. I take it that body of yours is stolen as well, then?"

Anstarra Silverain blinks, then looks to Adeya. "Shaitan? The earth creature Seito fought?" She looks back to Jotun, tail swishing with renewed interest. "We encountered Marid, he and I. It sounds like you're all waking up at the same time..."

Adeya Evenar nods to Anstarra. "I was with him for that," she says. "And yes, that's the one." She reaches up to run a hand through her hair. "How did you end up here?" she shoots to Jotun. "After the fall of Allag. It /has/ been a very long time."

Jotun raises an eyebrow, "Indeed, I have taken this body, as I have taken countless others, from the time when this place was awash with waters and raging elements, to now. Many simply died because it was time, others died as I was defeated, and then I took the victors body for my own. Hubris comes at a price I have heard one man say, and this is that price."

"How? Great waters tore the ground that covered me away, and ripped me from the box the Allagans put me in until the waters left me in a cave and a man came upon me. I whispered to him, over and over until he put me on."

Artoria Aldsan 's lips thin, and after a long moment of silence, she slowly draws her sword, golden aether igniting along it's length.

Adeya Evenar sucks in a sharp breath. "The only flood I can think of that was that large was the one that destroyed Nym, Amdapor, and Mhach," she says slowly. "Gods... I can't even imagine how many people you must have taken then."

Anstarra Silverain: "Hmmmm..." She nibbles her lip. "I do so cherish a good fight... but I don't particularly fancy being possessed..." She absentmindedly twirls her heavy-looking spear in a smooth spiral as she contemplates the situation. "Marid took a body to save a drowning girl... and otherwise she despises those who defile the water. Shaitan sounds like he does it out of hatred for those who defile the earth, which is pretty much everyone on it... what about you, Jotun? What motivates you? Fight and carve?"

Adeya Evenar shakes her head. "No. Shaitan does it because he wants revenge on Allag... and seems to think that that includes everyone alive, because we're descended from them. So I don't think it's that simple... " she murmurs, watching Jotun curiously.

Anstarra Silverain: "Mmm.. conversely, Marid seems like she's gonna go after Garlemald, since they're hurting the water… And they’re more Allagan-ish.”

Jotun sighs, "I fight, because people desire my power, to best me. I carve..." he pats the log, "So that their memories are not entirely lost, each tree I have carved the stories of the people who I have taken, they are the record that they came, and bested me."

Artoria Aldsan lets out a slow breath, the glow of aether around her blade gradually growing brighter, her muscles tensing. "Yet you held no compunction over possessing their bodies for yourself when defeated."

Anstarra Silverain clicks her tongue, and sets the butt of her spear in the snow. "Are you telling us you don't -want- to fight? That you don't delight in battle, crave it, long for the rush and fury of combat and slaughter?"

Jotun hefts the axe again, "I did once, year after year did I kill... and that was it... it was just myself, and then it was Raijin, and then he left to seek peace and I was left here. As for those I took over, they showed no compunction over killing me, or killing others, what compassions should they be shown when they have blood on their own hands as well."

Adeya Evenar purses her lips. "So it seems to all come back to Allag. Except perhaps for him," she adds, eyeing Jotun and his axe. "If that is the case..." she begins slowly. "Then it seems like this Rajiin was perhaps the wise one. Do you /want/ us to just leave you be then?"

Anstarra Silverain huffs, and slings her spear back into its bandolier. "Well that's no fun. Fighting someone who doesn't WANT to fight." She looks to Oddmar. "Should probably give up on it. The best name you might get here is 'Jotun', it sounds like."

Jotun nods his head a bit, "I would like to finish this mans story before I am taken by another, it begins to become...complex with the memories that are not the newest." he looks to the group, "If you are set on testing yourselves against me, I will consider it agreeable. I match of sparring instead of life and death has not been a thing in ages."

Adeya Evenar considers this for a moment, then shrugs. "It is certainly preferrable than becoming possessed," she points out. "And it could be useful to see what one of these... creatures can do."

Anstarra Silverain looks back to the possessed warrior, ears perking back up and tail twitching. "A spar, hmm? That could be interesting anyroad..." She draws her spear again. "I hope you won't take it amiss if I fight one-handed," she smirks, slowly wheeling her spear again.

"I do not mind that one bit." Jotun holds his axe one handed, a chain of ice descending to the ground as he stands there, waiting.

Artoria Aldsan glances at Anstarra and Adeya. "When you're ready.

Anstarra Silverain: "Alright~" She whips her spear in a tight arc. "Let's have some -fun-!"

Adeya Evenar reaches for her grimoire. "Same here," she says as she flips it open.

Jotun hurls the chain about before slinging the end of it at Adeya, attempting to snag her with the blunted hook at the end.

Adeya Evenar isn't nearly fast enough. The chain wraps around her, and she's nowhere near strong enough to resist being dragged over towards Jotun. The chill is even more intense... and worse, she still has the chain wrapped around her.

Anstarra Silverain laughs, even as Adeya is grabbed and pulled, as she begins twirling her spear faster. The air catches in it, in grooves along the befanged and scaled length, and she slams it into the ground. Again, and again, pounding out a rhythm. Glints of her own azure aether suffuse the motions, suffuse the music, inspiring her allies to aggression and violence…

Artoria Aldsan growls and rushes forward, her sword coming around to slam against whatever defense Jotun could offer in an attempt to set him off-balance.

Jotun was set /off-balance/ by Artoria's sword slam even though he had attempted to parry, the moment Artoria and Adeya got this close they could feel the cold seeping in painfully, slowing down down their thoughts, and muscles.

Adeya Evenar eyes the chain wrapped around her leg. Trying to block out the bonechilling cold, she focuses on Jotun, sending a blast of aether towards him.

Jotun stumbles towards the side, barely managing to evade the blast of Aether before he whirls on the most immediate threat, bringing his axe down at Artoria.

Oddmar gains a new name of wetbritches at the sight of the fighting before him.

Jotun stumbles towards the side, barely managing to evade the blast of Aether before he whirls on the most immediate threat, bringing his axe down at Artoria.

Artoria Aldsan twists and handily parries the axe to the side, Adeya's earlier magic slowing it just enough to make things easy for her.

Anstarra Silverain howls as she surges forward, eyes bright with violent glee as she lets the notes for her own song set her pace. Her footstep become the drumming percussion beat of ONE - TWO - THREE - SLAM!! - as her last step carries her the final three yalms and with a fearsome howl she drives her lance in with one-handed thrust! IMPALING him before dragging it out! She hisses in chagrin, the crazed light draining a bit from her eyes. This wasn't to the death!

There was a cough and a gleam of craziness in Jotun's eyes as Anstarra nails him good with the spear, this wasn't a light hit he took.

Artoria Aldsan brings her sword around, aiming for Jotun's waist in an effort to keep his attention on her, her aether radiating out as pure heat to reduce the chill on her.

Adeya Evenar grits her teeth, still trying to ignore the cold, as she sends a blast of twisting purple magic towards Jotun. Could he even be poisoned? She wasn't sure, but thought it couldn't hurt to try to find out.

Khunbish Avagnar: Jotun /deftly evades/ Adeya's spell as he rushes at Anstarra taking a mighty axe swing at her in an attempt to repay her kindness.

Anstarra Silverain parries the blow with her spear along her forearm, grunting as the force behind it bruises her despite the protective magics absorbing much of it; she grins, the light rekindling in her eyes. "That's it!!" Before grabbing Adeya, and attempting to JUMP right back out of melee.

Anstarra Silverain then abruptly turns from Jotun and grabs the unsuspecting Adeya by both arms. "Yoink!!" And BACKFLIPS 30 FULMS, tearing her out of the chains in the process!..while somehow keeping hold of her spear.

Anstarra Silverain grins at Adeya, flushed from the exertion and excitement, and also the suddenly-not-freezing-their-asses-off. "Looked like you could use a hand~"

Adeya Evenar doesn't seem quite certain about this plan as Anstarra reaches for her. "Wait--!" she starts to say, but suddenly they're flying through the air. She grits her teeth as they land, but she can't complain much... it was at least warmer here. "Thanks," she says to Anstarra as she reaches down to try to rub feeling into her leg before looking back up to glare thoughtfully at Jotun.

Artoria Aldsan makes a slow circle around Jotun, doing her best to keep him focused on her-- and not able to chase after the two that had just retreated, his /movement hampered/.

Adeya Evenar opens her grimoire once more and this time aims carefully. She would send a brilliant burst of aether directly towards Jotun's face, trying to /temporarily blind/ him.

Jotun blocks the flash with the flat of his axe used as a shade.

Oddmar starts backing away from the fight, stumbling backwards. He certainly is in over his head.

Jotun snarled as Anstarra jumps away but then Artoria bonks at him so he turns and just swings at her directly.

Anstarra Silverain has barely landed from depositing Adeya that she has begun whirling her spear again. The wind seems to pick up, a howling dirge that promises violence. Easy to forget that it was but a spar... stamping of her feet, powerful leg muscles of a Dragoon, sending snow flying and pebbles shuddering, as the combative tempo accelerates…

Artoria Aldsan parries Jotun's axe, letting it skid off of her armor as she ducks her shoulder and rams it into his gut, /knocking the wind out/ of him.

Adeya Evenar purses her lips as Jotun blocks her first spell. She considers for a moment, then sends a blast of sickly green aether towards him.

Khunbish Avagnar: Jotun evades the attack from Adeya again before whirling on and then resting the haft down, "Unless one of you plan to hand over your body, I should rest and return to my work."

Artoria Aldsan snorts softly, but grounds her sword. "Quitting already, are you?"

Jotun sticks a finger in where he was stabbed, "This body is bleeding out."

Adeya Evenar arches a brow at that. "Well.... okay, that is a good point," she has to admit as she closes her grimoire.

Anstarra Silverain 's eyes flash... the aggressive music pounding through the air, and especially through her... and she stomps over aggressively, spear in hand... and grabs Artoria, and drags her into a very violent kiss.

Khunbish Avagnar: "...Marid is awake." he wipes his hand off, "I may go find her, this body has done me well so far." he blinks a few times at Artoria and Anstarra, "You children of Allag are strange."

Artoria Aldsan 's eyes go wide as she's suddenly grabbed, losing her grip on her sword as gloved fingers try (and fail, due to padding) to claw along the back of Anstarra's neck, strangely warm despite the fierce cold emanating from Jotun nearby.

Adeya Evenar blinks and looks away. "Well then," she remarks. "This just got rather awkward... " she murmurs before looking over to Jotun. "I could probably do something about the bleeding," she offers.

Anstarra Silverain is super not paying attention to Jotun or Adeya right now, and in fact seems to be trying to wrench off some of Adeya's armor, without much success as she's never worked on this particular make. The obvious solution is to kiss harder, and pull her own shirt more open.

Jotun tilts his head a bit, "That would be good. If it keeps this body from dying."

Artoria Aldsan , despite her ferocity in combat, seems to have a hard time resisting An's sudden aggression. She doesn't assist with the armor removal, but her body does press in close against An's, her eyes fluttering shut.

Adeya Evenar opens her grimoire once more and steps forward (being careful to avoid the other two). "Well... no promises, but I can try," she says. Then she starts to cast a healing spell.

Jotun rolls his shoulders once he is healed and motions towards the distance, "Take your boy and go, I am going to get back to work on carving this bodies history."

Anstarra Silverain growls as she kisses Artoria, overpowering her for the moment on grounds of sheer animal hunger, bending her back and kissing her until she starts to get melty... before dragging herself back abruptly with a sharp intake of breath. "HOOOALright. Let's not get you frostbite, Rena will kill me." She licks her lips, stepping back and shaking out her hands and feet.

Anstarra Silverain: "Oh! You healed him. Good call." She looks to Jotun and smiles. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away! No hard feelings?"

Khunbish Avagnar: "None, if you're planning to die, I would not mind the body, it would last a long time and a stab like that, plenty of stories." Jotun moves back to his chair, "I should go find Raijin maybe..."

Artoria Aldsan , now freed, is left with a dreamy sort of stare, whatever thoughts she might have had before the make outs wiped from her mind. It's a long moment before she finally seems to come out of her daze, shaking her head and picking up her sword once more.

Adeya Evenar nods. "It's probably best he doesn't need to go body hunting soon," she points out. "Especially for all of us."

Anstarra Silverain blinks, and looks at her own body, pensively. "I'm rather attached to myself... but if I had to go, I can think of worse fates than to keep being a badass fighter..." She smiles then. "But not anytime soon. And yeah, Adeya. Are you alright, by the way?" She's gravitated back to Artoria and is kinda stroking her hair.

Anstarra Silverain asked this of Adeya. Artoria is CLEARLY okay. She got to check that out up close.

Oddmar managed to eventually make it down the goat trail by this point.

Artoria Aldsan favors An with a small smile, leaning a bit into the touch.

Adeya Evenar shakes her head. "No, thank you. I can do without that," she says firmly. "And yes, I'm fine. Just looking forward to getting out of the cold now." She eyes the two of them. "I don't think I need to ask about you two." She then glances back over her shoulder. "And Oddmar fled." She sighs softly. "No surprise, I suppose."

Artoria Aldsan: "The coward. I suppose his nickname was well-earned in the end."

Anstarra Silverain giggles. "Yup, just fine~" She snickers. "Ahh, who knows~ The day he overcomes his fear, he'll be the bravest of us all!"

Spoiler
Khunbish Avagnar: A youngish looking midlander is standing near one of the torches. He fidgets a little bit while waiting, he's dressed no differently than any of the other fisherman.
Artoria Aldsan: "Were you the one to put out the leve request?"
Khunbish Avagnar: The midlander nods his head to both of them, "Y-yes, I am Akio. Are you adventurers responding to the leve request?"
Anstarra Silverain 's tail is swishing as she looks around, seeming rather distracted.. or maybe a bit drunk? She licks her lips and takes a deep breath, then laughs. "Smells like fish.."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Mrr.. yes, leve, that's why we're here..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Just got here, only to leve~"
Anstarra Silverain laughs.
Artoria Aldsan glances over at Anstarra a bit apprehensively. "Where is this Sage you wanted to see?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Er yes? this is a fishing village... We're in an odd situation and I'm hoping to bring advice from the Sage to the next village council." he motions towards Namai, "There is a mountain in Namai the Sage lives on but the tigers have been rampant since Doma fell."
Artoria Aldsan frowns ever so slightly, a hand raising to her side. "Tigers, hm? Well.... it shouldn't be an issue."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Tigers!"
Anstarra Silverain looks at you in surprise.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Those are like.. big coeurls.. I've seen one! Once."
★Anstarra Silverain: "But they don't have tentacle whiskers.."
★Anstarra Silverain: "So really they're more like. Um. Wolves? Just rawr and bite and claw."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Bap'em on the nose and they'll behave~"
Anstarra Silverain nods.
Khunbish Avagnar: "Tentacle...whiskers?... No they are bigger than a man, strong and vicious." he blinks at Anstarra, "I must have gotten the right people if you're that confident and experienced."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Absolutely!"
Anstarra Silverain encourages you to ready for battle.
Artoria Aldsan sighs softly and looks back towards the man. "Then, please lead the way."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Yis."
S'imba Tia shows up late cause he got caught up in the Azim Steppe.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Oh!"
Anstarra Silverain waves to S'imba Tia.
★Anstarra Silverain: "S'iiiimbaaaa~"
●S'imba Tia: "Oh hey An!"
Anstarra Silverain beams at S'imba Tia.
★Anstarra Silverain: "We're hunting tigers today!"
Khunbish Avagnar: Akio blinks back at S'imba, "Oh no no I um... they'll probably be in the way of getting to the Sage..."
●S'imba Tia: "Oh good, Khun wanted me to kill one of those"
★Anstarra Silverain: "We're discouraging tigers from mauling this guy through probably violent means!"
Anstarra Silverain points at you.
Anstarra Silverain points at the normal-looking fisherman guy.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Tigers are big. They're like coeurls. But without the tentacles. OH! Wait, bears! They're more like bears, than like wolves."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Big fast chompy mauly death kitties."
Khunbish Avagnar: Akio nods slightly, "Y-yea..." he's looking nervous, "S-shall we get going?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Sure! Lead on, fearless leader!"
Anstarra Silverain beams with delight at you.
Artoria Aldsan waits for the hyur to not be looking to bap Anstarra's nose. "All I need to do to make you behave, right?"
Anstarra Silverain looks at Artoria Aldsan in shock!
Khunbish Avagnar: "Alright... So um...th-this way!" and he takes the lead.
Anstarra Silverain breathes in deeply, tail bobbing this way and that in fuzzy-headed cheer. "Mmh! Those blossoms smell so nice.. they really do grow out here, in the wild..."
S'imba Tia gives a groan, looking fairly exhausted and pale.
Artoria Aldsan: "A bit of hiking too much for you?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Wassamatter S'imbu?" She grins. "Not eating enough?"
Khunbish Avagnar: The weather is at least pleasant as the group walks south of Isari, and through the tunnel to Yanxia proper. Akio motions and makes towards a sheer looking wall of stone rising above the bamboo trees.
●S'imba Tia: "No...just under the weather after a run in with a piss poor healer." He said shaking his head.
Anstarra Silverain follows along, trotting up to their guide and draping a companionable arm over his shoulder. "Ever been out adventuring? Had to fight any scary fish?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Akio shrinks a bit at S'imba's treatment, "Ah no, up until recently we weren't exactly allowed to go adventuring, edicts of our governor Yotsuya."
●S'imba Tia: "Wow...that guy sounds like an asshole."
Khunbish Avagnar: "She was very awful, kept us under heel, some literally."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Ohh.. I heard some stories about her, back in Shirogane. Sounds like a bitch.. ah, but you're rid of her, yes?" She beams, ruffling the young man's hair. "So, what do you want to ask this Sage guy anyway? And what makes him so special that you gotta go all the way out here?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Not that I mind.. it's really pretty, almost romantic~" Her tail swishes.
Khunbish Avagnar: "Oh the Sage Raijin, many say he's lived forever and seen the rise and fall of many kingdoms. There is concerns of whether Isari should become part of Doma, be independent or join the Confederacy... I was hoping wisdom from the Sage would end the arguing at council."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Isari.. that's your village, right? And the Confederacy is those pirates.. hmm! Tricky. Maybe those pirates should join Doma, everyone'd be happy.. they could probably use a formal navy anyway.."
Khunbish Avagnar: "They wouldn't be able to get their Ruby Tithe anymore from Doma, Hingashi, and anyone else that passes through the ruby sea."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Pirates make good sailors.. and soldiers.. long as you don't let 'em get TOO rules-heavy." Her expression darkens for a moment, then it's gone, like a cloud before the sun. "Right.. but they wouldn't need it. Could become privateers against Garlemald.. gonna have to anyway. Those guys'll be back. Confederacy doesn't wanna get sunk on its own, gonna need friends.."
●S'imba Tia: "Pirates huh?" He said tilting his head. "I doubt that they would care what some old guy thinks..."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Isari isn't, we fish."
Artoria Aldsan: "They've been shown just how fragile their Ruby Tithe is already. Though, I imagine they have their sense of being independent from Doma a bit too firmly ingrained."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Mmm.. little fishing village, caught between pressures~ Hee!" She laughs. "Wonder what this Sage will say!"
●S'imba Tia: "They'd need a bigger incentive than whatever they make off a toll."
Khunbish Avagnar: Akio pauses and motions to where a tiger was curled up, "Ah...knew it... um... the path up to the sage starts where that tiger sleeps."
★Anstarra Silverain: "The fun thing bout wise sages is that.. people listen to 'em." She nods wisely at S'imba. "Even if they wouldn't normally. Cuz it's like.. you can accept bad medicine when it comes from a doc-oh!"
Artoria Aldsan: "Well... perhaps we can sneak by and avoid disturbing it."
S'imba Tia reaches down and picks up a rock as he stares at the tiger.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Kitty kitty..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Man it's big.. I wanna ride it."
S'imba Tia dropped the rock at that suggestion and started to sneak closer to it.
Anstarra Silverain beams with delight.
Artoria Aldsan baps An's nose.
Anstarra Silverain looks at Artoria Aldsan in surprise.
Anstarra Silverain 's tail swishes, a wide grin on her face as S'imba starts sneaking toward the huge kitty. She flexes her knees slightly, lowering herself like she's getting ready to jump, or pounce..
Artoria Aldsan: "Focus, Anstarra. There's no need to wake the thing. Let's just move past."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Orrrr we can wake it. I suck at sneaking. It probably hears us already..."
Artoria Aldsan: "Behave. We're here to get this man safely up the mountain."
★Anstarra Silverain: "It'll be saaafer once the.. I mean S'imba's sneaking up on it to climb on anyway, bet you anything."
★Anstarra Silverain: "You know, I had a boyfriend.. boss.. colleague whose last name was Tigre, once. His previous girlfriend called him Tiger.. I probably did a few times too.."
Artoria Aldsan: "Mm, well, I suppose with a name like that, it's bound to happen."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Yis~ He was a pugilist, very physical.. had a good body.. this one time, near Behemoth's Domain in Coerthas, he pulled my pants down and.. well, he wanted to bait a behemoth, and I'd mentioned that wild animals, and my scent.."
Artoria Aldsan sighs and draws her blade, seeing where this is likely to end up. She closes her eyes for a moment and golden aether lights up along its edge.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Chased us all the way back to Whitebrim, pantsless in my case.."
Artoria Aldsan: "Somehow, I shouldn't be surprised that you draw wild animals, Anstarra."
Anstarra Silverain laughs softly, tail swishing…
Artoria Aldsan gives An a sideways glance, a small smile playing on her lips. "Well, perhaps we can find time to experiment with that once we are finished here."
Anstarra Silverain winks at the other girl, tail curling a bit more. "Mrr.. try not to get more injured.." she teases, and wiggles her butt, before looking back to the tiger just in time to see S'imba...
S'imba Tia swishes his tail, eyes fixed on the tiger. His heart pounded in his chest as he prepared to show off what all that Xaela training had done. He jumps up and grabs a branch of the tree and swings himself plopping down onto the big kitty's back.
Artoria Aldsan sighs and shakes her head. Time to watch S'imba get mauled.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Woo!"
Anstarra Silverain lets out a cheer.
Anstarra Silverain grins fiercely as she sees S'imba jump on, cheering him.. and is already lunging forward, legs a blur as she charges, and then jumps into the air, legs extended, flipping, twisting... and landing perfectly astride the suddenly-pissed-off beast's neck! She howls in excitement as it roars, gripping with her powerful legs, while twirlin her lance, getting ready to fend off some enthusiastic mauling.
Artoria Aldsan lets out a long suffering sigh as both the cats mount a cat. Shaking her head, she brings her sword around, and firms her stance, readying herself should the tiger charge.
Khunbish Avagnar: The tiger roars and starts trashing about reaching up and attempting to claw at Anstarra.
Anstarra Silverain grins savagely as the poor gigantic fierce creature lunges at the crazy girl on her neck. She lifts her spear one-handed in a parry, using her leverage on the tiger's throat to twist its shoulders and foul its claws on her lance. "Meow meow angry cat!"
Khunbish Avagnar: The tiger slumps over dead, letting out a huffing breath. This close, S'imba and Anstarra can see that the fur was patching in places, might be an old tiger.
Artoria Aldsan settles her sword over her shoulder and shakes her head. "Well, I won't say the pair of you aren't efficient at the very least."
●S'imba Tia: "WITNESS ME!!" He shouts out, since An was in front of him he couldn't exactly swing a giant sword. Instead he pulls back his left fist and delivers a powerful punch to the base of it's neck, just below An's ass. Hitting it like his hand was made of solid rock there was a loud snap as he severed the spine at the cervical spine and cut off it's ability to even breath. Dropping the tiger dead.
Khunbish Avagnar: With the fight over Akio steps around Artoria, "Alright... back up this way..." he motions towards a hidden set of stairs cut into the side of the mountain. He starts up it them.
Anstarra Silverain growls in excitement as she looks over her shoulder with S'imba's shout, then hitches her hips forward just as he shouts in order to get out of the way of the fierce strike. She arches a bit as she feels the massive beast crumple under the blow, tail lashing into a curl as she feels its life drain out, between her thighs.. before rolling off, as it crumples. "Mmmm... not bad, S'imba... not bad."
●S'imba Tia: "Well that is why I am the Umbral Warlord of the Falling Stars." He said with a grin dusting himself off.
Khunbish Avagnar: At the top of the steps was a small caldera, cherry trees, small islands, ponds and a small house, upon the porch of the house was a bald man appearing to be meditating.
Artoria Aldsan narrows her eyes at S'imba's boast, though, she continues following the guide without comment.
Anstarra Silverain beams at S'imba, slapping his ass as she passes by, heading up the stairs. "Umbral Warlord, hmm? Like the Warlord after a Calamity? I can see that happening..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "This is pretty..."
●S'imba Tia: "Well since I'm not really a sun cat I figured making a reference of my moonyness would be awesome." He said with a wiggle of his ears as he surveyed the area.
S'imba Tia motions joyfully to Anstarra Silverain.
Anstarra Silverain pads up alongside Akio, leaning in with a stage whisper. "Is that the Sage?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Akio nods his head, "Yes that is Sage Raijin." he picks up his pace and then stops in a bow before him, "Great Sage, I have come to ask a boon of a question."
Anstarra Silverain perks up her tail, letting Akio do his thing. Partly daydreaming about more action on the way down, though she does study the Sage with detached curiosity..
●S'imba Tia: "Fifty gil he makes us preform some great trial...and that we just killed his pet tiger..." He whispered under his breath.
Anstarra Silverain covers her mouth to stifle a laugh.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Noooo that'd be awful! Shoosh you!"
Artoria Aldsan: "Don't worry, Anstarra. We can lay the blame entirely on the 'Warlord' here."
Khunbish Avagnar: The sage chuckles a little bit, "No, we do not keep pet tigers here. We do have finches and hawks that visit frequently, often the second for the first." the man then nods his head towards Akio, "You come about Isari." The Sage reaches into his sleeve and pulls out three scrolls, "There are three groups I have already heard, give this scroll to each and they will know how to proceed."
●S'imba Tia: "Don't worry...I'm usually who gets blamed." He shrugged before turning to the man and giving a huge sigh of relief. It would have been awful to have killed a lonely old man's kitty.
Anstarra Silverain feels relief, then raises her brows, impressed. "Oh wow, maybe he really is a Sage. We didn't even have to ask, he already had the answer... and was smart enough to just sit and relax while we went through the trouble of marauding through the tiger-littered landscape.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Maybe I should ask a question, too.. like what to get Nihka for Starlight.."
Anstarra Silverain gazes upon you in deep reflection.
●S'imba Tia: "Do you read minds?"
Khunbish Avagnar: There was a slight smile, "Mayhaps, flowers and a meal. Word tells me Miqo'te like freshly dressed and killed meat." he laughs a bit, "In the case of Isari, it was only a matter of time, rumors and word travels faster than one expects." the man then tilts his head towards S'imba, "Do you want me to?"
Anstarra Silverain motions joyfully to you.
●S'imba Tia: "NO!"
S'imba Tia disagrees vehemently with you.
Anstarra Silverain laughs at S'imba Tia.
Anstarra Silverain points at you.
★Anstarra Silverain: "I like this guy. Can we keep him?" She grins.
●S'imba Tia: "Stay out of my head...read An's it's full of smut and naked ladies."
Khunbish Avagnar: The man motions to Akio, "One of the groundskeepers will meet you at the stairs and ensure your safe arrival back home in Isari. I am certain these three have questions for me."
★Anstarra Silverain: "And men, too~"
Khunbish Avagnar: Akio blinks and nods his head before retreating as instructed, leaving the three, and the sage.
★Anstarra Silverain: "Wait, what? We really get questions?" She suddenly looks nervous. "Dang, if I'd known I woulda prepared something smart, rather than getting all drugged out on wildflowers.."
●S'imba Tia: "Lavender..."
●S'imba Tia: "I knew it."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Some other things, too.. aster and some dark root and.. look, it's -medicinal-."
Artoria Aldsan tilts her head slightly, glancing at the other two in her party before looking back at the old man. "He named you Raijin. That would be something like, 'God of Lightning,' would it not?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "I had to lick all over Artoria and I didn't know how much I'd need, and turns out you're not supposed to swallow.."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Lightning?"
Anstarra Silverain discreetly takes a step back.
Khunbish Avagnar: The sage nods his head, "Yes, indeed, or to be more precise, I am the Sage Raijin in training. The Sage himself said someone who had been near one or more of his siblings was arriving."
Artoria Aldsan 's lips thin for a moment. "The forty second.... but the same person each time? Or does your possession differ from your siblings?"
Anstarra Silverain points.
★Anstarra Silverain: "That!"
●S'imba Tia: "NO READING MY MIND!" He said covering his head, clearly paranoid.
★Anstarra Silverain: "WOW."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Lightning! Guy, like, um, ice guy!"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Azeyma's tits! I didn't see this coming.. are we gonna have to fight you too?"
Khunbish Avagnar: Raijin shakes his head, "Oh no, our possessions are all the same." he motions towards the bald man, "He is my apprentice, and will be Sage Raijin the fourty third."
●S'imba Tia: "I'm confused."
★Anstarra Silverain: "And.. he knows what's gonna happen?" She pauses. "Okay I have a question. What happens? Is he still gonna be alive in there?"
Khunbish Avagnar: The bald sage nods his head as he scoots off to the side a bit, "When the fourty second sage passes, I will accept his crown, his knowledge, wisdom, and personality will all be conferred onto me, I will exist as witness, but be unable to act or control."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Damn, he answered my question just as I asked it. Freaking Sages."
Anstarra Silverain claps for you.
●S'imba Tia: "Doman's are weird...that just sounds like a miserable existence."
★Anstarra Silverain: "I think it's a religious thing."
●S'imba Tia: "Like Ishgard...my point still stands."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Being a part of a greater whole, being in touch with deep wisdom and understanding... a lifetime of study finally rewarded with a sort of immortality. Living on, part of something greater."
★Anstarra Silverain: "I mean, think of the relief.. not having to be responsible for anything anymore.. and finally understanding.. a lot."
Khunbish Avagnar: "It is little different than I am now" the man speaks." he presses his hands down on the ground and pushes up, from the knees down missing. Also of note, he has yet to open his eyes once.
Anstarra Silverain looks stumped.
★Anstarra Silverain: "I can think of worse fates."
Artoria Aldsan closes her eyes for a moment. "It is a more acceptable arrangement than Jotun's and something they choose willingly. I will not speak against it."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Oh.."
Anstarra Silverain winces as she sees his crippled state.
Khunbish Avagnar: Raijin nods his head slightly, "I only take the lame, the crippled as my apprentices, those who would still benefit from my presence, it is Marid who taught me this way at first. I used to once be like Shaitan." he smiles, "Now questions."
★Anstarra Silverain: "W-well, um." She frowns, fiddling with her tail. "Have.. um, Raijin. Have you been.. active.. a while? I understand your siblings, uh, Marid? And maybe Jotun.. were sleeping a lot..."
Khunbish Avagnar: "I have been awake since before Allag fell to a ruin it created upon itself." he says, ancient face wrinkling in a smile, "Jotun yes, and Marid... Efreeti, Marid, Djinn, my other siblings. Is there much you wish to know?"
●S'imba Tia: "Wait...you're like that water girl...."
Artoria Aldsan: "Shaitan has taken it upon himself to 'cleanse' the world. How do we stop him? Jotun implied that even if we defeat the body he currently inhabits, he could simply move to another."
Khunbish Avagnar: There was a silence from Raijin before he motions the sage away. The bald man lifts himself and bows before departing into the house. Raijin then turns his attention back to the group, "Shaitan harbors great hatred, as to how to destroy these vessels... I have tried, many many times to do so... If there is any way to destroy them they lay within the ruins of Allag. Which has not been wisdom I have thought to seek out."
●S'imba Tia: "Guess this is another thing we'll need to go to assland for..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Allag.. um, that covered the whole world. Do you have suggestions on where to start digging?"
Artoria Aldsan: ".... If the vessel is destroyed, will you be freed? No longer having to take the bodies of others for yourself?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "We were originally in a place in the continent of Eorzea." there was silence, "We will either be freed, or destroyed. Our aether unless eliminated may move on to rejoin the elements...or to the world itself."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Hang on, I want to make sure I'm getting the terminology right.. when you say 'vessels' what do you mean?"
S'imba Tia nods to An, he was just about to ask the same thing.
Khunbish Avagnar: Raijin taps the crown on his head, "It is this that I actually exist within, this is my body, some could call it... parasitic... Some, yes, others like Marid and I have chosen to let people take us only willingly."
Artoria Aldsan: "Have you ever attempted to take control of something... inhuman? An animal or a machine?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Ooh, good question.. we could stick them in mammets.. if that works."
★Anstarra Silverain: "I mean. You know. To keep from having to devour people.. those who don't want to.."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Animal minds are to simplistic that we cannot do more than... suggest... much like one who owns a cat. Beast tribes, I do not understand, it is like things do not settle right and thus we cannot connect."
●S'imba Tia: "Right let the bad one take possession of some massive Garlean mech to rain destruction down on all mortals."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Machines have no natural mind."
Artoria Aldsan: "I had hoped that mammet cores were sufficiently advanced to allow such, but... It is rather troublesome."
●S'imba Tia: "Just going to havve to visit some Allagan ruins I guess."
★Anstarra Silverain: "For one, yeah..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Could Shaitan not be convinced to.. not be an asshole?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Or find someone knowledgeable in them." Raijin smiles warmly, "I remember little but the pain, and the endless line of people they would attach me too."
★Anstarra Silverain: "So.. the Allagans attached you to people.."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Yes, we were attached, to be weapons, initially everyone died until at least I learned to not overwhelm their minds."
S'imba Tia just stares, most of this was over his head. "Well...know any good places to look in Allagan ruins?"
Khunbish Avagnar: There was a shake of his head, "I do not, but the world provides often enough, I must rest so if there is any other questions, let me know now."
Anstarra Silverain tilts her head curiously. "You have to rest? Why? Is your body tiring out? We need to know these sorts of things if we're gonna face Shaitan.."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Or.. are the other ones jerks? Djinn and Efreeti? I don't know them."
Khunbish Avagnar: "This body, Yakito is nearing his ninetieth year."
Artoria Aldsan: I do not know Efreeti, but Djinn seemed agreeable. At least, that was before a certain pair of Ishgardian dragoons attacked him. I can't say that it still holds true."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Hmmm..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Do you know WHERE they are? Your siblings?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "All are over in Eorzea for now, but I cannot tell you where specifically."
●S'imba Tia: "Hmm..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Very well.. oh! Um. Can we come back later maybe? If we think of other questions.."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Ah, and one more thing.. is there any way to protect ourselves? From possession? If we have to kick Shaitan's butt? Or anyone else's..?"
●S'imba Tia: "I dare them to try." He grumbles discontently.
Khunbish Avagnar: "Of course, you are welcome to return to ask questions." there was a moment of pause, "If we possess someone, and are removed, we cannot repossess them."
Anstarra Silverain blinks. "You can be removed without killing them?"
Artoria Aldsan: "....If someone is possessed by one of you and then removed, can the others not possess them again either? Or is it unique to each of you?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Unique to each of us, it is possible for all of us to possess one body as well."
Artoria Aldsan: "What happens then? Do you vie for control of the body?"
Anstarra Silverain raises her brows. "Could you ALL be in a SINGLE body? At the same time?"
●S'imba Tia: "That seems complicated..."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Not entirely, one controls, the rest are left as witness."
Artoria Aldsan: "How is it determined which is left in control?"
Khunbish Avagnar: "Which mind is stronger."
★Anstarra Silverain: "And who has the strongest mind?"
★Anstarra Silverain: "Alright.. we'll return sometime. Hopefully.."
Khunbish Avagnar: "We don't know who among us does, it has only happened once and Shaitan has never been the same."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Oh..."
★Anstarra Silverain: "That sounds like a story.. but, ah, we can let you rest now. We can come back.."
Khunbish Avagnar: "Appreciated, and Jotun would know the story better."
★Anstarra Silverain: "Oh? Hmm.. maybe will pay him a visit. He seemed to like us, after we sparred with him..."

Spoiler
Jana Ridah "Quit playing around." Jana half-spits at An. "We're here to do your job."

Adeya Evenar Adeya glances around the gathering briefly, shooting Anstarra a small, brief smile as she does so, before looking over to Jainelette. "Something to do with the Darkhold?" she adds.

Anstarra Silverain "Now that's just rude. She's clearly doing her job already. Yes! As the cute one says."

Reis Okeya Reis recognizes an's voice "miss anis that you!?"

Jainelette glowers at the group and pounds on the door twice, "We have stray cats and a not dragon here for the leve!" she settles back into her post and glares at the group.

Anstarra Silverain An winks at Reis, the visor still tilted up. "Hey Reis~" She giggles then at the door guard's announcement. "Hear that? You're not a dragon. That's good to have cleared up."

Adeya Evenar Adeya bristles at that. "It's nice to know that Ishgard is as charming as ever," she remarks dryly.

Anstarra Silverain "Now now, Ishgard is a bastion of civilization surrounded by annoying, fuzzy woodland creatures. We need to show respect, and try not to get fur or scales on the furniture."

Reis Okeya looks back to jainelette "well it's true i cant breath fire....i tried with mr.simba it didn't work out."

Khunbish Avagnar Jainelette looks less than pleased with Reis but before she can say a thing a bedraggled looking butler opens the door, "Excellent, you're the adventurers? Come in."

An looks at Reis, tail perking up. "You've been hanging out with S'imba? Oh boy.. he hasn't tried to be your Nunh or anything yet, has he?" She cuts off as the new figure arrives, and smiles warmly at him. "Thanks, it's chilly out here~"

Adeya Evenar Adeya rolls her eyes. "Considering who their closest neighbor is, that isn't really saying much," she grumbles, though a touch more softly. She seems to be on the verge of adding more, when the door opens. "Yes. So nice to run into someone with manners," she remarks pointedly.

Jana Ridah Jana mutters, mostly to herself. "Finally, someone who can apparently recognize value."

Reis Okeya: Reis nods to an "We rescued some prisoners form the giant lizard men Amalj'aa i think they are called? it was really fun and he showed me what a -kiss- was! i'm learning so many things these days!" she brightly smiles

Anstarra Silverain An leads the way in, smiling in her warm, easy going manner. "If we weren't valued we wouldn't be here-" She winces a bit at Reis' recounting, then laughs. "Well.. I'm glad you're learning a bit more of the world, Reis. Really, not knowing what a kiss is..."

Jana Ridah "That's, ah...." Jana seems like she wants to say more, but second-guesses herself and walks on in silence.

The butler stumbles at the kiss comment before his ears wiggle and he smooths his suit out, leading them into a parlour before turning and waiting for the rest to catch up.

Reis Okeya "well i read about them in the romance books mr vael lent me but to experience one was a whole different matter!"

Adeya Evenar Adeya has started to eye Reis hard now, but like Jana seems to have decided it's best to hold her tongue on the matter for now.

Anstarra Silverain "Mmm, maybe I'll have to see what S'imba showed you, later.. there are many kinds of kisses, and qualities of them too~ Ah, but let's not talk of such things, it's not proper in polite company~" She thinks. "Do tell Orrin though. That'll be fun."

Reis Okeya nods to Anstarra Silverain.

Jana Ridah "Um- Ser Orrin probably shouldn't know."

Jana Ridah "You know how he is- Wait, maybe you don't?"

Anstarra Silverain "Mmm.. Orrin would never take advantage of his retainer~ The simple fact that she's remained innocent after this much time in his employ is a sign of that.."

Anstarra Silverain "I'd say he shelters her like his own daughter~ Well, if he had one. That he knew of."

The man adjusts and nods his head, "I am currently standing in for our normal Majordomo, so apologies if I am not the one any of you have dealt with in the past. I am Geoshax, and I appreciate you all coming to assist with this matter."

Anstarra Silverain bows courteously to you.

Reis Okeya reis then turns to the other members of the party "Oh sorry how rude of me my name is reis and you are miss?" she waves to adeya then looks to jana "oh miss jana how are you!? its been awhile!

Jana Ridah "I think I'm inclined to agree... But if you show a man that something -might- happen, they get all giddy and hopeful..."

Anstarra Silverain "A pleasure, Geoshax~ The same Geoshax who issued the leveplate I assume?"

Adeya Evenar Adeya's eyes widen ever so slightly at Anstarra's words, then narrow as she looks back to Reis once more. Her tail swishes slowly behind her as she considers, before shaking her head ever so slightly. "Adeya," she says a bit curtly to Reis. Then she looks to Geoshax. "So... what exactly /is/ the matter, then?" she asks.

Jana quickly gives Reis a curt nod, though it feels like she's just doing it as a formality than to actually greet her. "So, how can we fill in for the Ishgardian armed forces today?"

Geoshax steps over and shuts the door, "Before I say anything, can I be assured of your utmost discretion?"

Anstarra Silverain "Absolutely~ Only fools would alienate one of the Great Houses by blabbing their secrets, ESPECIALLY when we're being paid~"

Jana Ridah "I can only speak for myself, but I am a professional. So long as nothing that endangers the alliances between nations happens."

Reis Okeya " i am a personally retainer of sir orrins house so....i guess that means im under oath to protect secrets and other thing?"

Adeya Evenar nods. "I have no interest in the affairs of Ishgard... nor a desire to risk becoming entangled in them. As long as I'm paid for this, I'll be silent."

Geoshax nods his head a bit, "We need your group to delve into the Darkhold, we had sent some house guards and they never returned. The issue is, in there, we found some Allagan ruins, and a device that was used to help the youngest. We were sending a group down to see if there was anything else to find that might help the house's fortunes."

Jana Ridah "Allagan ruins, you're in luck. That's my specialty."

Adeya Evenar Adeya draws in a sharp breath. "Allagan?" she repeats, equal parts excitement and wariness on her face. "I see. So... do you want us to retrieve the guards--or what's left of them, I imagine--or finish what they started?"

Anstarra Silverain An's ears perk up in surprise and interest at mention of the Allagans. "Really... huh." She crosses her arms, tail swishing a bit. "Anything to do with Allag makes this a fair bit more dangerous.. and interesting."

Reis Okeya "hmm the others might be injured and unable to return we can help them if they are alright...though i do have a question if you don't mind?"

"We were hoping you'd finish the job, we suspect already that they fell afoul of the void monsters that reside there." he sighs and shakes his head a bit, "If you find survivors bring them back please."

Adeya wrinkles her nose. "Void creatures /and/ Allag. Wonderful," she murmurs. Then she nods. "Well, if that's all then it /sounds/ simple enough." From her skeptical tone, it seemed clear she didn't expect it to actually /be/ so. She then glances over to eye Reis once more, wondering what she was thinking.

Reis Okeya "hmmm are these void things like the being that are dead but not? i've seen quite a few of those creatures.....aside from rescuing your soldiers why would your house need to change its fortunes? have you run across some bad luck?"

Jana Ridah "We just kill everything and clear it out. It actually is simple."

"Geoshax looks over to Reis, "Oh no... um... that is a tale for another time but... mistakes were made by Dzemael and the darkhold ended up having Void monsters in it... like Ahriman."

Anstarra Silverain "Haha~ I'm more worried about doomsday traps.. but I'm sure there's none of those. Hopefully the voidsent would have tripped them. So!" She looks back to Geoshax. "Anything else we need to know before going? Such as the location of the Darkhold."

Geoshax nods his head and pulls out a piece of parchment, holding it out to them, "Here's the map to get you there. As well as the map to where the allagan room was found by the tunnel diggers of old."

Anstarra Silverain An moves up and takes the map, tail swishing as she peers at it.

Anstarra Silverain "Very well! Thank you for your trust.. we won't let you down~"

Jana Ridah "Right, soft ones in the rear."

Adeya Evenar Adeya just rolls her eyes.

Anstarra Silverain "Mmmm, well, at least until we get to places where we might be ambushed; I would say at least one less soft and push rear needs to be in the rear." She winks playfully at Adeya before lowering her visor.

Reis Okeya "...well it's how i first meet orrin and the others i kinda fell down a hole during some kind of gang battle and ended up is a lewd ladies basement...hideout..."

The Guards take one glance at the parchment in hand and unlock the door to the darkhold, motioning for them to pass through, one goes, "Good luck." || Inside the faint echoes of things could be heard coming from below, clearly the path is tread often enough that there's dirt but no dust.

Adeya snorts softly, but she gives her tail a small flick in amusement. "Perhaps," she says vaguely, before looking over to Reis and arching a brow. "..Suddenly I have even more questions for you," she remarks. Then, finally, her eyes flick over towards the darkhold entrance. "Well, that certainly doesn't seem ominous," she says slowly.

An's playful and easy going demeanor doesn't quite vanish, but she does become more alert. Drawing her spear, ears cocking this way and that. "Jana, you probably have the best eyes. Go first, if that's alright with you. I'll take up the rear."

Jana gives a small grunt. "Got it." She shifts from her usual position in the back to the front and begins leading the group.

Adeya eye's Reis for a moment, then silently moves to follow right after Jana, her grimoire in hand. "Yes, do let us know if we're going to trip over a voidsent. Or something that could kill all of us," she adds.

Reis quickly follows "....i don't think i ever seen a void before...let's be careful!"

Anstarra Silverain "Mmm, Adeya, how about if you toss up a Protect spell, like the other time in the mountains?"

Anstarra Silverain "Maybe you can assist her, Reis?"

Reis Okeya sure!

Adeya blinks, then grins faintly. "I can certainly try," she says as she starts to flip through her grimoire pages. "And I certainly wouldn't mind the help," she adds.

Adeya Evenar lets out a long breath and closes her eyes. Drawing on her magic, with the assistance of Reis the spell would surround all of them in a faint blue light before vanishing. "There we go," she announces as she closes her book once more.

Anstarra Silverain grins. "Excellent. It's a strong one, too.. good job, both of you."

Adeya Evenar smiles, but there's a touch of grimness to it. "Hopefully we won't need it though."

Reis Okeya "Miss adeya did most of the work!" reis chips in lowering her eyepiece lets see what the aether levels are like?

Anstarra Silverain doesn't do anything ostentatious, it's more a matter of confidence and ease, a smile here, an approving nod there, an assured remark.. soon they look less like a carriage full of half-drunk college girls and more like actual professional adventurers.

Jana would notice as they follow the path that it definitely leads off the beaten path that the typical adventurers take to try and clean out and stem the void tide and monsters that have overrun the Darkhold, there's now less footprints, and they look newer.


Jana Ridah lets out a small 'hmph' as she walks. "Nothing yet."

Reis Okeya Looks about with her scope "...oh wow there's a constant spike in aether levels there must be various crystals in here...."

Some distance down, there is some dripping moisture alongside the tracks and the signs of someone being dragged.

Adeya Evenar hums thoughtfully, once of her hands trailing against a cave wall. "We didn't ask how long it was that they sent those guards down, did we?" she wonders out loud. She then looks over to Reis and grimaces. "Which would explain the voidsent."

Anstarra Silverain 's ears perk forward and she frowns, at the tracks. "I wonder if anyone's still alive... probably not. Let's be wary.."

Jana Ridah holds up a hand. "We've got a dragged body here. It's probably not anywhere close by yet, but keep your guard up."

Reis Okeya "don't say that miss an we must not give up on them yet.."

Anstarra Silverain: "Mmm.. of course. If they're alive we'll save them..."

Adeya Evenar nods grimly. "But best not to get your hopes up too high from the look of things," she adds bluntly as she studies the tracks herself for a moment, before sighing softly and shaking her head.

Reis huffs a little at adeya for saying that. "There's always a silver lining in every situation one just need to find it thats all."

Adeya Evenar shakes her head. "Perhaps, but I struggle to think of one when I consider the idea of being lost in a cave with voidsent /and/ Allagan magitek in it."

Anstarra Silverain: "The company is good?" Anstarra beams, even as her ears twitch toward hidden sounds.

Reis Okeya "Thank you for the support miss an see miss adeya you have good company and hopefully after this friends!" she smiles

Adeya Evenar tilts her head slightly to one side. "Okay... you mayhaps have a point. I can certainly think of worse," she says, trying and failing to sound cheerful.

ana Ridah: "...No comment."

Everyone can hear it before they even get to the turn, the sound of bones crunching, and a low growling.

Jana Ridah turns her voice lower. "Looks like we've interrupted suppertime."

Adeya Evenar falls quiet, her ears tilted slightly back. "I don't know what kind of voidsent eats bones..." she murmurs softly.

Anstarra Silverain narrows her eyes. "The ones with pointy teeth."

Reis Okeya reis gulps "......maybe it wont notice us.."

Jana Ridah: "We are here to kill it, as you may recall."

Anstarra Silverain: "Right up until we kill it, optimally.."

Adeya Evenar grimaces, conceding the point. "Well, killing it before it does certainly sounds like a good plan."

Reis didn't manage to send some pebbles skittering, but the idea of being stealthy was pretty well ruined. As the group turns the corner, there is a lava drake standing over a mostly eaten Elezen corpse.

Jana Ridah: "Oh, how disappointing. Now we kill it, yes?"

Reis Okeya "....is...that...a person..its eating!?"

Adeya Evenar blinks in surprise. "Well... it's not a voidsent..." she says slowly. "And I think we might've found one of the guards as a bonus," she adds grimly. "And yes, I think it's time to end dinner."

Anstarra Silverain smirks, giving her spear a little one-handed whirl. "Or start it~ I bet we won't even have to pepper THAT steak."

Reis Okeya "....is...that...a person..its eating!?""

Reis Okeya ries stares at an "But it ate a someone if you eat it wouldn't that make you a cannibal!?"
Adeya Evenar tilts her head slightly to one side. "I don't think it counts, no. You wouldn't say you're eating grass when you eat lamb, would you?"

Anstarra Silverain: "Only if you eat the tummy!"

Jana Ridah "I was just testing its hide."

Jana Ridah whips her tome off her hip, flipping it open in one motion. Aether seems to burn in the air around the tome itself as Jana swings her free hand forward, sending a burst of corrosive energy at the drake.

The Lavadrake doesn't even seem to attempt to move, but lets out a healthy howl as the corrosive energies causes some of the scales to just outright melt

Jana Ridah: "Hmm... Getting there...."

Anstarra Silverain darts forward, moving in a shockingly swift blur right on the tail of Jana's vicious opening strike.. her spear tears into the exposed, corroded flesh, seeking to shred muscle and bone!

The Lava Drake collapses with a groan as he is speared through the open scales.

Reis Okeya "....it kinda looks like mr.dragon from the lewd lady's home."

Anstarra Silverain flourishes her spear as she feels the beastie shudder and breathe its last, smirking in satisfaction before glancing around quickly in case anything else was lurking nearby…

Adeya Evenar lets out a long breath as the drake dies. Keeping her grimoire in hand, she cautiously moves up towards Anstarra in the hopes of finding out who the drake was munching on.

Reis moves closer to an and adeya slowly she then draws a card its the balance card! "Here miss jana!" she throws the card at jana which then turns into energy and covers her with a feeling of power!

From the ceiling drops a few skeletons that shuffle to their feet, grasping rusted old blades before shuffling towards Reis from the sides.

Reis yelps "....oh not again why is always the dead ones that are not dead!?"

Anstarra Silverain hisses between her teeth as the skeletons come out of nowhere.. sparing a glance up at the ceiling where they dropped from, but already moving to attack.
Jana Ridah was luckily in the right place and time to reach, flinging a solid mass of aether with an advanced Ruin spell to her right.

The Skeleton wobbles at the force of the magic, the damage was significantly less than it should have been for the intensity of the impact.

Anstarra Silverain follows Jana's blast.. whipping her lance back before driving it right through the undead's ribcage. Tearing out bones and such, lethal damage for a living opponent.. which alas this was not. "Tsk.."

The Skeleton wobbles as Anstarra's lance tears out through its chest and goes skittering.

Adeya Evenar grimaces as she stares at one of the skeletons, her grimoire glowing. "Watch it!" she calls out to Anstarra, then she sends a blast of pure force towards the skeleton.

Anstarra Silverain twists out of the way of the blast, barely needing the warning..

Reis Okeya gulps "I'm starting to believe eorzea is cursed....with the walking dead and everything else i've seen so far.!"

The Skeleton takes the hidden blast square on, there's a cracking as the bones which looked as if they were cast in the glow of the torchlight, were coated by something that has been blasted away, leaving bleached white bones behind.

Adeya Evenar laughs hollowly, her eyes lingering on the skeleton. "Oh come now, don't go throwing around cursed just yet. We have far worse things." Her eyes narrow slightly as she looked at the skeleton, noting the change that had taken place.

Reis Okeya reis not wanting to be left out withdrew her globe and with a bluish hue surrounding her she unleashes a healing spell on the skeleton seeing if it damages the creature like others of its ilk she has tried on in the past. She then draws another card smiling in joy as its another balance card. "Here miss an! a pick me up!! she throws the card as it's magical abilities gives an a surge in strength.

The blast of magic from Reis caused the skeleton to stumble a moment. It finally swings, crudely as it turns towards Anstarra and the blade just chops towards her by the momentum of the turn more than anything it would seem.

Anstarra Silverain blinks, perking up as she feels.. lucky? Focused? Like the stars have aligned, as if she didn't have enough star-related puns in her life? "Well.. this was gonna happen sooner or later. Like, destiny.. dammi- woah!" Suddenly attacked!

The Second skeleton shuffles from 2 to B and takes a similarly sloppy swing at Reis.

Reis Okeya reis gives up a victory sign towards an just s the skeleton behind her makes contact the sound of glass shattering and a blueish wall breaking apart like a mirror showing the protect spell saving her. "aaahhhh!!!" she jumps forward and turns around to see the second one.

Anstarra Silverain winces, but thankfully the spell wards much of the blow. Yup, she was totally taking credit for that, with Orrin. Assuming Reis makes it out in one piece. "Be careful!"

Jana Ridah flings off a quick Ruin spell, followed by a fast corrosive Bio at each of her targets. Neither seems phasd by the fast spells, and Jana mutters under her breath in frustration as the skeletons move among the party's ranks.

Skeleton A takes another strike and stumbles a bit, Skeleton B doesn't even seem to notice as the spell glances off the bones for a minimal amount of damage.

Reis Okeya "these things..are a lot stronger than the others i've seen...."

Anstarra Silverain growls. "Just.. go.. down!" She back-hands with her spear, using it almost more like a club, or a quarterstaff at least, bracing the shaft along her arm.. and finally, the blow cracks something in the relentless undead, and it falls. "Yes!"

Adeya Evenar lets out a breath as the one skeleton dies, but there's no time to relax; instead she turns towards the other one. Taking careful aim, she sends a bolt of corrosive aether towards the pile of bones.

Khunbish Avagnar: The Skeleton shatters into pieces that scatter along the ground worthlessly. The Second one is hit solidly by Adeya's spell but it is absorbed by his hardened bones.

Reis Okeya as an make her way to reis position she takes this time and heal her injuries focusing her magic on her back area "....hope this works i cant see where i got hit exactly!" afterwards she draws again showing the bole card "Here miss adeya! lets this card symbolize the foundation of our newly found friendship!" she throws the card as its magics cover adeya in what looks like protective barrier.

The skeleton single mindedly hacks at Reis with a downward chop even after it has been battered like it has so far.

Reis Okeya reis sees the attack coming this time and with a dancers grace which is very unlike her in normal situations she dodges it " your not gonna get me this time ..you...you...bag of ...uhhh bones! that was a decent comeback right!?"

Anstarra Silverain laughs "Good job, Reis!"

Jana Ridah stays back where she is, but with one fewer enemy running amok in the middle of the party, her job becomes easier. The next spell she casts is a full-strength corrosive blast, aiming to shred the skeleton's extra defenses or melt it outright.

The skeleton's defenses are ripped apart by Jana's spell, leaving bleached white bones left.

Anstarra Silverain 's eyes glint as the protective layer is stripped from her target by Jana's spell.. "Been wanting to try this..." she breathes, inhaling sharply.. and blue-white aether surges around her, coruscating through her veins and flashing out of her eyes. Then she lunges.. and all the aether flares up along her arm, through her weapon, flashing into the point of impact. There's a second of silence, then. *BAM!!!* as a high-impact burst of aether explodes from the point, blowing the skeleton to hell!

Reis Okeya looks at Anstarra Silverain in shock!

Anstarra Silverain flinches back from the spray, blinks... and then pumps her fist. "Woo! It worked!"

Anstarra Silverain lets out a cheer.

Adeya Evenar blinks at that, then slowly puts away her grimoire. "Not bad," she admits with a small grin.

The echoes of the detonation fade away, leaving nothing but the sound of their breathing and voices, and a faint groaning come from further in.

Jana Ridah: More up ahead, sounds like undead!

Adeya Evenar grimaces. "Well, I'm not going first," she announces, eyeing Anstarra.

Reis Okeya groans "please no more....i cant believe this land gives rise to this dead but not dead things!"

Jana Ridah: "Fine, fine, I'm coming..."

Anstarra Silverain: "Let's get ready then..." An flexes her fingers, and rubs Reis on the shoulder. "It's alright, you're doing fine..."

Reis Okeya places her hand over ans and nods "are any of you injured if you are i should try and heal you before we move on.."

Reis Okeya places her hand over ans and nods "are any of you injured if you are i should try and heal you before we move on.."

Anstarra Silverain shakes her head. "Didn't even scratch me~" she smirks, looking to the others. "Nice work guys. Those ones were a pain.. but not too threatening."

Jana Ridah: "They got the drop on us and were able to attack our healer. We need to be more vigilant..."

Adeya Evenar shakes her head. "They seemed far more interested in you all than me."

Reis Okeya "....well we better complete this leve and see if there are any survivors before more of this fiends get the drop on us..."

Reis Okeya "i really don't want to be here after dark...it's all ready creepy as it is."

Anstarra Silverain: "Indeed.. let's hurry." she laughs at Reis Okeya, “"It's already pitch-dark down here.. I don't know if the sunset would make a difference~"

The groaning gets louder as the group moves along the path which suddenly stops at a small antechamber of metal and the remnants of a door that looks to have had some very precise explosives used on it, magical or mundane is hard to tell.

Adeya Evenar arches an eyebrow as they find what was left of the door. "Well, someone was very determined," she remarks.

Anstarra Silverain eyes the door as well. "And they got at least this far... maybe someone DID manage to survive..?"

>Reis - An Investigation of the door shows that it was blown open a long, long time ago, possibly when the darkhold was being built

Reis walks over to a large chunk of debris and with her eye peice she starts to examine it. ".......this wasn't..recent judging by the looks of things this explosion happened ages ago most likely when this door way was being built...."

Anstarra Silverain blinks. "Oh. Well. Alright then." She frowns. "Some ancient seal on voidsent gone wrong?"

"im not sure but given how its scattered everywhere id say the explosion came from behind the door someone or something wanted out....badly."

Adeya Evenar frowns as well. "Maybe," she says slowly. "I'm not sure the Allagans dealt with voidsent." She eyes Jana for a moment before shrugging.

Jana Ridah: They did, actually. Though not to the extent that Mhach is known for it.

Reis Okeya gazes upon Anstarra Silverain in deep reflection.

The Groaning can be heard now by everyone, coming from inside.

Adeya Evenar lets out a long sigh. "Why am I not surprised by this?" she asks out loud, though doesn't seem to be expecting an answer. "So... " she eyes the remnants of the door for a moment. "Shall we... see what's in there?"

Anstarra Silverain: "Hrm.. alright, let's go. Form up, stay tight."

Just through the door is a room of machinery and an open pod that would look familiar at least to those that were in the party beneath the Crystal Tower. There's a blood streak going around behind a console where you can hear ragged breathing, from the direction where part of the wall appears to be a bit ajar.

Jana Ridah: "Oh, it really might be an actual survivor"

Reis Okeya "...!!! hello can anyone hear me!" reis runs off to the sound of the breathing.

Anstarra Silverain stares at the room. "Well... here's the Allagan stuff..." Her ears fold back, and she twitches a little, eyeing all obvious sources of energy.. before cursing as Reis runs ahead, hurrying to follow her.

Adeya Evenar 's face pales slightly as she looks into the room. "Oh, seven hells," she breathes. "Well, it's /not/ voidsent." Her eyes widen as Reis takes off. "Reis! Be careful! It might not be... what you think..." Her voice trails off as she scowls in frustration.

Around the corner and behind the control console is a Dzemael guard, he tries to raise a crossbow at Reis but he clearly doesn't have the strength left to do it from his various wounds.

Reis Okeya rushes to the knights side "hold on sir....ill heal you just stay with me!!"

Jana Ridah: "Right, I'm sure at least one of can play chirugeon. Let's have a look at these things here..."

Adeya Evenar: "Be careful with that! We're going to want it to stuff whatever got out back in!" she yells to Jana as she rushes past, after Reis. "And yes, we /want/ to do that!" She sounds alarmed, to put it mildly. As she skids to a halt by Reis, her hand lingers on her grimoire. "What's your name?" she demands of the guard, not bothering to check if Reis' healing had worked.

Anstarra Silverain studies the bleeded guard.. finally deciding he's probably not a threat. She stays near Reis though, crouching down. "Ser? How are you? Can you tell us what happened?"

Reis Okeya places her hands on his chest using her aether to check his vital organs a bluish hue can be seen slowly covering the night reis closes her eyes focusing all her attention on the man "...."

Khunbish Avagnar: The man relaxes back with Reis' healing, he's still in bad shape but he's no longer at risk for dying. He glances towards Anstarra, "Hng...must be half dead...miqo'te?... ugh... skeletons landed on us."

Anstarra Silverain grins at the fellow, and takes off her mask, nodding. "Yeah, miqo'te... we're adventurers, sent by House Dzemael. You're safe now."

Adeya Evenar 's eyes narrow. "And where was whatever was in /that/?" she demands, pointing to the pod.

Khunbish Avagnar: "House Dzemael recovered that long time ago. Don't know what's in it... don't care..."

Reis Okeya "....do you know if there are other survivors?"

Adeya Evenar glares. "Well, you /should/," she snaps. "If it's anything like the last one."

"Probably in some Dzemael vault from before I was born... so no, still not my problem..." he coughs again as Reis heals him more.

Reis Okeya reis pours more of her healing aether in him soothing his pain if one would look closely they could see his more minor injuries practically close themselves as reis finishes she hit with a sudden dizzy spell and sinks back leaning on a wall catching her breath. "phew he...should be out of danger now."

Adeya Evenar lets out a frustrated breath and steps away. "I'd say that's very unlikely," she remarks. Then she turns to the others. "The last one of these I saw had some... creature contained within it. It seemed rather genocidal--and wasn't a pushover in a fight either. I don't believe that Dzemael could lock something like that one up."

Anstarra Silverain looks to Adeya, frowning a bit... then suddenly perks up. "OH!"

The guard just clams up and glowers at Adeya. He might really not know anything.

Anstarra Silverain: "Like.. Jotun! And uh..Marid. And… Um… The lightning one. Shaitan’s the one you mean right? Earth? He sounds like an asshoule, but the others aren’t all.”

Reis Okeya reis looks at the man with a tired look "...can you tell us anything more even the smallest detail could help ...please?"

Adeya Evenar nods. "That's the one," she agrees. Her lips twitch in a faint smirk. "And yeah, that sums him up pretty well. And that may be so," she continues. "But if I had been stuck in here, I would be resentful too."

Anstarra Silverain: "I think they were all stuck in containers since the.. hells, what was it, third Astral? I can never remember which era the Allagans were from..."

The man grunts, shifting a bit to get more comfortable, "We came for that." he motions towards the slightly ajar wall next to him.

Anstarra Silverain: "But ostensibly they were nice and asleep... I think."

Reis Okeya reis looks over to the wall "?"

Adeya Evenar shrugs. "With the Allagans, who knows. And while Jotun seemed content enough, Shaitan wasn't. I'd at least like to know who was shut up in here." Her eyes then flick back to the guard. "And why the interest in that?" she asks.

"Orders, good soldiers don't ask questions if they want to remain good soldiers and not begging in the brume." the guard says with a wince.

Adeya Evenar just sighs. "No curiosity, I can't stand it," she grumbles under her breath.

Jana Ridah: "Well, whatever 'that' is, we should be able to safely transport it. One more question, how large was the group you came with originally?"

(Reis Okeya) "well why don't you guys go on ahead and take a look past the wall ill stay here with the knight and catch my breath.." she tilts her head back resting for the moment

Anstarra Silverain looks sympathetically at Adeya. "It's easier, for soldiers.. I understand, I used to be one. Anyroad..I don't know how I feel about leaving you alone... but if you're attacked, make a barrier and scream really loud."

The man glances over at Adeya first, "Curiosity is something the rich can afford, and the poor give up for having food on the table for their family." he glances to Jana, "Eh? Ten of us, skeletons dragged the corpses off, stayed away from the entrance here though." he nods to Anstarra.

Reis Okeya reis giggles "no problem i shouldn't be to long just used alot of aether in a short amount of time."

Jana Ridah: Ten... We only ran into the remains of one. Eight remain unaccounted for. “he'll need to report that when we return to Ishgard, more skeletons and drakes may have their remains.”

Adeya Evenar looks between Anstarra and the man and shakes her head slightly. "Yes, well. Had I listened to that I would still have been hungry, I suspect. And that may be so, but I doubt it's a good thing," she adds to Anstarra. "But.... yes, anyroad." Her eyes follow Jana's. "If we want to try that ourselves, we should do it soon. Before the rest of them show up," she says darkly.

Anstarra Silverain smiles at Adeya, agreeing.. but being too polite to condemn the life choices of the wounded soldier right here at this juncture. After all, it's when she stopped obeying orders that life got more... interesting.

As the wall is pushed open and becomes more ajar, the light from the first room is cast out upon similar machinery and a pod with what looks like some sort of machine person.

Adeya Evenar tilts her head slightly to one side, taking all of this in. "Well that's... new," she says slowly, eyeing the machine person warily.

Jana Ridah: "Huh, I wonder if it's like the kinds I've seen before."

Anstarra Silverain slowly sways her tail in curiosity, studying the figure as they get closer.

Adeya Evenar shakes her head slowly. "Mayhaps..." she says slowly, her ears tilting back. "I suppose the only way to find out would be to... power it on somehow. And I'm not sure that's the best idea..." she adds, eyeing it warily.

After passing through the 'doorway' the room lights up, "Power Auto initiation." a mechanical voice declares. The machines get louder and suddenly the chamber with the machine body fills with goop that obscures it.

Anstarra Silverain: "Oh goo-whuahh?" Goop!

Adeya Evenar makes a face. "Well... I guess that solves that problem..." she says slowly, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair.

Anstarra Silverain moves closer to the goop-filled machine, tail twitching with hazardous levels of curiosity.

Anstarra Silverain moves closer to the goop-filled machine, tail twitching with hazardous levels of curiosity.

Anstarra Silverain goes riiiight up close to the.. glass?

Jana Ridah: "I assume the Ishgardians are gonna want this thing intact, if we can manage that..."

Anstarra Silverain taps on the glass.

"Skinning process complete" the pod drains leaving what looks like a very naked and anatomically correct looking midlander behind, censored barely by a support across the middle of the pod. The thing's eyes snap open at the tap. "Power cycling has been completed, verifying tomestone integrity."

Anstarra Silverain blinks in astonishment. "Skinning... WOW the meaning for that has changed. They put skin ON it... er.. him?"

Anstarra Silverain: "Yup... deeefinitely 'him'."

Adeya Evenar just stares for a few moments. "It /looks/ like a him," she corrects. "But it can't actually be. It's a machine," she says bluntly. "The real question, I'd say, is why go through all... this?" she wonders out loud.

Jana Ridah: "Ach- Ew!"

Anstarra Silverain 's tail swishes as she finger-waves at the figure in the machine. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

Jana Ridah whips around and covers her eyes, her ears flattening against her head and tail curling up against a leg.

Anstarra Silverain: "Our bodies are machines, when you strip away flesh and leave just bone and muscle... so this guy's bone and muscle is a bit higher-grade than most. Well, I assume. He's still a 'him'."

(Reis Okeya) "....Even the ancients of this land are lewd!?...is there no end to this madness?" she turns beat red and covers her eyes....but after a few moments curiosity gets the better of her and she peeks through her fingers.

Jana Ridah: "He, it, whatever! Put some clothes on him!"


Anstarra Silverain: "He's IN the machine, geez. There's even a convenient metal band, you can't see his crotch unless you get to where I'm standing, chill out."

Anstarra Silverain does start looking for ways to OPEN this thing though.

Jana Ridah spits on the ground and grumbles.

Adeya Evenar rolls her eyes. "It's just a body... and not even a real one," she comments as she takes a few steps forward to study the machine, fascinated despite her disagreement about it's personhood. "We don't even know if the thing can think," she points out. "It might just be a pretty-looking toy."

The man doesn't respond but his red eyes clearly are focused on Anstarra. "Integrity check completed. Pod opening." once open he steps out, "You are not Allagan."

Reis just keeps staring beat red.

Anstarra Silverain steps back as well, eyeing the fellow. She pulls off her jacket, and offers it to him. "Here, put this on. No, we're not Allagan. It's been a long time since then."

He accepts the jacket and puts it on, "Then I am to assume since you are not Allagan, the project has been cancelled."

Adeya Evenar stops and folds her arms, trying to keep /some/ distance between herself and the thing. "What are you?" she asks bluntly. "And what project?" she asks, more sharply.

Anstarra Silverain: "Well... it's possible that it's getting back up again. There's some leftovers.. my name's Anstarra, who are you? And what project, yeah."

Reis Okeya reis slowly rises to her feet she places a hand on the soldier's arm "ill be right back just rest okay?" she then enters the room. Reis Okeya looks shocked.

Jana Ridah seems satisfied to hear the command to “put this on” and finally turns around.

Reis Okeya turns even a brighter shade of red she unclips her cape/duster and hands it to the machine "Here use this to cover....your lower half " she dose her best to not look.

Anstarra Silverain 's jacket was comfortably longish on her.. but she was smaller than a midlander. She only partially manages to suppress a smile as Reis contributes to the fellow's.. decency.

The man wraps the duster around him, almost looking like he's got some odd subjugator top on from some floating dragon islands, "The project to control the elements."

Anstarra Silverain: "Ah! Well." She frowns a bit. "That's.. yeah, that would be one of those leftovers."

Adeya Evenar hisses softly. "Yes, it's done," she says in agreement. "As Anstarra says, there are just a few... remnants running around."

Reis Okeya: " does he mean the beings called primals?"

Jana Ridah: "Containment makes me think of the three at Azys Lla, but those have already been... Dealt with."

Adeya Evenar shakes her head slowly. "I don't think that the beings the Allagans were trying to trap qualify," she says slowly. "But they do seem to be powerful enough to pose a similar threat."

Khunbish Avagnar: The man nods his head a bit, "Done? So there is another universal host to control all six devices." he states, "Then the tower wouldn't need to be completed."

Anstarra Silverain shakes her head. "No Reis.. several of us have run into some interesting entities. Elementally-attuned.. and needing to possess living people."

Anstarra Silverain narrows her eyes a bit. "So. You would be a host?"

(Reis Okeya) "..is such a thing possible?"

Khunbish Avagnar: The man looks back to Anstarra, "Yes, I was to be host to all six elements."

Adeya Evenar shrugs. "With the Allagans? Who knows," she remarks before turning back to the machine. "So... something went wrong then."

Anstarra Silverain takes a deep breath and lets it out. "I see..."

Anstarra Silverain looks back at the male, and smiles. "I'm sorry.. I didn't get your name?"

Khunbish Avagnar: "I am the project designer Asier."

Anstarra Silverain raises her brows. "Ah, so you.. created the elemental beings?"

Adeya Evenar blinks at that. "A... machine, came up with all of this?"

The man glances about, "It has been an untold amount of time, and I would like better clothing." he points towards the guard, "And looks like you've got a corpse or near to."


Reis frowns at the man "you will not harm him! i healed him he just needs time to recover!"

Anstarra Silverain gives him a wry look. "Alright, I don't know how it was back then, but these days valuing life is seen as a good thing. We'll get you some clothes, don't worry."

Jana Ridah: "I don't think that's what he meant. Come, let's leave this place before we're attacked again."

Adeya Evenar glances back towards the guard for a moment, then lowers her voice slightly as she looks at the others. "What are we going to do? We just can't give him to Dzemael."

Khunbish Avagnar: Asier raises an eyebrow, "Eh? You misunderstand, I don't imagine one of my research bases is the place to leave him lying there." he furrows his brow, "His attire is... was he some sort of historical re-enacter?"

Jana Ridah: "Sure we can, that was the job."

Anstarra Silverain: "Give him? He's a free man."

Jana Ridah turns back to the man. "I think you're going to find the level of technology never quite recovered when the Allagan Empire quite literally fell."

Anstarra Silverain: "You'll find that the world is not the same, Asier." She smiles apologetically. "There've been a few Calamities."

Reis Okeya: "we can't leave him here either....he may stumble out and who knows what will happen.....if the empire knew of his existence who knows what they do to get him..."

Anstarra Silverain moves up and takes him by the arm. "C'mon, let's get on out of here. I'm sure there's people who'll want to meet you, and who you'll want to meet.."

Adeya Evenar reaches up to run her fingers through her hair once more. "Right, and one who doesn't know what the world is like now. And there is also that," she points out in agreement with Reis.

Khunbish Avagnar: Asier reaches up to rub at his eyes, "I am assuming then that the tower was completed and the energies used from it brought a calamity as was predicted by my colleagues?"

Anstarra Silverain: "If you're referring to the Crystal Tower, then lots of awful things happened. The GOOD news is it didn't kill everyone in the world like it was supposed to, according to the Sons of St Coinach."

Reis Okeya: "miss an how about he take him to either orrins or mr vael's home for the time being?"

Khunbish Avagnar: He nods his head a bit, "That is good, alright. Lead me to the Dzemael you mentioned."

Anstarra Silverain: "They're just one House in Ishgard.. a nation nearby. It's only a thousand years old, so kinda a baby compared to Allag."

Anstarra Silverain: "Alright, let's go.. be warned, it's chilly outside."

Anstarra Silverain: "Maybe we should bring him to the Ironworks..."

Jana Ridah: "Ground opened up and swallowed up the entire tower. That was some... Five thousand years ago."

Adeya Evenar twitches slightly, one of her hands going to rub at her arm. "On second thought, perhaps the Dzemael /are/ better than some other options," she mutters under her breath. Then she perks up slightly. "The Ironworks seems like it would be the best option. They're neutral enough, and I'm sure they're...." She hesitates. "More used to this sort of thing."

Anstarra Silverain: "Then it went and popped on up like a bad penny, after the most recent Calamity..."

Khunbish Avagnar: "Interesting... it was just being built when I submitted myself to be put into this body...barely ten stories tall..."

Reis Okeya: "....at least for the time being. And dont worry about the guard ill put him to sleep and we can make it look like there was nothing here to recover."

Anstarra Silverain: "Incidentally, Dalamud kinda backfired ALSO."

Adeya Evenar: "Very. Badly," she adds.

Khunbish Avagnar: "Dalamud?" he ponders their words, "I don't know about Dalamud."

Adeya Evenar purses her lips slightly. "It /could/ have been after you were stuck in there though. I don't know the timeframe," she admits.

Khunbish Avagnar: "Bahamut is one of the dragons worshipped by the Meracydians if I recall."

Adeya Evenar nods. "Sounds like the same one."
Anstarra Silverain: "Ah.. right, Allag was around quite some time, huh.. we only learn scraps, high points. Like sticking the God of the Meracydians into a moon-sized prison to suck power out of him..."

Jana Ridah: "Seems we have a bit of catching up to you. If you predate Bahamut, it's probably closer to six thousand years orso for you."

Anstarra Silverain: "It blew up, recently. The God was pissed..."

Khunbish Avagnar: "That sounds as stupid and dangerous as pulling energies from another plane."

Jana Ridah: "It's a little more complex, but that is basically what Allag tried to do."

Anstarra Silverain: "Doesn't it? Well, those responsible have been sacked."

Adeya Evenar: "On that, I believe we can agree."

Khunbish Avagnar: "Alright, we should get out of the warmth and me into some dignity."

Anstarra Silverain: "Alright, let's get out.. I need a bath, a drink, and probably a good fuck..."

Reis Okeya: "ill go and take care of the guard then"

Adeya Evenar: "Good idea."

Reis Okeya: "ill need some help carrying him though ill need to sedate him so he wont see what we are doing."

Adeya Evenar nods. "I can try to help, at least," she says as she goes over to join her.

Jana Ridah: "Good luck with that. I only know to sedate someone through a headlock."

Khunbish Avagnar: "Aether engineering and robotics here, the living body is a mystery to me."

Anstarra Silverain shrugs. "I can put him in a sleeper hold, then carry him..."

Reis Okeya reis kneels down to the guard " here let me finish up with your healing she places her hands on his chest and forehead and slowly pours her aether into him "...sleep now!" she places her hands over his forehead and uses her aether to knock out the man gently.

The group returns safely to Dzemael in Foundation easily enough. The end result, Dzemael wasn’t expecting them to find a person, let alone an Allagan. They offer to provide wardship and housing for the Allagan man Asier, who agrees to this. Likely house Dzemael wants to try and glean whatever they can from him.

Spoiler
Artoria Aldsan gives Anstarra a small smile.  "So you were taking this job as well?  I suppose you couldn't resist the lure of the party mentioned?"

Anstarra Silverain beams when she hears Artoria's voice, turning to face her. "Artoria~" She pads over and embraces the other woman. "You know me~"

Anstarra Silverain: "Let's see who else shows up...~

Orrin Halgren pops into the aetheryte plaza, he reaches a hand out to steady himself against the base of the spinning spire, the other on his forehead "Blasted...." he shakes it off and looks about for a moment, some of the U tribe look his way, a bit in recognition.

Chachanji Gegenji just waits quietly at the aetheryte, sitting on the lip of the little pool it was set in. His booted feet scuffing against the plaza stone.

Anstarra Silverain: "Ah, I think I see a familiar face~" An grins, and raises her voice. "Orrin!"

Anstarra Silverain has in fact noticed the out-of-place lalafell but let's face it, he's probably a merchant.

Anstarra Silverain waves to Orrin Halgren.

Nearby are four adamantoise that have been tethered together and a large platform built across them that contains Aqo Garoqo and his cadre of equally rich and privileged Ul'dahn rich kids that have hired this safe escort. They have come well stocked with shade, drinks, and a couple miqo'te dancers.

Anstarra Silverain: "This looks like our escort.. er, the ones we're escorting~"

Chachanji Gegenji looks at the... pallanquin... and scratches his cheek. "W-well... at least it looks like they're ready ta have some fun..."

Orrin Halgren finally catches his bearings, turning towards the voice, he sees Anstarra and
Artoria in an instant "I should have expected you, Anstarra..." he puts his hands on his hips and looks at Artoria "No, guess Artoria in tow would also make sense" He shakes his head with a smirk and approaches, eyeying the turles behind them.

Anstarra Silverain: "Mmm, I smell 'too much money'~" She grins, then looks at Orrin. "Hah~ She's not in tow, she showed up on her own, conveniently~"

Anstarra Silverain gazes upon Chachanji Gegenji in deep reflection.

Chachanji Gegenji gazes upon Anstarra Silverain in deep reflection.

Anstarra Silverain: "Hi there! Are you with the caravan? You should probably get up... oh, or do they not let you ride the palanquin?"

There is some shouting from one side of town and a lalafell quickly flees a rather upset looking U' tribeswoman that's shouting obscenities at him. He quickly scrambles up the ladder to the platform, "Oi! We should probably go! She didn't like me saying I was better hung than her nuhn!" Aqo Garoqo laughs and throws some ice at the lalafell and motions for him to flop down on the pillow piles, "That's why we're going to this party! At least the miqo'te there will be more interested in our charms!

Artoria Aldsan tilts her head.  "Why would that be the case, Orrin?"  She turns at the yelling.  "Well, I suppose that's our cue."

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah... I-I ain't part'a... tha' group..." he explains, motioning to those antics with a bit of an embarassed blush. "'m jus' 'sposta help keep 'em safe 'til they get ta whatev'r party they're goin' ta."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Not sure what party's all th' way out 'ere, though."
Anstarra Silverain: "Oh!"

Anstarra Silverain: "My mistake! You're with us then~" She pads over and extends her hand, smiling. "Anstarra Silverain~"

Chachanji Gegenji takes it in his own rough smithin' hand and shakes it. "Chachanji Gegenji. Nice ta meetcha."

Orrin Halgren looks to Artoria "You two are oft together," he smiles a bit and looks over to his right, he gives a bow "Orrin" he says,  when their eyes meet.

Chachanji Gegenji nods to Orrin Halgren.

Anstarra Silverain 's grin brightens and her tail curls a bit at the strong grip. "Lovely~ And this is Artoria~" She gestures to her silent companion.

Artoria Aldsan: "Artoria. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Gegenji."

Anstarra Silverain beams with delight at Artoria Aldsan.

Anstarra Silverain beams with delight at Artoria Aldsan.

Chachanji Gegenji flusters a bit at the title. "A-ah, Jus' Chachanji 'r Chachan's fine."

Anstarra Silverain: "Chachanji.. is that familiar somehow..."

Anstarra Silverain seems lost in thought.

Chachanji Gegenji fails to understand Anstarra Silverain.
Anstarra Silverain: "I'm sure it'll come to me~"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Um... mebbe? I have a smithy over in th' Goblet."

Orrin Halgren looks over at the caravan to see if they are keeping them waiting

Anstarra Silverain: "Hmm, could be, I do live there.. oh, lets get moving!"

Khunbish Avagnar: Aqo Garoqo shouts from the Palanquin, "We're ready to get this party going!" he then looks to his friends, "TO THE DRINK!" and they all cheer and down whatever shots they had in hand.

Anstarra Silverain is positively beaming.

Anstarra Silverain: "I do love parties~ Oh, I wonder if we'll have to kill anything en route?"

Chachanji Gegenji seems happy enough, at least until An's comment. "A-ah, I hope not! Thi' 's fer goin' ta a party, right? Which means nice, fun times!"

Orrin Halgren: "Oh goody, drunk turtle drivers, at least they can't go too fast.." He smirks and looks to Anstarra "Frankly, if it is boring and I can just forget things for an evening, it would be all too good."

Anstarra Silverain: "Well yes! But we're hired to escort them there, not to look pretty~" She winks. "We're the ones getting paid to make sure these kids don't get sodomized by an amalj'aa or a dune worm... or an amalj'aa's dune worm."

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, I 'spose tha's fair..."
Orrin Halgren: "You certain? I thought these sort of things is where they indulge in such things

-----

Even with it being winter, the Sagolii was horrifyingly hot still, and with no heatwave happening. The group up on the palanquin seems adequately handled for this trip at least with their own shade, ice and water, and refreshments. How are the guards faring though?

Chachanji Gegenji smiths for a living. And is a Dunesfolk! He's used to heat, trudging along at a steady pace along the sands.

Orrin Halgren kept up at a decent enough pace with the slow swaying tortoises, he purposefully hung by the shadows casted by the beasts, remembering his times alone in the desert some 2 years ago, he seemed to be rememebring more than forgetting.

Artoria Aldsan glances over at Anstarra.  "You're handling the desert better than I expected you to."

Anstarra Silverain grins at Artoria's comment. "I tripled the shards in my bracelets.. and I don't know! Today Azeyma's caress feels sweet!" She adjusts her shirt, letting the windows of flesh exposed to the sun, evening out her tan in a manner which will make the lines all the more suggestive.

Anstarra Silverain actually takes off her hat for a bit, smiling under the warmth of the sun.

Orrin Halgren stays in the shade, he even strikes up a conversation with the miqo'te dancer.

The Miqo'te Dancer is distracted from time to time by Orrin's chatter, responding back to him.

Chacha and Anstarra were the only ones aware of the oncoming Dune Worm tunneling this way, infact it seems to have made a line straight for Anstarra and surfaces in an attempt to swallow her up.

Anstarra Silverain is humming, preening a bit, fanning herself with her hat.. she just put it back on her head when she frowns, leaning forward and peering. "What's th- OH FUCK!"

Orrin Halgren at this moment was actually talking to the dancer about the time he was in the desert, hunting sandworms when the attack began.

Anstarra Silverain dives and rolls with the snap reflexes and lightning alacrity of a woman desperately trying to pretect her nice shirt. She skids to her feet. "Asshole!"

Chachanji Gegenji hears the worm coming, and was moving to try to keep it away from An only to see her dive out of the way. Still, the worm was still there! Unhooking his arm-sized hammer from its sheath, he tries to chase it off with a couple hammer smacks?

Well being blind, and such, the Dune Worm fails to defend adequately and may have taken a few hammer smacks to the teeth instead of deflecting them

Anstarra Silverain: "Woo!"

Anstarra Silverain cheers Chachanji Gegenji on!

Anstarra Silverain: "Smash its face!"

Orrin Halgren looks over at the commotion, "Perhaps a demonstration is better than a story." he smiles at the dancer and goes rushing off towards the front of the caravan, along the way he beats the back end of his halberd into the sand at irregular, quick rhythms, trying to simulate a creature in distress "OVER HERE!"

Apparently Over Here is the magic word that summons all deaf Dune worms, because this one certainly has lost interest in Anstarra as it starts moving for Orrin now that it is /focused on a hyur snack/

Anstarra Silverain narrows her eyes, winding back and preparing to strike it with her bare fist. But, even as she lunges, a moment of indecision seems to strike her. What if she kills it? Blood and goop all over her clothes! She hesitates, and then squeaks in astonishment as her half-hearted blow only seems to entice it into a wiggling frenzy!

Artoria Aldsan takes a step back as she notices the worm heading in Orrin's-- and her direction.  She draws her sword, letting golden aether coalesce around it.

Chachanji Gegenji doesn't want the worm to be going after ANYONE, so as it turns its attentions to Orrin, he again tries to convince it to leave with a good hammering! But it's all wiggly and his swings hit sand instead of sand WORM.

The worm is certainly going crazy or something as two attempts to strike it fall short as it wiggles and writhes quickly across the sand in an almost thrashing manner. It doesn't take long to traverse the short distance to Orrin and attempt to take a bite from the ishgardian knight.

Orrin Halgren lets out a sly grin as the worm started to undulate on its many disturbing spindly legs, almost half submerging to pick up speed and rush towards him. He stops the tapping and stays perfectly still, lowering his halberd at the beast when it then bursts out of the sand to lunge. In just that moment he leaps up in an inverted backflip as the worm strikes at thin air, then in a flash of aether he rockets down drives the tip of the halberd through the gooey flesh near the front, skewering the primitive brain inside its body, driving it down into the sand in a small poof of dust. He stands atop of it, on foot on the back of the halberd propped up, arm resting on his foot.

Artoria Aldsan lets out a small sigh as the worm dies.  "Well, that was over rather quickly.  Showing off for our company, Orrin?"

Anstarra Silverain laughs and cheers, clapping as the Ishgardian summarily executes the worm, with style. "Haha! Nice job, Orrin~"

Anstarra Silverain claps for Orrin Halgren.

Anstarra Silverain congratulates Orrin Halgren.

Chachanji Gegenji actually winces at the flourished kill. "D-did ya HAFTA kill it? W-we coulda jus' chased it off..."

Orrin Halgren smiles back at Artoria "I heard bodyguarding make their bank on tips more so than the actual pay" he looks back and winks at the dancer behind him.

Anstarra Silverain: "Poor stupid worm~ You're someone's supper now!"

Anstarra Silverain: "Oh, don't feel bad, Chachan.. it's dog eat worm out here! If we didn't murder it today, it'd murder some poor Amajina & Sons prospector tomorrow."
There was clapping and cheering, one of the Lalafell wobbles towards the edge of the palanquin and tries to spit at the dune worm, it doesn't clear the adamantoise before he falls over onto his back.

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, sure... b-but it jus' a likely tha' it wouldn'ta."

Anstarra Silverain: "It would have to someday! It's gotta eat!"

Chachanji Gegenji: "There's other thin's fer a worm ta eat out 'ere other'n people!"

Chachanji Gegenji: "... I thin'..."

Anstarra Silverain: "Anyroad, now some starving pack of jackals can feast on it~"

Anstarra Silverain: "Or something."

Chachanji Gegenji sighs, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I 'spose..."

Anstarra Silverain beams with delight at Chachanji Gegenji.
Anstarra Silverain: "Our employers enjoyed the show~ That's good! Might as well have fun where you can."

Orrin Halgren takes his foot off the halberd and then with two hands he manages to remove the pike end with a rather disgusting shlorp noise before hopping off "The struggle tends to attract more worms, this was the quicker method." he says, that ishgardian accent would of course make that sound a hint more sinister. "My apologies, we could always carve it up if you feel it is wasteful.."

Anstarra Silverain beams at Orrin Halgren.

Anstarra Silverain: "Unless the bosses want the meat, I doubt they'll let us sit around for the time it takes to dice and cure this thing. Besides, we've got a party to get to!"

One of the other Lalafells manages to make it to the edge of the palanquin, "Hey! We at the party yet!?" he looks like he might have partied too hard already.

Anstarra Silverain jerks her thumb at the guy conveniently emphasizing her point. "Shall we?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "I-I dun really find fightin' 'fun,'" he admits sheepishly. "I-I'd rather jus' get 'em all ta th' party fer some normal fun, yeah..."

Anstarra Silverain: "You chose a funny profession if you don't like fighting~ Unless you just wanted an excuse to visit the party?"
Chachanji Gegenji: "I like protectin' people. Not hurtin' thin's."

Artoria Aldsan: "The two often go hand-in-hand unfortunately."
Anstarra Silverain: "I like both those things~" She winks and turns, letting her tail flick out and lightly caress his cheek. "Off we go~"

Orrin Halgren nods "We shall." he runs the pike into the sand to wick off some of the ichor, it seems to just stick sand to the blade, but a few more scrapes would do it. He returns to the shade of the tortoise and to a hopefully wowed dancer, but not before eyeing An's sauntering.

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, sure... but it dun mean I hafta like it."

----

As the day grows long, the camp finally comes into view, several large pavillion tents set up near an oasis, with the rest of the camp spread out around them. It's moved since Chacha was last here, and grown in size as well.

Orrin Halgren balks a bit at the sight of the settlement, it seems like the flyer was no lie, who was in charge again, was there even a name on the flyer? Orrin stretches out though with a wide smile, job complete, time to collect on the gil that would cover all expenditures he was sure to make.

Chachanji Gegenji was getting a weird feeling as he saw the tents. Like they were familiar somehow. It doesn't really strike him until they're already deep into the camp. "O-oh jeez. 's these guys..."

Anstarra Silverain 's eyes widen a bit as she first takes in the sight of the camp. "Oh wow.. this is a lot bigger than I expected! MULTIPLE pavillions.. there must be a hundred people here..."

Orrin Halgren looks back at Chachanji "These guys?" He asks

Khunbish Avagnar: The camp looks to be mostly one miqo'te tribe, although there's plenty of non-miqo'te, and keepers that are there, in various states of revelry, some having already reveled out and are sleeping it off wherever or with whoever.

Chachanji Gegenji: "A-ah, yeah... i-if'n these'r who I think they is..." He rubs at the back of his neck. "Th-they were stealin' stuff from th' Springs 'n me 'n a couple others came out 'ere ta get 'em ta give it back."

Artoria Aldsan hums softly and strides behind Anstarra to give a small tug to the miqo'te's tail.  "Well, we've done our job.  Let's see about getting our pay before joining in, yes?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "They seemed friendly 'nuff, though... so if'n they ain't stealin' stuff 'gain, it should be fine."

Anstarra Silverain 's tail swishes and dances this way and that as she walks along, eyes bright and ears twitching under her hat as she looks from one cluster of debauched partygoers to another, and another..

Orrin Halgren really cannot seem to be able to escape from thieving miqo'te tribes , at least they weren't cannibals. He nods hesitatantly to Chachan before going to join Artoria for payment.

Chachanji Gegenji flusters quietly. "A bit TOO friendly at times, though..." Innocent little guy in a camp of sin.
Anstarra Silverain starts as her tail is tugged. "Huh? Oh! Sure, whatever~"

Chachanji Gegenji pads along behind them, trying to keep his eyes averted from the more... depraved things, if visible.

Aqo Garoqo descends from his palanquin, his foot catching on the bottom rung and he face plants.  His friends are no help as they just taunt him, "Quitting early! Here have another!" a glass of wine is poured on the lalafell who stands up, dusts himself off and just opens his mouth to catch the dregs as they fall, "Alright! Party time! Oh right" he tosses a bag of gil towards Orrin, "Thanks for the escort! Don't need to be Worm shite!"

Anstarra Silverain looks briefly toward the sack of gil, then claps her hands together. "Lovely.. then..." She takes her hat off and tosses it like a gentle frisbee.. it lands on someone in a cluster of entwined folks, but An's not even paying attention.

Chachanji Gegenji takes his gil and then... proceeds to look really awkward amongst all this carnal revelry.

Anstarra Silverain: "Mrr.. shoulda gone with the red hair..." She runs her fingers through her hair, then shrugs with a smile. "Ah well~" She sets her shoulders back and adjusts her scarf.. then, as an afterthought, unclips the clasp between her breasts, hooking the metal edge in the cloth so it sorta dangles half-open. Then she saunters over toward some wine.

As Aqo and the lalafell frat boys depart with their dancers and aides to join the revelry, there's a disturbance from one of the pavilion entrances as people quickly part ways. A large highlander leaving melting frost in his way storms out. He has archaic paintings upon his chest and face, and a strange girdle that glows with an icy blue. From behind him comes a fiery haired hyur with a left arm covered in smooth almost molten looking metals that exude a glow like a blazing fire from the joint.

Anstarra Silverain doesn't even notice Jotun (?) at first…

Chachanji Gegenji may or may not recognize one of those as Efreeti.

Artoria Aldsan hums softly as she follows An through the party, glancing over at the disrobing Miqo'te.  "I rather think the white looks good on you, Anstarra."  She glances up at the sudden entrance of the two elementals, her face going still.  "Ah... of course they would be here."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ah, yup... I-I recognize th' red one. Blue one's new, though..."

Anstarra Silverain: "Hmm?" She looks up, glancing around at Artoria's words.. and stills. "Jotun.. then that one..." She looks to the red one in question. "Must be Efreeti."

Orrin Halgren had already gotten a redheaded seeker giving him eyes as he drank with her, she sidled up close and seemed intent on moving closer still when the commotion draws his attention, when he sees the two strange figures, he is reminded of the windy figure lost to the sea of clouds, this made his wine go sour...

"Oh come on Jotun, you're telling me the idea of all of this paradise, this unrivaled jewel of mirth and joy and passion and emotion is pointless." Efreeti even goes so far as to grab a random highlander woman to thrust at Jotun who just shoves her away, nicely enough, "It is worthless, this does not breed strength just weakness." Jotun retorts and sours more at the other elemental.

Chachanji Gegenji: "Y-yeah, I thin' tha' was 'is name."

Anstarra Silverain looks partially frustrated at this distraction from the imminent revels... though... "Hrm." She eyes Jotun, remembering the excitement of the battle... and the fiery male who seems intent on having fun. Then, she steps up, to both of them.

Anstarra Silverain: "Oh, I don't know... unrivaled passion sounds like just my thing. Hello, Jotun~ You're far from your mountain..."

Chachanji Gegenji scratches at his cheek as An engages the two of them.

Orrin Halgren watches quietly, were they like the lordling? Now vessels for these spirits? The woman by his side wanting his attention back, talking about how not to worry, those his focus only gets more sharp as he sees Anstarra just /walk/ up to them.

Jotun crosses his arms and looks down at Anstarra, "You braved my ice and battled well. I remember you." he snorts as he glances at Efreeti who suddenly drapes himself upon Jotun's shoulder to leer and grin at Anstarra, "Oh hello there, you look purrrfect a drop of ice amidst this wave of red and brown!"

Anstarra Silverain grins brightly at the fiery male, tail curling around and up in a seductive little dance. "Well hello to you, too... you say nice things. I think we're going to be... friends." Her eyes gleam.

Artoria Aldsan followed in Anstarra's wake, but stays quiet for the moment, her arms crossed as she watches the two elementals.

Efreeti slides forward to Anstarra and takes her hands in his, "Oh... I've been looking forward to a /'friendship' with a white haired miqo'te/ such as yourself." Jotun just pahs and continues stomping off towards the oasis shore.

Orrin Halgren turns his gaze to Jotun as he passes, as his field of view changes, it falls back on the reveler by his side who still seemed keen on his attention, He gives it, part way, trying so badly to just relax, but the very concept of /more/ of these figures put him at unease, maybe there was a disk on them as well?

Anstarra Silverain laughs, a pleased sound. "Pleasure doesn't mean weakness, Jotun!" she calls out.. which is pretty much the extent of the effort she's going to make here. Her tail curls as she looks up at Efreeti. "Then... perhaps we ought to adjourn to 'purrsue' this newfound friendship..." She leans up, grinning as she brushes her body against his. "Or right here, is good too..."

Chachanji Gegenji feels embarassed FOR An. Even though she likely doesn't feel embarassed at all. Little Chachan instead looks to see where Jotun's going.

Jotun arrives at the edge of the Oasis and pulls out some small wooden poles and begins to carve into them, small for Jotun who was on the massive end for a highlander.

Chachanji Gegenji meanders his way over to Jotun, canting his head as he watches. He doesn't try to disturb the man, just observe quietly as he works.

Efreeti hooks an arm around Anstarra and grins to her as he leads her towards the pavilion, Jotun forgotten for now, "Oh? Well let's retire to my pavilion where I have plenty of drink and music and food and we can see where our friendship goes. Did you know, I'm probably the first Hyur to be a nuhn? I guess they are the tribal leaders or something."

Anstarra Silverain chuckles, though a little shiver runs through her as her new friend speaks of being the Nunh... even she, however, would find it hard to define the emotions tied to it. She definitely wasn't turned off though.. which in and of itself was a little disturbing to her. Oh well. "The Nunh is the breeding male... not always the leader, though often enough.. and the only male in the tribes allowed to father kittens..." She walks close to him, trailing fingers along his chest. A quick glance back as she grins at Artoria, her tail flicking in a little question mark, then between Efreeti and Jotun.

Artoria Aldsan lets out a small sigh and glances at Orrin and Chachanji.  "I suppose I'll go with Anstarra to make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble.  Try to not rile them up, Sir Halgren?"

Orrin Halgren nods to Artoria, he takes a pull from the wine "I'll be on my best behavior." he says to her. As Artoria departs the Miqo'te asks him if Artoria was a friend, and commented on how cute she was, before then noticing he was referred to as "Ser" Orrin promptly denies holding any such title.

Inside Efreeti's tent are a bevy of dancers from various races, not just Miqo'te, although by the looks of it, some of them are dancing with the miqo'te, aside from a couple servers and musicians it's mostly women in here.

Anstarra Silverain looks around at all the lovely sights, breathing deep the scents.. sweat, wine.. and sex. Be it past or present, or about to happen. She makes a growling, pleased sound and leans over.. before, on an impulse, giving Efreeti's (presumably) bare chest a little lick. "I like it here.."
Efreeti is full on bare chested, with just loose fitted pants, "Good, you're welcome to stay and enjoy my endless celebration as long as you like!" he flops down on a pile of pillows and pulls a decanter of wine out from within them.

Outside Jotun's carvings almost seem like they are telling some story in sequence as he quietly works, not saying anything to Chacha.

Chachanji Gegenji finally pipes up. "Yer really good at carvin'."

Anstarra Silverain grins, and moves, turning to face away from Efreeti.. before straddling him, sitting smoothly right down in his lap. Making herself comfortable. "I'm a busy woman... but I might be tempted to stay a while..." she purrs, wriggling a bit.

Artoria Aldsan sits nearby the pair, watching, but not particularly joining in with their revelry.

Efreeti grins at Anstarra, "Oh that pleases me." he motions for two cups, a lone male Miqo'te that jingles from the clasps about his wrists and ankles, bound together in a gilded chain approaches. He holds out the platter as far as he can before the cups are taken and he retreats. One of the large scantily clad Roe women suddenly leans over Artoria, grinning to her, "Come dance with us! Haven't seen one of your kind dance here yet!"

Artoria Aldsan shakes her head slightly.  "No, that's fine.  I'm not much of a dancer."

A second Miqo'te joins the first to try and coax Orrin into stories of his heroics, after all he looks like some great and mighty hero, or at least like he might have some tall tales.

Anstarra Silverain arches an eyebrow at the other male.. but she herself isn't easy to distract. Though she does grin as the large, busty (because roe) woman tries to drag Artoria into the fun.. "Artoria dancing.. that would be fun~"

Anstarra Silverain sits with her hands between her legs, slightly leaned forward in her 'seat'.

Anstarra Silverain: "How long have you been.. having this party.. Efreeti, was it..?"

Jotun looks up at Chacha, "You are someone who can appreciate worksmanship then? Good. Too few in the world, take for granted the work that goes into making the sword they swing."

Chachanji Gegenji nods. "'m a smith by trade, act'lly. I work wit armor, mostly." He'd strike up some talking shop with Jotun if the large man was willing!

Orrin Halgren seems to be holding his attention with the woman well enough, he gets a name from her, he flirts back, they share a drink, she's surprisingly lucid despite being here before him. Though he occasionally glances to the icy stranger, only drawn out of it by another who seems drawn to him, eyeing the weapon he still had strapped to its back, how it dripped a sticky ichor. Orrin admits to his earlier deed he had accomplished on his way over. Though he does mention how the teeth were knocked out by some a lalafell who happened to be right there! which he points at. Though they seem glued to him instead, wanting to hear more. He takes a swig and recalls the time in La Noscea where he found and fought a dragon alone in a swamp

Anstarra Silverain giggles, tail brushing over the belly of the man she's sitting on.

Artoria Aldsan shrugs slightly and reaches out to snag a drink for herself.  "I was an escort for the trip here.  I didn't particularly plan to engage in festivities."

Anstarra Silverain hums a pleased little sound as she reaches out to take a drink, herself... sipping, and grooving to the sound of ambient music, hips wriggling as she teases the male she's sitting on. "Mmm~"

Jotun nods slightly, "Armor is important for most. Fine crafted armor can be the difference between life and death, poorly crafted could be death itself." he examines the whittle, blowing the dust out before continuing, "What caused you to decide to take up hammer instead of blade."

The Roe eyes the drink and sighs, "Yer worse than th' Ishgardians, lot of them came down, stood around awkwardly... one even jumped an' shouted heresy when I slapped him on the ass."

Chachanji Gegenji scratches at his cheek at the question. "Well... I want ta protect people. I tried doin' tha' at first by goin' out there 'n swingin' a sword around 'n tryin' ta be a hero." He unsheaths his hammer and turns it about in his hand. "'n I still will fight if'n I needta ta do tha'... but I figgered tha' 'm better at smithin' than fightin'. 'n I can protect more folks wit a hammer than a sword."

Artoria Aldsan snorts softly, the hint of a smile on her lips.  "I'm surprised they didn't simply melt under the desert sun.  What brought a group of Ishgardians down this far?"

Anstarra Silverain giggles at the mental image.. imagining Orrin, then quickly shaking her head.. then V'al, and she shivers, dispelling that even quicker. A host of more normal Ishgardians take their place, fitting the image better. She grins, looking back to Efreeti. "Been partying here long..?"

The Roe shrugs, "Guessing they wanted t' see th' party like everyone else, or thought to join in an' went back to the cold." she chuckles and lounges out, "Myself, only got couple days left then ah have to return to Limsa and report for duty. What about you? Sure you don't want to enjoy this?"

Jotun nods his head slightly, "Heroes die heroic deaths. They die all the same though." he examines his work, "Smiths are good folk, the ones that take pride and care in their work."

Artoria Aldsan hums lightly before finally shaking her head.  "No.  Or, not yet, at least.  I'd like to simply relax for a bit."

Efreeti grins brightly at Anstarra, relaxing a bit into the pillows, "At this oasis, a few months, the boring parts are where we have to pick up the party and move it, and be responsible so we have food and drink."

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, I want ta prevent deaths if'n I can..." Chachan admits, sliding the hammer back into place. "'n I think tha's what drives me ta keep improvin', y'know? Both on me family's pride as smiths... 'n ta make sure tha' someone walks 'way from somethin' they might not'a if'n they weren't wearin' me armor."

A stern faced miqo'te soon steps up in front of Orrin and narrows his eyes at him in consideration.

Orrin Halgren is about at the part where he heroically dived into the swamp water to duck beneath the dragon's breath, coming up from underneath to stick it in the belly with the very same weapon he carried on his person. One of the women leaned forward to look at the weapon, her inebriation makes her fail to keep her cup upright when she does, spilling some of the wine upon his shirt. Who would then quickly go to try and pat it clean, it turned more into  a rubbing, if it was a mistake, 'Kala had turned> it into an opportunity of some sort.

Anstarra Silverain: "Mmmh... a few moons here.. a few moons there..." She takes a deep drink from her wine, and purrs. Then, she leans forward, lifting her tail (and probably displaying her hindquarters to Efreeti) as she gives Artoria a poke on the knee. "You should have fun... relax a little and enjoy yourself. I plan to..."

Artoria Aldsan frowns slightly and glances away as An pokes her.  "I'm fine, Anstarra."  She glances around and mutters quietly, "Too many people here, really."

The Roe grins to Artoria, "Then we could always retire to one of the smaller tents, less people, might even find one tha's empty."

Anstarra Silverain smiles in commiseration, though her eyes are bright. This place's ambience is really strong upon her... "Gotta enjoy bright moments when you can.. aah.." She settles herself back down on Efreeti, making a deep, pleased sound as she downs her drink…

Efreeti downs his own cup of wine and grins at Anstarra, "You are quite the lady." he smirks at her, "Yes moons here and there..."

Artoria Aldsan glances back to the Roe, blinking for a moment as she realizes the invitation for what it probably was.  Some pink invades her cheeks and she glances at An.  "Ah, I don't want to leave my friend here..."

Orrin Halgren currently pays no mind to the sterner man, at least, it was a gaze he mistook for something he got often when he got..popular, especially with the way Kala dragged her hand over his wine-stained shirt

Anstarra Silverain smirks, making a pleased sound, her eyes hooded. "Don't worry about me... wine, song, and good company... I'll be just fine...."

The man cleared his throat, "Kala, Shala. Go, I have business with this man." the voice was certainly authoritative before he looked back at Orrin, "If your stories are true, you're a powerful warrior then. Is that correct?"

Jotun nods his head slightly, "Good, the world needs more like you then little one." he sets the pole down, "Instead of more like that infernal reveler."

Chachanji Gegenji scratches at his cheek. "W-well, I mean. Ev'ryone has thin's they enjoy, y'know? I like makin' friends too..." He glances back at the camp. "I-I might not want ta... y-y'know... wit 'em... but I do like goin' ta festivals 'n hangin' out wit me friends." He looks back to Jotun. "It helps remind me'a what 'm tryin' ta protect. Tha' happiness, y'know?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "'n... ta be fair... I'd rather folks do... tha' sorta stuff 'n enjoy themselves than go at each other wit swords 'n axes."

Orrin Halgren was actually starting to enjoy himself, it looked like Shala was about to "help" when they are shooed off by the Male. He pulls from his drink "But a soldier." he says gruffly "Currently trying to forget that" he downs the rest and then scoops his cup back into whatever punch-bowl-like wine dispenser there was to refill it.

The miqo'te grunts and waves the girls back, "Fine, will find another to help." and he makes his way off towards Jotun and Chacha as Kala and Shala return, picking up where they left off happily.
Orrin Halgren watches as the male departs, probably with the plot for the event, but Shala turns his face by the cheek to hers with a guiding hand.

Anstarra Silverain beckons for another glass of wine.. she seems intent on forgetting the problems of her life, herself. She drinks it rather swiftly, and sways her body to the music playing in the tent.. the sounds coming from her almost erotic as she loses herself in the ambience…

The chained male arrives when beckoned for more wine.

Jotun glances up at the Male miqo'te who approaches, "You asked the wrong person to rid you of Efreeti. I will not raise hand against a brother unless necessary or forced." he continues his whittling, focusing on it again, "Or challenged, and he does not challenge me so there is no fight." The Miqo'te glances down at Chachanji, "You wouldn't be willing to help us get rid of Efreeti then Lalafell?"

Chachanji Gegenji blinks up at the Miqo'te. "H-huh? Get rid'a 'im? Ev'ryone seems ta be enjoyin' themselves over there..."

Artoria Aldsan eyes Anstarra for a long moment before letting out an exasperated sigh.  She shifts a few cushions around and leans back.  "Let's... just stay here for now."

The Miqo'te crouches down, "The tribe fears him, the rest are leeches eating and drinking everything we can get our hands on."

The Roegadyn woman sighs and shrugs, then is dragged back out to dance almost feverishly by some of the miqo'te

Anstarra Silverain laughs throatily, and leans back, reaching up to wrap her arms - or at least her wrists - around Efreeti's neck as she grooves and lap-dances to the music...

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well... I-I mean..." He scratches at his head. "If'n I did fight 'im 'n win... w-wouldn't tha' make ME th' Nunh?" He shakes his head. "I-I dun think 'm good fer somethin' like tha'. I-I have a girlfriend, y'know? 's-sides... w-wouldn't it be better if'n one'a yer own beat 'im? Then th' tribe would be yers again."

The Miqo'te looks at Chachanji like he was simple, "No, because you're not a miqo'te, the only reason he is nuhn is because none of us are any match for him. I don't care how you get rid of him, convince him to go someplace else, take up some other groups place for his party!"

Chachanji Gegenji IS kind of simple. "Wait, then how 'is 'e Nuhn if'n ya hafta be Miqo'te ta be one? Wouldn'ta tha' be reason 'nuff ta not hafta listen ta 'im?"

Anstarra's lap dancing is having quite the distraction on Efreeti.

"Because he demanded we follow and after burning off the... parts for the old Nuhn, and searing the faces of several of our best warriors with just a touch when we attacked him. Clearly we are out matched."

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well, I-I 'unno what -I- could do, then..." he admits sheepishly. "'m a smith more than a fighter. If'n 'e can do all tha', I dunno if'n I could do anythin'."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Why dun ya ask tha' Ms. Anstarra lady? She seems ta be in good wit 'im."

The Miqo'te growls and stands up, "The white haired one? She's clearly too busy." he snorts, "Fine I'll try if you can't help." and the miqo'te makes for the pavilion tent.

Chachanji Gegenji: "'m sorry... I hope ya guys figger it out, though..."
Chachanji Gegenji sighs quietly, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Orrin Halgren can't help but notice the same male stamping past him, frustrated and growling, he looks to the two fawning over him "What's his problem?"

Anstarra Silverain is busy enjoying her lap dance and drinking…

Q'kala glances and bites her lip a moment, looking serious before sighing, "He wants things to go back to the way they were." she turns back to Orrin and grins, "Worries too much right?"

Orrin Halgren narrows his gaze, a hand coming to her side, he admittedly had been rather hands off, but it would be now that he could guage whether she'd tremble or push against in earnest "Before that man with the arm? Would you want that?"

The Miqo'te male calms himself down and then puts on a smile as he steps into the pavilion and almost immediately zeroes in on Artoria, she isn't having fun and indulging after all! He approaches and seats himself down next to her.

Q'Kala was quiet for a bit, "Become better with throwing knives for hunting." she hesitates as she glances around and Q'shala looks away as if she didn't hear anything and wasn't paying attention.

Artoria Aldsan starts a bit as the man sits next to her and straightens out.  She hadn't been indulging, but the atmosphere still lent itself towards a sort of sort of lazy watchfulness of her surroundings.  "Ah, hello there?"

He glances about and says in quiet tones, "You're not having fun like the rest." it was more statement then question.

Anstarra Silverain herself is too distracted at this point. Her clothes have come open in the front, and wine stains the brilliant white fabric.. a crime against economics, do you KNOW how expensive Pure White Dye is?! But she doesn't seem to care. She's purring.. leaning up, and kissing Efreeti most distractingly.

Orrin Halgren blinks at the seeming non sequiter "Kala, as much I'd like to believe you want to do this.." he pushes her away gently "You rather want what he wants." he says pointedly

Efreeti doesn't even notice the male that entered, he's busy with his new toy er miqo'toy Anstarra.

Artoria Aldsan tilts her head slightly.  "It's a bit... busy for my tastes.  Is there a problem?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "I... try ta, yeah," Chachan said with a nod. "'s jus'... like I said... I ain't much fer fightin'. I'd rather not fight if'n it can be avoided. So... i-if'n 'e can be talked inta leavin'... tha' might be fer th' best, y'know?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "'n... givin' all tha's goin' on... I'd figger someone like Ms. Anstarra might be able ta do it. She has 'is attention already, after all."

Q'kala clams up and takes a breath, smiling sweetly before she tries to renew her seduction of Orrin. The rapport lost on her.

Jotun nods his head a bit, "And are you protecting then by sitting here with me?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, I mean... 'm not hurtin' anythin' by bein' 'ere, am I?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "If'n I'm botherin' ya, I can leave."

The Male raises an eyebrow, "Not at all this place has become far to busy for the whole Q' tribe, except the nuhn."

Jotun glances at Chacha, "Have things ever been hurt by inaction? You are hurting me none by being here however."

Artoria Aldsan raises an eyebrow curiously and jerks her chin slightly to urge the miqo'te to continue. "Yes, I imagine an eternal party would get tiresome after some time.  Is there something you wished to speak with me about?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "W-well sure but... I dun think I could do much ta help... I was able ta help protect th' group tha' came 'ere..." He rubs at the back of his neck, looking up at the sky. "But... I 'unno if'n me doin' somethin' 'ere might jus' make thin's worse too. I dun think I could fight th' guy ta help th' Tribe. 'n... I ain't really good at th' smart-talkin', so I dun think I could convince 'im."

"If you could come up with some way to...remove Efreeti, so the tribe can return to how it was before, instead of being bled dry for, no offense, a lot of party drunk dead weights that are slowly killing us... We'd be most appreciative."

Artoria Aldsan: "Why come to me?  I'm not exactly a member of your tribe."

He motions towards the chained miqo'te, "He's still our strongest warrior, our original Nuhn, he's a eunuch by flames now, the rest of our best fighters are dead, or to damaged, we've been proven to be no match for him."

Orrin Halgren let's her push back against him for a half second, there were two after all. He then tries to push them off "Fine, if you will not speak, then I guess I need to find the man.." By the fury, it must be sunny in coerthas right now as Orrin walks away from the two of them towards the tent.

Artoria Aldsan taps at her jaw for a moment, before stretching out to stand up.  "I hope you do not mind if I ask a few others in your tribe before taking any action.  It is not that I disbelieve you, but at the same time, it is possible that you are a singular malcontent, yes?"

"Just be discreet about it." is all he says before standing and smiling best as he can before he starts towards the exit.

Anstarra Silverain notices Artoria getting up... but only enough to grin at her, and wriggle her body enticingly from where she's.. enjoying herself. What -might- once have been a lapdance has progressed to its logical conclusion.. more than once, already.. and subtlety has left the building.

Efreeti is definitely to focused on what is going on with Anstarra to notice or care about the comings and goings of the rest of the pavillion. Shown by much of the dancing miqo'te from the tribe itself suddenly relaxing and dancing with far less energy.

Artoria Aldsan snorts softly and motions at Anstarra to stay and enjoy herself.  She'll be back in a bit to pick up the white haired miqo'te.

Orrin Halgren heads towards the tent and sees Artoria exiting it with what seemed with purpose "Where are you..?"

Artoria Aldsan: "Just to ask a few questions, Orrin.  Don't mind me."

Jotun glances at Chacha, "Go find yourself rest or such, I shall be here long into the night working on this."

Orrin Halgren: "...what sort?" he looks over her shoulder "About the Nunh?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Ah, yeah. I'll probably be headin' off pretty soon." He motions to Jotun's work. "I'd like ta see what tha' all looks like once yer done, if'n ya'd let me."

Artoria Aldsan nods slightly without saying anything in response.

Jotun pulls a finished pole out and sets it down, the carved story spirals all the way around it, tier by tier.

Chachanji Gegenji 's eyes widen and he takes a closer look with an appreciative eye.

It tells a simple story of a man bending knee to some army with giant armors and then fighting against people who have almost nothing.

Orrin Halgren looks back over his own now and speaks in a "lowered" voice "I ran into two Miqo'te girls" he quickly puts  hand up to shush Artoria before she assumed it was some sort of party story "They seemed...scared, like if everyone wasn't partying, they'd be in trouble."

Chachanji Gegenji cants his head as he tries to understand the story and who each of these players in it might be.

Artoria Aldsan frowns slightly and runs her fingers through her hair.  "Why are 'Nunhs' always so much trouble?"

Chachanji Gegenji nods as he thinks he gets it. Maybe. He isn't quite sure. Something involving the Allagan? He looks back to Jotun. "Is yer next one a continuation'a thi' one? Or a diff'rent story?"

Orrin Halgren sighs back "I just wanted to forget about those sort of Nuhns...I've should have just said hello to U'ala back at the forgotten spring..." he looks to her "What spurred your investigation? Some cantankerous looking tia?"

"Continuation." Jotun states to Chachanji, "Am writing out history."

Artoria Aldsan: "Indeed.  He seems to think the tribe as a whole is malcontent with this current nunh... but not strong enough to oust him themselves."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oooh. Tha's pretty important ta write down, then. Or... carve... down," he nods, though he was quietly impressed. Was Jotun and Efreeti from the Allagan times? They must be super old!

Jotun nods his head, "It is important, the histories of everyone I take over must be written down so it is not lost with the body."

Chachanji Gegenji blinks at that. "Th'... body?"

Orrin Halgren promptly chucks the chalice over his shoulder, it lands on the ground, the contents pouring into the sand. "Can't bloody escape it..." He has half a mind to draw his weapon and then he hears a noise "She's...fucking him isn't she?"

Chachanji Gegenji: "Oh! When ya die. Tha' makes sense." He nods.

Chachanji Gegenji also has a sudden feeling he should be blushing pretty hard right now.

Artoria Aldsan: "Calm down, Orrin.  Let's make sure that it's not just one or two malcontents in the tribe first.  After that, we can plan a course of action."

Orrin Halgren clenches his hand into a fist "How long must we wait and see?"

Artoria Aldsan: "Not long, I imagine.  I think... they have to disperse the party in order to move every so often.  That would likely be the best time to attack him.  When there is no one else around but the tribe that wants him gone anyways."

Orrin Halgren looks about "Aye...I guess we'd have to wait til lthen, last thing I need is to be dogpiled by some pirate Roegaedyn whilst trying to fight him..."

Chachanji Gegenji: "Well, I'd def'nitely like ta see th' next part once yer done wit it."

Artoria Aldsan: "Not overly long.  They'll be moving once they exhaust their food and drink.  In the meantime... let's make sure what we suspect is true, yes?"

Orrin Halgren nods "Prudent thinking..." he just shakes his head as the sounds echo out from the tent. "My sort of information gathering borders on...inquisitorial, you think you have a softer hand for it?"

Jotun nods his head slightly, "I will show you when done."

Artoria Aldsan: "I doubt it.  Just make a show of enjoying the party.  Get a few of the ladies to open up to you, Orrin."

Chachanji Gegenji smiles at the ice-aspected Highlander. "'m lookin' forward ta it."

Orrin Halgren coughs a bit "Your choice of words, Artoria, from what I experienced there seems to be things they'd rather open up than tell the truth..

Spoiler
The small boat creaked noisily as it made across the waves from Silver Bazaar towards Vylbrand’s northern coast, the lone occupant, a miqo’te with a single red eye and absolutely foul expression. A rocky arm extending from beneath scraps of what might have been a cloak at one point to hold onto the guide rope for a sail as the other hand grips the side of the boat carefully.

It was scorching in the desert, and this simply fouled his mood greater than it had been before, which was saying something. The mood lightened a bit as he saw ahead of him a camp in the desert, and the sounds of frivolity, more importantly, that caravan master had told him the truth, a pity it took impaling the man’s guards with spears of rock to get that information.

The camp guards were fairly quick to escort him into the main pavilion tent and within moments he was face to face with Efreeti’s body. Without hesitation he threw aside his robes and clenched his fist, “EFREETI! This is where you are!”

Without hesitation Efreeti leapt to his feet and embraced Shaitan, “HAHAH! You woke up! I heard a rumor but look at you! Come on Shai! Let’s drink and dance and fuck our bodies silly in celebration!” at this Shaitan backed away, “Drink… dance…FUCK!? What in the name of the mother are you thinking!? We shouldn’t be celebrating!!! These…” he motions towards the suddenly terrified miqo’te and other revelers as the ground had begun to shake, “THESE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE BASTARDS THAT TORE US FROM MOTHER TO MAKE US A WEAPON!!! Not even that, we were to be a battery… A BATTERY! A source of power for… for their fucking toys! And… and you want to fuck them!? What happened to you? What did they do to you?!”

Efreeti glances about them and straightens up, “They’re MY toys Shaitan. I like having them about because they bring me entertainment, and joy. You understand just how bored I was trapped all those years, centuries unable to do anything but awake, aware… and you want me to just burn this world away when there’s so much fun that it can provide?” he waves dismissively at Shaitan and turns his back. There was a rush of air as earthen spears tore up from the ground next to Efreeti. He whirls around on Shaitan and unleashes a torrent of flames, blocked barely by a shield of stone that was quickly sloughing off in molten blobs.

“DO NOT TEST ME SHAITAN! YOU HAVE ONLY WOKEN UP I HAVE BEEN AWAKE FOR CENTURIES I HAVE BETTER GRASP ON MY POWERS THAN YOU!” he steps in and trailing flames, sweeps a kick through the shield and connects with Shaitan’s stomach, a fiery explosion sending the miqo’te flying, saved only by a brief coating of rock and into a sand dune.

“Everyone break camp! We will continue on to the oasis immediately! The feel of this place has been tainted.” Efreeti spins on his heel and starts away, not even bothering to check to see if Shaitan survived or not.

It was already night by the time Shaitan regained consciousness, and the winds had blown away any tracks that might have been left behind, “Fine Efreeti, I’ll be back for you when you see just how foul and monstrous these people are… how much like the allagan they are and how they’ll tear your fun away and use you…” he glances towards the west, “I’ll have to find Marid… she’ll understand…”

Too busy with daydreaming, Shaitan noticed to late the turning of the weather, rains and storming winds, the waves crashing over the railing of his boat, bigger and bigger as he tried to make for the nearest land until a massive wave crashed upon him, the faintest hints of a serpentine head with fins witnessed before Shaitan went under.

A faint dripping echoed through Shaitan’s head as he slowly came to realize he was no longer drowning, the body he was in was still intact but he was somewhere dark, and underground, there was scuttling sounds, voices, and something jabbed him in the arm.

“I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU!” Shaitan shouted, jumping to his feet to find himself surrounded by round furry creatures with steel masks bouncing excitedly. A chisel falling from his arm where it had been impacted, “Who did this?” he snaps as he grabs up the chisel.

One of the Kobolds attempts to hide a hammer behind himself, squeaking suddenly as several spires of stone tear up and pin him to the ceiling, “Do it again and I will kill you like the Allagans!” he releases the Kobold and looks at the rest.

“What are you lot?”

“We are Titan’s chosen! We are Kobolds! first digging division!” the others chitter and bounce and provide a chorus of agreements, “You! Blessed by Titan, what blessings do you bring Titan’s faitihful!”

“Titan… what is Titan?” he glances at his arm and then narrows his eyes at the Kobolds, “Tell me before I crush you lot one by one.”


“T-Titan is god of stone! He crushes enemies and makes ground rumble!” The Kobold’s shriek in terror of the threat. There was a slight grin coming to Shaitan’s lips, “A god of stone huh…Show me Titan.”