Hydaelyn Role-Players

A shiver moved swiftly down Mayu’s spine as she climbed down from atop her chocobo, Lulubelle. The bird nuzzled at the dragoon’s back affectionately before wandering back a few feet to find shelter beneath a low hanging tree branch. Coerthas was not Mayu’s favorite place to spend her time, but she found herself here often anyway.


Laen had said that a few dragons had been lingering a bit too closely to her workshop, and so Mayu had volunteered her lance immediately. She also volunteered the lance of her partner, Mordagen, without his consent or knowledge. He would relish the opportunity for some bloodshed and would not be irritated with her, she hoped.


Snow had begun to fall; small flakes at first that amounted to nothing, and then fat clusters that began to cover Lulu’s saddle. The large bird shook the flakes from her back irritably. No matter how many times they’d come out here, she just wasn’t made for the snow.


“Poor girl. Mord will be here soon and then - to battle! You need the practice.”

She went to stand beside her bird beneath the tree. Lulu merely responded with a soft “”kweh” before gently nipping at Mayu’s shoulder. With any luck, the snow wouldn’t obscure their vision too much and they would all return home in one piece.

Mayu could hear the footsteps of a Chocobo approaching her.  When she looked up she could see this blue Chocobo and sitting on top of it was Mordagen.  He was dressed in his full dragon armor that was given to him when he joined the Dragoons.  A warm smile came across his face as gave Kraw a gentle pet along his neck.  Mord looked back to Mayu.  Due to the visor of his helm, she couldn't much of an expression on his face except for his smile returning to it's typical stoic position.

"You said you something about dragons that needed to be dealt with?"

Mordagen drew his lance held it upright with a grin now forming on his face.  He didn't know he had been volunteered but he clearly wanted in anyways.

She had no idea what she was doing in Coerthas. Actually, she did. She'd wanted to talk to the Astrologians at the Observatorium, but found they had been less than enthusiastic about a wandering girl's desire to learn from them. Especially since she was an outsider, so naturally, she was pouting. It was snowing, and visibility was a little less than what she would have hoped for. Having taken a wrong turn somewhere, the girl was now lost.

Sitting on her own chocobo, she fiddled with a map. Evey stuck out like a sore thumb; bright red coat and hat, contrasting against white scenery. Wild bests on the hunt would no doubt be able to spot their prey easily, with all the more eagerness for the plump poultry sitting right under the small girl.

Lifting her violet gaze, she peered around trying to find a land mark to visually help with her own whereabouts. Just beyond some trees not far from where she was, she spotted what looked like two people and ha, more chocobos. Oh! People! Perhaps she could get a heading for direction, that she might make her way back to Camp Dragonhead. Grabbing the reins of her chocobo, she nudged the bird and it started trotting over.

"Oh um! Excuse me! Hello? Which way is North?"

Mayu smiled brilliantly at Mordagen and gave Lulubelle another pat on her beak.

"See Lu? Told you he'd be punctual."

She was clad in her own set of dragon armor - newly acquired - and pivoted a little for his benefit.

"What do you think? Just got it. My own set. I have my helmet in my bag, though. And yes, dragons. Hope I didn't interrupt anything or wake you up to early, but Laen mentioned a horde of them disrupting her work around here. She also said there was a particularly large one lingering about. She said not to mess with it, but...look at who she's talking to."

The dragoon smiled with amusement. She knew Mordagen would definitely snag the chance to best a larger beast if given the opportunity.

Mordagen slung his lance onto his back and grinned more as he crossed his arms.

"Big, small, medium.  Our duty as Dragoons is to deal with any dragon threat.  So we'll start with her small ones and maybe that'll anger the big one enough to draw it out.  This..."

He paused as the woman approached and gave her a polite nod.  "Of course.  North.  He looked around a bit to look at the landscape to familiarize himself with it.  "North is that way."  He pointed a bit to his left.  "There's a safe establishment called Camp Dragonhead that way."

Mayu was surprised to see someone out in this snow storm. 

"The snow is really picking up, perhaps we ought to do this some other time. Although I don't think we can be afforded such luxury," she thought.

"Oh! Miss, what are you doing out in this weather? It isn't safe, and there are dragons about. How about Mordagen and I escort you to Camp Dragonhead? I would feel awful if you ran into any issues if they could have been avoided."

She looked over at her partner with a knowing glance, urging him forward.

The young Hyur simply nodded with a warm and embarrassed smile as she looked between the pair. "I'm familiar with the camp; I was on my way there actually, but the snow sort of threw me off a bit." She paused for a moment to look the pair over and then smiled playfully. "You two look like you're ready to bust some heads!"

The offer of escort made her blink in brief confusion, and she quickly waved her hands around apologetically. "Dragons?" The thought was mildly exciting, as she'd never seen one before. She'd heard they were common in Ishgard, but she hadn't had yet to see one. "Oh, I think I can make my way there without trouble. I don't want to interrupt you two- whatever it is you have planned." As an after thought, she cocked her head to the side and arched a brow.

"Are you two dragon hunting out here? I'd be hard to see anything with this visibility." she gestured to the snow coming down.

Mordagen look up to the sky looking for any dragons.  When he didn't catch any signs they were around, he looked back to the woman.

"We are Dragoons.  It is our sworn duty to take care of the dragons.  And my partner is right, we will escort you to Camp Dragonhead.  While I don't hear, see or smell them...they could come at any moment."

He gave a light whistle and Kraw let out a cheerful wark and then moved near Mordagen as he readied his lance.

The girl's eyes lit up a bit in surprise, but she didn't seem too afraid by the aspect that she might see a Dragon. Or the fact that she was standing next to a couple of Dragoons.

"Surprised I didn't notice sooner." She said, gesturing to the spears, offering a meek smile. "Well I trust you both know what you're doing, so I won't protest an escort- especially with all this snow." She patted her Chocobo's neck lightly, grasping hold of the reins for her bird.

"I'm Evey by the way." she said, pushing up the brim of her large red hat a bit.

Mayu looked up at the woman and smiled.

"Evey...Evey. What a fun and lovely name. I'm Mayu, it's a pleasure to meet you. We'd best get you up to Camp Dragonhead before the snow gets any worse. This area can be treacherous when the weather is good, let alone when the weather is bad."

She then turned to gesture to her chocobo. The large bird moved to her side, and she climbed into the saddle with little effort. Lulubelle made an odd gutteral chirp, a sign she was annoyed or displeased. 

"What are you doing out this way anyway, Evey?"

Evey watched as the Miqo'te climbed up onto her Chocobo, studying the other woman's armor curiously, responding casually as she waved a hand a bit flippantly when she replied.

"Oh, well. I went to the Astrologians at the um... " She furrowed her brows for a moment, trying to find the word she was looking for. It was right on the tip of her tongue! Snapping her fingers a few times, she finally got it, and smiled brightly.

"Conservatorium! I wanted to ask them some questions there, but they aren't exactly friendly with outsiders. I was going to head back to Camp Dragonhead and getting some supplies before I head back to the shroud. It's a bit of back tracking but my Chocobo needs some greens and some sleep I think before we head back to Gridania."

Mayu gripped the reins tightly as the snow continued to accumulate.

"Ah, I see. Would it help you if Mordagen and I escorted you to the Conservatorium? They have seen us before and we could try to vouch for you, if you wish. I still can't believe you came out here by yourself! Are you skilled in battle, by any chance?"

She tilted her head to the side as she returned the studying gaze, looking Evey up and down in assessment. She felt her cheeks flare up with heat as she realized she was feeling a bit envious of the Hyur's features. Jealousy wasn't something she normally felt, as she was usually too busy working, but she rarely had the opportunity to make small talk with another woman, period.

Evey gave a soft laugh, offering a playful smile as she rolled her eyes with a shrug of her shoulders in a sort of comical, and perhaps even arrogant fashion. "Oh me? No no, I'm not a martial fighter kind of person. I'm a mage really- well sort of. I study all kinds of schools of magic, but I suppose if I had to pick a specialty, I'd say conjury is what I am best at. "

Mayu would notice upon closer inspection, the wand secured on the girl's belt, wrapping around the waist of her long dress-coat. Strapped to the Chocobo's saddle were several cold potion vials, a tome, and a stave near the back. Evey smirked some, giving the reins a little pull to keep the Chocobo where it was as the two girls spoke, waiting for their other Dragoon friend.

"We can head for Camp Dragonhead. I already spent a good amount of time arguing with old men for one night, I can always try again tomorrow. Besides I'd not want to keep you two from your dragon hunting."

Mordagen readied the saddle bags on Kraw and then gave a thumbs up to the two women.

"I'm ready to leave when you two are.  The sooner the better though in case the storm starts to pick up."

His face was still barely visible from under the dragon helm he wore.  Mordagen readied his lance and gave a sharp whistle and Kraw came to his side.

"Kraw here will be a good companion on our journey.  He knows how to handle himself in a fight."

Lulubelle approached Kraw and gave him a playful nip on the head. With that, Mayu squeezed Lu's sides with her legs to urge her forward. It wasn't terribly far to Camp Dragonhead, but with visibility down they would at least need to take it slower. There was no telling what could be in the road ahead of them even if it was ten feet away.

She wiped the snow from her eyes and squinted hard, noticing the outline of something ahead. It wasn't terribly large - smaller than a chocobo - but it was concerning enough for her to pull back on the reins and urge her companion to stop.

"Hold, hold. I'm -sure- it's just mudpuppy lost in the snow. Maybe go around it?" she looked back at Mordagen and Evey to defer to their judgement.