Rank 1, Mission 1: "Places That Don't Exist"

[Taishyr]

<@Torokasi> -------------------------------------------------
<@Torokasi> The sun's strength is noticeable even through the Mist today, making this spring day oddly summer-like. Ramedo's smiling face greets Autumn Crow in the front hall of the Guild. "Welcome, child! Ready for the test today?" His immensely bushy eyebrows and beard lift up with the force of his grin as he extends his hand.
<AutumnCrow> Despite today being one where she was supposed to get involved in messy things like combat, Crow had gone to lengths to make sure she looked her best before arriving at the guildhouse. Offering a slight smile and faint incline of her head towards Ramedo, she daintily took his hand, "Of course. I admit to being eager to learn how we have been divided up for this as well..."
<@Torokasi> "You haven't yet!" Ramedo chuckles, giving a gentle shake before gesturing her to follow him into a side hallway. "Ah, but you don't know that part of the Guild's history, perhaps. Have you not heard the story of how the three founders of the Kerebos Guild met?"
<AutumnCrow> "Well," she responded as she followed along, "I heard my father tell it. Buuuuuut that may not have been the most faithfully repeated account."
<@Torokasi> "Aaah, yes, Wild Goose? Well, let's hope my old bones can give as entertaining an account as his was." Ramedo grinned back at her, the two heading into a stairwell. "The three actually met by chance, it's said! All three were exploring the same ruins when they stumbled upon each other. Deciding that it couldn't be coincidence, the three decided to venture forth together, and fast forged a bond that way." <More>
<@Torokasi> "Indeed, they wandered far and wide, just those three, before finally managing to find the lost town of Koire! And that, that was the discovery that gave them the fame and money to found the Guild. Like them, you'll be heading out in a randomly chosen group of three. Ah, but if I'm not mistaken, you probably haven't met the other five candidates yet, correct?"
<AutumnCrow> "If I have, it's been by accident," Crow shrugged.
<@Torokasi> "Fair enough. You've not been here long." Ramedo nods, the two still climbing the steps. His gait hasn't slowed in going up despite his age, notably. "Honestly, it's more meant to make sure people work with new people and don't continue to rely on the same one or two. To engender new friendships and alliances! And it's a good thing you came along, too, as the other five would likely have waited a while for a sixth. The previous one dropped out just a month or so prior." <More>
<@Torokasi> Finally out of the stairwell, Ramedo walks just a short way into the adjoining room before swinging open the door on his left. "And here's where we'll be assembling everyone. Well, once they get here, that is; you're the second one here." He steps aside to let Crow enter.
Autumn Crow gracefully nods to Ramedo and enters the room, looking to see who else is there!
<@Torokasi> Upon entry, a birdlike Talkyr rises, clad already in heavy breastplate and with a thin, yet long bastard sword and short sword at his sides. He quickly glances Crow up and down before smiling. "You must be our miracle sixth, praise Sath. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ary Shiguzu."
<AutumnCrow> "Autumn Crow," she introduces herself matter of factly, while returning the appraising look, trying to assess this Ary's capability as a warrior, "heavy armor and dual weapons? Not a common combination." Her own weapons were...well, practically invisible unless one thought those fans tucked into the sash around her waist could somehow be weapons...
<@Torokasi> "The short sword is... traditional." Ary grins. "Other members of the Guard prefer dual wielding, but it's never been my speed. More a head-on guy, you know?" He glances at Crow again, and his brow furrows.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+8 and gets 18." [1d20=10]
<@Torokasi> "...Wait, Autumn? Would you be from the temple up north?" His eyes widen slightly at this.
<AutumnCrow> "That would be correct," Crow smirked very slightly at the recognition, "I'm here to join the guild to....well, train myself beyond what the confines of the Temple will allow. But you have me at a bit of a disadvantage, I'm not familiar with an orginization called simply 'The Guard'?" She took a seat while politely fishing for more information from her prospective teammate.
<@Torokasi> The room itself is simple stone, with seven wooden chairs in it arranged in a circle. Ary also takes a seat, nodding. "Ah, yes. The Silver Guard. A section of the Temple of Sath that trains guards and soldiers... but I've got an adventurer's heart, I guess?" He chuckles a bit weakly. "And that makes sense, yeah. The Silver Guard didn't have much left for me, either."
<AutumnCrow> "Ah, are you a Templar, perhaps?" Crow didn't know much about the religous warriors, but she did know they could heal, which was something she was quite hoping for.
<@Torokasi> "Ah, no. That'd be Lilian, of our group. I'm gotten training in White Raven tactics and samurai swordsplay." Ary shook his head.
<AutumnCrow> "Well, that's once healer at least. Hopefully we have a second." Crow snapped her fan open and began to lazily fan herself while waiting, "Tiger Claw and Setting Sun are my primary styles, coupled with Autumn Temple traditional weapons, fan, scarf and unarmed artes."
<@Torokasi> "... damnit, right!" Ary grimaces. "I should have remembered the Temple also taught the styles. Knew I was forgetting something important." A slight nod. "There's two other healers, though Janda is our most proficient. Solmyr can also heal people in a pinch." A pause. "So, you're a front-line specialist as well. Good to know."
<@Torokasi> OOC: Roll a Perception check.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20 Ary's not good at this either
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20 Ary's not good at this either and gets 7." [1d20=7]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+0 lol inattentive
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+0 lol inattentive and gets 3." [1d20=3]
<@Torokasi> Ary sort of thinks for a second. "So... hm. We've got good enough offense with us two and Para that the others can probably stay far away from combat. ...unless it's you, me and Para in a group. That could get messy."
<@Torokasi> "Speaking of, where the heck are the rest of them? I know Janda doesn't sleep in this late..."
<AutumnCrow> "Probably double and triple checking equipment and all that before coming in," Crow suggested with a shrug.
Autumn Crow turns her attention to the door, waiting to see who might show up next!
<@Torokasi> Crow and Ary both glance at the door, as the sound of voices outside begins to... rise rather rapidly, the yelling being audible if not comprehendable even from inside the room. Ary looks rather annoyed. "I like your optimism.", he comments drily, leaning back a bit.
<AutumnCrow> "...oh dear."
<@Torokasi> "... and another thing! What makes you think you have ANY right to touch my hair like that!" a shrill, harsh voice lashes out. The reply is inaudible, but both are clearly getting close to the door. "I DON'T CARE! Do you think I have time to return to my apartment and WASH?!"
<AutumnCrow> "It seems one of our teammates like to defile a lady's carefully tended to hair." Crow deadpans while fanning herself, "I do hope they don't make a habit of such things. There are less painful ways to die."
<@Torokasi> The door slams open, and in comes... a very, very short woman with the biggest, floofiest mounds of curly hair you have ever seen. With large sections of it, as well as her dress, caked in mud. "ARY! That absolute pig SOLMYR decided it would be FUNNY to dump a bucket of water all OVER ME!"
<AutumnCrow> "That seems to be more then simply water, unless you were already wearing the dirt before the water came down," Crow observed.
<@Torokasi> The petite woman glances to Crow and her demeanor entirely changes. "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry for this! Normally I do try to look my best, but you know, sometimes something happens and we get soaked and have to chase a hooligan through the streets-" Her face crumples in anger for a split second before she shakes her head. "And, well, he decides he has to make me look like some common street urchin and-"
<@Torokasi> "Hey, hold on, the running through the mud was your idea, not mine!" A somewhat taller, much more bulky man enters, his dark blue scales glistening. "Besides, you're the one always going on about 'I can sense the water, I am one with the water' - I wanted to see if it was true!"
<@Torokasi> As the woman turns to continue yelling, Ary groans and leans forward. "The lady caked in mud is Janda, and the Talmuri's Solmyr. And together, they make our comedy routine."
<AutumnCrow> "I see." Observing the two for a moment longer, Crow then snapped her fan shut with a very audible *CLICK* to draw attention, "I suppose introductions are in order, hmm? I am Autumn Crow, of the Autumn Temple, and I will be serving as a primary melee combatant of the group."
<@Torokasi> Janda turns back, as Solmyr enters from the doorway. He speaks first as Janda recovers from being interrupted mid-outburst, "A pleasure! I'm Solmyr, the dedicated mage of the group. Do you prefer Autumn, or the full name?"
<AutumnCrow> "Crow is fine," Crow replies, "Autumn is my style name, equivilent to the family name in most other cultures. Crow is my given name."
<@Torokasi> Janda's scowl at Solmyr could pierce rock for a moment, but she recovers quickly, shakes off some of the dirt and mud, and curtsies to Crow. "I'm Janda, of the house of Lestrad. It is truly a joy to meet you, Crow." She quickly glances Crow up and down, brow furrowed slightly. "So, you're another front line specialist? Intriguing. I wouldn't have anticipated that."
<@Torokasi> "What, because she's dressed better than you even before the mud?" Solmyr cracked. Janda's back stiffens for just a second before she whirls around and slaps Solmyr, hard.
<@Torokasi> "SHUT. UP."
<AutumnCrow> "I do hope you aren't in the habit of antagonizing your teammates when in the field."
<@Torokasi> "Of course not." Solmyr replies, rubbing his chin. OOC: Another Perception check
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20 Ary is bad at this too
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20 Ary is bad at this too and gets 1." [1d20=1]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+11 hello I am Solmyr, good at detection
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+11 hello I am Solmyr, good at detection and gets 19." [1d20=8]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+0 Janda also bad at this
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+0 Janda also bad at this and gets 12." [1d20=12]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+0 lol inattentive
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+0 lol inattentive and gets 17." [1d20=17]
<@Torokasi> It's only when one of the chairs creaks that you and Solmyr both turn to see another Talkyr in the room, dressed in... honestly sort of ragged clothes and with... well, that's a rapier, a handaxe, and a longbow all on him. He looks at Janda and Solmyr for a moment, his face impassive, before looking to Crow. "My name's Parakloro. Call me Para."
<AutumnCrow> "Ah, the third warrior Ary mentioned." Crow nods, refusing to be startled by his sudden apperance. "Good to see an archer in the group, I've no ranged combat skill myself..." she turned her head and half smirked at the avian samurai, "and unless I'm missing my guess rather badly, neither does Ary."
<@Torokasi> "Absolute crap at it. Solmyr and Para are our ranged specialists." Ary grinned, missing any condescension.
<@Torokasi> Para simply nods. "I can do either. You fight, too, then." A slight nod as he sits, the final person and Ramedo appearing in the doorway as he does so. The woman has some light armor on and a bastard sword in her scabbard - notably wider than Ary's. She looks over the group, smiling widely. "Yay! Everyone's here, it looks, Ramedo!"
<AutumnCrow> "Autumn Crow," Crow nods and greets the latecomer, "and that must make you...Lillian?" she hopes she remembered the other name Ary mentioned correctly.
<@Torokasi> "Indeed, indeed." Ramedo nods, heading into the middle of the circle. "Why doesn't everyone get seated and we'll get about to detailing the final test."
<@Torokasi> The woman glances over at Crow and keeps up her broad smile. "Yeah, my name's Lilian. It's good to meet you, Ms. Autumn Crow!" With that, she takes the seat between you and Ary.
Autumn Crow smiles, "Just Crow is fine, you aren't from the Autumn Temple so no need to use my style name."


<@Torokasi> After Janda and Solmyr manage to push their chairs away from each other, Ramedo clears his throat. "On this day, it is my pleasure to announce that you six have qualified for the final test. Pass this, and you will be accepted as members of the Kerebos Guild. Firstly, let us determine what the groups will be for the test." He reaches into his robe, and pulls out a cup with six sticks in it. Pausing a moment, he offers it to Crow first. "Would you do us the pleasure of first draw?"
Autumn Crow simply plucks whatever stick is on top, keeping it concealed in her hand until told to reveal it.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d2 for my sake
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d2 for my sake and gets 2." [1d2=2]
<@Torokasi> Ramedo smiles at Crow's maneuver. "Interesting." Next, he places the choices in front of Lilian, who takes one!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d5
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d5 and gets 3." [1d5=3]
<@Torokasi> The stick she pulls out has yellow paint on the end. Lilian curiously looks at it as Ary is offered the next choice.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d4 and gets 2." [1d4=2]
<@Torokasi> Ary's stick also has yellow on the end. Parakloro reaches for the next stick...
<@Torokasi> roll 1d3
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d3 and gets 1." [1d3=1]
<@Torokasi> And his is yellow, as well. Ramedo grins as Janda, and then Solmyr, take the final sticks; both of theirs are painted green on the tip.
Autumn Crow reveals her own stick, not bothering to look at the color as she knows it has to be green.
<@Torokasi> "These are our teams, Mr. Ramedo?" Lilian asks, glancing at Ary and Para.
<@Torokasi> Ramedo nods. "Indeed. Ary, Para, Lilian in one group, and Janda, Crow, and Solmyr in the other."
<@Torokasi> Janda groans, rather audibly.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr just shakes his head. "And our objectives? Is this a contest?"
<AutumnCrow> "I certainly hope not."
<@Torokasi> Ramedo shakes his head as well. "No, both groups have different objectives. Ary, Para, Lilian. You three will head out via the north bridge and then west, to an old quarry that has been abandoned a long while. A specific kind of stone there, Teriandite is a necessary material for the Wall of Stone spell; please procure a small bag's worth and bring it back here. The way there will be patrolled by Kobolds, so caution will be necessary."
<@Torokasi> "Janda, Crow, Solmyr. You will be heading out via the north bridge, but then heading northwest. There is a ruins there with an herb known as Safena commonly growing in the shade of the stones. Retrieve enough to fill a bag and return. The way there, and the ruins, are swarmed by Yeeks. You will need to be careful in your journey." Ramedo clears his throat, as if ready to recite something from memory. <More>
<@Torokasi> "The Mist twists paths, changes distances, and makes it possible to lose yourself on roads traveled a thousand times over. The Guild's founding Druid, Redel of the Malachite, was the first to devise a consistent tool with which travel through the Mist has become much more feasible. Here and today, I present you six with a symbol of your membership, the Compasses of Wayfinding. Succeed in your task, and these will be yours to keep." He passes out the Compasses solemnly.
<AutumnCrow> "Yeeks..." Crow muses a bit, trying to remember what she'd heard of them.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+9 K:M
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+9 K:M and gets 25." [1d20=16]
<AutumnCrow> Accepting her compass, she tucked it into a pocket of her robe and while shaking her head, "Well, I hope one of you knows more about them then I do. I think my brother's commentary on Yeeks was 'psychic fuzzball pack hunters' and that was about it."
<@Torokasi> "The compasses are currently attuned to a mark that is at the destination point for each of your groups. You will be given the tools to mark your own points on your successful return." Ramedo says, before pulling out two thin bronze rods, and handing one to you and one to Ary. "These are the Rods of Recall." <More>
<@Torokasi> "If you break them, you and all you consider allies will be returned here within thirty minutes. Barring an emergency, however, this will be considered a failure of the mission if used. Return these intact, if possible. The two caps on the end allow the casting of a single Sending spell: chew the Safena in the yellow cap, then break the red cap in your hand to utilize the spell. Do this if you need clarification on objective or an urgent non-emergency has arisen."
<@Torokasi> "And here are the bags which need must be filled." Solmyr and Lilian take these. "You may depart when you are ready. Feel free to exchange information beforehand, as well. The trap will take just over a day there, and just over a day back, for both groups. I wish you all the best of luck. ... Are there any questions?"
<AutumnCrow> "...I see." Crow nods, "Very well. Would it be possible to get a small bit of Safena here before we go? I'm no herbalist, and would like something to compare what we're supposed to be gathering to."
<@Torokasi> "Feel free to open the yellow cap to look at it." Ramedo nods. "Just screw it back on when you're done." Indeed, the yellow cap seems to be able to be removed without breaking it.
<AutumnCrow> "Ah, okay. I was thinking that removing the yellow cap would be not having the rod 'intact'."
<@Torokasi> "Uh, can we see a sample of Teriandite?" Lilian says, raising her hand for just a moment before putting it back in her lap. Ramedo nods and pulls out a chunk of a greenish crystalline substance, with black stripes running through it. "The crystal grows well in Mist, it seems. Hopefully you will have little issue finding it in the quarry."
<@Torokasi> To Crow, Ramedo shakes his head. "My apologies for the confusion. Using the yellow and red caps is entirely permitted on the mission; they're simply there so that both measures are in one place."
<@Torokasi> Upon opening the cap, Crow sees... OOC: Roll Prof: Cook!
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+10 yan, er, crow can cook
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+10 yan, er, crow can cook and gets 25." [1d20=15]
<@Torokasi> Crow sees a spice she knows! It was very rare at the Temple, and called Sapphira Spice, but it had a really nice sweet taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Crow had gotten a few samples of the entire plant, and had used the leaves as the merchant suggested. This looks like diced root stock, actually, which is supposed to be less sweet and more bitter.
<AutumnCrow> "Oh, sapphira spice." Crow seems a bit taken aback, then takes a gentle sniff of the spice before recoiling, "yep, definately sapphira root. Do you need the roots, the leaves, or the entire plant?"
<@Torokasi> "The entire plant, please." Ramedo nods. "And ah, you know it by that name? Good to know. The root is best for Sendings, but the leaves have use in both cooking and some limited magical capacity. Eaten straight, the tongue... buzzes, with the sensitivity it imbues. In cooking, especially the leaves, this effect's lost." A slight nod. "I'll be across the hall if you need any further advice or have questions, doing my usual paperwork. To all of you, I wish good luck and fortune in your journey!"
<@Torokasi> "I know Safena root as well, so we'll easily be able to pick out what we need." Solmyr nods once he leaves. "They're pretty obvious, so no worries, Janda."
<@Torokasi> "I'm NOT worried, Solmyr." Janda retorts, before nodding to Crow. "I'll keep you alive and fighting, no worries here."
<@Torokasi> Ary and Lilian are talking between each other, but Para seems to be looking at you. After a moment, he speaks up, "Your brother's right. They use pack tactics, and learn from mistakes. And what one knows, the others do. Don't allow retreat."
<AutumnCrow> "You know more about them, then?" Crow's interest is piqued, "He also said they're not always violent. Can they be reasoned or bartered with, or will we be better off trying to sneak though? I don't relish a three on gods only know how many fight, to be honest."
<@Torokasi> "If they approach without weapons in hands, treat calmly. If weapons in hand, fight them. They prefer smaller packs initially." Para says after a few moments. "They only swarm if pressed. They don't live in the prairie, so should only be scouting groups."
<AutumnCrow> "Good to know," Crow offered the guy she had been thinking of as kinda creepy a smile, "Thanks for the information."
<@Torokasi> The blush Para gives is basically visible through his fur as he turns away, rubbing his head. "It's fine. Wish I was heading that way. I don't know Kobolds that well."
<AutumnCrow> "I don't know too much, but I have fought them before," Crow offered. "Mostly a warrior race, some of them even have basic knoweldge of martial styles. They tend to be loners, but when there is a group there should be one obvious leader. Kill that one and the others will probably scram."
<@Torokasi> All three of that group nod solemnly. "Sounds relatively easy enough, between us three." Ary nods. "Still, martial styles? Yeesh."
<@Torokasi> Lilian gives another big smile at this. "Relax. I'm sure we'll all be fine!" After a moment, "I'm basically ready to go when you two are."
<AutumnCrow> "I fought one that knew very sloppy versions of some basic Stone Dragon strikes," she nodded to Ary.
<@Torokasi> Ary winces as he and Para stand up. "Sloppy or not, that's more credit than I had hoped for. Still, we'll muscle our way through. Best of luck all three of you."
<AutumnCrow> "You as well. Be safe."
<AutumnCrow> "And if it makes you feel better, it couldn't *connect* with those sloppy strikes to save it's life. Quite litterally."
<@Torokasi> Janda and Solmyr both assent to this, and Ary chuckles as the three leave. After a moment, Janda exhales. "Alright. Let's do this, Crow. If it's a day trip, we may be able to make it before the sun sets tonight with some encouragement."
<AutumnCrow> "A quick stop at the market before we go?" Crow suggested, "I don't fancy eating trail rations, and if it's only a day trip I can get some things to make a fairly good campfire meal quickly enough."
<@Torokasi> "...sure! That can be arranged." Janda's face perks up at that. "I'll cover the cost, just don't go too over the top."
<AutumnCrow> "You'll buy it, I'll cook it..." she eyes Solmyr, "and the tall one can carry it! Everyone does their part~"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr smirks for just a moment, before nodding himself. "Yeah, that sounds goo- pff, hey, I... wait, I'm tall? I think I'm the same height you are. Janda's just waiting for her final growth spurt is all."
<@Torokasi> "Shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup, Solmyr!" Janda growls, before turning back to Crow. "Yes, that sounds divine."
<AutumnCrow> "True, but you also have at least twenty-five pounds on me, at a glance. But I thought 'tall one' was more flattering than 'heavy one'," Crow suggested with a smile, then led the way to the market!


<@Torokasi> Amid Janda and Solmyr's bickering, the three make it to the marketplace in the eastern section of the Guild's open grounds. Janda seems to know the shops here and helps guide Crow to what she's looking for. As the three try to decide what else they want (and Solmyr arranges his pack to fit things in), Solmyr glances to Crow. "I'm sure I can guess your opinion on me, at least, but what're your thoughts on the other three?"
<AutumnCrow> "Can you now? Am I so easy to read?" Her tone suggested that certain answers might be more hazzardous then others, "But Ary and Para seem competent and...well, more tested then the rest of us, especially Para. I couldn't get a good read on Lillian, but I hope she's got the chops to step up to a leadership role, I doubt Para is capable of it and my gut read says Ary would rather not."
<AutumnCrow> Being extremely matter of fact about all of this, she continued, "As for you, I'll grant your first impression was not a good one. I do have a sense of humor, but I have a very low tolerance for pranks, best I simply state that plainly right now."
<@Torokasi> "It's more 'oh, hey, he got one of his teammates messed up the morning of a test, how could he look' than anything else." Solmyr replies, earning a rather large snort from Janda. "And I forgot you didn't get long to talk to Lilian."
<@Torokasi> Janda nods slightly. "Don't underestimate her, Crow. She's quite capable in her own ways. This being said..." A pause. "Her taking a leadership role is even less likely than Para doing so, and you got him to talk more than I've ever seen, dear."
<AutumnCrow> "He's that shy?" Crow was a bit surprised, "And Ary told me she's a templar, that's about the last person I'm going to underestimate. Though that surprises me a bit, from what little I've heard most templar's are the eager to lead sorts."
<@Torokasi> "He's very, very... nonvocal. Not sure shy's the word, but he's lost in his own head more often than not." Solmyr shakes his head.
<@Torokasi> "I thought he was mute until he said something to Ary! Two weeks after I met them both!" Janda vented.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr chuckles. "He might be loosening up, then. And Lilian is a templar, yeah. Specifically, of Erest Rosen. They're not quite known for the ambitious leadership material there."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, we'll get to see what he has to say about the mission once we all meet back up. For now...I want three potatoes, one onion, and if we can get it three eggs. Just crack them into a screw lid container now so we don't have to worry about them cracking on the trip. That, some salt and a few herbs will make us a nice dinner that should have enough left over for breakfast."
Autumn Crow hadn't been in the city long, but she was quite fond of shopping and so had learned at least one market quite well already!
<@Torokasi> "Got it! Feel free to pick out the herbs from that vendor, I'll grab the eggs, and you can get the potatoes and onion, Solmyr!" Janda chirps. "I'll cover costs when we reconvene.
<AutumnCrow> "We'll have to go shopping together when we get back," Crow grinned at Janda as they split up!
<@Torokasi> Once the three reconvene and Janda agrees to Crow's sentiment, the three make their way through the crowded city streets to the north end of town. The stalls and businesses en route eventually peter out to less developed housing (though still several stories high, often enough). Eventually, the arch at the tip of the bridge comes into site - the very one that Crow entered Verxais under. Janda inhales, a bit shakily.
<AutumnCrow> "And right back the way I came," Crow chuckles.
<@Torokasi> "So, we have to walk all the way across? At least it's quite a wide, ah, bridge." She glances to Crow. "The bridge doesn't sway or anything, right? The stone is sturdy, yes?"
<AutumnCrow> "I don't recall any swaying, no." Crow looks at Janda a bit oddly.
<@Torokasi> "Right, right." Janda nods, inhaling. The bridge is, as usual, rather empty. She slowly begins to walk forward as Crow and Solmyr watch, her steps tentatively taking her onto the bridge.
<@Torokasi> After a few seconds, Solmyr leans over to Crow. "She's got a bad fear of heights. Takes it kinda personally if it's brought up." he whispers, before beginning to follow Janda.
<AutumnCrow> "...I was about to ask, thank you for the warning," Crow whispered back, then followed along, utterly unbothered by the yawning chasm below her.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods, before, "So this is the direction you came into town? How long have you been in town, out of curiousity?"
<@Torokasi> The three are now beginning to make their way across the bridge at a decent clip. Janda's very presence and motions seem to be a bit encouraging to your speed, though whether she's radiating confidence, fear or both is hard to say. Notably, Solmyr seems to be holding himself back a bit to keep pace with you two.
<AutumnCrow> "Less then a week, actually," Crow shrugged, "I got here, the formalities were dealt with, and now it's test time."
<@Torokasi> "Impressive." Janda marvelled out loud as they went. "You mentioned you were serving as a melee combatant. Where did you train, that the Guild waived all the normal training and tests? Even Ary didn't get to avoid those, though he skipped some."
<AutumnCrow> "The Autumn Temple," Crow answers with a smirk, "I've been training since I was old enough to walk, and last month was granted the style name of Autumn." She pauses for effect, "which is reserved for the High Lady of the temple and her Heirs Presumptive, of which there is currently only me. I am Autumn Crow, only daughter of Autumn Dragon, High Lady of the Autumn Temple. Whatever tests or
<AutumnCrow> training the guild requires quite likely pale in comparison to my mother's."
<@Torokasi> Janda stops and gapes, while Solmyr's eyes widen. "The only heir to- well, shit. I guess I'm the commoner of the bunch here, then." Solmyr says, recovering.
<AutumnCrow> "Hier Presumptive, at the moment," Crow emphasizes, "I am not yet formally recognized as the Hier, even though I have no sisters. I'll need to prove my ability and continue my training before I get that recognition. Which is likely a long way off."
<AutumnCrow> Then she smiles a bit at Solmyr, "Well, 'common' is relative, and not a term I'd use to describe anyone who manages to make it into the Kerebos Guild."
<@Torokasi> Janda coughs a bit. "The only heir of... I've heard of the Temple, though I wasn't aware of the martial focus there. Incredible." A pause as Crow speaks, then, "Oh, no, dear, Solmyr is -dreadfully- common. And by the time I finish grinding him into dust, he'll be even more so!"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr just rolls his eyes, before nodding at Crow. "Fair enough. If they've trained you well and hard enough that you're skipping what the Guild does... yeah, the weight on your shoulders is heavier than you make it seem."
<AutumnCrow> Ignoring Janda's dig, she nods, "It's heavy, but I bear it willingly. And...yes, the Temple has a strong martial focus. And despite the name 'temple' a complete lack of religious focus. I, ah, know more than I'd care to about Ratokyst, but nearly nothing about any of the others."
<@Torokasi> Janda's eyes widen even further. "You mean you've barely been exposed to the divine love of the Weeping Lady! Oh, my dear, I shall simply -have- to have you come with me to a morning servic- Solmyr. What in Verxais are you even sniggering about now?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr just shakes his head. "It's nothing, Janda. Really."
<AutumnCrow> "Certainly," Crow smiles, though an observant watcher would note it's not the most pleasant of smiles, "and perhaps you'll join me for the morning excersize regimen afterwards?"
<@Torokasi> Janda raises her eyebrows, before continuing on. "I do hope you enjoy it, but truly, the spiritual life has so much to offer! Even should you find the Weeping Lady not to your tastes, I- uh." At this, she falters a moment, before a shaky smile spreads across her face. "I can certainly try! It would be a fair exchange, at the very least."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr chuckles a bit. "I'm sure you'll find some people willing to join in on almost any exercise regimen around here, especially in the Guild. I'm still not used to seeing people do exercises in such cramped parks and open spaces so damn early in the mornin'."
<@Torokasi> The pace has kept steady, and the sun only gotten stronger, as the group continues on the bridge. Two pillars on each side mark what Crow knows to be the midway point. It's to Janda and Crow's surprise that Solmyr seems to drift to the left, looking out over the bridge and across the gaping canyon for a moment.
<AutumnCrow> "Well imagine roughly thirty to fourty of us doing that in unison for about half an hour before everyone breaks off for thier own routines," Crow notes, "in some cases, mine for instance, that involves even more training more specific to my style. I train somewhere between three and five hours a day depending on the day. Others go about thier jobs, tending to the gardens or whatever else,
<AutumnCrow> and the children go to classes and chores. That's a normal day at the temple."
Autumn Crow eyes Solmyr as he looks out over the gap, but doesn't say anything about it.
<@Torokasi> "That's a pretty impressive routine." Janda's eyes are wide. "I mean, I practice as well, but not anything so physically rigorous... hey, Solmyr! What're you doing?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr just looks out for a second longer before pivoting and following Crow and Janda again. "Sorry, mind wandered a bit there. Where are you staying at, Crow?"
<AutumnCrow> "Cyli's Restaraunt and Inn, for now. I'll be getting guild housing when I can, just for the extra space."
<@Torokasi> "Oh! I'll be there as well! How beneficial!" Janda practically cooes. "We may even end up sharing a complex~ Say, wait. Where are you, Ary, and Para going, Solmyr?" Janda's eyes dart over to Solmyr. "Are you three getting guild housing as well?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods slightly. "Yeah. Para wasn't going to, originally, but his brother apparently talked him into it, and Ary and I aren't from around here so it's the most logical decision. Cheaper than an apartment on the eighth floor of some massive complex, that's for sure, and a lot more spacious."
<@Torokasi> He scratches his head, before, "Lilian's also gonna be getting housing there. I think she's tired of bunking at the Temple. Can't blame her. So you three will probably be in the same complex, unless there's some rooming issue. I know they like grouping new inductees together, Ramedo told me that a while back."
<@Torokasi> "Oh, Lilian will be there too? How... how nice." Janda's voice fails to carry any enthusiasm.
<AutumnCrow> "Do you not get along?" Crow neatly takes a tangent away from the subject of room assigments.
<@Torokasi> "She's fine! She's just..." Janda pauses, looking worriedly at Solmyr.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr, for his part, just snorts. "She's just what, Janda?"
<@Torokasi> "I don't think she likes me much." Janda says after a long pause, worriedly brushing off some more flakes of mud off her dress.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr seems about ready to say something, but instead shakes his head. "Try actually talking to her sometime." With that, he keeps going, Janda following after a moment.
<AutumnCrow> Not knowing Lillian very well, and having only met Janda, Crow just shrugs, "Well, you've known her longer then I have. Still, I'm sure you'll be able to coexist, there are several fierce rivals in the Temple that have to share living space."
<@Torokasi> Janda nods to Crow. "I'm sure it'll be fine." Solmyr's gone a fair bit ahead at this point, so Janda pauses a second before, "I think she doesn't like me because Solmyr doesn't like me? She's never really cared to talk to me, whereas she'll stick to Solmyr's side like glue."
<AutumnCrow> "...you think Solmyr doesn't like you?" Crow blinks, honestly surprised.
<@Torokasi> "I know he doesn't." Janda says. "I'm not fond of him either, though he's tolerable when he's serious. He's pranked about everyone in the group except Lilian, but I seem to be a favored target." Her grin is somewhat morbid. "Normally I can brush it off, but... on the day of the test, even?!"
<AutumnCrow> "...maybe things are different here, but it's my experience that boys don't prank and tease girls they *don't* like. They just ignore them or get nasty with the insults." Crow refraind from mentioning that romance novels are where she got such experience, but surely the writers knew what they were about.
<@Torokasi> Janda, for her part, seems mildly morbified. "Wait, do you- but he can't- so Lilian is..." Janda pauses. "I don't know. I've never gotten that read from him." After walking in silence for a bit, she says, somewhat softly, "I don't know. I really honestly don't here, other than that I'm basically not interested in, uh, him. Like that. I think."
<AutumnCrow> "Well," Crow tries to recover quickly, "I didn't nessesarily mean like that. Older brothers mercilessly tease younger sisters all teh time as well. I should know, I'm the ninth child and only daughter. Regardless, I didn't get the feeling that he dislikes you at all. And perhaps you're the primary target of his pranks because Ary, Para and I would beat the stuffing out of him for it, which
<AutumnCrow> really just leaves you and Lillian. And you say he doesn't mess with her, so."
<@Torokasi> "That... could be it. And Erest Rosen only knows, he is something like twice my age." Janda muses. "That reconciles a lot of things, actually. Thanks for the advice." She gives Crow a winning smile. "It is dearly appreciated!"
<AutumnCrow> "Of course," Crow smiled, glad that her keen insight into interpersonal relationships was sound despite a lack of personal experience.
<AutumnCrow> "We should probably catch up."
<@Torokasi> "We should, yes." Janda murmured, picking up the pace.
<@Torokasi> The two catch up to Solmyr, who nods relatively congenially to the two (or just to Crow, it's hard to tell). "We're making pretty good time. We should hit the edge of the Barrier just a bit after noon, if I recall right
<@Torokasi> ."
Autumn Crow nods, "I'll let you lead the way, navigation is not my strong suit. Just get behind me if anything hostile shows up."
<@Torokasi> "Understood." Solmyr grins, as the three keep hiking!

[Taishyr]

<Torokasi> --------------------------------------
<Torokasi> The end of the bridge approaches with only minor conversation between you three. The barracks at the end is familiar, as are the motley crew of guards staring with boredom through the shimmering light-pink edge of the Barrier. One nods slightly to you three as you approach. "You're the other group heading out as part of the final Kerebos test?"
Autumn Crow nods gracefully, "We are."
<Torokasi> "Understood." The guard, an incredibly freckled young man with tan skin and bright red hair, nods much more awkwardly. "The other group only just recently passed by. The current status of the Mist is somewhat heavier than the past two days, especially to the west." An awkward pause. "Have you all the experience using your Compasses?"
<Torokasi> Janda pauses. "We've been given them, but actually no experience with them."
Autumn Crow nods again, "I have not used it before, no." She takes the compass out and eyes it, wondering if the heavy mist means it will stop working right...
<Torokasi> "Right. Pull yours out, all of you, if you would?" The guard nods a bit more loosely. "The basic gist is thi-" As Crow pulls hers out, unwinding the string, it flashes gently before the crystal's pointed end swings toward the northwest. The guard looks openly disappointed. "Oh, they pretuned your three's. Well..."
<AutumnCrow> "Pretuned?" Crow fishes for an explanation with a half raised eyebrow.
<Torokasi> Janda and Solmyr pull theirs out, getting the same result. The guard looks disappointed for a second before visibly brightening up. "Well, if you don't know how to use it, I can at least explain how to use them to get back. Simply mentally focus on Verxais, a place you're very familiar with there, and the compasses will instead flip to that. But, uh, don't do that yet, since you've got them set up already."
Autumn Crow half flicks her eyes to Janda, somewhat expecting her compass to flip around...
<Torokasi> Then to Crow, "Yeah, means your test manager's on the ball and got them targeted to the right place anyway. To the ruins, yah?"
<AutumnCrow> "We're to gather herbs in yeek infested ruins, yes." Crow nods.
<Torokasi> Janda's stays the same, as does Solmyr's (which he's already begun wrapping up again). The guard exhales. "If it doesn't flip at first, focus harder - it can take some time to attune to a new direction. It depends on how strong your connection is to where you're thinking or the symbol you're thinking of."
<Torokasi> "Got it. Good luck and safe travels." The guard nods and steps back, walking over to another guard.
<AutumnCrow> "Alright, thank you." Crow puts her compass back up and gets ready to continue on.
<Torokasi> Solmyr nods. "I figure only one of us needs it out at once. ... damnit, wait, I make the most sense to do that, don't I." With that, he unpacks his again as Janda nods, putting hers away. "Indeed. Gives you something to do, doesn't it?"
<Torokasi> Solmyr just shoots her a glare and pulls his staff out from behind his back. "Let's roll."
<AutumnCrow> "I'd rather walk, thank you. Rolling long distances is for those of a more expansive physique," Crow deadpans.
<Torokasi> Solmyr bursts out laughing, while Janda looks confused for a moment before chuckling politely as the three move forward!
<Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 428 > [d999=428]
<Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 59 > [d999=59]
<Torokasi> The noonday sun quickly begins to while downward in the sky as the team makes good progress into the prairie... OOC: Roll Perception
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+0 lol perception
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=9]
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+0 lol Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=13]
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+11 hi Solmyr, he has perception
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=8]
<Torokasi> It's Solmyr that spots it first, closing in from the side slowly - a small pack of greyish-white beasts, about four or five in number.
<Torokasi> He glances to Crow and Janda after pointing them out. "Do we keep moving or do we stand our ground here?"
Autumn Crow looks towards them, "I can't tell from here, are they armed? Para said if they come without weapons in hand, we can probably avoid a fight."
<Torokasi> Solmyr looks back toward the group. "... Armed, I think. I see something in the hands of... at least two."
<AutumnCrow> OOC: what's the terrain like?
<Torokasi> OOC: Relatively flat. There isn't much in the way of cover around here.
<AutumnCrow> "Awfully bold of them, to approach us without any terrain advantage. I'll try telling them off, if they take a swing at me, we take them out." Crow looks around, "Nowhere here for more to be hiding, if we keep going we could get funneled into a bigger group."
Autumn Crow waits a second to see if the others object before moving towards what she presumes are yeeks to do just that.
<Torokasi> "Very well. I'll help direct the skirmish and give support." Janda confidently replies. "Solmyr, support Crow with your staff and spells, will you?"
<Torokasi> Solmyr nods. "Got it." With that, the three advance on the opposing group! OOC: More


<Torokasi> The three advance on the group, which halts and brandishes short, pointy sticks as they wait. There's five total, four with the spears and one holding... something? You can't quite tell what that is from here, but it looks pointy as well. That fifth yeek steps forward once you get within thirty feet, points that thing - a knife? - in your direction. "Yeek territory! Out!"
<AutumnCrow> "We're just looking for herbs," Crow replies calmly, "we do not want to fight, and are not going to hunt. We just want to gather herbs, that's all."
<Torokasi> "Herbs Yeeks! Animals Yeeks!" The yeek all but bellows, glaring at you three. "Out!"
<AutumnCrow> "We will leave as soon as we have the herbs we need. If yeeks attack us, we will fight back and we will win. If yeeks do not attack us, we will not attack yeeks." Crow continues, calmly but with a very hard edge to her voice that she hopes tells them she means business! (OOC: should I make any checks here?)
<Torokasi> OOC: You can try the better of diplo or intimidate here.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 intimidate
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=16]
Autumn Crow lazily fans herself with a battle fan while waiting for thier reply, doing her best to seem compltely unconcerned about the number difference.
<Torokasi> The yeek recoils back a bit, before eyeing his comrades. One actually visibly shrugs, his spear pulled back, but two of the other three seems to shake their spears more violently. Solmyr mutters, "God, I despise their telepathy." in a very low voice.
<Torokasi> The yeeks stare for a moment at you... before the leader turns and begins to try and sprint away, the other four lunging toward your team! OOC: Combat time. +3 to Init, Janda's support is in effect
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+5 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=3]
<AutumnCrow> "Kill the runner," Crow snaps at Solmyr before lunging in herself!
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+4 init
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 5 > [d20=1]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: make that 8, I didn't see the +3
<Torokasi> "Got it!" Solmyr nods. OOC: Janda's init is 10, I misread her mod
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+5 Solmyr
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=19]
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 special yeek
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=19]
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 normal yeek
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=16]
* Retrieving #mistgame modes...
* ChanServ sets mode: +qo Torokasi Torokasi
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr > Special Yeek > Normal Yeek > Janda > Crow'
<@Torokasi> OOC: What's your HP?
<AutumnCrow> OOC: 30 HP, AC 21
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (22) > Special Yeek > Normal Yeek > Janda (21) > Crow (30)'
<@Torokasi> Solmyr's voice practically goes from his affirmation to a quick recital, before his hand flings outward, two glowing arrows sparking from his hand and flying straight at the retreating Yeek!
<@Torokasi> roll 2d4+6 Magic Missile, spark'd
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 11 > [d4=3,2]
<@Torokasi> The first missile hits the Yeek, sending him spinning slightly in place, before the second basically skewers him, sending him flying a few feet away in the air, collapsing him. The other four Yeek continue their charge, however, two aiming at Crow and two at Solmyr!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+4 Crow 1
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=20]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+4 crit confirm, holy hell
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 16 > [d20=12]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+4 Crow 2
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=18]
<@Torokasi> roll 2d6+4
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 10 > [d6=4,2]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (22) > Special Yeek > Normal Yeek > Janda (21) > Crow (20/30)'
<@Torokasi> The two yeek manage to duck her defensive sweeps, one slashing out across her arm with the spear and the other slashing her leg! <More>
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+4 Solmyr 1
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=17]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+4 Solmyr 2
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=9]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d6+2
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 8 > [d6=6]
<@Torokasi> One of the yeeks charging Solmyr jabs wide and Solmyr manages to shove the spear away with his staff sling, but the second manages to jab his spear straight into his gut, causing a wide gash! Janda looks between the two quickly, before, "Clear these guys out fast, you two! Please!" With that, her small harp in her hands, she begins strumming a quick battle hymn. OOC: +1 to Attack/Damage rolls, morale. Go, Crow
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Can I step in and reach both of the ones that stabbed me? Planning to attack each one once
<@Torokasi> OOC: Short spear, so they're both in range w/out the five foot.
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (14/22) > Special Yeek (???) > Normal Yeek > Janda (21) > Crow (20/30)'
Autumn Crow hops very slightly into the air before twisting her body into a spiral decent, her twin fans veering down in a deadly slashing spin...while bursting into flame, "Ashen Dance!" (OOC: Burning Blade, attacking each yeek once)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 first yeek
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=2]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 second yeek
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=12]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Roll damage on the second.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d4+6+1d6+3
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 11 > [d4=1][d6=1]
<@Torokasi> The first yeek ducks quickly under her fans, but the second is not so lucky - one touch and it burns to ashes, howling! Solmyr pauses, looking at his two yeeks, before aiming at the one that hit him and sending a sparking ball of acid from his fingers to its face!
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (14/22) > Special Yeek (???) > Normal Yeek (3/4 left) > Janda (21) > Crow (20/30)'
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+3 ranged touch roll
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 5 > [d20=2]
<@Torokasi> But the orb manages to careen wildly off past his face! The three yeeks look at each other, before one on Solmyr steps to his side and attacks Janda, while the previous two stay on target!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Crow
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=7]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Solmyr
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=6]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 3 > [d20=1]
<@Torokasi> The first two easily miss, Crow's fan knocking the spear away while Solmyr's misses out of raw ineptitude. Given the chance, Solmyr quickly flicks at Janda's assailant and knocks his spear away before he even swings! Janda maintains her song, stepping back from the yeek... OOC: Crow.
Autumn Crow disengages from the yeek attacking her, sliding over to the one trying to stab Janda with an acrobatic twist while bringing one fan around in a strange combination of slash...then snap shut and thrust. (OOC: tumble towards Janda's yeek, Sapphire Nightmare Blade)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+9 tumble
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=5]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: That should be 3 higher, forgot motivate dex
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 concentration check DC of Yeek's AC
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=7]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Hit.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 fan slash vs flatfooted AC
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=1]
<@Torokasi> The yeek seems alarmed, but at the last second manages to interpose his spear, bouncing away the fan firmly!
<@Torokasi> Solmyr growls, before launching a second orb at the one still attacking him!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+3 ranged touch roll
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=4]
<@Torokasi> That one ricochets off the spear and goes flying off into the distance. The three yeek growl, before attempting to assault the three again!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Crow
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 5 > [d20=3]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Solmyr
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=15]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=13]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d6+2 Solmyr
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 4 > [d6=2]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d6 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 1 > [d6=1]
<@Torokasi> The spear aimed at Crow is deftly knocked aside, and the one aimed at Janda just manages to nick her hand, but the one toward Solmyr gashes his face, causing him to grunt in pain. "Okay, Janda, any time now?"
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (10/22) > Special Yeek (???) > Normal Yeek (3/4 left) > Janda (20/21) > Crow (20/30)'
<@Torokasi> Janda nods slightly. "Alright." With that, she briefly steps around the Yeek attacking her, stopping her strumming to grab Solmyr's shoulder!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d8+3 heal
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 11 > [d8=8]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (21/22) > Special Yeek (???) > Normal Yeek (3/4 left) > Janda (20/21) > Crow (20/30)'
<@Torokasi> Solmyr yelps slightly at Janda's touch. "Hey, hey, could you like avoid digging your nails that far into my skin please?" OOC: Crow
Autumn Crow growls at the surprisingly evasive yeeks, guiltity pleased that Solmyr was having no better luck hitting them than she was, before once again tumbling over to slash apart the one attacking the mage. (OOC: Tumble, then wolf fang strike)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+12 tumble
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=6]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 first attack
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=7]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 second attack
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=1]
<@Torokasi> OOC: I'm so sorry.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: add 2 to those attacks if I could get flanking
<@Torokasi> OOC: Actually, yeah, Solmyr's there and has his staff. First hits.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d4+6
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 9 > [d4=3]
<@Torokasi> The yeek's spear is far too slow, and Autumn Crow's fan slashes open, neatly disembowling it! Solmyr mutters before... simply attempting to slam the yeek attacking Janda with the blunt end of his staff.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+3
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=5]
<@Torokasi> But the thrust goes above the yeek's head! The one that had been pestering Crow reapproaches and attacks, while the one near Solmyr and Janda goes for the bard, both spears lunging outward!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Crow
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=13]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 4 > [d20=2]
<@Torokasi> But neither spear hits home! Janda looks between Crow and Solmyr before withdrawing a safe distance... OOC: Crow.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Flanking is possible on the one that attacked Janda.
Autumn Crow suddenly reverses her course, spinning on the one that has been attacking her(and she's been ignoring), bringing her fans across in a scissor strike aimed at the yeek's neck.(OOC: Full attack on the one I already threaten, I'll gamble on two rolls instead of one higher roll, thanks. The inevitable 1 will miss regardless)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 first fan
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=16]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 second fan
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=5]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d4+6 slashy slashy
<@Torokasi> OOC: Roll damage for first.
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 10 > [d4=4]
<@Torokasi> The fans neatly slash the yeek apart, collapsing him on the spot. Solmyr whirls his staff again before thrusting the blunt end at the final opponent!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+3
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=15]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d6+2
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 3 > [d6=1]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (21/22) > Special Yeek (???) > Normal Yeek (1, 4/7 HP)> Janda (20/21) > Crow (20/30)'
<@Torokasi> It gets whacked on the head and wobbles...
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 1 > [d20=1]
<@Torokasi> ... before falling on its knees, weeping, its spear falling beside it. OOC: Combat over.


<@Torokasi> Janda moves to heal Crow, while Solmyr snorts. "Goddamn, that was aggravating."
<@Torokasi> roll 1d8+3 CLW
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 7 > [d8=4]
Autumn Crow puts her fans away...then bodily hauls the weeping yeek off the ground, "Now LISTEN. I do not enjoy killing. If I let you life, are more of you little shits going to come after us?"
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 intimidate
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=15]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Solmyr (21/22), Janda (20/21), Crow (27/30)'
<@Torokasi> The yeek basically howls in her hands, its entire body tremoring. "It wasn't my idea, ma'am, it truly wasn't! 'twas Lygrasp and Ildmen. I'll try to tell people to stay away, I will!"
<@Torokasi> On closer examination, this actually seems to be the one that had shrugged before the fight started - its hair is more mottled grey and its huge eyes are a dark, soft green
Autumn Crow drops the yeek, "I'll believe you. But be warned, I have many siblings, and I am the youngest and weakest of us." She paused a moment to let that sink in considering how easily she cut three of them apart, "If more yeeks attack us...I will escape. I will find my brothers, and we will come hunting yeeks." (OOC: do I need to roll bluff?)
<@Torokasi> Janda boggles. "Wait, you're talking much more intelligently than the other one." she says to the yeek.
<@Torokasi> OOC: No, the intimidate's good enough here.
<@Torokasi> The yeek nods frantically. "Yes, understood, comprehended!" With that, he scurries over to the yeek that attempted to escape, looking him over.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr frowns. "Wait, is that one still alive?"
<AutumnCrow> "If it is....I doubt it will have the gall to come back. And healing a wound like that will take days without magic." Crow shrugs, "We'll be long gone by then."
<@Torokasi> "Right. Well... let's go, then." Solmyr nods. Janda hesitates, just a moment, before walking over to the Yeek and bending over him and his fallen comrade, looking carefully.
<AutumnCrow> "Para said that what one of them knows, all of them know. I'm hoping we can turn that to our advantage with some intimidation tactics," she explains quietly, "it's...I'd rather gamble on that then just kill them. I enjoy fighting, killing not so much."
<@Torokasi> The yeek looks up, startled. "What is it?" he mutters, as Janda reaches down to the other Yeek... and a very small spark of divine energy passes between the two. "And- and as vicious as we are, we can be benev-benevo- kind, too. Remember that, as well." Janda stutters.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+8 diplo
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=12]
<@Torokasi> The yeek widens its eyes and nods as his comrade begins to stir! "Thank you, thank you!" he cries joyfully as Janda quickly catches up to Crow and Solmyr. "Carrot and stick." she murmurs softly, looking to Crow. "I hope that's acceptable?"
Autumn Crow is trying not to smile while the yeek is still looking, but as soon as he turns away she grins at Janda, "Thanks. I was trying to do that with the whole 'sparing it' thing, but...well, I'm not so good at being the carrot. Just the stick."
<@Torokasi> "Hehe... well, hopefully this works!" Janda smiles as the three leave.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr chuckles. "And left alive are the two I hit. I guess I can't complain if it means possible easy travels ahead, though."
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 357 > [d999=357]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 658 > [d999=658]
<@Torokasi> The three continue onward as the sun continues to set; Solmyr at one point notes a patrol in the distance, but it retreats soon after it's spotted. Eventually, on the horizon... a sets of rocks and stones can be seen, multiple rising upward into the red sky.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 121 > [d999=121]
<@Torokasi> Solmyr's compass begins twitching in the direction of the rocks faint on the horizon, causing Solmyr to nod. "This must be it, then. We're nearing the end of the day; should we camp here or in the ruins?"
<AutumnCrow> "I..." Crow hesitated, "I do not have experience camping out much. We had some trips to do this sort of thing in the Temple, but I wasn't making the decisions. Just learning how to make camp, clear space, keep watch, that sort of thing. My instinct says the ruins, but if you have a better idea I'm willing to go with it."
<@Torokasi> "I'd vote here. We're within pretty easy distance of the ruins, and it's possible they might be inhabited. I'd rather not risk whatever's in there attacking us during the night, myself." Solmyr replies, after a moment of thought. "Unless you want to try clearing it out tonight?"
<@Torokasi> Janda brushes herself off a bit. "I... don't mind much either way. We can clear the ruins out to the best of our ability now, or do it in the morning. I'm fine on resources..."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr grunts. "I'm not so much, but I can fake it if necessary."
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm," she idly considers it, "lets press on, then. If it seems like a bad idea, we can always retreat to open area."
<@Torokasi> "Right. Let's go, then." Solmyr nods as the three advance... OOC: Notice, again
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+11 Solmyr
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=7]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+0 lol
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+0 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=9]
<@Torokasi> About halfway to the ruins, Solmyr raises his hand. "I'm seeing activity amongst the rocks. A fair bit. Not sure how many, though..."
<AutumnCrow> "Lets observe a bit more, since you're the one with the good eyes you can call if we retreat or not."
<@Torokasi> After a moment, "...five? Six?" He snorts, before nodding. "Okay. Let's move off to the right - they're moving around some of these rocks and I'm not tracking the number that well."
Autumn Crow nods and moves where Solmyr suggests, doing her best to keep between the casters and the ruins.
<@Torokasi> OOC: roll stealth, +5 mod
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 untrained stealth
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=19]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+5 untrained is fine
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=10]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: -1 due to ACP, forgot that
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=18]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 2 > [d20=2]
<@Torokasi> The group moves a fair bit closer and to their right before Solmyr stops, watching. "Seven. Three are farther in, however; we may be able to surprise them. They look like they're dancing around... something."
<@Torokasi> After a moment, "The three further in just moved back. None of them are even looking this way. Let's do this?"
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm. Doesn't sound like it's an ambush. I don't want to attack unprovoked. Think we can sneak in, gather the herbs and get out?"
<@Torokasi> "I..." Solmyr hesitates. "I don't think so, no, unless we want to try climbing up on the rocks and around. We won't be able to see them in the dark without making lights to make us huge targets, and it's possible they may have ranged attacks to pick us off with if we try. We're either going to have to attack first or make ourselves known and risk them warning the rest."
<@Torokasi> Janda pauses. "I can climb this, Solmyr. Is that why you're hesitating?"
<AutumnCrow> "Lets call this...ah, what's the word..." Crow thinks, "recon? Is that it? And retreat until morning rather then start a fight where we're outnumbered over two to one without everyone full on resources."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr looks to her. "No, it's - look, I'm not sure I can climb this stuff, and I grew up in Sumotah'l." Then, to Crow. "Alright. We'll see what morning brings - maybe they'll have moved on by then."
<@Torokasi> Janda nods. "Yeah. Seven on three without full resources... if we can do it it'll be you bearing the lion's share, Crow. Let's pull back, then."
Autumn Crow nods, and starts sneaking back to the place Solmyr suggested camping!
<@Torokasi> The trio pull back to a safe range, making sure nothing followed before Solmyr quickly clears an area out and down. "Should we set a fire? I think our sleeping bags will be enough, but..."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, we're going to need a fire for me to cook," Crow points out.
<@Torokasi> "Oh. Right." Solmyr looks temporarily embarrassed, before gathering kindling for a fire as Janda kneels. "Woof. The mist's getting to me a bit, I think..."
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Okay, I'm unclear on whether that was Solmyr or Janda saying that. You do alot of "both of them speak in the same line" thing
<@Torokasi> OOC: Right, sorry. That was Janda.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods slightly. "Yeah, the Mist can take it out of you. You've traveled through it before, right, Crow?"
Autumn Crow shrugs, "I seem fine so far. If you need to rest, I can handle getting the firepit ready on my own?"
<AutumnCrow> "A bit, yes. Those training trips I mentioned, mostly. The Temple itself is protected from it by our own barrier."
<@Torokasi> "Gotcha. Yeah, can imagine anyone's living outside of a Barrier anymore except for creatures of the Mist." Solmyr nods. "And nah, I can help with setting up the firepit."
<@Torokasi> Janda simply sits and closes her eyes for a moment. "I'd play, but... no good drawing attention. So yes, I'll just rest. My apologies for disappointing, Crow..."
<AutumnCrow> "You, ah, gathered that firewood much faster then I expected," Crow is a bit embarrased, "I hadn't realized you already got back when I said that."
<AutumnCrow> "That's fine. From what I do know, mist fatigue can get to anyone."
<@Torokasi> "It's... not quite firewood. Not much wood around here, sadly - just good dry straw and grass." Solmyr says, about as embarrassed. "Pretty easy to collect, though."
Autumn Crow nods and helps get the firepit cleared out, then starts to prep dinner while Solmyr gets the fire going.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr and Crow quickly work, Solmyr getting the fire up relatively quickly as Crow's dinner preparation continues. After a little bit, Janda yawns, before, "So what order should we do shifts in?"
<AutumnCrow> "Well, don't you two need uninterupted sleep being casters?" Crow asks, "If you do, that leaves me on second watch. Sleeping in snippits is nothing I'm not used to, mind."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr looks up. "I can take first shift. You should probably sleep and take the final one, Janda." Then, to Crow, "More or less, yeah. Thanks."
Autumn Crow deftly peels potatoes, then dices both those and the onion to toss in to the pan over the fire, along with the herbs. Once they're nice and cooked up, she adds the eggs, scrambling them up to make a very basic but filling hash~
<AutumnCrow> OOC: taking 10 on cook, for a 20(minus whatever penalties campfire cookery gives)
<@Torokasi> Janda seems to perk up a bit as the smells get better. "This all smells really good, Crow... Did your family teach you to cook, as well?"
<AutumnCrow> "Haha, not really. This is my hobby, we are allowed some leisure time," Crow practically beams at the compliment. "My father suggested it, saying a woman should know how to cook." She pauses, "...he made the mistake of saying that in mother's earshot though."
<@Torokasi> "Oh dear. Did she take offense?" Janda says, lifting a hand to her mouth.
<AutumnCrow> "The worst kind." Crow deadpanned, pausing again for effect, "she insisted on cooking him something."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr snorted. "Oh dear. The sort of cooking to knock someone out?"
<AutumnCrow> "Indeed. In one meal, Autumn Dragon managed what many fearsome monsters of the mist could not," Crow was having way too much fun, "bringing the mighty Wild Goose to retreat for fear of his life."
<@Torokasi> Janda fails to choke back her laugh, but Solmyr doesn't even bother to hold back.
<@Torokasi> After a few seconds, Solmyr looks up. "Sounds like your dad's a bit more laid back, then?"
<AutumnCrow> "Very much." Crow agrees, "but he's not the one with all the responsibilities. Even now, he is free to leave or wander if he wants. If big monsters show up nearby, he's usually the one that goes and hits them with things until they stop being problems. Mother has to train the next generation, especially me, and present the air of the High Lady, she is the face of the temple."
<AutumnCrow> "Father is just a simple wandering barbarian, to use one of his own quotes."
<AutumnCrow> "He just so happens to have not wandered anywhere for awhile."
<@Torokasi> "Gotcha." Solmyr nods. "Makes sense."
Autumn Crow plates the hash once it's done, "Enjoy~"
<@Torokasi> Janda nods slightly. "Indeed. Oh, my, thank you!"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr takes his and digs in immediately. "Wow, this is good. Definitely a far superior option to trail rations for sure..."
<AutumnCrow> "Of course." Crow responds matter-of-factly, "Cooking, Martial Arts and Dancing are my three joys, and I endevour to be equally skilled at all of them."
<@Torokasi> Janda looks up at this. "Dancing? You're a dancer, too??"
<AutumnCrow> "The heir of the High Lady has to be," Crow nods, "the family arts, taught only to the chosen heir, apparently require mastery of dance as well as combat."
<@Torokasi> "Incredible... I'd love to see you dance sometime." Janda says. "Honestly, when I came into the room this morning, I first thought you were a dancer! To be skilled at all of this..." Janda says, admiringly.
<AutumnCrow> "Well, those skills do come with a price," Crow shrugged, "This is the closest I've come yet to anything that might be called a 'social life'."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr makes something of a weird sound. "Well, hopefully we'll be able to do well with that."
<AutumnCrow> "I'm having fun so far!"
<@Torokasi> Janda shoots him a bit of a look, before smiling cheerfully. "Good! Let's keep this up! Oh, and there's a singer too back in the Guild I'm friends with - we should all meet up sometime!"
<@Torokasi> After this, she yawns. "But... that's once we get back. I'm going to drop off, now, I think... Keep a good eye out, Solmyr."
<@Torokasi> "Yeah sure thanks." Solmyr deadpans. "You sleep well too."
<AutumnCrow> "We should. I'd love to actually put on a performance for someone that I didn't grow up with."
<@Torokasi> Janda nods again to Crow. "Yeah! It'd be fun..."
<@Torokasi> And near immediately, she's out like a light.
Autumn Crow quietly cleans up the dinner dishes, then nods to Solmyr, "Alright, feel free to wake me if you need to sleep early. I'm used to light sleep."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr sighs, before putting his plate down. "Thank you again for dinner. It was excellent. And... I will, but I'm actually doing alright. Took a nap while waiting for Janda this morning."
<AutumnCrow> "Fair enough." Crow unwinds her sash and leaves it losely coiled up near her sleeping bag, then slips inside and settles in to sleep, "Good night. And if you have to call an alarm, do NOT stand by my head, I'll shoot out of this like a crossbow bolt."
<@Torokasi> "Understood." Solmyr chuckles softly.
<@Torokasi> "Sleep well." he adds after a moment, before standing up and looking back toward the ruins...
<AutumnCrow> "You too," Crow drifts off to sleep~
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+11
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=7]
<@Torokasi> Solmyr gently wakes Crow, before going to rest himself, after reporting no activity... OOC: Roll Notice.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+0 lolnotice
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=7]
<@Torokasi> Crow doesn't seem to notice or see anything in the inky black mist out of the ordinary...
Autumn Crow casts her eyes about here and there, relying more on her ears in the darkness.
Autumn Crow wakes Janda up for her watch by gently shaking her shoulder, if nothing happens before it's time.
<@Torokasi> The only real sound is the crackling of the fire, as Janda slowly stirs. "Mother...? No... Crow... hello, Crow. My shift?"
<AutumnCrow> "Unfortunately I do need at least some sleep, so yes." Crow whispers, "I'll stay up until you're actually awake, then I'll go crash for nap number two."
<@Torokasi> "Got it... thanks." All things considered, she gets herself up relatively fast so Crow can crash, even if she seems a bit drowsy still.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+0 lolnotice
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=7]


<@Torokasi> It's dawn and Crow's already beginning to wake up... when she hears a muffled shriek, before "No don't get up sorry didn't mean t-EEEK GET OFF ME YOU STUPID MOUSE!"
<AutumnCrow> Instinct kicked in and Crow was halfway out of her sleeping bag before it registered that this was not an actual emergency. She finishes getting out and secures her robe on firmly in case it came a bit loose in her attempt to bolt awake before looking to see what the hell was happening.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr also had quickly rolled out of his sleeping bag, and was looking at Janda... attempting to shake off a rat that had crawled onto her. After a few further seconds of flailing, the rat goes flying off a decent ways, and Janda slumps a bit. "I'm sorry, everyone..."
<@Torokasi> OOC: Also: MIST SAVES. Fort check, DC 13.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+5 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=3]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+5 Solmyr
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=9]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 crowfort
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=5]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Janda and Crow get -1 to attack, damage, saves, skill and ability checks thanks to failing the Mist check.
<@Torokasi> Janda just whimpers a bit after shaking the rat off. "And I think the Mist is getting to me... I'm feeling achy and sort of sick. Let's do this and get home."
Autumn Crow shakes her head at the flying rat, "Bold for a mouse." Then she does her stretches and an abbrieviated verson of her morning routine(only taking a few minutes) while the others break camp.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr smiles sympathetically. "Yeah, it's rough, and this is your first time out in it, right, Janda?" he comments as he packs up, dousing the fire.
<@Torokasi> "Alright. We don't have far to go to get into the ruins. We can just quick get in, get enough herbs to fill up and go." he says once finished. "
<@Torokasi> "Let's do this and hustle home."
<AutumnCrow> "Indeed." Crow nods, hefting her pack, "back before sunset."
<@Torokasi> "Indeed." Janda murmurs. "And to a hot bath once this is all done." With that, the three advance, keeping an eye on the ruins...
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 396 > [d999=396]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Roll notice
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+11 solmyr
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=11]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+0 lolnotice
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=8]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+0 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=10]
<@Torokasi> It takes until you're only a few hundred feet away before Solmyr stops this time. "I'm... not actually seeing anything." he replies, worry edging his voice.
<AutumnCrow> "Maybe they sleep in the mornings?" Crow suggests.
<@Torokasi> "Oh? You went blind? I suppose the old wives' tales are true~" Janda chortles, earning a dirty look from Solmyr.
<AutumnCrow> "I...don't get it."
<@Torokasi> "Not that sort of not seeing anything. They may be sleeping, yes... Let's be quiet." Solmyr replies, before glancing to Crow. "Just don'
<@Torokasi> "Just don't worry about it right now."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr exhales, quietly. "Okay. Let's try sneaking in and gathering the herbs, and leaving. I think that's our safest bet right now."
<AutumnCrow> "Oooookay," Crow shrugs, then nods about the keeping quiet part and proceeds to do just that. While looking for thier target herb, of course.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Stealth checks.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Motivate Dex help on this?
<@Torokasi> OOC: ... yes, it would. herp. +3 to it.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 untrained sneaky
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=15]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+11 this is a sneaking solmyr.
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=16]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+3
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=14]
<@Torokasi> OOC: -1 for Solmyr due to ACP, but everyone passes so meh
<@Torokasi> The trio sneak their way into the ruins. The stone, visible from the outside, seems to have been the exterior wall of what looks to have been one very large building. The building's deteriorated into uselessness, however, with the ceiling littered with holes and the walls crumbling. With Crow in the front, the groups enters... <More>
<@Torokasi> ...and sees a dark blue plant, with wide, droopy umbrella-like leaves, just a little ways in front of them. There's no signs of any Yeek in here. Solmyr gestures quietly, regardless. "This is the type of plant we want, right?"
<AutumnCrow> "Yep~" Crow affirms quietly but happily. "Let's gently dig out even the root and get it into the pouch."
<@Torokasi> "Got it. You two keep an eye out, I'll dig it up." Solmyr walks over to the plant, gently tugs as he prepares a small knife for digging it up... and blinks as the entire thing borderline seamlessly comes out of the ground on his tug, roots and all. "Uh. That was easy?"
<AutumnCrow> "...or that, sure." Crow hands him the pouch.
<@Torokasi> "Weak roots, I guess. Uh, so no need for us to worry about digging. Just pull, they're loosely rooted." He knocks some of the dirt out of the roots before taking the bag and loading the plant in. "Let's keep going in. Crow, lead the way?"
<AutumnCrow> If there is a second one around, Crow harvests some leaves for her own use but does not touch the root.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Oh, we'll need mor ethen one. Scratch that line
Autumn Crow nods and leads the way in
<@Torokasi> OOC: Yeah. The bag can hold about five, from the looks of it.
<@Torokasi> The group steps through the opening in the wall, and is a decent way through the next room - some sort of T-intersection - when Solmyr freezes, raising a hand before gesturing down the end of the long part of the T. Three Yeek lie there, and near them, in the corner, is a second safena plant. Solmyr grimaces, before pointing to the other side of the room from you, where another hole in the wall is, this one a bit smaller.
<@Torokasi> He then looks at Crow, waiting for input.
Autumn Crow looks at him, then shrugs, and tries to mime herself sneaking quietly down to get the safena while he covers her? She hopes she can get that across with hand motions.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr hesitates, before looking to Janda, then back to Crow. After a moment, he mimes himself trying to sneak down there.
<@Torokasi> Janda... for her part looks sort of confused.
Autumn Crow shrugs and nods, willing to let him if he wants.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods quietly, before quietly moving down the hallway, attempting to not wake the yeeks...
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=16]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+4 haha no need
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 9 > [d20=5]
<@Torokasi> Solmyr successfully reaches the end of the hallway, and lifts the plant gently out of the soil before quietly returning, placing it in the bag once he's far enough away. That done, he gestures to the nearby exit.
Autumn Crow nods and quietly follows!
<@Torokasi> The trio enter the next room, which is another simple box, much like the first. Wooden splinters litter this room, and there's some Safena in a shaded corner. There doesn't seem to be any threats offhand.
Autumn Crow plucks and bags the safena!
<@Torokasi> Janda says, quietly, as Crow harvests the plant, "So that's three. We need two more, I'd guess?"
Autumn Crow eyes the spot on the ground.
<AutumnCrow> "While it seems safe here," she opens the bag and sees if she can figure out whatever a seed is for this plant.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Roll Prf: Cook, -4 on the check.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 cookery maybe
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=20]
<@Torokasi> Crow's mind flashes back to when the merchant brought some to the Temple. Amongst his other notes on the plant, he had mentioned that it reproduced by animals eating it; the plant's "seeds" were inside almost any part of it, and would grow when excreted after being chewed. ...Crushing a bit up and replanting it might do the trick, too?
Autumn Crow tears off a bit of leaf, crushes it up and puts it back in the ground.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr blinks. "Ritual offering?"
<AutumnCrow> "No, the seeds are inside the whole plant. I'm making sure more grow."
<@Torokasi> "Oh! That's reasonable." Janda nods. Solmyr nods, before looking around again.
<@Torokasi> After a moment, he gestures to an outside wall.
Autumn Crow nods and leads the way.
<@Torokasi> "I think we're gonna need to slip through that crack there and find another way in on that side." he says, before following Crow!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+11 re-roll notice checks, please
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=10]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+0 lolnotice
<Serith> AutumnCrow roll for Serith < 12 > [d20=12]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+0 Janda
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=19]
<@Torokasi> The group loops outside, following the wall quickly until another hole presents itself. As the group looks in, it's Janda that points out another Safena plant, in the middle of the T-intersection room. There's also one yeek, sitting alone, facing toward the interior of the building. Its hair is shaggy and mottled, and it doesn't seem to have noticed you yet.
Autumn Crow looks to Solmyr, then eyes the yeek. (OOC: Does it look like someone might be able to get the safena wityhout the yeek seeing?)
<@Torokasi> OOC: He's facing away from the plant and all of you, a decent ways down the T. He's about twenty feet from the safena.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr inhales, before gesturing to himself again.
Autumn Crow nods, but is ready to pounce on the yeek to deliver a knockout blow if it spooks.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr creeps in, and gently harvests the safena... and then the yeek stands. It doesn't seem to have a weapon in hand as it looks toward you, but its eyes seem... very deep. Near endless, even, and bright red.
<AutumnCrow> "We're not here to fight," Crow raises her empty hands, "Just gathering safena roots. Replanting when we take some as well. May we continue going about this?" She has no idea what the red eyes mean, but hopes it doesn't mean violence.
<@Torokasi> It looks at the three of you, calmly, before, "Thieves of life, but not of my kin. It means nothing to kill us, and yet you abstain." Its voice is deep, and it chooses each word very carefully.
<@Torokasi> Janda gently steps in as Solmyr steps back, both brows creased with concern. "She said we're replanting, dude. ...lady. ...uh." Solmyr mutters.
<AutumnCrow> "You...talk, you can communicate with us. In my view, that makes you people, not monsters. And I don't like killing people. I will if I have to, but I prefer not to."
<@Torokasi> "... we are not people. We are Yeek. Where one lives, all live, even if one dies. To die is release from the body. We return to the Divine, and the Divine calls us here. Your kind refuse the Divine. Refuse it life." The yeek's voice is still calm, despite the strange words. After a moment, "You desire the blue sorrow. Take what you need. More always grows in the Divine, and the Divine will continue to give more until you accept it."
Session Time: Fri Mar 28 00:00:01 2014
<AutumnCrow> "Ah...well, thank you. I think. We'll continue doing that." Crow nods to Solmyr, "Tear a piece off, crush it up and put it back in the ground, then onto the next?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods and does so. The yeek watches, before, "We will not attack you. Gather what you wish and go. But others will not remember. The Divine has liberated us of memory. Do not fear to kill. Do not fear to talk. Do not fear the Divine."
<@Torokasi> Janda, at this point, pipes up. "Um. The... divine? What are you talking about there, if I may ask?"
Autumn Crow is curious as well, but willing to let the doubtlessly more educated Janda ask the questions
<@Torokasi> The yeek looks at her, calmly. "The Divine is what you breathe. It is what is around us, now and forever. It will embrace even those who would refuse it, so great is its generosity. Indeed, it seeks to have your kind accept it, even now."
<@Torokasi> At this, Janda balks. "You- you mean this Mist? How could this ever be divine to you?!"
<AutumnCrow> Crow puts a hand on Janda's shoulder, "They don't seem like they'll attack us. Let's leave it at that and finish the mission, okay?"
<@Torokasi> The yeek simply raises an eyebrow. "You refuse it, for you are not part of it. Were you, you would understand. This is the fulfillment of the Truth, of the Way. Regardless. We will not fight you. You have not chosen to fight us. Others may not remember. Others may not know. If they kill you, you will come to understand. If you kill them, they will return to the Divine. Go, now."
<@Torokasi> With that, he sits back down, closing his eyes. Solmyr pauses. "All in all I like this peacable approach. Let's search through the ruins for the remaining safena we need, alright?
<AutumnCrow> "Works for me."
<@Torokasi> Janda looks like she has volumes more to say, but waits until they've moved on to the next block, with nothing in it but the way to the next T room. "Please tell me you don't buy into his accursed, vile, pathetic nonsense, Crow." she all but snarls when they're out of earshot.
<AutumnCrow> "Why exactly," Crow responds in a near icy tone as she's a bit surprised by the sudden venom, "would you jump to that conclusion instead of the far more sensible idea that fighting is not the best idea when we're in a building full of who knows how many of them and I was simply taking the prudent course of not starting a fight after we had managed to avoid one."
<@Torokasi> "I'm not objecting to that! Fine, we don't fight them - he almost made it sound like they'd prefer it, so why give them what they want!" Janda replies, hotly. "But- I- to hear him LIE like that is simply- to hear-"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr puts a hand on Crow's shoulder. "She's not mad at you, in other words. But she is a servant of the Weeping Lady, and... ah..." he says to Crow before rubbing his head. "To say they have a very dim view of the Mist is putting it lightly."
<AutumnCrow> "Yes, it was a bunch of lies." Crow nods, "I know you're big into the Weeping Lady, and I don't know much about her other then she hates the mist, but here's what I do know..." she pauses, with a nod to Solmyr
<AutumnCrow> "What I do know, is that one outside? That one CARED about his ally. He cried. He was grateful when you healed him."
<AutumnCrow> "That is NOT the mark of something that 'doesn't matter if they die'."
<@Torokasi> "... Yes. I can't explain that." Janda says quietly after a moment. "As I said, not fighting them is fine with me. That red-eyed one... just set me off. Sorry, Crow."
<AutumnCrow> "You seem to be easy to set off," Crow observes.
<@Torokasi> "I am nnnnnmaybe a little." Janda's voice trails off as Solmyr turns away, seeming to stifle a snort.
<AutumnCrow> "Lets get the last one and get out of here."
<@Torokasi> "Alright." Janda agrees quietly. Solmyr heads into the next T-junction, not worrying too much about stealth as he moves. OOC: Just going to explore for the final one?
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Yeah, seems we have a truce going on
<@Torokasi> The group takes up speed over stealth, but can't seem to find any more of the plants for it (one yeek in the northeast corner room seems to be chewing on one as his breakfast, a bit too far in to consider trading him for it) until you find a way into the central room in the final, eastern T. Inside are four safena plants in the southwest corner of the small, dusty, boxy room, as well as a staircase in the northwest corner, with three yeeks sitting near it, one whose legs are dangling out over it as it heads downward.
<@Torokasi> All three yeeks look your way, glance at each other, then go back to sitting around.
<AutumnCrow> Crow simply walks up, plucks one(and only one), puts it in the bag after shaking the dirt off and replanting a piece, and turns to leave.
<@Torokasi> Janda's attention is fixed on the wall, studying a symbol on it. Solmyr's looking at it, too - it seems to be a highly symbolized version of the heads of three dogs, in a triangular formation, looking out.
<AutumnCrow> "Something interesting?"
<@Torokasi> One of the yeeks pipes up, "That been there many many moons. As far back as memory. Not sure what is."
<@Torokasi> Janda tilts his head. "The Guild uses a symbol... somewhat similar? Much more fancy than this."
<AutumnCrow> "Copy if down if you want....and if you brought paper, I suppose."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr whips out a set and quickly sketches it. "Poor likeness, but it'll do. I agree with Janda, though; it looks like Guild markings." After a bit, he looks to Autumn. "We've our five, right? Then let's head back."
<AutumnCrow> "Yup. Let's go."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods, and the three head out of the complex... OOC: I'm going to roll encounters to see what, if anything, pops up on the way back. Moment.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 808 > [d999=808]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 121 > [d999=121]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 563 > [d999=563]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
<Serith> Torokasi roll for Serith < 526 > [d999=526]
<@Torokasi> OOC: There's going to be one encounter en route back. Start there next time, if that's alright?
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Sure
<@Torokasi> OOC: Alright.
<@Torokasi> ------------------------------------------------------------

[Taishyr]

<@Torokasi> The group leaves the ruined building, the bag of safena bulging slightly as Solmyr ties it to his knapsack. Janda's forehead is still furrowed slightly as Solmyr remarks, "So, Crow, you're the only child?"
<AutumnCrow> "Only daughter," Crow corrects, "I'm surprised I haven't mentioned any of my brothers yet. I have...well, had, eight older brothers. Two died some time ago, two left the temple and I'm hoping to find word of them in the city. The others still serve at the temple in some fashion or another."
<AutumnCrow> "However, the leader of the temple is the High *Lady*," she emphasizes the gender term, "so that makes me the Hier Presumptive, despite being the youngest."
<@Torokasi> "Ah." Solmyr nods slightly. "Not a common setup, but it must work for all of you."
<@Torokasi> "Are you trying to presume that women are not capable of leadership, Solmyr...?" Janda says, slightly peevishly.
<AutumnCrow> "The secret skills of the temple are supposedly only usable by the bloodline of Autumn Storm, the founder of the temple, and only by her female decendants at that."
<@Torokasi> "No." Solmyr shakes his head. "It's just unusual for positions of power to be gender specific - only one I've run into is a male-focused one in Sumotah'l, amongst healers." At Crow's comment, he nods. "That makes sense, then."
Autumn Crow eyes Janda, as that didn't sound like what Solmyr was saying at ALL to her.
<@Torokasi> Janda looks at Solmyr for a second, before nodding. "Right, sorry."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr shrugs. "Whatever. It's not a major deal to me."
<AutumnCrow> "Granted, I don't know...well, ANYTHING about the secret artes. My mother has never used them in front of me. Not that she needs them, her martial discipline is enough for almost anything." Crow shrugs, "shatter a boulder with one strike, rip a beast's head off with her scarf, the saying goes that Autumn Dragon 'needs no second strike'."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr's eyes widen a bit at this, and Janda looks quite thrilled. It's Solmyr who first replies, "Damn. Heavy shoes to fill, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to seeing you do that someday."
<AutumnCrow> "Doubtful I ever will," Crow shakes her head, then gestures to her lithe frame, "mother is an unholy combination of power and speed. I'm all speed and precision, boulder shattering and monster ripping is not likely in my future. Making twelve strikes in the time it takes my opponent to make one, however, is the sort of artes I aspire to."
<@Torokasi> Janda smiles at this. "Elegant dismantling? I can get behind that!"
<AutumnCrow> Snapping her fan open with a flourish, Crow lazily fans herself as they walk, "I do strive for at least a modicrum of elegance in everything that I do."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr and Janda's mouths open simultaneously, before the two shoot each other a dirty look and snap their jaws shut. Again, Solmyr recovers first, "I wish you well on that. We may be able to make it back before nightfall - let's press on?"
Autumn Crow completely missed the silent exchange between her companions, simply agreeing with the spoken sentiment, "Yes, let's. I could use a bath, and I did only bring enough food to cook that one campfire meal."
<@Torokasi> "I can try to forage up some tubers as we go. Shouldn't be too hard as we move, but it won't be as good as what the Cities have." Solmyr notes as the three press onward.
[17:04] -eraniss.tx.us.lunarnet.org:@#mistgame- Torokasi invited Hatbot into the channel.
* Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-68-203-15-105.austin.res.rr.com) has joined #mistgame
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999 need one more roll, forgot something last time
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d999 need one more roll, forgot something last time and gets 339." [1d999=339]
<@Torokasi> Solmyr unwinds his compass after a moment, pausing. After a few seconds, the crystal flashes and swings to point away from the Ruins, and... in a direction that you'd almost swear none of you came here by.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr looks up at Janda and Crow, a bit confused. "Uh, you guys mind testing this?"
Autumn Crow pulls out her compass and focuses on the guildhouse.
<@Torokasi> Crow's compass flashes and swings... in the same direction as Solmyr's. Janda blinks before unwinding her own, which, after a few seconds, spins to the same direction. Janda blinks. "Well... I mean, it's not the direction we came in, but this is the route our compasses recommend, so... let's trust them?"
<AutumnCrow> "That is what the compasses are for," Crow nods.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr looks puzzled for a moment...
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20 and gets 11." [1d20=11]
<@Torokasi> ... before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I think that's the right course of action. Let's get moving, then."
<AutumnCrow> As Solmyr is the wilderness expert of the lot, Crow is content to follow his lead here! In fact, she falls back a bit and actually lets him take point from this point on.
<@Torokasi> The group sets off in the direction the compass recommends for a good stretch of time. The sun's arc begins to near the peak when Solmyr raises a hand. "The ground up ahead seems... off. It's a fair ways away, so I can't see what's going on precisely, but..." He points in the direction of the horizon for Janda and Crow's sake.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Feel free to roll Perception.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20-1 lol innatentive AND mist sick
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20-1 lol innatentive AND mist sick and gets 17." [1d20=18]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20-1 ditto Janda
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20-1 ditto Janda and gets 4." [1d20=5]
<@Torokasi> Crow can see what Solmyr's talking about - there's a long stretch of land pretty far away that seems... empty? Curiously so. No plants, no grass, nothing - there's grass on both sides of the "gap" but you can't tell from your angle what's making plants not grow there.
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm....mind the gap, I think," Crow suggests, "let's walk around that?"
<@Torokasi> Janda peers, before shrugging in dismay. "Not seeing it. Do you think it poses a threat, Solmyr?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr looks at the two, before unwinding his compass again. It points straight across the gap in plants. He shrugs. "We can approach a bit and see if there's a way to go around, sure. Not objectin' here."
Autumn Crow nods, but keeps her eyes peeled as best she can as they approach the barren strip.
<@Torokasi> With that, he keeps advancing on it, his eyes on the horizon. The group approaches, noticing the gap seeming to stretch on in an indefinite direction both to their left and right, before Solmyr guffaws, his eyes finally catching it. "Oh, goddamnit, that's what's going on - it's a river!" (More)
<@Torokasi> The river's sluggish flow bisects the prairie with what's evidently a small grassy series of knolls on the other side, rocks and stones gathered on the river's edge to hide the water from view. Solmyr exhales a bit, before shaking his head. "And here I thought Ratokyst had cursed the land here or something..."
<AutumnCrow> "Well...let's try to find some way to cross? I do not fancy swimming in the mist."
<@Torokasi> "Yeah, let's." The group advances on the river, which on inspection is rather sluggish, rather muddy... and pretty shallow. Solmyr hums as he looks at the river. "Well, we may just be able to find a rather shallow section?"
<@Torokasi> OOC: Roll another Perception check, please.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20-1 Janda failcheck
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20-1 Janda failcheck and gets 5." [1d20=6]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20-1 lol innatentive AND mist sick
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20-1 lol innatentive AND mist sick and gets 3." [1d20=4]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+11 Solmyr the savior?
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+11 Solmyr the savior? and gets 29." [1d20=18]
<@Torokasi> And at that, Solmyr stops dead in his tracks, his eyes staring at the ground.
<@Torokasi> "Did either of you... feel that?" he manages to eke out after a moment.
Autumn Crow pauses, trying to attune her senses to motion.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: maybe a balance check to feel the ground moving under me, instead of a perception roll?
<@Torokasi> OOC: Feel free to roll that, yes
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 I'm better at this
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+8 I'm better at this and gets 17." [1d20=9]
<@Torokasi> Crow almost thinks that she's feeling... something. It felt like it was near the river, in front of you. Just as Crow tries to sense it with her feet, Solmyr utters an exclamation as he points to the knoll... and a black-furred, hairy yeek appears over the ridge. Its eyes are a deep, blood red, and its claws are pointing straight at the trio, but it doesn't seem to be saying anything or acting.
<@Torokasi> Janda stares at it. "Like that accursed Mist worshipper..." she murmurs, hand gripping her harp, hard.
Autumn Crow snaps a fan open, "Leave us in peace and continue to exist. Attack and be destroyed." Her voice is quite flat and even as she makes her threat.
<@Torokasi> The yeek opens it mouth, and utters... incredibly garbled speech, impossible to parse. A second yeek crests the knoll, a large slab of stone in its hands with a seemingly sharp edge. It looks between the trio and the black-furred yeek, before gesturing wildly at the black-furred yeek, again speaking incomprehensibly.
Autumn Crow looks to Solmyr, "Keep looking for a way to cross. Let's...walk away slowly while they argue. But be ready for aggression."
<@Torokasi> The ground... trembles notably as the yeek wielding the stone snorts, spits in the direction of the river, and goes back over the hill. The black-furred yeek seems to watch the other one go, before looking back at the trio and babbling yet further, gesturing wildly as the group attempts to step away.
<@Torokasi> Janda stops. "I really don't think it's going to let us leave, Crow." she murmurs quietly.
<@Torokasi> The shaking in the ground has definitely gotten more notable.
<AutumnCrow> "Solmyr, do you think they're somehow causing the ground to shake?"
<@Torokasi> "I dunno! Possibly?" Solmyr replies, in a bit of a panic. "I know there's some burrowers around here, but-"
<AutumnCrow> OOC: are the yeeks on the same side of the river as us?
<@Torokasi> OOC: Nope. Other side, and there's currently only one - the blackfurred one - that you can see.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+6 (Solmyr K:N, distracted -2)
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+6 (Solmyr K:N, distracted -2) and gets 10." [1d20=4]
<@Torokasi> He shakes his head after a moment. "Nothing's coming to me here, but whatever's going on, it only seems to be getting worse, Crow! Do we stand or run?"
<AutumnCrow> "Well I'm not going to charge across the river with them right there where they can get us in the water," Crow notes, "so let's move. Keep going downstream, we'll look for a place to cross."
<@Torokasi> "Okay." Both Janda and Solmyr nod, and the three move further downstream, the tremoring continuing under their feet. The black-furred yeek seems content to follow on the other side of the river bank, still speaking rapidly and incomprehensibly and gesturing at the group as they look for a way across.
Autumn Crow seems able to walk without any problems with the land shaking, but keeps an eye on the yeek as they go. "Solmyr, if anything worse then shaking happens, snipe that thing off."
<@Torokasi> Eventually, the trio spot a very shallow section, perhaps only a foot deep, but about ten feet wider than the deeper, narrower section of the river. The shaking is still rather intense but doesn't seem to have closed in, and the yeek is still on the other side of the river, still raving.
<AutumnCrow> "Janda, I recall something about you being able to sense water? Can you tell if this is safe to cross?"
<@Torokasi> Janda pauses. "I can try and see if it'll help..." She pauses slightly. "There's... four sources of water near me... three? Four? One's at the edge of my perception..."
<@Torokasi> "The river, you, Solmyr - wait, what's the fourth-" (More)
<@Torokasi> Suddenly, the tremoring underneath the trio ramps up in intensity, before the ground in front of Solmyr and Crow explodes, dirt and soil flying everywhere! As the dirt settles, the two see a writhing, centipede-like creature, covered in inky black fur and with sharp mandibles, blocking their sight of the opposite shore. The creature shrieks, before tensing to lunge! OOC: Initiative. The yeek is ~50ft away right now, while the yeekheg is right in front of both of you.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+0 DREAD YEEKHEG
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+0 DREAD YEEKHEG and gets 1." [1d20=1]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6 assuming Janda's aura is up
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+6 assuming Janda's aura is up and gets 10." [1d20=4]
<@Torokasi> OOC: It is, yes.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+2 black-furred yeek
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+2 black-furred yeek and gets 3." [1d20=1]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+7 Janda
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+7 Janda and gets 23." [1d20=16]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+5 Solmyr
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+5 Solmyr and gets 17." [1d20=12]
* Retrieving #mistgame modes...
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Janda (21) > Solmyr (22) > Crow (30) > Yeekheg > Yeek'
<@Torokasi> Janda's fingers quickly begin flitting over the harp, playing an encouraging refrain as Solmyr curses, stepping to the side of the Yeekheg as it lunges for him, mandibles dripping...
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+6 Yeekheg AoO
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+6 Yeekheg AoO and gets 15." [1d20=9]
<@Torokasi> roll 2d6+4 Yeekheg hurts hard
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 2d6+4 Yeekheg hurts hard and gets 11." [2d6=5, 2]
<@Torokasi> The beast's lunging bite rips into Solmyr's side, ripping away flesh and causing him to stumble - but he gets back to his feet rapidly, the magic rolling from his hands as two electric arrows pierce the air between himself and the black-furred yeek!
<@Torokasi> roll 2d4+6 this is why Solmyr was a good person to have here
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 2d4+6 this is why Solmyr was a good person to have here and gets 11." [2d4=4, 1]
<@Torokasi> The two arrows slam into it, quickly and brutally evaporating it into Mist before his eyes! OOC: Crow.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Janda put Inspire COurage up, I assume?
<@Torokasi> OOC: Yes. Wow, I did fail to state that explicitly. Yes, Inspire Courage is up.
Autumn Crow snaps open her second fan, interposing herself between the horrible monstrosity thing and her allies, scraping her fans against eachother to ignite them in flame as she executes a swift cross slash maneuver! (OOC: 5ft in to where Solmyr was so I'm between the beasty and him, Burning Blade)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 attack 1
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 attack 1 and gets 10." [1d20=5]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 attack 1
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 attack 1 and gets 21." [1d20=16]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: er, attack 2 on that second 1
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d4+5+1d6+3 I'm assuming one hit
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d4+5+1d6+3 I'm assuming one hit and gets 15." [1d4=1][1d6=6]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Second one hits, yes.
<@Torokasi> The fan in Crow's left hand is blocked by a spindly leg, but the right fan strikes true, slashing the yeekheg and brutally singing its fur! The atrocious smell quickly spreads as the yeekheg, sensing a more fearsome foe, turns and bites at Crow!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+6 AC, Crow?
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+6 AC, Crow? and gets 22." [1d20=16]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+9 baffling defense counter
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+9 baffling defense counter and gets 18." [1d20=9]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: hits
<@Torokasi> roll 2d6+4 Yeekheg bites!
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 2d6+4 Yeekheg bites! and gets 13." [2d6=3, 6]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Janda (21) > Solmyr (11/22) > Crow (17/30) > Yeekheg (15 damage taken)'
<@Torokasi> The mandibles clamp on Crow's arm, wrenching her arm and digging into the flesh before she manages to get free from its grip! Janda gasps and runs to Solmyr to heal him...
Autumn Crow hisses as she's bitten, but holds her ground, pissed that such a simple beast didn't fall for her feint.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d8+3
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d8+3 and gets 8." [1d8=5]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Janda (21) > Solmyr (19/22) > Crow (17/30) > Yeekheg (15 damage taken)'
<@Torokasi> ...as Solmyr turns to the yeekheg, before rolling a ball of acid off his hands and at the aggressor!
<@Torokasi> roll 2d8+3 acid, he's saving his other conversion
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 2d8+3 acid, he's saving his other conversion and gets 15." [2d8=4, 8]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: no attack roll?
<@Torokasi> OOC: Moment!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+3 yes attack roll
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+3 yes attack roll and gets 13." [1d20=10]
<@Torokasi> OOC: It hit, no need to retcon damage~
<@Torokasi> The acid nails the yeekheg right where Crow's cut landed, causing the creature to wail in pain! With a rapid squirm, it burrows underground again, the tremors quickly receding... OOC: Free action. That scared it off.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Can I AoO as it retreats? Crow's kinda pissed.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Yes, sure!
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 no dine and dash for you
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 no dine and dash for you and gets 9." [1d20=4]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Miss, sadly.
<@Torokasi> Crow's fan swipes at the creature, but bounces off the beast's furred, spiked tail as it burrows quickly away.
Autumn Crow glares at the hole the creature burrowed into...then silently pulls her sleeve up and holds her arm out so Janda can get to the wound.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr, seeing this, exhales, as Janda moves to quickly heal Crow as well.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d8+3
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d8+3 and gets 11." [1d8=8]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Janda (21) > Solmyr (19/22) > Crow (28/30) '
<@Torokasi> "Do you want me to fix the bruising, too?" Janda asks after the first healing spell mends flesh and blood.
Autumn Crow then cleans the blood of her fan and folds them back up. "I'm rather used to bruises, save your magic for another fight."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr raises his hand. "Wait. There's something lurking on the other side of the ridge..." After a second, the other yeek - the one with the large rock sword - recrests, looking at the three. Despite the weapon in hand, the yeek doesn't seem to be in a combat stance or antagonistic.
Autumn Crow takes a few deep breaths, recovering her poise to use her favorite manuever again if needed, then eyes the yeek. "This is the best place to cross. If it does anything funny, shoot it."
Autumn Crow pulls her robe up so it won't get muddy, then waits to make sure the others are ready before crossing.
<@Torokasi> The yeek simply watches for a moment, as... more come up over the hill. And more. And more. ... Many of them look small, or weak, or frail, and while you see some with short spears, another with a sword made of rock, and a few with those shimmering objects in their hands, none look to be doing anything other than look at you.
<@Torokasi> The initial one eventually sticks his sword in the ground, before clambering down the hill to where the black-furred one fell and seemingly scratching at the ground.
<@Torokasi> Janda's mouth is agape. "Just what in her tears is happening now?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr pauses. "Do I shoot, Crow? I'm kinda against trying to fight this many - that has to be a good fifty."
<AutumnCrow> "A contradiction," Crow stated flatly, "remember that one said it doesn't matter if they live or die, but here they are, obviously caring about the death of that one. For good or ill, I don't know, it looked like the one with the blade  was arguing with the black one before, honestly."
Autumn Crow shakes her head, "No...leave them be for now, save your magic. If they get hostile, target anyone with ranged weapons or those weird shiny things first, leave the melee combatants to me."
<@Torokasi> "Yeah. They're telepathic, maybe, but it seems like they don't all share one mind, despite what that other one said?" Solmyr nods. "Got it."
<@Torokasi> Janda nods. "I'll prepare to support you both- wait, what's that he has?"
<@Torokasi> The yeek that was scratching at the ground pulls up something hanging from a very crude rope, holding it up to the yeek at the edge of the hill. After a moment, the crowd on the hill begins to walk away, on the river, leaving the yeek with the string on the riverbank. Watching them go a moment, he turns to Crow and company, before gingerly crossing the river, his weapon still on the other bank.
Autumn Crow waits, trying to figure out what he has tied in that rope.
<@Torokasi> The creature approaches the edge of the riverbank, onto the mound of dirt the yeekheg created as it burrowed away, and to within ten feet of Crow. Looking straight at each of the group in turn, it drops what looks to have been a small, dirty curved fang on the string in front of the group, before turning and jogging back across the river.
Autumn Crow ...goes to pick up the fang thing, tucking it away in her bag, "I'm sure someone at the guild will be able to tell us what this is."
<@Torokasi> "Hopefully so." Janda smiles. "Strange that he'd give us a gift - maybe it was ours from rite of conquest?" The yeek at this point is across the river, and has picked up his sword and followed his companions along the bank.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr frowns. "Could I see that tooth, actually?"
<AutumnCrow> "Again....I don't think these ones liked that black furred one. Maybe that black one was controlling the monster? That beast could eat ten normal yeeks for breakfast, frankly." Crow then fishes the tooth back out and hands it to Solmyr.
<@Torokasi> "Yeah, they probably didn't..." Solmyr nods, casting a spell before looking over the fang. "Huh. Some slight power in this. Not sure what kind, though. Let's take it back and get it checked out, yes."
Autumn Crow nods, content to let him carry it if he wants. "Lets hurry across, recheck the compass on the other side, and get moving, if we want to make it before dark."
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+2 int check
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+2 int check and gets 22." [1d20=20]
<@Torokasi> "Indeed." Both Solmyr and Janda nod at this as the group prepares to cross!
<AutumnCrow> "One of you two remind me to ask Para about this when we get back." Crow notes aloud, "he said yeeks don't live in the plains, so....what was such a large group doing here. Migrating, maybe?"
<@Torokasi> "Migra-" Solmyr stops at the top of the hill as well, looking out toward them. "...Damn, you're probably right. Weird."
<@Torokasi> Janda sort of shrugs, unfurling her compass, which still points further forward. "Definitely ask, but it's not worth our precious time musing over right now, I believe."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods and begins to lead the way, as the group's scout!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d999 and gets 290." [1d999=290]
<AutumnCrow> "I personally don't need to stop walking to muse about things," Crow responds plainly.
<@Torokasi> "Fair enough. I find I think better sitting or praying, myself, but that's definitely me." Janda nods slightly.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods as the three press onward. "If it's not migration... well, there looked like there were young in that crowd. I can't think of much else going on there."
<AutumnCrow> "I'm sure Para will have some insight on it," Crow shrugs as she keeps moving.



<@Torokasi> The trio continue to make good time, only spotting one other patrol that stays away from the group. The relatively light Mist seems to help both mood and pace, and it's not long until the great Barrier is visible in the distance, glowing with the rays of the setting sun. The guardhouse inside the Barrier is also easily visible from here.
<@Torokasi> Janda lets out a soft woop. "We did it, Crow!"
<AutumnCrow> "What do you think, Solmyr? Can we make it into the city proper, or shoudl we make camp by the guardhouse here? How long does it take to make it from the barrier to the gates?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr thinks. "About... three hours and change, with Janda's encouragement. I'm honestly up for finishing the push into town and crashing - it's a long walk but we're safe as soon as we're in."
<AutumnCrow> "Let's go, then." Crow is willing to shake off the road weariness and pull a forced march to get a freaking bath and real food and a bed.
<@Torokasi> Janda nods chipperly. "Indeed! Only one more day in that inn you were at, Crow! And then we're in and it's done! Haha, I can hardly wait!"
<@Torokasi> The group quickly approaches the guardhouse, where the same gangly, freckled young man nods to the trio. "I presume congratulations are in order, from the smiling faces I see?"
<AutumnCrow> "Indeed."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods, grinning. "Yeah. A fairly peaceful trip, that only at one point threatened to get pieceful."
<@Torokasi> Janda blinks at Solmyr as the guard chuckles. "Well, then, congratulations, new members of the Kerebos Guild! I look forward to seeing you come through these gates more and more, then!"
Autumn Crow blinks at Solmyr, assuming he misspoke, but can't be bothered to question him about it.
<@Torokasi> Janda turns to the guard, frowning. "Wait, have Ary, Lilian and Para come back through here yet?"
<@Torokasi> The guard shakes his head. "Not yet. The young lad in armor would likely slow down their pace, however, so I'd expect them back early tomorrow or so, not before your group."
<@Torokasi> Janda inhales a bit. "Right. No reason to worry yet, then."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr glances at her, frowning. "That worried? Lilian won't let them go down that easy, you know."
<@Torokasi> "I know, but... I know." Janda shakes her head. "Let's go on in and report our success."
Autumn Crow nods, "I'm sure they're fine."
<@Torokasi> "Yeah." Janda nods as the three advance across the bridge!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999 :V
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d999 :V and gets 594." [1d999=594]
<@Torokasi> The trip is uneventful, the three marching determinedly across the bridge with Janda's encouraging mentions of food, warm beds and safe sleep encouraging everyone to quickly make pace across the bridge and into town, through the quieter city streets at night lit by glowing orbs attached to the buildings - looking like oversized fireflies clinging to the walls as the group makes its way through to the Guild.
Autumn Crow continues right into the guild, trying to remember to keep a grip on her sharp tongue as she was starting to get irritable from hungr.
<@Torokasi> The group opens the doors into the Guild... and almost runs face first into Ramedo, his face somewhat stony. Upon seeing the trio, however, he relaxes, smiling widely. "Hello! Your group made excellent time! I take it you managed to get the herbs necessary?"
Autumn Crow nods, "We did indeed." She nods again to Solmyr, as he had the bag last.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr unwinds the bag from his knapsack and hands it over.
<@Torokasi> Ramedo peers in, flipping through the plants quickly. "Excellent, excellent, this is all fresh, Mist-grown safena. Crow, feel free to move in as soon as you want, the same applies to you two as well of course but I know Crow will likely want out of that inn, very good." He closes the bag and quickly knots it with a piece of string from his pocket. "Well, that's everything confirmed, please rest well tonight and come back in the morning, yes!"
<AutumnCrow> "I'll be here with my bag in the morning," Crow confirms, then finally allows herself to relax a bit and half smiles at the others, "Well....we did it."
<@Torokasi> Janda lets out a woop of glee, while Solmyr seems to sag in relief. Ramedo looks over at Solmyr. "Oh, right, you need a place to stay as well, right, you move in as soon as you want too, the rooms are available. Well, you three look exhausted. Do rest well! Night!" He carries the bag over to a desk and places it there, before returning back to the trio as Janda and Solmyr exult.
<@Torokasi> Janda laughs, but Solmyr pauses, before looking at Ramedo. "Is... everything okay? You seem a bit overly eager to shoo us off."
Autumn Crow was about to suggest they all get dinner at the inn/restaraunt she's staying at, but stops before the first word is fully out of her mouth at Solmyr's comment.
<@Torokasi> Ramedo's eyes widen slightly. "Ah, yes, everything's fine, nothing... ... No, you three deserve to know. We got a sending from the other group. They're all alive, as far as I know, but their report..." He bites his lip. "I'm expecting them back tonight sometime. They said they felt they were out of danger, but I... need to urgently talk to the three of them. Once I've gotten their briefing, I'll fill you three in in the morning. For now, you all should have a good meal and rest. The morning will be hectic."
<@Torokasi> Janda's inhale is sharp, and Solmyr quickly says as Ramedo finishes, "But all three are still alright, yeah?"
<@Torokasi> Ramedo shakes his head. "As of the last sending, yes. It sounds like they managed to retreat safely. All we can do now is wait for them."
<AutumnCrow> "Alright." Crow nods, "well...if someone needs to send to them in the morning, at least you have plenty of Safena, now?"
<@Torokasi> "Yes." Ramedo nods, a crooked smile on his face. "We have that, at the least. You three take care. I'm sorry to have worried you all."
<@Torokasi> Janda runs her fingers through her hair for a moment, before, "I'd rather know now than be panicked when they show up injured or- when they show up injured later. Thank you, Ramedo, sir."
<AutumnCrow> "We can head out to meet them on the way in in the morning if you'd like," Crow suggests to Janda.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr's face is a thundercloud of concern, but he eventually nods too. "Yeah. Thanks. I'll be here early in the morning to see if they've shown up."
<@Torokasi> Janda looks to Crow, before nodding slowly. "...alright. But let's make sure they didn't show up here first."
<@Torokasi> "I'll come with you two, if that's alright." Solmyr adds. "We'll meet here in the morning?"
<AutumnCrow> "Certainly."
<@Torokasi> "Alright." Janda and Solmyr nod, before saying goodnight to Ramedo and stepping back outside.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Do you want to talk to them before you three split for the night, or just move on to the next morning?
<AutumnCrow> OOC: Move on to teh next morning is fine. After they they'll just be worrying at eachother if they go hang out or something.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Okay. Will save for Crow.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+6 and gets 14." [1d20=8]
<@Torokasi> The night passes rapidly, if not with much rest, and dawn quickly awakens Crow, its light shining straight through the small window.
<@Torokasi> It doesn't take long for Crow to remember the conversation from last night with Ramedo, either, and so she quickly makes her way to the guild hall, where Solmyr is already waiting. He nods stiffly at Crow, worry etched onto his face.
<AutumnCrow> "No news yet, I suppose." Crow walks up to Solmyr to wait for Janda.
<@Torokasi> "No. Nothing yet. I think Janda crashed at the temple to the Weeping Lady, so she should be here soon. We walked together to the temples and split up there." Solmyr replies. "I told Ramedo I was here and he went to go take a quick nap. He was up all night too."
Autumn Crow nods, "I got what sleep I could, though we got in late and....it took me awhile to get to bed." She didn't feel like recounting how much she had to argue to get the wash room made available to her that late at night.
<@Torokasi> He pauses for a moment, before rubbing his head. "What the hell sort of trouble could they have gotten into?" He nods to Crow's commentary. "Yeah. I understand."
<@Torokasi> After a few minutes, Janda basically comes sprinting in, looking at both of you two before shaking her head. "No news, then?"
<AutumnCrow> "None yet. Shall we go see if we can meet them on the way in?"
<@Torokasi> "Let's, yes." Janda nods, her hair heavily unkempt and shaking as she looks at Solmyr. "Not a hat day."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr, hatless today with the deep blue scales on top of his head, nods. "Not a hat day." With that, the three head out to meet the group!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d999 and gets 513." [1d999=513]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d999
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d999 and gets 639." [1d999=639]
<AutumnCrow> "Not...a hat day?" Crow is confused, but follows along.
<@Torokasi> "You've not seen some of his goofier hats. He avoids wearing any of them on more solemn days." Janda replies succinctly as the three weave their way through morning crowds to the front gate, and beginning to go across the bridge. (More)
<@Torokasi> It's halfway across the bridge when Solmyr pauses, before, "Lilian!" With that, he sprints across the bridge to someone - some people? approaching from the other end.
Autumn Crow follows at a less frantic pace, but still keeping good speed.
<@Torokasi> Janda hesitates just a few seconds before quickly following, keeping pace with Crow. (More)
<@Torokasi> The figures of the three become apparent as they approach - Lilian and Para limping and leaning on Ary, whose armor is practically feathered with arrows. Their faces show their utter exhaustion plainly, but Lilian forces a smile as Solmyr approaches. "Hey, all. Guess you- ow!- beat us back here." Up close, their wounds are heavy, and Para still seems to have an arrow in his shoulder, while Lilian's legs are streaked with red.
Autumn Crow silently relieves them of bags and burdens, sharing with Solmyr, while Janda doubtlessly gets to the healing.
<@Torokasi> Janda darts in to heal Para... just after he basically collapses from exhaustion onto the cool stone of the bridge. Ary looks at the group, almost too exhausted to speak, but manages a weak "Thanks." as Crow takes his bags - including the bag for the Teriandite, which seems half full.
<@Torokasi> Solmyr's the first to speak. "What the hell happened?"
<AutumnCrow> "No need to make them tell the story twice," Crow notes. "They'll have to report at the guild anyway."
<@Torokasi> Lilian shakes her head. "Help us get to the guild, please. I think I can stay awake long enough to explain there." She still has on a smile, but it seems small and brittle right now. Hearing Crow, she nods. "That, yah."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods and assists Lilian, while Janda recovers Para enough to prop him up. Ary nods slightly to Crow. "
<@Torokasi> "... Thanks." With that, the six begin slowly making their way back to the guild, Solmyr breaking off from the group once they get close to go wake up Ramedo.
Autumn Crow will trust Ary's warrior endurance and moves to prop up Lillian in Solmyr's place once the scaled mage runs ahead.
<@Torokasi> Ary seems to be able to at least shuffle forward, and nods to Crow as she moves to support Lilian. The group finally gets into the guild and is ushered into a small room that seems to have been hastily adapted into a medical ward. Ramedo is there, a small surgeon's toolkit out on a desk as he gestures at three rough beds. "Lie them down here - Solmyr, help me get Ary out of his armor and Janda, lie Para on his side, don't put pressure on the arrow, please. Crow, get Lilian comfortable."
<AutumnCrow> "I have no training in this at all," Crow notes, as she helps Lilian sit down, "but I can help get you out of that armor at least?" She tries to gauge whether or not it's safe to take the templar's boots off.
<@Torokasi> Lilian sits, and nods vaguely at her boots, which seem to come off fine. "Yes, out of armor would probably be wise right now." It's mostly her legs and left arm that were hit - and one of the arrowheads seems to be in her left thigh, the barbs and curling thorns on it plain to see. It seems to not be deeply in, thankfully, but Lilian shakes her head. "Don't try to remove that. The thorns stick even after healing. Gonna let mister Ramedo do it..." (More)
<@Torokasi> Her eyes flicker down for a moment, before she shakes her head, seemingly waking herself up. She smiles somewhat self-deprecatingly at Crow. "Isn't this a good first impression, yeah?"
<AutumnCrow> "I'm going to guess this was more then a simple kobold attack," Crow shakes her head, "I know very well there's things out in the mist, that could be even mere minutes out from the town, that could kill even me instantly. So don't worry about that. Besides, you're in no worse shape than the boys are."
<@Torokasi> "Heh... Ary took most the arrows, actually." Lilian muttered, watching as Ary was lowered onto his bed, passed out. "I managed to block some, but even from their range..." (More)
<@Torokasi> Ramedo looks at Lilian quickly. "You three hiked back despite the pain from the arrows. That's quite the impressive feat - don't shrug it off. You could have used the rod and none would have thought lesser of you for it, given what you told us. Could you give us the full story now?"
<@Torokasi> Lilian closes her eyes for a second, as Solmyr goes to her side. Giving him a weak smile, she nods slightly. "The details... We made it to the mine with only one minor skirmish with a kobold berserker that ended relatively quickly. The mine's layout was that of a smaller, secondary quarry near where we first found it, with a obelisk in the center, and a larger quarry past the obelisk. This was the correct mine, yes?"
<@Torokasi> Ramedo nods. "The description matches, yes."
<@Torokasi> Lilian nods slightly. "We approached the mine, closing in on the secondary quarry before Para pointed out the kobold patrols around the larger mine."
<@Torokasi> Ramedo stiffens at this. "Patrols? As in, the kobolds were actually organized and working together?"
<AutumnCrow> "That...doesn't fit with what I've heard of them," Crow notes.
<@Torokasi> "Yes. It was unexpected to any of us, too. It was nearing nightfall, so we camped until about midnight, then slipped into the secondary quarry and gathered the minerals we needed. The patrols had stopped, so Para and I... we ventured to the obelisk to peer in over the edge." Lilian continues.
<@Torokasi> "There was a great multitude of kobolds there, as well as creatures I didn't recognize - almost all reptilian, however, including one kind that we thought were possibly larger than a house. There were three of those - one of which was the center of attention, its scales black and red." Lilian shakes her head in exhaustion. "I cannot think of a word for what I saw, other than an army."
<AutumnCrow> "I wonder if the yeeks knew something about this," Crow muses, "we encountered very few inside the ruins, and a much larger group by a river out on the plains. Which according to Para, is where they DON'T live. It almost looked like they were....migrating? They had young with them, at least."
<@Torokasi> "We prepared to head back, when we were ambushed by a patrol of three. We managed to defeat two, but the third raised the alarm... Their archers tried to feather us, but in the dark they were not as accurate as they had perhaps hoped, so we managed to escape relatively quickly. In the heat of escape we had not the time to break the rod, and after... we determined that we could make it back, so we did a forced march back." With that, she slumps, before peering in curiousity at Crow. "We saw no yeek, but it's possible."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, I'm more thinking the yeeks were getting away from this, rather then joining up with it."
<@Torokasi> Ramedo shakes his head at Lilian's commentary, before blinking in confusion at Crow. "A migration through the plains? They normally content themselves with the forests to the northeast... this is all more concerning by the minute." A pause, before, "Thank you, Lilian. Please rest for now. If we have further questions, we can ask them after you recover."
<@Torokasi> Lilian nods slightly, before smiling weakly at Crow and Solmyr, then simply passing out on her bed.
<@Torokasi> Ramedo checks her vitals for a moment, before, "Everyone's stable. I will work on removing these nasty arrowheads once I have my report ready for Skire. And it sounds like I've neglected my duty in not getting a mission report from you three, as well. Care to explain the circumstances of your trip out, you three?"
<AutumnCrow> "It was uneventful at first," Crow spoke up, "We encountered a band of yeeks that...were indecisive on whether or not to attack us. They eventually struck and we took care of the leader and a couple of the aggressors. Once they were down, the last one...basically surrendered. Broke down crying and all the fight just left him."
<AutumnCrow> "I've no trouble killing beasts....but I have no taste for the blood of thinking creatures, least of all those that have stopped fighting, so we let that one and one other that fell but didn't die live." Crow looks to see if Janda or Solmyr want to add anything, or if she should just keep going
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods to this. "Crow basically intimidated him into telling him and his remaining friend not to do that again before we moved on, yeah. From there, we made it to the ruins without fanfare - we snuck in at daybreak and managed to collect the safena, with... one complication." He looks at Janda, who snorts, before looking back to Crow.
<AutumnCrow> "There was one yeek that....was different from the others." Crow took a minute to grapple with how to explain it.
<@Torokasi> "Filthy Mist worshipping son-of-a-bastard." Janda says, comtempt dripping from her voice before, "He seemed willing to leave us alone, though, for whatever reason."
<AutumnCrow> "It...talked to us, explained how, in it's words, they were confused that we weren't trying to fight. That it didn't matter whether they lived or died, because they are all connected to 'the Divine', which it clarified was the mist."
<AutumnCrow> "But honestly, I think it was full of crap. Or at least they aren't all like that." Crow shot Janda a *look* at the outburst, but kept going.
<@Torokasi> Janda totally misses the look, glancing with concern at Ary.
<AutumnCrow> "The earlier patrol...clearly had differences of opinion, they had individual natures, one wept for it's fallen companions." Crow shrugged, "that isn't the behavior of something that lives only as a part of a whole."
<AutumnCrow> "Then there is the matter of the mark we found in the ruins. Solmyr, you made a copy of it, didn't you?"
<@Torokasi> "Ah, yes." Solmyr produces the mark, as well as the pendant that the group obtained.
<@Torokasi> Ramedo glances at the mark just momentaraily, before, "Yes, that's the mark we attuned the compasses to to make sure you got there fine."
<@Torokasi> At the pendant, he hesitates before taking it, glancing it over. "And the story behind this?"
<AutumnCrow> "Ah. Janda mentioned it was a symbol similar to the guild's symbol."
<AutumnCrow> "And the yeeks said it had been there as long as memory."
<@Torokasi> "Yeek memory is both incredibly intimidating and impressively non-existent." Ramedo murmurs. "This being said, no one is entirely sure who left that mark - it wasn't any of the founders of the Guild, nor anyone involved in establishing the guild tests."
<@Torokasi> Solmyr nods slightly. "As for the pendant, we ran into a black-furred yeek who seemed to be... doing something to summon a giant furred insect that bit at both me and Crow before fleeing. We managed to kill the yeek, however, and another Yeek nearby gave us the pendant from where it fell. That was the encounter with the yeek we thought were migrating."
<AutumnCrow> "I got the impression that the black one was...arguing with the others? Despite being close to...fifty, easily, of them, they certainly made no moves to help the black one fight us."
<@Torokasi> "... curiouser and curiouser." Ramedo says, looking between you three. "It's entirely possible. They may communicate telepathically, but conflicting opinions can shear groups apart from each other, much like bees will swarm to a new hive after a point. Still, only one yeek and its pet yeekheg? Stranger still. Did you not hear what they were arguing about?"
<AutumnCrow> "They weren't....speaking, really. Just shouting unintelligably at eachother."
<AutumnCrow> "And the black one did alot of that same shouting at us," she added after a moment.
<@Torokasi> "Curious. We've had a few reports of yeek using a different tongue, but not much... and they were migrating? Hrm." He nods after a moment. "This is all good to hear, and you're getting results it's taken experts many years to get - most everyone we normally send out doesn't hesitate to fight the yeeks, which is probably why you got the conversation from that one Yeek."
<@Torokasi> "If I find any related documents on any of these topics, I'll get copies for you all to peruse if interested. And I'll be recording all this, regardless. But for now I really must report to Skire. He'll want to know that there seems to be dragons just about a day outside of town...."
<AutumnCrow> "As a representative of the Autumn Temple," Crow adds, "I will point out that the guild can still call on Wild Goose at the very least, and if there is any sort of large battle in the making, it would prove an opportunity for tempering in true combat that some Temple warriors would gladly take."
<@Torokasi> "Understood. At the very least we will be warning them as well of this threat in the immediate region-" Ramedo begins.
<@Torokasi> "WAIT THAT WAS ACTUALLY DRA-" Solmyr begins to bellow before Janda slaps her hand over his mouth.
<@Torokasi> "Goddamnit, Solmyr, they're resting!" Janda hisses, before looking to Ramedo in a panic.
<AutumnCrow> "It would appear that you have lost your ability to chide Janda for being overly excitable in the future, Solmyr," Crow deadpans.
<@Torokasi> Ramedo sighs. "Yes. And -do not- let this go past the four of us. We don't need panic or riots over this right now. Anyway, I'll have a Sending done to the Autumn Temple to warn them of the threat. ...Is there anything else I should add, Crow?"
<@Torokasi> Solmyr shoots Crow a dirty look, before chuckling ruefully, shaking his head. "Dragons. Really? Those things are supposed to be dead and gone. Really? Holy fucking shit."
<AutumnCrow> "I think my father fought a dragon once, he may have some advice on what to do about them?" She shrugs, "or his combat advice could be completely unusable by anyone who isn't him."
Autumn Crow then blinks at Solmyr, "Hmm? What do you mean supposed to be dead?"
<@Torokasi> Janda shakes her head. "Most of the people and the Temples all believe them extinct. That they exist is... a large shock to me, too, I must confess."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, thank you for letting me know not to talk about them," Crow half smiles, "otherwise I'd have thought nothing of it."
<@Torokasi> "It was thought that the Mist had killed most of them, and driven the rest into hiding somewhere, even by our Guild. We knew of the one Goose fought, but... thought it an aberration. To know there's more like it out there is concerning." Ramedo assents, before shaking his head. "I must go. I will be back shortly to tend to them. If you wish to move into your new rooms, Kisde in the back office will give you the keys and directions. Don't fret about your colleagues - they will be fine."
<AutumnCrow> "Oh," she looks back to Ramedo, "and...I don't know how feasable it is, but a messenger would be taken more seriously by my mother then a Sending spell will. She...feels that magic is lazy."
<@Torokasi> Ramedo nods slightly. "I'll send a messenger, then, presuming that Skire doesn't himself go to visit."
<@Torokasi> "Um." Janda says. "Sorry, one last interruption - they... they're going to get into the Guild, too, right? Since it'd be really unfair if they did all this and couldn't because they couldn't get the lousy rocks due to coming back and reporting about dragons and-"
<@Torokasi> Ramedo chuckles at this. "Dear, they will be fine. They're in, as are you three. We'll make it formal once they recover. Normally, failing the task would be problematic, but this is one hell of an 'extenuating circumstance' and I'm pretty confident the rest of the Guild will feel the same."
<AutumnCrow> "They'd likely be in even if they used the rod," Crow notes, "in thier place I'd have made the call to use it just to ensure the news got back faster."
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+9 assuming I'm over my mist sick in the city
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+9 assuming I'm over my mist sick in the city and gets 29." [1d20=20]
<@Torokasi> "More or less, yes. I wish they had done so, but in this case..."
<@Torokasi> Ramedo shakes his head. "I'll report in now. You three rest well, and thank you for assisting them into town, all three of you."
<AutumnCrow> "Well...." Crow looks to her companions, "I don't know about you, but I skipped breakfast to get out here faster. Shall we go have a late breakfast now that everyone is safe and we can stop worrying?" (OOC: figure a good place to cut out there?)
<@Torokasi> Janda nods, smiling at this, while Solmyr grunts, a grin on his face. "Sure. That sounds like a plan, yes." OOC: sure~

[Taishyr]

<Torokasi> -------------------------------------------------------------
<Torokasi> The trio find a restaurant - The Robber Baron - that Janda seems to know relatively well, just a few blocks north of the temple square and on the third floor of a relatively upscale walled complex. The restaurant itself is quite well lit and spacious, with a few late stragglers having lunch and a decent crowd ordering lunch meals. The trio take a seat in a corner, away from the louder patrons. (more)
<Torokasi> As soon as they're seated, a waiter seems to pop up, smiling. "Welcome to The Robber Baron's, may I- oh! Hi, Janda! These friends of yours?"
<Torokasi> Janda grins. "Yes, or close enough in the man's case. I'd like a salad today."
Autumn Crow half smiles at Solmyr, glad to see Janda's feeling well enough to smile and joke after all that so quickly. Turning to the waiter she inquires, "Well....what do you have?"
<Torokasi> Solmyr seems relatively unphased as the waiter clears his throat. "We get only the freshest vegetables and fruits here, of course, and also have bird, rabbit, and fresh bread from Sarakayzi upstairs, preparable in any manner you desire."
<AutumnCrow> "Oh really?" Crow smiled...though there was something a bit...off about the expression, "A small amount of grilled rabbit over a bed of crunchy vegetables with an oil and dark vinegar dressing, if that's managable?"
<Torokasi> "Alright. Roasted or raw vegetables, and is there any selection there you'd prefer or do you want to be surprised?" The waiter asks in response.
<AutumnCrow> "Roasted, please. No preferance on selection, simply something with crunch."
<Torokasi> "Understood. And you, sir?" He looks at Solmyr, who seems mildly confused.
<Torokasi> After a second, Solmyr shakes his head. "Uh... let's go with... honey amber bread and... quail breast? And some mead on the side, please."
<Torokasi> "Alright. I'll get the chefs working!" And with that, the young man dashes off.
<Torokasi> Janda shakes her head. "Anyway. Once we move into the apartments at the Guild, what do you have planned for the day, Crow?"
<AutumnCrow> "Nothing in particular, really." Crow shrugged, taking the opportunity while they were waiting to fix some strands of her hair that had come out of the ponytail, "check in on the others later, get some practice time in since I didn't this morning."
<Torokasi> Janda nods, her curls of hair bouncing around her face. "Well, I was thinking... since all six of us got in, there's a process where a group of adventurers can all sign up as a team to work together within the Guild. And I mean, I know we have to ask the other three as well! But I wanted to see if... well, if you two were even amenable to it, since I think it'd work out well but I wanted to pass it by you three."
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm." Crow mused on it a moment, "I admit I know less of the guild's workings past the initiation than I should. What all would registering as an official team mean, exactly?"
<Torokasi> "Basically," Solmyr says, seeming to startle Janda, "it allows certain resources to be pooled for group use. Since I don't need much from a blacksmith, any alloted time could be used by Ary without bartering or having to authorize it with me beforehand, as an example. In general the group payment to the guild for resources is lowered, as well, and I think a few jobs request a group that's worked together as a team, according to Benzin."
<AutumnCrow> "Benzin?" Crow raises an eyebrow, "I don't think I know that name."
<Torokasi> Janda nods slightly and takes up the thread, "Unofficial teams have their advantages - more flexibility in who is and isn't in, in case someone decides to leave there's a lot of paperwork for an official team. I'm alright with being unofficial, but I just figure we should stick together. There's not too many people in our level of jobs, after all."
<Torokasi> Solmyr blinks. "Ah, right. Benzin is Para's brother, and got all the talkativeness Para doesn't use himself. He's pretty high in the ranks right now - I think M-3?"
<AutumnCrow> "Well...those three certainly have the endurance enough that I won't question thier ability, and you two vouch for them as well, so I have no objections on that front." She thinks a moment longer, "I assume that individual members of a team can still take individual jobs, and that members of a team cannot unilaterally commit other members to a task?"
<Torokasi> "Correct." Solmyr nods. "There's a higher-end team that recently disbanded, but it was about thirty members - most tasks don't take anywhere near that many. But yeah, no one can force a task on another and individuals or small groups can take independent jobs if needed."
<AutumnCrow> "Well...I don't see any reason why not? If anyone decides to leave, they have to do thier own paperwork for it or the rest of us are allowed to pelt them with sticks should neatly take care of the only downside you've pointed out," Crow somehow says this with a perfectly level expression and tone.
<Torokasi> Janda starts sniggering at this, but Solmyr just nods and continues. "There's not really many disadvantages and it gets rid of a lot of paperwork, so it's a pretty good deal overall."
<Torokasi> Janda looks at Solmyr for a moment, before nodding. "We'll see if the other three are up for it once they recover, then."
Autumn Crow smiles at Janda, though once again there's something not quite right about the expression, "Oh dear, you seem to think I was joking."
<Torokasi> Janda looks at Crow for a few seconds, before laughing a bit harder. "I think that you aren't makes it even better..."
<AutumnCrow> "We need to check in with them later anyway," Crow nods, then adds, "and...well, considering that there may be....events...on the horizon for the guild, it may help them to have another full sized team to call on."
<Torokasi> "Yeah. At the least, a team is presumed to be able to manage itself and is relatively more autonomous." Solmyr nods. "And... yes. It seems like a good time to assemble together instead of trying to do everything oneself."
<Torokasi> "So... let's check back in on them this evening, I think?" Janda says after recovering from her laughter.
Autumn Crow nods, "That works."
<Torokasi> Solmyr nods slightly as well. "Sure, sounds good. Hopefully everyone's up and moving." At this time, the food comes in - Janda getting a relatively fancy salad, Solmyr with an open-faced sandwich and his mead, and Crow gets... a plate of roasted root vegetables and squash, on a few crisp leaves of lettuce, with the grilled rabbit laying on top and the dressing in a small bowl on the side.
Autumn Crow nods a polite thank you to the waiter, produces a pair of chopsticks from...somewhere...and begins to eat.
<Torokasi> Solmyr is digging in with his hands, and Janda pulls two two-pronged forks from her hand while giving Solmyr a somewhat dirty look.


<Torokasi> The trio split after the meal, with the intent of regathering in the evening. Crow gathers her stuff from her inn, then goes to the location she had pointed out to her when she first arrived by Ramedo in the southern outer wall of the Guild. Sitting inside in the somewhat claustrophobic waiting hall is a stiff-necked Talkyr woman, long, deep brown hair coating most of her body. She looks over Crow and her bag as Crow comes in, sniffing slightly. "You must be one of the three new bloods, I take it?"
<AutumnCrow> "That is correct," Crow nodded at the Talkyr, "I am Autumn Crow. And you are...?"
<Torokasi> "... Redola Udmir." the woman replies after a long moment, looking Crow up and down before drawing a key from a pocket. "You're up on the top floor with some of the other M-1s. Go up five flights of these stairs here, turn right, and you've got your choice of rooms. All rooms will be on the right, and the common facilities are on the left. The first two and the last room in your section of the apartments are both open, choose whichever you want and we'll get you a key by tomorrow."
<AutumnCrow> "I'll simply take the first one," Crow shrugs, "as I assume there is no difference between them?"
<Torokasi> "Sure, whatever." The Talkyr shrugs. "Key will be given tomorrow. The rooms lock from the inside, and the key you have is needed to get into the set of six rooms anyway so don't worry about your stuff. No one in those rooms is a klepto anyway."
Autumn Crow found herself not really likeing this woman for some reason, but simply nods again, "Very well." And with that she goes to stake a claim on her room.
<Torokasi> The climb up goes smoothly, and the building is very well lit, which helps relieve the slightly cramped quarters. Crow easily finds her way into the hallway where her room is - as the woman said, there's six doors on her right, and there's four on her left. Testing shows that the first door on her right seems to be unlocked.
<Torokasi> There also seems to be... someone singing? Offkey, even.
Autumn Crow winces a bit at the offkey singing, then opens the door to put her things down.
<Torokasi> The room is a bit small, with a window at the top of the wall on the other end that lets light in. There's a sturdy bed and desk, along with one chair, lining the wall, and a wardrobe on the opposite wall, across from the bed.
<AutumnCrow> With quick efficiency, Crow unpacks her things, getting her various robes and outfits into the wardobe and what other personal effects she has(not many, frankly) into either a drawer in the desk or the wardrobe as well. The entire process takes her only a few minutes, Crow moves quickly and does not waste time.
<AutumnCrow> Once everything is put away, she goes to investgate the offkey singing, presuming nothing interrupts her unpacking.
<Torokasi> Crow steps out into the hallway just as the singing stops, where she sees... a tiny, wisplike Talmuri woman, with a very simple grey dress covering dark green scales. As she looks up, Crow notices her eyes seem... very, very dark, as if her pupils compromised her entire eye. She smiles as Crow steps out, coming a fair bit closer. "Hello, dear! You must be one of the newer Guild members, then. I'm Kalos - Kalos Umaurun."
<AutumnCrow> "Hello," Crow smiles and nods politely in greeting, "yes, I'm Autumn Crow, I just passed the initiation the other day."
<Torokasi> "Autumn Crow... A beautiful name." Kalos smiles widely, her face wrinkling up. "It'll be good to have more people here. Izzie, Nyci and I were getting a bit lonely. Ah... I'd introduce you to the other two, but Izzy is in the bath and Nyci's out, I'm afrai-"
<Torokasi> "No, no, I'm here!" A Talstedi woman, tall, twiggy and with short, frizzy black hair, stumbles out of the bath room clad in a long, soft robe. "Hello, sorry, I'm Isabella Froustein, but just call me Izzy, alright? Your name was... Autumn Crow, yes?"
<AutumnCrow> "That's correct." Crow was...slightly less than impressed by this Izzy's stumbling entrance, but kept her expression neutral. "Are you aquainted with Janda or Lilian already? They should be moving in today as well."
<Torokasi> "I think it is mildly impossible to be unaware of Janda. The lass has a way of making her presence known, bless her heart." Kalos smiles without any malice. "I do know Lilian as well - she's been a constant at the temple to Erest Rosen since she was orphaned. It's good to know they'll both be moving in."
<Torokasi> Isabella's eyes widen. "Ooh, yes, that'll make things a lot more lively! I know Lilian, though I actually don't think I've met Janda formally."
<Torokasi> "She's the one Solmyr was being chased by through the market a few days ago." Kalos notes.
<Torokasi> "Oh! Well, someone needs to keep him in line, I guess." Isabella chuckles.
<AutumnCrow> "Well..." Crow frowns a touch, "I know Janda is, I'm simply assuming Lilian will as well. Solmyr and Janda think she will, so it seems reasonable."
<Torokasi> "It seems likely, yes. There's not many openings ever since the apartments started being used for merchants, as well." Kalos smiles. "And they try to give people who work together rooms together, so... Oh, I just realized I presumed this - you were the sixth person Lilian's group needed for the final test, yes? How did that go?"
<AutumnCrow> "Both teams were successful, of course." Crow states quite plainly, not sure just how much detail she should divulge. Lilian's team had some...rather unique problems, after all.
<Torokasi> "Good, good. I mean, if all three ladies are moving in, unless the teams split on gender lines everyone would've had to have passed, right?" Isabella nods.
<Torokasi> Kalos tilts her head. "Remember our group?"
<Torokasi> Isabella looks both despondent and angry, rather suddenly. "Oh, right. I guess that can happen too."
<AutumnCrow> "Janda, Solmyr and myself formed one group," Crow decides she can say at least that much. "We didn't encounter overly much difficulty, simply some angry yeek."
<Torokasi> Kalos looks at you for a moment, before, "... I'm so sorry for your troubles, dear. Those two have been going at it for a long time. It must have been disconcerting to have to deal with them as your first exposure to them."
<AutumnCrow> "It was no trouble at all," Crow shrugs, "I suppose they may have a reputation for engaging in antics in the city, but once we were in the Mist they were professionals."
<Torokasi> Kalos blinks in surprise. "That's a relief. I wouldn't expect anything less of Solmyr, but Janda worried me a bit, I must confess. Anyway, do you need any help unpacking, or is there anything that you might like in your room? The previous residents left a few things they didn't want behind, so if it'd be of use to you, so much the better.
<AutumnCrow> "I have everything I need I think, and I already unpacked." She smiles, "I do not need much in the way of equipment, and a desk and wardrobe I don't have to share is already more than I had growing up." As they speak, Crow spends a moment trying to size up the two new ladies, seeing if she can make a guess as to what it is they do...
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+10 sense motive for sizeup?
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+10 sense motive for sizeup? and gets 23." [1d20=13]
<Torokasi> There's some sort of symbol on Kalos' grey dress - a book of some form? - and the scales on her hand have some wear and tear, though not a significant amount. There's also what looks like a small mage's satchel on her side. She could feasibly do most anything, though her dark eyes is notable. Isabella, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have any notable items on her, but her hands look very smooth outside of her fingertips.
<Torokasi> Of the two, Kalos seems more scarred, but she also seems to have the tools of a mage onhand. Of course, Isabella just came from the bath, so...
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+9 K:M
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+9 K:M and gets 29." [1d20=20]
<Torokasi> Isabella doesn't look like an archer - her build is entirely unmuscular, on further glance. Kalos, on the other hand, has a... curious looking ring of marks around her wrists... There was one traveler that came to the Temple for a time, actually, with similar marks. He claimed to be something called a hexblade, but you never talked with him much to figure out what that was about.
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm," Crow actively looks the two up and down for a moment, then addresses Kalos, "might I assume that you are a spellblade of some sort?"
<Torokasi> "Yes." Kalos nods. "For a long time, I was simply laity in Zuiseno's service, before... well, my husband passed away in Her service. After that, my own strength seemed to surge, and so I took up his mantle... But working for the Temple alone didn't suit me, so I joined up with the Guild. My talents admittedly lie more on the 'spell' side due to my vision, but I am no stranger to a blade."
Autumn Crow nods, "I've seen those markings before, on a travelling spellblade who passed by the temple. I didn't get the chance to see what he could really do, but I'm curious about the arts of those who pair weapon and magic. ...not that I have any magical talent myself, it's simply a style of combat I have heard much admiration for but never seen in practice."
<Torokasi> Kalos smiles. "Perhaps sometime I can exhibit it for you. I actually have a preference for spears, but my main talents are in debilitation and group support. There are those that pair it more sublimely, I'm afraid - the hexblade's approach is that of magic to curse, then strength to finish."
<AutumnCrow> "I will probably invite everyone here who is martially inclined to some sparring at some time or another," Crow smirks and snaps open one of her fans to fan herself with as she spoke. "Speaking of, I was planning to practice after moving in. Would you be able to show me where the designated practicing spaces are, here?"
<Torokasi> "Well, you can either use the one on the bottom floor if you plan on using fire or lightning at all, or if not, you should go up on the rooftop and practice!" Isabella chirps. "It's a lovely view and quite spacious, actually, since the roof's basically a widened rampart at this section."
<Torokasi> Kalos' eyes widen a bit. "Ah, you're a melee combatant as well? I apologize, I hadn't been aware. What temple trained you? ... Magdanae's?" she ventures at the last one.
<AutumnCrow> "The Autumn Temple," Crow chuckles, "it is called a temple, but not affiliated with any of the gods. It is...perhaps best described as a temple to the strength of the human spirit, rather then relying on an outside force to protect us, we protect ourselves through training our bodies and spirits in equal measure."
<Torokasi> "Oh!" Kalos nods. "That's quite commendable, actually. I hadn't been aware of it before now, so it is good to hear about. ... Is it in the city? I'm sorry, I'm actually relatively new to town myself - moved here about ten years ago, and I don't think I'll ever get used to it."
<Torokasi> Isabella shakes her head. "I think it's a few days north, yeah? I remember hearing some stories from people that went up there for training. Pretty tough regimen. It'll be good to have you around~"
<Torokasi> Isabella is definitely tonedeaf, it seems - that was pretty bad, even for an average attempt at a singsongy voice.
<AutumnCrow> "Yes, it's not far from the city but...we rarely venture here. We grow our own food and largely fend for ourselves, there's simply no real need."
Autumn Crow winces at the offkey singing again.
<Torokasi> Kalos briefly smiles at Crow. "That's understandable. Rare is the city that can't stand alone. Verxais somehow gets by, thankfully."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, I'm going to go train for a bit. If Janda comes by, could you let her know I took the first room, and the one next to it is supposedly free?"
<Torokasi> "Will do! I've got the second room from the end, and Kalos is next to me. Feel free to stop by anytime!" Isabella smiles. "I should go get dressed. It was a pleasure to meet you!" With that, she jogs back to her room.
<Torokasi> Kalos shakes her head. "I apologize for the singing in advance. It keeps her cheerful, but if you think it's bad, poor Nyci has sensitive ears... Anyway, I hope you enjoy your practice. I've to attend services, so I will see you soon."
Autumn Crow nods, "Perhaps Janda can teach her how to carry a tune sometime?"
<AutumnCrow> With that, she heads off to the roof, not needing to practice her Desert Wind maneuvers for the time being.
<Torokasi> "It would be worth trying." Kalos replies as Crow leaves!


<Torokasi> After practice, Crow heads to the room where Ary, Para and Lilian were last. In the hallway is Janda and Solmyr, standing next to... Lilian, actually. Outside of a bandage on her leg she looks rested and recovered, and she looks over and waves as Crow approaches, causing the other two to turn as well.
Autumn Crow had snuck a quick wash after practice, since she had a moment where it was to herself(and she jammed the door shut while she was in there), so isn't surprised she's the last one in.
<AutumnCrow> "How is everyone?"
<Torokasi> "Ary and Para are still sleeping. Their wounds were worse, but they're doing fine now." Lilian smiles widely. "The barbs on the arrows were hard to remove from the skin, and healing with magic just seemed to heal over them. I'm glad to see all three of you are doing well!"
<Torokasi> "The rest of the barbs just got removed from Ary and Para a little bit ago. They'll be out as well tomorrow morning, thankfully." Janda follows up. "We can figure out a group lunch or something, I imagine."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, we were mostly just tired. The...yeekheg, I think it was called? Was threatening, but the rest was simple."
<Torokasi> "I heard about that." Lilian's smile seems sympathetic right now. "It's good to know you all had a relatively relaxed run of it. Have you moved in to the apartment yet, Crow?"
<AutumnCrow> "Yes, I took care of that already. And met two of our other floor residents, Kalos and Isabella."
<Torokasi> "They're good people - I ran into them often at the temple to Zuiseno, when I was training with them." Lilian nods. "It'll be good to move in - I might do that next, actually. I don't have much to take up there save a mirror."
<Torokasi> Solmyr glances at Janda. "When are you moving in? I figured you'd be there the same time as Crow, since you left around the same time."
<Torokasi> Janda reddens a bit. "I'm - I'm still figuring out what I'm bringing and what I'm leaving with my family, I guess. Spent most of this afternoon working on that."
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm...I should get a mirror. I'm used to fixing my hair and everything by reflex by now, but a mirror would be nice. Might let me try something besides the simple ponytail." Crow considers where one might buy a mirror...then remembers she doesn't actually have any money yet.
<Torokasi> "I can probably bring a spare mirror along?" Janda offers.
<Torokasi> Solmyr glances at Lilian, who blinks before shrugging. "I'd offer one if I could."
<AutumnCrow> "Oh...well, that would be lovely, thank you. I'll help you bring things over, if you need the hand?"
<Torokasi> "Ah, no, it'll be fine." Janda says, getting a touch redder. "I'll probably get my room set up tomorrow sometime."
<Torokasi> "Well..." Lilian says after a moment. "If I could ask for a bit of help in getting my books into the apartment, it'd be appreciated, actually. It'd make it only one trip, that way."
<AutumnCrow> "Very well." Crow shrugs, a bit surprised at the reluctance for the help. Janda doesn't exactly look like she can carry much, after all.
<AutumnCrow> "Not a problem, I only had one bag so I'm fully moved in already."
<Torokasi> "I, uh, I can help too!" Janda offers.
<Torokasi> Solmyr chuckles and shakes his head. "So can I, Lilian. Let's go hit the temple, then?"
<Torokasi> Lilian seems a bit surprised at the outpouring of help offered, but quickly recovers and smiles widely again. "Sure! Thanks, everyone - this'll make things quite easy!"
Autumn Crow smiles and follows along~
<Torokasi> The group heads to the Temple Square, which despite passing through it going both to and from the Guild, Crow had had little reason or time to glance around. The Square actually formed more of a circle, with the center being a set of eight wells, people gathered around them to draw water and gossip. Merchant stalls took up the space between the temples and the wells, though most had begun to close at this point in the early evening, and the eight Temples stand at the edge of the Circle, with entry to the Circle only possible by walking between two. (More)
<Torokasi> Lilian leads the group to the southeastern temple, a relatively simple building compared to the rest of them - plain granite walls and no pillars, but with words carved into the walls in small text, and an owl, wings spread, eyes wide, over the entryway. The interior of the Temple is... cluttered. Books lie in piles everywhere, and magical lights are clustered on every support beam and along the floor. The pews seem relatively well used and simple, as Lilian leads you past them and the stone altar to the back section. (More)
<Torokasi> There, a young woman sits, perusing a book. As the group enters, she looks up in confusion, before smiling. "Ah, hiya, Lilian! Preparing to move out? Is this the crew that's helping you move?
<Torokasi> Lilian shakes her head slightly. "These are my comrades, Lalend. Lalend, this is Crow and Janda, and I know you know Solmyr."
<Torokasi> "Oh, right!" Lalend smiles. She's wearing a simple hooded robe with a sunburst on it, but her muzzle is visible poking out from it. "A pleasure, all of you!"
Autumn Crow supposed the temples may have impressed more religious folk, but they meant little to her. Though if any had warriors or other sorts actively out practicing where she could see, that would have caught Crow's attention.
Autumn Crow nods politely to the woman, "likewise."
<Torokasi> Janda curtsies, while Solmyr nods. "Good to see you again, Lalend. Studies going well?"
<Torokasi> "Sorta... I'm good at all the light manipulation, but I'm having issues figuring out healing magic or similar. I'm sure I'll figure it out, though. Just takes practice!" Lalend nods. "Anyway, sorry for holding you four up!" And with that she goes back to reading.
<Torokasi> Lilian chuckles, before leading the group on into her room. It's... actually even smaller than the apartment room, just a simple block with a desk, a rather rickety-looking bed, two bags, and a wooden chest in it. She apparently had had her stuff packed up even before taking the test - the room doesn't look very used.
Autumn Crow nods, half expecting it not to be packed yet, "Are we taking the chest, or just its contents?"
<Torokasi> "It'd probably be easiest if two of us carried the chest, and the other two each take a bag." Lilian replies. "I'm sort of attached to the chest, and honestly it's crammed full of books that'd be more hassle to carry outside of it. I can get the chest?"
<AutumnCrow> "You and Solmyr get the chest, Janda and I can each get a bag," Crow suggests simply.
<Torokasi> Solmyr nods slightly. "You and I take a chest. Crow, you grab that bag-" he gestures to what looks like the bulkier bag as he says this - "and Janda can get the other bag. Yeah, that sounds right."
<Torokasi> Janda nods, and Solmyr and Lilian kneel down, before hefting up the chest, causing Solmyr to snort. "Books or rocks, Lilian?"
<Torokasi> Lilian pauses. "Well, some of the books might be old enough..."
<Torokasi> "Never mind, forget I asked." Solmyr chuckles.
<AutumnCrow> "So what kind of books are these? Spell books, reference books, any good fiction in this miniature library you're having us carry?"
<Torokasi> "Hmmm... Some books on magic, some on local history, a fair few on religious dialogue - though I've not actually read through most of those yet, just skimmed parts - and a few fiction books. An author that visits the temple gave me a romantic mystery series I've actually rather enjoyed - The Strange Files of Fremonte Jund.
<Torokasi> Lilian hums. "Is there a type of fiction you like most, Crow?"
<AutumnCrow> "Ah," suddenly put on the spot Crow tried to figure out what to say that wasn't admitting she read terrible romance novels, "I honestly can't be quite sure? We didn't have too many books at the Autumn Temple that weren't training manuals. The ones I did have I read several times, so I'm hoping you have things I haven't seen before. That mystery series sounds good, none of my books were
<AutumnCrow> mysteries."
<Torokasi> "I'll lend it to you, then! Hopefully you'll like it. You can basically swing by here and ask a priest sometime if you want to find a book to read - they'll either let you read it here or lend it to you for a week or so." Lilian chirps as the four carry stuff out and through the temple. "What do you like to read, Janda?"
<Torokasi> "Oh, uh, me? Uh..." Janda pauses for a moment, before, "Honestly, I'll read almost anything put in front of me. I tend to prefer courtly romance and politics, I guess? I find the maneuvering fascinating and the subterfuge compelling."
<Torokasi> "By Ratokyst, I'm surrounded by romance lovers." Solmyr gripes, before yelping as Lilian's foot finds his shin.
<AutumnCrow> "Well, hardly surprising that a man who hasn't progressed past the adolescent pranking girls to get thier attention stage isn't a fan of romance," Crow lidded her eyes as she smiled at Solmyr.
<Torokasi> Solmyr rolls his eyes hard at this as Janda breaks down laughing, turning beet red in the process. After a second, Solmyr replies, "If I have to kick my way through a puddle of adjectives to get the grasp of what the writer's saying, the writer needs to improve their damn writing."
<Torokasi> "But the adjectives are the best part!" Lilian protests, grinning. "Quivering, pulsating, vibrating..."
Autumn Crow smirks, finding Lilian far more amusing then expected~


<Torokasi> Lugging the items goes pretty quickly as the group makes the quick hike back to the guild, and into the apartment complex... where no one is waiting downstairs. No sign of the keys down there, either. Lilian and Solmyr put the chest down and rest for a moment as Crow and Janda glance around.
Autumn Crow shrugs, as she still has her key to get into the hall, and the room should be unlocked.
<AutumnCrow> "Well...we can inform them that you've moved in later. I have a key, so let's go." She leads the way up to thier floor!
<Torokasi> The group hikes up to the top floor, and Crow opens the door... to see Isabella, Kalos, Redola, and a woman she doesn't recognize looking into the room next to Crow's. There's a decently loud din in the room as well, as if stuff is being moved around in there.
<Torokasi> Solmyr sort of frowns. "Wait, what's going on here?"
<AutumnCrow> "Ah...did we come at a bad time?" Crow blinks.
<Torokasi> "Oh, no, they're just getting the room set up for Janda." Redola comments, sounding bored even as she watches whatever's going on inside.
<Torokasi> Janda's face pales before flushing beet-red, as she drops Lilian's bag and sprints into the room.
<Torokasi> Kalos glances at Janda as she runs by, before looking to Crow. "I told her assistants to take the room next to you. That's what you wanted, right, dear?"
<AutumnCrow> "That's fine, yes." Crow nods, still not strictly sure why she suggested that specifically.
<Torokasi> From the room, you can hear Janda shriek, "I TOLD MOTHER SPECIFICALLY TO LET ME DO THIS MYSELF! WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE, WHY DID YOU GO INTO MY ROOM AND PACK EVERYTHING WITHOUT MY PERMISSION--"
Autumn Crow then opens her door, and gestures the others to bring Lilians stuff in there, "Put your things in here until the hallway clears. No sense standing there holding that trunk of books."
<Torokasi> Lilian winces. "Well... at least there wasn't anything fragile in the bag she was carrying? Anyway, which room can I put my stuff in- oh, thank you, Crow." With that, Solmyr and Lilian quickly shuffle in and put the chest down, Lilian glancing around a bit before both exit the room."
<AutumnCrow> "The other empty room is at the end of the hall, but..." she eyes the goings on, "that's not really accessable at the moment."
<Torokasi> "Yeah, fair." Solmyr nods as the two of them go to look into Janda's room as well. Solmyr's eyebrows climb up his face, while Lilian seems to be failing to repress a smile. Janda is still screaming, borderline incoherently at this point.
Autumn Crow sighs and sits down on her bed, waiting for the drama to be over.
<Torokasi> After a few minutes, two men in what looks like more dignified servant's clothes leave, followed closely by Redola who seems to make sure they actually go down the stairs and not up to the roof before stepping back in. Lilian and Solmyr come in and grab the chest, and Janda can be heard still - though barely, the walls seem quite good at absorbing sound - cursing in her room.
Autumn Crow drags the two bags down the hall to Lilian's room as the others get the chest.
<Torokasi> The three get Lilian's items into the room rather quickly, and Lilian and Solmyr glance at each other. Solmyr coughs after a moment. "I'll, uh, help you... unpack the books?"
<AutumnCrow> "I'll go check on Janda," Crow heads back down the hall to the room next to hers and knocks.
<Torokasi> Lilian nods. "Sure. I'll get my clothes out and figure out the rest later." Then to Crow, "I'll drop off the books in a little bit, and then... I- oh, thanks!"
<Torokasi> The door is wide open, and the room... the room is an incredibly startling shade of pink. The walls, floor, and ceiling have all been colored pink. There's no sign of the bed, desk, or wardrobe like what you have - instead, the desk in the room is a sleekly carved, wooden desk, complete with compartments on the left side and a thick, cushioned chair. (More)
<Torokasi> The wardrobe present basically takes up the back section of the room - wide and apparently long, big enough to practically be a walk-in wardrobe, and with a variety of dresses and clothes - from what looks like it may be high society, to adventuring dresses and outfits. And the bed is an immensely plush wonder, with giant pillows and one very angry Janda sitting on it, rubbing her head. At Crow's knock, she glances up, before her face flushes and she looks away.
<AutumnCrow> "I assume from the invective that you did not request this?" Crow can't hide the smile, but it's a sympathetic one at least.
<Torokasi> "I had told Mother - multiple times - that I did not want her help, and that I would do it myself." Janda's voice is trembling. "So, of course, she takes the earliest possible opportunity to embarrass me in front of everyone else."
<AutumnCrow> "I'm not certain why it's embarassing, you made it very clear that was against your wishes so I'm not about to hold it against you. Solmyr will likely tease you for it, but if it wasn't this he'd be teasing you about something else anyway."
<Torokasi> Janda inhales a bit jaggedly, before barely managing to get out, "I don't even like the color pink..." and burying her hands in her face for a moment.
<AutumnCrow> "If you're worried I'm going to think you're some spoiled rich girl, then don't." Crow bluntly cuts to the point, "You may have a needlessly lavish room here, but you also slept on the hard ground in the mist overnight without a single complaint. This doesn't negate that."
<AutumnCrow> "And paint is fixable."
<Torokasi> Janda is still for a moment, before rubbing her face and looking up at Crow. "... Thank you, Crow. It's... a relief to hear that."
Autumn Crow shrugs, "Don't worry about it."
<Torokasi> Janda exhales, looking down again for a moment before standing up. "Do we need to help Lilian unpack?"
<AutumnCrow> "Sounds like Solmyr is helping with that already. I got the feeling they wanted some privacy, but we can always feign ignorance and go knock and make things very akward if they are indeed wanting privacy," she smiles cheerfully at Janda~
<Torokasi> Janda pauses, before flushing, before... grinning rather maliciously, although on her face, it just looks awkward. "Yes, let's!"
Autumn Crow nods and heads back down towards Lilian's room, knocking if they closed the door behind her~
<Torokasi> The door is indeed closed, but Lilian immediately replies, "Come in!" at the knock.
Autumn Crow opens the door, not a single trace of dissapointment on her face, "You know, after seeing that I'm actually somewhat thankful my mother is the 'go prove yourself worthy no I'm not giving you any help' sort, if this is the other end of the spectrum."
<Torokasi> Lilian looks up from her desk, which... is already coated in books and parchment. "Motherly love is a strange and bizarre thing." she smiles. "That explains it - I thought you said you didn't like pink, so it confused me, Janda."
<Torokasi> Solmyr blinks, arm-deep in the chest of books as he looks through it. "Wait, she said that? ...Wait, how did you even remember that? When did she even say that?"
<Torokasi> "I'm a follower of Erest Rosen. I remember details." Lilian replies vaguely, finger tapping the parchment she has open in front of her.
<AutumnCrow> "It probably came out once in random conversation, girls remember these things," Crow offers. "...or that."
<Torokasi> Janda seems to sigh a bit in relief at Lilian's commentary. "Yes, it was... not done at my request. At all."
<Torokasi> Lilian chuckles. "It might be that, too, Crow~" Her sing-song voice is... actually pitch perfect?
<Torokasi> Solmyr shakes his head, as... there's actually a knock at the door behind you. "Hey, Solmyr. Where in Sath's name is Ary?"
<AutumnCrow> "Well, color is fixable. Paint and new fabrics, and there goes all the pink." Then she turns around and opens the door, assuming Lilian won't mind.
<Torokasi> Lilian nods as Crow opens the door to see the woman Crow didn't recognize earlier - a rather squat, muscular Talkyr lady with brown feathers and a grimace. She looks over the rest of the group before staring at Solmyr. "I went checking for him at the guys' apartment when I heard you guys had all come back but he wasn't there at all and honestly, I'm getting kinda annoyed trying to find him, so let's cut the shit and how about you tell me where he is alright?"
<Torokasi> Solmyr opens his mouth, before blinking and looking to Crow. "You didn't tell them?"
Autumn Crow looks at Solmyr cooly, "I have no idea who this person is, and if by 'them' you meant Kalos and Isabella, I spoke to them for all of five minutes while moving in."
<Torokasi> "Ah, fair enough." Solmyr shakes his head. "Kalos seemed somewhat familiar with you, so..."
<Torokasi> Lilian speaks up at this point. "Our group hit a bit of a snag and he's currently resting after a bit of surgery, along with Para. They'll be up and moving tomorrow morning, Ms...."
<Torokasi> "Nyci Baire. Just call me Nyci or if that's too hard for you to pronounce Niki works wait SURGERY??" she bellows at the end, before clapping her hand over her beak. "Wait what the hell happened on your guys' trip, those are supposed to be pretty damn chill!"
<Torokasi> "And what the hell is 'a bit of' surgery anyway??"
<AutumnCrow> "That would be where you need to be cut open to remove just one or two things, instead of needing to be cut open to remove several things," Crow volunteers with a straight face, having taken a nearly instant dislike to this woman.
<AutumnCrow> "Autumn Crow, by the way," Crow smiles politely and introduces herself, "the sixth member of the initiation group."
<Torokasi> Nyci looks at Crow curiously. "Oh, that makes sense. And hey, pleasure, good to have you around." A sigh, before, "Okay, fine, I guess I'll wait to give Ary his congratulatory sexing until tomorrow, if he's tryin' to recover right now. Figures really that this is the one night that I actually try to initiate something and of course he's out cold." Punching into her left hand, she grins. "Guess I'll just have to go see if I can get into a few bar fights instead, later all, good to meetcha."
<Torokasi> And with that she's gone. After a second, both Lilian and Janda start giggling.
<AutumnCrow> "Well she's very straightforward."
<Torokasi> Solmyr just glances at Crow for a second, before, "Maybe it's best you didn't say anything to Kalos and Isabella, or she may have tried to get on the operating table with him."
<Torokasi> Lilian doubles over laughing, while Janda turns a shade of red rather close to purple as she snickers.
<AutumnCrow> "It amazes me just how much of a range of blushing you have with your skintone, Janda." Crow half smiles, "I'd think pink wouldn't show up on dark brown so well, and yet."
<Torokasi> Janda waves her hands around as she catches her breath a minute, before, "That much I get from my mom, too. The skin's from my dad, though."
<Torokasi> Lilian smiles widely at this. "At least things will always be interesting here, right, Crow?"
<AutumnCrow> "True." Crow laughs, "I certainly can't complain about boredom."
<Torokasi> Solmyr chuckles, before standing. "I'm going to get my stuff and move in. It's just a bag, so I don't need any help, but better now than tomorrow - figure I'll be helping Para and Ary move in once they're up and moving. I'll see you three tomorrow, then?"
<AutumnCrow> "Indeed."
<Torokasi> ------------------------------------------------------

[Taishyr]

<Torokasi> ------------------------------------------------------------
<Torokasi> The lights of dawn slowly creep through the window of Crow's new apartment, the faint chirping of city birds audible as well as the smells of the city and something crisp and doughy-smelling, probably from the kitchen down the hall as Crow awakes.
Autumn Crow takes the time to slowly wake up for a change of pace, making sure to be completely dressed, ready and looking her best before heading out and knocking lightly on the door next to hers.
<Torokasi> There's no response from Janda's room, though whether she's left already or still sleeps isn't clear. A voice pipes up from behind Crow, groggily, "Hi, Mis- I mean, Crow."
Autumn Crow turns to look behind her.
<Torokasi> Lilian waves, groggily rubbing her eyes with a weary grin. "I knew I stayed out too late... Oh well."
<AutumnCrow> "You didn't strike me as the night owl, sort," Crow nods her own greeting, a bit surprised at the templar's state. "I'm about to go investigate where the smells of food are coming from. Care to join me, or have you already eaten?"
<Torokasi> "I'm good on food, thanks, but I'll come investigate just the same." Lilian smiles. "That does smell good. Bread?"
<AutumnCrow> "Perhaps," Crow leaves Janda to sleep if she is indeed still in there, and follows her nose to where the smell of dough is coming from.
<Torokasi> The two open the door to the kitchen to find Isabella perched on a stool, a large book perched precariously on her lap. The smell seems to be coming from an oven near her, but the room itself looks wide enough to accomodate multiple cooks if necessary, and pretty well equipped - there are even some dried herbs hanging from the opposite wall.
<Torokasi> Isabella looks up after a moment. "Hello there! Bread'll be ready soon."
<AutumnCrow> "Ah, good morning. Is this a communal kitchen for anyone to use?" Crow wastes no time looking about the kitchen to see how well it will work for her own purposes.
<Torokasi> "Yes, it is. I'm the only one that uses it of us three, though, and mainly for fresh bread." Isabella smiles ruefully, carefully closing the book on her lap and leaning it against the stool. "Kalos simply can't cook well and Nyci, well, would be likely to break something in here." The kitchen looks similar to what Crow had at the temple; smaller, but there's far less demand for many of the tools available, and outside of a lack of implements, everything looks well-maintained.
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm. Well, perhaps I'll put something together for dinner then, if everyone wants to pitch in on the shopping." Crow smirks, looking forward to the inevitable praise she will surely recieve for her culinary skills, "do you bake often, or just every now and again?"
<Torokasi> "Oh! You cook?" Isabella's eyes widen at this, smiling. "Sure, we can pitch in. I know what Kalos tends to like, and... ummmmm..." Her face grows conflicted for a moment, before clearing. "We'll figure Nyci out. She may opt out anyway, if Ary's awake. And I bake while studying, so fairly often. The smell helps me think, I find."
<AutumnCrow> "Cooking is my hobby, yes. I try to take it as seriously as I do my martial arts and dancing, though it's a bit harder to practice as often. I do hope everyone will enjoy it." Crow finds a seat to wait until the bread is ready, since she was indirectly offered some and it would be rude to refuse.
<Torokasi> "I don't know quite what to call cooking for me, other than mildly theraputic." Isabella muses, one finger on her chin in thought. "My main hobby is woodcarving, but I can't really read while I do that, so..."
<Torokasi> After a moment, she stands up and pulls out two nice, fluffy loaves of bread, smelling faintly of chives. Producing a knife, she quickly cuts up some slices and offers them to the two.
<Torokasi> Lilian shakes her head gently at this. "I'm good, thanks. It smells great, though."
Autumn Crow nods her thanks and has some bread for breakfast. "So Lilian, has Solmyr spoken to you about Janda's suggestion at all?"
<Torokasi> "Yeah, he mentioned it while you were talking to Janda last night." Lilian nods. "I'm okay for working as a team, yeah. Though, uh..." She brushes her hair away for a bit, before, "Does Janda mind, do you think?"
<AutumnCrow> "Well it was her idea, I'm not sure why she would suggest it if she minded." Crow shrugs, then peers at the templar and attempts to bait some more info on the social dynamic from her, "is there a particular reason you think she would mind?"
<Torokasi> "She's just never seemed to like me or really want to try to talk to me. But if she's okay with this, I guess there's no real obstacles then." Lilian shakes her head, smiling.
<AutumnCrow> "You know," Crow offers a smile, "you two should probably talk. She seems to think that you don't like her. Maybe it's none of my busines to butt in on this, but...well, I'm not very good at just leaving things alone."
<Torokasi> "Oh?" Lilian blinks. "Huh. No, she's more or less fine, but... Okay, I'll talk to her." A yawn escapes her mouth, before she shakes her head. "Anyway, I really should sleep. Uh... here, use this as my share of the shopping money for food. It's been good to talk to you both, but I need a nap." Handing Crow a handful of coins, she exits the room, crossing the hall to her room and closing the door behind her.
<AutumnCrow> "Sure," Crow accepts the coin and tucks it away, then finishes her bread. "Speaking of which," she looks over to Isabella, "has Janda been in here this morning? She did promise to show me good places to shop earlier."
<Torokasi> "I saw her this morning, got to talk to her a bit." Isabella nods. "She mentioned visiting her temple and coming back after that... I don't know which temple, though." A slight frown. "Can't say I've seen her at Zuiseno's, Hemda's, or Erest Rosen's..."
<AutumnCrow> "Weeping Lady," Crow notes, "she seems to be a very devout follower of hers."
<Torokasi> "Oh! That does explain that." Isabella nods. "Well, I'm heading up to give Kalos some bread, and Nyci's up there as well, I think. Would you like to come along while you wait?"
<AutumnCrow> "Certainly. I can let them know I'll be preparing dinner and see if they have any requests."
<Torokasi> "Ah... Sure." Isabella nods slightly uncertainly, leading the way up to the rooftop! (More)
<Torokasi> The sun's rays illuminate a somewhat surprising scene - Kalos, with a glaive in both hands, facing off against Nyci, who looks to be injured and is growling audibly. Isabella glances over at the two, before chuckling softly and putting the bread down on a small table. "Guess we get to wait."
<AutumnCrow> "Live steel sparing with no healer on hand?" Crow raises an eyebrow, but sits and waits for the match to be over, observing thier techniques.
<Torokasi> "Kalos is a healer, though she usually avoids healing herself when sparring." Isabella smiles. The two fighters circle each other slowly, before Nyci lunges in, fist aimed straight at Kalos' face!
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+6 and gets 7." [1d20=1]
<Torokasi> ... or at least, that was probably Nyci's intent, but her foot catches the end of a board and she goes sprawling. Kalos sighs, before lowering her glaive to Nyci's chest, sharp end facing upward. "Are we done yet, Nyci?"
<Torokasi> Nyci curses, before rolling away and sitting up. "Fine yeah sure, I quit. I'll get you one of these days though, you remember that."
<Torokasi> Kalos titters a bit, smiling. "Of course, dear." Putting the glaive down, she steps in and places her hand on Nyci's shoulder, a bright greenish-blue glow engulfing Nyci and wiping away her wounds.
Autumn Crow raises an eyebrow, mentally ticking off the mistakes Nyci made just in the bit she saw.
<Torokasi> Her fighting style in that instant managed to near-immediately remind Crow of her father's reckless style, though Nyci seems to have none of the form to go with it. Nyci looks up after the healing, before standing awkwardly. "Hey Izzy. Hey... Bird?"
<Torokasi> Kalos coughs. "It's Crow, Nyci."
<AutumnCrow> "Crow."
<Torokasi> "Right. Hi Crow." Nyci shakes her head slightly. "Ary awake yet?"
<Torokasi> "...how would she know, Nyci?" Kalos stares at her in mild irritation.
<Torokasi> "Uh. Good point." Nyci replies, seeming flustered.
<Torokasi> Kalos sighs softly, before looking to Crow. "I trust you slept well?"
Autumn Crow just stares at Nyci with a flat expression, then nods a greeting and smiles to Kalos, "indeed. I was actually coming to ask about what manner of food the two of you do or don't like, as Isabella informs me that no one really cooks besides for her baking. So I thought I would make dinner tonight."
<Torokasi> "That'd be lovely, dear. I don't eat meat, myself, so a good serving of vegetables and fruit, if you can find good cheap fruit, would do me fine." Kalos smiles. "And Nyci-"
<Torokasi> "Fish if you can find it, rabbit otherwise, don't care how it's cooked so long as it's still pink, I don't eat green crap." Nyci cuts Kalos off.
<Torokasi> "What that means is she'll eat fruit too if there's any available. I'll pull out a few gold coins from my desk in a second, I need to put my glaive away." Kalos finishes smoothly.
Autumn Crow then turns to look at Isabella, remembering that she has yet to offer any opinions about food.
<Torokasi> Isabella is busy cutting up bread and doesn't seem to be looking your way. Kalos looks at Crow for a second, before looking at Isabella, then, "Isabella will eat about anything, as long as it's not something I try to make, dear, so don't worry on her part."
<AutumnCrow> "Thank you. I get the feeling that Lilian will eat anything, and I'm volunteering Janda to go shopping with me. So that should cover everyone."
<Torokasi> "That sounds lovely. We can watch the sun set from here as well. I'll get a larger table up here with Nyci's help and I can set up and clean dishes afterward?"
<Torokasi> Kalos offers this sweetly, smiling at Isabella while the bread is passed out to Kalos and Nyci.
<Torokasi> "You mean we can watch the sun set and you can look at all the nice pretty colors." Nyci sort of retorts, before gracefully nibbling away at the bread.
<Torokasi> "That's what I said, dear." Kalos replies sweetly, but this time with an edge in her voice.
<AutumnCrow> "That would be great. And perhaps I can provide an opponent for sparing tomorrow? I've little practice against polearms, which is something I should fix." Crow then looked between Kalos and Nyci a bit with a raised eyebrow, not quite getting what the birdwoman was trying to imply.
<Torokasi> "That would be excellent." Kalos said. "You said you wanted some expertise against magic and spearplay, yes? I can provide that. Nyci can help you warm up!"
<Torokasi> Nyci glares at Kalos. "Are you implying that's all I'm good for?"
<Torokasi> Kalos smiles sweetly. "Of course not, dear."
<AutumnCrow> "I still need to face Ary at some point as well, after he's recovered of course. While i didn't get to see him fight, I did get the impression he may actually be a match for me." Crow carefully did not actively face Nyci as she said this, though kept an eye on the brawler from the corner of her vision to gauge her reaction.
<Torokasi> "Possibly yeah. He's more of a 'rah rah go beat 'em up' type but don't let him get an opening to charge you." Nyci nods. "He's pretty durable and hits hard but you look pretty agile, if you focus on dodging him he ain't too rough. Unless you want him to be." This final line is given with a wicked grin, causing Kalos to just groan as she finishes her bread.
<AutumnCrow> "Well, I'm going to go loiter around outside until Janda shows up, then go shopping."
<Torokasi> "Oh, then what good timing!" Janda's voice calls up the stairs. A moment later, Janda comes into view, a frilly green dress on and her hair carefully framed around her face. "Let me just get something from my room and I'll be ready."
<Torokasi> Kalos nods. "And I'll get the money for our shares of the dinner." With that, both Janda and Kalos duck downstairs again!
Autumn Crow does some stretches while she waits for them to come back up.
<Torokasi> Nyci studies Crow's form as she stretches. "You're a brawler, too? Or just trained by one?"
<AutumnCrow> "I fight in the Autumn Temple style," Crow corrects, "unarmed combat, scarf, fan and staff. I generally don't use the staff, that's prefered by the...well, more muscular members of the temple. Paired fan and scarf are my standards, though I'm not bad at unarmed by any means."
<Torokasi> "Ohhhhh." Nyci nods. "You Autumn Temple people are pretty good, I've heard. Look forward to seeing your style, yeah."
<Torokasi> Janda comes back up at this point, coinpurse in hand. "Alright! I'm ready to go. Kalos gave me their contribution so we're all ready!"
Autumn Crow finishes her stretches and smiles, "Lets go then~"
<Torokasi> The two go out shopping, first picking up materials for dinner (fish seems unavailable right now, Janda commenting that summer and fall are better than spring for this, usually) and secondly getting some non-horrifically gaudy decorations for Janda's room (including a modest arm scabbard for Janda's dagger), with Janda offering to finance Crow getting something of her own if she wants.
Autumn Crow declines, not really needing anything at the moment, and explains she's more likely to order custom things once she has the money from guild work~
<AutumnCrow> Mostly, Crow just marks good places to shop at for later.
<Torokasi> Janda nods at this, and the two head back to the Guild. Upon passing through the Guild's gate, Janda pauses, bag in hand. "Should we see if Ary and Para are awake? They probably would be up for lunch, I'd imagine, and it's about that time."
<AutumnCrow> "Definately. You need to pitch the idea about grouping with them anyway. Also, Lilian says she has no objections, I caught her this morning."
<Torokasi> "Oh, excellent!" Janda replies enthusedly. "Then yes, let's go check in on them!" (More)
<Torokasi> The two find Ary and Para shirtless and rather bandaged up, standing up as Ramedo gives them a final checkup. After a moment, Ramedo steps back. "Just let the wounds heal up, you should be fully recovered in a day or two. I'll have a few people assist you two in moving into your new apartment- or we could have your teammates here help you out!"
<Torokasi> Ary looks over at Janda and Crow, nodding slightly. "Hey. Glad to see you two made it home well. I, uh, was told you three helped us back into town... I kinda don't remember, but thank you, very much."
<Torokasi> Para just looks away, rubbing the back of his head.
Autumn Crow smiles at the two of them, "You were going on nothing but grit, there. I can't really fault you for being out of it."
<Torokasi> Ary exhales, chuckling a bit. "Yeah. ... Did Ramedo tell you what we saw?"
<Torokasi> Janda shakes her head. "Lilian did. She was still coherent, since she only got hit once or twice."
<Torokasi> Ary frowns. "Wait, what? I mean, we made sure she healed up first, since she got nailed the hardest by the initial salvo..."
<AutumnCrow> "She was certainly in better shape then you two when we got in."
<Torokasi> Ary frowns. "Huh. Wonder how she pulled that off... Well, whatever, that's a far better result than the alternative, no?"
<Torokasi> At this point, two rumbles can be heard from both Ary and Para's stomachs, causing Ramedo to laugh. "You two lads should get something to eat at the guild food hall, I think."
<AutumnCrow> "We'll join you," Crow invites the two of them along, "after we get the groceries up into the dorm kitchen anyway."
<Torokasi> "Hey, you want to invite Lilian and Solmyr too?" Ary offers. "We need to go get changed, but after that we can meet you there. I'll grab Solmyr."
<AutumnCrow> "Lilian may still be asleep, but I'll knock." Crow nods, then heads upstairs
<Torokasi> "Wait, hold on." Ramedo stops Crow before she steps out, walking over and passing back the necklace Crow's group had found. "An interesting trinket you found. It seems to have lost power with time, but it can help you react a bit faster to threats. It's yours - the Guild has no real interest in personal items like this, but if none of you want it, you can find someone to trade with, I'm sure."
<AutumnCrow> "Thank you." Crow takes it, "I'll show Solmyr over lunch, I'm sure one of us will want it."
<Torokasi> Crow and Janda get up to the kitchen and put the foodstuffs in there, before Janda tenatively knocks on Lilian's door.
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm, actually, since the boys seem to be alive and mobile today, should we invite them up for dinner as well? I don't mind cooking for the extra, nine is no harder then six, really. Once you get past four it's all the same."
<AutumnCrow> "We might have to go get more rabbit, though."
<Torokasi> "Oh, uh, sure! I can manage that." Janda nods as the door opens and Lilian peers out. Her hair is... frankly, a mess, but she looks coherent and awake otherwise.
<Torokasi> After looking the two over, Lilian asks, "What's going on with dinner?"
<AutumnCrow> "The boys are free to move about, we're all getting lunch downstairs. Do you want to join us or sleep more?"
<AutumnCrow> "I'm making dinner for everyone, planning to invite Solmyr, Ary and Para up as well. The roof should have room for nine easy enough."
<AutumnCrow> "Assuming Nyci can restrain herself from trying to take Ary on the dinner table, of course." Crow adds with a completely neutral expression and tone.
<Torokasi> "Oh, sure, that sounds fun!" Lilian smiles, before, "Oh, so you need to get more? I think the money I gave you should cover them, too, so it shouldn't be a problem. Lemme comb my hair and get my cloak on and I'l- pffft!" Lilian snorts into her hand. "Well, dinner and a show never came so cheaply, right?" And with that she closes the door, the sounds of her fumbling around in there apparent even over Janda's guffawing.
Autumn Crow queitly waits until Lilian comes out, not betraying the slightest bit of amusement at her own joke.
<Torokasi> Lilian's quickly out and nods to the two. "So yeah, how much did you guys drop on food?"
<Torokasi> Janda coughs. "I spent about two gold or so, give or take."
Autumn Crow smiles, "It's not something we'll do often, but something good for a special occasion. Like us all getting into the guild and surviving it."
<Torokasi> Lilian blinks, before flushing a bit and nodding. "Then, uh, yeah, use my amount to chip in and get everyone else something, and... save the rest for general food purposes, I guess. Anyway, let's get going!" And with that she heads out ahead of Janda and Crow.
<AutumnCrow> "Sure. A general food fund sounds good to keep as a rule. If we have enough in it and people want something special, let me know early enough in the day and we can make something~"
<Torokasi> "Sounds like a plan!" Janda chirps as the three head down.
<Torokasi> The guild food hall has various stalls and kitchens lining the walls, and Ary flags the three girls down as they come in. Solmyr is with them, already digging into a small bowl of salad as the three girls approach. Para nods to the three as they approach before going back to looking at other tables.
Autumn Crow grabs something decent looking, then sits down at the table with the boys. "So, we're all alive and about now, I'm making dinner for the residents of our floor tonight, and you three are certainly invited up as well. Especially since....well, it's Janda's idea so I'll let her pitch it." Crow cedes the floor to Janda
<Torokasi> Janda flushes a bit but nods. "I was mainly suggesting that we work together as a team, officially. It'd let us pool resources and get jobs more easily, and if people need to take jobs independently they can, and... well, I think it's just best if we stick together and all. We've got a pretty well rounded team, and if we want to expand we can."
<Torokasi> Ary thinks for a moment, before, "Lemme grab something to eat while I think about it, be right back." With that he weaves through the tables to a nearby kitchen.
<Torokasi> Para watches him for a moment before shrugging. "Sounds good to me."
<Torokasi> Solmyr looks up from his salad. "Food or the team plan?"
<Torokasi> "Latter." Para says simply.
<Torokasi> Janda eyes Ary's back in concern. "Did I pitch this poorly?"
<AutumnCrow> "It wouldn't surprise me if he's recieved other invitations as well."
<AutumnCrow> "Or is expecting to, perhaps."
<Torokasi> "He may be joining Nyci's group." Lilian points out gently. "What with the whole conjugal relations there."
<Torokasi> "Oh..." Janda murmurs downcastedly.
<AutumnCrow> "Is she already in a team?"
<Torokasi> "Nyci, Kalos, Isabella and Tammud are a team, yeah. They were the most recent group to get through the application process besides us." Lilian comments.
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm, beyond obviously being a mage of some sort, I have no idea what Isabella actually does." Crow notes, "nor am I familiar with this Tammud."
<Torokasi> Lilian brushes through her hair with her fingers slightly. "Isabella aspires to be an itemcrafter and mystic theurge, which melds divine and arcane magics into one. She stops by the temple of Erest Rosen often for books on theory about magical items. Tammud... I've only met him once, but he seemed pleasant enough? I don't know what he does either, though."
<Torokasi> Solmyr shakes his head, but Para mutters, "He's a hunter of sorts. Focused on archery."
<AutumnCrow> "Ranged combat is always useful," Crow nods.
<Torokasi> Ary comes back at this point, a rather heaping plate in his hands. He glances at Para as he sets it down. "You're not getting anything, Para?"
<Torokasi> Para just quietly shakes his head and looks away, at the same time as his stomach growls rather loudly.
<Torokasi> Solmyr shakes his head and passes Para a few coins. "Go eat. Seriously."
<AutumnCrow> "Do you not like eating in front of people, or do you have higher standards than the guild cafeteria?"
<Torokasi> Para looks at Solmyr in what seems to be mild shock, before quickly taking the coins and heading to one of the other stalls. Solmyr shakes his head to Crow. "I think his money's with his brother, and his brother's out on a mission right now."
<AutumnCrow> "Oh." Crow sighs, "well, he doesn't need to worry about dinner either then, Janda, Lilian and Kalos covered everything. He can help clean if he wants to 'pay' for his share."
<Torokasi> Ary grins. "We'll make sure to help clean, yeah." With that, he begins digging into his plate of food.
<Torokasi> Janda watches him a moment, before clearing her throat. "Um... you were thinking about that offer?"
<AutumnCrow> "We don't really need an answer right this second," Crow tried to soften Janda's worries.
<Torokasi> Ary looks up between Janda and Crow before swallowing quickly. "Oh, yeah, that. Sure. It's either you guys or Nyci's group and... one, I'm pretty sure Kalos only offered to be polite and she'd rather have me not near Nyci while they're trying to work, and two, I'd rather not be around Nyci while trying to get things done."
<AutumnCrow> "She does seem to have a rather, ah, one track mind in regards to you."
<Torokasi> Janda's smile almost splits her face in two. "Excellent! That makes all of us, then!"
<Torokasi> Ary gives Crow a flat look. "Rephrase that one. How many times did she state an intent to undress me within the past twenty four hours?"
<AutumnCrow> "Twice, in my hearing. And I've spoken to her exactly twice in the past twenty four hours." Crow smiles back at him.
<Torokasi> Ary sighs and shakes his head before going back to his food. Para sits back down at this point with a pretty simple dish, and the group eats for a moment before Janda clears her throat again. "Okay, so... we're going to be an official team now. I can handle the paperwork, but... the Guild likes there to be a team name and team leader, for documentation and communication purposes."
<Torokasi> Solmyr looks at Janda. "Wait, how do you know that? I haven't even heard this."
<AutumnCrow> "...is knowing what the guild wants a team to do such a strange thing?"
<AutumnCrow> "I mean, I have no idea, but I'm new here."
<Torokasi> Janda flushes a bit. "I just looked through the paperwork and saw those spots as required."
<Torokasi> Solmyr shakes his head a bit at Crow. "Not really, but... I was just surprised. Do they have any requirements for either of those?"
<Torokasi> Janda shrugs. "Not really. I asked Isabella before I left this morning, she said that they left naming it to her and so the group got called Skyfire."
<AutumnCrow> "So what exactly does the team leader do, compared to a normal member of the team?"
<Torokasi> Ary finishes chewing and swallowing a chunk, before, "I'd suggest something Sath-themed, but we have four devotees to gods, and Para and Crow who don't favor any of them, and the four religious ones of us are all devoted to different gods..."
<Torokasi> Janda nods. "They basically act as the point person for who the Guild contacts, as well as basically takes a leadership role in the group and helps figure out resource and spoils allocation. So, like, they could figure out who'd get that pendant we found."
<Torokasi> Solmyr adds, "They also get shafted with paperwork."
<Torokasi> Janda coughs. "Actually, I don't want to be the leader, but I figured I'd take the paperwork."
<Torokasi> Lilian looks at Janda, mildly perplexed. "Oh? I kinda figured, since this was your idea, you'd want to take the leadership role."
<Torokasi> Janda shakes her head. "It's... well, I'm good at working through paperwork thanks to my family, but... but I'm not leadership material. I know this. I can support, but..."
<AutumnCrow> "If it's merely the social aspects of the position that are the problem," Crow shrugs, "I've no objection to dealing with contacts, turning in jobs, and those sorts of things."
<Torokasi> Janda sighs in relief. "Actually, you were who I was going to ask, Crow. If you don't mind, I think you'd be a very good fit."
<AutumnCrow> "Also, on the subject of the pendant," Crow pulls out the tooth necklace she was given, "apparently this is a very minor magical item, enhances reflexes a bit. I've no real need of it, Solmyr it might help you react quicker when you notice something? You were the eyes of our half of the group anyway, and casting one of those offense spells of yours before the enemy can react is...well, served
<AutumnCrow> us well against the yeeks."
<Torokasi> Solmyr listens to Crow, before taking the pendant. "That sounds like a plan, yeah. I can provide that much. And..." He glances to Lilian, who just returns the glance for a moment, before nodding to Crow. "I've got no problem with you being the leader, yeah."
<Torokasi> Lilian nods. "Sounds like a plan to me~"
<Torokasi> Para just nods, while Ary shrugs and says after gulping down some mead. "I can pull second-in-command if it's needed. But if both Solmyr and Janda are willing to support you, you sound like a good choie to me, Crow."
<AutumnCrow> "Alright then. Also, for those of you who were too busy getting mauled by kobolds to join me on that pleasant walk through yeek infested ruins," Crow somehow keeps her placid tone while saying this, "I have a date with the business end of a glaive tomorrow morning if you want to see what I'm capable of. Hopefully I won't embarrass myself, Kalos is either very good or Nyci is not nearly as
<AutumnCrow> good as she acts. I'm betting on the former."
<Torokasi> "Was Nyci in bear form?" Ary asks.
<AutumnCrow> "No, she was trying to forward rush punch a woman with several feet of reach on her."
<Torokasi> "Right." Ary chuckles. "I know Kalos is pretty brutal in a one on one fight, so be careful, but... you should stand a pretty decent chance, especially if you think ahead, I'd guess?"
<AutumnCrow> "I can't use my Desert Wind or Setting Sun techniques, but I can at least match her reach with my scarf. It'll come down to what kind of magic she has, and how good I am at avoiding it, I think."
<AutumnCrow> "So Nyci is a shapeshifter? I've heard of that magic, though no one at the Autumn Temple uses it."
<Torokasi> "Debilitating magics, when she's not healing." Ary comments. "Nyci can resist some of it but the curse throws her for a loop. Outside of that, though, Kalos doesn't really have an offense to speak of." Nodding to Crow's second comment, "It's not magic so much as inner strength. Or, put a different way, it's a rare talent that she can pull off."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, I'll see it when I see it. Let's hope my arts surprise her more then hers surprise me."
<Torokasi> "Heh, fair enough." Ary nods, before pausing. "So, uh, anyone got an idea for a group name?"
<AutumnCrow> "Sixfold?" Crow suggests. "You mentioned the four religious ones all following different gods, and it made me think that none of us really follow the same, or even all that similar, paths at all. We are all very different people, yet cooperating as one team. It's...well, feels kind of awkward as a name, but it's the best I can come up with."
<Torokasi> Janda hums. "I like it, but what happens if someone new joins?"
<Torokasi> Janda hums. "I like it, but what happens if someone new joins?"
<Torokasi> Lilian shrugs. "Add one to the name?"
<AutumnCrow> "We worry about that then," Crow shrugs.
<AutumnCrow> "Like I said, it's a bit of an awkward name."
<Torokasi> Para's voice is soft, but there's a smile on his face. "I vote Dragonslayers."
<AutumnCrow> "We can't claim that one just yet."
<AutumnCrow> 'yet' was most certainly the operative word in her statement, from her tone.
<Torokasi> "Dragonseekers, then?" Ary offers, chuckling. "Though I like the idea behind Sixfold... Manifold?"
<AutumnCrow> "Doesn't flow as well, but it's simple and we wouldn't have to change it. Works for me."
<Torokasi> "I'm good with Manifold, too." Solmyr nods. Para shrugs and nods as well, returning to his food.
<Torokasi> Janda shrugs. "Sure, that works. As I said, this is mostly entirely for paperwork - I know some groups have a different name for public use, but having something we agree on in private's good too. I'll get to work on the paperwork tonight, alright, everyone?"
<Torokasi> "Works for me!" Lilian chirps. "So... anyone else have plans for the afternoon before dinner?"
<AutumnCrow> "Exploring the area around the guild a bit more, really."
<Torokasi> "You want some company?" Ary offers. "I need to stretch my legs some after being in bed for over a day."
<AutumnCrow> "I have no objections."
<Torokasi> Ary nods. Lilian smiles ruefully. "I'd join in, but I think I'll sleep a bit before dinner. I'm still a bit woozy."
<Torokasi> Janda adds in, "I'm going to work on, uh, fixing my room."
<Torokasi> Ary shrugs. "Then it'll be us two. I know the area pretty well, so... hopefully I can give you a decent tour."
<AutumnCrow> "I've really only seen the markets nearby so far," Crow smiles
<Torokasi> Janda clears her throat. "So, uh... thank you, everyone, for being willing to do this. It really does mean a lot to me."
<Torokasi> Lilian gives Janda a kind smile. "It's our pleasure, really it is."
<Torokasi> Solmyr snorts, leading Lilian to elbow him in the side hard enough to make him double over.
<Torokasi> Ary just shakes his head. "I apologize in advance for any shenanigans, but as far as I can tell it's par for the course for any adventuring group."
Autumn Crow snickers at the elbow, as she gets up from the table, food somehow consumed in the moments between talking.
<Torokasi> Ary stands up as well. "Anyway, shall we?"
<AutumnCrow> "Of course." Crow leads the way out, though lets Ary take the lead once they've made it out, "so where to first? I've seen the markets, and breifly saw the temple circle. Also feel free to talk about Sath if you want, I've gotten an earful about the Weeping Lady from Janda, and the only god I'm familiar with at all from home is Ratokyst."
<Torokasi> "Oh, lord, did she try to get you to come with her to a service?" Ary chuckles. "The temple circle's just to the north of the Guild, so... you probably don't know much of the surrounding area, either. We can arrange to fix that. First, well, that food hall we just left is in the center complex. It's got all the administration rooms as well, as well as a lot of other functions - smiths, itemcrafters, spellcasters, and the like. A few have workshops in the markets, which are to the east of the guild's central complex."
<AutumnCrow> "Yes, we've agreed that at some point I will accompany her to a service, and then she'll go through my excersize routine with me afterwards." Crow smiles, a full smile entirely free of malice~
<Torokasi> Ary pauses, looking at Crow for a second before grinning as well. "That is... a very effective way of potentially warding her off. Though given her recent attitude shift she may actually take you up on it, eventually." After getting outside, Ary gestures at the outer walls. "There's currently four housing sections; you guys are in the southernmost part of the walls, whereas Para, Solmyr and myself are going to be in the northwest complex. You've got some stores in the walls as well, alongside restaurants and stuff. There's more... small home-like housing in the northeast and southeast walls."
<AutumnCrow> "People keep talking about Janda as if she is some sort of pest, but I've found her to be nothing but pleasant, outside of one minor outburst in the ruins." Crow shrugs, then nods along with the tour, "I admit, the guild complex itself is....far larger than I was expecting when I got here."
<Torokasi> Ary stops at this for a minute. "Janda was far worse when she first joined up. She's... toughened up far better than I thought she would, I'll be honest. But to call her a 'immensely entitled brat' would sell short both mine and Solmyr's old opinions on her. That he's willing to work with her now says a immense amount."
<Torokasi> "Really, it's thanks to Solmyr that she's gotten that far. ... Not that she'll ever acknowledge that, let alone figure it out." he chuckles after a moment.
<AutumnCrow> "You might be surprised."
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm, do you reccomend any of the craftsmen for custom work? If my scarf or fans get damaged....I will need to have them repaired at probably great expense. They are not common strips of cloth or wood, and not exactly normal weapons that anyone would be able to make."
<Torokasi> "I might be." Ary allows. "And... hrm. I think there's a woman in the guild proper that specializes in unique or individual weapons. She may be able to assist you there; I'll get her name from Nyci and we can go talk to her. She's probably who I'll need to have repair my katana or make a better one."
<Torokasi> "Anyway. This building is important." He stops in front of what looks like a tavern built out of the wall, named Duessa's Redoubt. "This is where a lot of the job offers get posted and otherwise filter to."
<AutumnCrow> "Ah...well, shall we see if there's anything up that we might want to look at onec you and Para are recovered?"
<Torokasi> "It's pretty easy to remember the location of, since it's in the northernmost part of the wall and just south of the back end of the temple to Magdanae." He nods to Crow as she mentions this. "Sure, let's give it a whirl."
Autumn Crow heads in and looks around for some manner of board?
<Torokasi> The two enter the tavern. The air is dark and smoky, with the smell of alcohol infusing the atmosphere. The crowd is somewhat thin, and a serving girl comes up to the two quickly. "Are you here for business or relaxation?"
<Torokasi> "Uh, business. We're both Guild - just got accepted a day ago." Ary replies. "So no pins or anything yet."
<Torokasi> "Oh! So is this your first time here?" The girl smiles, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes.
<Torokasi> "Ah... not for me, so I can give the tour." Ary offers, glancing to Crow.
<AutumnCrow> "It's my first time, but if you have customers to serve I won't take up your time," Crow nods to the woman.
<Torokasi> "That's fine. Just introduce yourself to Duessa when you get upstairs, then, ma'am." And with that she's off, heading toward a corner where a few other servers are lounging.
<AutumnCrow> "Hard at work, I see." Crow mutters very lowly, then nods to Ary to continue the tour.
<Torokasi> Ary shakes his head. "Right. Anyway..." He points to a set of stairs to their left, before gesturing to another set to their right. "We need to go upstairs. Down here is where the public's allowed; second floor is guild members and people on Guild business, be it merchants, people looking to recruit people for jobs, or other such functions." Saying this, he heads upwards!
Autumn Crow follows, doing her best to look like a professional guild member even without a pin.
<Torokasi> The second floor is less smoky, though perhaps more richly saturated with alcohol if anything, and even a bit dimmer. The center of the room where the bar is, however, is brightly lit, and it's here that Ary heads. The woman behind the bar, a stout, tall middleaged woman, looks the two over.
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+14 and gets 22." [1d20=8]
<Torokasi> "Ary Shiguzu, formerly of the Silver Guard, and... I've met Lilian and know Janda's much darker in skin tone, and lacking a pin but with Ary, so you must be Autumn Crow of the Autumn Temple." The woman says after a moment of reflection. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Crow. I'm Duessa, of Duessa's Redoubt."
<Torokasi> A pause. "Or do you prefer Autumn Crow? I know your father preferred Goose, and your uncle preferred Fang, but I shouldn't make that presumption of you."
Autumn Crow blinks, then smiles at the woman, "Well, that's one way to show off being informed. Crow is just fine, we usually only require style names from others of the temple."
<Torokasi> The woman chuckles. "As the head of the guild's information center and business end, I make it a point to be informed, Crow. Feel free to drop by if you're looking for some information of some sort. This a tour, Ary?"
<Torokasi> Ary nods a bit stiffly. "Ahh, yes. We decided to come in and check the M-1 board and listings."
<Torokasi> Duessa nods, before pulling out a small vial of fluid from beneath her counter and taking a sip. After making a face, she remarks, "There's one I've not put up yet, in part because Kalos and her group is on vacation while Isabella tries to not blow her room up, Valken and his team are out, and who the hell knows what the fuck Kzatch or Hzaou are doing so there hasn't been anyone to take it." (More)
<Torokasi> "It's from the government, apparently under advisement from the Guild, and is directed at all M-levels to do what they can. Basically, a location near the city has suddenly become inaccessible. We don't know why, but the Mist isn't letting anyone through to it, and no one can tune compasses to the location. The government wants people to go out and look for it. Frankly, it sounds like a horsetail dream to me, but if you want to go for it, don't let me stop you."
<AutumnCrow> "When did this come in?"
<Torokasi> "Yesterday afternoon. I've got the M-2 through M-5 versions up, just look at one of those and I can give you the specific locations they want you to check if you're dying to take it." Duessa replies. "The board for M-1 is the first one on my left behind me.
Autumn Crow looks at Ary and raises an eyebrow.
<Torokasi> Ary pauses, looks at Crow, and then pulls his compass out, which begins to spin wildly in place.
<Torokasi> After a few seconds he frowns, looks back to Crow, and nods. "Yeah."
<Torokasi> Duessa raises an eyebrow. "Okay. What's the scoop here?"
<AutumnCrow> "I was expressly asked by Ramedo not to talk about this," Crow offers an apologetic smile. "I plan to check in with him and see just how far that goes shortly."
<Torokasi> "That's fine. I'll get the details from him even if I have to sit on him." Duessa scowls. "The government said all people had to be offered this but this smelled both risky and a waste of damn time." She sighs. "Anyway, feel free to check the board for other stuff, and thanks for letting me know this has something to do with either the quarry or the ruins suddenly going poof."
Autumn Crow nods, then looks over to check the board.
<Torokasi> Ary chuckles a bit nervously, before following Crow to look at the postings. There are three currently posted: one details a set of obelisks that can be found in the Mist, a unique mark used to locate the first one, and some information on the general location on the rest, and requests an expedition to investigate what the writer claims to be a "new obelisk".
<Torokasi> The second is from a priest in the service of Zuiseno, and mentions magical fluctuations in the "slums" of Verxais, but simply says to contact the writer for more details.
<Torokasi> The final one is a request from the temple of Magdanae for more copper for their temple. The note continues that finding a large source would be even better, but as it stands some of the areas west of Verxais has some copper ores that could be refined. Again, most details are left for when a group contacts them.
<Torokasi> There is signs that there was a fourth one, but it got ripped off and only the edge of the paper remains on there.
<AutumnCrow> "Any of these look promising to you?"
<Torokasi> "Well, the one in town doesn't involve Mist travel. It'd be a potentially good warmup, even if Solmyr'd have to hold himself back a lot for it." Ary comments. "The other two..."
<AutumnCrow> "Lilian and Janda should be good for detecting magical strangeness as well."
<Torokasi> After a moment, he puts his finger on the mark described in the first job, then looks at his compass again as it stabilizes and points northward. "Right, so the first and third are mutually exclusive, unless we get really lucky going north and finding copper in the fields."
<Torokasi> He nods to Crow at this. "Yeah, we don't have a shortage of people capable of handling that, thankfully."
<Torokasi> "
<AutumnCrow> "Hmm, lets come back tomorrow after becoming an official team to grab it. I doubt it will vanish overnight"
<Torokasi> "So... I dunno, I guess I'd suggest the magical fluctuations, myself. We can look into the obelisks or copper later, or hope something more compelling and less suicidal pops up." Ary half smirks before nodding. "Yeah, let's. We should be able to get the pins from Ramedo by then, but he's been running around like crazy the past few days."
<AutumnCrow> "I can't imagine why," Crow comments dryly
<Torokasi> "Yeah, it's not like we could've done anything at all to worry him." Ary follows up, before eyeing the ripped piece of paper. "Hey, Duessa. What was the job that got ripped off here?"
<Torokasi> Duessa walks over, looking quickly at the three still-present jobs...
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+3 and gets 10." [1d20=7]
<Torokasi> "It... was an old request, if I recall right. I don't actually recall what it was, but it's been gone for about a week or so and was up for much longer than that. Something about someone thinking they were being tailed? It wasn't important enough for the person to pay the fee for anything more than a M-1 posting so it probably wasn't worth your time, anyway." Duessa shrugs before returning to the bar.
<Torokasi> After a few seconds, she can be heard saying, "Hey, Tammud. How's it going?"
Autumn Crow looks over to see who the mysterious Tammud is~
<Torokasi> Tammud is... a Talstedi man with a very bright shock of red hair, a well tailored vest over a trim white shirt and dark pants, and rather stereotypically handsome good looks. He gives Duessa a smile. "Not much. A double of the usual?"
<Torokasi> Duessa grins. "Sure. Still tracking down materials for Isabella?"
<Torokasi> Tammud groans. "Yeah. By Sath, some of the people she has me negotiate with..." He glances over to Crow and Ary, before, "Hey, Ary. Cheating on Nyci, are we?"
<Torokasi> Ary rolls his eyes. "Oh, shut it, Tammud. This is Crow, the sixth member of our group. And I just got back from the quarry and I'm really not in the mood for this."
<Torokasi> "Right, right, sorry. I only brought it up since Nyci's been stircrazy with..." Tammud pauses, looking at Crow and then at Duessa. "What's the word I'm looking for here?"
<AutumnCrow> "I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you," Crow says cooly, "but you seem to quite readily get the wrong idea about women, so I won't."
<Torokasi> "Don't take it personally, Crow." Duessa smiles. "He gets the wrong idea about everyone, and if there's anyone more sexcrazed than Nyci around here, he sits in front of me. So how many of the merchants did you blow to get Isabella her discounts, Tammud?"
<Torokasi> Tammud and Duessa lock eyes for about ten seconds before Tammud scowls and looks away. "It was pleasure, not business."
<AutumnCrow> "And I think that's our cue to depart," Crow smiles at Ary.
<Torokasi> "Yeah, give him an inch to open his mouth and he'll take it." Ary rolls his eyes. "Later, Duessa. Don't let Tammud here talk your ear off all damn night." With that, he heads out as Duessa chuckles.
<Torokasi> Tammud just rolls his eyes. "Sorry for the bad first impression, at least. A pleasure to meet you, Crow. Ary's a good guy; don't worry about him much."
<AutumnCrow> "It would seem at least one merchant has enjoyed that propensity of his," Crow quips as they head out
<Torokasi> Ary chuckles. "Tammud... has the one bad habit of presuming everyone else is as perpetually on the prowl as he is, but he's otherwise okay. Well. After he stopped hitting on me he was fine." He shakes his head, a grimace on his face for a moment. "Christ, I get into town and within a day Nyci's almost ready to brawl Tammud over this. That was a fun time period, except not."
<AutumnCrow> "Hah. I'd probably break thier poor brains." Crow chuckles a bit.
<Torokasi> Ary just shakes his head. "Nyci was the reason I even came here, which made things even more awkward. But... anyway, that was Duessa's Redoubt. There's a tower at the eastern gate, but right outside that is something of a maze of buildings so everyone usually uses the western gate unless they're from the noble quarters to the east. Hrm, anything else of note... Is there anything in particular you're looking for?"
<AutumnCrow> "Not really. I'm sure we'll eventually make the rounds on any good restaraunts, which is the other thing of interest. Or theaters, but I doubt that's your cup of tea."
<Torokasi> "There's actually a pretty good theatre just east of the Guild, at the edge of the rich district. Retefi's Stories, I think it's called? Very niche theatre that focuses on costumes and art over stories, but pretty interesting regardless. And I'm probably the only person of the five that'd be interested, actually. Except maybe Lilian." Ary chuckles. "Janda likes other theatres but not that one, she can give you locations of more traditional ones."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, color me surprised. I've yet to actually go to a theater of any sort, so I'd be quite happy to go see something with anyone interested."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, the temple has something that functions like a theater, but I already know everything that's performed there."
<Torokasi> "Fair enough, yeah. Storytelling is actually something of a hobby of the priests of Sath, so the methods people do that sort of always caught my attention." Ary chuckled. "And since you talked about letting me talk about Sath... well, I'd invite you along to any of the services, basically. It's rather 'find your own path and walk it' around here, as opposed to a lot of places where it's more 'know your place in the world' so it'd not be a good representation, but that might be a good thing based on what you said?"
<Torokasi> "But if you're not interested, no big deal. Lord knows the temple is gaudy enough to blind people."
<AutumnCrow> "On dear," Crow laughs, "I do tend to prefer a more quiet elegance, but I'm sure I'll give it a look at some point. The martial tradition interests me if nothing else. I'm not likely to become a convert of anything, even Ratokyst gets little more than cursory deference at the Autumn Temple, but I do want to at least know about the culture here. Which seems to be heavily tied up in the gods,
<AutumnCrow> from what I can see."
<Torokasi> "Yeah, I think that the Autumn Temple sounds more like the exception than the rule there. Even in Teriander, there was heavy focus on... well, some of the gods. Sath, Hemda, and the Weeping Lady, mainly. The rest didn't really have any following there, and the branch of the Weeping Lady was a lot more militaristic than Janda's. Kinda weirded me out, actually." Ary chuckles. "Well, do let me know if you want to stop by, and also lemme know if you want more advice about what's around the Guild."
<AutumnCrow> "Thank you for the tour, it was quite helpful."
<Torokasi> "Not a problem. See you at dinner!" Ary nods before heading out, presumably to arrange moving into his room.

[Taishyr]

<Torokasi> Afternoon turns to evening, and Crow quickly busies herself with her cooking duties, Lilian and Isabella both offering to assist in the cooking (under Crow's strict directions, of course...) OOC: Roll Cooking check, +2 circumstancial.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+10+2 come on bot crow's pride is on the line
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+10+2 come on bot crow's pride is on the line and gets 29." [1d20=17]
Autumn Crow prepares lots of thinly sliced grilled rabbit, of varying states of doneness for those who like it different ways, a simple salad, and a spicy fruit & pepper chutney to serve both as a salad addative and a topping for the rabbit~
<Torokasi> The rabbit goes over excellently with everyone who eats it! Kalos abstains, and Lilian takes a polite amount, but everyone else digs in. The salad and the chutney are also great hits, with all but Nyci enjoying it. Nyci nibbles at the salad, twitches her beak, and goes back to her meat, saying that it tastes good but isn't her style.
<Torokasi> Everyone expresses their thanks and admiration for the great meal~
Autumn Crow chats with Kalos a bit, noting that she can do some more complex vegetarian dishes when harvest season rolls around, as nearly a quarter of the autumn temple are vegetarians(or pescatarians) so she's familiar with that style of cooking.
Autumn Crow also preens under the praise~
<Torokasi> Kalos nods to this as the cleanup begins. "That sound very pleasant. I usually make do with raw vegetables and eggs, so having some variety would be much appreciated, Crow."
<AutumnCrow> "A popular one at home is various forms of what we call 'crumb salad'. Dried out breadcrumbs cooked in some broth and mixed with herbs and diced fruits or vegetables, depending on the flavor you want. I know like twenty variations on that." She grins.
<Torokasi> And with this, the cleanup is conducted by others so Crow can get some sleep...
<Torokasi> OOC: Also, Crow: Will save, please.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 i have that
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 i have that and gets 24." [1d20=17]
<Torokasi> The night, thankfully, passes quite uneventfully, and Crow's sleep is very restful.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: the next morning, crow changes her prepared maneuvers
Autumn Crow awakens in the morning, as early as possible, to get the washroom to herself. Washing quickly, no easy task with her long hair, she carefully binds and dresses herself as she does every morning.
<Torokasi> The room shows signs of relatively recent use, but is unoccupied when Crow slips in and locks up the room. After stepping out of the wash, Crow can faintly hear sounds above her.
Autumn Crow puts the final touches on her apperance back in her room, then grabs some light breakfast of whatever is handy in the kitchen and heads upstairs!
<Torokasi> It's mainly more fresh bread and some fruit that Crow's able to swipe as she heads upstairs. Kalos, Isabella and Lilian are sitting to one side, drinking water and nibbling on fruit, while Nyci is on the other side, stretching. Lilian is the first to notice Crow, and waves. "G'morning, Crow~"
<AutumnCrow> "Good morning, all." Crow smiles to Lilian and nods to the others.
<Torokasi> Kalos doesn't turn her head immediately, but Isabella waves. "Hi, Crow! Thanks again for dinner last night. What plans do you have for today?"
<AutumnCrow> "Well, see if we can get our guild pins today, and then take the newly official, presuming Janda did get the paperwork done, team and look into a job Ary and I noticed at the bar. Assuming nobody else has other plans." She looks over to the resident templar, "We'll definately need you for this one, Lilian. It's about investigating unusual magic."
<Torokasi> Lilian blinks. "Oh, you two've already gone to meet Miss Duessa? That's good to hear! Certainly I can help with that."
<AutumnCrow> "We did that while he was showing me around yesterday."
<Torokasi> "Ah." Lilian rakes her fingers through her hair absentmindedly, before, "Oh, weren't you and Miss Kalos-"
<Torokasi> "Kalos, dear." Kalos interjects smoothly.
<Torokasi> "-you and Kalos going to spar?" Lilian finishes.
<AutumnCrow> "That was also the plan, yes." Crow nods, "after we finish eating of course."
Autumn Crow does quickly finish munching what she picked up for breakfast.
<Torokasi> Kalos nods, smoothly finishing a small piece of bread before standing and walking over to a clear section of the rooftop, picking up her glaive there before turning to you.
<Torokasi> Her foggy eyes track onto Crow after a moment. "I am ready once you have prepared."
Autumn Crow moves across from her, snapping out the scarf from around her waist and wrapping her right hand up in it, her left holding the scarf lightly closer to the middle, "I need more practice with this. So if you manege to force me to go for my fans, you can count it as at least a partial victory." Crow smirks at her opponent as she readies herself to spring into action.
<Torokasi> Kalos snorts a bit. "We'll see how long that takes!" OOC: Init. You can choose your distance from her, since she positioned herself first.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+4 init and ~15ft is fine, nobody has full attacks yet.
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+4 init and ~15ft is fine, nobody has full attacks yet. and gets 17." [1d20=13]
<Torokasi> roll 1d20+9 Kalos is a jerk on init
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+9 Kalos is a jerk on init and gets 14." [1d20=5]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Crow (30) > Kalos (42)'
<@Torokasi> OOC: Crow goes first.
Autumn Crow quickly slips in, the scarf spinning around her gracefully as she slides into what almost seems like a dance step, the scarf lashing out once....or is it twice? There seem to be two scarves for the shadow of a moment....(OOC: 3 into Combat Expertise, 5ft step, Shadow Blade Technique)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+4 SBT hit 1
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+4 SBT hit 1 and gets 12." [1d20=8]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+4 SBT hit 2
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+4 SBT hit 2 and gets 16." [1d20=12]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d6+5 scarf, and no worries
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d6+5 scarf, and no worries and gets 11." [1d6=6]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: and my AC is 24 right now
<@Torokasi> The scarf lashes out before catching Kalos' left wrist, scratching at her before Crow pulls and wrenches her arm! Kalos curses and manages to bat the scarf away, before the marks on her hand glow a sickly purple... OOC: Hexblade's Curse. Will save, DC 16.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 will
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 will and gets 27." [1d20=20]
<@Torokasi> Crow feels a dangerous presence around her, but it seems to fade before it can sink in. Muttering, Kalos then raises a hand briefly, creating a shimmering array of lights that seem to flicker around her. OOC: Coat of Many Stars up. Go.
<@Torokasi> Nyci can be heard hooting in the back, "HA! Take that, you cheating old hag!"
Autumn Crow takes advantage of Kalos taking the defensive to step inside her weapon's guard and sends a fierce elbow straight for the older woman's center of mass! (OOC: 5ft step in, Sapphire Nightmare Blade with an unarmed strike so this damage is nonlethal)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 concentration vs her AC
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+8 concentration vs her AC and gets 16." [1d20=8]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Miss.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 still get to swing, just no bonus damage and a penalty to hit
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 still get to swing, just no bonus damage and a penalty to hit and gets 9." [1d20=4]
<@Torokasi> Crow steps in, but the shimmering of Kalos' magic around her distracts Crow for just a split second too long as Kalos jumps back out of the way! Stepping back just a bit further, Kalos spins her glaive around her head before performing a swift, brutal cut!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+8 and gets 26." [1d20=18]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: ow
<@Torokasi> roll 1d10+3
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d10+3 and gets 5." [1d10=2]
<@Torokasi> The glaive strikes true, catching Crow's arm and making a large gash! OOC: Crow.
Autumn Crow winces, then pulls the power of the earth up into her body, lashing out with the scarf again before stepping in, unwilling to give the woman space to cast any of her spells without risk. (OOC: Stone Bones, 5ft in.)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 scarfsmack
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 scarfsmack and gets 14." [1d20=7]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: I also have DR 5/adamantine this round, even though I probably missed
<@Torokasi> The scarf lashes out, but this time Kalos catches it around her glaive and manages to pull it free without issue. Grimacing, Kalos considers, before awkwardly stepping back... OOC: AoO opportunity.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 this is why I keep stepping in
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 this is why I keep stepping in and gets 10." [1d20=3]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Crow (25/30) > Kalos (31/42)'
<@Torokasi> Crow's scarf lashes out again, but snaps right above Kalos' head! Kalos smirks slightly, as her glaive glows an eerie shade of purple... OOC: Magic Weapon cast. Crow's up.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+8 tumble
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+8 tumble and gets 13." [1d20=5]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: she gets to AoO me as I go in. -_-
<@Torokasi> Crow rolls in, but Kalos catches the maneuver and lashes out with the glaive!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+9 and gets 29." [1d20=20]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+9 critcheck
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+9 critcheck and gets 17." [1d20=8]
<@Torokasi> roll 1d10+4 whack
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d10+4 whack and gets 11." [1d10=7]
<@Torokasi> Kalos manages to swing into Crow's momentum, laying down a painful cut across Crow's back! OOC: Continue
Autumn Crow winces as she is hit, and is forced to go for her fans....(OOC: quickdraw, wolf fang strike, come fucking ON hatbot)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 strike 1
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 strike 1 and gets 10." [1d20=5]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 strike 2
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 strike 2 and gets 8." [1d20=3]
<@Torokasi> Both hits miss, the fans bouncing off Kalos' glaive as she parries the relentless hits!
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Crow (14/30) > Kalos (31/42)'
<@Torokasi> Kalos nods, steps back, and attempts to swing at Crow again!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+9 rolling
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+9 rolling and gets 14." [1d20=5]
Autumn Crow presses the attack, clearly irritated, focusing on swinging fast and furiously, trying to push her opponent off balance.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 swing 1
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 swing 1 and gets 21." [1d20=16]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 swing 2
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 swing 2 and gets 17." [1d20=12]
<@Torokasi> But this time it's Kalos that grows overconfident, her glaive sweeping high! Crow presses the attack... OOC: First attack hits. Second misses.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d4+5 fanslash
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d4+5 fanslash and gets 6." [1d4=1]
<@Torokasi> And Kalos' face takes the brunt of the first slash, her glaive barely in position to parry the second as Kalos winces!
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Crow (14/30) > Kalos (25/42)'
<@Torokasi> Kalos grimaces, seeming to weigh her options before shrugging and stepping back! OOC: AoO provoking
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+5 no
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+5 no and gets 14." [1d20=9]
<@Torokasi> Crow's fan slashes just a second too late as Kalos' eyes seem to grow an eerie red... OOC: Will DC 15. Kalos is using Phantom Threat.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 will save don't fail me now
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 will save don't fail me now and gets 26." [1d20=19]
<@Torokasi> Such cheap parlor tricks can get stuffed! Crow easily shrugs off the feeling of danger, as Kalos grimaces.
<AutumnCrow> OOC: can I scoop my scarf up as a swift action with Quick Draw?
<@Torokasi> OOC: Sure.
<AutumnCrow> With near blinding speed, Crow snaps her scarf off the ground and her fans are somehow safely back in her belt. Rewinding the scarf around her right hand, she takes a stance...and waits. (OOC: full round action, refreshing Shadow Blade Technique)
<@Torokasi> Kalos seems a bit confused by this, but shakes her head. "I'm running a bit low on steam, here, dear, so forgive me if I look to end this now..." With this, her hand stretches out toward Crow, before a pale grey beam seems to shoot out of her hand!
<@Torokasi> roll 1d20+7 ranged touch.
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d20+7 ranged touch. and gets 17." [1d20=10]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+10 baffling defense
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+10 baffling defense and gets 13." [1d20=3]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Wait.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Do you get an AoO since you're usign the scarf?
<AutumnCrow> OOC: is she 10ft from me? If she is, then yes.
<@Torokasi> OOC: Yes.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 scarf snap
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 scarf snap and gets 15." [1d20=8]
<@Torokasi> OOC: Miss.
<@Torokasi> roll 1d6+2 str drain
* Hatbot --> "Torokasi rolls 1d6+2 str drain and gets 4." [1d6=2]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: alright, I do 2 less damage now. This doesn't effect my atack rolls at all.
<@Torokasi> The beam grazes Crow, seeming to sap her strength from her bones! OOC: Yeah, Kalos hasn't caught on there yet.
<AutumnCrow> "I suppose one of your spells was bound to work eventually," Crow comments blandly, acting far less worried then she really is. The focus in her eyes betrays her casual jab, however.
Autumn Crow slides in, spinning her scarf in an elaborate pattern to catch the older woman off guard...hopefully. (OOC: 5ft step, use that maneuver I just refreshed.)
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 SBT1
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 SBT1 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d20+7 SBT2
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d20+7 SBT2 and gets 11." [1d20=4]
<AutumnCrow> OOC: I'll take the 23 thanks
<@Torokasi> "To be honest, shrugging off both my curse and my phantoms makes me inclined to say you have the upper hand so far..." Kalos mutters. OOC: Hit.
<AutumnCrow> roll 1d6+3 boo str damage
* Hatbot --> "AutumnCrow rolls 1d6+3 boo str damage and gets 4." [1d6=1]
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Crow (14/30) > Kalos (21/42)'
<@Torokasi> Kalos is snapped upside the head with the scarf, curses, and staggers back a bit. After a moment, she rights herself, and seems to contemplate... before lowering her glaive gently. "Any more and I stretch my resources too thin to be effective in my work today. Ladies, can we have a verdict?"
<@Torokasi> Nyci replies immediately, "Crow! Definitely Crow, she shrugged off a ton of your stuff like it wasn't no thing and man that was awesome to see!"
<AutumnCrow> "That was a draw," Crow grudgingly admits, like saying it is pulling teeth.
<@Torokasi> Isabella shakes her head. "You both look quite wounded, Kalos. I can't really judge."
<AutumnCrow> "I need far more practice against polearms, and should not have allowed you to block nearly that many blows."
<@Torokasi> Lilian nods slightly to Crow. "I think I agree. You kept each other off balance pretty effectively."
<@Torokasi> Kalos simply smiles. "Then we'll need to practice together again sometime, dear. Ah... did you pull out those fans of yours?"
<AutumnCrow> "Yes, that's what I slashed you across the face with."
<AutumnCrow> "....are you THAT poor of seeing?"
<AutumnCrow> "How do you manage to fight at all?"
<@Torokasi> Kalos blinks. "... how does a fan get that sharp?" At Crow's comment, she chuckles. "I can tell where people are, and their general shapes, but much of everything is a murky blur, I confess. Past thirty feet or so, I cannot see worth anything. My eyesight was never good, truth be told, but ever since I was chosen by Zuiseno, it has gotten much worse."
<AutumnCrow> "Bladed fans," Crow notes, pulling one out and handing to her so she can see for herself.
<AutumnCrow> "And that neatly explains why none of my feints worked. You didn't see them." Crow's voice is quite flat.
<@Torokasi> "I trained as a hexblade for a good time before my vision deteriorated this far, and fortunately, I've retained enough sight to be able to fight in melee, but I must trust my dear allies to appraise me of threats I cannot hear." Kalos finishes, before taking one of Crow's fans and testing it on her finger. After drawing a prick of blood, she grimaces. "My, I'd cut myself open trying to use these, I think."
<@Torokasi> At Crow's comment, Kalos chuckles. "It does have its... rare advantages, yes. Mostly when Tammud's antics are concerned, but feinting me is difficult, though certainly possible."
<AutumnCrow> "The scarf is even harder to use, as it's not bladed at all. A bit weighted in places to give some force to the impacts, but is mostly just cloth. We rely on our skill and strength of spirit to give it the oomph it needs. My own particular training is in how to swap between weapons extremely fast, so I can use what I need for any situation." Crow takes the fan back, tucking it into her belt.
Autumn Crow takes a few deep breaths, refreshing her maneuvers one by one.
<@Torokasi> "I see. That explains how you were able to swipe at me regardless of range." Kalos murmurs. "I had thought I was distant enough to perform my spell, but..."
<AutumnCrow> "You almost were. If I was a foot closer it would have hit cleanly, you were just at the far edge of my range."
<@Torokasi> "And I take it you utilize your speed for your accuracy, then? I suppose that explains why enfeebling you failed to do much." Kalos continues, shaking her head. "My, I do need to train more."
<@Torokasi> "Ah, I see. I saw the motion but wasn't sure if I moved my head back in time, or was just out of range."
<AutumnCrow> "Is that what you did? I do feel a bit off balance. But yes, I have no power, I'm all speed and technique. It's...a bit of an embarrassment in my family, to be honest, the other warriors of my line are very physically powerful. Aaaaaand I'm a twig." Crow shrugs.
<@Torokasi> "You were strong enough to make those blows sting, dear." Kalos shakes her head a bit woozily. After a bit of discussion, Isabella steps in to heal the two up.
* Torokasi changes topic to 'Init: Crow (30) > Kalos (42)'
<@Torokasi> "But yes, I'm basically blind as a bat, though my hearing is about as good to compensate." Kalos says after recovering. "Thank you for the match, dear."
<AutumnCrow> "That's not even strength. That's placing them correctly.
<AutumnCrow> "
<@Torokasi> "Aah, I see." Kalos smiles gently. "I suppose I'll have to learn how to place my own blows that well, too, some day.
Autumn Crow nods, "We'll have to do this again. Next time you'll know not to waste time attacking my will, and I'll know not to bother feinting."
<@Torokasi> "Indeed. Though without will undermining, I'm afraid my bag of tricks is surprisingly limited." Kalos nods. "You saw most of my talent, save for paralysis, and even that tests a target's will, not their fortitude."
<AutumnCrow> "I have two other tricks....but I can't use them up here. The first is a technique to set fire to my weapons for a breif moment, the core of the Desert Wind discipline. The other..." Crow looks over at the edge of the roof, "is throwing someone. It's hard to explain how I can throw someone stronger then I am, with a scarf no less, but it works. On the roof, however...it would not really be
<AutumnCrow> safe to use."
<@Torokasi> Kalos blinks. "Oh! Next time let's use one of the training rooms, then, dear. I didn't realize you were fighting at a disadvantage. Those rooms can handle use of fire just fine."
<AutumnCrow> "Well, I don't use my Desert Wind techniques agianst anyone I'm not trying to kill. They are....deadly."
<AutumnCrow> "All sparing requires holding back at least somewhat, after all."
<@Torokasi> Kalos chuckles a bit. "I am capable of knowing my limits, and I assure you, we will have plenty of healers on hand. You'd have needed it had my hex landed, after all."
<AutumnCrow> "On that subject, we will need at least two healers for my inevitable match against Ary. I anticipate we'll both be bleeding pretty badly after the first couple of passes."
<@Torokasi> Nyci chuckles. "I suspect you win that but it'll be a fun match to watch make sure I'm around!"
<@Torokasi> Kalos nods. "Let us know and Isabella and I can be there, if it's within the week. I think Isabella's wrapping up her project so we may be heading out on missions soon."
Autumn Crow nods, "I'll let you know. For now though...Lilian, let's gather the team and see who wants to look into that job?"
<@Torokasi> "Certainly!" Lilian nods. "I think Janda should be getting out of services soon..."
<@Torokasi> ----------------------------------------------------------------------