Home again

[Anastasia]

"As I am now," Syala raises her fist up to eye level, "With strength, with what I have and subduing them to the ground."

Jessica smiles faintly, "From the shadows, as a great cat ambushes it's prey."

Smiling at it all, "All worthy methods. Yes, this will do now. Allow me to provide you the hospitality of a good bow, Alicia." The Red Knight declares.

[Ebiris]

"Thank you. I probably would've used magic these days, but archery has a nostalgic charm to it," Alicia says. Though any prey worthy enough to be hunted by her can probably endure her archery without much difficulty, it'll at least give Syala and Jessica a chance to shine.

[Anastasia]

A bow and arrow appears before you, of fine make. Elven, if you don't miss your guess.

[Ebiris]

Just one arrow? Alicia takes them anyway, giving them a look over.

Take 10 for 56 on spellcraft.

[Anastasia]

Udal's Bow

This longbow+5 creates the arrows needed to fire it at will. The bowstring is said to be unbreakable and can work for any creature, no matter how strong or weak they are.

[Ebiris]

Does that mean it works like a composite longbow and I can add my strength to damage with it?

"A fine bow indeed," Alicia says, holding the weapon at her side now. "Thank you, I'll have its arrows strike true against whatever our quarry is."

[Anastasia]

Yes.

"What are we hunting?" Syala asks at that, slowly cracking her knuckles.

"Why, our quarry is Great Stags. These deer are remarkable, the product of thousands and thousands of years of breeding. No finer and more worthy a hunt will you find with any lesser deer." The Red Knight declares.

[Ebiris]

"Haven't had venison in a while..." Alicia muses, looking off into the dark forest.

[Anastasia]

"All the better," Jessica says, "We'll take something home for Roald to work his magic with." She smiles at that.

"Splendid," The Red Knight declares, a slight flux of will, four horses appearing. One great mount of pure red coloration, two identical of a creamy natural white and the last of a shadowy gray-black. With a smooth leap the Red Knight mounts her horse, "Worry not, these mounts can pass the forest as easily as a clear road."

"Even better," Syala smiles as she mounts her horse.

[Ebiris]

She's rather out of practice when it comes to riding horses, but Alicia still mounts one of the white horses easily enough after resting Udal's Bow over her shoulder. "That sort of trick's more Syala's than mine," she agrees. "Do you hunt from horseback or are these just to take us closer to where the stags range?"

[Anastasia]

Looking back with a sharp little smile, "Whichever you prefer," she says, urging her mount forward. The forest is a blur like this, mounts moving with the strange speed that reminds you of phantom steeds and yet more, moving through the forest at a steady clip.

As you go, "You bred these?" Syala asks, keeping her horse going at a steady pace.

"The children of horses touched by shadow magic, purged out of them because of one black bitch but the tricks of moving between places kept by centuries of careful breeding. They glide across the very surface of the Ethereal and Shadow, like a boat sailing across the ocean by the winds." The Red Knight responds.

"I know of the shadows and the power they have," Jessica agrees, "They're using the momentum of this world to drive them in those realms, and to in turn propel them forward?"

"And to avoid troublesome things stopping them," The Red Knight's hair is blown back as you move, the winds rustling through your own hair like a steady caress.

Syala took 10 on K:A. Jessica knows because shadows and ghostly things are in her wheelhouse thanks to perfect wight.

[Ebiris]

"It's a curious ability, certainly smoother than a phase spider's movement," Alicia says. "Syala's interested in breeding creatures for unusual traits. We recently obtained some research on creating behemoth creatures after attacking one of Yan-C-Bin's forts with Seira. Have you visited the Cauldron to look into that with her, dear?"

[Anastasia]

"A few times. It's progressing but war makes demands of us all," Syala notes.

"Ah, what a lovely war that's shaping up," The Red Knight seconds at that, "So many minds will rise the occasion and so many brave warriors will out think others."

[Ebiris]

"Seira is nothing if not brilliant, but I fear this war is going to swell more and more in the coming days," Alicia says, her mind on the current situation at the Cauldron. Sylica's endured its share of attacks, but she believes this is the Cauldron's first true test. Hopefully they'll prevail so they can take the battle to the efreet once more.

[Anastasia]

"There's no doubt, not now," The Red Knight agrees, "It will be a glorious war - and one you should fully intend to win. I hope to see all of your brilliancies displayed."

Syala smiles rather unkindly, "I'm afraid my brilliance ends up hammer first into my opponents, but I'll be sure to entertain."