Six days ago, the Araximos League was contracted to provide security for the Adamantine mining operations of the mobile tower of Vidaris. The site was reported to be facing potential threats from Radicals seeking to overthrow the King, Aberrant Dragonmarked seeking resources, criminals seeking loot, and the monsters of Droamm wishing to punish their neighbors. Seven of the most promising recent recruits were selected for this task. As the party prepared to travel, word came in via a Sivis message that a shipment had left the mountains, but had failed to arrive in Sharn on schedule. Your company has been diverted to follow the Lightning Rail stones to find what befell the shipment.

Lyndra sighed as she readjusted her meagre satchel-like pack, the few meagre belongings she had as she made her way to meet the party she would travel with. The lithe woman gained many stares as she went by (Normal for her), but that was a concern she put behind her long ago. To most onlookers, she passed for a human, though her features had an alien-like quality that was seen most common in the half elf folk. She however, had no pointed ears indicating the elves as her heritage.

The woman, standing short of 6 foot tall, had a lean, almost thin frame, hidden by the dark emerald robe which hid almost all skin other than her neck, head and hands. Even with that, the robe had a hood, which was drawn back, and had a symbol embroidered on the breast of a symbol unknown to any but those who knew the celestial language. Her dark hair was long, straight and flowed like a midnight waterfall down to just past her shoulders. Her eyes, to any who looked at her seemed equally as black, though closer inspection showed them a deep dark blue. Her skin was pale, making her appear almost wraith like. Her only weapons were a simple dagger at her hip and a staff of dark oak with a purple diamond-shaped crystal at the top, the edges rimmed with silver.

The woman watched as people moved out of her way, a slight smile tracing the corner of her mouth....one of the few times the woman ever showed any emotion. Her reputation since arriving had people calling her cold, detached, void of any emotions....even dead inside.


....they weren't too far from the truth.

Still, she had her own goals for what was happened. Most people went for glory, honor, riches or obligation - she wanted power. When the letter came for her former master (The lazy, lecherous thing that he was), she held a certain satisfaction that maybe this ws something she could do that he couldn't. The fool killed himself, overextending his power and being greedy, something she lost no sleep over, but now, on her own, she had the choice of what to do. Her limitations now depended on her.

She made her way, wondering what kind of group would she be placed with.

Sebastian stood at 6'2" and was fairly thin.  He elven features betrayed his heritage, but it was something he was proud of.  The holy symbol around his neck would indicate him as a cleric, but the form of it was rather unusual, a rod with two faces on one end, a smiling one and a frowning one.  Though he knew of war, as it had gone on most of his life, he had been able to avoid the face of battle.  He spent some time in support roles, but mostly in boosting the morale of the troops.  Now, he was facing the unknown and would have to learn the faces and capabilities of some new people, seeing how all the pieces fit into the puzzle they would call 'the party'.

The first person he saw was a rather tallish lady with exceptional features.  He walked up to her and smile, it was his nature.  "Hi, I am Sebastian, my I say that it will be a pleasure to serve with you?"

Greddark sang as he cleaned. Scrubbing the pots and pans and his tools, he softly sang a prayer to Boldrei, Sovereign of the Hearth, to watch over him in his work, and watch over those people gone missing with that shipment. To watch over the town and people, even those who didn't follow the Host.

Arriving with a pack of utensils and a bottle black like pitch corked with no label, the dwarven rubbed his balding head, beady eyes regarding the two who'd already arrived.

"Lovely morning!"

He walked on, finding a place to sit or lean, beard and mustached put up out of the way still from breakfast, and watched the two converse for a short time while he got his bearings for this all. Lightning rail tracks were no laughing matter.

Having a task only few days after being approved for missions came too early for Edward. He had barely settled into a routine and had almost gone back to his old ways and asked for more time. But this was what the wanted, so he buried to complaints and made sure he had everything he needed. At least he finally got used to having a shield strapped to his arm. Not that it was comfortable, but neither was getting skewed by a blade.

Not in a hurry, he joined the others. He knew most of them from passing, but hasn't bothered to remember their names yet. He lifted his left hand in greeting and spoke a soft "Hello." not bothering to make it carry far. The woman that the elf was talking to seemed familiar, but he couldn't place her.

But the bald head and stout build were quite familiar to Edward from the kitchens. It pays to remember people that prepare your food. He walked over to the dwarf and asked "Did you have something to do with those eggs this morning? They were..." he closed his eyes and licked his lips at the memory of seasoning and fat accentuating the perfectly fried eggs "wonderful."

"Well met, master dwarf.  What's cooking?"  The gleam in his eyes shows a bit of mirth, and he says something arcane.

Suddenly, a rabbit is sitting inside one of the pots sitting there.

Looking towards the door, he says to Edward, "Welcome, good sir, are you here for the party?  Well, as a cleric, I am here for the party." He laughs.

The woman looked on as the people arrived, greeted her. She held out a hand as a black ratcrawled from her shoulder to her hand. She placed the rat on her other shoulder as she looked impassively at the others.

She nodded greetings to the dwarf. She looked at Edward, recognising him from her times researching...even the dwarf from tbe few meals she indulged with food.

She looked at the men and, without a hint of emotion, spoke. Her voice, soft and aluring. "Hello"

Sebastian reached out to take her hand, not bothered by the rat, and lightly held it.  Maybe he could bring a smile in time.  He would have to watch this one, and that would not be unduly difficult.

Lyndra looked at Sebastian, then his hand, and withdrew hers, not suddenly but more like his action was illogical and it confused her. Her reaction however was a blank slate.

"Lyndra. If you don't mind, try to keep your hands to yourself. " she looked around curiously.

He smiled playfully, "My hand never left my wrist.  And, pray tell, how would one not want to reach out to such beauty?"

A black and purple hawk circled slowly lower to the gathering group, landing on a sign post a short distance from the dark clad mage and her rat. "Elta, mind your manners, it would be poor form to eat the rat." his voice called from above as the tall slender human came walking the winds towards the group. His left hand rested idly on the silver basket hilt of his rapier. As he came to return to the earth he cast his glance around the lot.

He gave a low graceful bow to the group. "My apologies for being late, I had run into an old friend last night at the pub and was loath to leave her company. My name is Alto, a late addition to this group." Those that watched could tell he moved with a dancer's grace but it was his steel grey eyes that were captivating. Dark and intelligent they were the eyes of someone who had seen combat on the frontlines of the Last War.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:57, Sun 13 June 2021.

Noticing the hawk fly in, and the man behind, Sebastian waves and says " Welcome to the party."

Making a gesture and saying something arcane, suddenly a mouse appears ten feet from the hawk and starts running.

Loner Walked with mechanical precision as he walked through the crowd of people. His head swiveled back and forth as he watched the smaller humanoids get out of his way. While certainly easier for him, he still wasn’t used to people mobing out of the way of each other. His warforged brethren during the war had never done that. Had never needed that. Thet had all moved with such precision that they never Got in the way of each other. Much more efficient. That the makers could give Them such precision but lacked it themselves was… tragic.

Loner’s thoughts on the matter Were halted as the Hulking warforged spotted a group of people matching the descriptions of his newest colleagues he had been given. Trudging over, he stopped when they were just at the edge of his reach, before briefly looking his various pieces of bolted on patchwork armor. Despite their differing sizes and shapes, the armor pieces did not grind against each other or get in the way of his bags and pouches. Satisfactory.
Loner stood up straight and snapped a Cyran military salute out of habit. “Unit 10-NR designation Loner reporting for duty. Who is in command of this mission?”

"Well met, Loner, I am not sure anyone is in charge at the moment. I think we are intended to work together, as equals."

Edward was still trying to find an answer to the cleric's quip when Sebastian went over to Lyndra. When she pulled back her hand and brushed him off, without him acknowledging the error of his manners, Edward moved between them, taking the opportunity of Sebastian conjuring yet another animal to impose himself between him and Lyndra. It allowed her a safe venue of retreat while he flashed Sebastian a grin, finally getting to explain his role. "I am Edward, scholar and swordsman." the three fingers of his right hand gestured at the hilt of his rapier. "If you are as good at healing as you are at summoning creatures, you will quickly earn your keep."

Tensing at the warforged's approach, Edward took a step to keep himself between it and Lyndra. Not that he felt particularly comfortable facing the towering form. Yet, there was no immediate threat. Just his nerves. Forming a misshapen fist, he returned the Breland version of the salute. The question of command was a good one. "No field commander at the moment." he looked past Loner's head and stared for a moment before shrugging and offering his thoughts. "They probably want to see if someone will emerge as a leader." His eyes wandered around the group, and he forced a smile to hide disappointment with options for that. Yet, things are very different when danger is real. Or so he expected.

Lyndra looked at Sebastian, and actually had a small eye roll, though her reaction overall didn't change. Men she thought to herself. Hearing the hawk, the rat quickly scurried away into the woman's robe as she looked at the bird land with a slight head tilt. When the man apologized for the birds behavior, she spoke. "No need to apologize. It is the birds nature to hunt. But, if you can, try to keep him from eating Garathyn - he was expensive to summon and has been a loyal asset to me."

When Edward interposed himself between herself and the half elf, she looked at his back as he spoke. The woman watched as the warforged came up the road, but spoke to the rest. "If he is as good at healing as his attempts at humor, i suspect we will all be dead in a week."

At the question of leader, the woman looked at the group, as if to expect someone to step forward. She, herself, had no inclination to lead....she was a loner most of her life, much like this creatures name, and had no aspirations for such

"Taad. Taad!  You need to slow down, you're so much faster then me!" The young gnome was dark skinned. Golden eyes and curly hair in a side shave was dyed in blue and purple streaks. She was wearing the fine clothes of a noble in Brelish blues and carrying a heavy load of supplies in a backpack that looked far to large for her. Adorned the side of her head was a tattoo? A dragonmark. She rubbed her temples and fell backwards letting the weight of her bag take her to the ground. "I can't keep up with you, you know this"  she pouted at Greddark.
Lying on her bag on the ground, Loners giant form came into view. "Oh! Hello!" she struggled out of the clutches of the knots she tied to keep the bag on her back. Finally breaking free she got up, shoving her side shave out of the way. "Cassia, Cassia d'Aavandi. It's a pleasure to meet you!" the tiny gnome girl held out her hand to the large warforged in greeting.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:46, Sun 13 June 2021.

Loner looked Down at the gnome in silence for a moment, before bending down and grasping her outstretched hand gently. Greetings. I am Unit 10-NR, designation Loner… the pleasure is mine?” He answered uncertainly. He kneb that was the Common response, but didn’t quite understand it’s purpose. How could it be a pleasure to meet someone? Since you did not know them, how could you know if their company would please you?
He mostly Chalked it up to the organics’ apparent need for flowery language and somewhat empty pleasantries.

“If you have trouble keeping up with taller members of the unit, I suggest some sort of mounted transportation. In lieu of such, I can serve as a makeshift mount, at least partly. I should be fully Capable of carrying someone of your size, as I do not tire as organics do. You Will this save energy, and be more capable of fulfilling your designated role in the unit.” He continued in what he hoped was a friendly tone. Surely eliminating a potential problem for their travels already would highlight his value to the group. And allow Cassia D’avandi to more easily showcase hers. A “win-win”, as his former troop commander would have put it.

In reply to Loner (msg # 18):

Cassialet out a little squeak of delight, placing her hands over her mouth "Are you offering to give me a piggy-back-ride Loner?" she took the warforged hand in both of hers and shook it vigorously. "I haven't met a warforged up close before, mostly wrote about them. You are amazing!" the girl flailed her arms for a second before calming down.  "But I actually have something..." Rummaging through her bag she produced the worn broom. She presented it, speaking the command word it began to hover. "I got it at discount from an Orien Blade, she was retiring and didn't need it anymore" she said proudly.

“Piggy-back… ride?” Loner repeated, trying to understand the term. He then Hald registered what the gnome Said next, focusing more When she produced her flying broom. “Hmm. Yes, a reliably made item, it seems. Should it be needed later on, my offer stands. But it is much better that you are prepared. Well done.” He Said, looking the broom over. It was not the kind of magical item he’d ever worked with before, but it was sturdy and stable as far as he could tell at a cursory glance.

Turning to look at the rest of the group, he looked Them over, trying to get an idea of their skills. It, of course, told him nothing. He had no idea about their skills, and their varied looks told the Young warforged little of their expertise. No obvious serial number coding, no identifiers of rank. A simpler solution seemed necessary. “I Cannot lead. It is not the role I was made or trained for. But I do think someone should be chosen to represent the unit, if not outright have the final word. A clear chain of command is essential for survival and peak productivity.”

"Guilty as charged, though it's about the only thing I could be guilty of . . . "

Greddark smiled, showing a grin of some missing teeth as he rubbed his head in a show of embarassment

"Thrakel's the key. Theyu make good eggs in Thrane, really deserves it's own notoriety. But I . . . you wouldn't want to hear me go on about West Thrane's eggs! Name's Greddark, of Clan Londurak. You new in town?"



Turning from Edward to regard Sebastian with an "excuse me"

"Well met in kind, master elf!"

His smile grew wider as he chuckled

"Cooking, yes. Well currently I believe the kitchens are preparing a curry from the shipment of greens up from Moonwatch. Did the choppin' and the soakin', but it should be good from the seasonings I started. But on the march today? I brought a few of those greens along, and some roadbread, and some Mrorish waybeer and fermented cabbage and peppers for the likes of you can stand them."



Greddark pointed to himself

"Greddark, please to make your aquaintance."



"Greddark of Clan Londurak. No commander yet, though I can't say I need one to know what should be done most days."

If he noticed the Cyran salute, Greddark didn't seem to react much.



The dwarf hung his head solemnly

"Sorry. I thought you might need time to look around, drink in the area."

Rummaging in his pocket, he produced a small bun wrapped in a sugared leaf

"I made Zolanpuff for a little snack today, take one"

OOC: Chef feat, Cassia can consume it as a bonus action for 2 temp hp
This message was last edited by the player at 14:29, Tue 15 June 2021.

He gave a slight smile to the dark clad mage. "Ahh another practitioner of the Art, well met. Elta is my familiar as well and while she is a hunter at heart your companion will be safe from harm from us. Perhaps at another time we might be able to sit and exchange notes, each of us approaches the Art through a different lens of experience and it could be intriguing to trade some understanding amongst ourselves"

He looked back across the party as talk of a commander rose from a few and he watched to see if anyone would take the mantle. After a few moments he stepped forth. "It has been my experience,  and take it with whatever large grain of salt you wish, but in squads or companies such as these, leaders tend to reveal themselves when the moment is necessary. As such I propose we gather up our gear and get ready and a leader will be chosen by respect and by deed and more often by situations.  I could hardly fathom telling the Master chef here how to preform his craft, or the lady how to practice her Art. What I do know is there are people out there that are lost and in need, and we are the only ones tasked with returning them safely. The League has chosen us for this mission and so to the call of duty we all answer. Stay safe out there and watch each other's back, hopefully before too long we are raising a mug of ale to the safe return of the shipment and the souls we are tasked with recovering."

Sebastian says, "Please to meet you, Cassia.  And such an upstanding Gnome you are. Maybe we can play a song sometime?  I brought my lute along."  He smiles broadly.

Edward sighed as the discussion went around in circles, although he appreciated Alto's echoing of his own sentiment. He gave a small nod to the other fencer but it was clearly time for more. And the sooner they started to sooner they would be done. "It seems we are all here." he gestured at the group with a swipe of his left hand "We can discuss our skills on the way. For now, is anyone familiar with the lay of the land around the rail?"

He returned the nod to other fencer, noting the man's no so subtle footwork. He hoisted his bag and gave a nod to Elta as she took to the sky. "Sadly not an area of expertise of mine, though if I am correct the young lady back there had a flying broom and for short amounts of time I can move my senses into Elta, perhaps between the two of them we should have adequate aerial reconnaissance. We should keep the casters protected,  Loner would you do us the honors of setting the pace and following the young lady as she flies above. I can bring up the rear with whomever wishes."

Perking Up at the two swordsmen, Loner nodded, feeling much more comfortable now that someone took charge. Understood sir. I Will start slow to ascertain the overall fitness of the group.” He Said, making another salute.

He then turned so He stood with his one side to the group and another Toward the exit. “Form up. Slow march!” He intoned with ingrained cadence, slowly stomping his feet Down in the marching rhythm of one beat pr second He would have Them follow, as He waited for the rest to ready themselves.

Cassia took the pastry, smelling it, her eyes closed. She was enjoying the flavors "I knew there was a reason my dad married you" she stuck her tongue out at him jokingly and stashed her new treasure away for later.
The gnomes eyes widened "You know about my music?! But it's just an office band!" she smiled excitedly "What do you play!?! " She asked putting her broom away and taking out several instruments, a fiddle, a tambourine, an Aundairian horn. "I thought I could learn some new ones on the trip you know in our off time" she said before blowing poorly on a bagpipe.

"Oh, we're going already? Alright" she took out her broom once more and stashed her instruments keeping the tambourine out. "Soooo, yeah lets fly Mr.Elta person, hawk, familiar."

"The young lady's name is Cassia d'Aavandi, and you'll find her more than an match for any airborne menace. I've seen her fly, she's better than some I knew in the war!"

Greddark patted Cassia on the shoulder

"Though I don't really approve of such things. Very Aundairan that, what's wrong with a good honest hippogriff when you need to fly?"

Greddark kicked the ground a little in embarassment at the praise about Cassia's father's choice of marriage

"Ooooh, I don't know about that, it's more to do with our mutual love and respect of your saintly mother, I'd venture. She helped three people find peace, and more besides."

He smiled slightly as he bowed. "My apologies Mistress D'Aavandi. If you would do us the honors? Elta, keep her safe, and may you both guide us well."

He moved to the back of the group adjusting the straps of his military rucksack. He gave a nod to each as he went, they were an interesting bunch to say the least.

The dark clad woman watched as people interacted between each other with a sence of mild detachment.When Alto spoke, she nodded."In my understanding, your sphere of spells tend to focus on enhancing your skills. My spells are more offensive, but given time, I am happy to trade."

The rat scurried out from tne neckline of Lyndra's robe and she looked at him. "Also, should we need, I can alter Garathyn's form for flight. He has been a crow in the past...it will take some time to cast the spell to alter but no bother. That way I can also scout using his eyes."

Sebastian, turned to the Gnome, "well, the lute is my main instrument, but I can also play the flute, the fiddle and most any keyboard.  I will teach you if you like.  Do you sing?  I have done quite a bit of singing in my life, but my specialty is intricate harmonies."


Hearing the conversation between the others, he says, "Let us know if we need to wait, otherwise, we can get on the road.  Not in a hurry, but don't see why we can't chat on the way."

As the group started moving, Edward gave an apologetic smile to Greddark. "We'll catch up on the eggs later. But don't think I am not interested in details!" as he turned to follow Loner. "This is good practice, but I certainly hope we won't find any trouble until we are closer to the mountains." He glanced up and back, taking in the varied group. Certainly not a military unit, but large and organized enough to make troublemakers think twice before facing them. Edward fell in line after the warforged, amazed at the perfect timing he was maintaining.

"Our first step is getting to Wroat." He paused and his face shifted from eager to pensive. While he passed through the capitol a few times, Edward never had a chance to explore it in earnest. Maybe one day. His smile returned and eyes brightened once again. "To the Lightning Rail station, Miss d'Aavandi."

As the group started moving along, Lyndra walked silently, the rat moving from her shoulder to her hand, all the while looking at the hawk. "Ssshhh...he said the bird wouldn't hurt you, and i believe him."

The woman walked in silence, stoic faced as they moved

Sebastian walked along as if it was just another day among new friends.  Although, he was normally a ladies man, there was something about the one with the rat that was especially intriguing.  Most of the people he knew that were that closed off were war-weary soldiers, but she didn't look like she had seen even the amount of war he had.

He walked up beside her and said, "Miss, Lyndra was it?  I didn't mean any offense back there.  Just trying to be friendly.  I mean no harm, and you look like you need a friend."  Not waiting for an answer, he dropped back a bit, so as to not seem obtrusive.

The woman spoke to Sebastian without looking at him. "Offended? Thats obsurd....that indicates i was hurt, upset. All illogical emotional responses." She looked at him with neutral, cold eyes. We have just met...you have yet to insue a level of trust to warrant such feelings. As for friends, another social stamp. I'm about to go do a task...why would that involve friends?"

He stops for a moment, realizing she is more socially awkward than he.

"There are a number of reasons to become friends, but I am not sure if you would understand all of them.  Take, for instance, the fact that we are, at some point, going to need to rely on one another.  I would rather rely on a friend than someone who treats me with antitherapy.  We don't know how long this task will actually take, or if we will continue on to do other tasks together.  If we start from the premise of friends, or at the least, allies, then we build a synergy, a teamwork effect, in knowing each other and being able to build trust more quickly.  But, if you want to treat me as an outsider, or think of yourself as one, maybe we never get to that point of being able to work well with one another."

He drops back even further.  If she wants to talk, it will be more than just talking to the side.

"Yes I do sing!" her melodic tune chimed throuh the area as she leaned backward on her broom, legs wrapped around the handle tightly,there appeared to be more muscles in those legs then the little gnome let on. Hanging off her broom, upside-down she quickly righted herself and took off among the bridges and walkways of the Sharn towers.
She waved at several gargoyles passing by on route to deliver their mail. She loved this broom. The feeling of freedom it brought. Then she remembered she had a job to do and focused. Staring out at the crowds she looked for possible problems getting them to their destination.

ooc 10 to perception

As the group moved out, Loner’s interest was peaked by the elf Sebastian’s conversation with the woman Lyndra. Friendship could improve group synergy and effectiveness? He wanted companionship since it clearly improved the morale of organics to serve with people whose Company they enjoy, but He never imagined it to have such clear effects. Staunch discipline and training had much the same effect on a unit. If the two things were combined, surely the results would be spectacular. All the more reason to foster companionship with this group, and avoid the problems with his old unit.
“Sebastian, are you earnest in your claim that friendship improves cohesion and unit efficiency much like discipline and rote training does?” He asked, looking back over his shoulder, his steady cadence never once staggering despite his split attention. “Please, tell me more of this.”

Lyndra listened to Sebastian with detachment. The man spoke of friendship, trust. She had never had friends, love or trust. She mused for a second, but simply nodded. “Sebastian….let me tell you a story, a story of a girl. This girl had not a nice upbringing - a father who abandoned her. A brother who was threatened and jealous of her. She, however, had a keen mind, and when she grew, her father found her a wizard, and she became an apprentice, but even he was not what he seemed. A lazy womaniser, he made the girl a slave.”

She looked around, then continued. “The girl had no attachments, no one who cared for her.” She looked forward “I can’t promise that we will be best of friends, but I can tell you I will try”

When Sebastian started talking to Lyndra again, Edward slowed his pace, slowly falling back towards the pair. Just in case. He didn't pay much attention to the conversation until Loner expressed its interest. Although his first reaction at asking the talkative priest to speak more was an inward sigh, the point was an interesting one.

He looked over the group again, craning his head to find the flying gnome. He had seen stranger company, and read about rag tag groups achieving more than anyone guessed they could. Perhaps it was possible.

Lyndra's short story struck him hard. He opened his mouth to protest, but had he really cared when he assisted her in research? Certainly not enough to notice something was amiss. "Sorry." He spoke the continuation of his thoughts without considering what context other might lack. "I will try to do better as well."

Lyndra looked at Edward, tilting her head. “Why are you sorry? You needed help, something I could help with. You helped me to…find magic that would help me. Mutually beneficial.” She looked forward to the road, and the towering form of the war forge. Perhaps he u derstood her more than any here….logic and reasoning, devoid of emotions.

She was envious.

The woman scrunched her nose at the thought. Envy of having limited emotions, the things she fought her life to suppress, and these men tried to pry them free again

"Cassia! Stay low, like we talked about! No that's TOO LOW!"

Greddark knew his stepdaughter had a handle on things, but skycoaches and gargoyles and giant owls and floating rocks, this city was busier in the air than on the ground sometimes!

The dwarf moved to keep up with the others, though as Cassia had mentioned he was no slouch in the pacing. Thumbs hooked under the straps of his pack he moved with purpose, even pushing on ahead and returning after a minute to the group. They were in Cassan Bridge after all, and who knew when they'd be back!?

"I know everyone's likely still digesting their breakfast, but would anyone like a roasted lizard skewer? I've got four skewers and three bags of fried snake chunks."

He held up a quartet of roasted whole lizards in one hand and three colourful paper bags in the other. He looked up to his gnome on a broom.

"Cassia! Fried snake chunks!"

“Warforged do not require sustenance to survive.” Loner intoned, falling back to what he’d been taught in the Cyran army. And while He had certainly been curious about the food organics made, with it’s many varieties of smells both Odd and pleasant, it was simply another thing not meant for him. Why use resources that were unnecessary.

While the gesture is appreciated, Any consumption on my part would be purely for curiosity and pleasure. Thus, a waste of resources better used on you who actually require it.” He added. He did appreciate it, but couldn’t in good conscience commit such inefficient actions, no matter how interesting it smelled.

In reply to Loner (msg # 43):

"Ah, but see here. There are seven of us, and seven treats. For one person to eat an extra one would be a waste of resources, when the pleasure and curiosity is the purpose!"

Greddark smiled at the large warforged

"Did you ever go on scouting missions in the war? I'd warrant few warforged, even the Cyran elite squads, ventured as far as the Shadow Marches . . ."

He held up a roasted lizard skewer

"Can you really say this valuable intelligence can go uncollected?"

Sebastian brightened when he heard her say she would try.  There is, indeed, a chink in her emotional armor.  "Aye, friendship can make you do things you would not want to to protect a friend.  Most of us would do, for a friend, much that we would not for a random stranger.  Add the benefit of, as we learn the actions and reactions of each other, we will learn to anticipate and be better able to plan our tasks out, working seamlessly to accomplish great things.  That is why the best of military units are ones that have been together for a while."

He walked up real close to her, and whispered outside of the hearing of all of the rest,

He dropped back again, smiling in the knowledge that, this group had some real capacity to get things done in the future, once they really started to gel.

With nothing smart to say in reply to Lyndra's analysis of the situation, Edward shrugged and returned to the walk, falling in line after Loner. The constant pace made it easier for him to loose himself for a moment, which was better than delving on the past.

The offer of food took him by surprise in the best possible way. While he started to reach for a skewer, Edward stopped and considered. Obvious choices were not always the best ones. While Greddark persuaded the warforged, Edward settled on the best course of action. "How about we split them and we can give both a try?" he suggested to Loner and gestured at one bag and one roasted lizard. "What do you want to start with? I might be more curios about the snake bites myself."

Cassia was having fun on her broom when Greddark told her to go lower and offered her snacks, in a heartbeat she made her way towards him, snatching the delicious snak bites up and coming to a halt. The gnome hovered above the ground munching on her treats "Hosts! I love these things!"
She said popping chunks of snake in her mouth, letting the taste wash over her.  Seeing her snake bites she flew over to Lyndra "Hey! Soooooo do you maybe want some snake bites? You know since we're working together? Maybe your little rat friend would like one?"

He followed along, keeping an eye and an ear on the conversations around him. He took a lizard skewer and ate with the speed of lonely soldier or street rat would have, leaving just a few bites left for his hawk and he raised that and gave a whistle before the fey bird dove and snagged it from his hand.

He made a few mental notes about his companions as he walked, the warforged and the dwarf both seemed solid, pun intended, and both could serve as excellent foundations for building a capable company around. The women were as different as night and day, but perhaps that could be useful. He had to agree somewhat with Lyndra about the whole friendship and emotional attachment thing. This was a unit on a task not a merry trek to fair. That left the last two, the duelist and the overly friendly and talkative elf. He felt a twinge of competition when he looked at the duelist, wondering if they did cross blades whose skill would prevail, but he also respected the subtle ways he moved about the group, the lightest touch to affect some of these social oddities as the group felt each other out. Finally the elf, he was too friendly, too eager, something there bothered him and yet he couldn't quite place a finger on what it was exactly.

“That… makes sense.” Loner said a bit uncertainly as the dwarf completely shot Down his argument with one Well aimed fact after another. Pleasure being the purpose, though?… He could not quite say it sounded logical. But it did sound… pleasant.

Then the Human Edward came Up with an ingenious compromise. Loner could truly see why organics had always been in command positions rather than warforged. They were so good at coming Up with unorthodox solutions. “Splitting. Yes, it is a good idea.” He said, his eyes lighting Up briefly with happiness. Something He had not felt so strongly since He had been acknowledged as a capable assistant to his Old company’s artificer. This was good. This was pleasant.
I also find the snake bits interesting. I would like to start with that as well.”

"Excellent choice gentlemen!"

Greddark handed off the snake bits and skewer to be shared by Loner and Edward and the skewer to Alto, glad to see he enjoyed it . . . but concerned. He made a note to lessen his own portion a little and make sure Alto got a good share of some food.

"The Marchers are as different from my people as night and day. But we all pray to the same Sovereigns, the names don't matter. And the gnomes bridged both our people equally. I think they do pretty well . . . "

He popped some Marcher cooking in his mouth and relished it

" . . . even if it's still only flat-lands spices."

Sebastian catches up with Greddark and asks for a back of snake bites.  As Lyndra passes, he says, "Would your rat, or you, like to share?  I don't eat that much."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:28, Tue 15 June 2021.

As the group continues to travel through the metropolis of Sharn, all of the cities uniqueness is on display, bridges arching across towers hundreds of feet in the air, private taxis flying through the air allowing travel much faster than footpath, bridges, and stairs, explorers bound for the broken continent of Xen'drik full of hope and daring, visitors from all corners of Khorvaire bringing their divergent cultures to share, mix, and celebrate. Each district has its own unique combination of people and purposes. Travel to the Terminus Ward takes nearly two hours and leads you through the comfortable shops and restaurants of Cassan Bridge, the Shops of Everbright catering to wizards and adventurers seeking to trade in enchanted items and exotic components, a pocket of Cyran refuges making the theater district of Smoky Towers a new home after the tragedy that befell their homeland.

As the group moves through his city he looks about himself, how many years had it been since he had last step foot here, how many lifetimes it seemed when life balanced on the razor's edge of skill and daring. He fished a few coins out of a pouch at his side, silvers that he would occasionally break rank from the group and kneel and hand one to dirty scrawny street orphans. A small smile played at the corners of his lips everytime as he knelt and offered the coin and shared a few private words.

Edward grinned at the compliment of his idea and waved it off "I have those occasionally." But his expression turned into a softer smile as Loner.  He accepted both treats from Greddark and then passed the bag to Loner. "Excellent choice! And I trust you will be able to assess approximate halves."

He held the skewer awkwardly in his right hand, fingers struggling to keep a grip on it. Graceful movement of his left arm pulled out his dagger and easily cut off a leg, catching it while holding onto the blade. He moved it to his mouth, biting just enough to hold it between his teeth, the dagger come close to his face but he avoided cutting himself. With another practiced move, Edward cleaned the fat and juice off the dagger and returned it to its sheath.

Left hand free, Edward switched the skewer to it and started to munch on the roasted lizard leg, supporting it with his right. "Mmmmmmm" he half purred half mumbled around the juicy meat melting in his mouth. "Master cook, I am not sure if you are better at preparing or selecting meals." He gave a half bow to Greddark and winked as he straightened up "You will have to do a lot of both so we can asses properly!"

Lyndra listened as Sebastian spoke of friendship making cohesion in a group dynamics, but furrowed her brow. “Friendship in a group such as this can alter circumstances. Emotions can alter a persons perspective of priorities. What if my life meant there was a chance of saving the group as a whole. Someone ‘emotional’ may choose to save me.” She looked forward. “Saving my life isn’t what we are here for” She looked at the man. “As for my history, that does need to be further discussed. The past is the past.”

Lyndra listened as the group spoke of food….cooked lizards on a stick and reptile chunks. The Assimar had never heard of such delicacies, but said nothing. When Sebastian offered food, she looked at him, the same emotionless stare. “I am fine, but I’m sure Garathyn will gladly partake.”

Responding to her, Sebastian says, "You may think so little of yourself as to accept your own loss, but think about it this way, we are a team, and as such, we all have our roles to play, we all bring something unique to the whole.  Without one, the whole does not properly function, so the removal of one of us might jeopardize the functionality of the group.  One reason to to add friendship to the mix is, it becomes the lubricant which makes the machine work more smoothly.  I bet Loner has some idea of how that works.  If the parts are not free to work together, they might not be able to get the whole job done."

He gives the rat some of the meat, enjoying the way it scurries across her shoulders to get it.  And nice shoulders they are.

The woman looks at sebastian’s logic with a furrowed brow. “That can be true, but on the other hand, emotions may cause someone to act recklessly to save someone, endangering them and others.” She looks at Garathyn while he nibbles the snake. “I am not saying all emotions have flaws. Anger can push someone beyond their limits, love can make even a lowly peasant as strong as a paladin when saving his family, but emotions have drawbacks too”

He slid between Lyndra and Sebastion as he rejoined the group from giving away his last coin. "I would ask you this then Sebastion, how many units did you work with during the war? Were you on the frontlines? Friendship is one thing, a good thing at times perhaps. Ultimately we are on a mission though, are you willing to make that ultimate sacrifice? I would wager a gold that if we were ever put to it, Lyndra would finish the mission, even if it meant leaving me to die, and I'm  fine with that fact. I would hope she too understands if given a choice between completing our task and saving her I too would finish the mission.  Emotions at that moment are weakness, you must be able to react to an ever evolving mutating situation and trust that those sent with you will see you on the other side. Everyone, and I mean all seven of us should know now, we finish the mission first and foremost."

"And that is when our professionalism balances our emotions.  It is a two sided coin,, but then, I usually live on the edge. . He laughed, but wasn't sure she would get the humor.

Speaking to Alto, "I didn't serve on the lines, but I did serve a lot of people who got left behind for the mission.  those people matter too."

He nodded as they walked. "They matter and should be honored for making that sacrifice. I would wager though if you spoke with them that it was a small price to pay indeed. Each of us has been burdened,  burdened with glorious purpose. They tens and hundreds and thousands who lives and livelihoods who depend on our actions. Its enough to make one conscious of the decisions they are making and why."

Cassia who was right there the whole time because she had offered Lyndra food first sighed "My mother was in the war you know!" she put away the food that had been ignored and wiped her face "She was a wandslinger in a Ghallanda unit. They weren't supposed to be attacked, that was the rule because Ghallanda feeds everyone you know? But they were and the only thing good that came of her death was her friendship to that man!"Cassia pointed to her step-father. For the first time since you met her the little gnome did not smile.
"Also I would appreciate not being ignored or interrupted. I know I'm young and inexperienced but please remember that I am chronicling this expedition and your actions and its your choice what type of people you come off as in the book" Cassia may have been sweet and small but she was not a pushover. She was a d'Aavandi and would not be ignored.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:13, Wed 16 June 2021.

"Cassia, I was not intentionally ignoring you.  I apologize for getting lost in my thoughts.  I guess there are things in there that I am being reminded of that need to stay in there."

He hands Lyndra the bag of meat.  "Please give it to your friend."  He drops even further back, not wanting the noise of others to stir the things he wanted to keep hidden.  His eyes were glistening, and he hoped no one could see that.

“I disagree.” Loner interjected, finally feeling like He could add something to the conversation when it turned to war. “I sacrificed. And I was left behind. I had my unit, but we were not friends. And when I could not make war, I was abandoned. A warforged who cannot make war, who cannot function, is nothing. I am nothing. My sacrifice did nothing, my unit still died later on. People still kept dying. The war did not stop. The war only stopped when a nation died, for no other reason than because they were at war. And the survivors where left with no purpose. War is not glorious, no matter why you fight. If you samt to protect people from war, then don’t make war.”

Loner turned quiet again, not used to speaking so much at once, or with surprising passion. He hadn’t realised it until He put it into words, but… did he hate war? Did he resent the purpose he was built for? He wasn’t sure. But He couldn’t see the point of it.
He thought about it a bit more as they walked, chewing on his piece of snakemeat. Chewing was an interesting action. He’d tried it once before on a piece of metal to mimic the soldiers in his unit. But that had taught him exactly nothing. This was more fun to chew, though. As for the taste… He couldn’t really judge, but He didn’t dislike it “I Think I like this.” He Said to no one in particular after swallowing. Followed by idle wondering on where food goes after being eaten.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:50, Wed 16 June 2021.

Lyndra listened to the views of the others, sensing the conflicts of them. Some relied on emotion to survive, and some (like lyndra), pushed emotions away. “War is war…waged by those egotistical enough to believe their cause is right. Those who fight and die are not mourned by them….not friends, just puppets.”

She looked at Loner and nodded at his wisdom. “What you speak is true…..friend or not, war does not distinct between. Just like death - wether your rich or poor, powerful or weak, good or bad, death comes for all. People fear it, try to push it away, but it is nothing to fear - just another journey.” She looked at Cassia. “For you, you have found a father. Me….I found purpose. You have joy, I have vision. But though each of us have our own motives, we are but flies stuck on different strands of the same web.”

She shakes her head. “Enough of this talk of feelings…let us do what we came to do.”

Cassia smiled "Hey its alright, I am just making clear my intentions.I am here to help but I am also here to write, stick with me and my book could be your next cover letter" she giggled.
She tilted her head confused by Lyndra's reasoning but not ready to disagree with the scary sexy large woman yet.
Cassia beamed warmly at Loners talk.  Despite it all she enjoyed his company.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:43, Wed 16 June 2021.

"Well what we came to do is get to the Terminus district, which I believe is that way."

Greddark took his handaxe out of his belt loop and pointed east, towards more stairs before sheathing the axe and pulling his cloak over it for good measure. He ensured his hammer was well strapped in preparation for Travick's Landing's rules on the brandishing of weapons.

"I'm sure if we put you all in a room with the King of Breland you'd certainly solve the problems of war and conflict where the Treaty of Thronehold failed. But for now, yes, especially in the Lower Districts, the war is perhaps not a matter of polite discussion."

Lyndra followed the group,  looking at cassia and managing a half smile (that may have looked scarier than she intended.)

Sebastian almost missed a turn because he was trailing and his mind was far away from this city, in a dark place, one that had made him who he was today.  Not every pain could be healed from without.

Much of Terminus is dominated by the Terminus station, the massive House Orien enclave responsible for maintaining the Lightning Rail. The area is abuzz with activity with passengers for the midday departure making their way to the rail and recent arrivals headed out into the city. Security is patrolling the area keeping an eye out for contraband and criminals, but your odd cadre of heroes make your way undeterred through the chaos. Using your travel stipend, you book passage on the Lightning Rail to Wroat. Through sheer serendipity, you do not need to wait too long for the Rail to disembark.

For most of you the rhythm of sound is familiar, the crackle and pop of lightning arcing between rail and conduit stones is known to all that ride. As is the gentle motion, when the rail rocks from subtle peak above the stone to the mild sensation of falling in the gap between stones. It is a rhythm that could lull a baby to sleep, but for those who have never experienced it, it is mildly unnatural, but not unpleasant. Your seating is not private, but the nearby travelers do not bother you much.

It is a seven hour trip to the capital and then after the shift to a smaller rail the trip takes you late into the night towards the city of Ardev. This Rail is devoid of any passengers other than yourself and you find yourself sitting among pallets of tools and food destined for the western frontier. Travelling through the night, you arrive at the town just before dawn.

Greddark spent the train ride to Wroat loudly telling Cassia and all who'd listen about the warring states of Wroat. He didn't actually KNOW much of anything authoritive about the ancient kingdoms that followed in the wake of Malleon's conquest and the building of Dorasharn, but as Cassia knew, facts and corrections risked "straying from the saga". This particular lecture, it became apparent, was in aid of explaining the warring food styles of Breland

"So see, you can divide Breland into three distinct influences. The west, north and south. We're heading into the north now, even though the ancient city of Wroat's more . . . middleish. But leaving behind the south's tropical fruits, fried spiders and hot peppers, you see more of a 'good old cooking' up near Wroat. Birthplace of the whole side of beef stuffed with breads and vegetables, it is. And layered vegetable dishes. Lots of vegetables, they know their greens up there. Not like the west, where we're going after . . . "

There was hardly a pause for breath, and useful bursts of information (for the culinarily inclined) often gave way to repetitive and meandering stories about this queen and that king and this warlord (many who simply got the title of Wroat, Ardev, Blackcap, a place they were from, rather than their name) which showed the "cultural richness of Breland" due to being a nation of conflicts and opposing city-states.

At Wroat, while transferring, he disappeared only to return peeling a banana, and with an unpeeled bunch to share. The fruits of a royal capital and the gateway to the south.

"Did you know the gnomish word for banana means 'yellow poison fruit'? The humans for centuries believed the banana was poisonous because eating one had killed Malleon the Reaver! Perhaps we should stock up on bananas before heading west, in case we run into the famed warlords of Droaam, we can dispatch them as Malleon was!"

He quieted down on the train to Ardev, partly due to the bottle of black ale he'd brought along. After two sips and a strong belch which he quelled under the back of his hand, Greddark took to making notes for a few hours and then leaned back on the bench to let the rocking put him to sleep.

He is one of the first awake, finding a space to study his spells for the day. Alone and in a corner he pulls out a ring on the silver chain around his neck and holds it for a few seconds before shoving it back down the front of his armor. He then began a spell and was busy casting it for a minute before he touched his own forehead and released the magic in a flash of black and purple power that settled slowly into his skin.

He went about waking the others softly. "Good morning, its time to rise. We will be at our destination soon."

Lyndra was one of the first aboard tbe rail, finding a quiet spot near Alto by sheet chance. She reached into her pack and produced a dark grey, leather bound tome and opened it up and began reading. After a while, she looked at Alto with a smile. "You are welcome to look over my spells and we can discuss trades when time permits." even though a genuine offer, her tone (as always) was neutral. "But, like I said, my spells tend to be more offensive in nature."

During the night,she rested quietly in tbe corner. Alto, in his waking time, noticed the woman had a few ticks of her eyes and head, before starting awake before dawn. She looked around to see if anyone noticed, then closed her eyes.

When Alto came around, she opened her eyes quickly,clearly awake already.

He smiled at her as she awoke holding out a midnight blue leather bound tome. "You will find i have a few offensive spells myself. I also have a few other tricks to keep me alive." He sat down beside her as she gathered her things. And whispered something softly to her.

Greddark's tales kept Edward entertained and engaged through the first leg of their trip. Inconsistencies, repetitiveness and going against (to Edward) know facts notwithstanding, the dwarf was a great storyteller, so Edward managed to keep any objections to himself. It was more fun to imagine himself in the romantic view of the world that was painted. Eyes half closed, Edward cheered and grieved, "Oooh"ed and "Aaah"ed for the characters as the tales went through their ups and downs.

Taking the fact about bananas with a bit more skepticism, Edward still accepted a fruit. "Isn't the dwarven word for human beer something similar? Yellow poison drink?" he frowned "Or does it translate as weak, not weakening..."

The drive among the stored goods was an opportunity to do some training. Edward spent the time he was awake on his feet, practicing advances and retreats without drawing his blade. But the movements of the rail gave him something new to work with and he was satisfied when he fell asleep. After the wakeup call, he did a short exercise routine to wake up. "Not the worse place to sleep." he shared as he rolled up his sleeping bag "But I didn't miss not having a bed."

Lyndra looked at Alto with a neutral gaze, and managed a slight smile with the corner of her mouth, whispering to him.

She holds out the book of hers for him to inspect.

Sebastian spent the first part of the journey observing the rest, and listening to the re-written history told by Greddark.  As he had been around the longest, he knew things as they once were, but he wasn't going to burst the man's bubble, the truth would always get buried by the convenient.  As one philosopher put it, the winner writes the history.

On the second part of the journey, he found a corner furthest from everyone else and tranced.  When he came alert, 4 hours later, he quietly played his lute, working on a ballad he had started years before but never finished.  The words, they were in his head, but he needed the notes to carry the message.  Maybe the sad tune would even reach the heart of Lyndra, be time would tell, if he ever got to play it for them.

Before they arrived, he said his prayers to his deity.  It would be a long day and he wanted to be ready to face it.

He chuckled at her response as he took her tome and started flipping through it his eyebrows raised a few times as things caught his gaze. He took a glance around at group. "It seems I will need to purchase some inks soon, there are some interesting options here that I would love to add to my bag of tricks."

Loner happily spent the first leg of their journey listening to Greddark’s stories. After some dangerous creaking from the seats as he put his Weight on them, he had opted to sit on the floor instead, his hands around his knees as he was enraptured by the storytelling like an eager child. He even has the opprotunity to spend some of the time in rest mode, his body unmoving as it rested, but his mind still awake and able to listen to the others.

As they boarded the second rail, and were the only ones aboard, He set about takling out various pieces of artifice from his bag of holding, going through each item systematically, taking them apart, cleaning them, and carefully putting them together again. Sometimes the same way they were before, and sometimes in new configurations.
Once done with that, He eventually went on to work on his body, taking of, cleaning and readjusting various parts of his armor. The most time was taken up check-ins the runes carved onto his body and armor, making sure there were no scratches or dents ruining them.
Through out all his work, however, Loner always seemed to listen to the conversations around him. Seemingly happy with the hustle and bustle.

Cassia would interrupt her step-father every few minutes, interjecting the historical facts much to Greddarks annoyance. This was her vocation and she would not allow even family to sully her note keeping. There was a small squabble half way through and by the time they were done with the story they ad made up.

"Did you know, ba-na-na is a goblin swear word? The early human settelers from Sarlona kept on questioning goblins what the fruit was. Goblins kept trying to tell them but they ould not get it through their heads" the gnome snickered. "And now Ba-na-na means 'not mine, go away' in goblin. The Old Dakani empire had such a rich history. Quite an interesting read if you want to do a lore dive. Did you know they were Atheists? They used bards for their healers. Quite a shame that they were mostly run off when humans colonized the land.... Not that humans are bad!" She had gone on a tangent.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:50, Fri 18 June 2021.

Lyndra took the book from Alto and started reading. Starting off she read, and nodded slightly. The most basics of spells, his book contained spells she either already had, or spells she had no use of. But as she read, there was a change. Her eyes shon with an inner light unseen by all since her arrival, and even had a small soft smile. Lyndra, for all of her composure, showed emotion.

Emotion in magic.

She flipped the pages again. “I too will need to save for ink…some of your spells have great potential. To dispel magic is handy, but to counter it as it’s cast is something I’ve searched for a while….and while I had the chance to choose, I gave up the fireball spell fir lightning bolt - limited ink.”

She closed the book and handed it back. “When the time is right.” She said.

She looked as the gnome spoke about banana’s and the goblin word, her light gone from the excitement of magic. “That is very interesting lady Cassia.”

In reply to Cassia (msg # 80):

"That can't be right Cassia . . ."

Greddark stroked his beard thoughtfully, and from the tone of his voice he was genuinely perplexed.

"If the goblins were atheists, then why do they worship the Dark Six now? And how could they build such wonders, to stand a dozen thousand years, without Onatar's hand and hammer, without Aureon's laws and judgement, without Boldrei's grace and Olladra's fortune?"

There it was, he felt like he knew Lyndra better now. He too felt as she seemed to about magic, his eyes grew a bit wistful as his mind traveled back to the first time he had encountered magic. The wonder he had then was reflected in Lyndra's eyes now."When the time is right then. If we are to travel together for awhile it might be prudent to collaborate every once in awhile as to our individual research goes towards spells, as to not overlap research and to better synergize our selections." He took his tome back when she was done and secured it back into his backpack. As he stood he offered her a hand. "I think once we get to town we should ascertain the normal route these shipments take and set ourselves to trying to find this missing shipment as soon as possible.  I would hate to think what could have befallen the group and only pray that they are still alive somewhere."

Something Greddark says piques Sebastian's interest, but it seems an offhand comment and he holds his peace.  To bring attention is not his aim.

As the group begins to rouse, the door to the car swings open. A woman wearing a blue ankle length skirt decorated with ornate stitching and buttons. Her shirt is white with long sleeves  and is covered by a long work apron. She has a clipboard in her hand that she briefly consults. "Oh good. I am glad you are up. According to my schedule, you should have arrived at your destination." She is matter of fact and businesslike in her demeanor.

"So it seems.  And you are?"

He stands to face her.

Greddark nudged Cassia awake and grabbed both their packs, handing her's over

"Thank you, much appreciated. We'll be out  of your way momentarily"

Both the Londurak and his stepdaughter knew the profession well enough, working with the houses as they had

Lyndra looked at the bladed spellcaster and another dlash of emotion came across her face for a brief instant....bemusement.  "Though our styles are very different, yoyr words show insight. I usually keep the ability to raise memorised, as well as the ability to dispel magic. Most others of my spell are personalised or offensive."

As the car came to a halt, the mage stood up, her spellbook tucked away and her rat on her shoulder, looking around curiously. She makes her way beside Sebastian. "You look rested."

"I am Quissic d'Orien, station masster of Ardev." Her eyebrows raise mildly as she takes stock of the group and with a finger does a quick count.

He moved towards the open door and gave a low whistle as he held out his hand, his hawk Elta coming to land. "Well it was a pleasure and thank you for your services. We will gather our gear and be going soon. Though quick question if you do not mind, could you possibly point us in the direction of the mines, or at least the route their shipments take or somebody here who would know these things."

The gnome was out like a light. She'd always slept well."*Snore* Mom! Oh hello. " she wiped her eyes, she always teared up while she was sleeping. "Thank you so much for seeing us off Quissic d'Orien" she got up showing the woman her papers "Cassia d'avandi of house Svis" She moved her hair out of the way, producing her dragonmark "we are here on some business, men going missing. Thank you for welcoming us into your lovely city"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:09, Sun 20 June 2021.

Talking to the station master, Sebastian says, "Pardon, me, do you have information or instructions for us?"


Turning to Lyndra, as an aside, he whispers, "Thank you, Lyndra, I like my rest, and I thought of you."

Edward pack up his possessions and hefted the backpack, shield still strapped to it and not his arm. He joined the others but didn't want to pile more questions, or greetings, onto the station mistress. He did incline his head when she counted him off and then gazed out through the door, curios what they will find as they near their goal.

When the lady entered and told them it was time to get of the train, Loner immediately got to packing together his supplies. The Ground around him was littered with tools and parts, and as the others talked he meticulously put them all back in his bag in the same order he had pulled them out to begin with. Sure a bag of Holding didn’t need to be packed for efficiency, what with you just needing to Think of the thing you wanted while reaching into it, but Loner liked his routines. He wasn’t sure whether it was a quirk of his race, or a result of his militaristic upbringing. All he knew was that when his routines fell into disorder, he fell into anxiousness and tended to Shake in frustration. And that was just noisy, bothering everyone. Very inefficient.

When his things were packed, He simply joined the others and tried to Peer outside, curious to see what this new place was like.

She nods, "Of course. Once we head out of this Rail, I can take you to the Greywall loop. Now, you do understand that this is where you'll need to go on foot to try to track down where that Rail stopped. Two days overdue, but it is good that the Mine has private security to handle this exploration."

"Then maybe you should lead on, we will follow."

"Pleased to meet you. We'll only trouble Ardev briefly, I think this group had enough kip on the ride over to last us a while."

He looked back at the group as they left

"Make a note of water and food."

Greddark held up a hand to Quissic to draw her attention, and looked for a sign of the blink dog, pointing to it

"Mind if we stop in, get some fresh water if any of my friends here need refreshing?"

After making sure everyone had their water, Greddark was ready to set out to the stone lines

"Suppose we'll follow against the train traffic, in case our quarry surprises us with sudden coming, just delayed?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:57, Sun 20 June 2021.

As the group exits the Lightning Rail, they find that this station varies vastly from either Wroat or Sharn. Those locations are made for passengers to come and go, part of the regular transport across Khorvaire. Ardev is not a tourist destination, nor are the nation of monsters or the swamps of the orcs that lie beyond. For now, this Ardev station is purely used for transporting supplies. Most of the traditional amenities are not located nearby the trade road rather than at this sparse station.

Quissic nods, "How about this, I'll show you the location of the loop and then you can make whatever preparations you need to make."

"Thank you, we appreciated that.  Any information we have will aid in our task."

Lyndra left the discussion of the trip to the others, and she followed towards the back of the group in silence, her usual stoic look on her face as she looked around. The only sound was the slight squeaking of the black rat on her shoulder

With a nod, Quissic leads the party from the Lightning Rail to the south end of the Orien complex to an isolated and makeshift ramp and platform made of wood and earth instead of stone. The platform in next to a wide circle of conductor stones that tapers off to a straight line of stones headed to the southwest. "Here you go. This is your starting point. If there is anything I can do as station master to aid you, please do not hesitate to ask."

"We thank you for your help.  A question does come to mind, has anyone else asked after this matter?"

"I don't suppose you'd have one of those . . . "

Greddark had meant to ask about a lightning cart, to follow the track, and then pictured the train colliding with them, sending all and sundry flying in a rain of limbs and metal

". . . no, that's about the size of it, though my friends here might have some questions."

Sebastian asked his

"Odd as anyone untoward asking after it would be, if you've had someone poking around in these parts, we'd just as soon want to know. Trivial isn't something that West Breland does."

“I didn’t know locations did anything. What does West Breland do?” Loner asked the dwarf, the large warforged scratching his head in confusion. His head didn’t actually itch, since warforged do not itch at all, but he’d learned from watching humans, who spent a lot of their time being confused about things. Or angry. Or confused and angry.

“Is West Breland Alive like a warforged, since it is capable of doing things?”

He raised a hand and his hawk flew into the air circling above them. He gave a tug on his leather gloves and made sure his sword was easily drawn. he turned to the others. "Does anyone have anything they want to do before we leave? I am ready now, but if you guys have things to do before we leave the city proper, now it would seem to be ideal. I can scout ahead if we need to wait?"

"Ready here."

She shrugs in response to Sebastian's question, "No one around here has inquired, but I have gotten over a dozen messages sent through the Sivis from the Cannith, from your folks, from the crown and so on. People are antsy when this sort of thing happen. I suspect to be getting a few more messages today looking for updates." She sighs heavily. "I'll be happy when this is settled."

"No worries, m'lady.  We shall get to settling this, then. Well met."

The wizard in dark robes looked at the others  her usual stoic reaction on her face. "I am ready." she said in a flat, neutral tone

Cassia beamed "Alright then! Who wants to play with me on the road!" she asked taking out her fiddle. A group excercise would better form a cohesive group. Plus it would be fun.

Sebastian takes out his lute and starts playing along.

“I am ready as Well. But still confused as to West Breland being a a sentient entity.” Loner said, before looking with interest at Cassia and Sebastian playing music. He had enjoyed the marching tunes played in the army, but had never been one of the lucky few of hos kind who were taught to play. He was pretty good at Holding a beat, though. That just took a head for consistency and repetition, something warforged had in spades.

“I can add some simple percussion.” He said, tapping out a steady, klanging beat on his chest plate that followed the tune, careful not to be so loud as to drown out the instruments.

"That's the spirit, Loner!"

"It certainly is! As expected from an elf that's some great playing Seb!" a little red bird appeared and began to fly around the group,
"
Swept lightly by the south wind
The elm-leaves softly stirred,
And in their pale green clusters
There straightway bloomed a bird!
His glossy feathers glistened
With dyes as richly red
As any tulip flaming
From out the garden bed.
But ah, unlike the tulips,
In joyous strain, ere long,
This red-bird flower unfolded
A heart of golden song!"
It was a quick and simple song. But it was joyful and her sweet melodious voice carried well, "Who's turn next?"

In reply to Loner (msg # 104):

"Less a sentient creature like you or I, Loner. More an animal, if you will. Each part of this continent is different, even from valley to valley. The silver mist lake of my home and the mountains that encircle it are all called the Ironholds, but the character of the lake is a different thing entirely from the mountains. And the eastern mountains from the west!"

Greddark pointed out to the horizon

"West Breland is scarce, and harsh. The people who live here know it is. It's not the farms and bounty of further east."

Sebastian starts playing a slower tune, and invites Cassia to play along, as the melody is simple.  He starts singing in a baritone voice:

"Friends may come into our lives and and some may quickly go,
Often in the end there may be nothing left to show.

The impact on our lives may bring us down or take us far,
And friendship can define us, make us into who we are.

You're the friendship that I want to take me to the end,
To laugh with me and cry with me, my forever friend.

And though I may say things that hurt it's never my intent,
Because I know the impact of a friend that's heaven sent.

So when I say that we are friends forever, it is true,
For I could never let go of a friend as good as you."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:32, Tue 22 June 2021.

At Greddark's reminder, Edward filled his waterskins at the station, which took a few minutes to unpack, get ready and pack again. The significantly heavier load didn't sit well on his shoulders, but it was better than not having anything to drink. He glanced at Loner, but didn't dare speak whatever was on his mind.

As everyone confirmed they were ready, he gave a small bow to Quissic "Thank you for seeing us off station master." and then gestured for Loner to lead the way as they practiced in Sharn.

Edward enjoyed the music, and songs, although Sebastian's might have been a bit too on the nose. He shook his head in amused protest at it, but didn't object otherwise. "I can't sing for the life of me, but I have been thinking a bit about our group and would like to share some interesting parallels. And differences."

He cleared his throat and looked past others, not comfortable meeting any eyes looking at him. Rising his voice slightly to be heard, he recited with little rhythm.
"Pot or Plate.
Tome or Blade.
Spell or Past.
Grime or Rust.
Heart or Brain.
Joy or Pain.
Claw or Wing.
Speak or Sing.
"

He didn't expand on it, letting everyone take it in for themselves.

He tended to drift towards the back of the group listening to the group as they made their way out of the station. He felling step next to Lyndra. "Would you mind doing me a favor? I would like to scout ahead, but it will leave me blind and deaf. Do you mind guiding my steps for a minute?"

Lyndra listened to the music without any outward signs of reaction, however within, her heart had mixed emotions. She had always heart music from a distance, and longed to be part of what it meant, but even hearing it, reminded her of what an outsider she was, even in her own life. When Alto came to her side, she nodded. “I more than anyone here know why you ask this, and will do this for you, expecting should the role be reversed, you would do the same.”

She placed his hand on her shoulder and walked half a step ahead of him and to the left, leading the man
This message was last edited by the player at 10:54, Tue 22 June 2021.

He gave a nod. "Of course, I would oblige." he answers before closing his eyes and casting his senses out to Elta high above.

For those not used to the western portions of Breland, the path to the Greywall Mountains is different than the rest of the nation. As was previously mentioned, the rocky soil makes poor farmland and settlements are far more sporadic. There are areas where the earth falls away with small microchasms a few feet across and three to ten feet deep. While the lightning rail conductor stones are spaced to allow the rail to soar above these gaps, your path is not as straight forwards and may slow down the travel along the seventy three miles to the mines.

He felt the wind under the wings and marveled at the feeling of flying as he quickly glanced about.

OOC: Rolled with advantage on sight checks for the hawk.
09:57, Today: Alto rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Hawk Perception .

09:57, Today: Alto rolled 7 using 1d20+4.  Hawk Perception .

"Do you all think we should tie ropes around each other to ensure against someone falling in a sudden crack?"

"Perhaps." Edward pondered at the suggestion, his eyes drawn to the chasms and then back to the group "Unless someone will feel too restrained by it. Whoever is for it, let's keep safe."

“Yes, falling in would be bad.” Loner agreed, reaching into his pouch and pulling out a rope. He tied it around his waist, and then held it to the others.

Sebastian tied his rope around himself and offered the other end to Lyndra.

Lyndra, ever the practical woman, took the rope and tied it around herself, then got a coil tying it to herself and then alto. When that was done, she continued to lead him

cassia smiled "I can call my broom to me or to others should we fall. I Don't think it could handle Loner's weight though. No offense Loner I know you're just big boned." She took a look at the area, hovering on her broom. "Taad, you fought in a landscape like this? Thats insane!"

Edwarad got his own rope out and anchored it on Loner. All of them on one coil might be too much for it to handle. After securing himself he offered to Greddark while considering his daughter's offer. "Let's keep it as a backup." he calle back. Yes, the gnome could certainly fly, but counting on her getting to someone in time would be too risky. But the broom was certainly an excellent tool. "Does there anything stand out from up there?"

In reply to Edward (msg # 129):

Unhooking his rope, Greddark held it up to Edward, if they had time.

"Cannith woven, silk rope. Lighter and more supple. Doesn't matter much for now, but I've got rope if we need it."

If it wouldn't help he put it away

"Yes Cassia, West Breland was where my unit was stationed. Not here so much as north of here, on the borders of the Barrens. It's where I first met your mother. Well, more accurately, it's where I met the gnolls who were trying to kill your mother. And then they tried to kill me!"

Greddark looked to the horizon, growing wistful for a time

"I didn't see it before, but I see what she saw in it now. The beauty of West Breland. I just hope I can finish that book, in her memory."

Sebastian looks out over the landscape and, despite some trepidation about crossing it, he looks forward to enjoying its beauty.  He says, "It is a very lovely area, as even danger can be beautiful."  With that, he takes a look at the two lovely ladies with him and smiles.

The wizard attached to Sebastian, still leading Alto, spoke. “Many things in life are both beautiful and dangerous. Spiders….people fear them for their bite and toxic venom, but think about them. They create a home from a delicate and beautiful material. Their life is to feed on insects to keep their numbers down. Simple, practical, beautiful and deadly.”

She kept moving forward with her hand in Alto. “Such goals can be admired.”

"I could not disagree with that, m'lady, there is a great beauty in the big cats, the grace, the speed, the flow of their moving bodies, but yes, they can be very deadly.  I have seen people try to tame them, to varying levels of success, but I would not want to be the one facing one when they decided they didn't want to be domesticated any longer.    Even the desert has great beauty, but I don't want to walk across it in the heat of summer."

Lyndra looks at Sebastian while guiding Alto. “For someone so emotion driven, you also have some wisdom….their may be hope for you yet” Her tone was not mocking….just one of curosity

"I am simple and complicated at the same time, as are you.  I mean, you see yourself in one way, I see you in another, and someone else will see you totally different.  We are, all of us, the accumulation of our circumstances, and our view of others, the perspective of only what we see of them.  Maybe one day, I will be able to explain to you what I see in you."  He smiles.

Lyndra looks at him. “And that is where we differ. Most of my time I have spent alone. I have never worried what people think of me, nor cared. My life, my work, is what I strives for. People are inconsistent….traitorous and deceptive. My work, magic, has no emotion, just is what it is. This does not mean I don’t care for things, but I understand magic. People….” She trailed off as she looked down, but kept guiding Alto

Loner walked steadily on, listening to the conversation goong on behind him. He had quite a bit of difficulty following Lyndra and Sebastian’s conversation, filled with Vague words and esoteric meanings as it was. After some thought, He felt he had an inkling about what they meant.
“Ah, you mean that, much like how a clock or similar device may seem simple on the outside, the inside is wonderfully complex. Yes, I suppose people are similarly advanced artifice of the gods. Truly, the god who first came up with such efficient designs for animals, each Perfectly suited for their roles in nature, is an artificer without equal. There is indeed something pleasing in observing that.” He said, nodding to himself in satisfaction. He hadn’t considered Nature another side of artifice before, but He was pleased that others could not only see that, but make him aware of it as Well.

He wasn’t sure how Lyndra spending much time Alone could affect those observations on life. Self-study was a respectable method. Perhaps the lack of second opinions negativet affected it? All the more reason for Loner to strive for companionship, then.

In reply to Sebastian (msg # 133):

"House Vadalis would likely challenge you on that. Big cats as I understand are something of a specialty in their sales to the nobility. The King of Breland has a pair of magebred tigers hisself."

Greddark didn't know much about the king, but he knew he had a tiger.

At Loner's comment though, he perked up

"Well that, my warforged friend, is a matter to take up with Balinor, Sovereign of Beasts. Was him what set each creature their attributes to make their way in the world, 'til the Devourer his brother gave them destructive abilities as well. I often wonder, seems the snakes poison or the sharks keen teeth are just a matter of how they make their way in the world. Were they weaker, 'fore the Devourer equipped them?"

"Lyndra, you have isolated yourself to the point of not having a complete set of date with which to evaluate people.  If you only new one spell, then every spell you came upon would be weighed against that spell.  The wider your experience pool, whether with spells, or with people, the better chance you have of understanding other examples.  If everyone were like you, there would soon be no one, as the continuation of the species requires community, which you eschew."

He comments to Loner, "You are gaining a good perspective there, my friend.  The fact is, there could only be one designer, or nothing would fit together, but that is a very long conversation indeed.  We will talk more over time."


"Master Greddark, if you want a pet tiger, that would be up to you, but I have heard of things going wrong with them, and I just don't want to be there when it does."

Lyndra listened to Sebastian and his point of view, her brow furrowed. “I have never thought of it that way. I have always had influences that pushed me away, so my focus was my pursuit of magic. Never did I think that in that narrow isolation I was limiting myself”

She looked at Sebastian. “Perhaps social interaction has some merit. For now, I will rely on your wisdom to guide me on these protocols”

"My humble understandings are at your service." He said, trying not to sound condescending, as it wasn't how he felt.  He truly wanted to help her understand others.

In reply to Sebastian (msg # 139):

Greddark raised an eyebrow and coughed

"One? I don't see it, Sebastian. Why the world was made by three, and shaped after by nine and six and one. That's fifteen and three, if you know your Sovereigns!"

A strange look came over the dwarven cook then. The lapses, the detachment from reality . . . it seemed . . . well it would need to be watched.

"Where exactly did you wander, these last hundred years? Is there some Aereni cult or Blood of Vol sect I've not heard of, or some church in the deep marches? I can't say I've heard someone say things like that before . . . "

In reply to Greddark (msg # 130):

She placed a hand on her Step-father "We'll finish it, if you want" she smiled a crooked smile. "You do know that one of those tigers mauled his son right? The poor young prince kept poking the poor thing and it grew tired of him" she shook her head.

"Is that the one with the one arm and the missing eye and the scars on his face!?"

Greddark blinked wildly, as if just connecting details

"Khyber below . . . that makes a lot more sense. I thought it was the Last War what did that! He should tell people it was one of those Darguun tigers, that's a better story that is."

Edward considered all that was spoken, and while Sebastian might rub him the wrong way, the elf made some good points. Worryingly so. Yet the fencer could relate more with Lyndra than the broad approach that Sebastian advocated. He would need to keep it in mind going forward.

Greddark's experiences in the desolate lands were just as interesting, and to the dwarf quite disconcerting. Edward felt guilt for imposing on a private conversation, but being tethered to the dwarf made it hard to avoid. He walked purposefully onward, forcing himself to look forward and pretend he didn't hear the exchange.

"I would say people are more like books." he offered an alternative to what Loner suggested "You might get some idea of them at first glance, but you need to spend a lot of time to truly know them. And every new page could hold something unexpected, even if it was aligned with what you read previously."

"Edward has a point, but I will add to it, each new reading of the same passage might provide new information, as you are then adding what you know about the book to what you are reading."

He shook his head slightly as his senses returned to his body making him stumble off the edge of one of the crevices they were navigating.  Instinctively he reached for the magic of his boots and simply walked into the air as his hand left Lyndra's shoulder. "I think we should reasses our course. These crevasses appear to be an old waterway crisscrossing our path and while I see no danger ahead directly, I also did not spot the lightning rail or a safe path across." he said as he came to stand back next to Lyndra. He gave her a nod and smile in thanks for leading g him.

Greddark took a higher vantage if he could, trying to look around for any way forward

OOC: Survival check of 13! Hurrah

"Are we sure this is the right direction?"

Greddark climbed back down off the rock

"I've spotted a path we could follow, but it's going to add time to our journey. Not ideal, but it's the best I have."

His experience with west Breland did not preclude him from being blind to some possibility though.

"If any of you see something I don't, please feel free to speak up. Otherwise we'd best start eating the tribex if we intend to ever finish it."

Lyndra listened, having no idea of the terrain or best to traverse it, she bowed to others wisdom

“I have never been here before. But I do not like crevasses, So I prefer the detour.” He looked down at his metal and Wood body, then somewhat uncertainly at the Ground beneath him. I am heavy, and not built for all terrain.”

The path that Greddark has chartered is not direct. You never leave the sight of the conductor stones dotting the path every twenty feet apart or so, but you do find areas where the gap lessens to only a few feet across. Crossing becomes little more challenging than walking. The ancient river delta takes less than an hour to cross in the winding path. The following terrain is less dramatically harsh, the earth is more clay and stone than grass and soil. It is miles of travel as the sun stretches into the sky with no sign of Lightning Rail.

Can I get a series of perception checks.

Lyndra walked as the others led, her gaze unerringly forward.

<OOC: Lyndra rolled 1 using 1d20.  Perception check.

Safe to assume she sees nothing>

Cassia patted her backside shifting on the broom, the hours of flying had made her sore and cranky. She'd taken to spending some time with her nose in a book sometimes writing, sometimes sketching the landscape and sometimes reading one of the reference materials. She'd glance up occasionally but for the most part foused on the various side projects she had on the go.

ooc nat 1

Edward was quite happy that some in the group seemed to be experienced with exploring the wilds. While what he read did indicate that one should find a safe and sturdy path around crevices like these, he didn't have any idea how to determine where such a path may lie. He tracked after Loner, trying to figure out what Greddark was basing his recommendations on, but it didn't result in much.

As they made it past the tricky part, Edward voiced a concern he hoped wasn't a silly one. "How will we find our way back to tracks?" He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the sun. "What is on the other side of them from here? Could that be where we should be looking?"

As the group travels along the path parallel to the conductor stones, conversation and discussions keeps the groups attention fixed. The rumbling of the earth is not noticed until the clay and stone in the middle of the group bursts. The first thing the group can see is a rounded snout covered in grey plates followed quickly by a wide maw filled with far too many teeth. The teeth close catching nothing but air as this being emerges from the earth.


Let's get some first round actions as a land shark has closed to melee combat with the party

Lyndra looks on as the beast emerges from the ground, no emotion on her face....no fear, surprise or curiosity, just her stoic look. She reached into a pouch, pulling out a diamond and held it in her top hand as her bottom clutched up like a claw waiting to catch something.

As she muttered in an arcane language, magical energy began to appear, a blue/white color as it manifested into a sphere of cold energy. The woman tossed it at the beast, hitting it on it's armored hide.

<OOC: Lyndra rolled 16 using 1d20+2.  iniative.

Action - Cast Chromatic Orb (Cold) at land shark

Lyndra rolled 13 using 1d20+7.  Attack - chromatic orb.


Bonus action - None>

He looks up as a creature attacked, mentally berating himself that he hadn't noticed the beasts approach. He stepped forward, his feet leaving the ground as he began to fly above the beast. He drew his sword as slowly resonating energy surged down the blade as he met the threat face on thrusting forward.

OOC: Action attack 23 to hit
Damge: 8 piercing 1 thunder

Bonus: Bladesong Active

Move: Rotate upwards around the land shark to attack from above.

Sebastian ensures someone hits the creature before he casts a spell at it, attempting to scramble its brain.



Action: Cast Toll the Dead (DC15 Wisdom save required)
Sebastian rolled 7 using 1d12.  Damage on fail.
Sebastian rolled 1 using 1d12.  Damage. (Forgot it was 2d12 at level)

Edward took a bit longer to react. Which is understandable, as one would not expect for a monster to emerge from the ground. Once he got his bearings, the duelist proved he was as sure on his feet in combat as he was when moving around the group. He stepped in to plunge his thin blade between the creature's scales, and then moved to its side, away from the too-sharp teeth.

Action: Attack AC 21 for 8 piercing damage plus 7 sneak attack
Bonus: Disengage
Move: 20ft to the side

08:14, Today: Edward rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Initiative.
08:16, Today: Edward rolled 21 using 1d20+7.  Rapier attack.
08:16, Today: Edward rolled 8,7 using 1d8+6,2d6.  Damage.

Her nose still in a book, she squealed in suprise Cassia moved her head out looking at the creature then back at the book. Her broom moved away 20 feet from the creature up into the air.
She opened up her book to show the page she was looking at to the party. A picture of the creature very clear.
"That's a Bulette! It can jump! Be careful!"
ooc 18 I'm not sure which one you're prefering nature or arcana but I've got the same in both
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Sat 03 July 2021.

Greddark slammed his warhammer into the beast once, twice, following up with two kicks to the scaly behemoth.

"Ah here's a good taste of Western Breland, the dreaded leaping land shark!"

Pushing off from the beast he tried to divide its attention, moving in a different direction from the others.

OOC: attacks 16, 22, 7 and 8, for 11, 5, 4 and 8 damage respectively. As part of flurry of blows, disengaging 35ft back. If one of the attacks hits, burn another ki point to force a DC 14 Con save on the land shark against being stunned. You never know unless you try
This message was last edited by the player at 19:29, Sat 03 July 2021.

Loner had never seen a bullete before, and was Unsure what to do for a moment. Everyone Else attacking it made it abundantly clear what to do, however, and He stepped forward quickly. Pulling his arm back, He then launched forward in a simple jab, followed by a haymaker crackling with thunderous energy aimed at it’s jaw. It would find a hard time biting anyone if He knocked it’s teeth out.

OOC:
Move action to get within range of the bullete.
Attack action to make two attacks with thunder gauntlets. A hit means that any attacks the bullete makes this round against anyone not me is with disadvantage.

13:12, Today: Loner rolled 10,19 using 1d20+7,1d20+7 with rolls of 3,12.  Attack 1 & 2.
13:13, Today: Loner rolled 9,6 using 1d8+4,1d8+4 with rolls of 5,2.  Damage 1& 2

As the Bulette is recognized and announced the group begins to quickly converge. The orb of cold shatters against its many plates. Edward and Alto's twin rapiers draw blood by finding a path between the heavy armored plated. The mystical resonance finds purchase among the thin punctures allowing thin veins of black to run along the paths. While, Greddark's hammer vibrates fiercely when it collides with a plate, he feels a bit of give as his kick contact something deeper, sadly it wasn't one of the energy nodes capable of disrupting motion. Loner feels the thunderous energy collide with it. It turns its head to focus on the Warforged. It's wide teeth comes at him from both sides and while it does not manage to get past his armor, he can feel the intense pressure that could likely break stone as easily as flesh.


The Bulette's bite attach misses Loner.

Round 2 actions please.

Feeling success, Sebastian again attacks the mind of the Bulette.

Action: Cast Toll the Dead

Sebastian rolled 17 using 2d12.  Damage on fail.

Lyndra blinked as the frozen orb shattered against the armor of the beast, not even slowing it down. She decided to take another course of action, placing the diamond in the pouch and retrieving two components….some dark powder and a shriveled piece of flesh that looked akin to bad jerky. Chanting loudly she sprinkled to powder on the other material, green and purple energy erupting from the mixture. The energy swirled and then flew to the beast, striking the armor.

<OOC: Action - cast Acid arrow

Lyndra rolled 16 using 1d20+7.  Acid arrow.

Lyndra rolled 13 using 4d4.  Damage - acid arrow.
Lyndra rolled 5 using 2d4.  Secondary damage.

On a hit, the target takes 13 acid damage immediately and 5 acid damage at the end of its next turn.

On a miss, the arrow splashes the target with acid for 6 damage (no damage next round)

Bonus action - none>

Jumping back into the fray, Greddark slammed his hammer back and forth, striking with his knee and palm to try and beat the beast down.

"No! Spit him out! Loner will give you an upset stomach!"

With the last unarmed attack Greddark pushed off to get distance again

OOC: attacks hammer 21 (9 damage), hammer 15 (6 damage), unarmed 17 (5 damage), unarmed 24 (5 damage) and disengage as part of my flurry of blows

"I have been lead to believe eating the wrong thing can lead to death!" Loner said, rather calmly for someone barely outside the maw of a land shark. "I believe I can survive being swallowed, so we should keep it as a plan b." He added, lifting both his arms and slamming his fists down at the Bulette's head.

OOC:
2 attacks on the bulette.

20:38, Today: Loner rolled 13,19 using 1d20+7,1d20+7 with rolls of 6,12.  Attack 1 & 2.
20:39, Today: Loner rolled 12,7 using 1d8+4,1d8+4 with rolls of 8,3.  Damage 1 & 2.

Edward keeps at the beast's flank, moving along its side, but the scales prove to be too thick further along the body. "Bookrot!" he curses as the metal scrapes along the armored hide. As he moves away he looks as others are doing. Better. Good.

22:12, Today: Edward rolled 11 using 1d20+7.  Rapier attack.
Miss and move around (bonus disengage)

Cassia took the chance, flying down to her step-father and tapping him on the back "Go kick that bouncing bulette in his bouncing bullett butt!" she sang and her words seemed to flow into Greddark, making him larger!

ooc casting enlarge

He kept to the air moving around the creature maintaining a flank with Edward. His blade boomed again as he struck.

OOC: Trying to stay flanking with Edward for advantage.


12:04, Today: Alto rolled 4 using 1d8.  Thunder.

12:03, Today: Alto rolled 6 using 1d8+4.  Rapier Damage.

12:03, Today: Alto rolled 21 using 1d20+7.  Booming Blade(flanking advatage).

12:00, Today: Alto rolled 8 using 1d20+7.  Booming Blade.

Reaching out with his power Sebastian's magicks cause the wounds to simultaneously widen and blacken. Lyra's acidic bolt splashes against one of the hardened scale barely bubbling except along the edges. Greddark's flurry of fist and hammer scores some mighty blows before he finds himself growing to the size of an ogre. Loner's smack on the shark's nose draws another bite which catches itself on the mighty armor and knocks him back nearly a dozen feet by nothing more than the power of the beast.



Bulette misses with its powerful bite a second time.

Sadly we are not playing with the optional Flanking is Advantage rule.

Turn 3 begins

Wanting to stay out of the path of the bulette. Sebastian again attacks its mind, hoping to bring it nearer to its own demise.

---

Action: Cast Toll the dead

Sebastian rolled 10 using 2d12.  Damage on fail. (DC 15 Wisdom)

Lyndra knew this beast had tough armor….her cold orb and acid arrow barely made a scratch in it, so she decided to think smarter. Holding her hand up, palm facing skyward, she uttered a short phrase, a simple magical phrase summoning a simple spell. But she held the position, channeling more energy into it than normal. The glob of blue/purple energy grew as she held it, and at her limit, looked at the land shark.

The glob flew, separating into five seperate bolts of magical energy, striking the beast without mercy.

<OOC: casts magic missile, 3rd level

Lyndra rolled 5 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile 1
Lyndra rolled 3 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile 2
Lyndra rolled 4 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile 3
Lyndra rolled 4 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile 4
Lyndra rolled 3 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile 5

Total damage: 19>

Shaking himself of after being thrown by the bulette, Loner lifted his hands into a boxing pose, before running in and throwing two hooks at the monster's face once more, his hands still thrumming with the thunderous energy within them.

OOC: Move action to get within range, attack action to make two attacks.

13:55, Today: Loner rolled 13,24 using 1d20+7,1d20+7 with rolls of 6,17.  Attack 1 & 2.

13:56, Today: Loner rolled 10,11 using 1d8+4,1d8+4 with rolls of 6,7.  Damage 1 & 2.

Once more, if either attack hits, the bulette has disadvantage on attacks against anyone other than me.

Greddark moved with purpose in his newly enlarged state, surging forward to swing his hammer back and forth, following up with two kicks to the land shark before pulling back

OOC: same routine as before, attacks 7 (damage 8), 26 (crit 20), 7 (damage 12) and 22 (damage 8)

Keeping up with the massive beast kept up most of Edwards attention, and while he kept prodding it with his blade, he was unable to find another weak point like he had scored at the beginning. Tempted to show off more of his skill, he kept an eye on how others were doing. As long as the beast didn't get a hold of anyone, maybe there wasn't an urgent need to do more.

21:27, Today: Edward rolled 10 using 1d20+7.  Rapier attack.
Nope...

In reply to Loner (msg # 176):
Playing her violin Cassia began playing a battle charge. Though not from a trumpet it came out just as clear.


ooc inspiring Loner

He danced thru the air his blade once again humming with arcane energy as he drove the thin blade deep into the creature.

OOC:
22:57, Today: Alto rolled 2 using 1d8.  Thunder.
22:56, Today: Alto rolled 9 using 1d8+4.  Rapier Damage.
22:56, Today: Alto rolled 24 using 1d20+7.  Booming Blade

The massive beast snaps for a third time at Loner. This time the massive maw's teeth find purchase and apply a force the warforged has not felt for a long period of time. As the others lauch a magical barrage, the last bit of life fades from the monster leaving only its corpse and the wound it inflicted.


23:03, Today: Storyteller rolled 23 using 1d20+7. Bulette attack on Loner
23:04, Today: Storyteller rolled 38 using 4d12+4. Piercing Damage

The Bulette is now dead.

Sebastian, seeing Loner get attacked, immediately moves to start healing him.


Cast two times: Cure Wounds, Level 3:
Sebastian rolled 22 using 3d8+4.
Sebastian rolled 13 using 3d8+4.  Cure Wounds.

Lyndra looked at the beast, approaching with a curious look. “An effective beast with its armor and skills burrowing. And great strength too.” She drew a dagger and tapped its armor. She considered an idea, but shrugged.

She turned around and waited for the others.

Loner let out an exclamation of shock and pain as the beast’s jaws closed around him. When it fell over read moments later He immediately forced them apart and pulled himself out, frantically testing his limbs and looking over the holes torn in his armored body.
As Sebastian’s healing settled on him and mended the inner parts of his body, leaving only the holes in his outer shell, He stood up and made an effort to calm down. “Thank you.” He said to the elf, seemingly calm, though there was a slight hitch to his voice, and an ever so small shaking in his hands. “I am fine now. All my limbs are functional, and I am fully capable of moving on.”

Edward took another step back as the beast collapsed, which also gave him a better vantage point to see Loner gripped by the monstrous jaw. As the warforged freed itself and Sebastian handled the healing, Edward first took a moment to unbuckle his shield from his pack and strap it onto his right hand, before joining others. "How many of these things can there be ahead of us?" he wondered out aloud as he tried to recall the research he did on this area.

19:02, Today: Edward rolled 22 using 1d20+5.  Nature of Bulettes.
How territorial are they? Solitary or groups?

"Lord Mror was fabled to wear a suit of plate made from dreaded landshark! With mithral chain and a brilliant helm, and the hammer of byeshk he felled the great beast with in hand!"

Greddark arced his own hammer over his head in a wide circle before bringing it to the ground

"With each of these great terrors we slay, our saga grows all the more epic my friends, we stand not just on a quest for a missing shipment, but the edge of an adventure!"

Lyndra looked at the dwarf, then the land shark, shrugging. "Plate mail made from that things armour could prove effective, but i'm guessing making it would be a chore in itself.." The assimar had little use for physical armour, her skills were best at a range and armour interrupted her spellcasting.

She looked on. "Unless Loner needs more repairing or rest, i suggest we move on....if there is more of these, the battle may attract it. Even if not, any beasts will be attracted to the meat."

"OhMyNine!" low to the ground Cassia jumped off her broom and ran towards Loner, "Let me know if I can get you more healing! That was! Well I've read about them but I've never seen one before." Cassia was shocked, she'd fought mages and the like, sneak thief's, the guard sometimes but she was never in any danger. And those fights certainly wouldn't end in someones death.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:31, Thu 22 July 2021.

“I am alright. I Will not slow us down.” Loner said, forcing himself not to shake from the shock of the situation. The others seemed less inclined to act like his old platoon, but He did not want to take any chances.  He did not know them that well yet, after all, and concern could run dry quickly once it outweighed practicality.

"We all have our jobs, yours, to keep us from getting hurt, mine, to heal your wounds."

While you discuss and ponder memories of the past, the ground is still with no signs of rumbling ground or other beasts. The stark terrain returns to quiet.

"There shouldn't be more of the things nearby, they are solitary." Edward offered what little comfort the information provided."At least that's what I read." he shrugged at Cassia. Even most research books could be incomplete . Or outdated. "As this is their habitat, there could be more later on."

It was hard to tell from looking at Loner if it was really well or just not wanting to admit how damaged it was. Without anything else to go on, he agreed with Lyndra "Yes, let's continue." He gestured at Greddark to lead onward.

"Forward, but with caution."

Greddark forged forward without much in the way of caution, despite the warnings

"The landshark is more scared of us, I'd wager, than we of it. Solitary creatures are known to be more grumpy old men than vicious monsters."

Cassia smiled, holding Loners hands she looked up at the large warforged "This was the sort of thing I was talking about before, comrades in arms, friends keep friends alive until they cannot. I've got your back." she got back on her broom quickly. After "Look how tall you are now Taad!"  She bit er lip at Edwards question, going through her book, "I think we're safe? Unless that was a breeding pair. But thats a small chance"

The wizard, looking at the land shark mused on something, but sighed, grabbing her small sachet, the rat appearing at her neck squeaking loudly at the beast, causing her to smile. “It seems Garathyn was a little scared of our visitor….now he’s defeated, he is showing some bravado.”

The rat stood on its hind legs, then disappeared in her robe, the Assimar smiling a rare smile as she looked at the group. “It seemed our tactics, though a little brutish, complimented each other. We keep this up and our tactics within the group may yet yield a formidable force.”

She looked at Sebastian and nodded. “Forward.”

Sebastian walks next to the Assimar, "Seems your rat is a bit like us, we started afraid, but in the end, we stand tall with a win."

The Assimar smirks at the observation. “Not as much as you’d think….he’s all bluster. Quite the character has been visited me as a companion.”

She held out her hand as the rat scurried down and sat there, chattering at her as if telling her off. She tilted her head. “He is loyal and smart, but can be difficult at times. Before his rat form, he was a snake or a while…he slid into the ceiling for two weeks one time. Wouldn’t come out until I summoned him. Very stubborn.” She looked at Sebastian with a raised eyebrow. “Yes, I see some similarities there….determined, smart and loyal.”

"In time, you will see how loyal your companions will be to you.  We aren't all like those you grew up with.  Family is everything, and this?"  He sweeps his hand to indicate their group, "This is your family for now."

Loner tilted his head slightly at Cassia’s words. His Old unit had called themselves comrades as Well. But He couldn’t help but believe it a bit more coming from the tiny woman. She just seemed more earnest. Simply nodding at her words, He thought that these people did seem more comfortable to be with. Perhaps because they themselves seemed to be quite outside the norm for organics in their behaviour. Eccentric, He believed the Word was?

“Family?” He couldn’t help but ask Sebastian, confused by the man’s words. “Is family not something you are born into, rather than choose later on? I once heard someone say you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family? Is that incorrect?”

Looking from Lyndra to Loner, he says, "It is a matter of interpretation.  Sometimes, friends are just that, friends.  They talk, they go to a fair, they attend parties, but family will fight with you all day long, until it is time to fight beside you.  Family is closer that friends in a lot of ways.  Some of us have left their families far behind, and we meet people and become friends, but look at this group here.  We might not agree with everything the others say, but when that Bulete came at you, everyone here fought by your side to ensure your safety.  We gave of ourselves to remain together.  That is more family, to some, than any biological link can ever be."

Lyndra listened to the elf explain about family, her stoic expression remained. “Not all family stands by your side. Some turn their back on you. Some betray you, target you. Some look at you with such looks that you think they see an enemy. No, don’t fill his head with such drivel….family is a chaotic mess, a random toss of the coin.” She looked forward into the distance. “Blood may be thicker than water, but it’s just as easily spilt when those you think you love stab you in the back.”
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Thu 29 July 2021.

((Full elf, thanks))

Looking back to Lyndra, Sebastian has a sad look.  "Please don't judge all families on yours.  I have travelled this world for longer than you have been alive, and your family is the aberration, not the norm.  Most families are not like that.  I can only hope that your time with us will prove to you something they didn't, you matter here."

The woman had a sad look as she looked at him. “Though I am not religious, I pray your right.”

"I'm not sure about that. I agree that family is more than simply where someone is born, but I wouldn't call my old comrades in arms family. We were comrades, and that's something no more or less sacred in the eyes of the Sovereigns. To forge bonds in battle, to stand against a foe! It is something different from family, either found or born."

Greddark looked about at the landscape again, seeming to remember his comrades in that moment and smiling

"You mention you have travelled far and wide Sebastian. Have you ever been to the fabled land of Xen'drik? I've heard many avoided the war seeking instead the truths of the older ages there. We have a place in my homeland, the Realm Below, where much the same was done, and the people of the Five Nations say we 'avoided' duty. Not so!"

"I have been there, but it has been over a hundred years.  I never avoided anywhere except the front lines, and now?  Well, we shall see.  I hope you find I am right about this being a family, a chosen one."

"What was one of your favourite places? The closed off island of Aerenal? The wonders of the Frostfell?"

She traced the lines of her old violin. Her mother initials carved in the back "Family, friends, comrades it doesn't matter if they're important to you, you need to let them know." she stared off into the distance, "Taad knows this but I once spent a semester on Lorghalen the gnomes there use music to commune with nature, they do not control elementals. They befriend them. Pacifists by nature it was such a fun visit I had. I hope to one day go back to see the friends I met."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Thu 29 July 2021.

"It is hard to say what is my favorite, as each holds a beauty all its own.  Whether it be in a sold out hall with a thousand cheering fans, or at a waterfall, all alone, there is something to be had in each experience."

Cassia's confusion showed, "A thousand people? Did you perform for the troops or some such? Is there even a hall that allows that capacity?"

"I have performed for the troops, but never in those numbers.  There are some halls in the bigger cities that will hold that, but they haven't been that popular of late."

Cassia nodded excitedly,"That's amazing Seb! You must be really popular! You must have had a stage name right?"
She closed her eye's and smiled as she moved the bow across the strings, a haunting melody "I prefer a more personal audience, music was how my mother, father, and I spent time together."  She breathed deeply "But we're wasting day-light. Lets continue this when we camp for the night"

"We were just called 'The Shadow Troupe'.  And I never said I didn't do somewhat smaller audiences, even, shall we say, an audience of one?"

In reply to Sebastian (msg # 213):

"Is that like Phiarlan's Carnival of Shadows? I saw them once, really pretty stuff, though I'll admit I fell asleep around the fourth or fifth time someone's noble ancestor defied the titan lord to save their beloved."

"Something like that.  While I tell stories, my speciality is singing.  I have given many a bard reason to doubletake."

Greddark gave a hearty laugh

"Boasting! Oh yes, there's hope for you yet then, you might have run rings around the little prancy Aundairan elf minstrels, but a proper Mrorish talltalker, we'll find you one of those, that would put you to the test."

Greddark looked to Cassia

"Cassia, would you mind checking the horizon on your broom again?"

"Always willing to try." Sebastian laughs

Lyndra stood by, listening to the three talking about entertaining…something she had no knowledge about

Cassia blinked taken aback "Sebastian, I never said that you don't play smaller audiences. I was saying that I preferred to play smaller audiences.... I'm going to go do my job now." She held the broom in both hands and straddled it. Taking off , distracted and lost in thought.

ooc Perception 6

As Cassia scans the surroundings, the surrounding seem to be the same as the terrain where the Bulette attacked them. While the group remains wary, the rest of the day's travel goes off with no further incident. The terrain remains rather sparse. The line of conductor stones remain aligned and intact. However, there is no sign of the missing lightning rail.

"Well, we didn't come here for an easy time. If the lightning rail was that easy to find we wouldn't have earned our pay . . . or have a story worth telling!"

Greddark shouldered his hammer and looked out at the vast nothing of Western Breland, smiling

"And the more distance we cover, the better supper will taste!"

"Looks like we keep moving."

Lyndra sniffed and continued walking, her neutral expression never changing as she moved. She looked at her collar and spoke. "Oh, behave yourself. It's not been that far. Besides, being a little hungry will help shrink that belly of yours." She looked forward as they walked, shaking her head.

"For a conjured animal, your fixated on food."

The group travels for two and a half days along the line of conductor stones. During the evenings, the small camp they assemble is never devoid of entertainment with many talented performers willing to share their talents with others. Even the campfire cuisine is a step above the norm. The group sets up a cycle of watches and each night, the twelve moons in the sky and random prairie dogs are the only visitors that the sentinels perceive.

It is not until just before noon on the third day that things shift. It is then that on the horizon a shape can be seen resting next to the conductor stones.

"We might want to be careful here, we don't know what we face."

Lyndra spent her days walking, and when it came time to camp, she was usually the first to volunteer for first watch, preferring to sleep solidly.  When on watch, she would listen, reading her spellbook, or writing in a smaller book.

On the third day, the woman, in her usual spot within the center of the group, slowed at Sebastian's words. Yet to have been able to transfer Garathyn into a flying familiar, the rat still sat on her shoulder, squeaking his displeasure. "Yes, i know most things are big enough to eat you, now be silent."

She looked at Alto, hoping he had the idea to send his familiar forward, she stepped up, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I will guide you if you look."

Cassia spent the days reading and playing her instrument, flying on her broom. The nights she was not afraid to get dirty and help set up the campsite, though she'd had trouble doing it. She'd never set up a tent before.
On the third day she volunteered to take a look on her broom. "If I want to I could just fly back with no fuss" she explained, "If you want I can carry the familars as well If you'd like to look too"

"-and they had a complex trapdoor which, when you placed a roast inside and closed it, would glow orange and produce awful tasting cooked roast! They may have had magelights in the streets, but the Realm Above is a cut above when it comes to a good roast!"

As they spotted the shape in the distance, Greddark slowed his chatter and looked to the group as he drew his hammer

"Caution never made a good story my friends. Do your scouting, but we were hired to find what looks like we've found."

The spellcasters seem reluctant to send their familiars on the broom and they head off flying on their own. As Cassia herself first follows and then overtakes the birds, she is the first to see the sight ahead of her. The Lightning Rail as tipped over and fallen to its side. The area is still as the grave with no sign of people nor spark of air elemental cascading from Car to Conductor Stone. The engine appears to have suffered some damage  that only becomes more alarming the closer you get to it. There appears to be a two foot diameter hole missing through the center of the engine along the full thirty five feet of length.

Lyndra watches as the gnome flies off into the distance, the rat on her shoulder chittering. “Oh, do be quiet….,being a bird isn’t that bad.”

---

OOC: waiting for the report on the sky rail from the gnome

The gnome looked at the others but then at the car once more. Getting closer she spoke out "Hello? Is anyone there? We're here to help, we have a healer if you need one"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:52, Sat 04 Sept 2021.

Greddark leaned on his hammer, watching Cassia with no small amount of trepidation.

_{"Come on, get out of there if there's trouble. Like we practiced. Not so close . . . "}

Cassia's calls are met with nothing but silence. The toppled lightning rail remains silent.

"We might need to go there on foot, but don't touch the wires."

Cassia returned to the group, "I don't see anyone but I could have missed something"

"Wires?"

Greddark started down to the lightning rail car

"Alright Cassia, let's investigate more fully then! Better story that way!"

Lyndra, by no means an expert in the rail car, followed none the less at a slow pace. She didn’t know these people well, but she gave her word to help, and help she would. “A better story? Wasn’t being attacked by a land shark, something rare in its own mind, exciting enough?” Her tone was even, monotone, with no fear or jest - just facts.

In reply to Lyndra (msg # 237):

"Not by half! There's always a chance for more excitement!"

Those that wish to can tell me what they want to look into and roll me an investigation check."

Greddark busied himself with digging into the car, only really relenting at direction from others with more pointed skills

OOC: Help action to someone using Investigate, free advantage up for grabs to one person

Lyndra circles wide, using her eyes and judgement to try determine magical properties, dangers and any signs of bodies.



OOC: Lyndra rolled 10 using 1d20+7 - investigation check

Lyndra scans the outside of the lightning rail. Her eyes can see the typical sparks of magical energies coming from the series of conductor stones along the ground, but the analogous receptors under the rail show no similar energy. The ground around the Rail is scattered by debris of glass, metal, and wood, but there is no signs of bodies.

Sebastian looks for tracks around the area.

Lyndra, hardly an expert at this technology or magic, looked at the rail. Despite her lack of knowledge, she saw no such magic below. “Look…I’m no expert but it looks like the magical energies has disrupted the flow of the stones which caused the crash. Strangely, there are no bodies though.”

She looked at the rest. “Such an accident would have killed a few at least, if not more, but there is no bodies.”

"They can't have just disappeared. Maybe there are foot prints or blood trails? This isn't Thelanis people don't just go missing"
ooc Investigate 8

Sebastian rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  Investigation.

As the group's investigation becomes more focused, Sebastian is able to find some tracks in the broken earth that suggests that shoed horses have been in the area in the time since wind or rain would've washed them away. Small indentations in the earth suggest others moved closer to the elemental engine where the two foot diameter cylinder is simply missing through the car's length.

While the outside terrain is devoid of bodies, it is entirely possible that victims may remain inside the lightning rail.

Sebastian tells the others what he notices.

Lyndra listened to the others, holding her hand out. Garathyn came to her hand slowly. “You know what we have to do.” The rat squeaked as it sat up. “Don’t complain….I’ll be with you the whole time.”

The rat jumped down and made his way through the rubble, as he did, lyndra’s eyes went pure white, channeling her vision through her familiar. The rat edged closer as she mentally prompted him into the lightning rail

---

OOC: sending her familiar into the lightning rail to see what is in there

As Greddark begins to investigate the contents of the lightning rail. He finds the toppled state a bit of a challenge as the only means on entrance is through the normally accessible doors either blocked by the earth or twenty feet in the air. As he climbs to the top, he finds the doors slid open and the car empty of cargo, but containing detritus, scattered paperwork and two bodies.

Garathyn's path and Lyndra's perception of the journey through the two foot hole is mildly disconcerting. The wall of the tunnel is extremelu smooth and a fine layer of particles makes it extremely slippery. There are a variety of materials that have all been removed with equal ease. The only break from this slippery tunnel are the assorted gaps that must exist in the elemental engine of crystal and metal forged by the Elemental Binders of Zilargo. Emerging into the control room, you can see two bodies one missing both head, heart, upper torso, upper left arm, displaying the same arc and absence that is found in this hole.

Lyndra blinked her eyes open, commanding her companion to return as she looked at the others. She was one who was not squeamish about the dead, so the sight through her familiars eyes didn’t disturb her much.“Garathyn found two bodies in there. One is missing part of his body, similar to the arc. Maybe a power had made a void in time and whatever was caught in it was destroyed utterly. One body is still whole….but Gar only found the two of them”

She looked back with a furrowed brow. “But whatever caused it is strange. The tunnel was smooth, and though no obstacles, it was slippery for him”

"Did you need any help? Watch out you don't want to throw your back.... Sovereigns!" Cassia glided up to her stepfather on her broom. Her face shocked when she saw the bodies. She'd never seen a dead body before, the young woman instinctively grasped for Greddark's hand. "What, what happened to them?" she took a deep breath and after a moment she got to examining the paperwork.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:17, Wed 29 Sept 2021.

"Trolls, I'd reckon. They say it's a roundabout way of self-death, to anger a troll."

Greddark grumbled as he looked at what he was seeing

"Pull a man clean apart, like Orcbone."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:49, Wed 13 Oct 2021.

Cassia took a moment away from reading the papers. Eyes wide she stared at Greddark. "Do you think they're still here?" she quickly scanned the papers, hoping to get some information out of them. She didn't want to think about how painful a death that would be.

"I'd think we'd hear 'em, Cassia. They're not exactly quiet or afraid of being heard even. Isn't one thing eats a troll, makes yer belly swell up like too much pie . . . and keep swellin'!"

Cassia thought for a moment, she buried her face in the paper. "Is that what got mother at Orcbone? Trolls?" She closed her eyes. "I keep on having those dreams about her..."

<OOC: since I've changed class, and under advisement of GM, we are yo just assume she has always been a warrior

She is still an assimar (so a slightly pale human woman), but wears ornate chainmail atmor and has several weapons including a longsword, two short swords, a war pick, daggers and a light crossbow>

Lyndra, standing near the dwarf and gnome smiled at tbe musing of them both. "Trolls are reasonably strong - the issue is you have to keep them dead. They regenerate quickly...heard a story a dwarf told that a wyvern once ate a piece of troll meat. A troll burst from its belly a few days later."


Her casual tone indicated she believed the story, even her cool manner had a hint of a ironic smile.

At the assimar's arrival Cassia quickly wiped the tears that were forming and smiled "Oh hello, I didn't hear you come up here! What did we find downstairs? Here we got some paperwork and... well mangled corpses"

In reply to Cassia (msg # 256):

Greddark reached over and pulled Cassia into a hug, brief as it needed to be with danger about.

"No Cassia, it was Znir mercenaries. Gnolls, big dog men, armed with black bows and barbed arrows. It was quick, and your mother was brave. Don't dream of trolls, but also don't take that hurt to the Znir, they go where they are commanded."

Lyndra looked around, her sword in hand. “Not much….a lot of wreckage and not much else. Whatever caused it caused some damage.”

A couple tear slipped out as Greddark wrapped his arms around her and emotion outweighed professionalism, dropping the papers to the floor and burried herself in his beard. "I promise papa". For a second she let herself feel things. Cassia didn't understand why, she knew why but she'd never felt any closure when her mother left. She was just gone and she was supposed to accept she'd never see her again. Coming out here, it opened up all of those feelings. She took a deep breath and came out of the hug. Gathering herself and the papers she smiled once more "Any tracks leading away ooooor? What do we have to work with here?"

The orc woman had been on the road for a while, deciding to follow the rails for a while she noticed the disaster and rushed to see if anyone needed help, "Like, is everyone okay here?  Does anyone need healing? I have spells. " She was a huge woman, easily taller than anyone here, with rippling muscles. She wore a broad, straw hat, cotton shirt, and overalls with a beautifully embroidered shawl around her shoulders. "Do any ya'll need like, any snacks?"

Greddark swung around, hand to his hammer, before seeing the massive woman was asking if they needed help . . .

"We're alright, but there might be danger around. Get in or keep out, no standing on the edges!"

He looked to Cassia

"And yes some refreshment might be good."

Turnip blinked, "Greddark? Greddark Londurak? What the heck are you doing here? I haven't seen you since like.... well four years at least." Turnip climbed up and squeezed the Greddark in and bear hug. "That food helped a lotta people you know?" Turnip rummaged in her satchel and produced peaches handing one out to each person there. "Hey there, my names Turnip" the orc gave a goofy grin.

"Turnip! By Olladra's Bloody Nose what are you doing here!?"

Greddark returned the hug enthusiastically
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

"Friend of yours, Greddark?"

Not quite ready for a newcomer Cassia was blown away by Turnips.... enthusiasm. taking the peach she bit into it "She's so tall" Cassia shook her head, "Wait a minute, how do you know Turnip, Papa?"

Turnip laughed, "Oh you know me! Just a bit of wanderlust my friend! Traveling, helping people and always looking for new seeds" Turnip beamed "Papa?! You're a dad? Well thats new! Man thats awesome!" she kept up her goofy grin until she saw Sebastian "No way! You're friends with THE Sebastian! Well aren't you te popular man" she put the dwarf down, "You came to my village when I was like five. We still sing those songs man"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:12, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

Antony climbs up onto the side of the car and knocks on the door, "Hello. Is there a reason you folks are cowering a derailed train car? Are you expecting rescue or some such? Because both the next town and the last town are fairly easy to find."

"Everyone sings my songs.  I make sure they are easy to remember, yet still relevant to life."

"On that subject, perhaps Turnip can assist as Sebastian has so far evaded our questions . . . what kinds of songs? I'd be interested to know which ones I might have heard of."

When Antony arrives, the dwarven monk approached, now with hammer drawn but held low, leading with words and a Mrorish charm

"We found this lightning rail and we've been contracted previously to track it. What's your business with it?"

In reply to Greddark (msg # 271):

Antony shrugs, "Um...It keeps me from getting lost? Seriously, why do YOU usually follow roads and tracks?"

"That's awesome Seb! Can I call you Seb? I'm all about accessibility!
Bro! Thats deep man! Why do we do anything! Its like a magical mystery man!" Turnip gave a far eyed stare, "It's like that song you sang once about Rocks and Trees and Trees and Rocks and Water"

She shook her head "Jaxus! You sould like come meet my new and old friends"

"... Papa she's so big!"  Cassia stared at the tall woman wide eyed. She'd seen half-orcs in Sharn but never orcs and never this big.
Cassia smiled and waved at the new man "Hey ummm, I'm Cassia Davandi D'Svis, it is lovely to meet you. Can I please ask who are you?
This message was last edited by the player at 22:44, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

Greddark let out a chuckle at the armoured man's answer

"That's true! Well as you've determined we are going about our business and you are going about yours, have you seen anything odd the last day or so in the area?"

With Turnip's response the dwarf turned surprised

"Rocks and trees and water? I love that song! It's a fantastic one to sing when you're getting a good drink on, the kind of thing they never do in Lanarak halls."

Sebastian gets his lute out and sits down on a large rock and starts playing and singing.

"From out a rock a tree may grow, and rocks may break down trees,
But both have need of water, yes, the kind that flows in seas.

For rocks are broken by the water, worn down and made round,
And trees need water for to grow, no matter where they're found.

"The tree that grows out of the rock has roots that reach below,
so water can be found to make the tree much taller grow.

And rocks define the shoreline of the waters boundaries,
shaping rivers, lakes and ponds, and even endless seas.

So while we think each separate, the water, rock and tree,
the each rely on others help, much like are you and me."

Antony turns to look at the overturn car and the group assembled, "You mean odder than a bunch of folks squatting in an overturned train car in the middle of nowhere?"

Cassia looked at herself, "Ok, am I just invisible then? You're like the third person this week!" the little gnome pouted."I'm starting to develop a complex here" at hearing Seb's song Cassia clapped.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:59, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

Antony looks down at Cassia, "Sorry, I was talking to him, and didn't want him to think I was refusing to answer his questions. Anyhow, if he's done, yes you can."

Cassia smiled "Yes well..... Who are you?"

"Cassia?  Would you like to be invisible?  Don't worry, I can see you there, and I won't ever forget that.  If my heart wasn't so turned toward Lyndra, I might let you see that."  He laughed a bit, almost embarrassed.

"Yes, odder than that."

Greddark motioned to himself

"I'm Greddark and that there is my daughter Cassia d'Sivis, the strapping woman is Lyndra, over there is Sebastian who I've just learnt wrote one of the great Eldeen Rebellion songs, and the very large woman is Turnip. Jaxus, her companion, remains to make an appearance. Yourself?"

In reply to Sebastian (msg # 281):

Cassia blushed "oooooooo! Someone has a crush. We're talking next time we camp. I want to know all the details

"Alas, fair maiden, it is a one way thing at this point in time.  She wears a veneer of stone, but I have a chisel."

There is a resigned sigh at the base of the train car below where Antony had climbed, and a rippling in the air as the illusion of empty air falls away to reveal Jaxus standing where the armored fellow had been when he had started climbing the derailed car.
Though he appears as a young Cyran, when he speaks, it is with a Thranish accent.  Turnip, you know it is not always a good idea to meet every stranger you come across.  Remember what happened that last time....  Then, he gives another resigned sigh, while keeping his eyes on the armored form of Antony.  But, I suppose it is all right, since you know two of them.  Then he adds to Cassia, It seems that I am the invisible one, madame.
He seems to gaze passively, yet warily, at Antony.
From the moment he realized that Turnip was going to go introduce herself to these strangers (pretty much from the moment she saw them), he cast a Minor Illusion cantrip of empty air around himself.  And he walked stealthily behind her.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:12, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

"Ah, a sneaky one.  You might want to be careful, not everyone appreciates sneaky folk."

Antony shrugs, "I'm generally called Antony."

In reply to Jaxus Dastero (msg # 285):


"yeah that song is tight man! Missed your singing Seb!"
Turnip placed an arm on Jaxus' shoulder, "My bro, everyone's different man. You gotta let people be people and do their thing. We all come from different view point but we are all one in the end." Turnip picked Cassia up and gave her a great hug with one arm. "I know your papa from Orcbone not fight naw, I repurposed some of his food supplies" Turnip smirked, "This is the guy Jaxus. Because of him I saved that changeling family"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:28, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

Jaxus' is slim, with long, graceful looking limbs, loose, wavy white hair and is dressed in common clothing of Cyran cut, and wears gloves over his hands.  Despite his Thranish accent and speech pattern (think Italian, rather than the normal Spanish sound for Cyrans).
He gives a small smile.  Not sneaky, merely careful.  It seems neither those from my homeland, nor from than in which I grew up, are very popular in these parts.  I prefer to avoid any unwanted attention.
He bows as he introduces himself.  I am called Jaxus Dastero.

Cassia struggled in Turnips vice grip, "Turnip! Please down!" she chuckled, "I am terribly sorry for your loss Mr.Dastero, I had a cousin in Metrol when it happened. Terrible terrible business

Thank you, he says, the smile leaving his face as he closes his eyes a moment.
But, that is neither here nor there, he says as he opens his eyes again.  A charming and infectious smile brightens his face.  Perhaps Turnip and I can assist in your investigation of what happened here.

The quiet warrior stood by as the newcomers spoke to Cassia, Greddark and Sebastian. When Sebastian mentioned her, she rolled her eyes with a deep sigh, then looked at Cassia. “Take him….please. He fawns over me like a lost puppy.” She looked around, as the others spoke. “As for being careful….maybe discussing songs and inflating Sebastians already big ego isn’t the place. I’d rather we moved in somewhere safe and save the stories for camp.”

She looked at the others and nodded. “Lyndra.” The humanoid woman was lean and muscular, even evident under her gleaming suit of chain mail, bearing the motive of a panther. Her long sword at her side was well used and cared for, and on her pack, the shield, shortsword and crossbow showed evident she was a warrior.

Even her look, though pretty if she tried, was one of a woman who was a fighter, with a small scar down her left eye towards the base of her ear. Her hair, dark brown, went past her shoulders, but it was her eyes, blue that were serious, focused and intense that showed she was someone who fought for what she had.

“…so, let’s get what we need to and move on. And you….” Pointing at Sebastian. “…focus more on the job at hand and less on my butt.”

"But, it is so nice and ..." He grinned.

Sebastian, I feel I must warn you, Jaxus warns,that, if, at any time, the lady feels offended or angered at what you say, you will likely end up bleeding and unconscious.  If not dead.

"I can handle myself, but thanks for looking out for her. She is so fragile." Sebastian roars with laughter.

Lyndra glared at the man, then Jaxus. “Trust me…,I don’t need your help to make him bleed. He oversteps the line and he will have the pain to learn his lesson.” She looked at Sebastian with a warning look. “Finish that sentence and you’ll be nursing more than a bruised ego.”

Jaxus looks to Lyndra.  I was not offering to help you.  I can see you have little need for help.  He then turns to Sebastian.  I was actually try to protect you.  But, I will let you have your folly, if you truly wish it.

Lyndra smiled and nodded. “Oh, he’ll realise his ‘folly’ when I have a dagger where he is thinking.”  She had an almost daring look.

Antony looks towards Greddark, "Interesting investigation style you folks have."

Turnip smiled, placing the squirming Cassia down finally she stepped in between Sebastion and Lyndra, looking at the grim woman she smiled, and offered her hand "Pleasure to meet you! Whoooa you must have, umm you sure must have killed a lot of people with that thing" Turnip frowned, "Man, I'm sorry" she stepped away, "Ok so you fellas are looking for something right? Let me help you out here."
Turnip stepped out of the cart snd started looking around for something.
ooc Survival 18 just going to see if I can find any tracks or like evidence of someone else being here

"Sometimes, I think she wants to kill me with it, or maybe just maim."

Jaxus shakes his head at the antics and banter between Sebastian and Lyndra,.one of infectious smiles dancing across his lips.  I will take a look at the tracks.  See what is out of the ordinary.
He moves to the tracks and begins looking around.
10:15, Today: Jaxus Dastero rolled 23,10 using 1d20+4,1d20+4.  Perception, Investigation.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:18, Tue 02 Nov 2021.

Lyndra looked around turnip at Sebastian. “I don’t need a weapon to hurt you.” She muttered, then shook turnip’s hand. “My aim is not to kill people unless I have to. Defeat, that’s a different matter. But, yes, a few have fallen to my blade.”

"The only time you hurt me is when you continually ignore me, though I know that to be a ruse."

In reply to Sebastian (msg # 304):

Antony turns back to Greddark,"They need to either kill each other or get a room, but this awkward courting ritual is painful. Are they always like this?"

In reply to Antony (msg # 305):

"When they ain't cagily avoiding answering details about their pasts."

Greddark gave a rolling laugh at that and rubbed his head

"I just act like they're fey who're here to teach me some lesson . . . makes all this easily to go along with."

Cassia blushed "No, I don't like him like that" she folded her hair behind her ear, "I haven't actually been on a date before... I'm just 45 but this girl from upper Dura and I did kiss this one time... also if can we please not suggest me sleeping with anyone in front of my papa."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Wed 03 Nov 2021.

"Maybe if Lyndra keeps turning me down..."  He laughs again.

Lyndra glares at him, holding her hand out. "Be my guest, but Cass....i think you could do better."

As the newcomers survey the scene, they find much of what they were told by those already of the scene was accurate. The lightning rail toppled onto its side with fragments of glass, wood, and metal scattering over the hard dry earth. Unfortunately, the ground is not good for preserving tracks. Even your own very recent movements are obscured. The best you can manage is looking at the scattered debris and trying to separate a natural scattering pattern from debris that is disturbed.

The lighting rail itself has suffered a massive injury with a cylinder, a foot across and running the length, simply missing.  It is almost as if the engine was built around this space of air. Inside, there is a conductor that similarly appears to be missing a part of himself. The other cars seem to be showing signs of simple robbery instead of anything more bizarre.

Jaxus walks over to the engine, moving so he can look through the hole from the outside.  He then climbs inside to look closely at the bodies.
Staring at the conductor's injuries, he closes his eyes for a moment.  When he opens them, they are wet, and his voice is almost mechanical.  I have seen something like this before.  Nowhere as clean, but similar in how precise it is stopped in the flesh.

Antony crawls in and lets his visor slot take in the damage. "Interesting. The damage pattern is devoid of shrapnel and effluvium. Usually that would be caused by disintegration, although simply Gating it away would work too. 'Simply' may be the wrong word, of course."

Antony examines the area for the tell tale grey dust of Disintegration effects.

OOC:
Arcana +6, and Perception +8. I'm not sure if you want us to roll, or if you do it, but, in case:
16:35, Today: Antony rolled 10 using 1d20+8.  Perception.
16:35, Today: Antony rolled 13 using 1d20+6.  Arcana.

PM
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:26, Thu 04 Nov 2021.

Antony nods, "Yep, fine powder everywhere. Disintegration...or the maid just hasn't dusted in weeks."

"Good help is so hard to find."

I was on the border Thrane and  Cyre, pronouncing it "Keer-eh," as seems to be common amongst Cyrans, the Day of The Mourning.  I saw a monk whose arm was engulfed by The Mist to just above his elbow, then it stopped right at the borderline.  When he screamed and pulled away, his arm was gone, an almost clean cut, almost as smooth as that, except where The Mist had billowed slightly.  His voice is a monotone, mechanical, not unlike that of a warforged.

Antony nods, "Yep. Read about something similar when I was researching how to make insides bigger than outsides. It's a caution for such things: generally an accident with larger insides just causes a major rift that closes immediately. A case like that is usually all or nothing, but I also read about a black sphere that cuts clean...but neither would leave dust like this behind. Or, really, anything else they affect. It all goes."

Lyndra, ever the warrior, listened to the explanations with a stoic face. Magic was not her forte - when her family turned from the family, her attention went solely into being a soldier. She had no estimation on magic or magical effects - she saw an enemy and she could gauge their ability.

She looked at the others. “Dust or not, does it matter? We need to find our path….this standing around guessing at magic makes me ill. Let’s get to finding something.”

Cassia blushed when Lyndra told her she could do better "Well yes... thank you. "

Cassia piped up looking into the engine but not even trying to climb in "I spent a summer in Loregallen on an exchange program. Maybe the elemental just escaped when the train got derailed? That would explain a lot of the damage. I mean its not here now is it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:26, Thu 04 Nov 2021.

Antony shrugs, "Dust or not matters. It gives some idea of what we might face. Dust means death. Lack of dust means possible transposition to another place or plane. It gives us some idea of what to look for. As to an elemental causing this sort of damage while escaping...unlikely. In that case the missing bits wouldn't be missing, simply mangled and strewn about, but still here. Probably."

Cassia took a closer look at the marks, at the engine. If there was arcane work going on around here she would know.
ooc 23 to Arcana
This message was last edited by the player at 13:17, Fri 05 Nov 2021.

In reply to Antony (msg # 320):
Turnip returned, stepping into the room she bonked her head on the ceiling, stooping she leaned on Anthony, "Chill out my dude, have a peach. Need to keep that energy up." she assured him producing a very fresh and juicy looking fruit which was surprising to find in a wasteland like this. She stared at Lyndra before going thru her bag, "You're feeling ill? I think I have some gingerroot in here somewhere, Greddark can you get a tea brewing?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:58, Fri 05 Nov 2021.

In reply to Turnip (msg # 322):

Antony points to his face...the one with just a eye section, but no nose or mouth.

"Oh of course! let me help you with that!" Turnip, assuming that was a request for help got to work undoing the straps on Anthony's helmet if he did not stop her.