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."