Emergent World

[Drifter]

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
​

Gormun Tower
​

The room was quiet except for the low bubbling of a cauldron as it intermittently loosed fumes and tossed out arcs of the yet-unfinished liquid. Felix sat at his desk, eyeing the black pot as it simmered. Sure, he knew the age-old saying about watched pots, but he knew better than to shift his gaze away. The last few moments of a potion's creation were always the most volatile. If something was about to blow, he would rather not be caught unawares. He quietly closed the book he'd been leafing through and took a few strides over to the brew. Peering over the lip of the cauldron, he saw that the ruddy red liquid had settled, and he quickly extinguised the flame underneath to prevent it from burning. With that, he glanced towards the door.

Telemachus, as per usual, was late. Felix was a man who hardly believed in wasting time. In fact, he'd started up the potion both because he'd needed it, and also to keep track of the time. It came as no surprise that his newest apprentice had yet to show up, but it still didn't stop him from grimacing. When it was just members of the Alderken, appearances didn't matter much. Now, however, Telemachus was going to be making a first impression on the... guests that just so happened to be joining them. When he decided he couldn't wait any longer, he decided to move to the dining room downstairs where the group of strangers had been asked to assemble. Even though Felix had been the one to find them and ascertain that they were not a threat, he'd not had the proper time to get to know them, and so he was unsure what else to call them, so he defaulted to the rather unfriendly term.

Moving down three flights of roughly hewn stone steps, the conjurer reached the magnificent doors and caught sight of his apprentice all clad in grey. At least he'd gotten that part right. Felix pinched his brow and looked at the young evoker with an impatient sigh, "Why weren't you upstairs?"

A gruff shrug of indifference preceeded a blunt, "Seemed like a waste of time."

Felix rolled his eyes and tapped the young man on the shoulder, "Please tell me you at least have the package?" He could see its wrapped tip sticking out from behind Telemachus' back, but he wanted to ask to be completely and totally sure.

Telemachus tossed it up into the air and grabbed it with both hands, flourishing it with a look of purely bratty defiance, tongue just barely kept from jutting between his lips. Once again, the blonde arcanist tried to suppress his frustration. Things were all in place, but they simply hadn't gone according to his plans. On the one hand, at least they were all getting done. On the other, in his eyes, they were already off to a bad start with the group awaiting them.

The pair made an unintentionally loud entrace as the apprentice bumped against the grand doors which were lighter than they appeared. The grey-cloaked young man with the stark white hair quickly shuffled himself into a seat near the back of the room, playing with the item he was supposed to be getting used to taking good care of. Felix, on the other hand, stood tall and clasped his hands behind his back, turning to address the odd assortment of people seated before him.

"I know I don't need to introduce myself again, but I'm a stickler for formality-" he began with a light tone, only to be cut off by a dry cough from the back corner. He glanced at the boy and kept going, happy to know he'd be heading out of the tower for a bit of time and leaving the rest of them to some peace and quiet, "I'm Felix, and on behalf of the Alderken as an institution, I have been asked to entrust you with a task. You will be accompanying my apprentice, Telemachus, to deliver a very important weapon to the Cyracic Guards, whose base is fairly close by. As for why I want to send you all... well... you've been with us for quite some time, and some people who far outrank me wish to see what you can do for us. Perhaps, some of you gifted with magic will hope to join us?" A hopeful grin tugged at his lips and he continued on, "I understand that you are still... new to this region, and that is why I am hoping sending the whole lot of you will yield the best results."

At this, Telemachus looked up and spun his finger in a quick, circular motion, which released a shrill sound, and he cut it off once he felt he'd gotten everyone's attention, "Frankly, I don't see how all of you are going to be anything but a burden, but I'll keep an eye on you." He barely smiled, but his tone more than made up for it, "If you have any questions, ask the boss. I'll be in the carriage waiting for you."

Once he evacuated the room, Felix shook his head, "I apologize in advanced for the cramped quarters on the carriage, but it will only take you so far. The rest of the way, you'll be on foot, and you will probably find your guide more pleasant once he's able to roam free." He offered an apologetic nod in their direction and continued to stand in the front of the room in case of people had questions. The door to the courtyard where the horse-drawn carriage was left wide open, and Telemachus sat at the reins, throwing impatient glances back towards the tower in hopes that his companions would hurry up.
​

 

[Jorick]

Calira​

Calira shifted in her seat as Felix explained the details, grimacing at the clanking of metal. It would take some time to get used to this old-fashioned armor. She was used to gear made up of synthetic fibers and ceramic plates, but metal seemed the norm in this strange land. She had an actual sword and shield, the solid metal kind she'd mentally relegated to history books and museums, and she knew she probably looked silly carrying them, but they had a comfortably solid presence hanging at her hip and shoulder At least the weight of it all wasn't as bad as she'd expected, and the novelty of the whole thing made it easier to bear. She felt almost like a child playing pretend, filling the role of the knight heading off to slay the dragon and save the princess. It was hard to keep a smile off her face at the thought.

After Telemachus left and Felix finished his spiel, Calira was unsurprised to find herself the first to stand and address the Alderken man. "Sending so many of us as a test doesn't make sense if we're simply playing couriers. What kind of resistance do you expect us to meet on the road?"

Felix blinked and then couldn't help but to chuckle dryly, "I keep forgetting that you don't know the state of the roads around here." He gestured towards the door, "Any business regarding the Guard has been known to attract bandits, and they will do anything to sabotage the knights. We expect you to run into some of those scoundrels, and that should hopefully be it." Clasping his hands behind his back, he took a moment to think, "Shouldn't run into any beasts, as the road is very well trod."

"I see." Calira considered asking more, numbers and armaments and possible disposition of forces and likely tactics and potential ambush points, but Felix didn't seem the type who would know such information. Bandits would probably be hard enough to keep track of even if one had a military mind, and knowing how the land might be effectively used against them would require more detailed knowledge than would be found on a map. Felix didn't seem the type to think like a fighter or to know the lay of the land, so Calira didn't bother wasting her breath on the questions. "There's nothing for it but to do it, I suppose. Thank you, and the rest of the Alderken, for your hospitality thus far. Seeing to this task is the least we can do to repay you." She gave the man a brief, sharp nod of the head before turning on heel and heading for the door.

She considered asking Telemachus about the bandits and the land they'd be traveling through, but the brash fellow irritated her. He seemed the type who tended to get others into trouble with their impatience and foolishness, and few ranked lower in Calira's mind than careless fools. Perhaps he would be less annoying once they were out on the road, as Felix suggested, but for now she simply took her place in the carriage and awaited their departure in silence.

Atana​

While some of the others seemed stressed and worried about the task Felix was explaining, Atana checked out after hearing they were just going to deliver something to some people, some kind of guards. The details of the task weren't that important to her. Being asked to act as delivery people wasn't exactly interesting, but Atana figured it would at least give her a chance to see if her crossbow could deal with more than practice targets. Making sure her work was up to snuff was far more important than the silly errand in this silly world for this silly collection of silly men, as far as she was concerned. She heard Felix's mention of bandits in the area and felt the beginnings of a grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. Bandits would make fine live test targets.

She had no interest in asking questions about the pointless task, so she gathered her things and headed for the door, out to the carriage, and onto the closest available seat. Telemachus seemed like he might be worth getting to know better, unlike most of the stuffy arcanists of the Alderken, but that could wait until after the delivery was done. For now Atana focused on her crossbow, something solid that she really understood in this strange land that she still wasn't sure was real rather than some kind of coma dream, making sure it was in working condition and ready to fire at a moment's notice. Fantasy or not, she wanted to be damn sure her creation would do its job and dispatch some bandits, else it'd be nothing more than a useless hunk of wood and metal. She pulled a small knife out of her tool kit and set to work seeking out and shaving off any rogue splinters in the wood of the crossbow, humming quietly to herself and more or less ignoring the others in the carriage.

 

[Tempest]

Baldyr Keaton

He sits in the dining hall they were meant to be waiting for Felix. He was growing quite tired. Baldyr pouts his lips, his cheeks chipmunking out and eyes looking wide and sad as he limp-wristedly points his Commander Hilshafer replica gun at the wall. He rolls his eyes to look at the doors their Alderken attendant was meant to enter through and willing it to open, but it still did not. He was an impatient boy, used to his fast paced games where everything happened at the pace he wished it to.

He sniffs and rubs at his nose with his sleeve before holstering the blaster pistol and laying his head on the table like a dejected dog. He stares at the candlestick in front of his eyes before boredom begins to take control. The teenager's hand reaches out and taps the three-pronged wooden candle, draining energy from him as it suddenly begins to bend its too arms and resonate in a singing voice, "Beeee—our—guest!" He chuckles as it continues and starts to play around, bringing out a miniaturized images of plates, silverware and other such materials as a phantasm dancing silently about the candlestick.

The door slams open and his concentration shatters. The tiny table scene dissipates. The candlestick's voice cracks and fades in the middle of the refrain and it falls over with a thunk. Baldyr's ears turn red and he looks away, pulling the scarf up over his face as Felix begins to breakdown what they were to do. He glances back hopefully as he mentions the potential of some of the mages joining them. It was an interesting offer. Yet, in the same instance, the most interesting mages always found themselves abroad, joining the battle and learning in the field—not cooped up with dusty tomes. He didn't dare tell that to Felix, though. Felix was so interesting in his own rights and knew so much. He had helped them more than he could ever repay.

He ruffles his hair—which was unruly as ever and since the lack of futuristic facilities had not improved—he then proceeds to look over his allies. Some were quite admirable from what he could tell, even looking straight from a comic book or video game. He chuckles to himself. He was living a dream come true: magic powers, placed into a group of new super friends, and a new fantastical world to discover. He frowns and touches his fingers to his crystal. If only gran could see this, she would love it.

---

Payton Aristov​

She frowns and raps her fingers lightly on the wooden table, her hand covering her mouth. She was still confused. Lost. Uncertain. It was starting to feel like this was less of a dream. It had been too long since they had arrived. But how do you tell the passage of time in a dream… She furrows her brow and looks around before drawing in on herself, isolating herself further from the world.

She did not like it here. If it was unreal, it had gone on too long, something bad must have happened. They must be waiting for her on the other side. If it wasn't… What if it wasn't… A chill runs down her spine and tears begin to well up in her eyes before she blinks them back. She had already harassed, threatened, pleaded, and tempted every person she could manage to pin down long enough within this building in order to see if there was a way to help get her back. No one knew It was all as much a mystery to them as it was to the party who had arrived.

She sighs and buries her head in her hands, barely listening as Felix arrives and explains. My poor, poor Samael… Momma is going to find a way back too you as soon as she can, I swear.. She catches a mention of the carriages and she sighs, composing herself again, straightening her leathers and armour before she moves to take her place. It was best she just work with the people who might eventually have the magic and items to bring her home and help them any way she could.[/hr]

 

[Ascendant]

Oliver "Bone Crusher" Veneer

Blah... blah... blah... was all that ran through Oliver's mind as he listened to Felix speak. Boring. We're delivering a package for these people. He absent-mindedly stretched at the back of group, placed there due to his height and size. As his body moved, the armor covering it slid and clattered over itself. Resting his left hand to the pommel of the longsword resting on his hip, the brutish man scratched his beard and looked around at the others gathered here, mostly sizing up the men in terms of strength and the women in terms of beauty. There were a few that stood out to him, one in particular that he decided to talk to first.

With the borefest finally over, they were released to the carriages, Oliver making sure to follow his target and enter her carriage. As his weight moved into the antiquated vehicle, it shifted significantly, vibrating for a few moments vertically after the man sat down inside. He looked over, smiled, and held his hand out to the woman whose name was Calira, "I'm Oliver Veneer. Used to be known as Bone Crusher. You may have heard of me from the old world. What's your name?"

---

Aithne Glenvale

The young redhead was currently wearing fairly nondescript leather clothes with her crimson hear pulled back into ponytail, and, much like Oliver, completely uninterested in this "escort quest" as she referred to it in her mind. Looking around awkwardly, Aithne couldn't help but feel inadequate. So many of these people were bulky and strong, whereas she was lithe and weak. Others seemed to have other abilities, while she had... none that she knew of. She was smart sure, but how useful that would be was completely unknown to her at the time. Frowning, the woman kept to herself as they approached the carriages, resigning herself to a corner and just trying to pass the time, timidly looking at her hands resting on her knees.

 

[Grif ♥]

Margo Myrelle

A young, ivory haired woman tentatively ran the index finger on her right hand up from her wrist on her left arm to the inside of her elbow, tracing the thin, glistening white markings that ran up her arm like her own veins. It felt cold to the touch, and seemed to almost pulse with light every time she ran her finger along it. A trick of the light, she told herself. She knew that these markings had only appeared recently, ever since she had been abducted from her home and brought to this strange, mysterious place, and that it had been spreading across her body since. When she had arrived here she only had a small, silvery mark on her wrist, but now it had spread up her arm, seemingly along her blood vessels, to almost reach her upper arm. It worried her… but a lot of things in this new world worried her.

Margo looked up, pulling her sleeve back down over her arm to cover the fresh markings. She was not trying to hide them from anyone, no, but she would much rather avoid having to look at them and forget that they were ever there at all. She sighed as she looked up, her focus shifting from the markings on her own body to the brief speech that Felix was giving, explaining their current mission. 'Right, that was supposed to be important'.

The group of misfits from a strange, far off land were here to deliver a package. It was an unusual, seemingly menial task, but it was one that had to be completed. Margo oft felt like she should be working on finding a way to return home rather than doing odd jobs for the arcanists, but she really had no way of knowing where she should start. Someone was looking for a way to get them home, Margo was sure, and she told herself that whoever it was knew more about this than she did and could make a lot more progress than she ever could. That did not stop her from feeling bad for not putting all of her effort into finding a way back, especially when her parents could be in their home right now, worried sick for their poor, missing daughter who vanished one evening and wishing that she would return home. The thought of never seeing them again made her visibly ill, and she did her best to cast aside those vile thoughts. She had a job to do now, and it might help her keep her mind off of the whole frightening affair.

The woman gave a brief, appreciative nod towards Felix when he apologised for the cramped quarters on the carriage, and she smiled softly. "Thank you, Felix. We appreciate that you've managed to provide us with transport at all. We'll make sure this weapon gets to where it needs to go in safe hands. You can count on us."

Margo took her place in the carriage shortly after she had finished speaking and sat herself in the corner of the vehicle. She pulled what few things she had on her in close, trying to make sure that there was enough room for everyone to squeeze in, and made herself comfortable for the long ride ahead. She felt like she would need all her strength to get through today.

 

[cider]

Christian Erhardt

Having arrived later than the others, Christian was seated further back along the table, next to a burly man clad in heavy armor. The man calling himself Felix were talking, and Christian listened as he played with his dagger. Well, it was his now, anyway. He hadn't been in this strange place for very long, but had made his first kill a few days back when a thief tried to rob Christian merely hours after waking up in Voglynd, following the... teleportation? It was the only suggestion Christian's mind could offer, aside from it all being som kind of feverish dream. He preferred teleportation.

If only the poor bastard had known that Christian was carrying nothing but the yellow outfit all prisoners wore, he'd probably still be alive. Alas, now he was dead, and Christian wore most of the gear the man had carried. The thief had been armed with a shortsword and a dagger. The boots had been too big and Christian hadn't figured out how to properly wear the bits of metal armor the thief had had attached to his chest, but the rest had fitted almost perfectly. Now Christian was clad in some kind of sturdy leather armor, a hooded cloak covering his unpleasant visage.

If only Brant could see me now, he thought, thinking of warden Joseph Brant back at the prison. He allowed himself a faint half-smile as Felix finished the speech, sheathing his dagger. The other alchemist - or was it arcanist? - quickly left the room, expecting the others to follow. A tall woman wearing armor much like that of the man next to Christian stood up and began talking, as Christian listened. Bandits, huh. So far life in this weird place had been much like the prison but with fresher air and better view, and it seemed it might stay that way for now. He did miss his cigarettes, though. Smoking had been the high point of everyday life in prison, and he could sorely use some nicotine right about now. He was aware that the people of this place smoked cigars and pipes, but unfortunately carried neither presently. Unceremoniously, Christian rose and exited the premises, taking a seat on the carriage.

 

[Firemind]

Quinn & Bucky

​

Quinn didn't like the waiting. She didn't like the awkward way that the Alderkin were late to their own meeting. She didn't like the sight of various people who didn't belong on a battlefield being forced into something so crazy. It looked like less than a handful of the group of...

"Offworlders. Is that what we should be called?"

Either way, it looked like less than half of their group was trained for real combat, some of them were just kids! They shouldn't be here, they should be in a settlement, or in any sort of real civilisation. Not in this den of...of...

She struggled to conjure up the words, but she knew she held an unfair resentment for the Alderkin. They had been gracious enough hosts, but they had barely answered any of the real, burning questions. It felt like the group of...Offworlders were being kept around only because they might be useful. It didn't help that Quinn had caught some of the Alderkin staring at her stuff. They seemed confused and interested by The Raven, or by Bucky. Even her combat suit seemed a wonder to them, and Quinn didn't really like being the centre of anyone's attention, let alone members of a benefactor group who held mysterious motivations and purpose for them.

Quinn glanced at various members of the group: At the child who played with a pot, at a woman who tapped her fingers impatiently, to a woman that had seemingly adorned herself in the armour of this world. The woman seemed almost mystic looking, in the armour and the shield: like a knight out of one of the old books.

Finally, Felix and Telemachus arrived, explaining their purpose and the objective of the group. Quinn did not like that even the youngest were being dragged on the clearly risky mission. She would have objected, did others not speak up first. The most prominent speaker being the armoured woman she'd noticed just before. She seemed to have a confidence about her that made the mission a bit easier to get behind. In the end, Quinn figured she was indebted to the Alderkin, even if she didn't trust them. Completing this task would free her of obligation, and it would allow her to better guarantee the safety of the younger ones. She shrugged, and stood up after several other members of the group made their way to the transport: tapping in a couple commands into her wrist-console. The sound of Bucky whirring to life from the corner might have caught a few eyes, and the Chest-sized drone floated to Quinn's side, before she tapped a few more commands into the console. Soon enough, the drone hovered onto the top of the carriage, latching onto it before Quinn made her way silently into the carriage, squeezing in as close to the edge as possible, so her bulky suit or the Raven didn't take up too much space.

"I don't like this at all." The stress on her face was probably plain to see, as she looked outside the transport's window, looking at the landscape they were in. If nothing else, the strange new world looked nice. Shame she didn't find any of its people trustworthy yet. People just weren't this nice without a reason.

 

[Hellis]

CASEA

Casea leans back in his chair. The young Eithir was still in a state of exhileration. He felt so alive, all the power dancing at his fingertips. The young dancer tappe his feet to a rythm only he seemed to hear, his head bobbing to the beat of unseen drums. He hummed as his eyes drifted close and the world seemed to melt away around him. He was in his own world, feeling the magic flow trough him. He didn't know where he was, but he must find a way to bring the rest of his people here. They'd surely be able to prosper in such a place. The thought brought a smile on his full lips as he finally decided to join the others and the real world for a moment.

Caseas eyes roved around the room, looking at each of them in turn. The darkskinned boy seemed about as interested in the room as Casea had expected. He had met Roul before the suddne shift to this new world. The fast talking Raul was something of a conundrum. He was far to careless and driven to the point of obsession. Casea could see him becoming a trouble, pig headed as he was. Add to that Rouls confidence and outgoing, outspoken personality. Casea hoped he would not make this terrible akward for some poor lady.

The dancer shifted his attention back to the room and the people within. There was quite the collection of people. Blood Sporters, peacekeepers, gunslingers. The room was full capable looking and strong men and women. He saw no pattern among them, no semblence of a divine pattern. They had all just been snatched from their home. Admittedly, it was their dying home. But it was still home. Their home.

Regardless, they were marched off to sit up in a carriage. Casea found it rather quaint. It was something of a culure shock, but he found it all very natural. He smiled as he took his seat and offered whoever was closest him smile so genuine it would probobly make them nervous from the sheer force of it.




Roul

Roul was not paying attention to the rest of the room. He was thinking of ways to flirt with one of the fine ladies in the room. His feet, clad in a pair of cowboy style boots, rested ontop of the table. He spun the guns in his hands as he only half listned to what was being said. They were transporting some unknown thing. All thought of this was second to what his eyes were currently focused on. Calira, that was her name. He made a cliking noise with his tongue as he finally sat upright. He glanced at their benefactor, the ever so flamboyant Felix then his eyes once more settled on Calira. He made a mental note to speak to the Captain.

His pondering was interrupted by the other leaving, and he rose to follow. Brining up the rear of the group and being the last to enter a carraige, he fished out a cigarette and a lighter. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do when he ran out. Did tabacco even grow here? There were so many things he considered trivial back home. There was talk of bandits on the road, and that made him snap out of his reverie for a moment.

"Bandidos?" He raised a eyebrow. "That doesn't sound very good."

 

[koolkat4595]

[fieldbox="Aria Novak, purple, dashed, 10, book antiqua"] Aria thought that by now she would feel better about her situation. This was not the case. She could not see past the fact that this new land was so fantastical. Who would have known that in some corner of the universe magic was real. What was even more mind blowing was her newly manifested magical abilities. Aria, being the good scientist her father trained her to be, promptly pinched herself when she first woke up in the field. Speaking of that peaceful field, the man who found her and the others, Felix, had called them to discuss something. The people she found herself with had a broad spectrum of personalities. None of them seemed like horrible people, but she knew that looks were deceiving. Aria wanted to get to know her fellow beings, but she had been too busy with her own self discoveries.

"Finally he shows up" Felix explained to them that the Alderken wanted the group to earn their keep. Well he did not say that exactly but it was one in the same. Aria knew it was only a matter of time before the organization moved onto field tests for this team of odd balls. Aria was slightly glad that she had spend her time exploring her new powers. Felix had mention bandits of all things. She had not encountered criminals on her home planet, so the experience should be a bit exciting hopefully. After people started to head to the arranged carriage, Aria gathered her courage to head out on the mission. She seriously hoped that she could at least make a friend, and make it to the destination without a sweat. [/fieldbox]

 

[Drifter]

Leaving Gormun Tower
​

As Telemachus heard the last person enter the carriage, he looked back to ensure that everyone was accounted for. They don't seem like the most social bunch, he noted, as he clutched the reins and urged the pair of horses forward. Not that it bothered him. He'd always found that some of his superiors did way too much talking and not enough fighting for his tastes. Even as he tried not to listen, he still picked up bits and pieces from the few words exchanged behind his back. Suppressing a chuckle, he marveled at the name Bone Crusher. Maybe the place the strangers had come from wasn't so different, after all. Plenty of knuckleheads around Voglynd would gladly launch into a fistfight to lay claim to a name that grandiosely barbaric. Yet, he bit his tongue, all until Roul voiced his concern about bandits.

"You're kidding me, right? You're not scared of a bunch of nimrods with big sticks, are you?" Telemachus scoffed, "I've had to deal with my fair share of them before. You show even a modicum of intelligence, and they'll go running." Well, he hadn't faced off against a group of outlaws before on his own, but that little detail seemed inconsequential at the time. Chances are, they'd take one look at the caravan and run right off. It's not like the sword they were carrying was worth that much, anyway. "But when we do get on foot, we might want to strategically position the scariest looking among us, just to be sure," he suggested.

He hadn't anticipated being on foot quite so soon, but a few moments after he spoke, the entire carriage jostled and began lilting to one side, before he realized that one of the tires had managed to splinter off the axle. The bare rod of wood just dragged into the dirt and the horses snorted out their complaint. Climbing down from his position at the head of the carriage, Telemachus banged once on the back doors before opening them, "We're not too far from the bridge, but we're walking from here. It's just around this bend." He went to take the horses and lead them to the middle of the road so that they could easily carry on. The Guard had a large stable, they'd be more than happy to house a pair of good working horses for awhile. Hell, maybe he could convince them to fetch the carriage and repair it so that the otherwise preoccupied arcanists wouldn't have to.

"So let's hurry our asses up and get this chore over with."

The road ahead was fairly wide, definitely situated to be able to accommodate two way traffic, and straight until a curve to the left, where Telemachus had indicated they would have to travel. The straight segment was fairly clear of forest, but a thick growth of trees obscured the view past the turn. This meant very little to the white-haired youth, and he trudged on ahead, muttering under his breath to the beasts he was leading. From time to time, the trees rustled ever so slightly. It was hard to tell if it was just the wind, or if people were shuffling impatiently just under the cover of the numerous branches. The apprentice didn't look back to make sure that the group was following him, preferring to set off alone, even as the horses began to whinny as they drew closer to the sound of the roaring river that swept below the wooden bridge up ahead.​

 

[Tempest]

Payton looks out through the carriage's window, her head resting upon her hand, idly wondering at the beauty of this world. How she would love to bring her son here. All the lush green scenery and the bright blue sky, it was like nothing she had ever seen. Beside her, Baldyr was sitting upright excitedly, leaning forward as he listened with awe to everything Telemachus had to say. Initially, the boy had been flushed to be situated between Casea and Payton, but he was lost to the tale the white-haired boy had to weave. Baldyr pipes up in a cracking voice, "See, this is way better than how we could have started our adventure. We could have been fighting rats or wolves. Instead, we get to test our mettle against bandits! That's real adventurer work!" He beams from ear-to-ear...

Payton rolls her eyes at the boys foolishness. He must have never been drug down some alley at knife-point, some thug demanding his money before. It was essentially the same thing. There was no glory in it. Heroes wound up dead. Baldyr's eyes were alight with visions of grandeur, though. He would be the next great mage of these lands and aspire to new heights. She could see it, he was lost in a world of fantasy. Such was youth.

The light in his eyes began to dim as the carriage came to a sudden unexpected stop. Baldyr tried to bolt upright and smacked his head on the ceiling. She shushes him and puts a hand on his shoulder, "Careful now, kid. Come on, let's catch up with Telemachus before he gets into trouble. As much as I like to hope this was just some accident, I have my doubts."

Baldyr's eyes were wide, "That is exactly what I was thinking!"

The two leave the carriage and move to catch up to each other, Baldyr nervously drawing his pistols with shaking hands and Payton palming a knife.

 

[Jorick]

Calira​

Calira shoved her way out of the carriage with some muttered curses soon after it came to an uneven stop. It took her just a few moments to appraise the situation as Telemachus forged on ahead. "Damned suicidal idiot," she said loud enough for anyone nearby to hear, though not clearly direct at anyone. She hurried forward, armor clanking, and worked her shield free from its place hanging over her shoulder as she ran. Those trees and the blind turn in the road made for a perfect ambush spot, and the white-haired young man was just strolling into it without a care in the world. Calira figured it was better to be safe than sorry, so she drew her sword as well. If anything popped out of those trees, she wanted to be between them and Telemachus and she'd be ready to make them regret their poor life choices. Fool though the man was, she saw protecting him and the others as her duty on this mission, so on she rushed to get up next to Telemachus to guard his flank.

Atana
​

Atana stepped out of the carriage and had to stifle a yawn. Riding around in antiquated vehicles always made her sleepy despite the bouncing and jostling. Seeing others rushing around and drawing their weapons, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Serious folks always did jump the gun like that, seeing danger where there was none. All she could see was a calm stretch of road and some trees, and she figured their rustling motions were just the wind. Atana left her crossbow hanging by its strap and unloaded, walking to follow Telemachus without any sense of urgency, humming a senseless tune quietly to herself.

 

[cider]

Christian Erhardt

As the carriage stopped, Christian followed the others out. He arched his back and stretched his neck. Their transport breaking down was a good thing, as far as Christian was concerned. He had spent enough time sitting around the past years, and felt better as soon as got out of the carriage, capable to once again trod the world by foot. Nontheless, Telemachus' - what kind of name was that - talk of bandits seemed more real now, as the bristling woods surrounding the patch of road they were on seemed as if grown specifically to harbor an ambush. Hearing Calira draw her weapon in front of him, Christian followed suit and drew his short sword, haphazardly playing with it in his hand while his eyes scouted the neck of the woods.

 

[Grif ♥]

Margo Myrelle

The carriage came to a stop suddenly, far earlier than they had expected, as the entire vehicle jolted. Margo peered out of the window, and could just see where the wheel had snapped clean off, causing the carriage to to sway uneasily. It would not be able to support the weight of the entire group for any more of the trip, which meant the rest of the journey would be done on foot. The doors swung open and Margo climbed out, landing on the dirt path and taking in the fresh air. This new land may have been strange, but at least the fresh, familiar smell of the outdoors was the same.

Telemachus's warnings of bandits immediately caught Margo's attention. Trouble had been expected, but only now that they were on foot had it become a reality. Margo quickly brought her hand up to her chest, and let the silver lines that ran across her forearm glisten and spread further up her arm and eventually engulfing her entire body.

The ivory haired woman felt all feeling leave her body, and for a moment she was weightless. The sensations quickly returned as the light faded, and a different figure took her place. Her eyes fell to her hands, which she raised and inspected for a moment, just to check if she had properly channelled her powers. Indeed, her skin had transformed into an ivory white, and her clothes had been replaced with fine navy robes that clung loosely to her frame. She brought a hand to her face and felt the changes to its structure, noting the higher cheekbones and thinner face. The unusual twitch of two additional limbs, wings, was what made this form feel truly bizarre.

"If there are bandits about then we should move quickly. The longer we stay in one place the longer we have to spend in this dangerous place. Let's go," she said, as she turned away from her companions to follow those that had moved on ahead.

That voice never ceased to surprise her. It was deeper than hers and sounded far sterner, and completely alien to her. It never felt like she was speaking, and often had to remind herself that it was in fact her voice. Walking on lithe, swift legs that she was still not entirely used to, Margo quickly caught up to those that had moved on ahead, although she kept behind the more physically capable Christian and Calira. While Margo knew she was stronger in this form, she was still not sturdy enough or properly equipped to handle being on the front line, and instead opted to keep an eye on their sides and back, hoping to catch anything that might sneak up on them.

Margo flexed her fingers, a response that was not unlike the actions of her companions as they drew their swords, as it made a tiny amount of arcane energy flit around her fingers, readying herself should they indeed be attack. 'You're being paranoid', she thought to herself, twitching at almost every rustling bush or tree branch. This form always made her feel uneasy.

 

[Firemind]

Quinn & Bucky
​

​

The sudden stop of the carriage was not what Quinn had anticipated or wanted. Various people flooded out of the carriage, including Telemachus himself, and Quinn was left muttering curses under her breath as she climbed out of the carriage, banging her head on the doorway as she did so. The collapsed Raven dragged behind her as she fiddled with the console on her wrist. She jogged after the others, hoping to catch up some of the distance to the rest of the group.

Spotting the forest and the curve in the road left Quinn recalling her training. Both spots were the ideal ambush locations, and Quinn found herself drastically opposed to the idea of being ambushed. If for nothing other than an intense desire not to see anyone get shot or stabbed in the face. "Which is the more likely option in this world?" she wondered.

Either way, Quinn tapped in a number of commands into the console on her wrist, sparking Bucky to life. The floating drone took to the air with a dull 'thrum' sound, having been latched on top of the caravan before. It floated into the air and started to hover higher and higher, above the group and moving towards the forest. Quinn flicked on the Infrared function of the drone's camera, as she began to set up her rifle.

The Raven was not a small thing when it was fully-collapsed. So as she positioned herself, twenty or so feet behind the main group, sitting cross legged on the ground and unhinging various clapses; or unhooking certain straps; it probably looked a bit...off. At least, it would to the untrained eye. To the more eagle eyed, they would notice that each movement elongated the rifle butt, or lengthen the barrel, or let a clip unhook from some previously unseen compartment. Soon the Raven had turned from cumbersome lump of metal into a veritable monster! Fully unfurled, it was taller than Quinn was.

As she finished up some of the last stages, she glanced at the console on her wrist, noticing the readout from Bucky for the first time as it got within reasonable distance to the forest, where the general heat of the forest was less an overbearing haze, and more of a backdrop to the actually important heat signatures: Four to be exact.

"...Oh..."

She didn't have time to shout a warning to the others in the group.

 

[koolkat4595]

[fieldbox="Aria Novak, purple, dashed, 10, Book Antiqua"] Aria's heart dropped to her stomach when the carriage came to a halt. Telemachus's description of the bandits earlier gave her little courage. She still imagined them as huge, built beast even if they were not the smartest. It doesnt take intelligent to do serious harm. Aria forced herself to remember her training. She stepped off the cart as Telemuchus take care of the horses. Aria conjured up flames in her palms. She figured fire would be easier to access than water.

In moments their guide had up and left. The party was following him into the brush. One of the women she secretly adored was on his heels. "I can not be left behind, I need to do this" Planning on this moment, Aria ran full speed ahead. She focused her mind to morph the flames into concentrated spheres. If any one was going to challenge them, she needed to be ready to strike. [/fieldbox]

 

[Ascendant]

Oliver
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Hopping casually from the carriage after having been essentially ignored by Calira, Oliver drew his sword and made his way to Telemachus, taking up the flank opposite Calira. Figuring now wasn't the time for talk, the hulking man simply scanned the forest, preparing for an ambush that seemed almost sure to come. Of course, it would require a great many stupid men to decide to attack such a large convoy. Or a small number of extremely sharp ones. For once in the past few days, the man would finally see some action if these bandits would just show up already.
​

Aithne
​

Aithne hid herself as best she could, deciding the safest place was directly in the center of the group, preferably near someone who could be a meatshield for the woman. While some may view this as cowardice, she saw it merely as not being dumb enough to get herself killed, considering she'd probably be damn near useless in a fight.​

 

[Hellis]

Casea​

There was certeinly something very reassuring about his fellow travelers. Each of them seemed so capable, despite being thrust into a situation like this. Their confidence lend him some aswell, boosted by the fact that he could wield magic! He has a bounce to his step, the boys full lips in a constant smile. His eyes darted from person to person, watching them for any sign of trouble. His senses were not as keen as some of the others, his battle experience next to nothing. He wanted a big strong man or woman (Casea found the whole gender thing confusing with humans. They were so touchy regarding it.), between him and the incoming murderous bandits. As the loud banging and louder voice let them know they were walking, Casea hopped out last. He walkes barefoot, as his people found footwear to cut off their connection to the world. Even now, he felt the magic gush like a geyster from the earth up trough the sole of his feet to spread like fire up his legs. It was life. And It was so. So good. He actually took a dancing step every now and then, hands above his head in the pose traditional of a belly dance. Thats when they began to approach the river.

" A River?" He wondered as he heard the roar. There was a barely audible tinge of excitement in his voice. A river in this world would be teeming with life, a virtual dynomo of power in all forms. He couldn't wait. Only for people to start running. He concentrated and felt it to, just then. He had no idea what he felt but something was amiss. He breathed slowly as that fire in his legs was forced down to his soles and actual flames began to lick his heels and up between his toes. He ran, making sure to keep people between him and whatever it was. His horns glowed of red and silver as the magic coursed within him.
​

Raul​

Bandidos. Well there was a thought. A bunch of ruffians with swords? Raul would turn them into swizz cheese. He would then crack a one liner and everyone would applaud, clap or swoon. Raul was sure of it. It may be that the young gunslinger was a bit overconfident, but for him this was how things were supposed to be. He was the star of every show, the undeniable supernova of Charisma in his own mind. Flashing one of the ladies in the group a smile, he made sure to walk in the front of the group, back rimrod straight, a swagger to his steps. He owned the road, he'd show anyone dumb enough to mess with him! That's when the other began to set a quicker pace and he had to start running to keep up. He checked that his guns were loaded then allowed himself a grin. "What is going on Amigos?" He asked as he twirled his guns, mainly for show of course. ​

 

[Drifter]

On the Road
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As Calira came up beside him, the arcanist looked to the side of the road and noticed the same slight rustling in the trees as the others must have. He realized he wasn't much of a threat at the moment with his hands tied up in guiding the brutish beasts he had freed from the carriage. Still, as soon as the movement died down, he began to evaluate the situation. They rounded the corner without a single semblance of issue. If they were about to be ambushed, chances are they would have done it by now. Bandits liked playing it fast and loose. By now, the element of surprise was lost. Every single last one of them was armed and ready for a fight.

Finally, the bridge came into full view and Telemachus spied two men dressed in leather armor, hefting broad axes. One had his axe planted firmly in the ground and leaned on it as though it were a cane. The other held the weapon in both hands and leered. As the group approached, the axeman on the left lowered his weapon in order to obstruct the bridge.

"Oy, nobody gets past here without paying a toll," he boomed, with a convincing scowl. His partner continued to lean against his weapon, unconcerned.

Telemachus sighed at the threat. He noticed that Aithne looked more than nervous and he handed the reins to her with a soft whisper, "You might want to hold onto these for now, if you're worried. Someone comes at you, they'll buck and kick up a storm." Cracking his knuckles, he looked to the two stooges, "We know your buddies are hiding in the woods. Have them come out nice and easy and this will be a fair fight. Unless you want to run along across the bridge and spare your dignity?" A quick nod was passed to those closest to him and the grey-robed young man turned to eye the line of trees, backing up slightly so that he was no longer directly in front of the incoming danger. As he glanced backwards, he was able to spot a man with a dagger run out from the trees and grab Allerun, holding the knife up to the scout's throat. Allerun had been ambling along amicably behind the rest of the group, which left him open to this attack.

However, Telemachus was damn certain that there had to have been more people causing all that motion in the forest.

"One wrong move and we slit the guy's throat. Not to mention we hike up the tolls," sneered the wannabee assassin. He stood about ten feet back and Telemachus was sure he wouldn't exactly be able to dash back there without causing blood to spill all over the dirt. The priority was still the cargo, but he couldn't just charge recklessly and risk injuries on both sides. The bandit holding a knife, to the best of the arcanist's knowledge, seemed very distracted, looking back towards the woods every couple of seconds. There was an opening.

"Calira, you might want to get a line together up front here. I'm about to set up a distraction that might buy Allerun a bit of time, but it could also go pretty much south," he made very subtle movements with his left hand, flicking his wrist in the direction of the hostage situation. A loud noise rang out, one that resembled that roar of a large beast, and the bandits all jumped. The one armed with the blade lowered his arm momentarily.

Telemachus prayed someone near the rear of the group had noticed. The bandit continued to look around as the two axeman picked up their arms.

"Time's up!" they roared, one lifting his axe to strike, not looking as though he had a clear target in mind. The other dropped his shoulder and charged right into the center of the group.​

 

[Jorick]

Calira​

I knew this was going to happen she thought to herself as they rounded the bend and spotted the bandits at the bridge. There was nothing for it but to play out the scene. The bandits would not back down, and Telemachus had made it quite clear that there would be no toll paying this day. Calira had no problem with that, because these bottom feeders deserved to be put out out of their misery before they could extort or kill any more travelers. She gave Telemachus a brief nod in response to his suggestion.

Things moved quickly after that and set their unprepared party into a somewhat unfavorable position. That was no matter: so long as someone else dealt with the hostage situation, Calira was quite sure she could wrangle this disparate group together into something that could deal with petty bandits. Since she already had weapon and shield to hand, she made use of them to get attention by slamming the pommel of her sword against her shield two times, eliciting a loud clang of metal on metal each time. Before that noise had settled she was calling out orders in a loud and commanding tone. "Form up! Defensive line! Don't let a single one of these bastards live!" Calira prepared her usual defensive stance, ready to cut down any bandit fool enough to come her way.

Atana​

The sudden appearance of bandits and all the associated commotion didn't bother Atana much at all. It gave her time to calmly slot a bolt into her crossbow, attach the little hand crank she'd made a few days ago, and get the string set with a few turns of the handle. She was clumped in the middle of the group, so she was reasonably sure that the bandits didn't see her readying her weapon. The whole thing was a simple mechanical process that Atana had practiced dozens of times since making the weapon, and she was able to do it whilst paying a little attention to what was going on, humming a jaunty little tune to herself all the while.

As soon as she heard the roaring noise she pushed out of the back of the group, raised her crossbow, and took a moment to aim at the head of the bandit holding Allerun. The poor fellow seemed a little distracted, spooked by the noise perhaps. Atana didn't give him much time to let him recover, pulling the trigger and letting the bolt fly toward the bandit's head. She couldn't help but grin as the crossbow's string gave that satisfyingly loud twanging noise and the force of the shot rattled the whole thing in her hands. It wasn't until after the bolt was away that she considered the possibility that it might miss its target and strike Allerun instead. That didn't wipe her grin away though: accidents happened in a fight, or so she'd heard, and any target struck would make a good test of the crossbow's capabilities. It would be Allerun's fault for being fool enough to lag behind and get grabbed, of course.

Excuses and defenses already set in her mind, there was nothing for Atana to do but wait and see how things went.