Requiem for a Changing World

[Redshift]

Ah, this was more like it. Bran of course gave a good glance around the room as they entered, his keen eyes taking in every face, every posture, before he followed his employer. Everyone seemed fairly relaxed... unfortunately Bran was never quite as good at reading people as he was monsters. Alas.

He stifled a chuckle at the ask for wine. Well, at least his order hopefully didn't require the waitress to take a pickaxe to some crusty reminent of a wine rack to get the thing out. This place didn't seem the sort to offer such a thing. But as busy as they were staring at mosquitos waiting for the world's most unreliable man, they hadn't actually had the chance to find out before now. "Ah heard ye had some special drink unique to this place. Ah won't mind trying that, cheers."

He leaned back in his chair and scratched at his jaw, glancing around again. No games which was a shame. He... had been hoping there might have been one. There was a group gathered around another foreign looking lad though. Must have been a charasmatic guy.

Hmm.

He removed a scruffy looking box from his pocket and pulled up the topmost flap, shaking out a similarly scruffy set of cards from within. He placed the deck on the table, straightened them, then picked them up again and began shuffling them one-handed. He avoided making any eye contact with Essien throughout. It's alright. He might be able to actually pay for these drinks if this all went well.

"Anyone up for a game?" he called out towards the group. Something to alleviate the boredom.

 

[SilentxChaos]

The boy's appearance into Zenzi's thermal vision had been quite a shock; his bright orange and yellow figure illuminated her eyesight, causing her to reel back and blink rapidly. She still saw spots once her vision returned to normal. Irritated at being bothered, Zenzi turned her back and continued her tinkering. The boy moved to keep in her line of sight. Surprised, she tried to turning the other way. He persisted, even attempting to repeat her Yilanese phrases. This would have amused her... until he mislabeled her reptilian heritage.

"Frog?" Zenzi sputtered, finally facing him. Her eyes flicked up and down, noting his missing teeth and dirty appearance. "I am no frog. I am Yilani. My people are shape in the eye of our god who creates snakes. We share snake traits. See?"

She stuck her tongue out, then faked a bite at him so he could see her fanged teeth.

Her brow lifted when he brought up the bugs again, followed with a horrible attempt at repeating küçük bok. She snorted while reluctantly stowing her metal, clinking sphere and knife into her pack. The pack itself was large and meant for long journeys. It bulged at the seams, and Zenzi hooked and tied an odd random assortment of items to the outside. A small pan for cooking, a coil of thin metal wire, rope, compass, hunting knife, and a silvery flask with a latched cap. Anything that could make a sound was wrapped carefully in cheap linen. She shrugged it on and picked up her metal staff.

"Mini human, you know not what you say. Küçük bok means little shi--" Zenzi paused, staring into the wide, innocent eyes of the dirty boy. She cleared her throat. "Hm. No matter. That is not for you to be knowing...here."

Hastily, she snatched another cricket from the bench. She pinched its head, killing it instantly, and dropped it into the boy's free hand. "Bugs are good. Bugs are...what word the baykuş bay (owl man) use? Ah. Nutrious," Zenzi grinned, as if proud of herself for remembering. She gave the boy an awkward pat on the end while standing up. "Now, run along mini human. Your parents would not approve of being with one such as me. Besides..."

Zenzi looked out at the swamp once more. Her gut twinged. Something off set her, her instincts telling her to go back into town. She went with her instincts. Turning around, she ambled back the towards the local tavern, not paying attention to whether or not the boy followed.

@Warden

 

[Accelerator]

Managing to procure himself lodging for the night, Laron couldn't help but heave a contented sigh. After chugging the last shot of tequila in his shot glass, he was just about ready to retire for the night when suddenly the waitress was distracted by the arrival of what can be described as a peculiar pair that stuck out like a sore thumb among all the other patrons of the tavern. By the way they're dressed differently than everyone else, it was apparent that they didn't hail from these parts.

That said, it's not like he's one to talk since he's a "tourist" himself. While befriending the locals is a good way to set connections at any given place, forming connections with tourists is an invaluable asset in of itself as it opens the doorway to set up other connections in their respective places of origin. Even if he Laron already has contacts at a particular place, adding up to the list would only serve to be an advantage. Besides, the chances of the contacts he makes being someone he already knew is slim and it isn't a complete loss if that was the case. if anything it only serves to fortify an already established connection so there really isn't any way he could lose unless he lets this opportunity escape him.

Noticing that he still has some left over tequila in the bottle, he eagerly grabs it from his table amidst the labyrinth of drunken men passed out on top of it and retrieves a rather decent quality bottle of Doña Evangelina Wine premium wine from his belongings, a beauty he had been saving up for quite some time after acquiring it as a "bonus" during a particularly great day on the job. With the way one of the gentlemen was dressed, it didn't seem like he's the type of guy that would appreciate such bold flavors but his companion, the guy with the mechanical arm, looked like he could use a good drink himself.

Placing both bottles on the duo's table, Laron flashes them an impish grin before he begins addressing them in an enthusiastic voice.

"Pardon the intrusion, but it seems like you folks could use a drink." He shakes both bottles of liquor in front of Bran and Essien as if to accentuate the fact.

"And it seems like you're not from these parts as well. I've already made friends with the locals but I'm also interested in befriending fellow travelers such as yourselves. Oh that's right, the name's Laron Adelaide, mind telling me yours. Afterwards, what do you say we drink the night away with good drink and tales of our travels? " the thief suggests as he took a seat before even either of the men could invite him to do so.

When it comes to making connections with people, one must always be willing to initiate the first step After all, you can't expect to just stand idly by and wait for such an opportunity to happen. Nobody knows when such a fortunate event would take place. His foster father used to say that "there are two types of men; One who waits for an opportunity and takes advantage of it, and One who actively makes strides into creating such an opportunity.". Laron was determined to be more of the latter than the former if he could help it. If he manages to make a connection with a particularly influential looking individual such as the black haired man, then his investment in the form of the rare liquor would be well worth it.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Eastmire

​

"Frogs are cool!" The boy declared, completely oblivious to the fact that he'd offended the snake woman. "Benjamin can swim really fast and jump really high! He sleeps most of the day, but he's much more active at night." He could have chattered on and on about his beloved pet frog, but he stopped when Zenzi finally corrected him. "Oh... well, you know, snakes are cool too!" The boy raised both fists above his chest. He was practically overflowing with excitement.

"Y-Ylani? Is that a kind of snake?" He flinched out of reflex when she snapped his teeth at him, but instead of cowering like some children would have done, he responded with a bout of laughter. "Oh wow! You really are like a snake. Have you ever swallowed a frog whole - don't tell Benjamin." The last part was said in a whisper, as if the boy really did fear his words would reach poor Benjamin's ears. He would have gone on and on, but was polite enough to stop as Zenzi spoke.

"I like bugs, I don't think I would eat one though. My sister said it tasted bad - said it was worse than mom's leafy cough syrup." He scrunched up his nose when Zenzi caught a cricket and deposited it into his hand. The kind gesture was accompanied by a pat on the head, and the boy laughed. However, it was short-lived and he frowned when she told him to run along.

"Aw, I still have so many questions I want to ask you. Can you talk to snakes? And can you see in the dark?" It was clear that frogs and bugs weren't his only interests, he was quite the reptile and amphibian fanatic. He chose to ignore the comment about his parents, knowing that Zenzi was right and that they would probably worry if he left with her. "I've never seen anyone like you in Eastmire before. Where do you live?" Despite her warnings, he kept walking alongside her. The boy was obviously struggling to keep up with her much faster steps, but he wore the same fascinated expression on his face. "Are you going somewhere? Maybe back home?" If she tried to dissuade him, he would simply counter with more questions.

@SilentxChaos

 

[Fox of Hearts]

The Drowned Hag​

A blonde waitress appeared before Laron managed to warm his seat. Wordlessly, the sullen lass placed three empty wine glasses onto the table along with a plate of the watercress Mabel served the other patrons earlier. Before she left the young woman turned to Laron and said. "You gotta pay later, sir. Pay for this here wine and yer drink earlier. The barman says we shouldna have allowed you to bring yer drink here."

Her moody face spoke volumes about what she was feeling. She blamed Laron for putting her and the other girls in this predicament in the first place. He had upset Brian and that meant the rest of her shift was going to be a pain. She glared at the stranger one last time before walking off with an audible huff.

"Phew! Looks like you better check your bed tonight," a man from the opposite table laughed. "You got to Mabel's girls and that ain't the wisest thing. They clean the rooms for ya and there's no telling what they are gonna do. All sorts of nasty powders being sold in the market. Itching powder gotta be one of the worst."

Chuckling, he held out a hand to Laron. "Sorry, son. Forgots to introduce myself. I be Jeb. That's short for Jebediah. Travelling merchant and … I bet you maybe interested in what I have to sell but that's a discussion for another day."

Jeb headed over to the table with his flagon in hand. He pulled over a chair and tipped his hat politely towards Bran and Essien. "Evening gents, I hope you don't mind a second stranger at your table. We strangers gotta to stick together, eh? I've been here for a time and I'd be happy to tell you what you want to know. I'll give some for free. The more valuable pieces of information comes at a price."

He chuckled, pretending not to notice the big hint he threw in Laron's direction. Information for a price. He was, of course, open to a trade provided the information was valuable enough. Judging by how the young man acted, he doubted he'd glean anything worth his while. Maybe he could even get the young man interested in his other wares if he got lucky. A big if. He wasn't going to push this kind of luck. That simply wasn't his style. He prefered taking other kinds of risks.

Jeb grabbed the bottle of wine from Laron. Popping it open, he poured out three glasses and served them to his potential clients. "I tell you what, son. I popped the bottle so I'll pay for this one. The other, I can't help you there. Just tip some of the other girls and maybe you'll get off easier." He tilted his head towards a window where three waitresses were gathered. Two brunettes and the blonde from before. The girls appeared to be whispering to one another.

Polishing off the last of his drink, the merchant refilled his flagon with some of Laron's wine. "Now that we're settled. Everyone's got a drink. Shall we take up your offer to play a game?" He flashed Bran a smile. "We can start with low stakes. No better way to break the ice than to have coin change hands."

He motioned for the archer to start shuffling before calling out to his usual tavern buddies. "Any takers tonight? Mayhaps if you win big enough I'll part with something more valuable than coins. Same offer as always." None of the other men seemed keen to take it. They shrugged off Jeb's friendly invitation and chose to focus on their own little game. Jeb couldn't help chuckling. Those men seemed to have been burned enough but that was their fault. They were so easy to read that he was able to pull a fast one on them with his eyes closed. He hoped that these strangers would prove to be a greater challenge. They looked more intelligent than the usual dullards passing through the tavern and that made him hopeful. All he wanted was some excitement in his otherwise quiet days in Eastmire.

Just before the deck was cut, Jeb waved for Bran to stop. Again, this impish twinkle in his eyes returned. The man was positively brimming with excitement as he thought of a way to make things twice as difficult. Call it a little test, a test of character and something more. "You sirs," he addressed Essien and Bran in turn. "Look like you know how to win big. How about we play doubles? Double the winnings and double the losses. You," he pointed to Bran. "And me. Against the gentleman and this fine young lad."

"I hope you won't mind playing against a friend." This last bit was addressed to Bran. The sound of shuffling cards continued. Jeb fiddled with a coin while he waited. The coin winked in and out of sight as it traveled from finger space to finger space. Jeb's hands were surprisingly dexterous for a human pushing the upper limits of his 70s. "Of course, we can go with singles if you gents like it that way. Just sayin' since doubles would break the ice faster since we'd need to communicate."

@Warden @Redshift @Accelerator

 

[Warden]

"It's trying to destroy the pier, you damned buffoon!" Estefania screamed, straining to make her voice heard over the panicked Vivi's cries, as the creature leapt over them and immediately wreaked destruction upon the aged docks. Anais, the fool girl, attempted to converse with the abomination--the Condesa's sense of responsibility and faint camaraderie was overwhelmed by revulsion and a bone-deep exasperation. From where she was standing, it was clear that it blocked their escape--by mangling the pier, no less--and was going to attack with the improvised weapon; from the unnatural sounds around it isn't unreasonable to assume that more of its friends could be joining the fray. Even its words, uttered in a deep and chilling tongue, were a vague threat. She hated to admit it but they were outnumbered and outmatched. The noblewoman clambered into the nearby boat, responding to the newcomer's glare with scathing vitriol apparent in her eyes, and hissed at the others, "Go ahead and flirt with the devil-spawn. I'm leaving. Sink, if you must!"

While Anais and Liam tried to reason with the creature, Estefania made good on her threat by picking up one of the paddles and giving the beam to her left a firm shove. The boat swayed to the side and started to drift a few inches to the right, away from the edge of the pier. Ripples began to upset the still, murky waters of the channel, ruffling a few reeds. Overhead, the moonlight winked...

... as clouds covered the sky.

The nighttime silence was rent by a chorus of noises, akin to splintering wood and the squelch of mulch, and a low groan vibrated from the bowels of the mire. Around the pier, the large blackened trees shook and shuddered; the nearest one, two or three meters from the water, was ancient, its thick and gnarled trunk bent over the water with its roots peeking out from under the mud. With a ear-deafening snap, the tree straightened, the vines which arced over the banks twisting back with serpentine ease, and uprooted itself from the ground with a squelch. Roots which had seemed petrified to the spot curled around, and around, until a pair of wiry wood-legs formed. Its trunk writhed and shuddered as two spindly arms unfolded from its sides, and, with a heaving sigh, the creature appeared in sight. What had seemed like a tree before was now a vaguely humanoid form--large, even when hunched so close to the ground like an aged fisherman peering at the water--with thin, awkwardly long arms and legs, the rest of the plant affixed to its back like an overly long spine. Throughout the mire, the same transformation happened to its brethren, although this seems to be the first to have finished doing so.

All seemed well, at first. It was staring at the distance, towards the lights and sounds of Eastmire, with its glowing red eyes. The party might yet make its escape... Until the creature's head swung around with a stuttering creak, and its gaze fell upon the pier. Its jaw swung open with a wheeze and it keened, a malevolent, wordless cry, and stretched out towards the intruders, one thin arm breaching the distance and resting against the rear end of the docks. It reared, preparing to swipe the ants out of the water.

@Fox of Spades @Fox of Hearts @Rosé Moon

 

[Redshift]

The Drowned Hag
​

Bran turned to the foreign looking man, one eyebrow raised. He wasn't sure if the man hadn't heard his offer, or if he was making a show of acting casual. But still, company was company, and the lad seemed nice enough. He continued to shuffle the cards, a smirk growing on his features. "Th-"

As is customary in such situations, however, the waitress arrived at that moment and interrupted his own introduction. But hey, at least the service was fast. He instead sat back, looking everyone over and trying his best to read them. Wait... was watercress the delicacy of this place? It was the logical conclusion, since there was only two things on the table - not including Laron's offerings. He had in fact been served watercress many, many times over the duration of his stay and thought nothing of it. Woops.

Still, as the events unfolded he could not help but crack a wide smile, one side distorted slightly by the scars. "Aye, ah'm up fer anything. The name's Bran," he nodded to both of the guests. "But ah'd rather see what The Boss says before ah commit to doubles. If he wannae sit oot then we can still play singles. As fer stakes, starting low sounds good. Ease abo'dy in," he grinned to Jeb as he splayed his cards across the table to show how they had not been tampered with, using the opportunity to take a good gulp of wine, before picking the cards up to shuffle once more. The wine was probably good. He wasn't much of an expert, but it seemed good. It did the job at washing the taste of the tea away, which was a bonus.

"And... uh..." he tilted his head to one side, his brow creasing ever so slightly, "what drink is that?" he asked Laron specifically, a tiny bit dubious of whatever this stranger was bringing them. Although with his insistance of becoming friends, maybe the guy was just a wee bit tipsy himself. Bran regardless began to deal cards to everyone at the table. He was putting on his best poker face, but his excitement was breaking through the mask despite his best efforts.

It sounded like it was starting to get a wee bit noisy outside in the distance. Well, it was about the time the lovelies outside started waking up. He thought nothing about it for now - nighttime noises were nothing unusual here - although the old monster hunter of the past was on edge once again. He'll sleep better after they leave tomorrow, for sure.

@Warden @Accelerator @Fox of Hearts

 

[Rosé Moon]

One might be under the impression that because of her bright scarlet skin, those ember-like eyes, or her clawed fingers there wouldn't be anything that could make the demon-like Tiefling's skin crawl. However, one might be surprised -- for Aeor certainly was -- that she froze in place as the swamp around them began to erupt to life. Actual, factual life. The half-glances she'd been passing between the others, who were all a symphony of screams and noise at this point. The moment she froze was brief, but in it, for a glorious second the world around her fell silent in her head. As if she could only observe the trees coming to life in slow motion. The moment came as soon as it retreated, and sound returned like an explosion that nearly made her step back. Screaming. Yelling. The girl in the dress, and the very swamp; so loud!

Aeor turned, so she was no longer facing the group, but instead, the tree-creature that had moved first. There was some symbolism in how both he creatures eyes burned, but it was all lost on the devil-woman, because the fireworks of voices had poked the fires of anger in her. The sudden out burst of sound had pushed her into anger, and it showed in the form of a wide, fanged-grin before she hunched forward as she had when still in the mud.

The colossal pier support she'd yank from the waters moved onto one side of her shoulders with seemingly much more ease then before. It was quite the ridiculous sight, honestly, from the other's perspective it would seem as if she thought she was was strong enough to simply hurl this sooping wet support that was much bigger then her, herself.

Another fleeting moment; was this the smart action to take? The girl in the boat seemed pretty violent towards her. If Aeor were to flee, the monsters would probably stay and kill them. Or try. Then what? She'd be remembered by strangers as the creature who fled? Didn't even put up a fight. If it was possible, Aeor felt a rush of pride resonate through the horns atop her crown. They were like crystals, and the thought of them only fueled the warrior within her.

"Huara etel, l Eekel po!"

"'our town over water. Is only way we've of gettin' away."

Her first words, had been directed at the trees. Tree-things. As if she was formally challenging the first that had moved, the second, towards the only calm creature she saw -- the bird man. Her eyes met those of Liam's for only one more instance, and that instant was the last she was going to allow herself. She'd earn her horns glory in these muds.

Another thunderous crack came from the pier as her tail cut through some more of the wood on the pier, send splinters up all around her. The sound of the 'slap' suggested there was more force behind it this time, but it was a far-cry from the most noticeable thing that happened. As if the pier were a simple, meager javelin, she stepped back, and then forward before the pier was launched forward, along with her own screaming battle cry. A true demon-warriors howl of strength and effort. The gargantuan spear shot from the crimson-creature, and towards the tree-monster with much more speed then anything that large should have ever had, when thrown from something that much smaller.

Dots flooded her vision, and she stumbled forwards for a moment before moving a hand up to her face, covering her eyes for a moment before shaking her head quickly in frustration. Then, in the clearest she'd spoken thus far--

"On da boat, if ya' ain't a shit-flap!"

Then she followed her own advice, and like she'd leapt before, the Tiefling fell onto all fours before shooting out like an arrow towards the boat the one they'd called 'Condesa' was on. She'd be caught on fire in a dung pile before staying here, sure she wanted honor from a fight, but there was a difference in running and fleeing. She'd made an attack, told others to flee, and she was going to get out alive too. She was outnumbered, and they had home-field advantage.

The Tiefling landed in the boat. She couldn't even have been less then two feet from the angry, dress-toted girl, and she knew this one was dangerous; it was clear she knew this, by the way her glowing eyes met the other girls', and how her tail was stiff, curled to the side, like a snake waiting to strike if she shouted something about Gods, or Devils and brandished that blade again.

Aeor of clan Ulo was not going to be caught off-guard.

@Warden @Fox of Hearts @Fox of Spades

 

[Fox of Spades]

Estefania was actually going to leave them? A look of utter shock crossed Anais' features as the condessa pushed her paddle against the side of the pier. Something terrible was happening - she could feel it - but she hadn't been expecting this. "The hell!" Anais screeched as she began barreling down the rest of the pier. "You can't just... you can't just leave people!" Estefania hadn't exactly left then per se, but the threat had rubbed her the wrong way. She didn't believe Aeor was a demon, a scary-looking magical, sure - but she'd heard the Tiefling speak in their tongue and she hadn't proved violent yet.

Reaching the end of the pier, she leaped into the boat, causing it to rock violently. She had just made in inside and was preparing to give the Condessa a glare and piece of her mind when the trees in the distance started to shake.

The bad feeling in her stomach intensified as the swamp came to life.

Despite living in Luzvimin for all her eighteen years, it was unlike anything she had seen before. Trees uprooted themselves as ripples ran across the waters, a humanoid creature both swamp and wood appeared from the darkness. It was the very definition of creature-that-went-bump-in-the-night of monsters from childhood fairy tales.

"Shit... it's looking right at us!" She grabbed the closest oar. "Faora help!"

There was no way they could fight that thing and come out of the battle in one piece. The Tiefling was doing something, Anais could hear the splintering of wood and the magical's strange tongue. "Vivi, make a wave and get us out of here! We need you!" Liam could obviously fly, but they were sitting ducks in the water. "We'll help row." The monster was already stretching out its arm, if they didn't do anything soon, they'd be knocked into the water.

"Liam, fly! We're going to try and row out of here."

The boat shook again as Aeor joined them and hopped inside.

"Hope you can row with your tail!" Anais screamed as she and Foara started rowing for their lives.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Aside from Faora, no one else seemed to acknowledge the fire mage's orders. The pirate saluted while making room for Aeor and Liam's backpack. Jolted out of her panicky stupor, the blue bunny clambered out of Liam's backpack in time to hear Anais addressing her.

Wave? Vi thought. She was familiar with both meanings of the word but she wasn't sure which Anais referred to. Usually the watery waves had the word "ocean" in front of it. Vi was pretty sure she didn't hear Anais say that at all, so the mage meant gesturing with her hands. The request was really odd, the healer thought. She couldn't see how waving would solve their problems but she wasn't going to quibble about it. Maybe it was a custom here in Luzvimin that she wasn't aware of.

The bunny wiggled her way out of the backpack and floated towards the back of the row. Her ears were up and alert as her pupils dilated. Was Miss Anais serious? Waving? There were so many of those shadowy beings. They were tall as mountains and louder than thunder. Vi gulped. Well, she'd do what it takes to survive!

No magical glow lit up the boat as the carbuncle began waving her hands over her head wildly. She continued gesturing flamboyantly shouting "hola", "mahalo" and "aloha" randomly. Any minute now, Miss Anais was going to take over, she hoped.

"Aloha ahiahi!" she shouted one last time before she needed to rest her voice. The constant screaming throughout the day left her throat very irritated. Vi didn't stop waving despite going very quiet. She bobbed energetically like a whack-a-mole animatronic as her hands danced over head.

@Fox of Spades @Rosé Moon @Warden

*****

Liam soared as close to the clouds as he dared, trying to get a better view of the entire area. Eastmire stood ahead of them separated by this stretch of water. Behind them were a rousing army of tree creatures. Great! He wasn't sure how far did the Crone's influence extended but he doubt tonight was the night to experiment. Bringing extra raging guests was a sure fire way to strain the ties between the Magemother and the Crone.

Just when things were going so smoothly too! He sighed. A quick calculation told him that it'd take less effort distracting the tree creatures compared to aiding the group. Theoretically, he'd be able to buy them enough of time to get out of reach before he rejoined them. The next part of his plan depended on the situation.

He found himself dealing with more variables than there were chess pieces on a Aesyth chessboard, which left him no other option than to spare the ladies an ounce of faith (very begrudgingly). Their collective intelligence hadn't impressed him thus far but Estefania, Faora and the new Magical seemed capable enough. At least, they understood when to flee so they got that going for them. It was at this moment he began appreciating his past few months with Zenzi even more. Her wily intelligence made things so much less annoying. He knew he could leave her to her own devices and the task would be done. He shut off his current train of thoughts to focus on the situation again.

Liam tensed his shoulders as he tried to gauge how fast the creatures moved. Unfortunately, he didn't manage to study them for long before he needed to react. The tree thing was getting ready to strike! Maximising his speed, the avian swooped towards the one closest to the water. He streaked across its field of vision, made a sharp turn and crossed in front of its eyes again. He paused in mid air, hovering like an annoying fly out of reach. Blue light bathed both hands as he got ready to hit it in the eyes.

@Warden @SilentxChaos

 

[SilentxChaos]

​

Location: Heading towards 'The Drowned Hag'

Zenzi huffed when she realized she hadn't abandoned her noisy shadow. However, perhaps after spending time alone-- or, to compound that, too much time alone with Liam Fields-- the Yilani had an itch to socialize. Even if it was with a scrummy, human boy. So she answered his questions: No, she couldn't talk to snakes. Yes, she could see in the dark but only her kind could. She was an engreck. That's ihn-greh-k. Harsh 'k' sound. Engrecks see in the dark with "thermal vision" but other Yilani can not.

She had no home. Or, more accurately, the road was her home. Zenzi was a wandering scavenger. She picked up odd jobs in cities and towns, mostly acquiring items for people unable to find them on their own. A single job maybe within the same place, or require more traveling and payment on return. In the case of her latest job, she doubled as a bodyguard, scribe, and the person who can fit in tight places (this last Zenzi muttered begrudgingly, remembering once or twice getting stuck in hot, humid tunnels of old ruins). No matter the job, once it was completed she never stayed long. As she said, the road was her home, and she was never as comfortable as when treetops made a roof, meadows as her living space, and a nice, cushy moss patch as her bed.

After telling all this to the boy in quip, contorted sentences, Zenzi paused outside the tavern, noticing it's sign dubbing it 'The Drowned Hag'. She had a thirst for cheap beer, or whatever the locals offered, she was not picky, but thought alarms would raise if she went in with the human boy. It also seemed unfair to just leave him. If current behavior proved anything, she doubt she could anyways. With a hefty sigh, the Yilani squatted down in front of him.

"If no parents is to be expecting you, then you may wait here," she pointed down to the plank walkway to emphasize where, exactly, the child should be waiting. "I am just to be a moment."

Giving a curt nod to stop any protest, Zenzi straightened and went inside.

@Fox of Spades @Fox of Hearts

 

[Fox of Spades]

Eastmire​

The boy was absolutely captivated by Zenzi's answers - a traveler who could see in the dark! The snake lady grew even more amazing with each answered questioned. "Oh wow! You have to be the coolest person I've ever met, and I once met a traveling knight who wrestled a bear and WON." He gave her his biggest and toothiest grin, as annoying and persistent as he was, the grubby child was also known by his neighbors to be quite a sweet and endearing boy.

"You know, one day, I'll leave Eastmire and travel the world just like you!" He had an excitable spring in his step as he tried to keep pace with the taller woman. "I want to meet a whole lot of E-E-Engrak too!" He'd mispronounced the word, but he'd said it with so much vigor. He was practically overflowing with determination. "I'll make the road my home too."

He nodded excitedly, pausing only when Zenzi herself stopped to look at the tavern.

He'd never been inside The Drowned Hag before. Sometimes his father went to the tavern for an evening out with his friends, but he always came back reeking of sour alcohol and cigarette smoke. The boy knew he wasn't supposed to go in there - it was only for adults. 'Someday when you're older lad,' his father always said. Still, he wanted to accompany the snake woman for as long as he could. If possible, he wanted to introduce her to his sister and his wonderful frog Benjamin! When she got on her haunches to talk to him, he stared at her with wide and adoring eyes. The joy he felt took a small tumble when she told him to wait outside, but she wasn't outright asking him to leave... that was something. "Okay! I'll wait right here, lady!"

As she departed he gave her a bright smile and waved her goodbye.

@SilentxChaos

***


Boat Ride to Hell

​

The pier's support beam was but a splinter in the Agta's side, but the sudden impact against its rough exterior was enough to register a change in temperament. Red eyes flitted from the docks to the boat the horned creature had boarded. Aeor had landed the first blow and the Agta would remember. It lifted one of its spindly arms, easily swiping away at the offending support beam. The makeshift weapon fell back into the water with a splash.

The swamp itself seemed to rumble as the giant tree creature began to move.

Despite Liam's best efforts to distract it, the Agta was far more focused on going after the boat and Tiefling who'd attacked it. Actions always came with consequences and the tree did not enjoy the splinter it had been given.

​

"Guys, guys! Can't you row any faster?"

Estefania, Faora, and Anais were rowing as fast as their arms would allow, but the waves created by the gigantic and angry tree monster made it very difficult to cut through the water with ease. If anything, their boat was continuously - and violently - pitching left and right, knocking whoever stood to the ground.

"SHIT!" Anais crashed into Faora when the boat nearly tilted to the left.

The pirate - accustomed to the sea as she was - righted herself with ease.

"Vivi, the wave? Vivi STOP SHOUTING AND MAKE A WAVE!" Unaware that the sea bunny didn't quite understand her, she assumed the waving and shouting were all part of a powerful water spell. Still, it was taking too Goddamn long. At this rate, they were going to end up fish food at the very bottom of the ocean before sunrise. "You're a water mage!" The pointed yell was directed at the sea bunny. "Use the water!"

As Anais tried to motivate everyone by screaming commands and curses, the Agta let out a powerful screech of its own. However, the pyromancer didn't dare look back, instead choosing to paddle with all her might.

It was around then that waves began to propel them forward.

"Thank you! Just keep doing that."

It wasn't coming from the Carbuncle... something else was stirring underneath the swamp.

The waters around them began to rise. Violent waves battered the sides of their tiny boat, and their vessel rocked dangerously from side to side, threatening to spill them all overboard.

As the water gave way, five more tree-like creatures uprooted themselves from the swamp floor. They used their long branch-like arms to pull themselves out of the water, and as each one emerged, their red eyes locked onto the boat.

"THE HELL?" There was nothing else to say really.

@Fox of Hearts @Rosé Moon @Warden

 

[Rosé Moon]

"YIO-EL" The fiend uttered in near unison with the fire-haired mage. Fangs ground against fangs as this beast -- this Agta -- whipped away the pier support like an inconvenience, rather than an impossible display of strength and might. However, the Tiefling had no time. As if all was to further distress her, the mage who had been nothing but kind to her was now barking commands at those Aeor could only imagine were her comrades at least. What strange behavior. Questions for later.

Ember eyes swam over those with oars, who were rowing with all their might. Sure, Aeor could follow suit with her tail but... it was much larger than the oars. It had much more range of movement, and she could levy a great amount of strength behind it. If it knocked them off-kilter, she wasn't convinced the water wouldn't tear this dainty-dingy apart before those beasts even fell on them.

Then she noticed the sack-creature. The rabbit like being that had let out the hellish-shriek earlier was now leaving the horned fiend more befuddled than the friendly fire mage. Without fear, seemingly to Aeor, the smallest amoung them was now waving to the living forest. To a born warrior, like the fiendish Tiefling, this was nothing if not an act of fearless defiance in the face of a foe so much larger-- Aeor didn't question this fellow warrior's wit, either, for when it saw her it screamed. Clearly it knew which was more dangerous.

Her pride knew she was far more dangerous then big sticks with faces.

"Tiny warrior!" Aeor called out to the small carbuncle, her accent thick, but her words understandable, as she leaned over to scoop the sea-bunny up with both hands. Despite her jaged, claw like hands, there was nothing but gentle ease in her hold on the creature. She would lift the mage onto her head, between her onyx-crystalline horns, before spreading her stance in a defensive manner.

"Aeor of Ulo stands with ya'!"

Then she felt the vibrations again. From the crown of her head, her horns began to react to the presence of the magical creature. It'd been sometime since she'd learned her prized horns were able to augment and amplify magic greater than a standard focus for those able to use spells, the primary reasons poachers desired them so.

She was sure this respect-worthy creature would feel it too, and could react accordingly. So, since using an oar, or the boat itself as a weapon seemed a poor choice of action, the Ulo Tiefling spread her arms in a challenging stance and her embers locked gaze with the scarlets of the Agta before she bellowed a battle cry.

Come at me beast, I am unarmed.

For better or for worse.

@Fox of Hearts @Fox of Spades @Warden

 

[Warden]

Mire
​

"Shut up! Be quiet, for all the Gods' sake!" The Condesa snarled, matching Anais in volume. Were it not for the girl's sudden jump earlier, while she was making good on her threat to leave them behind, she would have slammed her paddle against Aeor's ankle to wrest her off their boat. Although the following circumstances shed doubt on the theory that the tiefling summoned the other creatures—she was fighting them, in fact, for all the good that did—the aristocrat had yet to feel anything remotely positive towards the creature. "This is what befriending a fell demon—," Estefania glared past the pyromancer, her eyes trained on the lights coming off from Eastmire, "—brings! You think my people lie!? And now we all pay! Wonderful! Would you like me to create a blood contract with an green-skinned witch, next? Or should I sacrifice a goat on a rock altar to revive my dead ancestors!?"

The bog creature stretched itself to its full length, towering well over the boat and blotting out the moon with every bobbing movement. As it gave chase, reedy legs laboriously tracking clumps of mud and algae above the lake surface as water arced down from its joints, it cried out. Its maw cracked open, a jaw slacking down, down, down—until it reached what passed for its neck, and screamed. A few ways behind them, the swamp hustled to life as birds shrieked and fled from their nests.

A high-pitched whistle escaped from Estefania's throat as one emerged but a meter from their boat. Her arms tensed to an almost unbearable degree, and her fingernails dug smooth crescents unto the paddle's shaft. Thankfully, the surge caused them to regain distance, because more started following the call and pursued them to the center of the lake. She gritted her teeth and refocused on the horizon, heart thumping so fast the sound deafened her to everything else. But…

The devil-woman was chanting with Vivi atop her head. They were both gesturing at the beasts. For what gods-blasted reason, she didn't know, and didn't particularly care to know—it was extremely upsetting that she might die on a boat, in the middle of a stupid swamp, with two companions uselessly sashaying and flailing.

Anais repeated her instructions. Estefania ground her teeth together so hard she heard enamel scraping. Wave, wave. And Vivi had a history of misunderstanding Common… Estefania snapped her head up and looked at the carbuncle. In perfect, Asturian Gualtierran, she enunciated, "She meant: control the water, to make a wave!"

As the condesa translated, one of the far creatures bent over with a low, thunderous groan—and jumped, soaring across the sky with ease, trailing murky water as it went, then landed right in front of the small canoe. The water swelled and pushed the boat back a bit, before the trio's relentless—but slowing—efforts regained the lost meters. They were at the center of the channel. It was almost enough for the others.

But there was an opening...! She saw it!

"Quick now, between the legs!" Estefania barked out, and thrust the paddle yet again into the water. Her arms began to burn with fatigue.

@Fox of Spades @Fox of Hearts @Rosé Moon

---

The Drowned Hag
​

The tavern was noisy, but Eastmire's residents were surprisingly tame—meaning that drunken brawls were nonexistent—so Essien allowed himself a moment of relaxation. The village people glowed with health, and none of the patrons seemed to imbibe more than what amounted to a light buzz. Hm, he thought as he cast a casual, almost careless glance around the cozy establishment, Maybe having those swamp monsters around was a good thing after all. Wasn't Lida built the same way? Settlers got tired of monsters, so they erected walls. When the monsters scaled the walls… Well.

You killed the monsters and made clothes or weapons from their body parts. Coexistence can only go so far.

"Ah. No grapes with which to make 'em, but we got somethin' fiercer. Special, even. Gimme a sec," Mabel whirled away, her apron twirling, and went off towards the kitchen. At this exact moment, two individuals approached their table and sat themselves down, perhaps to partake in this game Bran was about to start. For the record, Essien disapproved of gambling, and though he was slightly concerned his bodyguard would drain his funds dry by night's end, he wasn't about to interfere. But his thoughts aside…

"Essien," he said, and tilted his head. With a nonchalant flick of the wrist, he gestured at the bottle and nodded towards the young man who introduced himself as Laron Adelaide. "Good taste."

While this exchange occurred, Jebediah and Bran showed their cards to one another, gearing up for a custom game. Essien suppressed a snort as he spied the old man handling a coin with surprising dexterity, and shook his head, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. That was a no-no if he ever saw one, and the other patrons were leery enough as it is. "I'm not a gambling man, I'm afraid. More for conversation. Go ahead, don't let my presence stop you." The last one was meant for Bran, who was really starting to look like a Steel Enclave recruit sneaking a piece of contraband under the nose of a drill master.

The door opened, and the tavern was shocked still by the pandemonium of screams pouring in from the deadlands. About damn near every person in the building froze, then relaxed slowly as the noise was plugged off from their revelry. Typical night in Eastmire… But something's got the creatures up in a frenzy. Damned if any one of them simple folk were to walk out and face it, though. Frazzled by the apparent furor outside the confines of their cheery establishment, a waitress ushered Zenzi despite any standing protests to the only free table—which, at the moment, seated four men in the midst of a card game—and ran off to the pantry, wringing her hands as she went.

@SilentxChaos

Mabel returned to the gathering, her eyes trained on the door, almost as if she feared it would burst open and reveal a monster. Slowly, the music flowed back as the band shook themselves from their daze. Chatter trickled, better than dead silence. She plopped down a bottle—dusty, but hastily wiped down—at the center of the table, a certain degree of reverence in her movement. The bottle was made of tinted green glass clearing halfway down the bottom, but its contents…

Essien had heard of food and drink that were enhanced by magic, or were outright magical, and this seemed to qualify by appearance alone. The liquid inside was a thin, glittery rose-gold that flickered with every swirl. At the very bottom, a marble-sized orb glowed softly, locked in place even as the bottle was tipped from left to right. Despite himself, Essien glanced up at the waitress—and found that she was staring back at him, a smug smile on her face. He rolled his eyes and leaned back, relenting with a short puff of breath. "Oh, fine. That's a beauty. What's it called?"

"Tha name's still up for delib'ration, but for now call it Bogshit," Mabel replied. Essien's adoration flew out the window, and he narrowed his eyes in irritation that such a lovely thing—which was halfway filling up his cup—would be given a substandard name. However, there was no real heat to the gaze, and she continued. "Keep ya eyes peeled 'round Jeb. Fast as a whip, he is. Twice as sharp too."

"Well. Good thing I'm not playing," Essien said, voice light with the amused detachment of a witness to an upcoming fiasco, before leaning back and studying the fellows around the table. Between Laron's wine and this… concoction, he had enough to keep his attentions pinned down where he wanted them.

@Redshift @Fox of Hearts @Accelerator

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Drowned Hag​

"Ah wells," Jeb spoke without a trace of regret. "I guess we'll go singles then. Mayhaps I suggest we find a fourth? Les Rard ain't meant for odd groups."

He wasn't wrong. Playing the card game in an odd numbered group required the dealer to remove a set number of cards from the deck. It was a very troublesome process involving lots of negotiation since everyone would have their own interpretation of the rules. As such, many avoided playing the odd-man game with strangers. No game was worth losing life or limb over; gambling typically involved alcohol and that was the root cause of many homicides in popular taverns.

"We may need to wait awhile."

The merchant allowed his eyes to scan the room while he fished out a pouch from his pockets. He took out a betel nut parcel and popped it into his mouth. His gaze returned to the group for a short while as he offered them some of his quids. "Want some? It works as good as any cigar but doesn't satisfy like shisha. You should try that if you get the chance," he continued.

As luck would have it, fate ushered in a potential fourth. The woman arrived amidst shrieks from unseen monsters lurking in the boglands. An omen perhaps of some poor traveler's demise. Jeb looked unusually alert when the screeching filled his ears, but rather than worrying about their safety since he was sure Eastmire wouldn't fall while the Crone still breathed, he chose to focus on the newcomer. He recalled seeing her earlier this evening sitting out on the pier as he made his way here. Interesting indeed. Humans outnumbered Magicals greatly so to come across one was rare enough. This small probability was made even smaller by the fact that most Magical communities were based in isolated areas far from human civilizations.

He made way for the Yilani as she was brought to their table. Before the waitress could ask Zenzi what she'd like to drink, Jeb instructed her to bring an empty glass. "Bring a bottle of Yagg's too," he ordered. "This lady here will be one of my guests tonight. Remember ta ask for your tip later, okay? I'm feeling mighty lucky today. Four new friends in less than an hour unlike the poor fella out there. Rest his soul!"

He watched as blonde Lisa made her way hastily towards the bar where the scowling Tom waited. On her way there, she passed another waitress who was ushering a little boy through the packed tavern. The brunette seemed to be leading the child towards the store room. Definitely not normal, Jeb concluded. He wondered if he should start worrying too.

"Aye, guess we're in for a long night here," he remarked. "A curfew … I don't know. Outside's awfully loud tonight." Jeb's red stained teeth peeked under his whiskered upper lip as he turned towards the Otherfolk. "We're looking for a fourth. Waddaya say, Miss? We can play several round of singles before dawn. Doubt any of us should plan to leave 'fore that."

@SilentxChaos @Redshift @Warden @Accelerator

 

[Redshift]

The Drowned Hag​

Relief from the Boss' words washed over Bran as he sat back in his chair, watching as the others spoke around him. He gulped whatever contents from his glass and munched at his watercress as discussions were had, his prosthetic hand tapping a little clumsily on the table impatiently. At least, until the doors opened and really revealed the cacaphony occuring outside.

He tensed, his eyes fixed with an intensity which harshened his features to quite the degree. But as the conversation slowly bubbled back up, he sighed and turned back to the table. Well, that had dampened the mood a little. If even the other patrons looked uneasy, it couldn't be good. But since they all resumed their lives... maybe it was? They were told this kind of thing was regular. The very concept was completely alien to him. He took up on Jeb's offer of tobacco, although less due to his glowing reccommendation and more through unease and an attempt to hide such feeling.

Oh! Hello. Someone new had joined them - the odd Magical girl with the unintentionally dramatic entrance. He stared at her for a moment - not intending to be rude, but his mind was taking a moment to process her unusual appearance properly - before he caught himself. "Hey lass, ye were just out there, right?" he asked Zenzi, gesturing her towards a seat but not pushing her to join the game. Jeb was already taking care of that. "Ye know what's going on?"

Once he'd given her enough time to react in whichever way she chose, he began to count his coins. He had very little to gamble, but that never stopped him before. "Well if it's curfew... let's start with a couple a coins and work oop," he added with a small smirk. "Put our minds off things."

@Warden @Fox of Hearts @SilentxChaos @Accelerator

 

[SilentxChaos]

​

Location: The Drowned Hag

Rule No. 13: Never make dramatic entrances.

For one such as her, Zenzi always must be careful where she went. She learned early it was best never to attract too much attention especially in small towns. Don't make scenes, keep to the wallflowers, and only come out when there's a business proposition to be had. Life was quieter that way. And safer. So, of course, the last thing the Yilani expected or wanted when she opened the Drowned Hag's doors was for the chaotic monstrous cacophony to act as an alarm. Every eye within the tavern immediately locked on her. She froze up, clutching her staff with white knuckles showing beneath green-tinted skin. Funnily, the screams at her back scared her no more than the locals; she'd been there long enough to know.

The locals resumed their nightly drinks. Zenzi relaxed, thinking she'd escaped the attention as a waitress led her to the last empty table. The notion evaporated immediately when she was suddenly captured by a man named Jeb sitting with three other men. Before the Yilani even understood it was her who captured his attention, she was plopped in an open seat, handed a bottle of yagz, and handed some cards. She blinked rapidly. She was not used to this kind of...attention. The glare from the tavern's lighting didn't help. Flinching, Zenzi moved the goggles from her head and placed them over her eyes. The tavern darkened at once, and sharpened with clear focus. She sighed. Her eyes hidden, Zenzi felt free to observe these people she was so rudely and abruptly roped in with. She crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair, and glared at each of them for a solid minute. All of them except Jeb were visitors, like her. She could still smell the road on them with her tongue.

Jeb pushed yagz her and offered a place in their game. The sounds in the night were not letting up, and after spotting the boy she'd been with escorted through the tavern, she realized she may be stuck here. She made a note to find the boy before she left. Zenzi contemplated it for a moment, only to get distracted when another asked her what was going outside.

"Swamp creatures," Zenzi answered the strange man with a metal arm and hair color of carrots. Her eyes zeroed in on his arm, her head tilting one way, then another. "Very strange arm you have. I will play if you let me examine it?"

@Redshift

@Fox of Hearts @Warden @Accelerator

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Break free. Break free. Vi wiggled nonstop as clawed hands closed around her tiny waist. She pushed against curled fingers but she was too weak. "Lidagat, kokua ia'u (help me)!" she yelped as Aeor lifted her like a rag doll. The Magical was going to use her to toss! She sucked in a lot of air rapidly and she would have started screaming too if her throat wasn't so raw. "Dejame ir (let me go)! Pau ana!"

The words had no effect! Vi yelped one last time, covering her eyes with her hands as she waited to be thrown out Magentia's tapestry. She was going to be erased from existence right here right now. "Lidagat, reza por mi (pray for me)."

Then a miracle happened. The little rabbit found herself towering over everyone as she stood on the head of a giant. She clung tightly to the smooth horns until her knuckles turned the color of sea foam. Her palms started sweating not long after thanks to her metabolism speeding up. Vi swallowed hard. Carbuncles weren't meant to be so high up. They were creatures of the land and the seas. This, this was unheard of!

"Miss Warrior Aeor, I don't know. I can't help." She explained as honestly as she could. "I'm not brave nor a warrior. I can't." I can't, I can't. This mantra looped inside her head. Vi had exceeded her bravery quota for today and she believed if she were to be pushed anymore she'd start breaking down. "I want to help. I can't."

Pearly tears shimmered in the bunny's doe eyes making her more pathetic than usual. The rest expected so much from her and she was going to disappoint them. Vi began sniffling. "I'm sorry. So, so sorry," the healer stammered. "I don't know how. I don't know."

Her cheeks grew damp as her tears finally descended in steady streaks. "You great heroes are too great. I wish I … I can't do anything but heal." Guilt punched her in the gut, making that the last straw. Tossing her head back, Vivi did something she hadn't done in years. She wailed.

******

"Ah, jot-ga-ne!" Liam tried to be polite most of the time. When provoked, strange words pour from his mouth without him realising it. He didn't know their exact meaning but he found them liberating. They expressed his angst beautifully! "Ah shi-ba!"

So much for trying to distract these fiends! He didn't realise there were more of them in the water. Cussing his own foolishness, the avian decided it was time for Plan B. He tumbled in mid-air to avoid the incoming branch, dove between the legs of his current aggressor and flew towards the lake. His speed allowed him to catch up with the rest.

"This isn't the time to cry," he scolded. "Focus on doing something useful! You, fire mage, create a distraction. Send fire wisps or fire orbs their way. Pirate, you're a sniper, right? Start firing at them. Buy me some time!"

The time for politeness was long gone. He didn't care if the ladies were offended by his curtness as long as they helped out. These two better know they were the only useful long ranged attackers. He had absolutely no confidence in the rabbit. She had potential, yes, but it wasn't put to good use at all. So what if she was a great healer? A healer without any combat abilities were next to useless ninety percent of the time.

He kicked away from the group, soaring higher into the air. Liam wanted to put as much distance between him and the boat as possible before he started casting. The raw power generated from his tessen was devastating enough but, when he combined it with wind magic, he suspected the rotting boat would be torn apart. He would try to keep his spell under control, of course, but it was always a hit or miss. He didn't know why.

Up from where he was hovering, the row boat was nothing more than a tiny speck. It's speed was so painfully slow that he knew the agata would catch up in no time. This conclusion dictated which of his two spells he should cast first! Liam reached for his fan. He unfurled it then swung his arms back. Sweeping forward, he sent a mighty gust towards the boat.

A wall of water grew as the lake tried to resist the incoming gale. The wave rose higher and higher, forming a gigantic wave. It rushed forward; a mad conquistador absorbing everything in its path. The little row boat stood no chance. As the boat climbed up the sides, a sharp chill cut through the air. A sheet of ice began forming up ahead.

Liam's grip tightened around his fan. "Ah shi-ba …" He knew he had executed both spells perfectly on their own. He wanted to push the boat up onto the ice to make it move faster. Unfortunately, given the strengthen of the wave and the height of his ice sheet, he doubted this would end well. He kept his fan quickly and dived towards the boat. Hopefully he'd get the chance to salvage the situation.

 

[Warden]

Eastmire
​

The giant tree monsters lunged for the group, yet by some narrow miracle the lot of them escaped each grasping claw. Only when one of them leapt forward and blocked the group's escape across the lake did the imminent danger become more tangible and terrifying. Estefania briefly regretted her lack of supernatural powers, but upon closer thought: she had enough of magic in these past few days to last a lifetime. For in a second their humble watercraft, left sodden in the tepid waters for who-knows-how-long, was buffeted by a blast of wind, sending it careening towards the wooden behemoth before them. With Vivi wailing, the demonic entity continuing its brutish cheer, and the other two girls doing something equally futile, Estefania gave up and clung for dear life. The boat soared, skipped, and slid through the waters, straight through the wide gap between the Agta's twisted, knobby legs, and each and every passenger was hurled from side to side as ice floes curled ahead.

The boat's speedy advance foiled the Agta; for all its length, the creature was heavy, and thick-jointed. It bent over, moss and earth dropping from knobs and crevices, and reached down as if to scoop the offending object from the water… but the boat was too fast! It soared out from between two uneven fingers, and pattered along like a rock skipped across a frozen surface. As it slipped ever closer to Eastmire, the very air seemed to shimmer—and the party, including the airborne Liam, would feel as though they were pushing through a barrier with the consistency of congealed pudding. The boat slowed to a crawl as it pushed through the resistance, but there was no need to worry about the Agta catching up. The nearest one whirled laboriously and stared at its prey, letting out a roar of distress, but made no move to approach. The others slowed, and echoed their brethren's call.

As if pulled by an invisible rope, the watercraft shuddered and moved on its own towards the nearest docking area, then came to a rest against the supporting beams with a solid thud.

Above, on a higher rampart overlooking the pier and the chaos, a hunched figure shuffled back into the imposing hut at the center of the village.

They had finally arrived in Eastmire.

---

The Drowned Hag
​

Now well and truly dislocated from the events at the table—Bran and Jeb were playing, and the new arrival was talking to the bodyguard—Essien leaned back, swirling his cup of mystery elixir, and listened to the noise outside. While it seemed a frantic mess earlier, the situation had seemed to calm down somewhat, although he could still hear a mournful keening easing from the gaps between the unwashed floorboards. Turning his head to Jeb, who had professed to "selling" information earlier on, the politician said, "Have any of you ever seen the Crone attack anything? From what I've heard, her gifts lie in scrying and divination. Not much of the destructive magicks boasted by the Magemother of Aesyth."

Essien caught a look at the strange woman, who now had goggles on. Was it the light in The Drowned Hag, or did her skin have a sickly hue? He nodded at her next. "Prosthetics are a bit common in Lida, though I heard tell of magical alternatives from the east. Far more expensive, but apparently they could be modified in unique ways. And you must be…?"

It looked as though he was expecting to be quizzed as well, as anyone who sits on a public table in a crowded tavern should be. Or perhaps Essien was simply good at appearing amiable.
​

 

[Fox of Spades]

​

Anais stared dumbfounded as the horned creature lifted the carbuncle above her head. The two magicals were proving to be utterly useless... weren't magicals supposed to be amazing and a cut above all mages? She could only stare, Estefania's words of anger drifting in one ear and out the other like an angry parent's countless unheeded retorts.

It was Liam who finally snapped her out of her daze.

He wanted her and Faora to do what? Terror flashed across her face. There were five. Five of those things! She wasn't sure Faora's bullets would do much, and she wasn't betting that a wimpy fireball would be enough to make them go away. Still, Liam was the expert. "Faora, you heard him!"

As Estefania continued rowing the boat, the sniper aimed her rifle at the Agta and began firing into the night.

Anais tried to cook up a simple spell, but the boat rocked forward and knocked the both of them to the ground. Ice and Water worked in tandem to propel them forward and Anais brought both hands over her head as the boat tore through the water with surprising speed. They escaped with their lives and bumped into the pier's support beam.

Anais jolted upright. "We're alive?" She looked from companion to companion. "Holy smokes we're alive! That was frigging terrifying. Now, let's get the hell out of this boat and get help!"

The Agta were still behind them and they still had a Pier to climb and run across.