Return of the Dragon Tamers: The Plague of Ogual

[Soulserenity20]

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• 
  
  
  
  
  
  Return of the Dragon Tamers
  The time has come for the dragons and the humans to join forces once again...​
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  Hunting the Blackshire Stags
  
  Narien, Illyria, Avren, Pomona
  
  Reverie, Xylia, Alder, Saira
  
  ​
  ​
• 
  
  Terria has been rescued and returned safely to the meadow. Her retrieval came at the cost of another talented tamer: Goliath, and his dragon Hezekiah. Terria slumbers in sickness of the body and the mind even as Merrik has spent more than a week at her side, healing her thrice daily, doing everything in his power to bring her back to the Order.
  
  The party that ventured to eastern Galidus to sort out the issues in Kibran returned with a new stranger who turned out to be the bondmate of the Valor dragoness, Andraste. Alder Grey has joined the ranks of the Order and now works to find his place.
  
  Shortly after the Order's reuniting in the meadow, a council was called the a vote was ordered for the army's next tactical move. With the votes in, the Order is now set on unlocking the memories of the strange man Bren and travelling to Galidus to meet with the new king, Kylvest Brohn of Trespa while simultaneously meeting with the People of Dragons elders.
  
  Before the Order sets off once more, they are taking time to return to their training at the meadow and heal their hearts and bodies. At current, Merrik has chosen to mix things up and brought the Order out to the north-eastern woods to hunt for Obsidian Nova's favorite game: Blackshire Stags. After a great deal of drama in Kibran regarding Merrik's decisions on leadership, he hopes that the Order will begin to sort itself out within the ranks and grow to trust each other more deeply in a time when trust among comrades is a necessity.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Character Hex Colors
  [spoili]
  Aerarya is #800080
  Saira is #33cccc
  Merrik is Red
  Nova is Black with Shadow and Italic.
  Avren is Green
  Viridian is Yellow Green with Italic.
  Terria is Dark Azure
  Taega is Medium Gray with Glow and Italic.
  Requiem is Maroon
  Aleria is Dark Green.
  Agni color is #999999
  Narien is #0092b3
  
  [/spoili]​
  Soulserenity20 ---- Merrik Tetra ----- Obsidian Nova, Nightmare Dragon
  Soulserenity20 -----Terria Tetra ----- Ataegana Kuu'iah, Lunar Dragon
  Soulserenity20 -----Avren Lebram ----- Viridian, Forest Dragon
  Rainjay -----Saira Rinien ----- Aerarya, Atmosphere Dragon
  Rainjay -----Illyria Rowena Renthir ----- Mirazh, Desert Dragon
  Firejay1 -----Narien Ki'ila ----- Angi, Arcane Dragon
  White -----Rèverie Gray ----- Celeste, Celestial Dragon
  Mowkie ----- Pomona Ayelet Muldell ----- Katla, Vanity Dragon
  Mowkie ----- Alder Balthazar Grey ----- Andraste, Valor Dragon
  Crimson77 ----- Xylia Kalei Iwalani ----- Deventh, Swamp Dragon
  
• 
  Tetra Estate - Coliseum, 8:17am
  
  The morning air was cool and crisp, the last signs of Winter nipping at Spring's hold on the lands. There was a deep fog rolling in over the eastern forest, blanketing the ancient trees with an eerie, chilling veil. A pair of deep green eyes scanned the surrounding landscape from a hundred feet in the air. Their owner felt no fear, no discomfort of the altitude, being as much at home in the skies as he was on the earth. While the height and the crisp morning air did not bother him, a deep concern was festering within the corners of his mind. It was not unusual for worry and concern to waft about in his thoughts, but the intensity of today's concern was unprecedented.
  
  There was a silence that surrounded him, cocooning him in its peaceful tendrils, broken only by the steady whoosh of powerful wings. With each heavy downbeat, the man in the sky would exhale, taking in the pristine air the ancient woods provided and letting it out in a meditative manner. His dark hair swayed gently, not by breeze, but by wing-beat. The man was concentrating on the legend that was about to begin a hundred feet below him. The man was sorting out his thoughts, organizing his concerns, perfecting his plan of action. Worrying. Concerning himself. Stressing.
  
  The mind is of no use when it is tangled and knotted with stress and worry.
  
  Merrik Tetra opened his eyes as a wave of reassurance swept into his mind, settling what had been stirred up, putting his last lingering thoughts in the right place, and shouldering the mental burden that so commonly threatened to crush him.
  
  "Your wisdom could not have been more welcome. But to execute concern would be unwise. Today the stories of the world will shift mid-sentence, a new chapter forcing its way into a tale of growing darkness. Today the legends of old will be reborn, history repeating itself at the hands of peril upon these lands." Though his lips did not move and no sound rang out into the air, his words found their way into the mind that commanded the wings beating powerfully at Merrik's sides.
  
  The man in the sky was not alone.
  
  A hundred feet above the Tetra Estate, a creature of myth lingered in the air, sustained by the grip of its thick wing membranes on the cool morning air. The creature was massive, larger than any common animal of the lands, and it wore a cloak of scales as black as a night sky devoid of any stars. Blood red eyes that made every onlooker feel like prey blinked slowly as they stared at the distant fog bank. It's vast wings, cloaked in the same obsidian scales that coated the beast's muscular body, wore rings, red as the most scalding lava.
  
  The creature was a dragon. A Nightmare Dragon, to be specific; a beast of legends and fairy tales from a time long ago, long before the memories of even the oldest human. For hundreds of years the sound of heavy wing-beats parting the air could not be heard in these lands, or any other for that matter. For hundreds of years, the great draconic race was thought to have been extinct, perished by the hands of elves or man or even time itself.
  
  Few would believe their eyes. But Merrik Tetra would not so much as blink at the site of such a creature, for the dragon of nightmares and terror that claimed the skies was his dragon, and Merrik was its human. They were soulmates, best friends, companions, one.
  
  More than 2 decades ago, when Merrik was just a little boy, he was brought down into a damp, dark cellar in the depths of his family's manor. There, he received an egg. From within that egg came a voice, though not one any other person would hear, unless it so chose to be heard. Within that egg was a hatchling nightmare dragon, the same drake upon which Merrik sat at that very moment. The dragon was given to him by a strange, mysterious old man who called himself The Oracle. This man changed Merrik's life, shifted his path of fate to one of severity and ultimatum. His life for the next two years was leading up to this moment, this cool spring morning.
  
  Today, Merrik was going to form an army, a re-birthed order of old, summoned up again to bring forth a the great protectors of Illos. Today, Merrik was going to change the lives of a group of individuals, the very same individuals that stood a hundred feet below him in the center of a coliseum. Behind the doors that lined the walls of the coliseum were more dragons. More disbelief shattered by flesh and blood. Two years ago, Merrik had once again been summoned into that musky cellar where The Oracle appeared once agian. This time, Merrik didn't receive one egg; he received an entire clutch, each one a different color, texture and size.
  
  From those eggs hatched dragons, one of each of the draconic species, apart from the Nightmares. Those hatchlings had spent the last two years of their lives growing and learning from Merrik and his dragon, Obsidian Nova. They were being trained and prepared for this very day, this moment. Each of the drakes behind those heavy wooden doors lacked a piece of its soul, a part of it that could never have been filled. Not until now.
  
  The group of people standing, uncertain in the middle of the coliseum, were chosen long ago, though they could not have known it. The Oracle had selected them at birth, when their souls entered into their bodies with their first breath. Each soul chosen, was the missing half of one of the dragons below. And today, those two souls would collide and fuse together, changing the fate of Illos forever.
  
  "They know so little of what is to come." Came Merrik's soundless voice from his own mind into the dragon's.
  The less they know, the less they can fear and fight what is to be. Though we know that each of the humans below is the soulmate of one of our yearlings, the yearlings do not know for certain. They believe that these are mere potential candidates for the bond. They will test them just as a wild dragon would have tested the first of the dragonlords so long ago. The humans will pass these tests, of this we have been assured by The Oracle. Everything is set into motion.
  
  Let their oblivion be their guide, for both dragon and human. Let the bond work in its natural ways, it will give them strength in the long run. The humans MUST prove themselves to their drake, not only for tradition's sake, but to unlock the power that hides within their blood. Tamers are not made, they are born at the very moment a dragon's soul awakens. In that moment, the two become connected, separated only by distance and time. The tamers have an ancient magic within their veins, though they do not know it yet.
  
  Today, the bond with unlock that magic and change their lives forever. We should not delay it any longer.
  
  Obsidian Nova had a way about him that commanded submission and trust. There was no one else in the world that could calm and reassure Merrik in such a way as the black dragon. Nova had an ancient wisdom to him that came with being a direct descendant of one of the first bonded dragons of the Order of Old. Though merely 21 by age, the dragon's wisdom went on for centuries. Merrik agreed without a word or thought.
  
  With perfect intent-directed synchrony, the dragon descended, lowing the pair and coming to rest on a great stone perch that sat at the head of the coliseum. As the dragon's talons touched down on the stone and his great wingspan retracted to a resting position, Merrik stood up from his place at the base of Nova's neck and slipped down off the dragon's back without a sliver of difficulty, landing on the thick, stone perch below.
  
  The attention of the visitors in the centre of the round mass of earth focused on him. Some eyes shone with excitement, others with a sly intent, and others with a plain annoyance. There was too much personality within that circle for Merrik to handle all at once. He silently thanked the gods of old that he didn't have to get up close and personal with the entire group just yet. For now, the focus of attention was on dragons, and Merrik was completely at home in the realm of dragons.
  
  "You have all be told of your purpose for standing her today. I can understand if some or many of your minds linger in disbelief, this is an event of dreams and myth. But make no mistake, you are here to become heroes, legends, and leaders. You are here to become one with beasts of old, powerful creatures not seen in these lands for hundreds of years." He walked to the end of the perch, balancing casually on the round, stone hold.
  
  "The doors that surround you are the temporary dens of the dragons of Illos. The doors will open in a few moments. You must all be strong, be fast, and be brave. Today, you become dragon tamers."
  Then, Merrik's deep green eyes became twice as vibrant as any human's and he swirled his right index finger in a curious manner, concentration clear on his expression. The doors slid open, lifting up to reveals cascading plumes of steam as the temperature difference made itself apparent. The cool morning air welcomed the sound of wingbeats, too many to count, as a mass of dragons shot out of the dark spaces and soared up into the air. Flames of every color decorated the skies, scaled beasts of every shape, size and color bolted about before peeling off from the group and honing in on select individuals.
  
  One of the dragons shot a jet of colored flame down at the ground, nearing searing one of the soon-to-be tamers. The tests had begun.
  
  Merrik and Nova watched silently as the young dragons they had raised from hatchlings attacked, questioned, chased, scared, and tested the group of visitors. Each was seeking a human worthy of their soul, of their life, of their bond. Each would find a human, though they did not know it, and until then, they would test their worthiness endlessly. Merrik pitied the men and women below, for they had not been informed of what the bond was, nor were they informed of the fact that the tests the dragons subjected them to would look more like an attack than anything, despite the fact that the drakes would not actually harm them. This pity went away mere moments after it arrived as Nova's presence in his soul shifted with the drake's emotion. Any amount of terror and confusion was worth the bond of dragon and tamer.
  
• 
  
  Combat Event Guide
  +Steps+
  

  1. GM Scenario Introduction.​
  2. Player Response. Combat Begins.​
  3. GM Response to Combat. Required die roll will be presented.​
  4. Player Response. Player Roll. Player may close combat.​
  5. GM Combat Close Response (if necessary)​

  
  +Basics Behind the Rolls+
  
  Three Types of Opponents: Basic, Challenging, and Boss.
  Basic: Just classic battling. It is generally expected that your character can handle this with general ease.
  Challenging: These will require higher rolls and a bit of strength in whatever technique the character uses to attack.
  Boss: These will require the best rolls, the most creativity, and the best weaponry/spells/approaches suited to the character.
  
  Three Types of Character Approaches: Strength, Weakness, Long Shot.
  Strength: The character attacks within their class/strength/ability.
  Weakness: The player attacks in a class/ability that they are not necessarily comfortable or entirely skilled at.
  Long Shot: The player is being an idiot and doing something that would never work unless the die gods are on their sides.
  
  +How Opponent Types and Character Approaches work together+
  BASIC OPPONENT
  Strength Base Roll: 12
  Weakness Base Roll: 14
  Long Shot Base Roll: 16
  
  CHALLENGING OPPONENT
  Strength Base Roll: 14
  Weakness Base Roll: 16
  Long Shot Base Roll: 20
  
  BOSS OPPONENT
  Strength Base Roll: 18
  Weakness Base Roll: 20
  Long Shot Base Roll: 25 (requires stat bonus)
  
  NOTE: In a boss battle, there will be much more discretion for creativity and teamwork between players. Successful rolls will mean successful hits, NOT kills. Furthermore, for boss rolls, because they are much more difficult, the player will get a 'second chance' roll if their first roll is not successful.
  In Step 3, where the GM presents the required roll, it will have the relevant stats already added in and will be presented in a manner to explain the reason the roll is what it is. Stats are applied by level of skill, as portrayed:
  5% = Beginner ----> No Mod
  10% = Applicable ----> No Mod
  20% = Novice ----> +1
  30% = Adept ----> +2
  45% = Advanced ----> +3
  50% = Expert ----> +4
  65% = Sage (Mortal Mastery) ----> + 5
  
  Example:
  Shirin Vs. Challenging Opponent, Strength (Longsword)
  Base Roll: 14
  35% in long sword, +2 Bonus
  14% in valor, +1 Bonus
  14% in strength, +1 Bonus.
  
  14 - 2 - 1 - 1 = 10 Required.
  
  The player will then post a blank post with "Rolling..." posted and then roll a 20 sided dice (D20) on that post. Then the player will post a SECOND post with their response in accordance with how their roll went. They can wrap it up themselves (Step 4), or the GM can add a post in at the end to wrap it up accordingly.
  
  WARNING: If you delete ANY POSTS in these events, I will assume you're trying to cheat and get a better roll. I don't want any explanations, I won't believe a word you say, and I'll roll FOR you with a penalty of 5 added onto the battle. This means, for example, Shirin would need a 15 instead of a 10. If you make a mistake, for example, roll a D6, or roll twice. LEAVE IT. I have eyes. I can see the mistakes.​

[spoili][/spoili]

 

[Soulserenity20]

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The old sentinel and the councilman seemed pleased enough with Narien's vow, though Broenna's mouth dropped open when he mentioned the Oracle and Esvier seemed to scoff, as if annoyed that the tamer was trying so hard to show off. Narien then allowed Pomona to go and visit the Galidus warrior, insisting Avren go with her. To this, Avren stifled his protests and simply bowed, stepping closer to Pomona but unsure of how to act around the warrior.

Broenna spoke up next, rising from her seat. "I'd be happy to bring the rest of you to see the other council members, I'm sure we'll find them with little trouble."

"You'll not find Councilman Agremar, Broenna, he's left to Trespa to seek out a spot in the King's Court so he might gain an audience to express our concerns. Eliandre will likely be at the church." He said nothing more, returning to his drink as Broenna bowed and stepped away, beckoning Narien and the remaining tamers to join her as Pomona and Avren made their way to the table where Mira and Baern sat.

Mira, noticing their approach, stood up and welcomed them with a bow. "Good evening to you, tamers. I trust your tour has gone well thus far?" Avren shifted nervously, unsure of who was in charge. Probably Pomona. Should he wait to speak? Or did that make him look dumb?

"Er, hello to you as well, Mira. I am Avren, I don't think I've said that yet. This is Pomona, but of course she could tell you that herself, I just thought I might offer to do it... for her?" He realized he had overstepped his bounds. She could speak just fine on her own. Why was he speaking for her? She'd probably get angry about that. Suddenly he was finding himself with a strong distaste for Narien's instructions.

Meanwhile, Broenna lead the others up the road towards the looming towers of the distant church. "There are only three members of the council. One in charge of commerce, one in charge of social concerns, and one that speaks for the church. Esvier leads our economy, Agremar speaks for the people, and Eliandre speaks for the Gods, the church, and its followers. She is a Priestess at the church, one of four--" Her words were cut short. "Well, one of three now, I suppose." They continued on their way, as they passed large buildings she identified them as the homes of wealthy logging tycoons, major shops, and other attractions. Eventually the path curved and came to a large stone wall that surrounded a courtyard. A step through the front gate pushed them into the large square at the foot of the old structure and as it loomed over them, Broenna dipped down to her knees, bowing graciously and saying a short prayer before leading them up the great stairs.

Inside the church, great tapestries lined high walls and murals adorned the ceilings. As they made their way through the church, they would reach a room off the main hall. Broenna stopped and knocked quietly, waiting a time before the door was opened by a slender, pale woman in her early twenties. She welcomed them in and lead them across a rather lavish quarters to where a woman with long, silvery hair sat perched on a bench, curved over a desk covered in scrolls. "Yes, what is it?" She didn't even look up from her work.

"I beg your pardon, Priestess Eliandre, but the heroes have come." The woman became still, stiff even, and slowly turned. Her lips were pursed, her expression fixed on the tamers before her. After a moment, she stood and moved to a long table with benches on either side.

"Heroes, I welcome you to our humble church of the Four. You have been expected. Please, sit. What is it I can do for you? I trust you've received accommodations for your stay?"

[/dash]

 

[Mowkie]

[BCOLOR=transparent]

[/BCOLOR]​

Pomona quickly noted the strange reaction to the mention of the Oracle, who they had come to know as simply another person - a person who spoke in riddles, yes - but still just another person. Perhaps it was this odd belief in the Old Gods that they had continued to mention, or the fact that the Oracle was a being of legend...then again, they had ridden here on dragons, so mentioning such a being really shouldn't be much of a surprise. And yet, here these people were, acting surprised and even upset about Narien's mention. She put it in a mental folder for later, in hopes of asking about it at another point in time while here. The greater question in her head, though, was how to ask about the Old Gods without upsetting these villagers. Of course, she knew the names and even a little about each of the Four, but believing was a completely different story. What she wanted more than anything was to know how much belief these people had - and how far they would go for it. Based on the size of the church, she was willing to guess pretty far.

Putting it out of mind for a moment, she listened to Narien's response, looking to Avren and nodding solemnly. The strange man always made her a little uneasy, but perhaps it was more the fact that he was so different from her. Shifting slightly, she gave a small bow to Narien, saying a calm, "Yessir," before turning with Avren now uncomfortably close to her and striding towards the table with Mira and Ser Baern.

Before Pomona could get a word in to Mira, Avren spoke quite awkwardly, introducing himself and her. Surprisingly, she found herself chuckling slightly before clearing her throat and giving a small bow. "Good evening, Lady Mira. Ser Baern? Might I have a seat for a few moments?"

With the woman's approval, Pomona seated herself between Mira and Baern, ordering herself a drink when the waitress came by. After a moment, she looked at Baern. "I heard that you fought in Otamur. Saved a few lives. Is that true?" Her voice was a little soft, almost sad, hiding a story in its undertones. She let him meet her gaze, showing him just the barest hint of her own pain. "I was there, too. I was wondering if you would tell me of your experience."

 

[Soulserenity20]

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The man looked up at the younger woman as she sat down, got comfortable, and proceeded to deny him the same courtesy. He glanced over his shoulder at the two men at the table on the other end of the room, hardly surprised the tamer had heard gossip already. Gossip, it seemed, fueled this god forsaken village. He looked longingly at the server as she walked past with a tray full of ales, and let out a sigh before reaching for a piece of bread and some butter.

"Saved some. . . lost a lot more." Then came her truth. He looked at her with a level of disbelief. She was so young, a child, compared to him. Had she really seen war? Her eyes left no question, but what did that mean? Just another sad Illosian with the burden of what had come. It didn't make him feel better, if anything, it made him feel worse that this young woman had seen war and that somehow, that was how she chose to greet him, a complete stranger. She was probably looking for a connection, but connecting over death and suffering was hardly connecting at all. She should have been connecting over bounty, bliss, joy, and healthy heartbreak. But instead. . .

"If you were there, then you know. Death needs little explanation." He stared hard into the young woman's eyes before sharply turning away and trying to keep himself preoccupied with his meal.

Mira spoke out then. "He was a hero. One of the King's men. He led the party that forged a way through the chaos to allow the citizens to escape. He didn't just save a few, he saved thousands. The people in this village speak as if the Old Gods have been waiting to deliver us a hero, but all the while, we've had one."

Baern looked up at her with an expression much like an embarrassed parent whose child had aired his dirty laundry at a play date. "That's enough, Mira." He had no taste for honor and heroes. Not anymore.

Avren spoke up then, unfortunately.

"The others told us a fair bit of you, which is probably a bit annoying to you. I certainly don't like others introducing me, makes me feel like my identity is being appropriated. Appropriated?" He took a minute to gain any certainty on the word -- it was a new one to him -- but after a moment he shook his head in affirmation of his statement. "Yes, anyways. They had a lot to say about you, but you don't seem to want to say much at all. We can leave, if you'd like, or I could see about healing your leg."

Baern stopped, stared at Avren with a cold hatred, and then proceeded to excuse himself. "No, no. No use sending the Heroes of Illos away. I'll go. Nothing I can offer you anyways, nothing but old tales about things that belong in the past." As he rose, the stiffness of his leg prevented him from doing so with any ease.

"Baern, will you please just sit down. These people have come a long way and they fight for the very same cause you suffered for. How can you turn them away so easily?" Again, this brought him to pause and with a grumble, he sat back down, sighing once he was off his leg. By this point, Avren was prepared to shut up for the rest of the trip.
[/dash]

 

[Rainjay]

The village was quite beautiful, given how quaint and small it was. There was a pleasantness to it all, despite the tension between the people who they'd met thus far. Illyria's expectations were met on meeting the priestess, who came off as stiff and not nearly as interested in their arrival as the others had. She glanced towards her remaining companions and sat as the old woman requested. "We've been greeted wonderfully, thank you. Broenna has been introducing us to the councilmembers, so we can become acquainted and find how best to help.," Taking a moment to absorb their surroundings, she said, "Humble as it may be this is a fine place of worship. Could you maybe tell us more of your role and of what happens here?"


Saira had little to report apart from what Reverie explained to Merrik. Her knuckles were white at her sides, but otherwise was as stony-faced as she'd been entering the tunnels despite the ache in her chest. What had happened was something they could concern themselves with at a later time. It only proved just how dangerous it was for them to be here--and how much weight lay on finding Terria as fast as they possibly could. "Given what we know, I believe our best bet may be to return to the few rooms Reverie found without the taint of mana. Perhaps Terria hides behind one of those doors." It was a meager hope, but perhaps all they had.

 

[Mowkie]

The mercenary quickly realized that Ser Baern had no desire to speak of his past. She gave a swift nod and smiled warmly towards Mira. "I thank you for your explanation, Mira. And I understand your wish for us to leave, Ser Baern. I only wish to ask you on your thoughts on the army that is headed for this village as we speak and the possibility of you helping the Order."

Her desire for a connection had long since past her by. Left by a coldness - a desire only to fight for the lives she, herself, had lost. Pulling back the pain that she had allowed to show within her eyes, she straightened up and took a swig of ale. "We are not really here to dawdle, and I do not wish to waste your time. So, I will be frank...if we are capable of healing your wounded leg, would you help us in the fight for what is now your home? Or are you simply here because your leg prevents you from going any farther South?"

Perhaps a little curt - rude, even. But Pomona felt it was necessary. Her face was stern, her body tense. She wanted every able bodied man to fight with her and her comrades - and if this man was still capable, why not? Who knows how many of Ogual's forces were on their way? The tamers couldn't possibly take this force on by themselves. Especially not with Merrik along.

 

[Requiem]

Requiem withheld a scoff at the comment of the temple being 'modest'. He'd known minor nobility with less ostentatious trappings. The church sickened him. This lavish display of garbage could have been used as barter to increase the towns defence. Hire mercenaries. Train a proper militia. Do Something. Instead she sat here in her temple lording over the smallfolk. He thought he had disliked the elder Esvier with his concern of commerce over the lives of their people, but this woman here ignited the natural hate that burned within. He said nothing, for fear that his spite would be heard in his words. Instead he simply observed. He should have gone with Avren and Pamona.

 

[Crimson77]

[fieldbox="Priestess, seagreen, dashed, 10, Tahoma"]Xylia made no comment; afraid her mouth would run her to be seen as an opposition instead of a "support". When they entered the church, her lips fell agape. This looks like a castle! She exclaimed in her mind. She was comparing the beautiful nature of the village to the characteristics of the castle and saw no proper correlation between the two distinguish destination, it was night and day the two locations and they were separated by only a door. Upon meeting the priestess, Xylia did the same as she had, keeping her mouth shut. She nodded at Illyria's words about Breanne treating them well and their stay. However, she had heard Requiem scoff softly, she might not have if she hadn't been standing right beside him unsure of why he did it but understood that he probably did not like this woman before them.

But Xylia knew, she agreed with Requiem's preference. The word the priestess used to describe the church had made Xylia very uncomfortable. She had used the word "humble" to describe this place. Xylia's mind traveled to the shrine they had back home. Humble means to be one with people... she questioned in her mind, knowing fairly well, along with Merrik's prior explanation of these people that this was most definitely not a humbling place at all. In fact, to Xylia, this place screamed nothing holy or sacred and neither did this woman. However, Xylia kept her smile on her face and her staff in her grip. Xylia decided then she would add to Illyria's question, "I ave' no clue what a Priestess is or what a church is. Also, Breanne said you knew we were coming, ow' did you know?" Though she quickly added, "Forgive me for my questions, this is all very new to me!" and flashed the woman an innocent smile.[/fieldbox]

 

[Soulserenity20]

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At the Tavern. . .

Baern stared hard at Pomona, casting his gaze to Avren. The idea of magical healing was never something within his realm of belief. After all, the only magick that existed anymore was witch doctors and cultists claiming they could access the Heart Mana. But this was different, these people had real magick. If only they had real sense, too.

"Young lady, if you think this is about an old injury, you're far more naive than you look." He got up, and hobbled away.

Mira stared hard at Pomona. "I thought you tamers were supposed to be the image of elegance, cunning, and wit."

Avren laughed then. "Well that's a fair fable. We're just people, Mira, just like you." He grinned brightly and looked to Pomona. "We need to find a way to help him." Suddenly, he felt a lot more connected to Pomona. He saw that she was a lot like him: a loner. She was isolated from society in a way much differently from the way he was but the outcome was the same. She didn't know how to act any more than he did! And he found this charming. She didn't seem so scary when he looked at her like one of his own.

"Mira, what can you tell us about Baern. The role he plays here, or the role you seem to think he could play. People don't spend time fostering an injured fox unless they think it'll keep the mice out of the crops. Well, at least. . . not most people. You might be the type to just. . . well, to help them for no reason. Hmm, well, which are you?"

Her lips played into a sly smile. "I'm both, Master. . .?"

"Avren! Just Avren, please. Master unsettles me."

"Mast-- Avren, then. You see, Baern is hero. A real hero, not like you folks. The tamers. . . well, standing before me or not, you're the heroes of fairy tales. You're bound by a mystical path of fate, living a legend each day. It's not the same as a real hero. Real heroes are the men who fought on the ground against Ogual with nothing but their honor, their shields, and their swords. Real heroes are the ones who kept going even in the face of severe pain and suffering, and put the lives of others before theirs. Baern is a real hero. Or, he was. See, even if he never becomes great again, I'd still care for him, because he was once great and I owe him my thanks. We all do. But the thing is, I believe he can be great again. I listen to him and I hear his words and experience his feelings and I see it in his eyes: his hero's heart still beats. He might be just what this town needs."

She looked down the road where Baern was still hobbling away to his home and she let out a sigh. "He's not a drunk because his leg hurts, m'lady. He's a drunk because his heart hurts and it can't bear to hurt any more. Asking him to help you is like asking a steer with a broken back to carry your burdens. It isn't his leg that needs healing, it's his heart. He needs to see hope again, he needs to see that his heart can heal."

Avren hummed aloud in thought before speaking. "Alright, well, I'm a healer. And nobody every specified what type of healer I am. Pomona, if he needs hope, we can give that to him. If he sees what we're capable of, if he sees that we aren't just another list of names that'll march to the grave, it might be enough to perk his interest. Once we do that, I'll convince him to let me heal his leg so he can at least be capable of getting around with a bit more ease, if only to and from the tavern. What do you say?"

At the Church. . .

Eliandre listened to the thick accent of the woman's voice, taking a moment to respond. "Well, young lady, a church a house of the gods, a place where we welcome them to connect with we, the meager mortals. It must be treated with great respect and cared for with great effort. The priests and priestesses of this church are. . . akin to the house keepers of the nobles' homes. It is our duty to care for this sacred home of the gods and to ensure it is pure and holy enough for their presence. We speak in the name of the people of the town who. . . are not so well immersed in the rituals of communication."

Broenna smiled. She was very clearly a fan of Eliandre and pleased with the explanation. "We knew of your coming through revelations by the gods. Illio himself has spoken to his Priest and foretold of a hero forging the way and rescuing the town. It was said that the hero would come in a most unusual form and I daresay an order of dragon tamers is most unusual. The Four provide us with what we need to prepare."
[/dash]

 

[Soulserenity20]

[dash=yellow]
Merrik forced his upset away from his mind. He told himself that any small bit of focus that he allowed to the loss of Goliath would take away from his focus on rescuing Terria and he could not bear the thought of any more loss. "I agree, Saira. We'll search the upper floors. I recommend we forgo cloaking until necessary. Our best chance at finding Terria is to rely on Celeste's ability to sense the purity of the world around her." He turned to the white dragoness who appeared grey in the dull light of the tunnels. "Terria's mana will be the most pure thing in this wretched place, Celeste. Please, lead us to where you believe she might be."

A part of his was envious of the Celestial pair, for while he could sense the presence of mana, he had no way of telling what form of mana it was or whose it was. If only Agni were here. She'd have been able to identify the signature of Terria's mana, based on her interactions with Taega, and pinpointed exactly where she was. Merrik hoped the search for untainted mana would serve well enough in place of Agni's abilities.

"But before we go, I need you both to eat. We've been running around this place for more than a day. We cannot keep on forever." He opened up a a pocket in his pants and drew out a small bag of dried meats and some tough bread. "It's not much of a meal but it's a meal nonetheless." He handed out a piece of each to the other tamers before taking one for himself and returning the remaining pieces to the pocket on his lower thigh. Each moment was one filled with anxiety. He didn't want to sit there on the hard ground in Ogual's lair having a snack while Terria waited, chained or locked away, but his sense remained and he knew he the trio would work better if they fueled their bodies. When they finished, he passed around a waterskin and they set off down the large halls, dragons following closely behind.

As they made their way deeper into the tunnels, there was a notable increase in heat. No doubt the cause of the molten core of the lair, Merrik felt sweat begin to bead and his breath felt less welcoming than he was used to. "Celeste, what have you?"

[NOTE: @White it doesn't matter which door it is. Just assume that Celeste guesses right. I don't want to spend this entire event with us just looking! Let's get to the rescue and escape part! :P ]
[/dash]

 

[White]

She stared at Merrik while Saira and he replied and planned this out. She was about to robotically make a step towards their newfound goal when Merrik told them to eat. She hesitated, looking at him intentively when he offered dried meat and bread, before she accepted it with a nod, sitting down.
It hurt. She, thought while eating. Not even Celeste could properly reach her and even if, Celeste could not find the right words to soothe her Tamer.
"It feels like I somehow knew," she finally spoke, looking to Saira and then to Merrik. "I did really like him. He was strong, he looked gorgous and just as much man as I could imagine. Authentic and strong...," she repeated.
"He was a great mentor to me," she now spoke more calmly. "He would not want me to mourn now..."

A heavy sigh left her lips as the heavy eased from her heart. She looked a bit reliefed, she needed to let this out, share the burden with others, just so that she could mourn a bit now and mourn more later when it is more appropriate.

She lead the two Tamer to one of the doors that felt right. "This one," the two of them exclaimed at the same time, looking at a locked door. "You could probably smash the lock, Merrik. I am no good at lockpicking... or do we have another idea?"

 

[Soulserenity20]

[dash=white]When it became clear that the tamers were struggling to come up with anything meaningful to say, Eliandre quickly dismissed them, insisting they were welcome to return whenever they desired for the remainder of their visit. "Though I'm sure you'll be far too busy with the demons in the woods to spend time among the pious."


Broenna showed them back to their quarters, bid them good evening, and all retired for the night. The next morning, after a light breakfast, Broenna excused herself. It was one of two holy days of the week and she needed to go to the church to join the others in prayer. She left them with a smile, confident they would busy themselves. After all, they now knew all important people in the village and had seen all there was to see. From here on out, it was their own choices that would dictate their stay.

Avren looked around at the others. "So, what's the plan? I think I'd like to go and see what's happening down in the village square, see if I can . . . make amends? Or just apologize to Baern. I do really hope to help him. Pomona, will you come with me?" He smiled warmly, still inspired by how awkward she had been.

He had learned, in his six months with the Order, that no level of terrible manners, poor speech, or sub-par emotional intelligence couldn't be fixed with persistence and practice. After all, look at how far he'd come. He used to squeal like a Bog Rat every time he saw Saira and now he could speak to her with. . . some degree of confidence. So that was something! He wanted Pomona to keep trying, too. After all, if he had spent his entire life in isolation and made it this far, there was certainly hope for her. After all, she already wore shoes and slept in a formal bed. How hard could it be for her to cross the boundary between the savages and the civilized?[/dash]

[dash=yellow]Merrik stared at the door for a moment. "Hmmm, it won't be so simple, I fear. Ogual may be careless in his almighty facade but Terria is worth too much to leave guarded only under a meager lock. There's mana at work here, even if I can't properly sense it." He wasn't sure how best to proceed, but he feared their next decision would change everything.

"If only Goliath. . . " No. He couldn't go there. There was no hope in wishing for what could never be. He clenched his jaw and stepped away, pacing as he thought. "I could try and de-spell anything at work here, but it could take hours. . . days, even. Or, I could. . . I could try and phase through." He looked at the others, his expression a mix of confidence and concern. "After Kuhl, a part of my bond was awakened, something that I had never seen or felt before."

He spoke more to Reverie than Saira, as Saira already knew about this ability. "I maintained an attribute of Ogual's shadow. It's how Nova was able to enter the Keep without touching the stones that blocked his way. I can get through, I know I can, but once I'm in, we still have an issue of getting out. Ogual may have a curse placed on this door. If anyone tries to open it, it could plague them, kill them, or any manner of horrid afflictions."

"But perhaps the walls are not protected. Ogual would not likely have guessed any would enter these halls with the ability to crumble stones. We could simply break through the wall. If you can get in and ensure Terria is nowhere near the walls, we could crumble them safely. It is not the most refined plan, but it is a plan.[/shadow]"

"But do you really think it could be so simple?" He was frustrated, standing here, stopped by the fear of losing another dragon or tamer. "Either way, I'm going in. I'll communicate to the lot of you through Obsidian Nova." He couldn't hold off any longer, not if his sister was so close by. With one more look at the others, he summoned the new power and stepped through the wall nearby, passing into the room behind the locked door.

What he saw on the other side threatened to empty the contents of his stomach. The smell of blood and festering wounds was strong, the air was stale and hot. It took him a moment to realize what was in front of him. Amidst all the hanging hooks, the stands of weapons and bent steel prods, the tables full of knives, bloodied rags, and torture objects of the worst kind, he saw a weak, slender figure hanging limply from two chains just off to the side from the center of the room. Tears filled his eyes as his heart broke. He ran to the limp body and struggled with how to approach. He saw so much blood, bones exposed, scars as thick as stag hide. At first he dared not touch her for fear of gouging a wound or breaking a brittle bone but his fear subsided as logic told him she had dealt with far worse than the grasp of her brother in the name of her rescue. "Terria. . . " He said with a broken voice, tears dripping down his cheeks. "Gods what has he done to you." He summoned a snake of his dark mana and sent it to twist the mechanism on the wall that held the chains in place. Slowly, she was lowered and Merrik caught her tenderly in his arms.


"She's alive. But Merrik will have to use much of his power to stabilize her. It is up to us to get them out of there." Nova said to the others.

Merrik gently swept matted, bloodied hair from Terria's pale face. She looked of death. Her eyes were sunken, her cheeks were hollow, her skin was pale and sickly. Her legs looked like they had both been broken, numerous times, and healed over a time or two, but not in any proper manner. Terria was a better healer than this, so why would she leave the bones exposed and scarred in such a way? He had a million questions but it was all he could do not to hurl and cry. He was simply not capable of handling seeing his baby sister in such a state, he hadn't the stomach for it.

"Terria, love, please." She was breathing but she was unconscious. It took him a minute, but he quickly realized he could use her state to his advantage in his healings. He saw the state of the bones in her legs. They had been crippled severely and if she was to walk, they would need to be snapped and reset with much greater precision. Then, he'd had to regrown flesh over the injury site so she didn't die of an infection when they left. He took a few deep breathes and quickly set to work. The sound of bones breaking echoed through the dark room, but there was no cry. For all that had happened, Terria was lucky she was not awake to experience the rescue.
[/dash]

 

[White]

She completly ignored Merrik's mention of Goliath and listened when he explained about his newfound ability. She nodded. So it was not only Celeste and herself that have, Merrik as well? She agreed to Merrik's suggestion and waited for Merrik to phase through before she turned to Saira, asking: "How about yourself? Have you found any newfound things in your bond?"

Her eyes turned to look at the door when Nova reported to them that Merrik indeed found them. Her eyes gazed over the hinges, the lock and at the wall. "I think Merrik was right, the door gives me a bad vibe. I could purge it... I could also burn it down... whatever would come out of it, would be of no harm, I promise," she begun, willing to use her 'secret' in the worst case. "We could also attempt to melt the stone, it would happen eventually... at the price of our mana reserves." she paused, looking towards Nova here. "Water could also cut through stone I believe..." Her eyes returned to the door. "If I purge or trigger it by burning the door down, I am honestly certain that it will alarm Ogual. We would have to move quickly. It is the quickest way out of there." Reverie looked at Nova again. "How quickly would you be able to move with Terria on your back? We really would have to hurry on this. We saw the threat posed in the throneroom.... If we are to do it this way, we will have to do this as efficently as possible, without much of an err." Then a thought crossed her mind. "Would it also be possible to bait and distract Ogual by hinting or pointing towards Goliath's remains?" Her heart felt heavy at the suggestion and a frown decorated her face. "I don't like it, but it would buy us time."

Then she added. "Whatever we choose on, Nova, could you tell Merrik to tell us when both of them are ready? Once we decided onto something, if we all are ready, we will be able to move quick but certainly not if Terria is in no state to."

 

[Soulserenity20]

Nova stared down at the little human who spoke with such confidence. "Do not be so foolish to think anything in this dark place will do no harm. We have underestimated Ogual in the past and many have died as the result. I do not deem it wise to expend all of our mana stores. We cannot know what our escape will demand of us. While we dragons could do it with our fires, the heat would surely kill you all. I am not certain either of you could summon enough water to cut this stone, but that is a possibility." He listened to the rest of her thoughts and shook his head.

"I'm not comfortable with such a brash approach. Terria is a feather upon my back but any actions we take to summon Ogual's attention are suicide. We must find a more delicate manner of leaving this place. I must insist we avoid any explosions, powerful bursts of mana, or any other signal."

He stared at the wall for a moment and moved forward. "We can take the wall apart piece by piece. Celeste, you can monitor the movement of the tainted mana in these halls to tell us if we must prepare for a battle. Aerarya and I will dig carefully through the mortar. Reverie, Saira, is your earth mana strong enough to catch the bricks as they fall and settle them quietly?"

The dragon paused for a moment, overcome by Merrik's emotions. The pain the elder Tetra felt was almost overwhelming the dark dragon. Merrik was struggling to hold himself together after everything that had happened, but he maintained his control for the sake of healing his sister. Nova felt his mana stores draining quite rapidly as Merrik expended a flood of mana as he worked to heal his sister to a stable state so she could be transported. She was still unconscious, but as her body was healed, that could have changed at any moment.

 

[Rainjay]

It wasn't the most elegant approach, but it would have to do. "Can do," Saira replied to Nova. She wasn't the best with earth mana, but she would manage, and hopefully Reverie would too. "I don't think we have any other choice but to simply leave the way we came as fast as we possibly can. We cannot split up again. The best I can offer is my bond, in the case we encounter trouble. It may be enough to shake any foes we cross while we leave. Perhaps we can pile the fallen brick to create a barrier between us and the rest of this hall, but it would only offer us so much time."

"Are we ready?" she asked, looking between the group.

 

[White]

Reverie nodded at Nova's remark about her mana stores. Though she may not have shown it, that was indeed her own concern as well. "I am not much for earth yet, so that possibility had not crossed my mind," Reverie admitted. "We should not build a wall in either direction, leaves more room to navigate and retreat if needed, though if either of you wishes to do so regardless, we can."

The three of them begun to work on deconstructing the wall, brick by brick. Slow at first and then quicker and quicker as a routine formed itself. Celeste watched the tainted pattern closely and kept close watch in one of the directions just to make sure. A brick or two may have fallen without shattering. The three of them worked until sufficent space was made available.

The white pair rejoiced seeing Terria again and Reverie quickly helped Merrik to give Terria a place to rest on one of the dragon's backs. Celeste's attention dropped as she peeked to look at Terria for a moment and everybody readied turned to leave this place.

(Reverie currently has earth 10 and Saira 6, that is why I formulated it the way I did. Naturally the GM's word and post will overwrite anything should the choice be made.)

 

[Mowkie]

Irritation fueled her, and she sat fuming as the man hobbled away. The arrogance. The audacity! How could he not see that he wasn't the only one hurting here? The words of Mira only made her irritation boil into anger. "You have no idea who I am or what I have gone through! Do not make assumptions!" She snapped the words coldly, slamming her fist onto the table. Had Avren not laughed, she would have easily stood and walked away right then and there. But she didn't, instead listening to what her comrade had to say. It seemed, in this instance, he was a lot more elegant in his words than she was.

She wasn't sure whether to be angry at herself for being so childish or surprised at Avren for so easily taking control of the situation. Suddenly feeling much less awkward around the man that appeared so different from her, she visibly relaxed and listened to the conversation between him and Mira.

As he finished, she looked towards him at the mention of her name. She gave a curt nod in his direction. "Yes, we can try that. But how could we possibly give him hope besides carrying him out to the battlefield with us and showing him our prowess first hand?"

The next morning, still fuming over Mira's reaction to her words, Pomona kept to herself until the sisters had left to pray. When their hosts were gone, the mercenary left her spot and came to greet the others. She listened to what Avren had to say and gave a nod. "I will come, but perhaps this time, you should do the talking."

 

[Soulserenity20]

[dash=yellow]
The hole in the wall was an image of salvation to Merrik Tetra. Ogual was just a man, and men made mistakes. It was possible ogual had placed some magical barrier around the room, likely, even, but he had not planned for a simple physical, non-destructive penetration into the room and it was this overestimation of the tamers that led to this moment. Obsidian Nova shook a tear from his eyes as Terria's lifeless body was set on his back, leaning carefully in Merrik's arms. "She was never weak, this one. Even as a young girl she was certain to bend and never break, and yet Ogual has done all in his power to break her. Her mana is almost undetectable, her body is far from what it once was. How much will it take to restore your sister?"

"It may not even be possible, Nova. Some things change the very essence of who you are. We can only hope that her essence was durable enough to withstand this. Who she becomes after this is not for me to decide, nor for any of us to judge. It is only my duty to see to her safety as best I can and never let such a thing happen to her again."

"We will protect her, Merrik. No such harm will ever befall her again, not while I live."

"A vow shared as our bond, Etrahn." He looked to Reverie and Saira then. "We need to escape. We could go the way we came, but we should not expect it will have remained clear and safe. There may be other ways out."

TASK: Find a way out.
Choices:
Upper Level (Current Level)
Main Level (Original Entry Level)
Lower Level
[/dash]

 

[Soulserenity20]

[dash=white]
Avren chuckled to himself as he made his way to the road, "I never thought I'd see the day when someone wanted me to do the talking!" He laughed merrily along the way, maintaining a slow enough pace for Pomona to catch up with ease. They ventured down the path and as they did, Avren spoke. "Sooo. . . any idea what you'll say? I think you should apologize, but then, I'm not entirely certain. There's a certain nuance to understanding what offends people and what offenses are okay and which ones aren't and which require an apology and which require flowers or something of the sort. . . . Do you like flowers, Pomona? You er, I guess you don't look like the type of person that would like flowe-- er..." He started to blush. He was offending a lady! Was Pomona a lady? His expression became a horrified one. "Oh gods of course you're a lady! You're just less dainty!" And then he realized he had said it out loud and that it would sound even worse without the context of his thoughts and suddenly he was very afraid that she might hit him and he feared this because she certainly looked like she could hit hard!

With a quiet squeal, he walked much more quickly ahead of her to give himself a range of safety. "I think flowers are nice! And I'm a man!" And that was all he could think to say.



MEANWHILE,

the other tamers were left to decide what they would do with their day.
[/dash]

 

[White]

Reverie nodded. "True, but I also believe the lower levels would post a problem. Goliath is there, somewhere. Meaning whatever creature killed him may still linger... the way up... well, the volcano's mouth would be the most likely exit point for it..." Turning to Merrik. "I don't think we should waste your leftover reserves and I do not trust myself to be capable enough to do it, even with Saira. Not in time at least."
Celeste started to speak up the moment Reverie finished. "I can keep my attention on the mana itself up, see if it is bad and warn if something tainted lies up ahead."
Reverie nodded. "That too is a factor."

"I would say we go back the way we came from. That at least is a certain way out, is it not?" Reverie concluded.

 

[Crimson77]

The lady at the church left Xylia feeling very odd. She had the feel and aura of a leader but she was very intimidating and uncomfortable to be around. Xylia felt the need to stand straight, tall and confident in front of her; she felt judged. She ended up keeping her mouth shut, not wanting to spoil their chances seeing as they just got here.

Xylia hummed, walking around the estate of the place they were living in. Arven and Pamona had gone to settle some politics, so Xylia and the rest were on stand-by. She decided to find Deventh, as she had not visited him all of yesterday.

"I would assume all went well with the Leaders and people of this town?" Deventh questioned, seeing as all Xylia had done in the past twenty minutes was cleaning the saddles and humming odd hymns.

Xylia nodded, "Yes, t'ough I must add, I ave' never met people so rigid and masked." she stated bluntly. By which Deventh asked what was wrong. "I've never met a lady so filled with poise to the extent where the people around her feel the need to be as prim and proper as her, in a bad way at t'at." she ranted. Sighing and shaking her head, Xylia stopped and huffed once more, looking at Deventh. "Arven as' at least been seasoned with the team and w'at nots, I feel out of place. But I know I ave' to old' my own." she rolled her eyes as Deventh offered her 'the look'. Deventh nodded his head, and after exchanging a few words back and forth, he decided that he would go spread his wings for a bit. He asked if she would come along but she decided against, and he then suggested she go find some friends, nuzzled his head against her and left.

Xylia sighed once again, before leaving the stables and looking for more things to do.