The Blood That Binds Us

[Haru Nyan]

Fruits, eh? Yvette closed her eyes and nodded her head. Fruits are nice, Fruit Salad is even better, even though that wasn't exactly what the barbarian woman was fixing them all up, it was worth imagining nonetheless. Seeing Ivara get all pumped up and excited about actually cooking the stuff made Yvette's grin even bigger, a moment of reprieve is just what some of them needed and to see them all huddled together by the warmth of fire-or lack thereof-was a soothing thought.

Well, soothing for some of them. The wench watched as Ivara struggled to light the fire, thinking if she could use some help in igniting the thing but threw the box away in her anger. She murmured something unintelligible before asking Ophelia for help. What followed was an act of impromptu charades and magic tricks. With the Kinnon sibling hurting herself in the process, in that moment Yvette rushed to her side and gave a concerned look at her comrade. "Are you hurt?! Nothing too painful I hope?" she said before glancing at the fire that was now radiating with a glow that just made everything a little better. She sighed, telling Ophelia to take things easy and not herself any more than she has to, before standing up to retrieve some more wood from the surrounding area in case they needed it.

A couple of twigs here and there, some cracking under the heel of her boots, others in plain sight, maybe having to cut a few just make sure the o'l rapier was still sharp as ever. Returning to where their little camp site was, Yvette set aside her little treasure collection of twigs beside her as she sat down near the fire and began to gaze at it with a forlorn look in her eyes. Watching the tongues of flame dance as the wood cackled and cracked, she couldn't help but be so transfixed at it when it was just that; fire. She shook her head, trying to get her mind off of things better left unsaid and began to hum and sign a tune, a shanty from when she was still sailing the fair seas. Or rather what she remembered of it.

"The Diamond is a ship, me lads for the Dead Man's Strait she's bound. Captain Thompson gives the order to sail the ocean far and wide, where the sunrise never sets nor darkness dims the sky. So cheer up my lads, let your hearts never fail."

A song they would always sing during those tough times of uncertain, usually sung by the crew after an unsuccessful day or haul.​

 

[MixedUpGuy]

​

Hearing Ivara use her native tongue was a rarity among the group as she didn't talk too much about what her life was like before joining the party of adventurers or complainers pending the time of day. Didara himself didn't really care too much as he himself had grown accustomed to strange and foreign languages with his forte at taking in dead tongues from various parts of the world. Ribbi in a way was his mirror image as she had constantly mocked him for this talent, saying dead languages were a waste of time to know. Meanwhile, Didara cared little for foreign tongues that he hadn't learned yet that he felt wouldn't be of any use to him. Thinking of the hypocrisy to his own stance on the subject only made his mind twist on itself while a face of tired disinterest took over for the others to see.

Realizing that the tinderbox was pretty much useless to them now, it meant that the fairer of the Kinnons would have to do the honors. The mage watched as Ophelia broke out her fire magic and in the process burnt her hand before slamming the blade into the pit he had made earlier. The miscellaneous wood and twigs quickly took on the sparks that ignited them and the immediate warmth he felt took his mind off the hunger he felt in his gut. He let a smile escape his face as he looked at the fire before turning his attention to Ophelia and her injury. It looked a little bit sore, more than likely a blister or two would follow, but nothing that seemed to spell any serious injury down the road. Didara picked himself off of the ground and walked towards the wagon as he began looking around for some kind of salve to use.

Silas had tons of different concoctions in the wagon based on what Didara could pull from memory. Wagon greaser, small explosive mixtures, even an automatic hiccup inducing fizzy drink that even Didara was amazed that something that benign even had been thought of by someone. It was a great little trick to put in someone's pint or water glass and watch the hilarity ensue as the hiccups grew more violent and damn near possessive in nature, but the problem was that for all of these different things Silas had made for the party and admittedly for himself the one thing the alchemist never got around to doing was labeling the damn bottles.

There was clear ones, murky ones, bright ones and other bottles so heavy they might as well have been a rock rather than anything you could drink or pour on something. Because of that, Didara had no idea which ones were the medicine bottles and which ones weren't. Eventually an exasperated sigh left his throat as he looked back at the others at the fire.

"I'd get you something for those hands of yours Ophelia but there are so many different bottles in this wagon I don't know if the one I grab would be the one that would make the burning hurt less or which ones would actually set your hand completely on fire. I imagine you wouldn't want me to take that chance." The mage told his comrade as he went back to look in the wagon before waving it off with a huff and a quick smack of his staff on the side. As he got back to the group he slammed his stick on the ground and raised as small stone up so that he wouldn't have to drop all the way to the ground to take his seat. At that point, Yvette began singing a song to bring an end to the quiet that had been there for a short time. Watching the flames, Didara could almost swear they were moving to the beat of the song. He became lost in the moment, taking in the calming tune and the enticing fire that stood before him now.​

 

[Fox of Spades]

Kazimir was examining the strange, ruin-like symbols that had been etched onto the stone slabs when Ribibi pressed chunks of rotting wood into his hands. The wood was softy, mossy, and riddled with squirming bugs. He didn't have a problem with insects, they were cool little fellas, but eating them... well that was another story. He made a face as he imagined the crunching sound they would inevitably make when eaten. "Aw, shucks Ribibi, this is really sweet of you. I can't eat all of this on my own though." To be honest, he wanted to eat none of this on his own. Thankfully, Ryleigh's jests gave him the perfect idea.

"Really, I'm touched you guys care about me so much, Ry. So touched, I could cry. I have the best friends ever."

Once he'd finished his short spiel on friendship and what a lucky guy he was, Kaz sidled up to Ryleigh and swung an arm around the Kinon's shoulder. He was so excited to turn the tables, that he'd completely ignored the fact that Silas and Ryleigh were talking about traps and their safety. "I'm sure you're both hungry as well! It's been a long day after all, what with the cart and the hiking. Since we're such good friends, I want you two to have it." Immediately, he shoved one handful into Ryleigh's hand. The second handful went to Silas.

Happy to rid himself of the bug meal, Kaz broke into a grin. "Oh... I'm interrupting something important, aren't I? What were you guys saying? Something 'bout traps?" His eyes flitted from Silas to Ribibi. The latter, looked like she was examining the stones. "Do you think we should send out a flare?" Personally, he was all for going deeper into the woods and locating the cave before they summoned everyone else. "If Crowe's right, we should be able to find the crystals not much further up north. After that, we'll get to the cave then the Goblet. Easy peasy, uh, of course, only if Silas thinks the place isn't trapped or whatever."

Of course, his flippant attitude had gotten him into plenty of dangerous situations. So whether the group wanted to risk things or not, was up to them. Either way, they would get their hands on the artifact soon.

 

[ERode]

Traps? Ambushes?

Ribibi turned towards Ryleigh and Silas once more, before sniffing the air. The stench of rotwood was strong, but if there really was another Silas that wasn't a good Silas, she couldn't tell. No sharp, unnatural aroma undercutting the rot. And if they were really setting up an ambush…why would they walk around the area they planned on ambushing? A hunt required movement, but an ambush required patience.

She tilted her head to the side, wondering if Ryleigh used arrows because he was actually a big ol' bearded scaredy cat. It felt like things would be fine, essentially.

Yeah, there was definitely not going to be much of a problem in this situation.

"No flare, no ambush, and for traps…Ribibi can't smell not-Silas." She breathed in deeply once more. "Ivara's cooking is waiting. We gogogo."

 

[Bismarck]

Nikolai gave a soft sigh as he noted someone else hurting themselves...the end of the day was nearing, and soon he would be able to rest his mind, and body. Both of which helped him to cast his spells. Standing up, the Crusader tucked a large book under his arm, and approached Ophelia, "You really need to stop hurting yourself. I get the road is rough, but you don't need to try and get out of work, via self harm." The old man teased, as he waved his hand one more over the woman's burnt palm, a small bit of light leaving his hand again. Oddly his magic always had a bit of showmanship, as it twirled slowly around in its descent, before flattening out into a small pool along the woman's hand, and disappearing in the burnt flesh to heal it. "Best to keep you without injury. Hard to fight with a hand that won't grip something." He remarked, before stepping away to put his book in the cart.

"Now then, Ivara...I know we need to get rid of some of our food, that risks perishing in front of us. But as a proud warrior, I can't live off fruit and bread for the next few days." Nikolai said, as he went to the wagon to fetch his mace, however he pondered it for a moment, and grabbed his shield as well, deciding he would need both. Odd choices for a hunter, however he hunted prey beyond the capabilities of the normal man. And in particular, his tales of the dead wandering the lands kept him on edge. "Yvette, care to join me with one of those firearms of yours? Or even Diadra, you're starving aren't you, lay down your magic, and come catch food how they did before the arcane. Hell, Ophelia even your company would be appreciated." Nikolai listed off the three, being sure to toss in a jest at Diadra's reliance on Arcane magic. However, he left it up to the three to figure out who was going to follow him. Without much warning, Nikolai was heading off.

The Gods only knew, that if someone didn't accompany the proud, and usually aloof crusader nothing good would happen. He wasn't great with directions, or even keeping his own things in check. If he could lose a full suit of armor with ease, most would be sure he could lose himself just as quickly in the woods. But perhaps for different reasons, the undead he spoke of, that would bring fear to others, brought a certain light to his blue eyes. A memory, a spark, fading with time, of the good old days when the Crusaders were needed. Giving a sigh, he whispered a battle prayer of his order, "To battle I must march, watched by the spirits of the fallen. The vile shall not instill me with fear, but their wretched faces will give me courage. I will avenge those gone from this earth, by steel and fire. And in turn, I will protect those they tried to save. If I must join them, I will go with honor." As he finished, a small grin crossed his lips, as he waved an arm, his shield swinging, and cutting through the air. "Come on then one of my brave adventurers. Let us hunt. Ivara will have a feast ready for the return of our scouts, if we hurry up and find something to kill." Nikolai yelled, seeming more stalwart in his determination for this. Words would not sway him from his chosen path. Not unless those words were filled with enchanting magic, that could tear apart his somewhat strong mind. This was not just a trip to hunt beasts...but for the crusader a trip to hunt undead and evil. Even if they weren't there, it would help ease his nerves a bit. Besides how long had it been, since he last went on a hunt, or scouting trip without his armor? Perhaps four years now, it was time to test only his physical form, and his skill with a weapon. No more reliance on heavy armor.​

 

[LVL1337N00B]

[BCOLOR=transparent]

[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Back at Camp[/BCOLOR]​

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I'm fine"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], Ophelia said, following a sigh as Yvette rushed to her side. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Don't need it"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], she said to Didara, waving her uninjured hand dismissively as he offered a cure and soon retracted that offer, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"It's nothin' I ain't used to."[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] Finally, Nikolai made his way over[/BCOLOR] [BCOLOR=transparent]to her side, making quick work of healing her. Her head dropped and she sighed again, a bit heavier this time. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Seems a waste"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], she said, examining her hand after the magic had done its job, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Overusin' yer magic like 'at's prob'ly why y' look so old." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Excessive use of magical abilities probably didn't actually age a person prematurely, but it sounded almost like it could be a thing.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]All the concern shown to her was nice and all, but Ophelia didn't particularly enjoy worrying her companions. First the ankle and now the hand, maybe the next injury would be more dire. Thinking too much about it made the woman fret, but Yvette's jaunty little tune was distracting enough, moreso when paired with her own magical flames that now danced within Didara's pit. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Sorry"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], Ophelia said quietly, rubbing the back of her neck.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Sorry"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], she said again, more clearly this time, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"But I'll pass on huntin', Nik." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Ophelia looked down at her hand, running her fingers over where her self-inflicted injury had been. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"I just wanna rest a while, if y' don't mind"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], she said as she sat down by the fire, soon after laying down completely on her back with her hands under her head, crossing one leg over the other as she relaxed, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Next time, aye?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]

[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Headed for Trouble Probably[/BCOLOR]​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Ryleigh's face briefly scrunched up when the wood was placed into his hand, but that was about the extent of how much of his displeasure he'd show. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Y' can 'ave this back then I reckon, litt'ol one"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], he said, tossing the chunk of wood toward the person who brought it with them in the first place, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"Don't take me for no ingrate or nothin', I jus' ain't got no appetite roight this minute." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]She was probably the only one who'd really enjoy such a meal anyway, he thought.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I fink they's prob'ly folk waitin' fer us, yeah"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], the archer said, still thinking there'd be no way their crew was going to get in and out without any sort of trouble, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"That bein', I says we still go it on our own." [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]Ryleigh smirked as he flipped and caught the arrow he held a couple of times. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"We's capable enough with jus' us, aye?"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], he said, taking a quick look between each of his current party's members, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"We's got bombs. We's got knives. We's got arrows.."[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], he started listing off, gesturing to the wielders of each as he did so, then pointed at Ribibi, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"We's got a vicious mutt."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Ambush or no, ain't much folk got shite on us. We's a damned foine lot, I reckon- all masters of our crafts, aye?"[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent], he asked, his smirk stretching into a full and toothy grin as he worked their team up to be more impressive than it actually was, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]"So let's get a move on, daylight's wastin' an' as Bibi says, we's got proper edibles back at camp gettin' colder as we speak lads!"[/BCOLOR]

 

[Baddamobs]

​

Ivara had watched with rapt attention as Ophelia had cast her magic, the light and heat of the fire flashing into existence all at once causing her eyes to widen. She was still getting used to this whole 'magic' thing, and every time Ophelia or Didara did much of anything it caused a mixture of fascination and worry in Ivara. Worry that only seemed justified when Ophelia hissed and yanked her hand back from the spontaneous flame.

"Agh! Fockin' 'ell!"

"Bwah!?" Ivara half leapt back, worried that the fire pit would explode or something, though breathed easier when nothing of the sort happened.

"There. Fires fockin' started. Better go get some proper burnin' wood if'n y' want it t' last."

"R-right, thanks." Ivara coughed, somewhat embarrassed by her reaction. Glancing down at Ophelia's burnt hand, Ivara offered a sympathetic smile as she held up her own hand. Even a cursory glance could see that Ivara's fingers were marked by numerous cuts and burns, almost all of them from cooking related activities. "It looks like burns are an inevitable part of cooking, eh?"

As the others set about attending to Ophelia, Ivara quickly ducked into woods to gather some kindling for the fire. Her search was cut more than a little bit short thanks to her paranoia of being a separated from the group, but she managed to grab a respectable armful before she had returned. It seemed Yvette had helped to gather some burnable wood as well, and between the two of them they should hopefully have enough to last for a couple of hours at least.

That sorted out, Ivara set about actually getting ready to get the food together. Laying down a clear tarp on the ground next to the fire, Ivara looked over her equipment; one heavily marked chopping board, several battered tin plates, a few knives and other cutlery, a spit, and what looked like a bowl with legs which was used to cook everything the spit couldn't. It wasn't exactly high grade, but these tools got the job done.

As Ivara was getting her ingredients sorted out (idly taking a bite out of the fruit Ribibi had gathered earlier and wincing when it was a lot more sour than she expected), a voice drifted over her.

"The Diamond is a ship, me lads for the Dead Man's Strait she's bound. Captain Thompson gives the order to sail the ocean far and wide…"

Ivara's movements slowed to a halt, and she glanced at Yvette out of the corner of her eye. The woman looked like she was miles away. Her green seemed like they were barely seeing the fire she was looking at, no doubt becoming lost in recalling some long ago event.

Ivara had never asked what had happened to Yvette in the past, never fully. She had picked up bits and pieces based on conversations that passed between Kazimir and Yvette, but had never worked up the courage to ask anything directly. Though, considering how forlorn the woman looked, maybe that was for the best…

The ex-amazon shook herself, refocusing on the task at hand. At some point Didara had joined in sitting around the fire, sitting on a seat of earth of his own making. This meant that Nikolai was the only one not sitting around the magically-created flame. Where was that crusader, anyway?

"Now then, Ivara...I know we need to get rid of some of our food, that risks perishing in front of us. But as a proud warrior, I can't live off fruit and bread for the next few days."

"Oh shi…" Ivara twisted around and, true to her fears, the warrior was retrieving his equipment from the wagon. "W-wait, Mentor! If you really want some like that, we have preserved meat in the wagon, there's really no need to-…Annnd, he's gone."


Ivara sighed as the warrior-priest faded into the tree line, soon out of sight. It was bad enough a part of their merry band had already detached and was beyond reach, but the last thing they needed was to further split the party. If there really was something stalking them through these woods, they were probably in utter glee about how the group seemed to insist on splitting apart. Bah, whatever. If the crusader insisted on hunting rabbits in the dark, who was she to stop him?

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Ivara consider her options. The fruit that Ribibi had gathered had been a lot more sour than she had expected, but she could probably still make something of it. She wondered if, instead of cooking it directly, she could use the juices and flavours it made to…hmm…And she did have a couple of persevered vegetables in the wagon…

As Ivara set about to work, she glanced across the fire, seeing that Ophelia had made herself comfortable next to the fire. Seeing as her brother was safely out of earshot and that Ivara could talk and work at the same time, now seemed like as good as any other time to start probing the fire mage.

"So, uh, Ophelia," Ivara coughed out trying to act as casual as possible as she asked "how did…How was it growing up with your brother?"

 

[Haru Nyan]

​

Yvette snapped out of her trance when she saw the bulwarkian approach their wagon and brandishing his mace and shield once more, asking her to join in a little hunting session. The wench mulled it over for a moment, her aim wasn't the best there is and with the sun having set and the clouds darkening by the minute, it didn't seem like a good idea. But she could use the practice, with luck they'll hunt down an elk or deer and keep themselves full. That and it seemed like a much better idea than sulking around reminiscing about days that have gone past, even if they were rosy and peachy-keen. "I'm not as good as my darlin' but I sure I'll measure up to you." She said while preparing and looking over her things. The o'l crusader giving another prayer, just as a mouthful as the rest of them, and they began to set off. "That had better be a promise." She said in reply to Ophelia's little parting message.

A thing struck Yvette odd for a moment as they trudged through the beaten path of the forest, and she just couldn't let it pass by over her. "What, that armor of yours getting too hot or are you intentionally doing this for your own amusement, Nikolai?" She cast a confused gaze at the man. Looking back at his piece of armor, it would be understandable, Yvette chuckling at herself as she imagined herself wearing the same thing. Chances are she would've died of a heat stroke than at the hands of some foul, undead beast. As the uneventful walking continued, the wench decided to strike a conversation with the man, get to know him better and all that. There WAS another quandary that had muddled her for a while now. "So, is there any real reason you're scared of taverns? There some sort of childhood trauma sob story I should be worried about?"

 

[MixedUpGuy]

​

Watching Yvette and Nikolai disappear into the forest in the distance only made Didara laugh. "Right, because I would be useful when hunting an elk. Honestly I feel like the best way for me to join in the hunt would be to wait for the deer to run off, raise a large wall of stone and let the thing crash into it. Saves an arrow or two in the end in my mind." He joked as he just stared off into the fire as he waited to see what Ivara would prepare from what all the crew had collected in the wagon over their journey. He took in a large breath of air and let out a sigh as he waited to see if he could either help with the food or simply pick up his plate while the others went about their work.

It was at that point that Ivara decided to strike up a conversation with Ophelia about her time around her brother. Childhood probing I suppose. Ivara was from a land many had no idea about or how it all worked within the Amazon culture to be quite frank. To her, everyone in the party was a strange outsider whom she still didn't have a hundred percent understanding about. Add onto that her alienation of magic from her culture made himself, Ophelia and the other magic wielders of their party quite bizarre compared to those she had been around growing up more than likely. Still seeing Ivara attempt to strike up a conversation like this was funny to Didara as she always seemed to be stepping over glass on her way to her inquiries.

Smiling to himself, Didara adjusted his weight onto his staff in his seated position. He looked at Ivara with a chuckle and shook his head. "I don't know if Ophelia is gonna say much to you Ivara. She hardly says much to me about her past as it is when I ask things like that. Still waiting on a true teaching session on how to use that fire magic of her's. All I've gotten is a few passive mentions of the importance of focusing and other things like that. Never anything about how to actually conjure up the stuff." Didara said with a raised eyebrow towards the Kinnon in question, a smile still on his face.

Truth be told he would love to hear some stories from the childhood of the two loudmouth siblings, but he felt he should also mention how he still was waiting for her to share some of those secrets she had on fire magic. To this point he hadn't gotten much but he certainly wasn't going to stop prodding until he at least got one decent set of steps to follow for himself. His smile showed playfulness but his mind raced with curiosity and a slight hint of impatience. Perhaps that was his crankiness from lack of food, which his body reminded him of with another loud grumble that caused him rub his stomach like some angry cat scratching at his leg for attention.​

 

[Fox of Spades]

Ruins → Cave

Silas didn't seem to have any qualms about the area, so Kaz nodded his head in agreement. "Right, can't let Ivara's cooking go cold, that'd be a terrible crime." He wasn't exaggerating, before she came along, he and Yvette had stuck to living off the land. The ex-pirate was an okay cook, and he had some tricks up his own sleeves as well, but Ivara's cooking... it had been love at first spoonful.

With the promise of food in mind (and Ryleigh's encouragements), there was no way things wouldn't go their way.

"Right you are, Ry. We're masters of our crafts, unstoppable adventurers!" And because Ribibi thought he was some sort of awesome master thief, he took the time to flex and strike a pose. Kaz even had the time to grin before he began making his way towards the stone monoliths. "Crowe said the cave would be up north," he reminded as the group continued to treck on.

There were no signs of enemies or traps, and eventually the foliage grew thin, giving way to blue crystals on the dry ground.

The crystals stuck out of the ground, and each of them shone a soft, pastel blue. They were scattered into two lines that seemed to form a path walk of sorts, and the path, lead to a cave in the distance. The entrance, like the crystals, shone blue.

"Crowe was right," Kaz mumbled as he eyed their surroundings. "We should alert the others." He looked to Silas, hoping the alchemist would have a flare or some discreet way of contacting their friends. "In the meanwhile, let's look around."

 

[Bismarck]

Nikolai shook his head a bit about the second question, however the first one he was quicker to answer since it was a much easier one to explain, "Mostly my own amusement...I've learned over many ears how to control my body temperature under all that armor, I rarely even sweat while in that heavy suit." He explained, shaking his head a bit, however he waited for a moment to think over his opinion, and perhaps fear of taverns. Pondering a bit, he tapped his mace again a tree or two while walking, boots softly hitting the ground as he looked for any sort of prey, that would be interesting.

"I wouldn't say I'm afraid of taverns for the reasons you may think. I love to drink, that's why I keep my own alcohol hidden in a hollowed out book. Mostly because I don't want one of the twins to die drinking it, it's a very special brew from my homeland." Nikolai explained, reaching a hand up to rub his beard a bit, stroking the white hair in thought, "Perhaps it's more a fear of the people. I was raised in a small church, around perhaps twenty people at most, all quiet, and reserved. Not loud, boisterous, and drunk." The crusader continued, walking a bit slower to enjoy the conversation for longer.

"I worry about getting into fights, and having to slip into the ways my people are know for. I come from a land, of fighters, barbarians, drinkers, sailors, warriors. They are not noble, but they are brave, I strive to be both...but I revert to that purely brave state sometimes. It's in my blood to." Nikolai explained, as he leaned up against a tree to stop and think, "I've never seen my homeland before Yvette, and sometimes I wish I could. Ivara reminds me of what I could have been. A barbarian, not a noble knight. And some days I wish for that, some days being this perfect image of holy protection is stressful. But I understand my duties now, and forever..." The crusader finished his small rant, as he slumped down to sit, seeming to want a moment to meditate. And think of things. He leaned his head back against the tree, looking up at the darkening sky over head.

"Perhaps after this I will leave for my homeland, in search of my lost home and family. My lost heritage. Perhaps I was destine to be a craftsman, or a greatsword warrior. A brutal berserker. And yet I will never know, because I was taken as a child into my order, which I'm thankful, and resentful for all at once." As the crusader finished his sentence, he stood up, and took to walking again. His shoulder still looking proud, but his face a bit more expressionless, and plain. Rarely did he give away his personal feelings. However it seemed right to get all of his current issues off of his chest.

 

[KageKaioh]

Silas's eyes never stopped moving as they entered the thick foliage. He was not on edge, exactly, but he was not keen on letting anything get the jump on them. He half-listened as his companions idly chatted, until Kaz halted. As they were pointed out, the alchemist's eyes dropped to the tracks they had begun to walk over. They seemed fresh... well, he assumed they were, as he was not trained in the art of wilderness tracking. He stepped more cautiously now, booted feet making barely a sound on the leaf-littered path.

Just as things were getting serious, the ever-innocent Ribibi broke the tension with the offering of bugs to his fellow thief. His cheeks blew out as he tried to contain a laugh, resulting in him blowing a raspberry before breaking into a bright chuckle. He was going to prod Kaz into tasting the creepy-crawlies when he was handed half of the rotted wood. Well, there goes that fun.

As for Ryleigh's question, he first pouted a bit. If he was more competent? He was plenty competent! "There are a 'alf a dozen traps I could set up right where you are standin'." He said indignantly. "There are basic traps that trigger with twine, trip wires, bait, and pressure. Plus, there are magic traps that react ta motion and heat. Why, you could be one step away from walkin' inta a spike pit or a glyph that lights you on fire." He continued, plucking a beetle from his piece of wood and popping it in his mouth. Crunching down, his face screwed up in disgust. "Ugh. Bitter."

After that, he turned to Kaz as he asked him to put up a flare. "Er... 'bout that..." He was cut off by Ribibi claiming they did not need a flare or such things, as there was no "not Silas" here. That earned a chuckle from the alchemist, as the idea of another him was quite fun... and potentially disastrous. He did have to agree with her statement of food, though. He was never one to miss out on Ivara's cooking, even if he got less than the others.

After a short while of checking out the strange, crumbling stones and pillars, there was the discussion of what to do. Apparently, sending up a flare was still on the menu, and now Ryleigh was singing praises of their skills are a foursome. Sil crossed his arms at that, still offended by the boisterous man's previous questioning of his skills. He could not help but be flattered, though, and what he was saying made the small alchemist eager to forge ahead. He bounced on his heels as they made the decision to go further into the ruins.

As the crystals came into view, his eyes widened with awe. "Whoa." He said softly, reaching out to touch one. He nearly did, until Kaz reminded him of the flare. "Oh, uh... right. As I tried ta say earlier, I don't... actually have somethin' like a flare... or the components ta make one. So... unless this cave has nitre, pyrite and magnesium, we are kinda outta luck." He explained a tad sheepishly, hands folded behind his back.

 

[LVL1337N00B]

Following Some Shiny Rocks
​

"It don't matter", Ryleigh said as he followed the rest of their crew, his eyes caught by the crystals indicating their path, "They moight take it wrong noways, what with how we ain't decided on no signals or nothin', loike 'one flare good, two flares bad' sorta shite." Point or no, he was probably wrong in that it didn't matter. The others back at camp would most likely appreciate some sort of indication that the away team weren't all rotting in the middle of the woods. Not that the thought hadn't crossed Ryleigh's mind, he just wouldn't ever say as much. Can't have his companions thinking he's soft or anything like that. "We'll pop in an' out real quick-like, aye? See what's what an' regroup."

The longer they walked toward the cave ahead, the more entranced by the crystals the archer became. After nearly stumbling as a result of rubbernecking at a particularly pretty rock, he must have gained some awareness of the fact. "They's somethin' 'bout these rocks, ain't it? All magic an' what-not", he said, forcing his attention away from the crystals and toward the path ahead of them. There were more crystals in the distance though. "Wonder if they's got some kinda witch curse on 'em what makes weaker-willed folk get distracted and forget about th' cup?"​

Hanging Around a Magical Fire
​

Ophelia tapped an index finger against her nose, one eye closed and the other glancing toward Didara. "Can't go givin' away all my secrets, y' know that", she said with a playful smirk that should have made it overly obvious that she was messing with the mage. Knowing her though, it wouldn't be surprising if he believed her completely. "But I'll tell y' one thin', so listen' well, aye?", she added, turning her head slightly to look more toward him, "Magic fires is hotter when yer thinkin' 'bout takin' revenge or ruttin'." That ought to be good enough for now, she thought. She'd mess with the mage some more later on.

On to Ivara now, who had inquired about life with a brother. She stared straight up as she thought on the question, lips pursed and eyes flitting about across the treetops and the little bits of sky peeking from in between them. A long hum escaped her, eventually trailing off before she formulated a proper answer. "Can't really compare it to no other kinda family situation, but I reckon it ain't too much different than growin' up with a sister", she said, pausing for a moment to reconsider as soon as the words came out of her mouth, "Maybe 'cept that we was more into heroes an' roughhousin' than pretty dresses an' whatever the fock else girly shite." The white haired Kinnon grinned after a brief moment of reminiscing in silence, remembering in particular how often her brother would get into fights on her behalf. Fights she'd sometimes instigate by getting other boys mad at her, just for the fun of watching. "Violent twat, that Ryleigh. Used to get into fights with fellas twice his size", she said, conveniently leaving out the reason for that, "All in all it weren't too bad."

When she was done talking about life with her brother, Ophelia turned her gaze from the sky to Ivara and asked, "So, 'ow was life with nothin' but clams all about y'?"​

 

[ERode]

​

"Ooooooh," Ribibi applauded as the master phantom thief, wielder of the hands of the trickster god, descendant of the legendary star-stealer, pulled off an all too dramatic, all too fascinating pose. Yup, with Kaz on their side, there wasn't anything the non-existent not-Silas, or any other sort of danger, could do to the four of them!

Greenery gave away to plain old dirt, and soon after, crystals, glowing in the dimming light, emerged, illuminating the cave before them. Mesmerized by the strange, curiousities, Ribibi crouched before one of them, trying to see what exactly made them glow. Were there fireflies in there? Was it actually just on fire? She poked one cluster with her finger. Cold to the touch. Not just on fire then. Fireflies inside? Ribibi uprooted a fist-sized rock and smashed it a couple of times against the crystal. It chipped, but didn't break.

Just meant she had to try harder then.

A couple louder thwacks made the crack, and soon, she had three pieces of crystal broken off from the main growth and no fireflies to show for it. Strange, if it wasn't fire and it wasn't fireflies, then what was…

"They's somethin' 'bout these rocks, ain't it? All magic an' what-not."

…magic!

Ribibi remembered Kaz saying something about how Ivara's cooking was magic! Which meant that this should also be delicious! Popping a smaller shard into her mouth, she tried chewing a few times, gave up on that, and just swallowed it down instead. That hurt as well though, and Ribibi grimaced painfully as it went down her throat. The only thing she tasted was cold. Not tasty. Not even smooth.

"Not magic," she replied, discarding the chunks of slowly-fading crystals, "Doesn't taste good. Let's go gobble it."

 

[MixedUpGuy]

​

Watching the rather pale girl tap her nose to him and give him a long extended wink, Didara knew that whatever the girl was going to say was going to throw him even further off the trail of understanding her bloody magic. Ophelia was such a tease about it and he never understood why. He loved playing games and being a jokester as much as the next person, but if someone was asking him on how to do his magic he'd grant them a small lesson if they were willing to hear him out. Magic was always something that Didara thought should be shared between all mages. Nik's miracles included, though admittedly the mage had little interest in the magic the clerics had to offer him.

Then the moment he knew was coming. Revenge or rutting. Didara's face sagged to the most unimpressed scowl he has probably ever given to any one person in his life as he nodded. As expected, something absurd and ridiculous. No way in the world did magic directly have an influence through emotions. Not from what Didara had learned during his time in his small circle. The sad thing is, he set himself up for the joke and now he had to pay the price for his own doing.

Listening to Ophelia talk about her growing up made him laugh as she reminisced about Ryleigh picking fights with people twice his size. Sounded like the same person, so nothing appeared to have change much over the years for Ryleigh. In a way that was good, because it meant that no matter the dangers he would be willing to face them head on for the protection of the group. Who knows what Didara would do in situations like that. Probably create a hole and try to hide in it long enough for whatever was attacking him to just forget about him entirely.

Then the question of past went over to Ivara, who was never one to talk much about her Amazon background as a whole. As rare as it was to hear her speak in her native language it was even more so to hear her speak of home. Didara couldn't think of a single moment where Ivara talked about her Amazonian culture at length for any amount of time. It was usually passively pushed aside with a small tidbit of info and then dropped. Didara turned to the Amazon as he too waited to see what all Ophelia would get in response to her query.​

 

[Haru Nyan]

Yvette raised an eyebrow and looked at the man with a doubtful expression laid on her face, how does one even control their own body temperature? That some trade Crusader secret or innate skill they just happen to have and hone throughout the years? Either way, she wants in on that skill. The conversation shifted into the whole tavern thing and the ambiance suddenly got a little more serious. The wench stopped on her tracks as she began to take a moment to listen to Nikolai's story.

Church, huh? Yvette sighed as the crusader had revealed more of his own personal strife and she could feel a tinge of regret for making light of a situation that must have been quite touchy. She could somewhat understand him though, the pressure of trying to be someone you're not, the fact that you have to keep playing a facade whether you like it or not. Yeesh, everything just became a little somber now. Maybe she could've asked something else but at the same time, she was engrossed in his little tale, even symapthizing with him a bit. Home...The word just struck her like a chord and she closed her eyes, the only thing that came to her mind was the Captain's Ship and his crew, that was home and that was her family. "Well, we can search together. We've both lost something but we're kindred spirits you and I. We'll find them, some day I hope."

With a slight hop in her step Yvette began to walk with the crusader deeper in the depths of the forest. The mood becoming slightly more optimistic, the wench asked the crusader what he had planned to hunt.​

 

[Baddamobs]

​

"Can't really compare it to no other kinda family situation, but I reckon it ain't too much different than growin' up with a sister" A pause. "Maybe 'cept that we was more into heroes an' roughhousin' than pretty dresses an' whatever the fock else girly shite."

Two things came to Ivara's mind.

A) A hilarious image of Ryleigh wearing a dress suddenly came to mind. Ivara half wondered if it was possible to convince a drunken Ryleigh into one.

B) She had never actually worn a dress herself. Her tribe's idea of 'formal wear' had involved a lot more ceremonial paint and animal bone than actual clothing. While it wouldn't be as practical as her usual outfit, Ivara made a mental note to get a dress with the reward they would get from this job: more than anything else, she was curious.

"Violent twat, that Ryleigh. Used to get into fights with fellas twice his size. All in all it weren't too bad."

"I know that feeling…" Ivara muttered, more to herself, although she wasn't sure which part of the conversation she was responding to.

"So, 'ow was life with nothin' but clams all about y'?"

"Hmm? Clams? No, we lived in more of forested area, and pretty far from any body of water. Probably a good thing too, because sea food was never the most popular-…" Ivara thought about Ophelia's question some more, and slapped a gauntleted hand against her now red face. "…let me start over."

How had it been to live among her sisters? It had been exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure: there was always such a sense of life in the camp, no matter the day or season, but there had always been a lingering fear that today would be the day it all went wrong. The tribe had made a lot of enemies, and it was easy to imagine that there would come a day that Ivara would wake up only to find that her home had been set alight around her. Ivara supposed that didn't exactly answer Ophelia's question about her sisters exactly, though.

"…It had been difficult, in many ways. Every member of the tribe had seemed so impossibly strong, that I often felt like a mere babe when compared to them. They weren't shy about letting me know that being my mother's daughter wouldn't exempt me from their judgement either." Despite her words, Ivara felt a small smile creep onto her face. "But my sisters also showed me a great deal of charity. Despite being such a burden, many would go out of their way to help me, and for all their cruel words they seemed to equally be in the habit of picking me up when I fell."

Ivara's hands stilled, and her smile faded.

"I…suppose my own efforts never measured up though."

Ivara fell silent, and the sound of the wood snapping in the fire pit was the only sound in the camp for a few moments.

Fire.

There had been fire on the day she had left, too. Two braziers had stood on either side of the camp's entrance, illuminating the faces of her tribe sisters. Ivara couldn't recall their expressions clearly; she had been too focused on her mother's impassive gaze. Her mother had looked so cold that day, as if the towering warrior had been completely incapable of emotion. If she had felt any remorse, Ivara didn't see any in the way she had simply pointed to the forest's exit, and order her child to make haste.

Ivara had been her only daughter at the time. The ex-Amazon wondered if she had any more children now. Wondered if she was happier now…

Ivara suddenly became aware of her own silence, and that the others were still looking right at her.

"Egh, s-so anyway, foods nearly ready." Ivara coughed. She hadn't meant to say so much; it had just kind slipped out of her. Reaching for another topic, Ivara turned to the mage of the group. "Hey, Didara, what was it like for you growing up?"

 

[Fox of Spades]

"Right, I forgot, you kind of need materials to make flares," Kaz pouted. This meant they'd have to walk all the way back to camp to tell the others about the cave, but on the bright side, it meant they'd be able to eat whatever Ivara was cooking up and rest their weary heads for the night. After traveling all day, it wasn't a bad idea.

Ryleigh started joking about cursed crystals and Kaz scrunched up his nose and laughed. "Heh, when the others get there we'll be mindless zombies. I reckon Crowe would warn us of such things, but—Ribibi, don't eat that... and she ate it." Despite his usual carefree nature, Kaz's big brother instincts kicked in and strode towards the wildling to take whatever crystals remained. She disposed of them before he could reach her, but the concerned expression Kaz wore made him look like he'd eaten something horribly sour. Ribibi had already lost interest in the glowing rocks, but he expressed his concerns anyway.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll go get the Goblet. But hey, Ribibi, don't go eating strange rocks, okay? Ryleigh's ideas are usually bad," he paused to flash the archer an innocent grin. "But he could be right, they could be cursed. You'll never know." He ruffled the wildling's hair then began making his way towards the cave's entrance. "Let's go."

The cave's interior was nothing short of ominous, what with the glowing stalactites and stalagmites and the moss covered walls. It was bright thanks to the glow of the crystals and the cave stretched on and on, eventually leading to a small hole in the wall. It was large enough for people to crawl through if they wished, but they would have to go one at a time.

The blue glow emanating from the hole indicated that there were more crystals inside, they would have to go deeper, but not tonight. "I'm guessing we'll find the Goblet inside. If it's there at all." He shrugged. "We should head back for now. Any of you find anything interesting?" Aside from glowing rocks, the place was quiet... too quiet.

 

[KageKaioh]

Silas gave a nod to Ryleigh. He had a point, with no predetermined signals talked out, who knows what the others might think if they saw a flare or heard an explosion. With that being dealt with, he started investigating the cluster of crystals next to him. Already his mind was churning, trying to determine the properties of the stone, and wondering what it may be useful for. If they kept their glow, he could make up a new glow powder.... He was distracted by his thoughts as a loud crack rung through the air. He whipped around, hand on his pouch, only to find Ribibi bashing away at one of the crystals.

"Ribibi, no! You could-" His words died in his throat as she successfully broke off a handful of shards... and promptly put one in her mouth. His eyes went wide as he watched her swallow it down. That had to hurt, and it would cause a lot more pain in a short while. Bodies are not meant to have sharp things in them- that was why people bled when you stabbed them. While Kaz scolded the wildling, Sil was already rummaging through the pouch at his side, brows furrowed with worry. He hoped he had some Alchemist's acid on him- it was something that usually stayed with his lab kit, but he knew they would be coming across new stone.

A few seconds later, he triumphantly grasped a small vial with a pale purple liquid inside. There was not much, but it would be plenty to dissolve the small shard she swallowed. Quick steps brought him to RIbibi's side as he uncorked the vial. "Here Ribibi, drink this- it tastes much better than th' shiny rock." Well, that was a lie, but the wildling was incredibly gullible. If she refused, he would just have to pretend to take a sip and act like it was delicious. It would probably be plenty to convince her to drink it.

 

[Bismarck]

Nikolai gave a soft shrug, "Undead mostly. The deer, and rabbits were just bonuses for me." He said plainly with a little chuckle, as they continued to hunt. Once they finished of course, he managed to snag up a deer, and dragged it with him back to camp. After all, there was no point to waste any more time. However he did ask Yvette for directions every now and then, as he seemed a bit lost again, like he normally was.

Approaching the camp, he raised an arm in victory, "I Told you I would get one!" Nikolai cried with pride, as he finished dragging it in, and set it by the fire. "One prime Buck, ready for a feast. We'll all eat like kings tonight, before we go venture into a cave, to fight all kinds of beasts!"