It took a minute for the pair to come around to the sudden influx of beings, was this place going to be big enough? They wondered, a brief moment of doubt that perhaps it would be better to leave the inn now and head back into the forest. "Think about it." Balian began, looking into his tankard and sloshing the ale inside around, "All of these beings, some of the likes we've never even seen." he indicated towards the gathering hall of the building with a turn of his head, he spotted all sorts and a thin, fascinated smile began to form. "How big must that damned forest be if they've all arrived here as well and we didn't come across..." He paused, locking eyes with his sister as her gaze lifted from the tavern table-top to meet his. "Or even heard any of the others?"

Ruehar stewed over it for a moment, "Or, maybe it's Magick.", the look on Balian's face said that he had thought of it too but found the idea to be unlikely. In all the years he had known his sister, Magick, magic (or anything else it is called by around the world), was something he would never know in full. "I mean, in all the time we've been in those woods how many times did we feel like we were going in circles?" Balian's gaze narrowed and his head cocked a little, intrigued by his sister's hypothesis. "I'm telling you now Balian, that forest is full of Magick, but it's not waiting to be tapped into. It's almost as if it doesn't want you to find something and it changes itself... Somehow..." Ruehar felt like she might be crazy or at least that's how she perceived Balian as seeing her. "The Drakenwald is ever-changing, it shifts around. Who knows how long we were in there or even how far we are from Burr Oak Barrows now."

Balian nodded and took one large gulp, finishing his drink before resting the empty tankard on the table. "Alright." He replied, sitting in silence for a moment, "In that case we're probably never going to run into those dirty witch-hunters again." Balian grinned at his sister who smiled in return, however he couldn't help but feel a little bitter that he would most likely never see home again, if his sister was right.

---

The siblings had been sitting quietly, not even piping a word to each other. Now on their second or third drink, Balian would have to chat with the barkeep later he thought to himself. It was the nicest ale that ever graced his lips, a subtle sweetness helped to negate the bitterness he was familiar with. Balian was about to concur with his sister on her hypothesis of the forest but was distracted by a pleasant but smokey smell permeating through the bar. "Do you smell that?" He asked before spotting the source of the smell. The first thing he noticed was the beaked mask, long-coat, hat and of course the thurible. The man, or at least Balian assumed it was male had a look about him that screamed trouble. "What do you think?" He beckoned his sister to look, "One of them?", this time the words sounded more like a snarl, Balian's hand ready on his dagger, not wanting to draw too much attention by reaching for the crossbow.

"I don't know..." She replied, sinking into her seat grip tight on her staff.

"Ah, so you're misinformed, then." Rebecca shook her head. "You don't have to sell your soul to become a lich. You just have to find a way to keep it in your body when you die. I used mystical sigils, but there are several ways to do it."

She shrugged. "In any case, what's done is done. Let me buy you a drink, friend." She took out a small silver coin and laid it on the bar. "If the house has any specialties, give him one. If not, give him a goblet of Kalasian spicewine. I'll take the latter myself." She smiled. "There's nothing better than spicewine after a long day on the road."

@shagranoz
Frederick's confusion grew as h listened to the lich's words. Keeping the soul intact, and retaining it beyond death? Sheanos would never allow that to happen under the watchful gazes of her servants. Nor did the half-elf recognize the name of the drink the lich had ordered, despite it being mundane enough to order as a common drink. As well, her declaration to partake in drink conflicted with the Order's teachings, compiled over millenias. Liches could not partake in earthly foods, their demonic halves would reject the earthly products and cause pain and nausea to the lich.

"Kalasian? What madness do you speak undead, there is no place in the five continents named Kalas." Frederick said, looking at the Lich strangely, before pulling his butterfly necklace over his head and placing it on the bar. Muttering a prayer to the Goddess Caess, he pumped a small bit of his energy into the sigil. Four beams of light sprang from the butterfly's wingtips, and outlined an empty rectangle. Slowly, shapes began to form in the empty space, five distinct outlines glowed in the empty air, a map to the half-elf's home.

@The One

Pozuzy would notice Po, the raven, investigating his form curiously. He cocked and twisted his neck, looking over the sin demon with powerful, blue eyes. However, the raven didn't make so much as a single call. Dr. Rudhale did not requiring Po's assistance in identifying full demons. The demon's greeting would immediately be followed by an intense burning of the bottom of his feet, as if flesh came in contact with lye. Wherever Pozuzy hobbled about on the doctor's clothing, the burning sensation would continue. "You will not play games with me, Imp, I hope this is understood," Thomas said. The doctor had somehow infused his clothing with properties that are repellant to demons, though Pozuzy had no idea as to what those might be. "Apologies for the burning, you were too swift for warning," Thomas said. The doctor reached into his leather suitcase and Pozuzy would hear a snap coming from its depths. Rising back to full height, Dr. Rudhale held a bead of charcoal between his pointer finger and thumb. "Ingest this and your burns will remedy themselves, so long as you abstain from my clothing." Thomas rolled the charcoal between his fingers. "O, but I do have some questions. Who is your birthright; only the greatest demons are capable of natural reproduction. Furthermore, what does that rotting smell mean to you? I'll inform you that these answers are quite important to me," Thomas said. He did not seem to guard the charcoal in any manner; Pozuzy was free to take it anytime he wished.

@Irisity (Eslea)

Once Dr. Rudhale had finished with Pozuzy, he returned his attention to Eslea. The bird mask nodded and Thomas scratched the side of its beak, pondering for a moment. He looked about the room, noting the exotic characters that had gathered. A muffled voice came from inside the thick clothing. "Curious. I am Dr. Rudhale, though you may call me Thomas," Thomas paused once again. "I have only ever heard mention in archaic literature of such fantastical races. Where I come from, humans and demons were predominant. A dwarf or an elf was cause for a crowd to form," Thomas said. "And now... this." Thomas waved a gloved hand about the room: dragons, dryads, ogres, elves, and undead took refuge. "Something has gathered us here, whether that thing is of malevolent or benevolent intent I seek to find out," Thomas said. In his speech, the doctor had lost eye contact. He regained it, shaking his head. "My apologies, I ignore your concerns. Tell me more about this war," Thomas said, rather intrigued.

@SmileyJaws

The brother and sister at the table would note that the plague doctor looked about the room often, and paused ever so momentarily in Ruehar's specific direction. Each time, without fail. Though, they would both notice he paused in direction and on multiple characters within the inn. He appeared to chat with a small demon that hopped along his beak, and a larger framed elf with rounded ears. Whether it was paranoia or a keen eye, they would both note he was investigating Ruehar, in a sense, from those bottomless eye pits. As if clockwork, the raven on the bird-like figure's shoulder turned in one hopping motion. His head cocked and twisted sporadically, powerful, blue eyes investigating Balian. Though, the black bird made not a peep. Were it coincidence?

Eslea

Eslea was surprised by Thomas's (@Whimsley) fascination with the multiple races, but she understood it quite well. As a girl growing up in the orphanage, she only ever made contact with dryads, the common species of elf, and the occasional human. Most of the children were bastard half breeds of high ranking common elves or human, as they thought she was human at the time. When she was first exposed to the battle field, she got a taste of other creatures; she saw banshees, water nymphs, night elves, and she swore she even saw a troll at one point.

She was somewhat weary of his words of fate, but did not let it on. Eslea did not believe in any fate or divine being controlling all their lives. Coincidence, she told herself.

The warrior was surprised at the question of the war. Most knew about it or never cared to ask when she told them. "The night elves and the dryads use to have good relations; they respected each other's boundaries and abilities. I was very young when the war first started, almost four. The dryads supposedly kidnapped a night elf child of high ranking. War has been raging to get that little brat back ever since, though I am not sure they are a little brat anymore." Maybe they died out on the battle field and didn't even know it, she thought to herself. It was outlandish but everybody had already guessed it. That child was probably already dead.

"What about you? Are your people unified?" She asked, returning the kindness Thomas had shown her.

Now it was Rebecca's turn to be confused. That map was completely unfamiliar to her, and five continents? She knew of seven or eight, depending on how one counted. Then in a flash of insight, she got her answer... which raised more disturbing questions.

"My gods, this inn... no, this whole bloody forest is a confluence point! And a massive one, too!" Rebecca's eyes lit up. There was nothing she loved more than studying and explaining magical theory. "I don't know what they call them where you're from, but confluence points are places where various planes rub against each other, for lack of a better term. Interplanar travel is much easier in them; you can do it without even realizing it. And that must be what happened here." She closed her eyes, meditating for a few seconds. "I can feel them. Hundreds of different realities, all meeting right here." Rebecca shook her head, unnerved by the realization. "This explains so much. The strange distances, why we seem to come from different worlds; it all makes sense now."

@Irisity@Whimsley

Pozuzy

Pozuzy felt the burns and quickly flew up, then when the bread was offered he grabbed it and used his illusion magic to make the bread look like worms. He laughed before eating the bread quickly. He then tilted his head hearing the questions that the doctor had asked him.

"Pozuzy does not know his parents, the rotting smell? It is fun! It scares and frightens others. I like frightening others! Pranks and tricks, that's what Pozuzy's all about!"

He giggled and flew around some more. Pozuzy got in Eslea's face and stared her in the eyes before giggling like a five year old with a candy bar. He waved his hand before a couple of night elves walked in. Of course, it was just an illusion just to scare her but, as long as it worked. He giggled again before pointing them out.

"Night elves, night elves!"

He flew around her and sat upon the table watching what she did closely. It was clear that Pozuzy was still just a mere child demon, even though he was quite old compared to humans.

@Irisity

Titan

Titan grabbed to large cups of ale before chugging both down in seconds. He then let out a large burp which would reek the area. He then turned to the woman.

"Titan has never been there. I lived within the dark swamp, eating human for breakfast, dinner, tea, snack, and even midnight lunch! I ate 100 humans a day!"

He grabbed another two cups of ale and then threw them down before throwing the glasses at the wall then let out another large burp.

@Happy Go Lucky

Sky listened to Denzel before looking at himself. He his black and white wings flew up flapped slowly making his draconic body fly. He gave a small smile then looked back to his healer.

"Yes, thank you very much. My name is Sky, I am a Skydren created by the strongest demon, and the strongest angel who once loved each other. However war raged on, and their combined attacked fused together, the magic created me. Ever since, I have been feared for my power. That is why I keep this ring around me, it suppresses that power of mine. It was created by my mother, the angel."

He grabbed the golden ring before holding it up. He then let it dangle once more.

@shagranoz
Frederick stared at the lich, no Rebecca she had called herself, with wide eyes. His mouth dropped in shock, and his tenuous hold on his magic snapped, shutting off the map projection. With trembling fingers, the half-elf placed the butterfly sigil back over his head. The world around him span slightly as he tried to comprehend Rebecca's words.

"By the Seven and their signs," Frederick breathed, staring sightlessly at the wall, fingering the the three charms on his neck, "another dimension..."

He understood the theory behind multiple realities, after all, he was a devotee of Caess, Maiden of the Journey, Cartographer of Unknown Roads. Most of the texts he had read on the subject had been restricted in the Order's library, among other works deemed borderline heretical, or the Gods had decreed wrong. Whatever the theory, Frederick could feel the converging roads under his feet, a feeling he had dismissed when he had been delirious with blood loss.

Looking for the bartender, the half-elf motioned that he wanted an order. The last time Frederick had partaken in drink was during the party he and the other acolytes had before their graduation ceremonies, nearly a month in the past.

"The strongest drink you have sir." Frederick ordered, pulling out a string of bronze coins.

The longer they watched the strange figure and his raven companion, the more unnerved they became, this was especially true for Ruehar. She squirmed in her seat as his eyes fell upon her and continued to every time his gaze came her direction. "He keeps looking over this way, but I don't think he's one of them." Ruehar noted as she watched the figure chat with the mischievous demon whom she had already taken a liking to. "I still don't like the look of him though. There's something..." The figures once again fell upon Ruehar.

"Sinister." Balian's retort was short and brief, while Ruehar sat back upright in her seat again, her mind put to rest for the most part his grip was still firm around the hilt of his dagger. The ranger almost jolted in his seat as the black bird's head snapped in his direction. Piercing blue eyes examining up, down and around while its head cocked and sporadically twisted, Balian couldn't help but feel that the avian was investigating him. He turned away from the figure and his pet, picking up the freshly filled tankard in front of him and drinking from it. "A bolt through the neck would do that bird good." He spoke with a hushed tone, breaking into a smile. Ruehar glanced over at the figure and the raven once more, bringing her attention back to her brother she smirked it seemed they had given up on their worries for now.

The bartender handed Rebecca her drink, and she turned to the half-elven warrior. "Well, I'll be off, but do look me up. I'll be buying a room for the next several days, so we'll be seeing each other again, most likely." She sauntered off, looking for a table to sit at.

The inn was doing excellent business tonight, as there didn't seem to be a single table in the whole place that was empty. Guess I'm going to end up making a few new friends. The young undead glanced around for several seconds, before finding a table that had two fellow travelers already there. A young man and a woman, with a clear family resemblance. Rebecca sat down, raising her glass to the pair. "Rebecca Vazant, wandering witch. It's always a pleasure to see new faces around."

Kita rolled over in her bed, pulling her pillow over her head in a weak attempt to muffle the noise that was coming from downstairs. She had just arrived at the Inn yesterday, and was exhausted - it had taken her longer than usual to find her way through the forest.

She sighed, sitting up and deciding that there was no way for her to go back to sleep. Besides, she was hungry.

Spaghetti.

Pulling on a simple, pink dress and a pair of pretty white flats, she headed downstairs, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

A few seconds later, the girl hurriedly entered back into her room, guilt written all over her face. She carefully picked up her teddy bear from its honorary place on her bed, muttering sincere apologies to it as she walked out again, this time not forgetting Ponpon.

---

"Look, Ponpon!" Kita exclaimed, looking down at her teddy bear, eyes wide. "There's so many people here today... Although," she added sheepishly, "A lot of them aren't actually people."

Still standing on the stairs, she tilted her head, wondering if she should try to talk to any of them. She was a pretty friendly kid, but some of the Inn's guests looked scary... She eyed the strange-looking masked man suspiciously. A little nervous, she moved down the stairs, trying to be as discreet as possible so as not to attract the attention of one of the many creepy people that were down there.

Growl.

She jumped, startled, only to realize that it was her own stomach that had made the noise. Reminded of the original reason she had ventured downstairs, she looked around for the plate of spaghetti and meatballs that was usually put out for her, scowling when she realized there wasn't one. She glared at the other guests, no longer afraid. It was obviously because of their arrival that she had been forgotten.

She walked back up to the top of the stairs angrily, making sure to stomp her feet as loudly as she could.

"I'M HUNGRY!!"

@Ambrosia
The half-elf felt, more than heard the growl behind him, turning around Frederick saw a small child standing on the toilet of the stairs yelling her mind out. Raising a blonde eyebrow, he thought back to his childhood, an easier life, when he still had dreams of becoming a landesknecht, when he still believed the tales of chivalry and honor. The girls always wanted to play the lady, and they always wanted him to be the knight. He remembered those memories fondly. He had 't seen many of his playmates in five years, but he still remembered their habits and mannerisms. Looking around, none of the other patrons seemed really fit to care for a child. He thuddered at the thought of that large, boisterous wall of grey flesh that we itself an ogre taking care of the child.

Chucking slightly under his breath, he walked over to the stairs, before sliding down into one legged kneel at the threshold. "What dost thou lady ship desire to sate they hunger?" Frederick asked, using the grandest tone he could muster.

.

The imp was up to more tricks and banter, turning charcoal to worms and creating illusions of strange, purple elves he called 'Night Elves'. Pozuzy was utilizing the information of their conversation and turning it against them. They would need to ponder their words carefully. Thomas took the situation to his benefit and studied the illusions. He figured to play the trick, they would need to look as accurate as possible. Since Thomas had never seen a night elf, he took this opportunity to study them. They were fascinating, really, the pigment of their hair and skin was unlike no race he'd read about. He said nothing about the matter, as he trusted if the cambion did not blindly attack demons, she would do the same for night elves.

@Irisity (Eslea)

"Curious," Dr. Rudhale said. "What motives would the dryads have to kidnap a child? Forest nymphs, as they are, exist as spirits of nature. Truly, curious." Dr. Rudhale held his beak up with an upward hand and tapped the bar with synchronous fingers. "Relations must have been more strained than you believe, for allies to jump to such irrational conclusions." The cambion asked about his own past, and two dark holes stood motionless for a time. Po, the Raven, hopped so that he was facing Dr. Rudhale. He pecked his head a couple of times and produced a sort of rolling tweet. Powerful, blue eyes seemed to comfort the doctor.

"We are a divided people," Dr. Rudhale said. The smoke from his thurible began to coalesce with the air as its fuel died. The doctor paused to reach into his suitcase, withdrew a pinch of purple petals, and delicately place them into the metal, open censer. Upon placement, a strong waft of honeysuckle and dirt emerged into the air, like someone held a candle of the scent beneath your nose. "As I stated, demons were predominant where I reside. There were no good demons. Some fight, and other surrender." Thomas capped the censer, containing the smoke and forcing it through the holes drilled into the thurible. "I fight," Dr. Rudhale said. He rubbed the thurible with his thumb, blocking and releasing the smoke from one of the side holes. "I have investigated the countryside for all manners of the occult, hopelessly searching for one of demon blood and not affiliated with the dark forces. You, cambion, you are what I've searched for: the key to ultimately fight back," Dr. Rudhale said, a drooping finger pointing in her direction.

Eslea

Eslea turned to look at the demon's (@The One) hallucination, her heart stopping with fear at the sight of the night elves. She immediately reached for Scika, her hands shaking with fear. She stood up so fast her still shot out from under her, the rest of the inn going silent as they stared at either her or the elves in awe.

She made no attempt to attack them, but the need to kill itched under her skin like a bug crawling up her spine.

No, she told herself. Not real. Not real.

The images of her people soon faded, but her fears did not. Her labored breathing died down. She glowered weakly at the rest of the inn before returning Scika to her back and sitting down again, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"Excuse me," she almost begged Thomas (@Whimsley). She sent a glare to Pozuzy, her fists curling. She wanted to kill it. She wanted to rip it apart and apart til none of it was left. "Leave me before I slice you in two," she growled at the trickster.

She tried to shake the image out of her head as she listened to Thomas. Her heart ached for his people.

"You, cambion, you are what I've searched for: the key to ultimately fight back"

"Ex-excuse me?" She almost chocks on her pint.

She frowned at that; but how could she help? She knew she was a half breed, but she always guessed her other parent was one of the humans from the coast lines, with deep rich earthy skin like she had.

Katerina

Katerina listened carefully to Titan's (@The One) ramblings. She had never met an orge before, but she already loved them.

She grinned widely from behind her pint as Titan belched, the noise resonating in her chest. "It's a good thing I am not human," she noted. "Or, at least, a pure blood. I was my father's bastard with a forest nymph." She paused for a moment, considering her words carefully. "Just so you know, forest nymphs don't have the best tasting flesh. They taste like bark and dead leaves, a bit unsatisfying, no?" She took another sip of her drink, looking the ogre up and down, trying to consider if he would have any information on wealth in the area. "Your first time around here, Titan? It's mine. Went looking for some treasure, but it seems there is none."

@shagranoz

"Rebecca Vazant, wandering witch. It's always a pleasure to see new faces around."

Balian shot Ruehar a look which she instantly understood the meaning of, "Oh, a witch!" She chirped a thin but honest smile crossed his lips before she looked down at her tankard, almost bursting with desperation to chat to another magic user. Ruehar had began to feel more comfortable about the inn, she had taken note of numerous beings with magical abilities here. Although, not all of them seemed to fit in the Laws of Magick that she was familiar with, but this only made it all the more intriguing. The ranger, her brother on the other hand seemed to have a different opinion. After what they had been through, torn away from another home this time chased by a mob of angry witch hunters into a nightmarish forest, it was easy to understand Balian's distrusting position towards the forst, this inn and all inhabitants within it.

"There's a stench in the air." He began, standing almost knocking the table and the tankards over in the process. "Rot." The ranger hissed through gritted teeth giving the travelling witch the once over. Lifting his tankard from the table and drowning the drink in one he placed it back down on the table and shuffled to the bar.

Ruehar watched her brother leave, biting her tongue in disgust not entirely understanding what he meant but also shocked at his tone towards Rebecca. She swiftly redirected her attention to her new acquaintance and smiled again, weaker this time. "Ruehar." She replied, moving her cloak to reveal various trinkets associated with Magick, "Me too." She added, keeping an eye out for Balian, deciding not to heed his warning.

"What dost thou lady ship desire to sate they hunger?"
@Bourgeoisie

Kita paused, looking at the young man who had approached her. The small girl tilted her head, then suddenly giggled delightedly at this new playmate. She stuck her nose in the air, and extended a tiny hand daintily towards the half-elf.

"I want spaghetti!" she announced. Kita looked him over again, and sighing dramatically, added, "And, fine, you can carry me on your shoulders."

@Ambrosia
Frederick stood up as the girl gave her decree, before bowing again at the waist with as much flourish as he could muster. It had been years since he had felt so relaxed, and the goofy smile the spread on the half-elf's face attested to that.

"As you wish." Frederick replied as he raised his head once more. Walking over the stairs, he took a seat two steps below the girl and patted his shoulders."Onwards, my lady, to this meal of spaghetti you desire!" The half-elf spoke, emulating the voices the bards would use when they told the parts of the gallant knights during the shows he watched as a child.