“If the spirits gave you reprieve, merchant,” Tsukiko found herself saying automatically, “Then it is your duty to thank them properly for that period of grace, with offerings of food and dance, lest they retract their mercy.”

After that little quip, however, the raven-haired woman listened in properly. Though it may be a blessing for this merchant that he had been able to find able-bodied adventurers so easily, it was also a blessing for Tsukiko, and she had no intention of missing out on a single word. Shipments missing as they pass through the jungle? No doubt, thieving monsters were plundering the goods, killing noble guards while they were at it. How savage. They deserved an execution after all. Tightening her grip on Tsukimi in anticipation, she paid no mind to the merchant’s comment about sword-wielding madmen, or did she pay any mind to the fact that there was no actual promise of a reward. After all, her first mission was to kill monsters, not to make money.

Satisfied with what she got, Tsukiko nodded as well, assenting to the mission. Placing her right fist, clutching the Phantasmal Blade, into her left palm, she bowed down, and said, “Yozakura Tsukiko humbly accepts your request. This servant of the Great Spirits shall see that justice is done.”

After a few moments of thought, however, she added, “Where is the jungle anyways?”

Well, it didn't seem like such a bad deal after all. Although he tried to diffuse the slight tension that was happening, it seemed to pass by them as they heard what the man had to say. Shipments were getting lost, and he wanted to find out why. He wasn't scared of whatever was taking them, that's what his swords were for. The problem was, trying to find where the shipments had run off too. He was born in a place filled with forests, and these ones looked similar, so he probably wouldn't have a problem getting through them, especially with the trail. But he would have to know where they were ambushed, so he could get an idea of where they were. Or even better... What if they ambushed the bandits instead?

"Alright, it seems like we're all going to help you on this. We would need directions to the forest, and a map would be helpful. If you know where, at least roughly, they were ambushed that would help as well. Anything you can think of that might help. But if you happened to have a shipment, or at the very least, a wagon with minimal goods in it... A closed wagon would be nice. It would help us greatly. We can lure out whatever is taking your shipments, instead of chasing them down. Three of us will hide in the wagon, and only one of us leading the wagon. As soon as the bandits show up, we jump out and surprise them." Tetras explained, pounding his fist on his hand for emphasis.

"I'm sure if you gave us that, it would be much more useful than just scouring the entirety of the forest."

The Aahari's smile left his face, it seemed the mainland was wasn't the only place to withhold information before a job got done for them and it annoyed the untrusting lizardman. So be it. We will slay this beast and deliver the letter," Ankt stated before the man finished what he was saying, then came the assuring the Empire does not tolerate failure. Why did these types always have to say these things to him, he was a loyal citizen to the Empire and that was that. Then again, he could also see why he would say such things. "Trust me, failure is a disgrace to the Aahari. The last thing I want to be considered is a failure or weakling, lest I give up my house," Ankt said, giving a chuckle before turning to walk back to the group. He walked up behind the two who were a part of his group and hissed in a rather condescending tone, "I may say that it would be a good idea to get to the Grotto with haste. I need to stay on this trail quickly unless I lose what I am looking for."

@ERode@Superman@pyromania99



The merchant gave a relieved sigh at hearing they would be willing to help.

"Thank you! Really! I'll put in a good word with you with Caededril representatives everywhere." Arturo gave Tsukiko a friendly smile at her mentioning of the spirits. "Certainly, I will...my parents used to tell me my lack of faith in such things would bring me misery one of these days..." He shook his head, dismissing the thought for now as Tetras began speaking.

"Ah...that is a fairly good plan." He said when the knight finished. "I do not know of any formal public maps that exist of the area, aside from the ones the Baumn soldiers use for their military patrols. They keep a tight lid on those, for whatever reason...I think they might be up to no good, honestly but..." He shook his head. That was not his place to say such things, and from the look Isabel was giving him, he concluded that he probably shouldn't finish that line of thought. It wasn't hostile per se, but she looked troubled that someone would suggest that the Baumn might be up to no good.

"I can arrange for a small horse and wagon with a small number of usual goods. The jungle itself is easy enough to get to...come," He motioned for them to follow him into a building nearby - the Caededril embassy. "I will arrange for everything. I'll see if I can even get a map for you to the outpost."

Assuming the adventurers followed, Arturo went on to explain where the jungle was. It was easy enough to get to it from the Oars Rest. Follow the road east out of the city, and you'd soon find yourself at the foot of the jungle, and gave them a rough map leading them to the Outpost. The merchant provided them with a horse and covered wagon along with a minimal number of items that made the usual shipment. He also made a point to emphasize to be careful with the box of exotic alcohol, as it was meant for the representative at the outpost and that he was one of the reasons he was being pressed hard to find a solution to this problem.

Within an hour, the group of adventurers left Oars Rest behind them, heading into the forest after getting everything prepared. A guard stopped them briefly only to offer a word of caution, but otherwise their trip was easy enough. Immediately as they left the beach, the humidity and heat skyrocketed. Lush vibrant, green plants dotted the ground as they made their way through it, the soft earth making it somewhat difficult to walk in some areas where there was a lot of dirt.

A few exotic birds flitted overhead, filling the air with their song. In the distance, the rustling of bushes and plants signaled that they were probably being watched by some predator or other animal, but they were left alone for the most part. Everything was normal, mostly for now. Aside from a few toucans that sat on branches of trees.

Isabel was quietly walking alongside the wagon. For the most part, she seemed undisturbed by the heat and humidity. Her sword was strapped to her side, and her shield on her back as she trudged alongside it. Despite Tetras suggesting that they only have one leading the cart, that would look suspicious. If it was indeed the trolls attacking the caravans, and if the Merchant had hired help before, then they were obviously unconcerned with harming security.

Assuming of course, they were they ones behind it. Either way, she wanted to be ready for when something did happen. Being cooped up inside of the cart severely limited how ready they could be at a moments notice. So, she stayed quiet and kept her eyes and ears open as best she could.

For the most part though, everything seemed fairly normal...at least until there was a loud squawk overhead from a Toucan, who seemed to hurriedly leave his perch overhead in a somewhat unnatural fashion.

...how would the adventurers proceed? Continue in their wagon, in hopes of drawing out the culprits? Or something else?


@Lauder@Ariamis@RedDusk

"Then we won't have a problem, then. I only say those things because there are a lot of dishonorable types that flock here. Sometimes they need a little reminding what loyalty to the empire means. And if you find anything in those caves at all, make sure you report back to the commander at the outpost first." He emphasized that point, and perhaps one had to question why. Maybe you didn't care, after all, the empire were your employers and questioning them might lose you a paycheck.

Either way, with his business concluded and they seeming to have no further questions about the matter, the captain walked off back to the barracks. With hope, this issue would be solved swiftly.

Locating the Grotto was easy enough. It existed on the beach, the entrance being carved into the stone of the cliff. Two soldiers stood guard at this entrance who gave them little trouble, the captain sent word that had already reached them by the time they arrived. Whenever the possible group of four made their way into the cavern, they were greeted with a blessedly cool reprieve from the humidity and sun of the coastal town. The path sloped downwards, further under the cliffs. The interior of the cave was surprisingly light, at least to begin with. Light filtered in from some holes in the ceiling above, and pools of sea water could be seen reflecting light onto the cavern walls.

The path itself was narrow, allowing for two men to walk comfortable side by side and it seemed to be the only path forwards. Bats slept on the ceiling overhead not bothering with the intruders for now, likely still asleep. The cave seemed more or less quiet, almost eerily so. Only the sound of water dripping greeted them for now...except for a sudden splash in one of the pools of water as the adventurers made themselves known.

How would the adventurers proceed? Down the beaten path quietly? Perhaps there was another way around? Maybe investigate that suspicious splash?

Ophene had to run back to where she had set up her base of operations to gather a few thing before they left. Luckily it wasn't all that far away from where they talked to the merchant. Other than essentials, she grabbed a few books. A novel by a popular Caedrdrillian author (at least by those that could read) and a magical reading resource she was using as a study source while away from home.

For the trip, she took a certainly unpopular position of riding on the wagon. Why waste time and energy walking when she could be sitting and reading a good book? She'd just be sitting on the front near where one would be able to see everything anyway, so there was no harm in just relaxing there like that. For the most part of the beginning of the journey she sat there making, "Oooooooohh. . ." and "Uhuhuhuhu" noises. . . She most have been reading something weird. . .

While it seemed she was deep in her book, she was keeping an ear out for unsavory sounds. . . Like the ever so fearful sound of rattling bushes and squaking of odd blackbodied but colorfully designed beaked birds. They were an impressionable bird that made one wonder, "What kind of bird is that?" Ophene voiced softly, curious about this random creature she had never seen before. She wasn't expecting an answer, hell, she wasn't sure if she said it loud enough for anyone else to hear. . .

~Before Reef Grotto~

Apparently her greetings didn't go unnoticed by the black figure, as almost immediately as she begin to get comfortable in her little corner of the wall, she feels an indistinct shadow fall across her face. "You're a strange one," she begins in a dark whisper, hardly looking up from underneath her hood. "I only wanted to introduce myself. After all, I've heard so much about you..."

She raises her head slightly, one shaded eye gazing up with energy from beneath her hood. "I'm Em. I have no intention of interfering with your interests. That mission you guys were just given, I'm planning on tagging along for the ride. I'm sure you can agree that this idea would greatly benefit the both of us?"

"Well, not that I would stay behind anyways," she concedes. "It's only polite to ask first, don't you think?"

The young girl staring up out of the shadows held herself casually, and clasped in one hand was a thick, gnarled staff that gave off its own dark aura. As she spoke, the girl's intonation and phrasing seemed unusual, and attempts to plumb the depths of her mind would be met with a curious and occult resistance. All in all, she probably seemed pretty impressive...

For a girl who was on the brink of fainting from heat stroke.

It was thanks entirely to DD's support that she was able to continue functioning at all. Preforming a partial, and very weak Possession on the girl's body, it was assisting her so that she could move somewhat normally even though she should be essentially crippled by the heat. There were certainly some benefits to being best friends forever with an evil spirit. Now, however, the spirit was very rapidly losing strength as both its master's strength fails, and the sun continues to beat down relentlessly.

So, naturally, she starts to faint. At the same time, another person comes along, asking to be introduced. He seemed to be from somewhere cold, too, judging by his hair. Maybe he'd brought some ice.

Ankt did not do much in the way of preparation for the adventure, instead he awaited for the others to their own preparation while he sat at the gate. Once they reached the cave, he headed in first and did not let any of the group ahead of him as the true leader always took the leads and that was what he saw himself as. The Aahari watched the bats, giving a low rumble from his throat every now and again for no reason in particular. Though a sudden splash caught his attention and his head immediately flicked over to where one of his eyes could see the area, drawing his sword almost instinctively. Slowly, he diverged from the path towards the origin of the splash so that he could check to see if this may be the mysterious creature that the group was hunting.

-Ankt investigates the splash-

It was definitely a strange place, the Dark Continent. Colorful birds flew through the air, and the air was wet and hot at the same time, making it rather difficult to breath. The verdant landscape was remarkably green, cause Tsukiko to wonder just why the continent hadn’t been converted into farmland yet. The amount of sunshine and the dampness of the air would make for great harvests annually, after all. The cart bumbled along the dirt path, and the ink-haired lady stayed within it, leaning against wooden wall beside Ophene. It was a minute difference, but, in the shade of the cart, it was slightly cooler than the windless warmth outdoors. Tetras’s suggestion was questionable in her eyes, what with having only one person be walking outside, but on the other hand, she could definitely understand why he wanted only one person to suffer out in the stifling heat.

After this, she will make an offering to the Great Spirits for rain.

An hour or so passed with Tsukiko watching the landscape change and the birds dance, before finally, the ‘uhuhuhu’ and the ‘oooooh’ noises itched her curiosity enough that she looked over. At the same time though, Ophene asked a question about the bird that just flapped away awkwardly. It was an ugly little thing, no grace at all in its design. Looking like a sad jester with its big, hooked beak and its morose black body, it wasn’t nearly interesting enough for Tsukiko to care about. Just one bird out of many. With a shrug, she replied in her normal, clear tone, “Don’t think anyone here knows, seeing how this is probably exclusive to this continent. More importantly, what are you reading?”

With no bandits jumping out to assault this group of three ladies and one pretty boy, all Tsukiko could do was make idle conversation and fiddle with her long katana.

And, hey, she was fine with that as well.

Nazr felt like chuckling at the sheer obliviousness of the Snowkin, but instead kept a calm to keep up appearance. "More than you can imagine, Klonian." Yes, Nazr was a well-read scholar, and had basic knowledge of Snowkin history. Whether that would impress the fair-haired man or irritate him was another matter. Then the Aahari came barging in and demanding for their immediate departure; it seems the brutes had little in the way of patience, but that was only expected of creatures of such low intelligence. Nazr ignored him in favor of listening to what the petite practitioner of a particular type of puppets had to say.

Nazr was further convinced that what he felt back at the docks was indeed the truth. Or, he felt like the truth was even more horrifying to comprehend, as instead of a human aura of dark, he felt a a thick, pulsating presence of otherworldly power, impossible to read with his own psionic might. Nazr, despite his personal opinions, had to admit respect at such transcendence of one's soul as the young girl showed.
However, despite the show of wizardly proficiency, this "Em" turned out to be far more behaved and well-mannered than the rest of her ilk Nazr has met in his travels, and even seemed to flatter him. Nazr felt a smile coming under his slightly moist appendages at thinking he's already made a name for himself, though this was, of course, even foolish to think about considering how he believed he's kept a low profile. Still, the immaturely immortal imp knew a way with words, and he responded to the gaze of her glowing eye with his own that peered from the abyss.

As his vast wisdom concluded, the being masquerading as a youth wanted to accompany them after all. At this, Nazr felt so triumphant in his prediction that if Ema was still herself, she could have seen a writhing tentacle appear for only a blink of the eye from his hood.
It was all preordained according to his master plan, he jested in his mind. Nazr responded by speaking a strange and slithery tongue impossible to understand by mere mortals, though in actuality he simply stated his name. "Nazrc'thath Iyac'thorl'ieh. Pleased t make your acquaintance." The mind flayer turned around, his business with the undead user concluded. "Now then, ssshall we be off? We have so much to dissscover...

Nazr already prepared for the journey by reading up on whatever he could find on Reef Grotto, though to his disappointment there was awfully little documented on the location. H/color]e noted the propensity for some of the creatures to sniff him out, and made a mental note to figure out a plan of attack with any comrades he may lure to his cause. Once they were at the cave, Nazr spoke to his group: "I suggest we share any skills we can utilize in case we are to be under attack. I Can sense the presence of others, shift matter with my magic, and disappear from sight. However, there are piranha hounds in these caverns who can find me by scent, so a diversion is required. He coughed. "Now, if I could have a moment of silence..." Nazr first opened the Tome of Eldritch Lore, and after he whispered a short passage, he closed his eyes; he opened his inner eye, using his psionic gift to detect any mental presence which did not belong to his group, sensing even the mere flickers of a dream that floated through the dark cavern.

-Nazr used Detect Thoughts-

Not many knew enough to tell who he was. Red eyes and white hair wasn’t exactly common, but most wouldn’t immediately link him to the Klonian collective when they saw him. Klonians weren’t very fond travelling, and snowkins were notoriously territorial; nothing short of a catastrophe could make them leave their castle. But this hooded man knew, and Jagred wasn’t sure how much more he knew. That bothered him. However, he didn’t show it. Instead, he just gave hooded stranger a sleepy smile and said:

“Ah, glad to hear that. Wouldn’t want to get bored down there now, would I?”

Then again, not that it would have mattered. He wasn’t running, and his brothers weren’t chasing. He was no one. He was nothing. Just a meaningless name in their family tree. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. It was then the towering lizard came over and cut his thoughts short. The lizard demanded that they left immediately, eager to get on the trail of whoever he was chasing. Jagred simple stared up at the giant, raising one eyebrow- “Well aren’t you in a hurry.”-He turned to check the straps of his rucksack to make sure it had already been secured to his back. Because of his need for travelling light, Jagred kept all of his worldly possessions in that small rucksack, always ready to move out should the need arise. However, if it were up to him, he would have doubled down back to the Limping Sealegs and ordered himself another glass of brandy. They still had time. After all, according to the good captain, the beast was not going anywhere.

Just as Jagred turned back to the hooded man to check his reaction, he saw the little girl the man was talking to fell down in a heap. Confused, he turned to the hooded figure, waiting for a response- “So your friend is coming with or…?”-However, his question was met with nothing but silence. Seeing as it all came down to his decision, Jagred sighed softly before walking over, picking the girl up and swinging her over his shoulder. The contract called for four people, so it would probably be better if they arrived with a group of four. The guards then wouldn’t have any excuse to withdraw their reward on the grounds that they might have murdered the fourth member in order to get a large cut of the profit. It had happened to him once, so it was better to be prepared. Fortunately, the young woman was quite light, so her weight wouldn’t hinder him that much. If it came to blows, he could just drop her somewhere to enter the fray.

The short walk to their destination was uneventful, aside from the dirty glance one of the guards gave him as they passed. Apparently they thought he was a pervert kidnapping children or something along that line. They didn’t give him any trouble though, so he paid them no mind. The air in cave was blissfully cool, so Jagred let his hood down and inhaled a lungful. The humidity was stifling though, and not to mention the stench of bat droppings. He had heard about the creatures from the men who frequented the inn. Apparently, they were not very friendly, so it was in their best interest not to disturb them. His companions seemed to know the same, so he didn’t feel the need to remind them. Best not to make any noise, after all. As the lizard man walked off to investigate a splash, the hooded man urged the group to share their abilities after revealing his own. Apparently, he was a mage of some sort, claiming to have several tricks up his sleeves. Jagred nodded absentmindedly as he slowly placed his burden down, leaning her against the stone wall.

“Skills, eh? Well, I don’t carry this sword just for show, else I would’ve picked a prettier one…”-He placed a hand on the worn leather hilt- “…probably gave it an impressive name as well, like the Black Death or something. But yeah, I don't do that.”

Seeing as most of his companions were occupied with their chosen tasks, Jagred crossed his arms and turned to look around the cave, searching for nothing in particular.

-Jagred observed his surroundings-

Tetras seemed to be the one "lucky" enough to sit up front with the horse, steering him through the beaten path of the jungle toward their destination. He had a good sense of direction, and growing up in a land with similar forests as this, he had no problems with the heat and humidity. However, before they set off, he stripped his full plate mail down to just just breastplate. No matter how used to the heat he was, in all that, he could easily get heat stroke. He didn't want to die before they even met the enemy. But a breastplate at least covered his vitals, which were the most important part. Other things he could handle. It also helped out the horse that had to carry him, even if he was just sitting on the front of the cart steering with the reigns.

It seemed as though the woman with the sword and shield was the only one who hadn't listened and stayed outside the cart. That was fine, having two people coming out to surprise the enemy was still advantageous. And having two outside could make up more aware, and at least fight then off until the other two came out. The problem was, he didn't know how well they all fought. He just kind of trusted that they were to be somewhat competent, without even seeing anything that might prove their worth. No matter. He could handle himself he had to. Even if this elite soldier was sent on a suicide mission to get rid of him, he would not roll over and die so easily. He would conquer this land and prove that nothing could stand in his way. And, hopefully along the way, he could find himself. Or more importantly, what he was.

Tetras held his hand up, signaling his companion walking alongside the cart to halt as he also stopped the horse. Something didn't feel right, and the wildlife stormed off in the area. And it wasn't because of their cart, as they were usually seeing a wagon like this. No, it was like in his homeland when something dangerous lurked in the forest, and their was a brief period of quiet and lack of animals before the creature attacked. He stood on the front of the cart, drawing both his great swords as he attempted to survey the surrounding area.

~investigate the surrounding area and the sudden disappearance of a few animals in the immediate area~

@ERode@Superman@Pyromania99



Isabella took note of Tetras holding a hand up, signaling a stop. She looked at him questioningly, unsure of why they did so...and he immediately took a few steps towards the front of the cart, drawing his swords. Investigating the area would certainly be a good idea, but it wouldn't be a very good idea to get too far away from each other. The former Baumn Princess walked over to Tetras with her ever calm expression, scanning the forest herself as she did so. She didn't see anything, but that didn't mean something couldn't be hiding out there, so she posed a simple question to Tetras.

"See something?" She questioned, her voice sounding a bit aloof in its manner as she approached the great sword wielding knight.

She, of course, noticed the bird flying off in a rather hurried manner, but she hadn't thought much of it. Maybe he was having differing thoughts here?

As Isabella and Tetras observed their surroundings and Ophene and Tsukiko conversed in the cart, all was quiet save for a few more Toucans showing up, peering at them silently from their perches upon the tropical trees. Occasionally, they squawked at each other, but for the most part they were eerily silent.

And then one landed in front of Isabella and Tetras, staring at the two knights. This Toucan was...odd, however. It was larger than your average one, almost the size of a large owl. Several sharp spikes protruded from its larger beak, which had a large jungle fruit of some sort in it. The fruit made a crunching sound as its tough shell was crushed in its beak as it chomped down. The toucan tilted its head as it swallowed the fruit, as if it was judging the adventurers that stood before it.

And then it turned around, gave a wave of its wing and hopped off down the path, before taking a sharp right and disappearing into the jungle.

Isabella furrowed her eyebrows questioningly at the bird, unsure what to make of it. That was certainly not normal avian behavoir, she was certain, as she read about various types of birds in her studies. She didn't know the Toucan all that well, but she was confident in her analysis. She gave a look over to Tetras, holding a hand up to her chin as she thought.

"We shouldn't stray too far." She said after a few seconds of silence.

@RedDusk@Ariamis@Lauder@Black Alice



As Ankt split from the group a little ways to investigate the mysterious splash emanating from one of the various water pools that dotted the side of the cavern, there was a few more splashes from the others. If looked, nothing would be seen. However, if Ankt happened to look into the clear water from the pool he was investigating, he'd find a few creatures staring up back at him.

Crabs.

At least a dozen or so hand sized crabs stared up at the lizard. The source of the splash was then obvious - several of these crabs must have been lounging on the rocks beside the pools, and startled by the groups entrance and attempted to hide themselves. The stone colored crabs noticed themselves being watched, before scuttling along the bottom of the pool, disappearing into a small hole in the rock wall where water was filtering in. No doubt connecting to the sea, or another place in the cave.

It was an odd sight, though. If any of the group did their research, they'd realize that no one knew anything about crabs living in the Grotto. Aside from the Piranha hounds that ate mostly fish that strayed into these pools, these crabs have yet to be documented. At least, officially.

Maybe a bit of a disappointment for Ankt, as these small crabs couldn't be what killed the guard, could they?

Nazr would receive a similar experience from using his detection skills. Countless numbers of these crabs could be felt through the walls, likely living in the watery caverns that dotted the grotto. However, he would also notice that a little further down the stone pathway there were several other creatures lounging by the pool. Their presence was entirely different from the crabs. A few were moving about on all fours, waiting further down the cavern.

Likely Piranha hounds, hungry and waiting for something to waltz close to them so they could eat. Another likely candidate for what didn't kill the guard. A single Baumn guard could likely take a pack by themselves, given they didn't get careless.

Jagred, though, had perhaps a bit of better luck in his endeavors. As he stood quiet, observing the area, he'd notice a pool of water that as of yet, hadn't had any crabs jump into it. It was one of the larger ones, with a small stream of seawater flowing into it from above. If he focused he'd notice one of the crabs, walking along its edge in an attempt to skirt around it and still avoid the adventurers. As soon as it reached the center spot in front of the pool, it hopped in...and promptly disappeared beneath the clear water.

He would also notice the pool was definitely deeper than the others. The sunlight dimly illuminating it revealing nothing but inky blackness, likely signaling it was quite deep. A few bubbles rose from the depths of the pool...maybe there was something down there?

It was fortunate that somebody was willing to carry her to their destination, otherwise Em might have had to stay back and play hopscotch for the rest of the adventure. And that was not a good way to hone one's necromantic talents. Once they got out of the hot sun and the bustle of the city streets, she made a swift recovery and was soon able enough to walk on her own.

She doesn't say anything, but the "Thanks for the ride" is heavily implied. When they reach the entrance to Reef Grotto, she disappears briefly behind a nearby tree, now showing back up until after they have already entered the cave.

~Reef Grotto~

"Oh, I'm a Necromancer." Em nonchalantly announces, walking back up from behind the group in drastically different clothes.

Where before she was dressed like an ordinary traveler, albeit a bit of a mysterious one, now she wore her obsession clear on her sleeves. A cloak and hat, midnight black, as well as several skull-like charms decorated her figure. Her staff was strapped to the side of her backpack, easy to grab in a pinch, but otherwise she seemed to be completely unarmed.

Confident, but dismissive of the other's attempts to examine their surroundings, Em doesn't hesitate in the slightest to take a few steps forward, placing her hand to the ground and quickly searching for any traces of human or animal remains. She didn't trust her luck, especially with the area being known to house a hound of sorts.

Dogs were the enemy of any budding Necromancer.

At the same time, she opens her mind and attempts to tap into the spiritual world. No matter where you went, you would find ghosts in varying quantities and ages, the trouble was finding the exact frequency on which to find them.

For the time being, Em would try and see if there were any recently deceased lingering in the area. Anywhere where there were Monsters, it always seemed to be easy to find spirits, restless from having went unburied and with business yet unfinished in the mortal world. She would attempt to take advantage of this, and draw some of them out for the purpose of information.

She would rely on DD for defending her against unwanted intrusion. He was always good at that.

Crabs, such a small and minuscule creature would not be the cause of a guard that had succumb to such a condition and it annoyed Ankt to no end. He sheathed his sword and made his way back to the group, he would remain silent the entire time as to not disturb the bats. Ankt looked at the necromancer, then to the other magician before giving a sigh. "Let us continue down the path. This creature will be found eventually," Ankt said in his usual tone, turning his back to the two before continuing on the path.

Actions
Ankt returns to the group and continues down the path

Ophene stuttered at the girl's question. "W-what book? Oh, uhhh, just some popular novel I happen to pick up while I was traveling to my boat for Edea. . ." She didn't really feel the need to say it aloud. It was obviously something she didn't think everyone needed to know. In an attempt to redirect where Tsukiko's attention was, she pointed out the spined toucan. "O-oh! Look at that! It's an even wierder bird!" The Rabbit-Girl managed to say before it slipped into the treeline.

She was tempted to say, "Let's go after it," but decided it was probably best they didn't. "As much as I'm interested in that bird, maybe it's best we don't chase after it." She said after catching what Isabella had mentioned and setting her book down. If one were to look at the spine, it would say "The Lily Garden and Tracts of Land" A famous book, in certain circles. That aside, Ophene continued. "If we need to come back we can, so long as we remember the spot."

It seemed this cavern connected to the sea, which explained the presence of the crabs. No one had mentioned anything about crabs in the caves, so maybe some new passage opened up? That could also be where the guard-eating monster came in? Jagred could remember from the top of his head several sea monsters that were capable of tearing a grown man to shred in the matter of minutes. If such a beast had managed to wound up in this cavern, this mission might prove to be far more dangerous than he had originally thought. Well, that would serve as the perfect excuse to get a raise, though the good captain didn’t strike him as a generous man.

The deep body of water caught his eyes as they were wandering around the stone walls. He picked up a few pebbles and proceeded to toss them into the pond, testing to see if he could disturb whatever breathing out those bubbles. It could be some sort of fish down there. Prefect dinner material, when paired with aged brandy and boiled crabs.

-Jagred tossed some pebbles into the pond-

Nazr noted the difference in the corpse mage's appearance, and scoffed at the ridiculous headgear. It seemed that in addition to her physical growth, her mental one was also kept in stasis from her undeath. Though he had to admire her for being so open with her profession, as necromancy is looked down upon both human and illithid culture as an affront to life itself. These were thoughts that he lingered on, before his psionic sight ended.

The results were as he expected; a swarm of minuscule crustaceans have taken the Grotto as their home. The Aahari seemed to have found the very same, as he returned with less enthusiasm than before. But then he felt it; quadrupedal creatures with a taste for flesh. He deduced that these were the dog-like beasts with proportions akin to predatory fish, and were surely as ravenous in their appetite. "I sense Piranha Hounds ahead of us, about 50 meters in distance", he quietly reported to his group. "They will smell us soon, so hide your scents."

Nazr had to think fast; due to the structure of the cave, any air currents would travel quickly and carry their scent with it, so he had only minutes to spare. Then he realized how he could mask his unique, oily smell, and quickly scuttled to the small pond the crocodile man checked. He dipped down in it, drenching himself in the salty water. Once he was soaked, he returned back to the rest, making sure no crab clung to his robes as he quickly swept them away with a gentle telekinetic push. But that wasn't all; even if he could take one by surprise, there were surely many more he would have to face, so his eyes lingered on the floor and roof of the cavern, keeping an eye out for any suitable sharp rocks he could use to shoot at them.

-Nazr masks his scent with pond water and looks for stalactites/stalagmites-

Weirder birds? There were plenty of weird birds in the Dark Continent, but Tsukiko supposed that the spiky one that popped up was a particularly weird one. The alpha of the flock, perhaps? Its countenance certainly suggested that it was stronger than the average fatbird. But, well, ultimately, a bird was but a bird, definitely not a threat to a wagon guarded by adventurers. After a tense moment, the ink-haired girl leaned back once more, taking a peek at the book Ophene was reading.

‘The Lily Garden and Tracts of Land’? Was the Pheran a gardener? That was a nice, useful hobby.

“There’s no need to go after it,” the priestess said, crossing her legs, “If the birds were just birds, it’s a waste of time. If the birds were scouts, it’s a waste of time. Ultimately, whatever’s attacking the wagons will come to us. Hunting the hunter is pointless, because the hunter will come to you.”

“And Ophene, you garden? Must confess that I wouldn’t have imagined that tilling soil and planting seeds was a popular pastime in the rest of the Caededril Republic, but I suppose tracts of land here will be particularly good for lily gardens.”

@ERode@Pyromania99@Superman



Suddenly, there was a loud, sharp screech in the distance. Immediately, the smaller toucans gathered fled the scene, the flapping of wings filling the air as they made a swift exit. A second screech was heard, this one closer. It was followed by a high pitched, but guttural shout.

Before the adventurers had much of a chance to react, a massive shadow blocked out the warm sunlight that made its way into the jungle from the canopy. If they looked up, a black bird whose wings were at least the size of your average man each came into view could be seen from the ground. It looked to be a toucan of sorts...except massive. Much more so. Spines covered its beak, and its talons sharp. A plume of colorful feathers donned its head, trailing back as it landed.

It landed on the ground with a low thud, its massive wings blowing away some loose leaves as it lighted on the ground. It gave another shrill cry, eyeing the adventurers which it towered over...before its gaze immediately turned to the cart. The horse that had been pulling it whinnied and attempted to free itself from its bindings to little avail, obviously scared of the large bird.

And it took a step towards it, seemingly unconcerned with the gathered people.

Isabella simply stared at the large bird, unsure what to make of it. It didn't seem hostile to her, since it seemed to ignore them for the most part, but its attention seemed focused on the cart. Her hand went to her blade, ready to fight this creature should she have too.

Encounter:
Grand Razor Beak
Number: 1
Threat: High

@Black Alice@Lauder@RedDusk@Ariamis



Em wouldn't have much luck in sensing anything dark within the rocky cavern. At least, if there anything was, it would be too far for her to sense it. She would have much better luck with her spirit sensing however. She discovered the lingering trances of the deceased soldier. It seemed his spirit was still around, for whatever reason. It seemed he wasn't close at the moment, though. The spirit seemed to have wandered further into the cavern. Perhaps he'd be found where he had been killed?

Unfortunately, the pebbles didn't disturb any sleeping creature within the pond. However, within the murky blackness something odd did indeed happen. As the pebble sank to the bottom...it was suddenly pulled to the right, disappearing into the wall...? It wasn't fast or very quick, but it definitely happened. It would be difficult to see clearly what exactly had happened, but it was easy to come up with a conclusion. Either something had pulled the pebble...or perhaps there was a current of some sort?

Nazr's quick thinking made it difficult for the hounds laying in wait to detect him. He'd also find several small stones and sharp stalagmites that he could possibly use as potential ammo.

It would have been a good plan, too, had Ankt not continued down the path. The large lizard man was immediately sensed by the hounds, evident from a loud barking noise heard from further within. Before Ankt' or anyone else could react, there was the shuffling of feet on stone...and a large dog sized eel looking creature came bounding around the corner, leaping from the stone, its sharp claws and almost impossibly long and sharp teeth aimed right for Ankt's neck.

Right behind that one, followed several more. Apparently the dogs intended to use the close quarters to their advantage and rush the adventurers before they could do much.

Encounter:
Piranha hound Pack:
Number: ????
Difficulty: Low-medium

Ankt had not heard what the hooded man had said in time for these beasts were on him within an instant and it surprised the lizardman nonetheless. Ankt instinctively grabbed one that had jumped at him and immediately threw him into another before he drew his sword, snarling at the beasts who were encircling him. This was certainly not good, though a smile came to the face of the Aahari warrior as this may yet prove to be a challenge. Ankt feigned an attack on one, causing it to stumble back but allowing one to try to go from the back. It was something he would expect from a bunch of pack animals so he turned to let the hound land on his sword, killing it without putting much effort into it. Of course, his left eye caught a few preparing to pounce so he kindly grabbed the impailed corpse on his sword, quickly pulled the sword out, before slamming the corpse into a small group in order to at least know to knock them back.

It may also be a great idea to intimidate them, though the bats may awake if he were to roar so he would have to hiss aggressively at the while staying on his toes.