Freyr

Freyr let out a discreet smile when he heard Haley's words. Even after that little... incident, she was really going to join the guild.
She was quite an unique character, Freyr hoped she would find good friends on the guild. Sure, there were other nice people on the guild too, but she had quite an refreshing personality, and she also did seem to care about the others around her.

"I mean, if you're alright with telling that is. You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to... contrary to what I said earlier." Haley said, worried about how Freyr was feeling.

"I-It's... Yes... It's still about that man... I'm afraid that if the humans keep acting like that... If they keep corrupting themselves like this, they will put not only themselves, but the others around them in danger too. Vieras are very different from humans, both in body, culture and personality, I get that. When I left the forest, I thought that maybe... just maybe, I could do something to change their self destructive behavior... Do something to save their own culture... But now I know... I know that it is impossible for me to fully understand their reasons, just like it is impossible for them to fully understand me. Even though the humans can make such beautiful and delicate things as music, poems, paintings... Things of such beauty that would even rival the natural beauty of our home forest... But... All that is faded to be forgotten... to be buried under blood, violence and murder..." Freyr said, looking to nowhere in particular.


"To tell you the truth... I choose this mission because human poets... Usually are able to see past this red mist that seem to cover the other's eyes... To see past the gold and money, to see the true beauty of the world, be in harmony with the things which surround them and themselves." Freyr said, with a smile.

"I... I'm sounding like a naïve child... Am I not?" He asked, smiling awkwardly, followed by an awkward silence.

"Oh, hey there!" Haley's cheerful greeting broke the silence, making Freyr pay attention to the new arrival.

"I'm sorry, I was a bit lost in my own thoughts..." Freyr said, a bit embarrassed, and hoping that the strange boy didn't hear Freyr's ramblings.

@PaulHaynek @Kyun

---

Bast Ragoczy

Getting in would indeed be difficult. Bast wasn't thinking in simply exploding everything... That wasn't his style. He liked to do things a bit more... discreetly... But sneaking inside wasn't an option, due to the amount of guards nearby...
After thinking for a while, Bast simply walked towards the main gate, without even trying to hide his presence. In fact, he did exactly the opposite. He made sure that the guards saw and heard him approaching them, with the rhythmed sound of his cane hitting the ground as he walked.

"Good afternoon, guardsmen." Bast said, tipping his top hat.

"I was passing by and I couldn't help but to notice this beautiful mansion. I must say I'm quite enchanted by its architecture. I know its a difficult request, but would you mind if I talked with the mansion owners? I'm extremely interested in the person behind this mansion. I am thinking in buying a property in this town soon, and if possible I would like to have it made in a similar style..." He said, looking toward the guards.

"Of course... I'm not expecting that to be free of charge... But money isn't an issue..." he continued with a smirk, indicating that he was there to do business.

@PaulHaynek

@Rune_Alchemist(ARL)

Varjan war hounds? Magnus had heard stories of the Varjo Kingdom from his father; Namely, absolutely nothing good came of dealing with them. Their fighters were strong, but lacked any semblance of honor or respect for the fallen. He wondered if Emilio had done something wrong, though he had a feeling that the Varjans army didn't need much of a reason to justify their actions, if they mutate their hounds to such a horrifying degree. When talk of reward and pelts came up, Magnus was eager to skin them, though buying a new tunic was...well, not many places made tunics for his size, and even then, he didn't feel like he could just replace a gift so easily. Perhaps he could simply get it patched up in town.

"I'll skin them then...I'm just glad you're okay, Mr. Emilio." Magnus said, getting to work quickly. He'd be fine to carry the numerous pelts on his own, feeling he might as well put his brawn to some use.

---

Once they arrived, Magnus was excited to ditch the pelts for some gold once they got to the store. Though he couldn't really see past the stack of hide, he gave the cyclops woman a passing glance and a small smile, just in friendly passing. Looking to the side of his pile of hides, he'd give a small wave of greeting to the store clerk. "H-Hello ma'am. We're um...adventurers, looking for someone building a flying machine here. Do you happen to know who's building it? I-If not, that's okay, we have hides to sell too." he said, trying to hunch a bit to look less intimidating.

---

@Eviledd1984, @Rune_Alchemist(CHR)

Nephele simply followed Christine, not wanting the young lady of the manor to hurt herself, pondering over what she had been muttering about. Was she dissapointed that a man wasn't acting with her? Was it THAT sort of play? Nephele didn't know, and really didn't especially care; All that mattered was the job at hand, and making sure that Christine didn't fall flat on her face in her excitement. Her exuberance did draw out a smile from Nephele though, who kept pace with her to keep her from falling flat on her face, or needlessly mutilating her hands on her claws. "I know little of space squids or acting, but I'll do my best to meet your expectations." she said, simply keeping pace. "Please be careful with my hands, Christine. I wouldn't want yours to be hurt." she added thoughtfully, now more or less just walking hand in hand with her. Given her utter lack of knowledge on personal space as well, Nephele was a might bit close.

~@The Irish Tree (NEP)~

---

"Aha, don't worry Nep!" She replied with a grin, casting a look back at the dragon. "I know what I'm doing, totally!" She didn't seem to entirely mind her closeness, either. So the girl kept walking back to the house without so much as a pause, and without much more of a hassle managed to return to the home, leaving the creepy graveyard behind. Once inside, Christine let go of Nephele's claw, turning to face her with a bright grin.

"Alright, so!" She nearly pressed her face to the dragons. "A quick rundown of the play to give you some idea of what's going on, at least. It's a really simple and pretty straight forward murder mystery sort of thing. Nothing too fancy." She took a few steps back. "To put simply, I'm the target of some assassin who wants to kill both me and my family. You're going to be playing the unlikely hero who saves my cute butt." She cast a glance towards the far wall. "...and ends up _{doing stuff} at the end, haha..." She sheepishly grinned for a moment before returning to her usual exuberance. "Buuut I'm sure it'll be fine. Improv is always a wonderful addition and I'm sure the audience would be pleasantly surprised at the change, heh." She turned, leading Nephele in a much more calm manner towards the dining area, where a makeshift stage had been prepared.

"I don't think it'd be too much of a problem for you though."

As they arrived, the stage was set in the large dining hall. The stage itself ran across the entire room, easily large enough to allow for a large set. Most of the set pieces had been set up, but hadn't been completely organized yet. Gerald was standing off to the side, greeting both of them with a bright wave.

Maria wasn't anywhere to be seen, though.

@Eviledd1984 - Maria

---

The room at the end of the hallways, was in somewhat better condition, but all of the furniture was old. Almost as if it hadn't been touched by people a long time. A small bed was against one wall, but it wasn't a large one. Perhaps a bed for a child of some sort? There was an old vanity, and a few dolls scattered about. An old painting of a butterfly of some sort was hanging on the wall next to the door.

In the middle of the floor was an old, though extremely well kept butterfly shaped hairpin.

"Well now," A voice spoke, seemingly coming from nowhere. "Isn't this a surprise? Going off script are we? My my, and I wasn't supposed to make my introduction until the epilogue when the unlikely hero falls for my dark charm after he kills the murderer...but improvisation is a wonderful tool, yes! I suppose the mastermind can make her appearance early...so let me introduce myself." The room in the air grew colder as the hairpin on the floor levitated upwards, wisps of demonic energy spiraling down from it, coalescing until they took the shape of a human female. In one of her hands formed a walking cane that matched the color scheme of her dress, with a diamond looking gem situated on top of it. She was floating a few feet above the ground, and didn't seem to have any legs at the moment.



"Sudden encounter! Appearance of the Evil mastermind commences! _{Haha I'm such a genuis}" She fixed Maria with a grin, holding the cane in one hand, and lightly tapping the palm of her other hand with the other end. "So darling, on a scale of one to ten, how good are you with that rapier of yours?"

~Arletta Dupain~

@PaulHaynek@The Irish Tree

---

"Well, might as well skin the hides then..." Arletta replied. "Thank you, Sir Emillio. Safe travels." Varjan war hounds...this was curious. Troublingly so. After dealing with some on her last outing, this seemed a little too much like a coincidence. Perhaps they had come through with those 'refugees'. Either way, it was something that wasn't good. Still, if their pelts could do some good, might as well skin them. So she set about helping Magnus. Wouldn't be her first time skinning an animal.

With that done, they set off on the road back to Mahigan. Magnus carried most of the pelts, though she would absolutely not let him carry all of them, even if he could. Once inside the town, they were quickly pointed to a general store where they met a Cyclops who was inquiring about something from the stores owner. Magnus, in his usually adorable quirky way was the first to speak up. Arletta gave a friendly smile to the cyclops, but for the most part said nothing and walked over to the Store Clerk.

"Mhm, we were told that there was an inventor here or something who was working on a flying machine of some sort? He requested help from our guild."

@Rune_Alchemist

Maria Falena

Maria was surprised to hear the voice speaking to her, This of course made her yelp in a cute sort of way because she was caught off guard. Looking around for the owner of the voice, The cold damp air surrounding her making her shiver. She really wished she had brought some warmer clothing for this job. Her eyes then focusing on the entity that had appeared in front of her, Her eyes squinting at the ghostly figure trying to hide how scared she was right now.

"I know how to use this weapon, And...whom may you be?" She asked the ghostly figure, Pulling out her rapier and holding the grip tightly in her hand. Keeping her distance away form the female figure. Now she knew why the mayor lied and said the place was not haunted, She would need to speak with him about this once she gets out of this room. Her hand moving back towards the door knob of the door behind her trying to turn it and open the door to escape.

Eilidh banked to her left, avoiding the magic. Though you'd hardly think a horse the most graceful or manouverable creature, the Centaur in from of the wizard had some pretty nifty footwork! When he called for backup, she raised her sword and charged him, fighting very aggresively and forcing him back, hoping to kill him before the backup would come. She was certainly keeping him too busy blocking and defending her powerful strikes to use any magic. She grinned as she heard that Ian would be proving backup. She had to kill the wizard before she was killed by the backup before the backup had to face Ian too. Life was always interesting.

@PaulHaynek

---

Rebecca paused as she weighed her options, before nodding with a countenance that suggests she was giving in but not happy about it.
"They warned me about dealing with Varjans," she muttered under her breath before turning back to the men. "Very well, let's keep this between us. I'm not so naive as to enquire upon your choice of payment, so let's just get this over with." After she finished speaking, she began to hoist up her rather long and conservative skirt. However, as the men advanced upon her, most likely grinning, she stopped hoisting her skirt the moment she located the hilt of her estoc. As soon as the men were in range, she drew her estoc and sliced one of the soldiers from pelvis to neck. Before the other could decide whether to call out or draw his weapon, she rounded on him and swiftly impaled him through the chest.

"Dirty beasts," Rebecca cursed under her breath as she cleaned off her sword with their clothes and sheathed it once again in it's concealed sheath in her skirt, and turned to the townspeople. "I require a translator," she simply demanded.

@PaulHaynek

Ars Argento

Ars felt somewhat more at ease with Neil claiming to be just as new as him. At least he could expect to not be completely out of place then, after all. And it seemed there was no issues with Ars' choice of request. "Understood, I shall meet up with mister Freyr." On his way out, Ars could only wonder if he had correctly understood the instructions. This Freyr was a male rabbit humanoid? Monster girls were common back in Boreal Port, but Ars had never heard of there being males. Well, at least this person shouldn't be too hard to find.
_________________________________________________________________________________

As luck would have it, Ars, did come across people on the road to Boreal port. A Harpy, or someone that looked very much like one to his eyes, and, indeed, a man with rabbit ears. Ars had not been told to expect anyone but the Viera, and hoped the harpy who was already greeting him was just a fellow traveller, but it looked like he had interrupted a conversation, even though he hadn't heard it's content. "Yes, I... I am on my way to Boreal Port..." It was all he could do, to try and answer her positively while collecting his thoughts and subconsciously avoiding looking her in the eye. Of course, not being one of his rehearsed situations, there was also much hesitation and timidness while he spoke.

If possible, Ars would have liked to go hide behind a bush until the rabbit eared man wasn't accompanied by the harpy, but that was now impossible, so the best course of action was probably to try not to be bothered by the presence of the Harpy. Ars just needed to find Freyr, and he had most likely just found him. "I apologize for interrupting you two." Ars started talking and turned towards the man who claimed to have been lost in thought. The boy was back on a somewhat prepared conversation track, so he did no longer carry the same hesitation on his voice, even if he was not very at ease while speaking. "Am I correct to presume you are mister Freyr, from the adventurer's guild? My name is Ars, I am to aid you in the request given by mister Saint." Ars somewhat rushed through the last bit. Normally, one should ascertain the other's identity first, but Ars was in a rush to get this done with, before the harpy girl made further inquiries.

@13org@PaulHaynek

Alike In Dignity
~@13org (BST)~

"Of course... I'm not expecting that to be free of charge... But money isn't an issue..."

The guards looked at each other. "I-I'm sorry sir but... but neither Lord nor Lady Barensia are home." One of them answered. "They and other important relatives are... out. I-I'm not sure where though. I'm really sorry sir." He apologized.

"However, if you are interested in the design of the manor, you may see its designer. I cannot remember the name but he lives in Northern Ambran. You may see him if you want your home to be fashioned like this one." The guard suggested to you. "He's quite famous... err, well-known so you should find him if you just ask around."

The suggestion was probably unhelpful since that was not your objective. It was time for a change in plans.

---

The Sky Is The Limit
~@Rune_Alchemist, @The Irish Tree (MAG)~

"H-Hello ma'am. We're um...adventurers, looking for someone building a flying machine here. Do you happen to know who's building it? I-If not, that's okay, we have hides to sell too."

"Mhm, we were told that there was an inventor here or something who was working on a flying machine of some sort? He requested help from our guild."

The clerk woman smiled as she watched the Cyclops return with a surprised look on her eye.

"U-Umm... Excuse me..." The Cyclops stammered, calling out Magnus' and Arletta's attentions. "Are-are-are you the ones... the ones from the guild?" She asked before continuing, not waiting for your answer. "I-I'm Talia Bucchas. The poster of the request." She began to explain, calming down a bit. "A-Actually I'm just assisting in just creating the flying machine. The real inventor is still at the cliffs just west of Mahigan."

"I-I'll let Mister Charleston explain everything. For now, can you two follow me?" Talia began to leave the store but stopped. "Ah and uh, please take the hides with you. We actually need that."

-----

After a short trip out of Mahigan and into the west cliffs, the trio reach the edge of the landform where a large contraption lay built with wood and sheets with a man working on it. It could be compared to a bird for it had two wings as well as a tail as well as being shaped like one. Although the tail was differently shaped than an average bird's. "Hello there, friends! You come to enjoy the scenery?" The human male called out to you. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties. "Or are you those people whom Talia here wrote to for help?"

"Sir Kyle, these are indeed the people who will be helping us." Talia answered the man. "They even have animal hides already. It's a very fortunate coincidence." She told him happily.

"That's good! Very good indeed, my new friends." Kyle said. "But! They're just one of the many things I need for this here machine that will let a flightless man like me fly. Trust me, I'll be soaring like an eagle or my name ain't Kyle Charleston!" He then looked out to the cliff. "I shall be the first man swooping down this cliff, yes I shall." Kyle explained what the contraption was and what his purpose was. "Talia here got interested in my work and decided to help out since." Talia the Cyclops smiled at Magnus and Arletta.

"I'd leap off now only it seems like I need more adhesive to keep the wings together. I've concocted my own special formula for it since that store-bought stuff isn't strong enough." Kyle said. "However, I can't abandon my machine to gather more materials. Namely, a bunch of bird feathers, doesn't matter what kind, along with a parcel of hides, which you already have, to boil down along with some Morning Light flowers to make it all pliable." The machinist enumerated.

"So will you help me and gather the remaining? You don't need to do get them all now though. You can come back with the materials some other day since there are still some things that needs tweaking out." Kyle then asked. "I assure you that besides the usual monetary reward, you will witness a spectacle that even the gods in Heaven will look upon with wonder!"

---

Help, Wanted
~@Silver Carrot (ELD)~

Onouris tried to stall you but your fighting prowess was simply too much for him. With one more heavy strike, you manage to send the Sorcerer into the ground. You now had him at your mercy.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" He quickly raised a hand to stop you. "You've-- You've won. There is no doubt about that. I recognize my defeat." He continued. "I am... ready to receive any punishment you deem appropriate for me. I only ask that--" He then grabbed some soil with his other hand and hurled them at you. Onouris then used the quick distraction to escape your clutches.

The Sorcerer ran to his Brigands and managed to get behind them. "Kill her! Tear her into pieces!" He ordered them. Four of the bandits charged at you with their axes raised high and their shields in front of them. They looked ferocious and may know a thing or two about fighting. It would be wise to deal with them first but you could also try to charge through them and take Onouris down in one blow which hopefully will make the Brigands run away.

"Don't worry Eilidh! I'm coming!" You heard Ian again. Despite visibly running however... he appeared not to have moved at all and was as far away from you as earlier.

---

Lost In Translation
~@Silver Carrot (REB)~

"I require a translator,"

"Naku, delikado iyong babae na iyan. Mukhang pari lang."

"Ikaw na ang kumausap sa kanya."

"Bakit kayo natatakot? Di niyo ba nakita iyong ginawa niya sa mga Varjans?" A female finally stepped forward to talk to you. The woman had light brown skin and wore a simple dress fit for a commoner. "Miss, come with me. We must leave before more of the Varjan Warriors come. Follow me."

The woman led you into the smaller streets and the alleys of the town. "You are very brave and very skillful to have done that. They could've been better warriors and you would've been in trouble." She remarked. The woman had led you to an open but secluded part of Sonorra. "Now then, you are asking for a translator yes? What do you need translated?" She then asked about your objective.

"Who are you by the way? From the way you look, you appear to be a priestess of the Order." She examined you. "But I doubt since you did dispatch two Varjans."

---

Keeping It Real
~@Kyun, @13org (FYR)~

"I... I'm sounding like a naïve child... Am I not?"

Haley snickered. "At least you know what you are."

"Well if the gods couldn't change humans, what makes you think you can?" She smiled at Freyr in response to his words. "Also, what you've witnessed is just a small portion of humanity. There are a lot of humans in this world, Freyr. There are humans like him, humans that are the opposite of him, humans that are a whole different bag altogether. You said so yourself, didn't you? There are humans who can make beautiful and awesome things. Heck, back then we monsters have barely any human sympathizers but now, we've got entire monster-friendly nations. I mean, look at the powerful Moon Kingdom! They are a human power that could stand against the Order and they don't really mind us living amongst them now. Sure, maybe that's because they can't afford to waste resources on us but that's besides the point."

The Siren then sighed. "Don't lose hope for them, Freyr. We just gotta keep believing they will be better and continue guiding them to that." She patted Freyr on the back with a wing. "Now then, enough philosophy. We've got a job to do!"

"To tell you the truth... I choose this mission because human poets... Usually are able to see past this red mist that seem to cover the other's eyes... To see past the gold and money, to see the true beauty of the world, be in harmony with the things which surround them and themselves."

"Emphasis on the 'usually'." Haley replied. "I saw several human poems which are all about horror and all about war. Heck, I saw a poem once that was just a hate piece against the Moon Kingdom. Like, seriously there are humans that hate other humans more than they hate monsters."

"Am I correct to presume you are mister Freyr, from the adventurer's guild? My name is Ars, I am to aid you in the request given by mister Saint."

"Oh, you're part of the guild too?" The Siren questioned before looking at Freyr. "A friend of yours, Freyr?" She asked before turning back to Ars. "I'm Haley, Ars. I'm also part of the guild but I haven't stayed at the building yet. It's-It's a long story."

"Boreal Port is still quite away so why don't we formally introduce ourselves so things won't get confusing just in case." Haley suggested. "I'll go first. I'm Haley Wellington. Just your average Siren. Well, above average since I like to think I've been to more places in this world than other Sirens."

@Rune_Alchemist(ARL)

Magnus was excited at the cyclops' words, hurrying after her at the revelation that she knew where their client was. On the walk there, Magnus' eyes were absolutely sparkling with childlike wonder, thinking about the flying machine and all of its glory, finally seeing it and just about struck down in his awe. Setting the pelts down, he listened carefully to the words of the inventor Kyle. He wanted to make absolutely sure that the construction went smoothly...he was no genius, but he assumed Kyle had to be to have such confidence in himself to make a flight with a metal machine.

Nodding emphatically, Magnus thought this plan would work, though...he suddenly stopped to tilt his head a bit. "Wait...w-wouldn't it be safer to jump off something smaller than a cliff first to test it? W-What if a wing breaks and it falls?" he questioned, clearly concerned for the inventor. He'd heard a lot about novice mages trying to make levitation spells work from too high up and...well...winding up dead not so high up after.

"I-I'm not saying your machine won't work...I hope it really does, but...just in case?" Magnus added, really hoping that he could at least convince Kyle to try it first on something like a rooftop of a house. After all, breaking a leg is better than breaking everything. "E-either way, do you know where we can find some Morning Light flowers?"


@Eviledd1984, @Rune_Alchemist(CHR)

Christine certainly seemed confident that Nephele would do just fine with no experience. A small smile was settled on Nephele's face, though the murmur of "other stuff" confused her a bit. Was...was this supposed to be a romance? Well, that would be a bit awkward with two women, but she supposed that as long as it was only acting, then there wasn't anything really wrong with it. A murder mystery seemed very interesting, and she hoped that at the very least she wouldn't be caught acting poorly or in a foolish manner, given that the only murder mysteries she'd read were outdated by a hundred years or so.

Adjusting her tie, she took in the air of the stage and the air of the dining room, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Then, she realized...Maria was nowhere to be seen. Looking around, curious as to why her friend was absent, she hurried over to Gerald, simultaneously curious as to whether it was really okay to have a woman play his daughter's cute-butt-savior. "Excuse me Sir, but have you seen Maria? And erm...is there perhaps a script I can look through? I feel I'm a bit lost, even with an explanation."

Her ears perked up, trying to hear Maria amidst the clamor and noise of the stage being setup. It was nearly impossible...not helping the fact was that Maria was usually very soft spoken, and soft-stepping as well. Even her footsteps were quiet from all that fluff, so Nephele would simply have to hope that an answer arrived. Perhaps she simply went to buy something to eat.

Freyr

Freyr smiled with a much more tranquil and serene expression as he heard Haley's words. Indeed, humans had so much potential... Even though some of it was misdirected, they were still worth insisting on. So varied, so different from one another... With a little guidance, they could become different from what they are right now... Haley's words about the poet did worry him a little bit though. It was indeed truth that humans had a great capacity for hate... even for their own kind... But Freyr choose to dismiss that as just a remote possibility. Hopefully, that poet wouldn't be like that... Hopefully...

"Thanks, Haley. Thanks for hearing me and for those words. You are a real blessing, you know that?" He said, smiling kindly towards her, before turning to the new arrival.

"Y-yes... I am Freyr... Did Neil and Bartholomew send you?" Freyr asked, a bit confused on how did he knew his name. But the second after he said about the mission, Freyr immediately knew that Neil and Bartholomew had probably sent him.

"A friend of yours, Freyr?" Freyr heard Haley asking.

"No... I don't think so. In fact, I'm a bit surprised he knew who I am... Although I guess it's not that hard to find me... male monsters are indeed a bit... unusual..." Freyr said, laughing.

"Well, I agree with what Haley said... If we're going to travel together, knowing a bit more about ourselves wouldn't be that bad..." Freyr said, looking towards Ars and Haley, after she finished introducing herself.

"I am Freyr. As weird as it may sound... I am a male Viera..." Freyr said, putting a bit of emphasis on the male part, but not as in a male demi human, but as in a male viera.

"I'm... well... just your average viera... I guess? Not that average since I left, and thus, was exiled from the forest. I'm a skilled hunter, tracker and I'm rather knowledgeable about poisons, herbal medicines and the nature in general." He said as if everyone knew what Vieras were, despite the fact that only very few people knew much about them.

@PaulHaynek @Kyun

---

Bast Ragoczy

That was surprisingly... unhelpful. Bast thought he would at least be able to obtain a bit of information out of that, but he got nothing other than their names...

"Is that so...?" Bast asked, with a disappointed expression.

"I was hoping I could talk with Mr. or Mrs. Barensia, but I guess that it can't be helped. I will certainly try to find him, but before I go, would you mind if I just took a look around outside the manor? I wish to take some mental notes about the architecture, the decoration and the garden." Bast said, looking to the guards.

"Oh, don't worry. I am not asking to let me in. It would be incredibly rude and disrespectful for someone to get in someone's house without their consent. I will simply stay outside the gates and take a quick look around, would that be ok?" Bast asked looking to them.

His intentions, of course weren't just to take a look. He didn't really need to get close to the stagecoach to burn it, since he could just send one of his cards there. He just needed a clean line of sight, so he could make the card stick on the stagecoach. If possible... Bast would like to burn it in a more... public location. Maybe when Mr. and Mrs. Barensia had to use it... It would indeed be very interesting. But for that... he needed a bit more of information.

"Oh, one more question before I go. Is there some way I can meet with Mr. and Mrs. Barensia? I would like to formally greet them. I may not hang around the city for too long, since I'm a very busy gentleman. Maybe a public event or a ball they will attend? My guess that it would be more... comfortable for both parties if we could do such in a public environment..." Bast said, looking to them almost like if he was about to make a confession.

"You see... I have a reputation to keep... And I don't want to look like I'm... how do common people say it...? A bootlicker, is that right?" He said, with a smirk.

"You two surely understand the importance of building good relationships, right? Even the king or the queen of a kingdom could fall if they don't have powerful friends..." Bast said, gently tapping his fingers on his cane.

@PaulHaynek

~@The Irish Tree (NEP)~

---

"Hm, I can't say I have seen Lady Maria." Gerald replied. "Perhaps she decided to take a look around the manor? I certainly wouldn't mind if she did so...though I wouldn't advise it. Some parts of the manor haven't been entirely repaired just yet and may be dangerous." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "As for a script, oh heavens no! Well, there is one but I feel as though anything we could come up with would pale in comparison to an actual adventurer's experience."

"I gotta agree with dad on this one," Christine grinned. "Just do whatever comes naturally, alright?"

"So, lets get started then....hmm, we'll start at the ending then, just after the murderer has been thwarted. I'll set the scene for you. For now, lets just practice your lines. The actual acting can come later. Just remember this is a romance hm? And this is supposed to have a happy ending." Gerald cleared his throat, before announcing in a rather theatrical fashion, turning to a mostly empty room as though practicing narrating for upcoming play himself.

"And so, the Phantom Ghast defeated by his own machinations. The chandelier designed to crush the poor and upcoming actress, Christine, failed. Together with the heroes she was able to thwart the masterminds dastardly plans," He paused for a moment. "I wonder, though, how will this tale end? Will the hero get the girl? Or is there heart-wrenching tragedy still around the corner? Not even I can tell, ladies and gentlemen..."

And that was her cue. He had said just to practice her lines, buuuut, she got a little too into it.

"Ahem," Clearing her throat for only a moment, Christine then ran right towards Nephele, wrapping the dragon in a tight hug. "Oh thank heavens that worked, Nephele!" She giggled brightly. "Oof, my dress is ruined from being ehe, but that's fine." She looked up at Nephele, face slightly red as she looked up at the taller dragon, obviously that was her cue to do something.

@Eviledd1984 - Maria

---

"Less talking darling, and more action! That's what this play needs!" Before Maria could get another word in edgewise with the specter, the ghostly figure held the decorative seeming cane like a rapier herself, jabbing it forward towards Maria's head. Thankfully for the mothwoman the door handle turned, letting her fall into the corridor she had just came from causing the ghostly womans weapon to hit nothing but air.

The only problem, was that this was not the hallway Maria had just come down. No, now it was a small foyer with a staircase that led downwards, all of the windows were boarded up and the air smelled as if someone hadn't been in the area for ages. The only way to go, was downstairs.

Thankfully, it seemed as though the phantom wasn't pursuing her, and once she reached the end of the stairs there was a door that led...

Right back into the initial foyer, where the front door was, except she was on the opposite end and side of the room. How exactly had she gotten so turned around? If she knew anything about phantoms, she might have an inkling of what was going on. Either way, it was a straight shot back to Gerald and the set.

~Arletta Dupain~

@PaulHaynek@The Irish Tree

---

"Ah...? You know the inventor then? Well, please show us the way." Arletta replied with a friendly smile, trying to calm down the cyclops. She followed eagerly, though not nearly as so as Magnus it seemed. As they arrived, the inventor greeted them cheerfully and started to explain about what he needed help with. Namely, material gathering. It seemed they had gotten incredibly lucky with the hides - that was a stroke of fortune on there part. Bird feathers and Morning Light Flowers. The hardest part would be the bird feathers, then.

"This is...certainly a fine machine, sir." Arletta replied, gazing over the machine. It was...something, certainly. She had to wonder if it would actually work. "You made this by yourself? With Talia's help?" Haha...if it did fly she'd like to take a ride in it herself, though Magnus' concerns were valid.

"Ah, I am Arletta Dupain." She introduced herself, glancing over to Magnus. "If you want to look for the flowers, I'll find some bird feathers, then."

@Rune_Alchemist

Maria Falena

Maria was glad the door had opened and she fell out of the doorway, Landing on her large posterior with a soft thud. "Ouch" She slowly stood up looking around, She looked around seeing that he was not in the hallway she had came form. She was glad the phantom was not chasing her but she had to think of why the phantom is not coming after her and why the mayor did not tell them about the resident phantom. Anyway she had to tell the mayor their was some sort of phantom in the mansion, Standing up and walking towards the door that would lead her back to the mayor.

While she made her way down the stairs covering her nose with the sleeve of her dress, The musky smell filling her nose. Arriving at the door she thought would take her to the main foyer and the stage, Placing her hand on the knob turning it and opening the door. She had many things to confront the mayor about what she saw. She also wondered who was the phantom and what she had to do with the town and the opera.

Eilidh's ears picked up Ian's distance as she was faced down by the four guys, and she cursed under hear breath. Looks she'd be fighting them herself. What's worse was that the wizard was now a distance away, and capable of casting magic while she fought the others. Short of falling back to Ian and letting their target escape, or fighting and getting lucky though the odds were against her, the best choice in her mind was to apprehend the wizard first, then worry about the other humans when risks of magical backup or the target escaping were nil. She was lucky she had managed to closer her eyes before the dirt hit her face. Being blinded would have made any kind of fight a suicide mission.

Eilidh charged sword held high, and screamed her Centaur tribe's war cry as she prepared to plough through the four armed men. They were all quite large and burly for humans, but Eilidh was half horse and a full-weight horse travelling and full gallop is a lot of mass travelling very fast. It was the unstoppable force meets by comparison very movable objects. Her thighs smashed into the men like large furry clubs. She of course got a few nasty cuts and nicks for her troubles, though thankfully she was travelling too fast for anyone to hack her left half-off or anything as drastic. When she reached the target wizard, she slowed to a stop and reared right in front of him, holding her sword high in the air and cutting a figure so majestic and fearsome that it was a shame lighting didn't strike at that moment. Or that she didn't have a better bra (or a bra at all). There was nothing that took away from a fearsome stature quite as bad as jiggling.

@PaulHaynek

---

"They were probably fine warriors, yet all men are men of emotion and desire. It would take a soldier extremely disciplined to be on their guard even when about to bed a woman, Rebecca replied shamelessly as she calmly followed the older woman. "As to my business I am a member of that new Guild to the north, which received this note recently." The Priestess handed the note to the Varjan to read, and continued to answer her questions as she read it and hopefully understood it. "I was indeed a Priestess of the Order, though let's just say I have had theological disputes with other Priests over the Chief God's stance on a few things such as women, and monsters, and especially monster girls. Though, even if I were still a Pravarian member of the Order, I wouldn't have stood for the way those two soldiers treated me, and many Pravarians would have sided with me if I was held to account for their murders. There is little love for Varjo there."

@PaulHaynek

@Eviledd1984, @Rune_Alchemist(CHR)

..No Script? No plan? Nephele almost had time to gulp her nervousness away before being taken for an EXPERIENCED adventurer...when in reality, this was her first job. Novella were the bulk of her romantic experience, and their thicker novel brethren typically were left only half finished before a new one caught interest. A slight tinge of red rose in her cheeks as she racked her brain trying to figure out just what role she played, the accomplishments of that role, the climax that lead to the falling action, and where the hell her queue cards were!

It would take her a moment of fumbling to find words for the woman hugging her, raising a balled hand to her mouth and letting out a small cough as she cleared her throat, trying to get the "frog" out that seemed to be driving the butterflies in a frenzy. The pause perhaps lasted just a smidgen long before Nephele had an epiphany. She didn't need to know anything of the script or characters; Christine, right there was the method of improvisation. What kind of person would want to save her? A lover? A brother? A knight bound to guard her? For the sake of limiting the possibilities, Nephele raced to the conclusion that it was common for a noble to love a noble, so a noble lover she must be.

Letting the flushness of her cheeks carry the presence of a worried lover, Nephele returned the hug in kind, one hand resting assuredly on Christine's back. "Christine my darling, the dress doesn't matter." she said, her voice calm, with just a tinge of relief in it, as if she truly had feared for Christine's life. "All that matters it that you're safe, dress be damned. I'd see ten thousand dresses torn and burnt before I see a bruise upon you," a hand, bladed and hard gently touched at Christine's cheek, delicately cupping her cheek as if her beauty were priceless and fragile as snow and glass. Nephele's face was radiant, as she seemed to fully adopt the role she was forced into, seeming like an almost convincing princess charming. In the back of her mind, she hoped Maria would show up soon so she wouldn't be alone in such acting...although, maybe for her own sake, she also didn't want Maria to see her ham it up so much. Gulping once, Nephele went in for the kill, puckering her lips up slightly before a soft smack was heard, her lips falling on Christine's right cheek. "...Err...I am supposed to be romantic, correct? Terribly sorry, I've never kissed...well...anybody, being honest."

Now suddenly feeling very inadequate at acting and romance, Nephele hung her head. "...My sincerest apologies."

~@The Irish Tree @Eviledd1984 (NEP & Maria)~

---

If Christine's own red face was anything to go buy, Nephele had definitely succeeded in appearing as her prince charming. As soon as Nephele pulled away from the kiss, Christine held the sides of her own face, completely enthralled by her rather, objectively, amateurish acting. It wasn't bad, but it certainly was cheesy, but it had the desired effect on the young noble.

"Aaaaah!~" She pulled herself away from Nephele with her usual over dramatized demeanor, a loud giggly squeal, twirling once on her feet and acting like a village girl who just got her first kiss from some knight in shining armor. "Oh be still thy beating heart! _{Haha I'm such a genius still}" She held both of her hands to one side of her face, going on to mutter a few things, such as 'guys' and 'this was better'. "Such a great idea me, oh how do I come up with these ideas! A forbidden love between two women, aaah such a scandalous tale is almost too hot for the stage!~"

"Do forgive my daughter," Gerald chuckled before giving her an encouraging grin. "She is easily excited. You did well, I think, Nephele! That is exactly what this play needs, I think! Boldness and bravery! -ah...hm?" He turned his head to the doorway where Maria was walking in. "Ah...Lady Maria! nice of you to join us. Nephele and Christine here were practicing their lines. Finish giving yourself a tour of the mansion? Thank you for the Chandelier, by the way."

Upon hearing someone new enter the room, Christine stopped her giggling and twirled again, turning to face them.

"Ah...hello! I don't think we've met. I'm Christine!" She flashed Maria a grin. "...so, dad says you might've been exploring the mansion? Run into any spooky things in this old place?" She asked brightly, though her tone of voice was slightly odd. Almost as if she already knew the answer. Gerald simply sighed.

"Christine, please do not bring up those silly stories."

@Rune_Alchemist

Maria Falena

Maria made her way into the main foyer and the set where everyone was, "Hello..miss Christine...my name is..Maria" She said softly bowing her head politely. "Well actually..i wanted..to speak to you about..something i saw" She said now turning to face the mayor. Glupping loudly rubbing her dress. She felt a bit conflicted if she should say something to the mayor, She did not want him to become angry at her for mentioning what she saw.

"Well..i saw a female phantom..while i was..in the hallway in the back..of the mansion" She said to the mayor her eyes looking down at her feet, "I swear i saw it...it tried to attack me.." She said softly her face looking like she was going to cry. She was preparing to be yelled at by the mayor.

Alike In Dignity
~@13org (BST)~

"Oh, don't worry. I am not asking to let me in. It would be incredibly rude and disrespectful for someone to get in someone's house without their consent. I will simply stay outside the gates and take a quick look around, would that be ok?"

"Yes of course, sir." The guard answered, completely oblivious to your true intentions.

"Oh, one more question before I go. Is there some way I can meet with Mr. and Mrs. Barensia? I would like to formally greet them. I may not hang around the city for too long, since I'm a very busy gentleman. Maybe a public event or a ball they will attend? My guess that it would be more... comfortable for both parties if we could do such in a public environment..."

"I-I don't know the schedules of the Barensia family and whether or not they will go to a public event. That's above our pay." The guard replied. "But you can issue them an invitation to a ball or something if you'd like. I don't know if they will respond favorably though." The guard continued. "Would you like me to tell them about your invitation? It would be preferable if you state the reason."

With the information now in hand, what will be your next course of action?

---

The Sky Is The Limit
~@Rune_Alchemist, @The Irish Tree (MAG)~

"Wait...w-wouldn't it be safer to jump off something smaller than a cliff first to test it? W-What if a wing breaks and it falls?"

"I appreciate your concern but..." Kyle cleared his throat for the explanation. "The contraption needs some time in the air to gain momentum for flight. Anything lower and the contraption would land before it could even spend a minute in the air."

"You made this by yourself? With Talia's help?"

"Yes indeed, Miss Dupain. And once it is completed and we show what it can do, we will revolutionize the entire world!" Kyle exclaimed. "We will be famous beyond imagination!"

"E-either way, do you know where we can find some Morning Light flowers?"

"Ah yes, Morning Light flowers..." Kyle's tone gave a hint that it will not be easy retrieving the plants. "They're... they don't really grow around these parts. You'll have to get them from a supplier or a friend or something. They're pretty rare too so you won't be seeing them at any random store you see." He then smiled. "But you look like capable people. I'm sure you will find some."

"Now then, if you don't have any more questions then let's get to our businesses shall we?" Kyle declared before spotting Talia. "Ah, why don't you take Talia here with you? She's knows the plans and thus will know just how much we need to make that adhesive." Kyle suddenly suggested before turning to the Cyclops. "It's okay, Talia. Ol' Charleston here will be just fine. Besides, you always wanted to see more of the world, right?"

Talia nodded and faced Arletta and Magnus followed with a bow. "I am Talia Bucchas and I will be in your care from now on." The Cyclops said.

"If you want to look for the flowers, I'll find some bird feathers, then."

"Errm, excuse me..." Talia interjected albeit meekly. "I... I suggest that we... you rest for today since you two appear very tired and roughed up. Like Mister Charleston said, you don't have to come up with the materials immediately. We can return to him some other day." The Cyclops then noticed that Arletta and Magnus looked a little roughed up. "Also, what happened to you two? What happened before you two met me and Mister Charleston?"

---

Help, Wanted
~@Silver Carrot (ELD)~

You successfully charge through the incoming Brigands and with one mighty slash from your sword, Onouris Neith was struck down without resistance. The Brigands, upon seeing their boss taken down, routed and ran. The battle was over.

"Hey! Good job, Eilidh!" Ian finally arrived, late to the action. "Oh man, you were awesome! You plowed through those Brigands like they were... they were... I got nothing." The mercenary fell short of his praise. "Either way, you're awesome. Truly a shining example of the Centaur race. Except for the killing part though. Normal monsters don't really like that, you know?"

"Anyway..." Ian walked over to Onouris and placed two fingers on the neck. "...Yep, dead as driftwood. We could've gotten a better reward if he was alive but whatever." Picking up Onouris' staff, Ian gave it a twirl. "This should be good enough for evidence. You wanna get his armor? It may be cursed but it looks pretty damn good."

Ian then tossed you a small pouch. "Besides the sword, you can have that too. You're gonna need a lot of gold in the future." The mercenary said before departing. "It was nice working with you, Eilidh. Especially your boobs!"

Your quest was done. You are free to return to the guild or perhaps go somewhere else.

---

Lost In Translation
~@Silver Carrot (REB)~

"There is little love for Varjo there."

"Really? I have heard that the Order very much loves Varjo."

"As to my business I am a member of that new Guild to the north, which received this note recently."

"You are from the guild? One of your members have helped escort my sister to Boreal Port a day ago." She replied. "She was a woman with a horse's body. A-A Centaur, right?"

The girl read the note that you gave and gasped. "This. This is a very important message!" She exclaimed. "It bears grave news for the resistance." She looked at you with worry. "However grave it is, it is still important news. Thank you, Miss, for bringing this to us."

"We... we do not have any gold to give you right now." The girl said. "Is there... is there something else that you would want? Perhaps we can provide that."

---

Keeping It Real
~@Kyun, @13org (FYR)~

The trio enter Boreal Port, the smell of seawater immediately filling their noses. The town itself was quite simple and there were no buildings that stood out from the rest except for a large church that appeared to be visible from any point in Boreal port. It was doubtful that it belonged to the Order as the coastal town was definitely accepting of monsters judging from how you have seen some monsters obviously amongst the population.

"My, my, take a look at you. Will you take a look at you?" A man in a homely suit with a fancy hat suddenly greeted you from a bench. "You three look like you've seen trouble enough for a hundred men."

"Trouble has a way of finding us, sir." Haley replied before anyone could.

"Do I like the sound of that, do I ever like the sound of that." His enthusiasm rising as he stood from his bench. "Trouble with a capital T. That's just... capital." He continued.

"Whatever you say, mister."

"Cold, tough but with a heart of gold. The adventurer sings tales of his exploits. Like... like a dog whose bone is made of wood."

"Wait a sec, are you the poet guy looking for help?"

"Wait, you're from the guild? That's fantastic! You are exactly the kind of people I am looking for." The man then extended a hand for anyone to shake. "Oh, ah, James Saint, my good friends, at your disposal. But uh, please, don't dispose of me just yet." He chuckled.

"So? What do you need help with?"

"I've been sent out here to provide a little frontier spirit for the ladies back home." Kyle began to explain. "While I would be partaking in some of the action, first I'd like to know what life is like for adventurers like you. I don't need a comprehensive explanation. Just a reminisce of how things are and how you felt as you undertake adventures like... dungeon exploring. Or treasure hunting."

Haley then looked at Freyr and Ars. "I'll let you guys go first."

@Rune_Alchemist(ARL)

Magnus could feel himself being swept in the enthusiasm that Kyle possessed. A dream that involved a flying machine...that was beyond ambitious! If he could pull it off, then maybe they could get to their jobs for the guild even faster...somehow. Maybe they'd have to build a giant ladder to fly off of. But still, if this became widespread, even someone like Magnus could tell that it'd completely revolutionize the whole world!

Pumping his arms, the minotaur's eyes were absolutely sparkling. He'd help in any way that he could, and nodded his head vigorously at Kyle's statements, including the ones about the flowers. "Understood! I-I'll go to Boreal Port, and if they have any, then this'll be done really fast!" he said, eyes shining with the innocent light of glee. To feel that he wasn't just helping, but actively making someone's dream come true was what Magnus had always thought being an adventurer was about...and now for the first time, he was capable of doing it. Just as he was about to start running to Boreal, Talia and the news of her going with them stopped him. Scratching the back of his head, Magnus self consciously held a hand over the hole in his tunic. "O-Oh, we were just...there was someone in trouble, so we had to fight to help them is all. Just a few hounds."

Magnus really hoped that the thought of beasts on the road wouldn't frighten the cyclops, hurriedly saying: "B-But Arletta's really strong, and I can fight too. We'll keep you safe no matter what shows up. Promise." as a reassurance that they were indeed...competent at least. Magnus managed a small smile, though his cheeks were a bit red, now thinking about how loud he must have been in his excitement. Regardless, he ran a rough hand once more over the exposed spot on his tunic, looking at it glumly as he hung his head a bit. "...I can't lie to her about this." Magnus thought, figuring that if he lied and said that he was washing the tunic or something to not show Rebecca the hole in it, it'd only make her more upset when she found it. Wincing at the thought of her being angry after making such a nice gift for him, Magnus sunk to a crouch and scratched his hair furiously. "F-Father, if Valhalla exists, d-d-does dying to a woman's scorn count as dying in battle?" he asked to nobody in particular in his mind, getting the image of his father's dopey grin in his mind with the words: "Hell No" in bright bold letters under it.

It would be a confusing sight to see a Minotaur prostrating, but...that was the event that Arletta and Talia were graced with.

---

@Eviledd1984, @Rune_Alchemist(CHR)

Maria would see that Nephele was still quite red in the face, as she was kind of now questioning her future as an actor. Or something. Regardless, the flustered dragon hurried over to her friend at hearing that she was attacked. She was trying to ignore the small whisperings of Christine, figuring that she must have had some hidden knack for acting to stir her up so much. Regardless, Maria came first. Taking a stand by Maria, Nephele gave her a reassuring pat on the back; She looked like she was about to burst from either frustration or remorse. "Please, believe her, sir. Maria isn't one to lie. Her honesty is the reason I stand here today."

Whether it be because of just being used to Christine's demeanor, or just from being unused to subtleties, Nephele failed to even pick up the idea that Christine had an idea as to what was going on. Her face was back to normal however, and she smiled softly at Maria. She wanted to reassure her that she had her back no matter what. After all, she was her first real friend int he world, even if it was initially for a job. Turning to Gerald, she spoke up once more. "Even if it wasn't necessarily a specter or a ghost, someone still must have attacked her." she explained, fully trusting in Maria's testimony.

~@The Irish Tree @Eviledd1984(NEP) (MAR)~

---

"Oh for the love of-" Gerald sighed, holding his hand to his head. "I will not hear any of these ghost stories any more. Not from you or the set workers. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a meeting with an important lord from Boreal Port." He grumbled, promptly ignoring the two woman as he walked away. Christine gave the two of them a soft smile and a sheepish giggle.

"Sorry about that," She began. "He's just a little...nervous. A lot of the workers here started talking about how this place was haunted and some of them have quit working. He just really wants the play to go well, so he's a little anxious." She fidgeted a bit, obviously taking her a few moments to think about something before shaking her head and sighing. "He'll probably hate me for this, but since you're here you deserve to know, I think. Now, this happened a long time ago. Probably before any of us were born, but...the previous residents of this place were murdered. Every single one, as were anyone who were attending the ball that night." She paused, tangibly letting the words hang in the air for as she let the girls process them.

"It's the anniversary of it, if I remember right, so If you saw a phantom, chances are it's someone from that night." for a brief instant, Christine's own smile faltered for a moment, thumbing over the feathery plumes on her mask unconsciously. "Weeelll, chances of anything happening are low anyways. Actually...wait!" She hopped over to Maria, grabbing the mothwomans hands with an excited grin once again proving that she had no idea of the concept of 'personal space'. "Hey hey, take me to where you saw 'em, yeah?"

~Arletta Dupain~

@PaulHaynek@The Irish Tree

---

Kyle's excitement had an infectious quality to it, especially if the eager Minotaur was anything to go by. It was making even her normally more serious demeanor disappear a bit. At least she hopefully would keep her head on. No need to have another incident like she had with Valarie. That'd be embarrassing, especially in front of Magnus.

"Aha, we just ran into some Varjan war hounds. They were attacking a traveler on the road, and we couldn't just stand by and do nothing. The pelts are courtesy of them." She grinned with a light chuckle. "It's fine though, I've been through worse in my ahem, rather not so short life, so don't worry too much about us." Still, where would she get feathers from? She wasn't a bird hunter. In fact, she was rather ill suited for that task. She hadn't touched a bow in a long time.

"...uhm, Magnus?" The prostrating Minotaur bought her out of her thoughts. A prostrating Minotaur, that was something she hadn't seen before. "Are you...alright?" She gave him a soft pat on the back of his head. "I don't think she'll be too upset. I think she'd be happier to see you safe instead of having a hound injure you."

@Rune_Alchemist @The Irish Tree

Maria Falena

Maria was looking at the two of them, Blushing a little from her hand being touched by the human. "Well..i was wondering..if Miss Nephele can join us, So we i...witness...in case the phantom attacks again?" Maria said looking up at Christine with her cute moth eyes. She was hoping if the phantom appeared again then she would have witness and someone to help her deal with said phantom. "Would..any of you know how to...rid of a phantom?" She asked the two of them slowly walking towards the door that she had just went though, Even if it was not the right way she knew where the exact door was that lead her to the phantom.

She had hoped that Nephele at least could help the mayor their was a specter here, She was glad to have the dragoness around mostly because she felt she did not belong in the guild. Or rather she felt no one in the guild liked her for some reason or another, However with Nephele she felt like someone liked her and wanting to be her friend. With Nephele she did not feel alone in the world and felt like someone cared about her.

@Eviledd1984, @Rune_Alchemist(CHR)

Nephele was troubled by Christine's explanation...she knew little of ghosts, but she did know that a mass murder that in a ritzy building having an anniversary where something happens was always a basic setup for horror novels. At least, some of the ones she had. Her mother had very repetitive tastes in literature. However, it wasn't like they could just run away from this to continue their rosy forbidden play, her friend and contract partner was counting on her. At the mention of her name, Nephele smiled slightly, placing a hand over her own heart. "I understand. I'll be at your side, and we'll face down this ghost together. Christine, if you intend to come along, then stand behind me. And Maria, you stand behind her." Nephele said, before fanning her other hand out, each of her claws shining slightly in the light. "If you see yellow fog, cover your mouths, by the way. Else you won't be able to do anything except blink and breathe for half an hour." she added ominously.

Walking to the door and escorting Christine over, Nephele would take point during their investigation, mostly because her Fog Breath was only a hindrance in the back. If need be, she could even paralyze someone should they attack...though she felt it might ruin the play to have the leading actress completely immobile for half of it. The small, vestigial wings on her forearms flared out just a smidge, her hands moving to adjust her tie before proceeding. One needed to be professional when dealing with the dead. If no other urgent matters stopped them, she would step into that hall, hoping for Christine and Maria to follow behind.

...What? Ghosts were scary...Even if she could pretend to be unfazed, if she found herself alone, Nephele doubted she could remain calm. Something to protect, and something to aid her standing behind and close by would put her mind at ease, and make sure that Maria wasn't alone and afraid. Or...Christine getting butchered by an angry ghost for trespassing on murder-grounds. "Christine, tell me, how long as your family lived here?"