At the beginning, there was naught. Outside of existence, outside of time - a state of non-existence impossible for any mortal mind to imagine. Then, there was the 'Lights', for a lack of a better word. It could not be seen nor heard nor felt with any sense in existence, impossible to describe.

The light were... A tunnel that lasted for an eternity, yet ended in a breath. Beautiful, yet terrifying. It brought emotions and feelings that were impossible to understand. They are the totality of every things in existence, but also... an inexplicable great void.
And they have created you.

None of you ever "seen" the Pantheon, but you know their names as if they raised you. You do not remember any faces, but know each of them as if they were your parents - in a way, they are. Your creators, your masters. Your benefactors, and also your jailors. They firmly hold you in the grasp of their immortal hands and you belong to them.

You are the very definition of "Loyalty" towards your creators. The source of your powers may vary from one of the gods or the other, but all of you serve the Pantheon of the Divines wholly, and your mission is clear.

You have been sent to Edanica, the mortal world, to stop the realization of a Prophecy. You do not know which one nor what it really is about or what you will have to face. In an ultimate irony, your Masters left you very little to begin your search if but one sentence;
"Find Sol. Walk with the Ancients."

---

Edanica is coming out of a long and uneasy peace.

For many a years now, the continent was at peace - although not by choice. It had achieved a status quo when the militaristic Nuniel Empire met it's match in the great Desert people of Zuiterra and the noble alliance of the Twin Kingdoms; Latis and Coris. The Nuniel conquests stopped two generations ago, under Emperor Metiros I Alland. His son, Emperor Selilus I Alland, was contempt with keeping this peace while developing the Empire. Despite this apparent desire for peace, the late Emperor did very little to better his nation and soon the words going around was that Selilus was simply an incompetent and lazy Emperor. His son however, now known as Metiros II Alland, was showing great promise. While his father did nothing, Metiros saw to reforming the Empire's Armies and find new ways to break the stalemate. It was under Metiros II that Magi-technologi was discovered and developed. Very little is known as to how exactly it came to be, but rumors are that the Empire found something buried deep beneath the earth that was the source of this new discovery. In the end, whatever was the true source may not be known but it's effect would soon echoes in Edanica.

Selilus I would soon pass away - of natural causes or not was still speculated among the people - and the new Emperor Metiros II was quick to act. With his new army and new weapons, he soon turned the small skirmishes at the borders with with Twin Kingdoms into a full blown war of aggression. The very rich kingdom of Coris and the powerful Knights of Latis were putting up a good fight, but the Empire was slowly making way. At this time, it is unclear what other Kingdoms think of this war and how they will react.

However, while these events were taking place in the mortal world, other events of a more divine nature was taking place. Around the same time that magi-technology came to be, unknown to the mortal races of this world entities of pure energies would descend upon Edanica. Created by the Gods themselves and imbued with their essence, these entities would soon inhabit their own vessels and start on a journey and mission they were given by their creators.

A few months had since passed by, and each and everyone of these "Envoys" would find themselves drawn together by an unknown compelling pull. They could feel one another and felt it was a natural thing to regroup, as if it was instinct. This would eventually lead them to capital city of the merchant kingdom, Coris. Arriving one by one, to anyone else they would seem like regular adventurers and travelers, but unbeknownst to the common folks these Envoys were the walking, breathing confirmation of their faith and of the Gods real will on this world.

Somewhat ironically for a group composed of such exceptional individuals, both before and after the "possessions", they would finally find one another in an unexceptional place; a Tavern under the name of the Red Snapper, by the docks. There they would meet, convene and decide upon which actions were best to take next regarding to their mission.

The Gods were watching, but perhaps they were not the only ones.

Coris. Vyandar had been here before. Back when his past life...back when he had served that tour of duty against the Empire. Mere months ago, before the contract had ended and the company returned to Malia for other work. Including the one that killed them all in the end. They'd spent their leave away from the front in this city.

It was difficult to believe that it hadn't been that long since he'd been here last. And at the same time, it didn't matter at all. There was a job to do. A holy mission. Fortunately, he'd made good time since making landfall in Farwatch. The trek to Coris had been eventful enough, with Vyandar being able to honor Anhur a good few times through encounters with bandits and highwaymen on the roads. Still, they'd made for poor sport in the end. Best to unite with the other Envoys quickly.

And yet, as Vyandar passed through the city's main square, something told him that there was time. Time enough to make a brief stop. The way this city treated their impending demise at the hands of the Empire had always...disgusted his past incarnation. But their gold had been good, and he had his orders. Now, though? Now he felt he had the words to express it. And the freedom to do so. To maybe spread Anhur's dogma to even one person in this greed-filled hole.

Vyandar stopped in the middle of the city square, slamming his shield into the stone to get the attention of those around him.

"Nuniel comes for you all! A tide of blood rises from the north! The knights of Latis do everything in their power to hold back their advance! But what of Coris? You sit back and expect your wealth to save you. I have taken your gold! I have spilled more blood in the name of Coris than any of you ever have! Does that not fill you with shame? That a foreign sellsword has bled more for your beloved home than any of its native sons and daughters have?!" The dragonborn bellowed. Good. He had their attention. Now for the message.

"People of Coris, it is not too late to rectify your errors! To save yourselves! Honor the God of War, and he will bless you in battle! Take up arms yourselves! Invest your wealth in the cause of survival! Swords and shields to take to the front, and men and women to bear them! Do not wait for others to bring you salvation, when only through war at your own hands will you free yourselves from the blight of the Empire! Join your armies! Go to the front! Kill in defense of your home, and Anhur will grant you strength!"

Vyandar caught his breath from his ranting and raving, picking his shield back up and starting to walk off, heedless of whatever reception he'd gotten from those around him. He'd spread the word. It fell to the people of this blasted city to determine whether or not they wished to heed it. For now, Anhur pulled him in a different direction.

___

At the Red Snapper, Vyandar took a stool at the bar, setting his shield down next to him as his sword lay sheathed at his side.

"Ale and meat." He rasped to the tavernkeep, setting some silver down on the counter to pay for it. Now, where were his fellows...? Vyandar could feel them in close proximity, but were any here inside the tavern already? Despite having clear knowledge of his holy mission, Vyandar knew little of the other Envoys. If they were like him, would he be able to tell on sight?

He shifted slightly in his stool as a bowl of stew and a mug of ale were shoved in front of him, turning to watch the rest of the tavern with a wary eye as he ate and drank.

most definitely not Lutatia Eichenwald von Brudel

---

There was a certain irony, Lutatia thought, that it was likely her fellow envoys had spent weeks, if not months to gain their bearings and make the journey to Coris. In the meantime, her lifestyle had hardly changed from the time of the Before, and the vibrant merchant capital remained her home in the intervening months. In fact, that was probably truer now than in her previous life.

If she had been more conceited, she would have entertained the notion that it was because the other envoys would naturally congregate around the Envoy of Agamemnon that everybody would gravitate to this city. Clearly a silly notion, but it was still an amusing coincidence that she wouldn’t complain about.

The Brudelian princess, in her long-held disguise as Kyra, had not been sitting idle, however. Dying and turning into an envoy was complicated by her particular manner of dying, unlike the others. Being the target of an assassination yet again meant there had been many, many loose ends to tie up, lest they interfere with her goals as an envoy. The obvious and easy solution had been to dispose of her current persona, since it was likely compromised, although given the natures of the trade she couldn’t be completely sure whether or not the assassins were from Brudel or from a particularly vindictive merchant rival. Had she survived, she would have done just that. But she did not, and there were too many advantages to the cause to not remain as Kyra, martial merchant advisor extraordinaire.

She had burned a lot of political and monetary capital in Coris in ensuring the remaining integrity of her disguise. The intrigue of a rich, multi-ethnic mercantile republic was no less treacherous than that of the Brudelian court, and there were some very interesting ways to find solutions to problems there, even as the threat of northern aggression loomed ever-present.

Even then, she still wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t be ambushed once more in the future, this time with far greater consequences.

Such was the price of a second envoy of Agamemnon.

That state of affairs had taken some weeks to sort out, but it was worth it. It was a shame that she had to leave her mostly cushy position at the North Bay Company, but the departure was amicable and even understandable when she turned back up at the merchant house looking bloodied and half dead. There were connections there that she and her soon-to-be fellow envoys could lean on in the future.

That left her a couple precious, unmolested months with which she could enjoy her home in peace. That home, as it happened, was one of the few things together with its contents that she hadn’t traded away for favors or hard currency for her mission. She was still committed to her host’s dying wish of a comfortable retirement, after all. It also made a very good place to catch up on training for the journey ahead, as well as on the stacks of neglected tomes that she hadn’t found the time for during her tenure with the North Bay Company.

Aside from her regular excursions with Lede to keep up her flying hours –she held herself and her partner to a strict training regime, after all-- she had kept up that routine until today. Earlier in the morning, she had gotten a feeling that she should probably make her way to a certain tavern by the docks soon. She had time enough, though, to enjoy the city for a while longer, as she strolled the city square. It was only marred by the rantings and ravings of a hoarse foreign cleric.

It was a better sermon than from one of the city’s usual suspects. She even found herself agreeing with the entirety of it, but that wasn’t surprising, considering her own views. She had always resonated well with Anhur and his faith, after all. And he was right. Latis, and by virtue of association, Coris, remained in a very precarious geopolitical spot. As long as the status quo remained, there was no doubt that the Twin Kingdoms would eventually fall. Although it had a body of water between it and Nuniel, it was not her homeland either, equipped with the finest air force on Edanica and ringed by impenetrable mountain ranges as it was.

Lutatia continued with her errands, leaving the voice behind. Nonetheless, she had a feeling that she would be meeting its owner before the end of the day.

---

The Red Snapper was truly an unremarkable place. She was not familiar with the particular establishment, but there were dozens like it along the length of the city waterfront. They were all grimy, with some variety of sun-bleached, frequented by rough, but mostly honest sailors, with the occasional handful of scoundrels in between. This particular one felt trawler-themed, though the oversized stuffed red snapper above the bar proper made her wonder if it was a true red snapper or another species of fish covered in red lies.

The establishment seemed to do good business, with its clientele a mix of fishermen and wealthier merchant sailors, with the occasional mercenary and soldier types here and there. Lutatia stood out somewhat, if only by the quality of her clothes; she had dressed simply, with a pair of durable pants, and a loose white button shirt. Her sword remained at her side, though she had foregone the cloak—it was too conspicuous. There was more than the usual to be wary about here, after all.

It wasn’t quite so busy that she couldn’t slip into a seat at the bar, next to a dragonborn that did not belong here at all. Ignoring him for the moment, she caught the barkeep’s eye and slid a small silver coin down across the rough wooden surface. “Small beer and a bit of bread,” she tapped, glancing in the corner of her eye the armored foreigner at her side. She remained silent until her drink and a chunk of rye bread was in front of her before letting slip. “From Anhur, are you? Nice speech earlier, better than what I hear most days in that square.”

Aurelian rode up to a dockside tavern and came to a halt. Of all the places he could imagine being guided to, this humble drinking establishment was what he had anticipated. It was not a temple of the gods, nor a ruin of some lost holy site, nor a landmark of divine importance. However, as mundane and unremarkable this place was, the Envoy felt deep down that he had reached his destination. He also sense the presence of other Envoys, which only reinforced his assurance that he was in the right place.

The last few months had been quite formative. After merging with its host, the Envoy of Sol had needed time to discover himself, to adjust to his new life and to his altered personality. In truth, it wasn't a massive change, since as a paladin of Sol, Aurelian had already sought to uphold the sun god's creed, however imperfectly. However, there was one very notable element of the knight's mind that was changed- his loyalty and patriotism to Nuniel. The Envoy had no interest in taking any part in the war, because even if it wasn't tasked with serving a much higher cause, it found Nuniel's invasion to be grossly unjust. As a result, Aurelian found himself having to readjust to a non-military life, as well as deal with the consequences of desertion. He could not return to his family, and would have to carve out a living elsewhere.

Consequently, Aurelian had stayed outside of Nuniel, mostly keeping to the regions in between Brudel and Coris. He typically stayed in inns wherever he was, with no permanent place of residence. This time was spent re-learning what it meant to be a paladin, rediscovering himself through good works. Sometimes he spent time in holy places of Sol where he lent his meager healing abilities to purge disease and mend wounds from those who needed it. Other times he served as a hired caravan escort, helping people to arrive in their destination safely in this time of war. It was pretty simple work, nothing glamorous aside from fighting the occasional bandits, but it helped him regain his bearings and figure out who he was, and it allowed him to make a living while keeping a low profile during this vulnerable time.
By the time he had felt the compulsion that directed him to Coris, Aurelian had come to terms with his past, his present, and what lay ahead, ready to step up and perform his duties to the Pantheon.

Find Sol. Walk with the Ancients.

It was ironic, that the envoy of Sol knew nothing of what this message meant, and knew nothing of how to "find Sol". He had hoped that his time spent in Sol's holy places, or on the road seeking to uphold his creed would provide some revelation, but he remained just as bewildered by the message as the day he arose on the battlefield. Perhaps one of the other Envoys would have some idea. Were they given the same instructions, though? Were all of the Envoys tasked with finding Sol, or did they each have their own unique message? He looked forward to finding out the answers to these questions.

The journey to Coris proved uneventful. No mysterious supernatural forces tried to stop him, and despite the roads having become more dangerous due to the war, had had no run-in with bandits. Prior to arriving at this meeting spot, he had paid for a room at an inn, despite not being entirely sure if he'd be spending the night here. The only thing that might constitute "eventful" was hearing some preacher rambling about something a few blocks away as he headed to the meeting, although he hadn't gotten close enough to see who it was or what they were ranting about.

The paladin dismounted from his horse, and with a quick incantation, the barded destrier vanished into thin air, returning to the higher plane that it hailed from. It'd mean that he'd have to re-summon it once he was done here, but it saved him the trouble of finding a stable or someplace to tie it down. He stepped through the door, carefully as to not bump his helmet on the doorway. His ornate armor would make him stand out like a sore thumb, but for something as important as the Pantheon's summons, he felt the need to be prepared for anything.

It was an ordinary looking tavern, with the typical clientele for a dockside location like this. Most of them looked like sailors or boatmen or some sort, probably mostly fishermen, crewmembers from larger vessels, and dock workers. The namesake of the inn was a red snapper fish mounted above the bar; if Aurelian had to guess, the owner was perhaps a fisherman that saved enough money to buy a tavern. As the paladin looked around, his eyes came to rest on two people sitting at the bar that stood out from all the others.

It would appear that I am not the first one to arrive.

Aurelian could sense it, these were the fellow Envoys. Not that they'd have been difficult to single out even without the ability to sense them- they didn't exactly look like the rest of the people here. One of them was an armor-clad dragonborn, as heavily geared as Aurelian himself. The second one was what appeared to be an Aasimar woman, wearing fine-looking clothing and sitting next to the dragonborn.

Aurelian sat down at an empty chair at a table and turned it to face the exit. He could feel more of them coming this way, and he wanted to be ready to greet their arrival. If the Dragonborn and Aasimar turned in his direction, or if another whom he could sense as an envoy walked through the entrance, he'd lift his helmet and wave to them, silently signaling that he was here for the same reason as them. If a waiter or waitress happened to approach him, he would order a meal of ale and fish. After all, he was hungry, and didn't know how long this gathering might last.

Liora

---

"Haa..." She really didn't wanna get out of bed. She had a nice comfy bed, and was currently being held by pretty handsome individual after a rather fun night of getting into a rather fancy party held by one of the merchants here. Probably one of the best nights she had in awhile. Ugh, she really didn't want to get up. After about ten more minutes of internally complaining and lamenting though, she'd slowly get out of bed, making sure not to wake her partner as she'd slowly get herself dressed, and would soon leave the place and head out into the city of Coris.

Coris. Quite a bustling city. The noise of the citizenry and the rest of the town was to her at least, a relaxing cacophony that allowed her to simply unfocus on anything around her. Honestly, she'd much rather not be doing this envoy stuff at all. She missed the sea a bit to, and that was the oddest feeling. A leftover emotion from her host? Tsk, thinking any more about this was going to give her a headache and piss her off a bit. Thinking wasn't exactly her or her hosts strong suit anyways, and it had become quite evident over the few months since she had taken this body she wasn't going to get any better at it.

Hm...

As she'd walk through the docks, eyes lingering on the inbound ships just briefly she'd find herself being drawn towards a Tavern - and finally, she was starting to feel the presence of the other Envoy's. Well, she had always felt them but it had been quite a relaxing period since her host had already been in and around Coris...

"Guess its time I put in a little work, eh..." She'd say to herself, walking into the Tavern. Well, they couldn't have chose a better meeting place at least. Maybe she'd buy everyone a drink on her? She had plenty of funds due to her more...salacious exploits and getting cozy with some merchants...would that stand out too much? Maybe. Did she care? Not at all. She was far more interested in getting to know her fellow envoys and if they'd be up for any brand of fun and partying.

So she'd enter the tavern, immediately picking out three others that she'd recognize as other Envoy's. A dragonborn...another Aasimar, and a human. A rather mundane bunch, aside from the dragonborn. She wondered, briefly, if every part of the Dragonborn was as big as the rest of him but quickly shoved the thought out of her head, dragged an empty chair over to Aurelius and sat down right next to him.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see everyone else, ahaha!" She'd greet him with a friendly laugh. "Orial, friend. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name? Oh, and-" As soon as another waitress approached she'd do exactly as she thought earlier - ordering a round of drinks for the entire current tavern and a rather sizable meal of fish, bread, other meats, a few fresh vegitbles, fruits and the most expensive wine she could get her hands on. "-Have a drink, on me. If I'm going to be doing work I'm going to at least enjoy myself a bit, heh."

What a lovely day for a stroll. The sun was bright and the wind was fair. It was rather astute weather for Coris all things considered. Crimson eyes flickered around to take in the sights offered by the merchant kingdom. They shifted with little hesitance but with a drawl that betrayed their calculated thinking. Yes, this was a very lovely day and Rean whistled kindly to herself, unsure if it came by instinct or if Reemis had a sense of humor. It must have been the latter; after all, her departure from Nuniel territory was laughable in itself.

Truly, nothing of excitement happened-and did it ever on the start of such journeys?-in her travels. Or, well, nothing she figured would excite the other Envoys. She recalled how easy, how boring it had been to just slip a note to her family and leave the libraries in their care. They didn’t even question her intent, merely assuming her long trek to be one in the pursuits of knowledge. She supposed it was in a way, but that was in the past now. She was satisfied for now to simply enjoy the lovely day. She stretched and took in the sky, beaming to it a small smirk.

Coris never did change despite the threat of looming war at its doorsteps. Not even the mad ramblings of a Dragonborn could rouse the people from their stupor; or maybe they were planning in secret to raise pitchforks on the warrior? Exciting indeed, and Rean felt an extra rush of exquisite sensation just noting the Dragonborn from a distance. All Envoys could feel out their kin, could sense their own among the raffle of civilization. It was this instinct that drew her near following the Dragonborn and soon others until she reached the Red Snapper tavern at last.

“Terrible name,” Rean mused to herself. She patted the Devulga by her side just once to make sure it was still on her person before she entered the rather mundane location. “Ah, at least I’m not the last,” she remarked with a too big, too sly smile as she spotted the Dragonborn once more, now accompanied with others. All of them were Envoys, of this she felt immediately. Funny. It almost felt like one big family gathering. Despite their differences and conflicting virtues, they were still practically gods in mortal flesh and living vessels of the pantheon.

There was some kinship there that fleeted across Rean’s chest. And then it was drowned out by the rampant approval of drinks and food made out on the house. “Now isn’t that how to make an appearance,” Rean said as she approached the group and gave Liora her grin. She boldly flagged down a random waiter to craft her own order of exquisite breads and cheeses with the thickest goblet of wine until it nearly resembled blood. Then she turned back to her merry group and found a seat among them.

“I would have thought you’d be the one to indulge in the grand spectacles Agamemnon,” she said in the mix of astonishment and a whisper. Rean looked directly at Lutatia with her fist on rested under chin and a bemused expression. “Oh, are we not supposed to do that? Well, we should get the introductions out the way before the whole kingdom finds us. I think you may have upset a few people earlier Anhur.”

It was truly a lovely day for a stroll.

---

---

How far has he walked by now? How often was he driven off the path of his mission by inconvenience after inconvenience? How much farther did he have to travel until he could take the first step in his true journey? These were the questions floating through Arthurs's mind as he walked along an empty dirt road with only his thoughts to keep him company. His tired eyes drifted up towards the sky, slowly roaming from cloud to cloud as he tried to ignore the weight of his exhausted body. He grimaced from the feeling of dirt and grime coating his body, the urge to jump into the nearest body of water nearly overwhelming to resist.

His thoughts drifted off towards the first few weeks after his rebirth as Astarte’s Envoy, vivid memories of a battle scorched land being his first introduction to this world. It took him nearly a week to escape No Man's Land, forcing and sneaking his way east through the warzone since he stood little chance of breaking through the twin kingdom's front lines himself. Thanks to a rather brutal push from the Empire he was able to slip through unnoticed past the enemies line and reach the river separating Latis. The memory of crossing those chilling waters in the night, the sound of magiarms firing off in unison and steel clashing together still echoing in his mind.

Arthur was soon brought out of his thoughts as the sight of his destination came into view, the merchant city of Coris. A moment of silence hung over him as he stared at the city, the feeling of his fellow envoy's presence growing stronger. His grip on the hilt of his rapier tightened slightly as he gave a silent prayer to his Astarte, ignoring the slightly sickening twist in his gut as he quietly asked for her blessing. With a steady breath he continued on towards the city's gates, his weary and dirty body yearning to finally meet his fellow envoys and rest his sore feet.

—-

“Huh,” was all he could say as he stood in the middle of the busy marketplace, his eyes exploring his surroundings with a bit of surprise at how lively this place was. From the hazy memories of his host, he remembered the Imperial markets were never this vibrant or diverse. It was an interesting sight and he had the urge to explore a little more, but the sensation of growing closer to his fellow Envoys was too strong to ignore. Besides, Arthur didn’t have a coin to his name to spend. With a small sigh of disappointment, he moved on through the market while doing his best to ignore the food stands he passed, barely acknowledging the rumbling in his stomach. “Almost there, almost there,” he mumbled under his breath as he weaved through the crowds with ease.

After turning several corners and following the sound of the sea Arthur soon reached the docks, the presence of the others stronger than it has ever been. His tired eyes soon fell upon a nearby tavern and felt his heart skip a beat. “There,” he muttered under his breath before straightening his poster and making a beeline for the establishment. Weeks upon weeks of endless walking, running, and even fighting had all brought him here for this moment. The first step in his mission was about to be accomplished. A shudder ran up his spine at the fact, wondering what could possibly await him in the coming future.

With a steady breath he entered the Red Snapper and scanned the tavern with a stoic gaze, searching for his new comrades. It took little time to pick them out amongst the other customers and felt a heavy weight be lifted from his shoulders. Even dirtied, exhausted, and starving, he still crawled his way to the merchant city and found his fellow Envoys. After clearing his throat and wiping some dirt from his cheek he made his way toward the group, easily weaving his way through the tables and patrons. Once reaching them he gave a slight bow before taking a nearby seat to join them. “Greetings, sorry for being late,” he apologized before letting out a sigh of relief, the feeling of getting off his feet almost divine.

The day was a clear one; blue sky with the occasional lone cloud and a breeze of wind just strong enough to cool body and soul for a well earned rest after putting in some honest work for your ordinary dock worker. People in Coris seemed happy enough, despite everything. It was true that the average folk seemed a little too uninterested in the war but it was mostly due to them being so far from the borders. It did not help that the Twin Kingdoms of Coris and Latis had been suffering the occasional border aggression from the Empire for the last few years, possibly forcing a bit of complaisance on the citizens. However, those that passed by the booming Dragonborn's voice couldn't help themselves but stop to listen to the sermon. Some might even have been affected by it, but if that was the case it showed only little. People loved their quiet lives, and few were willing to accept the facts that might ruin said quiet life, even facts as dangerous and life changing as War. Nevertheless, no one stopped the Cleric or hurled insults at him. Most were used to street criers, Coris being one of the more multi-cultural place it wasn't too rare to see people, clerics and priests included, shouting their beliefs in the streets.

The Redd Snapper Inn was, in fact, unremarkable. Even though it was still early in the day - early afternoon - the Inn was mostly full of people talking, eating and drinking, eagerly spending their hard earned coins away. A brief silence fell on the tavern for a moment when the Dragonborn stepped in, but was quick to be broken. By the time the white-haired maiden had joined the Cleric, the Tavern keeper - a heartful looking Dwarf - had already brought Meat and Ale to the table and was happy to go get the woman's new order. Adventurers were usually pretty lucrative in such places - and adventurers they sure looked like.

By the time a third Adventurer entered, as equally armored as the Anhur cleric, people in the Inn started paying attention. Mercenaries, perhaps? For the war? Who knew. Aurelian was right in the the Innkeeper was a retired fisherman, as was made plain obvious by the many decorations around the room of his past life on the waters.

The people of the tavern began feeling a bit uneasy at the seemingly endless stream of far from ordinary looking folks...but all that was quickly put to rest when the most recent newcomer bought everyone a round. People began laughing again, some toasted to Liora and the table of "Adventurers" without even knowing who any of them were. Truly, they loved simplicity.

This is the scene that Rean would witness as she herself entered the Inn. At this point, people paid no mind to her being far busier reveling, their mind having been put at ease by one simple act of generosity.

By the time Arthur found his way to his new kin, the day was further close to evening and the Tavern was seriously packed. The Innkeeper, the Dwarf who by now introduced himself as Dargas Stonefish, chose about this time to make his way to the table and interrupt the group briefly.

"Sorry to intrude on ya, but I was wonderin' if any of ye fine lads and lassies needed anythin' more in the likes of food and drinks?" he asked as politely as his thick dwarven accent allowed.

"Now I don' want to be intrudin' on you, but folks hav' been wonderin' if you all are mercs or adventurers? We don't see a whole lot of those lately, y'see, and well.." he said with some sort of nervous laughter towards the end, obviously wondering how to formulate the request "...well, to say plainly; the small folks could use a bunch of hard workin' adventurous folks right now. That' all I be sayin'. If ye'r interested, take a gander at the board right by the entrance, for what it's worth. Anyhow, if ye need anything, the lassies will be happy to help! Have a fine evenin'."

With this interaction, the Dwarf called over one of his waitress to take any orders the table would have for him and went away. While straightforward, it was not unexpected. Adventurers were often times easy to spot and in high demands for things the high ups might not want to look into, or could not look into. And in times of war, it seemed adventurers preferred to stay clear of affected states, this would be why the Envoys garnered so much attention. it seemed Liora's act of generosity made the people believe they might be willing to help.

If anyone was to look on the board, they would find much information posted; help demanded to defend farmsteads near the border, missing people wanting to be found, guards needed for ships going at sea and the such. One, however, seemed more prominent than others. It was a paper posted by the Guards of the city asking for help in finding a missing patrol.



The reward was a substantial amount of Gold as well as an opportunity to speak to the Marshal, if such a thing was needed.
Of course, these were all unrelated to the Envoys mission, but funds and information could potentially be useful to them.

It seemed his concerns were unfounded. From the moment the first aasimar walked into the tavern, Vyandar instinctively knew she was a fellow Envoy. Then the obvious devotee to Sol in the fancy armor. Another aasimar. Two more humans. His fellow creations of the gods certainly weren't very imaginative in choosing their hosts by race, were they? Not even an elf or even half of one among them. And it seemed a few had heard his little sermon in the city center. It was wasted on them, of course. Converting a fellow Envoy to the sole worship of another god was unthinkable, if not impossible. Agamemnon, Sol, Qhalus, Reemis, and Astarte. What an...eclectic bunch of choices.

"It's good to be appreciated, though I was hoping for converts." The dragonborn grunted back to the apparent Envoy of Agamemnon, examining her for a moment. "Hm. You're clearly not the Empress of Brudel. Odd. If your patron would have had anyone represent him, I'd figured it would have been her." He said quietly before taking a swig of ale. No sense in sounding like a lunatic by saying that they were all envoys of the gods as loudly as he could.

Vyandar continued to eat and drink as he examined his fellow Envoys. Of course, first impressions mattered little in the long run, especially considering he'd yet to see how they fared in battle. But at a first glance...well, at the very least, the one known as Orial damn well couldn't be trusted with the party's funds, if she squandered her own so readily on a pint for the house. Especially considering she was Qhalus's Envoy.

The innkeeper's interruption brought some thought to Vyandar's mind. He wanted to reject the offer outright, if only because it wasn't a guaranteed battle on top of the fact that missing militiamen had little to do with Sol or the Ancients. But...they'd been called to this tavern specifically for a reason. Was this seemingly trite job divine intervention, perhaps? But why? A chance to speak to this city's marshal? Was that it?

The cleric waited for the innkeeper to leave their earshot before speaking, finishing one last bite of his meal.

"Vyandar Urthac. Was already a cleric of Anhur before all this began. He grunted, introducing himself.

"In any case, it's likely not coincidence that we were called here specifically. Unless Sol's champion understands more of our orders than the rest of us do, I'm to believe that this is divine providence. Either we find something to help us along this path, or the reward of speaking to that lord leads us somewhere." Vyandar rasped his two coppers, jerking a finger in Aurelian's direction.

"In any case, outside of taking that job, I've no other ideas at the moment. Unless we all care to raid the Empire." He stated, entirely serious. "Look at our domains. Empires, the Sun, Debauchery, Vengeance, and both representatives of War. Evidently, our patrons had something especially violent for us in mind."

"I am Sir Aurelian Asellius, paladin and servant of Sol," Aurelian replied to the boisterous aasimar, removing his helmet. "We appreciate your generosity, Oriel." Her deed of buying everyone a around was definitely in line with her patron god Qhalus, Aurelian thought. While Aurelian followed a path that was very different and in most cases quite mutually exclusive with the ways of the god of hedonism, it did not mean that he had to reject their generosity when offered. If anything, it'd be a discourteous insult unfitting of a knight to refuse it.

The next envoy to show up was the envoy of Reemis, taking the form of a human woman wearing fine red clothing. She appeared to be a mage or a scholar, carrying a sword and book with her. She certainly didn't appear as Aurelian would've imagined the god of vengeance, even if the striking red colors of her clothes and eyes seemed fitting for Reemis. Other than what he observed, Aurelian know nothing about her, and she had not yet revealed her name.

The sixth envoy was the final one- Aurelian could feel no others pulling at him beyond these five. It was a human man in leather armor with a rapier and magiarm pistol. Was he perhaps from Nuniel like Aurelian? Or was he someone from the Twin Kingdoms who managed to obtain a magiarm pistol through trade or on the battlefield? The fact that the man was the envoy of the war goddess Astarte strongly suggested that he was a veteran of the war. Aurelian couldn't help but be curious as to what the young man's story was, what he did in that slow, brutal meat grinder of a conflict to be chosen as Astarte's envoy.

It was around this time that the tavern keeper, having taken note of the many curious guests in his establishment, had approached them with the suggestion to do some hired work. What particularly caught his attention was the dwarf's plea that the small folk needed some hired help, suggesting that the jobs were noble, worthwhile causes. When the knight took a closer look at the board, it was clear what sort of help the people needed- guard duty, investigating disappearance, and so on. If he had all the time in the world, there were a few that Aurelian would gladly do. However, there was one that stood out the most. It was not a job from a lowly farmer, it was a decree from the Marshal of Coris himself, seeking help to find a patrol that had gone missing along the Trifork River. Aurelian wasn't too surprised that the Marshal had posted such a simple request- even when the knight served Nuniel, he had heard of how Lord Dunham was a good and honorable man. Assuming the other envoys were on board, this could be both easy money and a good way to endear themselves to Coris, which could greatly help their mission in the long run.

Once the innkeeper was gone, the dragonborn spoke up, voicing his belief that it was no coincidence that they were brought here, that the gods had perhaps guided them to this exact job posting. Aurelian felt the same way, but there was another matter that had caught his attention.

That chipped horn...that armor....I've seen him before.

Now that he had a good look at the envoy of Anhur's face and armor, Aurelian recognized him as a foe whom he had fought to a standstill during the war. During one battle, he had found himself in combat with a formidable dragonborn cleric of Anhur, a scarred dragon-man with a distinctive broken horn, serving with a mercenary company. Aside from the battle where he had actually gotten killed, it had probably been the toughest fight of the knight's life. The dragonborn, enhanced by his magic and clearly very experienced in the art of swordplay, proved to be a far more formidable melee combatant than the paladin had anticipated of a cleric. In hindsight, it was fortunate that neither managed to kill the other in the battle, because it'd have made this reunion far more awkward.

"I'm afraid I was given no further information on our...directives than any of you," Aurelian replied, surmising that based on the dragonborn's words singling him out, the other envoys had been given the same vague instructions to find Sol. "But I agree with him, there has to be a reason why we were called to this specific location, and this may very well be the reason why. And whatever that reason may be, I do know that having the gratitude and favor of the Marshal would be very valuable."

"What do the rest of you think of this proposed course of action?" he asked, turning to each of the other four envoys.

Liora

---

"No need to be so stiff, Aurelian." She replied with a laugh. "We're all friends here, aren't we? Might as well let loose a little." Or perhaps rather, if she was going to be doing something she found incredibly grating and unfun, she was going to make her own fun with it. The rest of the Envoy's certainly didn't seem like they'd be easy to have a good time with anyways. Paladin? Pfft, he'd probably try and make her become a nun or something. The dragonborn seemed just as fun in all honesty. Shame. "No worries friend. Pull up a chair. Don't worry, I only bite if you ask." She'd say towards Arthur, the last apparent Envoy to arrive back in her seat, propping her own boots up on the table as she'd take a long swig of a drink.

He didn't seem particularly entertaining in the bedroom...but perhaps she could get some fun martial practice with all of them? Hm, she didn't really care for such things but there was always that annoying nagging feeling in the back of her head...at least that Envoy of Reemis seemed like they might provide a bit of entertainment for her.

"And if you want more of a spectacle, I could definitely give you one if I get drunk enough." She flashed a smile to Rean. It was about this time the Tavern owner approached. It was a good thing she had distracted everyone with some drink. By the time all of them showed up the atmosphere had already started to turn a bit sour. Needing work, huh? Well, not her favorite sort of work. She could think of much better ways to get some morale up, if that's what they were worried about. Leave all the complicated stuff to other more qualified people.

Though, she supposed she was one of the other, more qualified people.

Tsk, maybe she could find someone that could entertain her...

"If our purpose is to kill me with boredom, then sure." Liora said with a sigh. "This isn't exactly my area of expertise you know. I'm much more suited towards you know, affairs of the bedroom and parties despite what Vyandar here seems to expect." She'd pull her feet off the table, leaning towards the others instead now as she'd rest her arms on its surface. "...unless the culprit is someone I can out-drink, heh. Might not be too terrible then." Getting on the Marshall's goodside was a good thing to have too...being able to pull some strings in case she got carried away would definitely help her...and them. The rest of them, too.

"I'm fine with it. When do we wanna head out? I might need to restock on the good stuff before we go..."

most definitely not Lutatia Eichenwald von Brudel

---

A dark expression momentarily flashed across the envoy of Agamemnon’s face before she affected a strained smile. She would not admit how close the envoy of Anhur had been in his guess. “Obviously not. Otherwise, would be meeting at the Empress’s court in Brudel.” Shrugging, she took a deep sip of her beer, but not uncouth enough to do so in an unrefined manner.

Her attention soon turned as she felt the other envoys trickle into the establishment, not that she needed her newfound envoy sense to detect most of them. It seemed the gods had been discerning, for each of the other envoys were remarkable in their own ways, the manner of dress being the more obvious.

In fact, the envoy of Qhalus arrived in such an ostentatious manner that Lutatia wasn’t even sure why she had ever bothered to stay lowkey with her attire and choice of food. She decided to ignore the paltry lump of bread in front of her in favor of the banquet the hedonistic girl had ordered up. She’d never turn down a free meal, although she decided that she would be having words with the girl over their future finances and spending habits.

Still nursing her smallbeer, she glanced up as a red-robed scholar approached. “Ha,” Lutatia barked out a small laugh at her greeting. “Kyra. I’m a local here,” she said simply, by way of introduction, pitching her voice loud enough so that the other envoys at the nearby table could hear. “I think you’ll find that I subscribe to the more elegant intent of noblisse oblige than silly spectacle, even if I can appreciate one from time to time.” She offered a hand out in greeting. “Besides, He can also represent the restraint of the crown and the tedious realities of administration.”

She couldn’t help but to give her a searching glance at her last statement. Anhur was right, why were people booing him?

Lutatia acknowledged the innkeeper’s arrival with a nod, mulling over the information. Along with Aurelian, she had taken the time to slip over to briefly examine the board. Frankly, the job was beneath them, even if it had come from high places and from a good man. She’d never met Lord Dunham, never had a reason to, but she knew he had his heart in the right place and was alright in her books. The high reward struck her as strange, though, and she had to wonder if there was more to it than a simple patrol lost in the wilderness.

As the conversation turned back towards the mission and the urge that compelled them all to meet in this city, she couldn’t help but to comment. “It could be,” she ventured cheekily, “That my patron prefers the others travel to him?”

She then shook her head. “No, the obvious answer is that our lead is here, but I’m not so sure that a search-and-rescue mission is it,” she replied, inclining her head in agreement towards Liora. Granted, she was a Pegasus knight, so she was uniquely suited for running this sort of mission. But as the envoy of Qhalus had so kindly noted, it would probably kill her with boredom, even if it was easy money.

“I’m not against taking the job. In fact, I’m a Pegasus flier, I can do it by my lonesome while the rest of you look into other avenues of investigation. We’re in the merchant capital of the world, after all,” she continued, spreading her arms out in gesture. “If we’re to find rumors of prophecy, here is the place to find it.”

---

Arthur gave a polite nod to the Silver-haired Aasimar as she greeted him, arching a brow slightly from her comment of biting unless asked. It was odd, but he couldn’t help but smirk in amusement as he settled himself in his seat. He could sense her connection to the god of debauchery, so he could already tell she’d probably be a handful in their future travels together. At least his time on the roads wouldn’t be dull anymore. With a raised hand to flag down a passing waitress, he ordered water for his parched throat and bread to fill his stomach with something other than dust. “Arthur Lupin, by the way,” he introduced himself with a nod and cleared his throat as he waited for his drink. While waiting for his order, he took the chance to get a good look at his fellow Envoys. They seemed like an exciting bunch, primarily humans, a few Aasimar, and a single Dragonborn. The Dragonborn caught his eye the most, though being a fellow Envoy of one of the Gods of war piqued his interest. He wondered silently what Anhurs Envoy was capable of in battle and looked forward to seeing his skills in action.

As his order finally arrived, his attention was taken away by a Dwarf who’d introduced himself as Dargas. Arthur gave a curt nod to the Innkeeper and began enjoying his simple meal, the water tasting almost sweet on his tongue and the bread feeling like a gift from the gods themselves. At the moment, he felt like a King. A dirty, poor, exhausted King. As he tended to his meal, he listened as Dargas explained the need for adventurers like them and pointed out the noticeboard near the entrance if they were interested. Arthur glanced to the board with slight interest, swallowing a mouthful of water and bread as he squinted to read what he could. He knew they were all here for one mission for their Gods, but the empty feeling in his coin pouch nearly made him wince in pain. Looking down at the worn and weathered equipment Arthur currently owned, there was no doubt in his mind that an upgrade to what he now had would be necessary if he wanted to be of any use. Arthur was lucky enough to have run into a shady traveling merchant who was willing to trade him a set of leather armor for his Nuniel armor. In addition, the merchant asked for a small donation ensuring he wouldn’t tell passing patrols about Arthur. A small donation that left him without a coin to his name. He frowned at the memory but couldn’t deny that his new change in appearance made his travels through the Twin Kingdoms much easier.

A small sigh escaped him as he shook off the memory and looked over to Vyandar as he spoke up about their first steps. Arthur could only nod in agreement as he picked at his bread. Without any coin or resources, they wouldn’t get anything done. As he mentioned raiding the Empire, a slight frown came to his face, and he held back a scoff at the idea. He may have no longer been a soldier for the Empire, but as capable as they may be, that would only be a death sentence. “Agreed, we’ll need some source of income if we want to get anywhere. Besides, I need to buy a new set of armor. I think at this point, the dullest sword in the world could run me through with ease,” he chuckled with a bitter smile as he ran a gloved hand over his worn leather chest piece.

Arthur glanced over as Aurelian spoke up and mentioned having the favor of the local Marshal would be in their best interest. Arthur couldn’t argue with that, though he loathed the idea of helping a Lord of any kind. Arthur had only heard a few rumors of the Lord being a man of the people, but he couldn’t accept it. If they had to interact with the man in any capacity, he’d leave it to his fellow Envoys. “I suppose it’d help us get an early start,” he mumbled with reluctance. “I say we think before accepting just any large request from them. You never know what men in power like him have planned behind the scenes. A so-called Lord of the people can be the most deceitful,” Arthur stated with a slight frown before sipping his drink.

“I could look around the capital and see if I can find anything on this prophecy. I’m not too familiar with the city, but I’m sure I can find my way around. Meanwhile, you all can restock on supplies and prepare or aid in the search,” Arthur said, shrugging as Lutatia suggested searching for any rumors about the prophecy. “Though I would prefer if you didn’t take any request on your own. Pegasus flier or not, we shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves. We were tasked with an important mission by our masters. To lose even one of us could jeopardize our goal completely,” he stated with a serious tone as his dull brown eyes gazed down into his mug of water before letting out a small sigh. “Though I suppose I don’t need to remind you of that,” he shrugged before downing the last rest of his drink and running a hand through his messy hair. “I may feel like a walking corpse, but I’m ready to start when you all are.”

“Now that’s a worthwhile offer,” Rean answered to Liora’s response. Her grin didn’t falter even as the other girl offered hers, nor would it as her dish finally arrived. “Though, surely there must be some taboo in place for things of that nature among us Envoys. Oh, assuming that’s what you were talking about~” Teasing Qhalus’ Envoy aside, they had other events to deal with in the present time. Rean quietly sat as offers of missions were passed to them, sipping in thought at the variety of tasks ahead while her fellow Envoys discussed the matter. There was something that Vyandar said that caught her interest in particular and she realized it was true as she scanned the party.

So, it seemed all of them were gods of the…more than questionable worships. Aside from Kyra, of course, though monarch supremacy was hardly benevolent in the sort of crowd they could attract. Maybe Vyandar had some worth to his words after all. All the same….

“As fun as that might sound Vyandar, I’m afraid that may be just a bit impossible in our current state. We’d more than likely get slaughtered and have to repeat all over again,” the scholar said airily, swishing her wine-filled goblet like waves of blood. “Oh, Rean Westfall by the way. I’m sure I can introduce some wonderful texts to you about the art of war~”

Rean put her cup down and leaned forward against the table with her chin rested on her hands. The others gave their input as they did, the common consensus slowly rising up amongst their conversation until it seemed clear this was to be their destiny. “Well, I’m in. Not that it seems we’re disagreeing here anyway. It sounds fun and if these people really are concerned about their missing kind….well, imagine how they’d feel if they turned out to be dead.” Rean’s eyes glinted for a moment, their core a richer crimson than before as if matching her smirk. It lasted for only a moment. “Think of how much revenge these fine folks would enact if we just so happened to find some corpses. Heh.”

Still, Kyra and Arthur had a point. Diverting all their efforts into one spot may not be the best approach, but they would need coin for their seeking. Between taking quests like proper adventurers and just stealing it from anyone that got in their way, it was easier to fill into the role these people slotted them as. “Mhrn, our Fair Lady and Lordship’s probably right though. Maybe we should split our numbers and take different quests?” Rean said, glancing at Kyra. “Or some of us can stick around here and find out if there’s a clue. If we are to find Sol, maybe we’re to find him in this place after all. Maybe there’s a connection in this city only Aurelian can sense.”

Maybe, maybe.

---

As the group went on to discuss their options and drunk and ate the food that as given to them, the time passed and some people began leaving either to get back to work or to head home to their families. Whatever the reason, the place had now died down a little. A duo of very obvious guards entered the establishment with their helmet off, signaling they were on break. They walked up to the counter, ordered ale and began talking. If anyone in our group of adventurers were to pay attention, they might hear the bribes of the guards' discussion;

---

"Pfft... those disappearances are bad news, I tell you."

"Drop it - no way in hell the Empire made it this far in the farmlands without being spotted."

"I tell you, Mark. What else could have snatched the men we sent to investigate? It's the Empire, and those dreaded metal monsters of theirs."

"Shut your trap and drink your ale or you'll start putting the people in town afeared, you idiot."

---

Apart from this brief exchange, anyone walking around the City would very soon hear or understand that it was split in many districts. The group was at the docks, but there was also a district where Temples to the gods were erected. Generally speaking, in such a large and multi-ethnic city, there would be small temples built to individual gods except for the three Evil ones; Otarr, Phynia and Reemis. Those would be worshipped in secret, or as needed. Apart from the small Temples of specific gods, one major Temple would be built where the statues representing the gods would be displayed along with altars for donations and tributes to give. It was a quick mental rock throw away to realize that information on Sol could probably be gathered there.

Coris also had a massive library in the very same district as the temples. That information, too, was public knowledge. What was known also was that it was well guarded and closed to the public, for it's content was owned by none other than Lord Dunham. While his fief of Goldshore was some days away Dunham, as Marshal of Coris' forces, mostly ruled from the Capital and was apparently a collector of knowledge. He saw sense in amassing books and scrolls and safeguard knowledge in his great library of Coris.

For anyone wanting to learn more they could always go see the Guards sitting at the tavern, or try the Gard's captain at their Barracks directly. It was possible to demand audience with the Marshall at the castle, but most probably would require a long waiting time if they even considered the request, that is.

Apart from that, other rumors circulating the streets, especially in the Docks area, would tell tales of troubles at sea. Merchants and ship captains coming back from the East apparently had strange sighting or, in same cases, claim to have been attacked at sea by unknown creatures close to Flemont.

Times were strange, and many things were going on in the world. Was it a coincidence that this was when the Envoys descended? That was to be seen.

Time passed as all things did and soon the group would have to come to a consensus and a decision. They seemed in agreement on their course of action overall, choosing to split up and cover more ground that way. Then there was that little snippet of conversation near the bar. Rean perked from those gathered words, noting how interesting that probably sounded. Imperial involvement? Surely there had to be something more to it than just that? But that ultimately wasn’t her concern and she figured if it was important, someone else could pick up on it. Someone who was, preferably, exploring out of the city and into that matter of disappeared soldiers.

“Alright gang, as fun as it’s been for one big happy reunion, we really should get to work. I’m more than happy to stick around the city and look for information, especially around that huge library I spied on the way in. I wouldn’t be much use adventuring anyway,” Rean told the other Envoys. Lurched from her seat, she gave a healthy stretch before striding towards the tavern door. “Say, think we should use this place as our meetup? Would make sense since we all know where it is, hmm….food for thought~” She departed with a wave.

It was far past evening by the time she exited and with it came the human, aching reminder that she still needed some form of rest. Envoy or not, there was little use continuing if her body turned vessel collapsed. Spotting a place to do just that, she’d rest for the remainder of the night and head for her destination the following day. She had little worry about being separated from her fellow Envoys; even apart, they were together in sense and purpose. At least, she liked to believe that.

Off she went towards her library, said to be one of the largest in all of Coris. A scholar by heart and book handler by profession, it only made sense the Envoy would figure that was to be the best start in finding any clue. And, of course, she couldn’t help but compare just how Coris stacked up to her family’s own librarians and stores. The thought was giddy in her head even as she passed by the many temples erected in worship of the gods. Rean noticed several in display but, tellingly, none for the less favorable gods. Like herself. “Since when did I become such a bad guy?” she chuckled, finding little to no reference to Reemis in the public worship.

Oh well. Soon, soon, soon enough there was time to spread the name of true Vengeance to the good people of the mortal realm. But for now…ah yes, the library. She’d heard the building was owned by a Lord Dunham, one so very protective of his scrolls and knowledge. Indeed, even as she spotted the library’s entrance, she found it guarded from the outside by men in official-looking clothing. “What exactly is the point of having such a big place in daylight if no one can approach it?” she muttered with a sigh, real annoyance flicking over her features for once.

She needed another way around. Or a plan to just break in. Rean spotted a water fountain nearby among the outcrop of buildings, deigning to sit on the edge of it and ponder in thought. She couldn’t just brute force her way and cause a scene like Vyandar could she? No no, that was a fool’s mistake. Maybe she could swiftalk the guards? Maybe. In hindsight, she realized the real mistake was leaving the group first without checking if anyone wanted to follow. Oh, the irony.

“Ahaah, some teamwork we have….”

---

As the activities and drink flowed through the tavern, Liora would slowly find herself growing more and more bored. A subtle agitation, a sense of desiring of movement. A desire to get off her ass and do something other than entertain herself with food and drink. No matter how pleasurable and lovely such things were, variety made for the best shows...and this show, was slowly starting to get stale. Even her fellow Envoys could only entertain her for so long.

Thus, when Rean vocalized a desire to leave and split off, Liora was not far behind.

"I think I'll take Rean's cue and leave." Liora would stand, sliding the coat she was holding onto over her shoulders. "As fun as that mission sounds, I think my talents are best suited for looking around the city." She'd pop a piece of hard candy into her mouth as she'd thusly make her way out of the tavern leaving the rest of the group with a playful wave and a grin as she'd step back out into the midday air of the city. She wasn't quite sure where she herself was heading, but eventually her steps would lead her to seemingly follow right along behind Rean who had elected to sit on a fountain not far away from the library.

Quietly, Liora would slide herself right next to Rean, throwing an arm around her shoulder and snuggling up to her.

"Why the long face? Miss me that much already?" She'd take a bite out of a rather juicy looking apple she had...pilfered on the way over here. "Or you thinking about something fun?"

Damn it all, why had he agreed to be out here again? Vyandar grumbled in displeasure as he trudged along the riverbank, his eyes peeled for any sign of the unusual. The question was rhetorical, but the sheer tedium of the investigation was still getting to him. He'd thought that overhearing the guards the previous night meant that there would be imperial soldiers out and about in the farmlands, but so far, there'd been nothing.

The dragonborn let a small wisp of flame loose from his lips in irritation as mud continued to splash over his greaves. It would have been one thing if he'd had a mount like his fellow Envoys on this case did, but he'd never been much of a rider in the first place. He'd spent too much time in his youth learning both clerical magics and martial combat as it was. Adding riding and cavalry training to the mix wouldn't have been feasible. Plus, not many mounts could hold a large dragonborn with full harness in the first place. In any case, hopefully either Kyra or Aurelian was having better luck in the search.

Vyandar continued to slog along the riverbank upstream, resisting the urge to waste magical power on casting a sending spell just to check in with either of the other two.

---

As Arthur and his fellow Envoys discussed their plans, he noticed the group of soldiers enter the tavern. Upon instinct, he tensed and grazed his fingers across his rapier but relaxed as they seemed to be off duty. Even though he was no longer a soldier, he had spent a great deal of time avoiding contact with the Twin Kingdoms' forces out of fear of being mistaken for a spy for the Empire. He shuddered at the memories of those long cold nights before brushing them off and watching the off-duty soldiers sit at the counter to order their drinks. Tapping on the table and drowning out the others around him, Arthur listened to their conversation, frowning in thought as they mentioned apparent disappearances out in the farmlands. A slight smirk of amusement came to his face as he heard them talking about metal monsters from the Empire. In a sense, those things were pretty monstrous in the field, but they were nothing more than Nuniel’s newest toys to throw at their enemies.

Arthur was soon removed from the guard's conversation as Rean and Liora excused themselves to begin their investigations. A small sigh escaped him as he watched them leave, figuring it was best to get started, even though he wanted to rest a bit longer. “Might as well follow suit and take a look around the city,” Arthur muttered before forcing himself from his seat with a groan. “Good luck to the rest of you,” he said with a firm nod to the remaining party members before taking his leave from the table and exiting the tavern.

A long breath left the tired Envoy and looked around the docks, his hand resting atop his rapier as he pondered where to start investigating. Soon his eyes fell upon the city's temple peeking over the buildings surrounding it, and he gripped his weapon tighter. But, of course, they were sent here by their masters, so perhaps there was something to be found on holy ground. Deciding to visit his Goddess and seek her aid, Arthur began to make his way to the temple. Walking in silence through the streets of the capital, he did his best to ignore the weight growing heavier on his shoulders, a frown coming to his face as his tired eyes kept a wary gaze on his surroundings. Even here in the city, he couldn’t help but feel on edge, waiting for the slightest shadow he passed to lunge out at him.

Luckily he arrived at the temple with no issues and stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the smaller temples erected for worship. A slight chill ran up his spine as he began to climb the stairs, the already heavy weight on his shoulders growing even greater until he finally reached the top. His eyes widened with slight awe as he saw the statues of different gods. It took him a few minutes to remember why he was here, and he continued. It took him little time to find the temple of Astarte and came to a stop before the statue. A heavy breath escaped him before he fell to his knees and bowed his head before his goddess. For a moment, a strange feeling filled his chest, a sense he couldn’t figure out, and he decided to shake it off once it started making him uneasy.

“My Goddess, I have arrived at my destination and found my kin like you had instructed. Together we will carry out the God's will and claim victory,” he swore in a calm voice before bowing his head lower and planting his hands on the stone below her altar. “Your loyal servant begs of you, Astarte, where must we go to find our next task? What evils must we face?” he pleads under his breath as he keeps his head low before Astarte. Arthur was unsure if praying to his Goddess for help would work, but it was better to try than not.

most definitely not Lutatia Eichenwald von Brudel

---

Lutatia yawned, giving an affectionate pat on Lede’s mane. Soaring through the air at an altitude of several thousand feet, the Pegasus rider nursed a strapped bottle of hot tea, enjoying the warmth of the dawn light. She silently thanked her past self for having drank in moderation last night; otherwise, it would be far too early in the morning to be both flying and nursing a hangover headache.

Last night, in between rounds, they had all agreed to split up to tackle the tasks the group had decided upon. Half of the newly formed team of envoys would remain in the city to check for leads, while the other half was to take the rescue mission. While part of it could end up as a lead, what with the strange happenings around the Kingdoms lately, part of it also was the opportunity to get a proper audience with the lord of Goldshore, or to get an easy crack at his library.

It was frustrating how protective that man was of his books. As a landed citizen of Coris of good reputation, she had paid out the nose in the past for access to his library, and that was for a temporary pass. It offended her Brudelian sensibilities to be nickel-and-dimed so, but as good as the man was, he was still a lord in a merchant kingdom, she supposed. It wasn’t like she would ruin a decade’s work and use her royal upbringing as an in, anyway.

That was why she was out today, together with Aurelian and Vyandar, to do their good deed for the day. Lutatia had been sorely tempted to show the other envoys the city as their resident guide, but there was a time and place. So, after getting a good night’s rest at home, she rose early in the morning to prep Lede for flight before meeting the two armored men at the city gates.

As expected, it was dull, mind-numbing work. She couldn’t even do something more engaging, like fancy aerial maneuvers that she enjoyed during training and practice, because at its core, the mission was search-and-rescue. Lutatia was able to do the bare minimum to mix things up, at least. Instead of flying the parallel track search that Brudelian Pegasus knights favored, she flew her search in the expanding square pattern that airships from Nuniel had been observed to use. If anything, it was more engaging. She wasn’t sure how well-versed sir Aurelian was with his former country’s air forces, but he would probably be familiar with the patterns she was making in the sky if he was interested enough to pay attention to her. It perhaps was slightly less optimal considering they were following a river, but… small things.

As it was right now, things were still pretty boring. East and North-east of Coris, along the Trifork river—that was a landscape that Lutatia was intimately familiar with. As far as she could see, it was simple river traffic, the boats and ships like little ants from the sky, with the farms and their fields of green stretching out into the greater horizon, broken only by the occasional groupings of trees.

If there was a lost or indisposed patrol out there, she wasn’t seeing it.