> Give Aika the chance to reply first. <

---

In your head, you knew the answer to Umildraen's question. At least- you knew it according to Gelish legend. What you and Aika had discussed before the dragon was indeed the tale passed down in the wake of the Golden War, a dark and bloody three years where Minervan forces sought to conquer the lands that would later become the Gelish provinces of Vatiir, Cesbury, and central Geland. On the eve of what historians now mark as the Second Era, Syr Roethel Geland led humanity to victory against the dragons, defeating Minerva's greatest general Frindiath atop the Prismatic Spire in the city of Albrigh, and capturing her son Zorkuth as a prisoner of war. A temple dedicated to his name certainly seemed like a plausible place to house Zorkuth, and in seeing the body of one silver dragon did little to dismiss the story either. However- to comment beyond common knowledge- you felt that it was not your mission to speak of. You did vouch for seeking aid, but was Umildraen the right person to ask for help? Divulging the truth of the temple here would ultimately be Aika's call.

You turned your attention to her, directing Umildraen to do the same. She seemed to share the same longing for wonder, travel and adventure that your host did, as her eyes were as glazed as his as he spun the tale of the blue knights. When it came time for her to reply though, she shook herself right and leaned over her stew one more time before speaking. "Well," she began, slowly pausing to buy herself more time to decide. "I suppose it's a rumor everyone knows about, isn't it? That- and you've been nothing but kind and helpful to us so," she reasoned out her choice- more to herself it seemed than to him. "Yes, it's true. Zorkuth himself rests within the temple's inner chamber- or rather- his corpse does."

Umildraen almost leapt out of his seat at this news, bellowing a mighty "Har har! I knew it! In m'heart o'hearts, it just had to be so!" He cleared his throat and sat back down, regaining his composure and eyeing Aika intently. "Ye say it'was his corpse, though? Ain't dragons supposed to live ferever? Unless somethin' kills 'em, that is..." his question turned into an inward wondering, and with a gasp he almost shot back up again. "Oh m'gods! Did someone come along an' kill Zorkuth?! Who'd even be strong enough to do that?! Huhh, perhaps t'blue knights did him in..." He seemed to be getting carried away again, spinning into his own theories.

You and Aika both shrugged in unison, and you took a turn to speak up. "We don't know. There didn't seem to be any wounds on his body from what we could tell. It was almost like he was just sleeping," you explained. "It's been so long since the Golden War, too. Maybe dragon's aren't immortal?" It was your turn to wonder out loud, but Aika shook her head side to side in retort. "I've never heard of a dragon that only lives two-thousand years. Even if Zorkuth was born before the Golden War, he didn't look terribly ancient up in the temple. It's strange indeed, which brings me to uhh- well- the reason we're even here having this conversation," she pushed her now empty bowl towards the center of the table and looked to the dwarf. "My master tasked me with finding out exactly everything we just told you. I need to return to Geland and give him the news of- Zorkuth's death- it would seem. In the event that we must return here, can we count on your guidance up in these mountains?"

"Aye," Umilraen replied, hoisting his mug into the air. "Hikin' these peaks is m'livelihood, after all. I'll hike ye anywhere yer itchin' to go."

"Excellent," Aika smiled, lifting her mug to join him. She turned to you, the look of ambition in her eyes. "What say you, then? Let's hit the road, we've got a long way to go and important news to carry, yeah?"

---

• "Agreed, let's get a head-start."

• "We should rest for the rest of the night."

> "We should rest for the rest of the night." <

---

"I'm all for raising a drink to adventure but," you began as you lifted your mead to join the others above the table. You spoke again with a sigh, finally letting your fatigue catch up to you. "I'm beat. My legs are killing me Aika." You looked up at her as she half stood across the table in readiness to run out the door, the glint of adventure in her eye hesitating for a moment. "There's no way I could make it down this mountain tonight, unless I just lean off a cliff and roll all the way down," you cracked a tired smile along with your joke, which seemed to land rather well among your company here. "Ahh, of course. Tonight is the night of getting-ahead-of-myself, it would seem," Aika replied with a smirk of her own. With a mutual agreement on the matter, you both turned your attention to Umildraen expectantly.

Post-toast, his face was deep in the mug before he realized that he was now the center of attention. He looked a tad flustered as he rushed to finish his drink and reply. "Well, if it's a place to lay yer head yer lookin' fer, then look no further," he set his mug down and stood up. "Any proper mountain-guide worth his beard's got an extra cot or two layin' around for exactly this!" With his hands triumphantly on his hips, he expected some sort of awe-filled acknowledgement, but with the night growing longer and longer, he was only rewarded with two slightly amused looks veiled in readiness for rest. He cleared his throat and turned to the door behind him with a slight hustle. "Er- th'guest room's right through here," he said as he opened the way. "Make yerselves at home, an' we'll send ye off in the mornin'." With that, he made his way around the table to a door on the other side, and excused himself off to bed.

With the promise of a good night's sleep ahead of you, you and your new ally wasted no time packing it in as well.

---

In the unobscured sunlight, the snow was nearly blinding as you and Aika stepped out into the world beyond the cozy cabin on the mountainside. It wasn't much warmer than it was last night either, the only saving grace being that it wasn't currently snowing to make the wind even worse. The dwarf behind you waved you off with another wish of safe travels as you bid your good byes and took to the narrow path that led up here from the world below. At the least, the soreness in your legs from dealing with that troll last night seemed to be gone.

The whirling breeze kept the silence of the hike at bay, with the singular path leading the way down the mountain. The road slightly-more-travelled here was visible mostly because it simply had less snow than the area around it, enough that you could move along it without having to trudge though the stuff. As you moved along though, turning around a cliff face revealed to you a split in the path. From your altitude, you could see quite well down each, enough to see more immediately where they led.

To the south-east, the road you were more familiar with on your way up here was certainly the most direct route back home, it would bring you ever closer to the Daldon-Geland border at the base of the mountain in about another day's travel. Further down this road, you could see a carriage of some kind, accompanied by several humanoid figures walking with it, heading west towards you.

Directly south, the road steepened toward a small village. It would only take a few minutes to make your way down to it from here, and seemed to be the mostly likely destination for the carriage, but it was out of the way compared to the other route.

---

• Take the direct route past the carriage.

• Take the detour towards the village.

> Take the direct route past the carriage. <

---

With a bed and breakfast already taken care of, and a hint of urgency in your plans, the detour of a nearby village seemed largely unnecessary. A nod away from the town as you looked to your traveling companion resulted in an agreeing nod up and down from her, and you picked up your pace slightly to continue on your trip. The fork in the road was left behind as you traveled south-west, meaning that- should you keep to the path- there was no way to avoid crossing paths with the carriage. Then again, the surrounding mountain side was pure white and very fluffy. Even two humans on foot stuck out like a sore thumb in the otherwise visually featureless landscape, especially with the dark blue cape that Aika kept clasped around her.

As you approached the wagon and the people accompanying it, your view of them became more clear than a few faceless figures in the distance. Drawn by one horse, the slightly under-average sized caravan had a tarp of beige fabric covering its contents, stretched over the back with lumpy shapes of several objects beneath. One figure sat atop the wagon's front seat, bundled up tight against the frigid weather and the horse's reigns clasped in their mitts. A scarf covered too much of their face to ascribe much to their appearance, beyond a rather mundane set of brown eyes that peeked at you from between this scarf and a wool cap. To the sides of the wagon marched three more in long dark green cloaks covering their bodies. Two of them had their hoods pulled up, the one without instead sporting an open-faced helmet. At about waist level of all three of them, you could see the signature shape of a sword's scabbard underneath their cloaks.

You saw a slight shift in the corner of your eye, and taking a glance revealed that Aika had once again rested her hand on the hilt of her blade, in the same precaution she took when she had met you. The crunching of snow from the many footsteps among your pair and their group culminated as you ended up face to face with them. There was width enough along the road to simply move to the side and walk beside them, but even as you began to do so, the driver of the wagon called out to you.

"Fair travels, you two," the medium toned voice spoke in the local tongue, but with an accent similar to yours. The owner of this voice flicked their wrist, signaling the horse before them to stop. "Might you have a moment?"

---

• "Fair travels as well, what do you need?"

• "Out of our way. We don't want any trouble."

• Ignore the caravan crew and keep walking.

> "Fair travels as well, what do you need?" <

---

Your pace slowed as the driver called to you, coming to a stop before you could pass them fully. Aika managed another step or two beyond you before she realized you were stopping, catching herself before she wandered too far away from you. You could feel her quizzical eye on you as you looked up at the driver to reply. "Fair travels as well," you replied in kind. "I think we could spare a moment, what do you need?" Your eyes glanced back and forth between the members of the caravan, especially as those on foot drew a bit closer. As they coagulated on this side of the carriage, it began to feel more and more like you were being surrounded.

"Well, you see," the driver unfurled one hand from the horse's reigns, using their wrist to gesticulate their speech. "We've been on the road for quite some time now, and while the next town over is not too far ahead, I'm afraid we've come up a bit short on funds for food and a place to stay. We would greatly appreciate if you two could spare us just enough to get by, out of the kindness of your hearts, of course." Were it not for the obvious posture of the swordsmen that flanked you, you might have felt this driver was at least somewhat genuine in their request. You opened your mouth to reply, but Aika threw in a comment that would wrap everyone up onto the same page quite nicely.

"Usually highwaymen are the ones attacking a wagon, not riding it to rob folks on foot," she pointed out with a smug grin on her face- one that told your possible assailants that she was all too aware of their con artistry.

It didn't seem like her quip was very amusing to them, though, and the hoodless swordsman flicked his cloak to the side and laid his hand on his blade in a similar readiness. Quicker than any weapon could be drawn, the driver shook their head in attempt to make one more plea. "Your words burn me, even up here in these cold mountains," However, their voice took a darker tone as they laid an ultimatum before you. "Surely you don't think that you'd be able to do anything about it, if you were to be outnumbered two-to-one and unburdened of all your coin, no?" With that, they held their hand out to you expectantly.

"Don't make this painful on yourself, now."

---

• Hand over your gold.

• Try to strike a deal with the caravan crew.

• Start a fight.
[Write in: Choose your first target]
[Advantage: Rogueish agility]

• Try to flee.
[Write in: Choose backward toward the village, or forward down the mountain path]

> Start a fight.
[Write in: The closest swordsman.] <

---

A long pause hung in the still and nipping air between you and the driver of the wagon. You had already decided for yourself that these fools wouldn't take a coin off of you, but with the tension growing by the second, and the opportunity passed to ready your weapon like Aika had done, you needed to find a way out of this. Without moving you eyes off of the driver, you counted the men in your peripherals: one to your left, one to Aika's right, one who you could hear crunching the snow behind you as he shifted into place. With the caravan in front of you, they formed a diamond to close you in with. You tuned in to what you could see in the corners of your eyes, Aika's breath a steady in-and-out, and the hoodless man leaning in just a bit closer beside you. Just as she inhaled one more time, he opened his mouth to pressure you further.

"Enough stalling, give us your gol-"

Your leftward jab to his jaw wasn't brutally powerful, but it was assuredly far too fast for him to block in time. He reeled back a step in a momentary daze as your other hand lifted a dagger from your hip. You flicked your head to your right to see Aika had taken your cue, bringing her sword down on the man beside her who only had enough time to draw his into a guard. As you continued to turn rightward, you came to an about-face to see the man behind you attempting to grab you with both of his hands outstretched. You completed the turn, stepping your right foot backwards toward the wagon to side-step him and allow him to lunge between you and the first man struck. A well-aimed pommel of your dagger against his temple knocked him to his left, who then lost his balance as the two of them tripped into each other. You had bought yourself enough time to check once again on your companion, but you saw it wasn't needed as the final assailant fell into the snow on his back, with the tip of Aika's sword before his throat.

Unfortunately, if she let him go there was the risk of him standing back up, so you needed to dispatch the other two yourself. Your eyes returned to them, the first of which collected both his balance and his sword and rose against you. He thrust forward toward your center, but a quick misdirection with your own blade filled the air with the grinding of metal as he slid towards you, where his jaw was met again by your fist. This time he was ready for it, and while it looked like it hurt, he wasn't falling over again. He pulled his sword back and went for another cut, just as the grappler ran past you to free his companion from under Aika's pin.

---

• Defend against the cut.

• Break away to intercept the grappler.

• Yell to warn Aika.

• Check what the driver is doing.

> Defend against the cut. <

---

The grappler rushed past you to your right, between you and the caravan towards your companion. Her back was turned to you as she taunted the man she easily bested in combat. "Why don't you give us your gold, huh?" she shouted down at him with a mocking tone. You couldn't find the time to aid her though, as your eye turned forward just in time to react to your primary assailant. A his sword fell toward you from overhead, you saw that here was no guiding this attack away with your dagger like last time. Instead, your blade rose to meet his, not to outright stop the slash, but to catch the near the tip of his sword on the guard of your much shorter weapon, slowing the assault enough to move yourself out of the way. His free hand reached across his body towards you as he pulled the sword back once more, but the lighter weapon in your hand and the faster reflexes in your arm meant you were able to retaliate once more, driving your dagger towards him.

As the man in front of you cried in pain from your blade catching his wrist, you heard simultaneously the startled yelp of your ally and the lower grunting of the man who ran past you, followed by the soft pluming flump of snow as the two crashed down beside the first downed highwayman. "Whahh! G-get off me! Get-" she struggled under his weight as they each scrambled for control of the grapple behind you, and as you lifted your knife to pressure your foe again, you spared one more fleeting glance behind- just enough to see Aika on her back now, the man she first knocked over rising and lifting his sword along with him as the second wrestled to free her of her own weapon. Even with the armed one lifting his sword high overhead, you could certainly get to her in time. The caveat being that you wouldn't be heading that way alone.

---

• Attack your foe again.

• Rush to Aika's aid.

• Try something else.
[Write in: Briefly describe a quick tactic.]

> Rush to Aika's aid. <
roleplayerguild.com/rolls/26140

---

Aika was outnumbered in a terrible position, the first man she downed now fully postured to cleave into her with his blade. Your current opponent would have to either wait his turn or tag along as you broke from him to dash in her direction. You knew you were immediately being followed, but saving your companion was the only call you could make as you lunged towards your new target. With his eyes down at Aika, he only looked up to you once you were far too close for him to react. If these assailants were willing to use lethal force, then perhaps you didn't feel so bad as your dagger sunk hilt-deep into his right shoulder. A gritty howl of pain filled the mountainside as you drew your now reddened blade from him, and he dropped his sword and stumbled back to coddle his arm.

Your maneuver bought Aika the time she needed, not physically mighty enough to simply push the grappler off of her, she instead found the moment to introduce her magic into the fight. A short quip in her strange tongue was followed by an even quicker flash of white and a snapping sound. A jolt of lightning coursed through the man trying to pin her, and his entire body locked into a painful tensing as he fell to his side into the snow beside her. She picked herself up, her fingertips still sparking as she rearmed herself and aimed her attention at the assailant who chased you to this side of the fight.

He stood between you now, his back towards Aika and his sword pointed at you. With everything happening so fast, he was already mid-swing before he could realize that both of his allies were out of the fight. Unfortunately, your turning away from him granted him a perfect opportunity to graze your back as you withdrew your dagger from the man you stabbed. A sharp and hot sting tingled along the splitting flesh of your own shoulder, luckily your armor preventing the blade from catching your core, but still slicing through your cloak enough to draw blood. Before you could turn to face him though, another crackle of lightning flashed behind you, followed by the sound of a body falling into the snow.

The man you stabbed was the only conscious combatant on their side, his muffled grunts of pain as he tried to staunch the bleeding with only one working arm. Otherwise, the air around you was quiet, the thumping of your heartbeat only made the flash-bang ringing in your ears more intense, and the pooling warmth on your shoulder trickled down your back only made the crude incision worse. You turned around to meet your ally's eyes, confirming to each other that you were somewhat ok, before looking past her and to the caravan driver, who had since recoiled to the far side of their seat and had their hands taught on the reigns to keep their horse steady from the commotion.

"W-Well hold on there, now," they stammered as you aimed your gaze at them. "Ah hah... Surely we can uhh- we can discuss this misunderstanding like civilized folk, surely, yes?" It seemed clear this person had no intention or skill of fighting, using their three armed companions to operate whatever it was they were doing. This clearly did not register as a possible outcome to them, and they shrunk in their seat even more as Aika squinted with many negative emotions at him.

---

• Attack the driver too.

• Respond to their plea.
[Write in: Briefly describe a verbal response.]

• Drink a health potion to mend your shoulder.
[Aika will take the opportunity to say or do something.]

• Leave them and resume your travel.

> Attack the driver too. <

---

If looks could kill, the driver would be the first to actually die among the gang that failed to mug you and Aika. While their companions lie writhing or out-cold in the snow, you flipped your knife around to aim the point directly at this fool who thought that all could be cleared up with words. "You're out of your mind if you think you're off the hook," you sneered at them as you stepped closer. As you passed Aika, her eyes widened in realization. She reached out to place a hand on your shoulder, but doing so would touch your injured side. That moment of hesitation from her was enough for you to clear the gap between her and the wagon itself, at the verbal detesting of both her and the driver.

"Um- Verity- I think we've made our point-"

"Yes, yes!" The driver, clearly shaking now, shrunk further away from you. "You're clearly as reasonable as your friend, aren't you?"

Sure, you felt what you were about to do was reasonable, even if it wasn't for the reasons the driver liked. However, the moment you grabbed onto the wagon to climb aboard, a fearful "Ahh!" was quickly followed by a flick of the driver's wrists, causing the surprisingly well-behaved horse to finally spring into action. Your body lurched to the side as you hung onto the wagon, the sound of Aika shouting your name quickly receding from the speeding caravan. Taking a moment to look back, the spell-sword was off in a sprint, trying her best to follow you and the driver back towards the village you had passed earlier in the day. In the broad and cloudless daylight, you figured she'd have an easy time catching up as you turned your attention back to your new target.

With one arm still quite injured and a dagger in your good hand, it took more time and effort than you'd have liked to pull yourself into the seating of the caravan, especially with the bumps in the road aiding the driver's attempts to jostle you off the side. Eventually you managed your way onboard though, and wasted no further time closing in. A slice from your weapon was ducked at first by the driver, who then risked some control of the horse to raise a hand before you. Unfortunately, with a sitting posture and a wagon to drive, they had little room to evade you forever. You found your mark, sinking your knife into the flailing arm of the driver, and took their pained recoil as a perfect chance to end this fight quickly. As quickly as you stabbed down, you pulled back up and used your looming posture to grab and shove the driver off the other side, though with only one good arm to push with, you were unable to stop yourself from falling as well.

A chill surrounded you as you tumbled through the thicker snow on the side of the road. The sounds of the carriage's creaking wheels and the horse's stamping feet continued down the road as you and the driver struggled against each other on the ground. By the time Aika finally caught up, she arrived to see you sitting on top of the driver, your victim beaten near senseless and bleeding from a few more cuts. "Verity!" she shouted once more as she doubled over on the road, catching her breath. Her voice alone wasn't enough to stop you though, as you lifted your dagger over your head. The only other sound now was the meager and terrified stammering of the driver.

"M-m-mercy, p-please!"

---

• Kill the driver.

• Knock the driver unconscious.

• Spare the driver and stand up.

> Spare the driver and stand up. <
roleplayerguild.com/rolls/26219

---

The gentle winter breeze across the open mountain expanse was the only sound around you three for a moment as you glared down at the driver, blade in your hand. Frozen underneath you both in fear and pinning, the driver stared through their scarf and cap with wide unblinking eyes. In this pause, another call of your companion broke the silence. "Verity," Aika exhaled as she straightened her back out, a short and self-directed "ouch," interrupting her as she placed a hand on her back. She broke her wincing to return her attention to you, stepping closer as she spoke. "What's gotten into you? Didn't we already have it under control?" You looked down from her to the driver once more, and with a frustrated "huff," you picked yourself up off of them, after which they rolled onto their side and began to cough up blood.

"I do have it under control," you expressed, fighting the pain in your shoulder to keep a straight face. "Would you rather have just let them drive off towards that town to swindle someone else? Just let them get away with trying to kill us, too?" Your reply was met with a conflicted look of concern, as Aika averted her eyes from you and towards the driver. "Well- no- I... Just- wasn't that a little excessive? You weren't gunna kill them if I didn't catch up, right?"

You shook your head and stowed your knife beside the others on your belt, allaying her fears. "No, that would be excessive," you justified as you shot an accusing glare at the driver, who had composed themselves just enough to turn onto their back once more and meet your eyes. "Even if they were going to be less cordial to us." A sigh of relief from Aika expressed her satisfaction at that, but she still had another concern. "Well, what do we do with them, then? You make a good point about not just letting them go... But I don't wanna waste so much time when we have such a long hike still."

---

• "We should have them arrested at the town."

• "Perhaps they're more willing to negotiate now."

• "You're right, this actually isn't worth our time."

> "We should have them arrested at the town." <

---

"Some things can wait," you turned back towards Aika, a stern look in your eye. "The risk is too great, not everyone who takes to these roads can protect themselves like we did."

"So what do we do?"

"Take this one in. We've backpedaled towards the town quite a bit anyway, might as well hand them off to the guards. Plus, I'm sure someone there is going to want an explanation for the carriage with no rider that rode in." You knelt down and jostled the driver's shoulder, much to their disgruntled disapproval. "C'mon, get up. If I can deal with what your buddy did to my arm, you can walk with some light scratches." You both knew it was a bit more than scratches, but with a few more shakes you convinced them that it was in their best interest to cooperate. The walk towards the hamlet up in these mountains was otherwise quiet, the soft crunching of snow eased the tension as you and Aika kept one pace behind your prisoner.

The cobblestone and dried oak framework of the buildings ahead of you drew nearer and nearer with each step, until you found yourselves seamlessly transitioned onto the main road that split the large town in half. Slightly less than ceremoniously, a large wooden plank mounted to two posts fashioned a sign that read twice, once in Daldoran and likely repeated in what looked like Dwarven, stating "Welcome to Guthram." The population that walked and rode the wide street was overwhelmingly human, a sea of winter-pale faces and hair of darker earthly-tones. Among them, the lively Daldoran chatter of commerce pounded a rhythm that was the heartbeat of the town. Some light questioning by you found directions to the town's outpost, where several guards stood in confusion around the lone horse and carriage. As you drew closer, you could see the reigns were held by one of the soldiers, while two more stood within the wagon's storage space. The burlap cover and its securing twine had been tossed to the cold dirt as they scrutinized the contents aboard.

"Excuse me," you began, stepping past the driver and up to the guards. The three of them looked up to you, and the one holding the reigns spoke on their behalf. "Good day, miss. We're a little busy at the moment, if you need something you can head inside and speak to our front desk." Your hand lifted up in a "wait" gesture, and then you turned slightly to direct his attention to the driver. "I would say that wagon belongs to them, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they stole it, along with whatever was under that cover. You see, my friend and I were stopped by-" you paused, a thought crossing your mind as you turned to the driver. "What even is your name?"

Being prompted to speak, the diver elected to say something very different, as they leaned forward and began to plea with the guards. "Guards! Please, you have to help me! These two women attacked me, scared my horse to run off with that wagon, and are threatening to kill me!" A very confused and startled Aika could only manage a "Wait- wha..?" as you rolled your eyes. Of course, the soldiers all tensed slightly at the prospect of such an accusation, but your rogueish demeanor kept the driver from being entirely convincing. "Oh please, if that were true, why would we walk ourselves right up to the Emperor's men and let you tell them about it?" A rejuvenated "Yeah!" called from over the driver's shoulder as Aika jabbed a finger at them. "You guys tried to kill us! All because we didn't wanna deal with your highway robbery... Literally! You're lucky we only left your goons unconscious on the road instead of dead."

Before the commotion could escalate any further, the guard that had spoken first shook his head and asserted in an ordering voice. "That's enough. All of you are coming with me, now." He beckoned one of the other guards to take the horse's reigns from him, and then again for you to follow. "We'll sort this out the right way. Shouting at each other in the middle of town isn't going to resolve anything."

The three of you followed the man into the outpost, you and Aika agreeing, and the driver nervously.

---

By the time you and Aika were let go, the sun had dipped considerably in the sky. The faded pale blue of the morning was now replaced by a deeper royal, tinged with licks of orange near the horizon where the day would eventually set. She took a few steps ahead of you, stretching her arms high overhead and adding a long yawn for good measure. "Well, good riddance, I guess." The feeling was mutual, as the gash in your shoulder radiated a dull and deep soreness that would fill most with contempt. She looked up towards the sun, shielding her eye from a direct glare with one hand as she continued. "Looks like we've still got a couple hours of light left. Wanna hit the road again? Or should we just try again tomorrow?"

---

• "Let's keep moving, I'm fine."
[Maintain major harm: stabbed shoulder]

• "Let's keep moving, I still have some potions."
[Spend one potion: Clear all harm]

• "Let's spend the day here, I need help."
[Reduce harm from major to moderate: stabbed shoulder]

> "Let's spend the day here, I need help."
[Reduce harm from major to moderate: stabbed shoulder] <

---

Despite only just beginning your march home today, it would seem that returning to your client to collect your payment simply couldn't come soon enough. Even so, the sting in your shoulder beckoned you to stow your impatience. "I- ah-" you winced at the sensation, interrupting yourself. A slow shake of your head from side to side dismissed the prospect of hitting the road again as you continued. "I gotta get my arm looked at, at least while we're in town. No need to waste one of my potions just yet." A concerned look came from your companion, who then cast her gaze across the road toward the buildings that lined this street. "Yeah, there has to be someone who can help us, a doctor or maybe even someone who knows some healing magic..." she trailed off as she read the names of each establishment in eyesight. You helped direct her focus with the tinge of impatience from earlier though, stating "Someone with magic would certainly be faster. Hopefully not terribly more expensive, though." One last "Mhm," came from Aika's pressed lips. "A church it is, then. Can't imagine that there isn't one around here."

It only took another round of stopping folk on the now less dense late afternoon street to acquire the directions you needed. A simple stroll placed you and Aika in front of a taller structure than the one-story market fronts you had been walking through for the past few minutes. From the outside, the gentle drape of snow atop the slanted roof was distinct against the thicker piles that sat on the flatter tops of the rest of town. A small flight of stairs before you acted more as decoration than any legitimate elevation into the structure's main hall, a cozy single hall of mostly wood construction. Candles lined small and low-placed shelves to the sides, upon which a few individuals knelt in isolation. In the middle of the room, several benches gave audience to a central podium from which sermon was likely read. No session seemed to be held at the moment though, the mostly hushed mumbles of prayer around you set a somewhat formal undertone as two people seemed to be wrapping up conversation before the podium.

Both of these individuals dressed the part of priests, though it would appear to two different faiths. On the left, an older and balding human was cloaked in white and grey with wide tassels of bright red draped over his shoulders, a motif befitting the banners decorating the hall. On the right, an inhumanely thin figure towered over the daldoran priest, sporting what looked like a greenish undertunic beneath a black hybrid of clerical robes and traveler's coat, accented by a large puff of white fur as a collar. Protruding from this collar was a long, serpentine neck which culminated in a draconic looking head, and coiling on the floor behind him a similarly winding tail. His silvery scales just barely reflected the amber candlelight within the church, giving him an even more supernatural glow about him as he tapped his staff against the floor lightly.

In what you were now beginning to think was her typical bombastic fashion, Aika drew quite a bit of attention to you both as she elevated the average volume of the church greatly with her voice. "Hey!" she called to the two priests. "Either of you know any healing spells?" Her pace towards the two of them matched her eagerness to get you help, and if you were any less injured you might have felt some level of embarrassment as you more calmly caught up behind her. The eyes of both men turned toward you two, as well as a few heads turning from the corners of the hall. You rolled the bad shoulder, more tactfully addressing the point. "Excuse my friend, but yes, I've seen better days and could use some help." By now, you at least weren't bleeding everywhere, but the damage was still quite visible beneath the patchwork that you and Aika fashioned to control the wound a bit. The dragonborn was the first to reply, succinctly stating "Why yes, we both do, in fact." His voice had a bit of raspy quality to it, a pitch above medium-toned which carried into a thoughtful "Hmm..." as he tilted his head down to examine the injury. His pondering was interrupted by the human clearing his throat and interjecting, much less friendly sounding. "Er- Yes, for a small donation, I'm certain that Udhir's blessings would-" "Nonsense," the dragonborn stole the moment back. "The whims and wills of the gods aren't swayed with coin, fellow cloth of the earth." The dragonborn leered to his side at the human who shrank from being called out for his greed, but soon returned his eye to you. "I shall see what I can do. Come, sit with me." And with that, he beckoned you to follow him to the nearest bench, much to the disapproval of the other cleric.

"So," the darker-clad cleric lowered himself beside you. "If you are feeling at all generous, I would only ask for your names as payment." You pulled your cloak down, and shed just enough of your armor and tunic to grant him ingress to the troubling site of your shoulder, during which your companion took the chance to introduce you both. "My name's Aika," she spoke with a much more setting-appropriate volume this time as she sat on your other side. "And this is Verity."

"Aika, and Verity," he repeated back with a nod. "And mine is Yachir. It is a pleasure," he completed the formalities and then turned his attention to your arm. He began to speak softly to himself, likely the beginnings of some incantation as he lifted a clawed finger to your skin. "Likewise, though it's not every day you see one like yourself this far west. Don't suppose you're of this church, are you?" Yachir completed his spell, pulling his hand away from you with a small chuckle. "How astute, you'd be correct. I am a traveler of sorts, as I can only guess you two are as well." As he withdrew, you felt the stinging begin to subside. Not as quickly as a potion, but noticeable at least. You verified his guess with a nod as you stretched your arm and covered it once more. "We've quite a bit of traveling to do, so you'd be right."

"Is that so? Where might you be traveling?"

"Just on our way home, to Geland," Aika quickly stated, leaning forward to look past you.

"I see. Might you entertain the idea of another companion, then?" Yachir's hand lifted to his chin, scratching it as he wondered outloud. "I too would make my way there eventually, and surely it would be safer to keep one with healing magic among you, yes?"

---

• Accept Yachir's proposal.

• Decline Yachir's proposal.

• Say something else.
[Write in: Briefly describe a verbal response.]

> Accept Yachir's proposal.
[Player suggestion: Ask about Yachir's business in Geland] <

---

With his immediate willingness to help and his ease in making small talk, it was hard to deny that this Yachir was quite personable at least. He also made a good point: thrice in under twenty-four hours, you've needed to raise arms against both monsters and men that sought to do you in. It is expected for someone in your lines of work, but nevertheless, having a third set of hands both to combat such adversaries and mend you again should something go awry? The more you thought about it, the better the idea became. You turned your head away from him to meet the bright blue eyes sitting across from him. It seemed like she was thinking the same thing, as she gave you an affirming nod.

"It certainly would be safer," you agreed as you turned back to Yachir. "We've had a few hiccups so far, and getting a few more hands on deck could be quite the boon." At this news, Yachir graced both you and Aika with a smile as he picked himself up off the bench. "Excellent," he began as he lifted his staff off of the floor. "As this didn't seem to be a matter of great urgency, the magic I've used merely accelerated your own body's healing. A good night's rest should see you just fine at the east gate tomorrow morning." A soft "Mhm," acknowledged his medical recommendation and rendezvous point. With such matters confirmed, the dragonborn bowed his head and stepped around the bench to excuse himself from the church. In his departure, you could hear the under-breathed scoff of the priest who owed duty to this church. Standing off to the side, the Daldoran cleric had taken a moment away from another church-goer to eye Yachir with continued distain for his previous comment. The gesture was not lost on one as perceptive as you, and as Aika picked up upon where your attention aimed, she too recognized it.

"C'mon, Verity," she said, perhaps a bit too loud. "Let's go before he tries to charge us for sitting here." The twinge of playfulness in her voice continued as you two rose and made your way outside as well. "Sheesh, greedy types everywhere today, huh? Hopefully whatever inn we stop at isn't so bad." A heavily exaggerated shrug bounced her shoulders up and down momentarily as you stifled a laugh, instead only rewarding her antics with a smirk.

"Hopefully."

---

Another once-over across town and a more humble innkeeper made the rest of your night a breeze by comparison to the day and a half you had prior. With yet another renewing rest behind you, the first glimmers of morning sun peeked over the rough Daldoran horizon as you and Aika stood once again by the multi-lingual sign inscribing the town's name. Your eyes were set upon the road ahead, winding back up the path you fought the carriage driver along and over the next ridge eastward, the itinerary back to Aika's master plotting itself in your mind. A soft "Good morning," drew you from these mental depths, followed by the clacking of bare claw on cold stone as your newest traveling partner expressed both his own punctuality and his appreciation of yours. "I hope that you are feeling better than yesterday? Well enough to set forth, yes?" You turned away from the morning sun to see Yachir placing himself at the gate as well, a serpentine bow of his long neck met by the more angular nod from yourself. "Good enough to go, as you said it'll get better with time so I'm not worried." The dragonborn drew a long breath of relief at your high spirits. With another round of pleasantries for Aika, the three of you made your way east, and in only a few minutes time you began to make new progress homeward.

The chatter was idle among the group. A note about the clear skies elicited a call back to a certain dwarf and his prayers to a god of weather and travels. Another merchant along the road conducted more honorable business to sell your little group extra rations for the hike. And the sight-seeing was immaculate as the sky filled with a purer blue and the dull slate glow of morning mountain stone was replaced by the brilliant crystalline white of midday snow. A thought brewed in the back of your mind though, ever since Yachir first asked to join you, and in the peace of this walk you felt it appropriate to ask.

"Yachir, I've been meaning to ask. What business have you in Geland? Or are you simply passing through on your way home to Minerva?"

The dragonborn chuckled a bit at the question, turning his eye down to you without aiming his head. "Ah- I was wondering how long you'd stave off curiosity. No, I do not live within the Oligarchy. My people- as I am ashamed to call them such- have made a mockery of what it means to carry the blood of dragons."

"Ohh- right. Dragons, haha," Aika's eyes widened and though you knew exactly why, you kept it to yourself. "You don't like them, then?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to say I dislike them. Only, the Minervan way of doing things is... disagreeable. Surely you don't hold the actions of some humans against all human kind?"

"Suppose not, yeah."

"So where in Geland, then?" You reiterated your question, keeping the conversation on track.

"Albrigh, the Lustrous City, and your- our- capital." He answered in Gelish, with a bit of poetic dance in his voice, as if he were drawing the city's prismatic flower fields and sparkling skyline with his tongue. "Two dear friends of mine have missed me since departing on this most recent pilgrimage. In some ways, you each remind me of them a bit. Perhaps that was why I felt it was my obligation to aid you."

While the Daldoran spoken by you and Aika was rough around the edges, good for most conversation but clearly of someone not fluent, Yachir seemed quite proficient with both human forms of speech. Nevertheless, it was a relief to continue the conversation in your own native language. His head turned fully this time as he asked "And what about you then?"

Aika beamed slightly at the chance to answer, a feeling of kinship clearly radiating from her. "We're on our way to Albrigh as well! My teacher expects us. After that-" she caught herself, pivoting to an alternative narrative to keep her master's goal a secret. "After that, maybe we'll stop by to meet your friends?"

"That would be delightful. I'm sure Aiden and Annalise would warm up to you right away."

---

• Ask about Yachir's friends.

• Ask about Yachir's distain for Minerva.

• Ask about Yachir's magic.

• Say nothing.
[Pass time to the Daldon-Geland border]

> Ask about Yachir's friends. <

---

Your mind wandered along with Yachir's words, to the almost decadent streets of Albrigh as you recalled your recent stop there. No matter where you stood within or near the city, the sky-piercing tower atop the King's palace shone with a mystic and serene radiance of all colors, befitting the city's various rainbow-themed titles. Being from the more drab and dreary province of Aurelius, the saturation of Geland proper and its capital might almost have been disorienting even. Nevertheless, it was there that you had spoken to Aika's master and why you were even here atop the cold-swept peaks of Daldon to begin with. Faces of all shapes, sizes and colors flooded Albrigh at all hours, so it would be simply impossible to know exactly whom Yachir spoke of as he name-dropped his companions. "Aiden," you repeated back a bit lowly. "And Annalise. Can't say I'm familiar off first names alone, especially from a place as packed as that. Aika?" You turned to her and she simply replied with a shrug. Standing between the two of them, your head pivoted back and forth. "Are they, ah, hands-for-hire like us?"

"Mhm, and two of my dearest friends." the dragonborn nodded in affirmation with a smile. "We had met at quite varied points in our own lives, though it would seem that meandering without a greater purpose was our common calling- and that which we've cured within each other's company." A feeling that was likely shared among all at some point, you felt inclined to perhaps find more in common yourself. "So, what are they like then? If they are so similar to us anyway?" "Well," he began, looking to Aika first. "They both carry in their hearts a fire, if you will. A penchant for something more. You can see it in their eyes. Like yours, Aika, Aiden's are alight like starry beacons of potential and inspiration. I see that there's nothing that will stop you, and he is very much the same." Aika looked away, her expression clearly unsure how to take such a compliment, but in this moment Yachir turned to you. "Anna's flame is subtle, collected, though no less potent. But- ah- words do no justice for them. To paint them as simply as this is to insult them, as it is for most." Yachir digressed with a long breath. "I have seen many come and go from this world, as is my charge in service to the gods. To wave the lives of others off as a background on the stage of our own-" he caught himself again, clearing his mind and lung with another breath. "Sonder is a valuable tool."

"So... if they mean so much to you, why are you all the way out here in the mountains without them?"

"A bit of soul-searching, if you will. We all have our personal reasons and tasks once in a while, as I'm sure you two do as well. I would ask what yours are both here and in Albrigh, but," he paused, eyeing Aika directly, a knowing look in his eye. "I suspect it would be rude to pry at such things." You could see her again tense a bit under his gaze out of the corner of your eye, and only a meek "Ah- y-yeah," eked out of her. The cleric displayed patience though, reassuring her as he turned his attention to the road once more. "I understand."

---

• Ask about Yachir's distain for Minerva.
[Pass time to the Daldon-Geland border]

• Ask about Yachir's magic.
[Pass time to the Daldon-Geland border]

• Say nothing.
[Pass time to the Daldon-Geland border]

> Ask about Yachir's magic.
[Pass time to the Daldon-Geland border] <

---

Divulging the nature of your newfound quest so soon surely wasn't something you nor Aika were keen on doing, even as talkative and friendly your new companion seemed to be. The astuteness with which he correctly guessed such secrecy was not lost on you either, and so you chose to exercise a careful choice of words to keep him away from that topic. "Soul searching does seem like something a holy man would do. With your prayer earlier and the one that Umildraen made for this good weather, perhaps I should consider faith myself." You threw a cheeky grin up to the dragonborn, whose lip curled in a shared amusement. "He claimed that Ersu, the god of weather and travels were to thank for that. To whom do I owe appreciation for your healing magic?"

As it became clear where you were going with this, Yachir bowed his head slightly, not breaking your group's stride along the road. "My servitude is to a god much more, somber, shall we say? You see, my duty is not to heal, it is to allay suffering, and ease the soul for wherever it may go next." His explanation avoided a name, and yet the scholarly woman beside you picked up on the clues and uttered a single word herself.

"Acmez."

"Indeed. Many don't even consider him throughout their life, but as life nears its inevitable end, we must all answer to him. It is not uncommon for a priest of Acmez to bless those for whom it is their time, and to stave off his call when it is not, though we priests ourselves are few and far between." You nodded along to his explanation, at the very least grateful for his aid. "So, what, you just wander the countryside, healing the wounded and performing funeral rites for the dead?" Your blunt oversimplification sat slightly uncomfortable upon him, but nevertheless he confirmed your assessment with a nod. "Surely it is a service none would decline, be it as simple as you say or not." With the point taken, you posed a question for him to elaborate upon further. "What other kinds of magic do you know, then? Surely healing isn't all you've got." "True, in entreating the god of death, I've learned quite a bit about the subject. Most clergy would agree on the horrible nature of bastardizing the natural life cycle with necromancy, but in the nuisances between the lines, you might discover that there is much more to it than simply turning the undead or protecting against such influences. But- ah- as you two have elected to hold cards close to the chest, so too shall I." Despite his long-winded turns in conversation thus far, he seemed quite set on cashing in his turn to keep a secret.

In getting all the information you seemed like you'd get out of him, you turned to Aika to pick her brain a little bit. "Does any of that sound like what you've studied with your master?" Unfortunately, she shook her head. "Study of the arcane and worship of the divine are quite different. As I'm sure you can guess, it takes a great deal of faith- both in belief and action- to prove one's self worthy of a god's blessing." Yachir chimed in again, suggesting a counterpoint. "Ah, but is that so different from wizardry? Both require zealous trust in their craft, and both require years of genuine effort." To this Aika nodded, though her stance that they were not so similar remained. "Doesn't every skill worth having work like that? Sure- they require time and effort- but fundamentally the magic is totally different. While I can shape and craft my own reservoir of energy into whatever my imagination can come up with, you must abide by the limits your god gives you, both magically and behaviorally. And while you draw on an external and crazy powerful source to fuel your spells, I'm limited to my own stamina."

"Mmh, I will always appreciate those who are well read not only on their own art, but of others as well." Yachir conceded the point gracefully, acknowledging Aika's knowledge on the workings of both forms of magic. A bit lost in the middle, you could only pivot your head side to side as the two continued the conversation in even more nuanced jargon. Something about ontological leylines, mathematics in magic, and even the terminology behind such classifications of spells? It began to fly over your head, and so you focused more on your map than anything else. This roll of parchment between your fingers, with crude borders and redrawn itineraries was grounded, direct. Simple. You consulted the dried ink and considered the roads before you as you led your little group eastward.

---

It would be the late afternoon of the eighth day since your outset that you reached your next checkpoint. The stage around you had been reset from the glistening white overlaid on militaristic grey that was commonplace in Daldon, slowly replaced by a warmer breeze and a greener undertone beneath the snow. Further east still, the descent from the mountains returned you to a temperate land, where the snow melted away and the verdant plains of Geland stretched before you. Front lines of forestation mimicked the borders on your map, and nestled comfortably against one of these northern patches of woods was the border town of Gallluma. You had passed here before on your initial hike westward, a through-village surrounding the crossroads that would split in all directions between Daldon and the neighboring Gelish provinces of Vatiir to the south, and Cesbury to the north and east.

Gallluma was a cheery and quaint little hamlet, not nearly as bustling as Guthram at this time of day. The road that ran from the western to eastern gates was wide enough for carriages to travel both ways unimpeded, with an additional road branching off to the south for those who had business in Vatiir. As you walked among the collection of buildings on either side of the road, you could pick up on the alluring scents of dinner wafting from the nearby inn, as well as the less than pleasant smelling stables across the road, where travelers gave their horses somewhere to stay for the night. The look in Aika's eyes as her attention aimed toward the inn spoke volumes to her desires, though it would be hard to fault her for hungering a proper meal and bed after a long week of walking. It was still difficult to read if Yachir was at all weary too, if he was he hid it well. As he observed the stables, perhaps he was assessing the viability of acquiring a faster means to travel.

At the very least, you were in your homeland once more, even if it was the far side. A long breath of refreshing spring air filled your lungs, purging the bitter and flavorless winds of the Therakin Mountains. The only question now, was what to sort out first?

• Follow Aika's lead to the inn.

• Follow Yachir's lead to the stables.