---

“Unsavory? I barely said anything.” spoke Fia. She looked at the assortment of items that lay on the table. The flier caught her eye. Either the owner was a patron, or this building was a part of the route advertised. Fia reached over and picked up the clear case containing the hairpin. She looked at it as she twirled the case around in her hands. “Though, I suppose I am of the mind that if the previous owner is dead, what harm is there in repurposing goods that are will otherwise be forgotten?”

As far as first impressions go, Fia was not expecting so much law and order. Keeping the peace she understood, but such overwhelming morality was not. Fia was not a bandit, and she wasn’t going to start making enemies with those she had just met. Her expectations were a little dashed, though. An expedition into a land not once visited in almost a millennia. Fia expected there to be some gathering of treasures along with those artifacts and knowledge the archaeologists were hoping to dig up. She guessed that since the house appeared to be much newer than something a millennia old, and the flier was only date thirty years ago. This part of the land was still occupied. Thirty years still felt like a long time for such valuables to be sitting around unclaimed.

Engelbert and the other masked man approached the table. Fia missed the masked elf’s name, but he seemed to have an air of leadership with him. The elf addressed Roxas, the other elf who brought down the papers and trinkets. In one way, he was informing her about their position within the property. In another way, it was like he was scolding her, but not as bluntly as Engelbert done earlier. Fia sighed at the end of his statement. Though it was addressed to Roxas, Fia felt the words were meant for everyone.

“Fine.” Said Fia softly. She placed the clear case containing the hairpin back onto the table where she initially picked it up. “It’s not like there won’t be any other relics on this journey.” Fia raised her arms up, interlocking her fingers. After she stretched, she raised a hand palm out as she swiped the air waving to the group.

“I’ll say again, my name’s Fia. My specialty is sorcery. I am just in love with those who are born with the power to make the world however they want on a whim. So much so, I’ve made their power my own.” Fia chuckled, “I can do a little of everything, but my true specialty lies in the elements.” Fia let down the hand she was using to wave, so it lay horizontal with her palm up. From the center of her palm a pillar of fire erupted, almost touching the ceiling. It lasted only a moment before it was replaced with a ball of water, that froze. Finally the ball collapsed into itself forming a small black void, and then it disappeared all together.

“Though, if I need to, I am pretty good with a rapier.” Fia finished her introduction.

With her demonstration done, Fia quickly scooted over next to the man in armor. Fia had never met an oni before, and that alone caught Fia’s attention. But then when it came to his work with curses and cursed metal, she found someone truly special. Fia was aware of the possibility of cursed metal, but now she found living proof. Fia looked up at the armored oni with eagerness. Fia's eyes were as deep red as her dress, and a black ring surrounded her pupils. “You don’t have to worry about me, lovely. I would be most interested to learn more about how you wield your cursed metal.”

Just as before, the scrying spell unraveled the secrets held by the bloodied sword's twin... only for there to be no secrets at all, at least not what Evelyn didn’t already know. Just as I expected, this is simply the other pair of its twin, it holds the exact same enchantments, of course without the dried blood as it went unused. Mentally shrugging in lack of surprise, the artificer returned to her original spot in front of the bloodied sword at the table. It was at this time that the wandering witch quipped at her, and even though Fia meant nothing by it, her words nonetheless rubbed Eve the wrong way.

"Uh..." Eve's lips pursed as her brows frowned, her mind barely reigning herself back from making a snide response, this time, her rationality triumphed over her emotions. Calm yourself, Eve, she's simply one of the many strangers blind to your worth due to your age, in time, she'll see... they'll all see. As a result, Eve simply smirked in response, "Very soon, Lady Fia, you'll see that my age has no bearing with my contributions to this expedition." There, she'd leave it at that, noblesse oblige preserved.

Soon after, the boisterous voice of Sir Engelbert the Allegedly Fearless echoed in the living room, following an equally-loud twin claps from his gauntlets. Oh? An invitation to introduce oneself to the whole group? Well, this should be interesting, and indeed, essential. Each and every member of the team would be relying on each other through thick and thin, knowing who your comrades were and what they could do were the bare minimum of camaraderie. For the moment, Eve was content to let others take the honors first.

Up first was Sir Engelbert himself, and though they had only met recently, the adventurer-knight had such a reputation about him that winds of his fame had reached her ears, after all, words travel fast in Venezia. Indeed, the enchantments upon his armor are the feats of master artificers. It won't be feasible now since we're on an expedition, but I must ask him to let me examine his armor in detail once we have the opportunity. Eve mused, nodding idly to herself with a hand clasped against her chin, And perhaps, if my skills allow, improve upon it. It'll honor me greatly to work upon such a masterpiece.

Then, before anyone else could take their turn, the elven archer - Roxas, was it? - returned from her foray to the second floor, bringing with her various items. Ohooo... interesting... Safe to say, the young artificer's interests were piqued, and even before Roxas or Carnatia mentioned it, she was already planning to scry those items. But it'll be uncouth to do so now, I'll wait until the introductions are over. Besides, she had yet to introduce herself.

The next person to ascend the proverbial podium was none other than the arcane-swordswoman with blazing red hair and equally fiery eyes, the one that caught her attention earlier. Wielding magic and might both, a runeknight? Hmm... perhaps battlemage would be more appropriate since she admitted to be relying on magic more than martial. She spoke of dismantling magical enchantments, is she a fellow artificer? Perhaps not, I have the feeling that what she meant is more on the combat side of things rather than craftsmanship. Regardless, Eve found herself staring at the comely warrioress once more... "...-eh?!" So when Carnatia mentioned her name directly, she was taken by surprise, all due to her own doing, "A-... aaah... ahem...!" Evelyn was quick to save face though as she cleared her throat, pausing to gather herself as she nodded at Carnatia and Roxas with a confident smile, "Yes, Lady Carnatia, Lady Roxas, such feats are well within my expertise, I shall do so in but a moment."

Unfortunately, that plan was not without its issues, one that Engelbert brought up, something about disrespecting other people's belongings. Well, he might have a point there, but surely just examining them wouldn't hurt, right? I'll just scry them, doesn't mean I'll take them... However, she wasn't willing to debate the knight of stellar repute on the matter, especially when she partially agreed with him, but then, the accusee - Roxas - also brought up points of her own, defending her actions, and honestly? She too had merits. Aaah... Before Evelyn knew it, what was once a jolly introduction session had turned into bickering.

Fortunately for everyone in the room, Engelbert decided to back down, proving that he deserved his reputation as a chivalrous crusader. Instead of escalating the tension and antagonizing his fellow party member, he decided to consult privately with his good friend instead. Sir Gray should be able to provide him with sage advices. With that little altercation dealt with, the introductions could continue.

The spotlight shone on the tallest and widest adventurer amongst them, the Ferromancer-Knight, Forbann Spiser, who confirmed Eve's hypothesis that he belonged to the djinn kin, oni to be more specific. Fascinating... truly fascinating. A wielder of the malignant Cursed Iron, a material so hazardous that even Evelyn dared not to tinker with them, at least until she gained more experience in handling corrupted materials. However, standing before her was an expert of the craft. Heh, even if Sir Vesemir cancels the expedition now, I'd have gotten myself quite a number of interesting individuals to correspond with. And Forbann was definitely listed among them.

Then, once more, before the next person could step up, Gray returned with Engelbert to share a few words of wisdom to Roxas, and by extension, the rest of the group. "Fair enough, Sir Gray." Eve acquiesced with a small nod, "But at least let me examine them first, if anything, it'll allow us to be properly informed if any of these items bear any harmful curses, I believe such a precaution is justified."

Back to the introductions, the witch and collector of arcane trinkets took the stage. By all purposes, she was the first dedicated magus amongst those who had introduced themselves, and perhaps the only one too, pending any further revelations. Her display of magical prowess as she flexed her mastery over element after element was equally beautiful and terrifying. Here lied a sorceress who could lay waste to a small army all by herself... and to top it all off, she revealed her skill with a blade too. ... Once again, Eve was relieved that they were on the same side.

Following up after Fia would be a tall order, but Eve wasn't one to back down from a challenge. "Ahem!" Clearing her throat, the shorter of the two redheads aimed to gather the group's attention, "For the benefit of those who has yet to know me, I am Evelyn Theophania Konstantin or, for your convenience, simply ‘Eve' will do considering our circumstances." She made a short pause, "I hail from the Serene Republic of Helvetia, under my own behest to discover what mystical wonders held within the Land of Twilight." Knowing what she'd say next, the redhead curled the confident smirk that was arguably iconic of her by now, "My passion lies in Artificing; the art of identifying, designing, and crafting artifacts through magical means, in addition, to guarantee my own safety, I also dabble in swordsmanship and marksmanship." Speaking of which, she brandished and drew her rapier and gun respectively, showing them off to the group, "I crafted these myself, along with the enchanted apparel I'm currently wearing, rest assured, they'll serve us well in the coming journey." She nodded firmly as she stowed her weapons back. "And that'd be all, comrades, it'll be a great honor to march alongside you. Once this is all over, all of you will be welcomed at Helvetia, regarded as dauntless explorers who ventured where few even dare to."

---

With her part of the introduction done, Eve huffed as she went over to the trinkets that Roxas brought down. Hmm... Methodically, she performed a scrying spell on each of the items. I see... Nodding to herself, she made quick mental notes of her findings before turning toward the group. She'd wait until whoever was currently on the spotlight to finish their introduction before speaking, "Everyone, please excuse my impudence, but may I take a moment of your time?" She paused to let her words sink in before continuing, "I've gathered what I could from these items, let me relay them to you."

First, Evelyn picked up the elven blade, "This sword is part of a twin pair alongside that one above the fireplace. It's enchanted with runes to reinforce its durability, explaining its pristine state even after decades of abandonment. The traces of dried blood revealed that the wielder was an elven man who was three decades old by the time the blood was spilled." She finished as she put the sword down.

Second, she procured the gold brooch with an emerald gem slotted in it, "This is an Arcane Focus, a trinket capable of improving various aspects of spellcasting. This one in particular is attuned to healing spells, enabling the caster to consume around half of the usual mana required for a specific spell. A great boon for any healers out there for certain." She set the brooch back down before moving to the next item.

Third, she held up the crystal-infused lamp, "This, for a lack of better words, is simply a lamp, although powered by mana instead of heat. When infused with mana..." Evelyn did exactly that to demonstrate, conducting a minor flow of mana from the environment into the lamp, causing it to illuminate, "It'll shine, providing illumination. A simple yet useful item for countless situations." The redhead shrugged lightly as she deactivated the lamp before returning it on the table.

Finally, she gestured lightly to the rest of the items; the dagger, quiver, hairpin, and pendant, "The rest are mundane objects, nothing outwardly notable about them, aside from any sentimental values, that is." And thus concluded her reports.

@Mas Bagus @A5G @Valkon @Conscripts @Remuri v2 @Randomguy @Visyn @Deide @Randomness

---

The Gray Flame

The Gray Flame was still busy with the map he did not realize that his boss had moved on to greet the newest member. Strangely, he didn't remember someone named Fia on the list.
He was even more perplexed when watching the elven healer Roxas bringing am assortments of keepsakes from the upstairs. He was too occupied with Vesemir's whim, a carefulness to not show any sign of association with their current shelter, and observing the house itself. Which gave him a not-really-pleasant memory.

And now such sense of carefulness was challenged by the healer's action, who argued that her deeds were just. The gray flame stood dumbfounded for a good second, before Engelbert pulled him out to the corridor, out of the others for now.

"I know what you are thinking." The Gray Flame said. Despite looking like he was experiencing a blow to an old scar, he was quick to regain his focus. "But my hands are tied. What a rotten luck this is. You know what, let's see how it plays out or whether she was being true to her words."

It was obvious that Gray Flame was not in an optimal condition to talk, but who knows, things might resolve quickly with to of them talking?

So, with Engelbert in tow, The Gray Flame returned to the living room. The items Roxas brought have already been laid on top of the table, like some sort of auctioned goods. He breathes heavily as if to prepare for a great confrontation.

"Roxas," he said, slowly, clearly, like an elder brother telling his sister that the playtime was over. By the time he initiated this conversation, she was speaking with a giant Fellow The Gray Flame who hadn't had a chance exchanging names and pleasantries yet.

"To be honest we already overstepped our boundaries simply by taking shelter here and using this very room like our own."

Maybe intentional, or coincidental, the Gray Flame's gaze briefly fell on the photo and the bloodstained quiver. His hand slowly reached to touch them, until something snapped him out of it and brought his attention back to Fia, Evelyn, Carnathia and Roxas again, the main perpetrator.

"But what is done is done. If you think you have a very good reason to remove these items from their initial places, then I am willing to hear it. Otherwise, this is not a decent thing to do, and we better return them back."

"Does no one understand what the word investigation mean?" She set the pictures down, letting out a frustrated sigh before snapping her eyes to Gray Flame and giving him a glare as well. "FINE, FINE, fine, fine, fine!" Her magic flared around her in anger, silvery with amber flecks as it swirled and then settled. "Fine."

After Evelyn scryed the items, she scooped them back up. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, jaw clenching and unclenching. Loud enough for everyone to hear, before she disappeared; "Roxas. Healer." She then moved upstairs to put everything back. Damin might have been right, why did she bring herself on this expedition. Once upstairs, she put the chest items back, the flier on the desk and put the pendant, draft and picture back in the bedroom. She didn't come back downstairs.

The Gray Flame could only shake his masked head. It wasn't like he dismissed her proposal, that frankly slightly out of place. He just wanted a good reason for it, and if she thinks the word investigate was an adequately good reason, it was only fair for him to ask for elaboration, right?

Her next reaction was still surprising, but not entirely uncalled for. Haphazardly crammed the item back into the chest and proclaimed her name and capability as a healer, Roxas then climbed back upstairs, leaving the Gray Flame rubbing his masked forehead in both embarrassment and amazement.

Vesemir, who for the entire exchange was talking with one of his porters seemed to be distracted by the bickering, and quickly catching up with the situation. Though his eyes glanced briefly at Gray Flame and Engelbert, he did not ask any question, and tactfully followed her up.

"What's the matter, darling?" he said calmly, emphatically. Holding his walking cane behind his back, he stopped right in the middle of the room, giving the disappointed elf some space.
@Visyn

"that said, Engelbert idea has merit. We are gonna rely on each other for the foreseeable future, so knowing what we can do is the least we should do. Let me reintroduce myself, i am Forbann Spiser,and if my height didn't give me away, i am an Oni"

Deciding a demonstration would be best for the next part, he put an hand foward,and he Shaped his gauntlet, the metal rising in a stalk and petal blossoming in his best approximation of a rose,glittering in the flames and sometime lighting itself with the sickly glow of the curse residing within it.

"I am a ferromancer,able to shape metal however i see fit.Unlike most ferromancer, i specialized in Cursed metal, and before you worry, it's harmless to anyone i don't wish harm to as long as i'm touching it

Reshaping the metal rose back into the gauntlet, he continued

"Much like Engelbard,i would do best when in the thick of it, though i'm more specialized for attrition fights than fast ones. Furthermore, i know curses and how to deal with them, even if i must admit my methods are...brutish, to say the least.

“I’ll say again, my name’s Fia. My specialty is sorcery. I am just in love with those who are born with the power to make the world however they want on a whim. So much so, I’ve made their power my own.” Fia chuckled, “I can do a little of everything, but my true specialty lies in the elements.” Fia let down the hand she was using to wave, so it lay horizontal with her palm up. From the center of her palm a pillar of fire erupted, almost touching the ceiling. It lasted only a moment before it was replaced with a ball of water, that froze. Finally the ball collapsed into itself forming a small black void, and then it disappeared all together.

“Though, if I need to, I am pretty good with a rapier.” Fia finished her introduction.

Nanashi went back from the party with a different appearance. He is wearing an elegant black kimono perfectly match with his handsome facial feature along and a pony tail hairstyle. The bathroom is ready for other to use and he did clean it after his turn.

"The house guardian wouldn't mind to use the house as long we maintain clean this shelter. It a bit angry to the elven woman for prying their stuff without it's permission. I too have guilt for going through the window but the spirit and I had already settle.

Anyway. Who's turn for the bath? I prepared a hot water for the bath tub and will boil some water again for the other's turn."

With her part of the introduction done, Eve huffed as she went over to the trinkets that Roxas brought down. Hmm... Methodically, she performed a scrying spell on each of the items. I see... Nodding to herself, she made quick mental notes of her findings before turning toward the group. She'd wait until whoever was currently on the spotlight to finish their introduction before speaking, "Everyone, please excuse my impudence, but may I take a moment of your time?" She paused to let her words sink in before continuing, "I've gathered what I could from these items, let me relay them to you."

First, Evelyn picked up the elven blade, "This sword is part of a twin pair alongside that one above the fireplace. It's enchanted with runes to reinforce its durability, explaining its pristine state even after decades of abandonment. The traces of dried blood revealed that the wielder was an elven man who was three decades old by the time the blood was spilled." She finished as she put the sword down.

Second, she procured the gold brooch with an emerald gem slotted in it, "This is an Arcane Focus, a trinket capable of improving various aspects of spellcasting. This one in particular is attuned to healing spells, enabling the caster to consume around half of the usual mana required for a specific spell. A great boon for any healers out there for certain." She set the brooch back down before moving to the next item.

Third, she held up the crystal-infused lamp, "This, for a lack of better words, is simply a lamp, although powered by mana instead of heat. When infused with mana..." Evelyn did exactly that to demonstrate, conducting a minor flow of mana from the environment into the lamp, causing it to illuminate, "It'll shine, providing illumination. A simple yet useful item for countless situations." The redhead shrugged lightly as she deactivated the lamp before returning it on the table.

Finally, she gestured lightly to the rest of the items; the dagger, quiver, hairpin, and pendant, "The rest are mundane objects, nothing outwardly notable about them, aside from any sentimental values, that is." And thus concluded her reports.

After Evelyn scryed the items, she scooped them back up. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, jaw clenching and unclenching. Loud enough for everyone to hear, before she disappeared; "Roxas. Healer." She then moved upstairs to put everything back. Damin might have been right, why did she bring herself on this expedition. Once upstairs, she put the chest items back, the flier on the desk and put the pendant, draft and picture back in the bedroom. She didn't come back downstairs.

A lively lot, this little group. There's so many directions one's attention could be pulled to, if Engelbert wasn't used to splitting focus he'd probably be overwhelmed. On one side the tall ironclad showed a magnificent show of fine control, something he'd imagine would be a great boon for runic enchantment. A more competitive part of Engelbert wondered how'd he fare against the taller warrior, quickly coming to the conclusion that the matchup would be unfavorable without taking extreme measures. But there's no need for that, yes?

Following after Forbann was the latest addition, a full-time sorceress with pretty decent power output backed by formidable flexibility. Well above the average mage, this one will fill the hole in their formation pretty nicely. Priority protection, then. Right after Gray and Vesemir. But there's no need to specifically mention that, part of him felt like this Fia Blackfire - Engelbert internally chuckled at the name - would be rather insufferable if he did.

Right around then the foreigner came back out, clad in a set of exotic robe with steam still rising from his flushed skin. His pronounciation was awkward at times, but the fact that he speak the language at all was admirable. And... apparently the plumbing and bath was still operational? And in good shape, even. Engelbert himself wasn't interested much, but he could see a few faces perking up from the idea of a hot bath.

"With you by my side, Ser Forbann, we could take on an entire army! Pleased to work with you." He offered an appreciative nod, moving on to the next soon after. "And Lady Fia, why, you reminds me of an old friend. We'll be relying on you on all matter arcane, I was slightly worried for our lack of proper arcanist in our rank. This is shaping into an exciting adventure!"

The good mood continued a bit further, the youngest of the party confidently explaining about the discovered trinkets. She could even tell who that blood belonged to! Admittedly, some of the trinkets would actually be useful but knowing who the items belonged to... let's just say Engelbert was glad that it's being returned to where it belong despite the awkward silence left in the wake of Roxas' departure. The grumpy elf wouldn't break or throw it away out of spite, would she?

"Ahem. I suppose that could've went better. Thank you for the examination, Lady Evelyn. That was most enlightening." Engelbert broke the silence, glancing around to find another distraction. He didn't have to look far, settling on the foreigner who seemed content watching everything unfold. "Right, my good man, I dont believe I have caught your name? Do introduce yourself, we dont bite." Another glance spotted a whole bunch of drenched hair and shirt and everything. Engelbert himself had largely dried, the enchantment of the armor repelled unwanted dirt and moisture in equal measure. "Ah, you prepared the bath did you not? I believe some of us could make use of it. Thank you."

His gaze settled on, out of all people, Fia. Between the covered carriage and reaching shelter early enough, the initial group wasn't drenched nearly as bad as the sorceress who looked like she had waded through the river to get here. Must've gotten soggy all the way to the core, the poor lass. Magic or not, you could still get sick all the same.

---

"Not bad. A thousand thanks..." His eyebrows lifted seeing the man in black armor and wearing a peculiar mask (seriously, how many masked individuals are here) sparked the fire without the need for wood. 'Very convenient.', Tillius remarked to himself. It might prove very useful in the future, but for now, Tillius was just content with not having to deal with gathering wood.

As the exploration dragged on, and everyone introduced himself, it soon became clear the mood of the group wasn't exactly clicking with Roxas. Neither was Tillius too, but not for the reason Roxas eventually stood up and left in a huff: it was rowdy. He did not know who this Gray Flame guy was, nor his background, but just from his words alone, Tillius could see he wasn't exactly adept when it comes to authority, while Vesemir seemed quite hands-off, which is...fair. He's advertised as an archeologist, and that's what he's supposed to be.

Back to the introduction. Tillius was trying to stay in the background and listened, as people began to reintroduce themselves. From the jolly Engelbert, to the noble-looking fencer named Carnatia, to this hulk of a man, even taller than Tillius himself, a status he had the rarity of enjoying. He was an Oni apparently, which wasn't a surprise. He could count on his fingers the race that is that gigantic. And then this barbarian who spoke weird things about spirits and a hot bath, to which Tillius just ignored as rambling.

The introduction continued with these two ladies. One also a magic user and a fencer, a different flavour of Carnatia, more eager to prove himself. The other an artificer, this one he had already seen back in camp. Quite young, quite passionate, and just as eager to prove herself too. But the orc paid quite a bit more attention to her words, more than other demonstrations earlier. It was useful knowledge, and Evelyn herself seemed to know what she was talking about, and it showed.

There was also Roxas's introduction, but Tillius already knew her.

He continued to stay in the background observing, noting Roxas's huffing herself back upstairs. He'd check on her once everything was done here. Seeing the few final introductions, and the attention slowly getting to him, and also this bath guy too, Tillius knew his turn was up.

"For me, I am Tillius Battakka." Tillius spoke, his tone seemed normal if not a bit low for an orc, but it carried underneath a gravitas befitting his status. "Unfortunately, I do not bring with me magic or technological marvels, only strength and techniques." He paused and laid a hand on his gladius to briefly indicate the gear he was using. "I was an officer in the Westernant Army, but in case you worry, I am now retired, and is merely an adventurer, just like everyone else. I am more than confident and honored to be serving with you brave comrades into the unknown."

Tillius left it as such, as he took a step back. His weird intonation the last sentencemight seem a bit out of place for an otherwise normal introduction. Maybe it was just orc speak, or military speak. But the Gray Flame might notice a glance to him from the orc afterwards.

@Mas Bagus @A5G @Valkon @Remuri v2 @Randomguy @Visyn @Deide @Randomness @Izurich

---

"The house guardian wouldn't mind to use the house as long we maintain clean this shelter. It a bit angry to the elven woman for prying their stuff without it's permission. I too have guilt for going through the window but the spirit and I had already settle.

Anyway. Who's turn for the bath? I prepared a hot water for the bath tub and will boil some water again for the other's turn."

The eastern-looking man—seemingly oblivious to the somewhat tense atmosphere—suddenly joined the conversation with a non-sequitur of a warm bath. Something that admittedly sounded pleasant to Carnatia right about now.

Carnatia turned to the man, "I did not expect this dilapidated cottage to have working plumbing. Thank you for informing us, and preparing the hot water, sir...My apologies, I don't think we've been introduced. In any case, it might be a good idea to partake in a warm bath after we have ourselves settled. Though...who exactly were you referring to by 'house guardian'?"

Their conversation was then interrupted by Fia, who—understandably, Carnatia supposed—somewhat objected to Carnatia's previous remark regarding her.

“Unsavory? I barely said anything.” spoke Fia. She looked at the assortment of items that lay on the table. The flier caught her eye. Either the owner was a patron, or this building was a part of the route advertised. Fia reached over and picked up the clear case containing the hairpin. She looked at it as she twirled the case around in her hands. “Though, I suppose I am of the mind that if the previous owner is dead, what harm is there in repurposing goods that are will otherwise be forgotten?”

Once she finished her introduction, Carnatia replied, "Apologies, if I offended. It's not even that I am wholly against the idea, I do realize the pragmatism in your logic, but even from a utilitarian perspective, I do not think these...trinkets are worth it, no? As Sir Engelbert and I had alluded to, it would behove us to avoid trouble with authorities. This cottage does not seem to be that old, and considering the lifespan of an elf, it is not impossible for its owner to still live in other regions of Varenheim, or next of kin even. Either way, it opened up the possibility for us to be liable for unlawful seizing of property. While the chances are low that we would be accosted over these trinkets, as I said, such mere trinkets surely do not merit taking the chance? The swords Lady Evelyn found are another matter, and I suppose merit a discussion. In any case, our illustrious leader appeared to be against it, although..."

Carnatia then turned to the Gray Flame and Engelbert, "Pardon me, sirs. But it would appear to my eyes that you two were discussing something regarding the photograph Roxas found? In normal circumstances, it would not be proper of me to inquire into what is clearly a private matter, however...I would like to ask if it is something that might affect us during the course of our stay here or beyond. If so, I think we are at least entitled to some details given that it would affect us. Of course, I wouldn't demand you reveal it to us now, but I do hope if it is relevant to our situation that the two of you would reveal it before the night ends."

It was then, that Evelyn, who had been taking a look at the items chimed in with her reports.

"Everyone, please excuse my impudence, but may I take a moment of your time?" She paused to let her words sink in before continuing, "I've gathered what I could from these items, let me relay them to you."

First, Evelyn picked up the elven blade, "This sword is part of a twin pair alongside that one above the fireplace. It's enchanted with runes to reinforce its durability, explaining its pristine state even after decades of abandonment. The traces of dried blood revealed that the wielder was an elven man who was three decades old by the time the blood was spilt." She finished as she put the sword down.

Second, she procured the gold brooch with an emerald gem slotted in it, "This is an Arcane Focus, a trinket capable of improving various aspects of spellcasting. This one in particular is attuned to healing spells, enabling the caster to consume around half of the usual mana required for a specific spell. A great boon for any healers out there for certain." She set the brooch back down before moving to the next item.

Third, she held up the crystal-infused lamp, "This, for a lack of better words, is simply a lamp, although powered by mana instead of heat. When infused with mana..." Evelyn did exactly that to demonstrate, conducting a minor flow of mana from the environment into the lamp, causing it to illuminate, "It'll shine, providing illumination. A simple yet useful item for countless situations." The redhead shrugged lightly as she deactivated the lamp before returning it to the table.

Finally, she gestured lightly to the rest of the items; the dagger, quiver, hairpin, and pendant, "The rest are mundane objects, nothing outwardly notable about them, aside from any sentimental values, that is." And thus concluded her reports.

Turning to Evelyn, Carnatia gave her a small smile of appreciation before speaking again, "Thank you, Lady Evelyn. Splendid work. Now then, as to the matter of these items...while most of them are mundane trinkets with little worth, the lamp, blades, and brooch are of some use, therefore as I've said, merit some discussion on whether we should appropriate them or not. Now, the common parlance of 'Finder's keepers' does not, in fact, hold true in many civilized nations. In Westernant, for example, finders of abandoned items are obligated by the law to turn them in to the authority for a period of time, upon which the authorities would try to find the owner, before filling in the paperwork to claim the items. If I remember correctly, Varenheim has similar laws. Of course, we are not in the position to turn them in to the authorities, so in this case, I suppose it is legal for us to keep them and turn them over after we are finished with our expedition and return to civilized Varenheim's regions. They do seem useful in the journey ahead. Well, we can table this discussion for later and move on with the introductions."

Engelbert then moved the conversation along as the orc in armour introduced himself.

"For me, I am Tillius Battakka." Tillius spoke, his tone seemed normal if not a bit low for an orc, but it carried underneath a gravitas befitting his status. "Unfortunately, I do not bring with me magic or technological marvels, only strength and techniques." He paused and laid a hand on his gladius to briefly indicate the gear he was using. "I was an officer in the Westernant Army, but in case you worry, I am now retired, and is merely an adventurer, just like everyone else. I am more than confident and honored to be serving with you brave comrades into the unknown."

"A former officer in the Westernant Army you say?", Carnatia remarked. She then continued, "I was originally from Westernant myself, thank you for your years of service, good sir. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

@Remuri v2@Randomness@Mas Bagus@A5G@Izurich@Conscripts

---

Fia remained awkwardly close to Forbann as the others started to speak up again. The adorable little princess spoke next. Young as she was, the skill set she boasted was versatile and impressive. Already showing off the enchantments of her arms and armor, this Evelyn was very much prepared to prove herself. As if to further her claim, the young noblewoman peered into the secrets of each item dear Roxas kindly brought down. Some of the items proved to be useful beyond their fashion, and were it not for Englebert and his compatriot, unnamed masked elf, then the expedition would have already bounty that could help easy the further difficulties the team would encounter within the Twilight lands. It was more evident that it could since Roxas had introduced herself as a healer.

“Poor dear. Perhaps someone should check up on her.” said Fia as Roxas’ form could no longer be seen from the bottom of the stairs. Though Fia thought not much of the comments, she could understand Roxas frustration on having it brought up so many times. But since both Engelbert and Masked Elf both said something about it, and Fia was understanding that they were closer to the archaeologist than the others, something was fishy. Fia wasn’t the only one to notice as Carnatia was first to speak up about it.

“I’m not offended, dear.” said Fia. She smiled at the spellsword. “It would take a lot more than that. I guess I’m just not mindful when it comes to the folly of politicians.” Fia shrugged her shoulders. She then shifted her gaze to the masked elf. It was hard to gate his state of mind or emotions due to the mask, but the way he shook his head dismissively was telling. “You know something, don’t you, dear? Something about the house, perhaps? The people in the picture? Is there a reason for not telling us?”

Fia kept her eyes on the masked elf when Engelbert spoke up changing the subject. He attempted to get the silent foreign looking individual to speak, before mentioning a bath that individual had prepared. Fia’s face lightened up as her mood lifted. Fia could see Engelbert was speaking broadly, but his eyes rested pointedly at her.

“A bath sounds lovely.” she said, almost like she was never questioning the masked elf at all. She turned on her heel to face the tall armored oni. She clasped her hands together resting them on her cheek as she tilted her head. Fia gleefully spoke again with a sweet smile, “would you care to join me, darling? I’ll help you wash your back.”

"What's the matter, darling?" he said calmly, emphatically. Holding his walking cane behind his back, he stopped right in the middle of the room, giving the disappointed elf some space.

---

As Vesemir came up and then stopped, Roxas was found climbing onto the desk. She had moved the flier and lamp to one side of the desk as to not sit on it. She turned, back towards him and the stairwell. Her legs came up as she wrapped her arms around them, ankles crossed.

Her gaze moved to the window; which she has now closed from the ninja guy coming in. She simply sat there for a few silent heartbeats, staring out at the storm as it rattled the window lightly. “I am fine, Sir Vesemir. Thank you though, for your concern. If you need me later, I will be sleeping up here.”

Rezello

---

Rezello stood and moved to rest his weight against the nearby wall, giving a nod as the others expressed their gratitude for the flame now burning within the fireplace. Introductions began soon after, initiated by Engelbert, and followed by the red/orange-haired noblewoman. Shortly after Carnatia's introduction, the elven woman who had spent much of the cart ride playing a flute emerged from upstairs with an armful of various items, apparently having done some investigating. Tensions stirred up as Engelbert questioned her motives for doing so, clearly causing the elven woman offense, unaided by Fia's quip about "looting" the seemingly abandoned home. Something in the stack of items had apparently caught the veteran knight's eye, as he had moved with Gray Flame to another room to converse about something.

After Forbann got his introduction out, describing himself as a "ferromancer" - a form of magic that Rezello was unfamiliar with, though it sounded like a powerful and versatile art - Gray Flame returned with Engelbert following, chastizing Roxas. Though he offered a chance to explain herself, it was evident that she was having none of it. Meanwhile, the party's latest arrival and their youngest member introduced themselves, a sorceress and an artificer, respectively. The latter also revealed herself to originate from Helvetia, a country Rezello had heard much about in regards to its technological progress, which explained the strange looking weapon that she carried in addition to her rapier.

Rezello watched as Eve focused on the elven blade and the items Roxas had collected, analyzing and describing each. The sword, one of a set along with its twin mounted above the fireplace, bore a simple enchantment of durability; a useful feature, though not tempting enough to Rezello to consider taking, especially as the enchantment would render it incompatible with his own magic. The other items, as expected, were mostly mundane trinkets, and of the two that held magic properties, only one of them struck him as something that would have been worthwhile to take with them. Almost immediately after they were identified, Roxas collected them with a swipe of her arms, providing a particularly brief introduction before marching back upstairs, Vesemir - who had just moments ago entered the room - following shortly after.

The orcish warrior introduced himself next, a former officer of Westernant's military. A veteran of the battlefield; while such experience did not always translate directly to the conditions of adventuring, it would certainly prove invaluable for a group as unusually large as theirs was - especially if any other more last-minute stragglers decided to show up. Meanwhile, Fia and Carnatia had begun pressing Gray Flame about a secret he seemed to be hiding; some knowledge or insight into two of the items that Roxas had found, a pair of pictures.

Shifting his weight as he took a step forward, Rezello began his own introduction. "I suppose I'll go next. My name is Rezello Fulsteel-Ashton. I was trained as a knight in the city of Scheel, in the northern frontier of Westernant. For those of you know, well, you know, and for those of you who don't... in the interest of time, it's not a story I'll go into now. Suffice to say, as of ten years ago I am no longer in service of the city. As for my capabilities, in addition to my martial abilities," he holds out a hand, a silver light tracing a line outwards from it before becoming a spadone greatsword in his grasp, "I have some... limited ability to use magic."

The sword is engulfed in silver light once more, shifting downwards in his hand before disappearing to reveal the sword has been replaced by a bec de corbin. "Aside from this spell, and the flame I produced earlier," The polearm shifts into light again, the line of silver splitting in two and one of the halves quickly moving into Rezello's free hand, the line in his left hand becoming a messer sword and the one in his right a morningstar, "I can also encase myself in a shell of lightning and resist being moved against my will." His weapons turned into light one last time before fading away, returning to the pocket dimension the armory spell stored them in.

Nanashi

---

Engelbert broke the silence, glancing around to find another distraction. He didn't have to look far, settling on the foreigner who seemed content watching everything unfold. "Right, my good man, I dont believe I have caught your name? Do introduce yourself, we dont bite." Another glance spotted a whole bunch of drenched hair and shirt and everything. Engelbert himself had largely dried, the enchantment of the armor repelled unwanted dirt and moisture in equal measure. "Ah, you prepared the bath did you not? I believe some of us could make use of it. Thank you."

What is his real name again? He tried to recalled it again and as he thought for identifying papers, he remembered his name. A real name that related to his adopted mother, Watanabe Eiko. He been using his alias for so long, he almost forgot what his real name is.

"My name is Watanabe Takumi. Nanashi was my Shinobi Alias. I came here to bring my elven adoptive mother's ash into her birth land.

I can be use for solely intel gathering, scouting, infiltration and sabotaging and assassination." Takumi replied to Sir Engelbard.

The eastern-looking man—seemingly oblivious to the somewhat tense atmosphere—suddenly joined the conversation with a non-sequitur of a warm bath. Something that admittedly sounded pleasant to Carnatia right about now.

Carnatia turned to the man, "I did not expect this dilapidated cottage to have working plumbing. Thank you for informing us, and preparing the hot water, sir...My apologies, I don't think we've been introduced. In any case, it might be a good idea to partake in a warm bath after we have ourselves settled. Though...who exactly were you referring to by 'house guardian'?"

After with Sir Engelbard. Takumi turned his head to Carnatia de Luson.

"A spirit that dwells along with the house dwellers. They are those who protects the home, looking after the entire household spiritually.

I couldn't sense the souls of the previous dwellers here. It seems that they already departed into the afterlife." he replied to the orange haired noble woman with a warmth smile.

“I am fine, Sir Vesemir. Thank you though, for your concern. If you need me later, I will be sleeping up here.”

'Didn't mean to pry but I overheard the argument earlier. But alright, lassie, since you said so, I will not press further. I will give the two an earful if that makes you feel better."

The aged elf smiled coyly under the shadow before lifting his top head and turning back. "It's dark here, I will ask Stepen to bring you a lantern."

And then he was gone, descending the stairs back to the first floor.

"Pardon me, sirs. But it would appear to my eyes that you two were discussing something regarding the photograph Roxas found? In normal circumstances, it would not be proper of me to inquire into what is clearly a private matter, however...I would like to ask if it is something that might affect us during the course of our stay here or beyond. If so, I think we are at least entitled to some details given that it would affect us. Of course, I wouldn't demand you reveal it to us now, but I do hope if it is relevant to our situation that the two of you would reveal it before the night ends."

"Gray, You can call me Gray Flame. Without the 'sir' if you feel so inclined. That's what my colleagues in the Adventurers' Guild called me." the masked elf said ruefully, glancing at the young noblewoman. "I've been to Nuria several times, so I think that's how I earned the honor to be here. As for your questions, miss Carnatia, and Madam Fia, It seems the youngsters in that photograph had quite a reputation in Varenheim's special forces. Yeah, I believe I myself had heard about him because it was not every day they casually transferred someone from a different branch to The Sentinel. It is similar to Royal Guards in Westernant, so you know how prestigious the position is."

He paused and glanced at both women. And apparently, Fia was already occupied with the idea of having a good soak in somebody else's bathroom. Still, he did not seem to mind it too much, and if he could show a smile through his mask, he would.

"As for what happened to the couple, I do not know." he continued again with a clear voice. As if the answer had been rehearsed many times. "I was transferred to Engelheim, and then to Draumurr before my untimely discharge from the branch. I think that's the story for another time if you don't mind."

While waiting for their next question (he hoped there would be none), The Gray Flame's attention turned to the young man named Razello, who had helped provide them with his signature fire spell. He was currently showcasing his ability to access a hyperspace arsenal, which itself looked extremely convenient.

But the Gray Flame thought the last thing that masked young man Rozello needed would be another shallow praise.

So he shifted to his long-time acquaintance's daughter, who seemed rather disappointed with the fact that the items she just appraised had been snatched away from her.

"Couldn't help but ask, what would you do to those trinkets if you managed to get your hands on them again?"

Beside him, the eastern foreigner was introducing himself. And he had an interesting tale about his elven adoptive mother who had just died recently. Not a topic The Gray Flame would want to entertain, neither when the man claimed that there was a guardian spirit in this house and that Guardian Spirit had permitted him to use this house and had made peace with him for breaking into it uninvited. In all honesty, it all sounded like phony excuses.

Then, there was another theory from Carnathia about the legality of seizing the item again. But Gray Flame did not jump into the discussion, as if letting his armored companion speak about it instead.

"Hehen~" After her successful arcane appraisal, a feat which would be considered within the realm of professionals, Evelyn couldn't help but allow herself to express a modicum of smug satisfaction. There, that should silence any doubts regarding my expertise. Before she could dwell on it any further though, the platinum-blonde elf archer started retrieving the items from the table, except for the blood-encrusted sword, making a whole scene about it as she did. ... This caused mixed emotions brewing in the younger redhead of the party, she was bewildered... yet somewhat curious. The thought of someone who appeared to be an adult acting like a petulant infant almost seemed alien to Evelyn, and yet... here before her was an undeniable proof that such a thing was possible. Is Roxas actually younger than I am? Do a few elves physically develop that fast? It... it was unnerving.

...oh god. Before a horrible realization dawned on her as a single emotion began overwhelming all others, that being worry, Healer, she said. If our healer has such a repulsively uncooperative personality... I dare not even entertain the idea of her being able to fulfill her duty as one. This was definitely a cause for concern. Evelyn hoped that the tantrum-prone elf wasn't the only one among them who possessed such skills, That brooch, should we take it, must go to someone else more deserving. To say that Eve's first impression of Roxas being unfavorable would be an understatement.

"Hmmgh..." The youngest, yet ironically not the most childish, of Vesemir's band simply shrugged, physically and mentally. She pushed the matter of the childish woman(?) out of her mind for now, instead focusing on the gratitude expressed by Engelbert, Carnatia, and a few others for her appraisal services, well, she would be lying if she didn't think it's deserved, twas' not a skill any person could possess after all. "You honor me, Sir Engelbert, Lady Carnatia," The artificer performed a small elegant curtsy, "This will be the first, but certainly not the last time I shall do so. I imagine we'll find countless artifacts to examine during our journey."

In the meantime, the introductions continued for the remaining three individuals in the room, all of them men of martial persuasion. The first amongst the three to take the stand was the veteran Tillius Battakka, a former officer of Westernant's armed forces, an admirable achievement considering the country's strong military. Judging from the orc's impressive build and stature, one could easily deduce why. A professional soldier... with all the physical training and mental conditioning that come with such a dangerous profession, yes, we can definitely appreciate someone who can remain calm in the heat of combat, especially since we have a... Evelyn almost felt awful at seeing a certain healer in such a light, but facts couldn't lie. Nevertheless, Sir Tillius' allegiance to our cause is more than welcomed.

Following Tillius was a scion from the city of Scheel who introduced himself as Rezello Fulsteel-Ashton, That naming convention... is he of noble blood? He was a knight so perhaps, though unfortunately, Evelyn wasn't familiar with what happened to his homeland, and Rezello made it clear that he wasn't in the mind of elaborating his past, a sentiment that she would respect. It doesn't sound like a pleasant event anyway. Then the masked fighter showcased his ability to shape various weapons through flexing his arcane muscles, Conjuration and Evocation magic? Impressive... Just like the veteran soldier before him, this former knight- no, runeknight - was a fine addition to the party.

Then, lastly, the foreign vagrant warrior revealed his name and intentions for coming all the way from faraway lands to Varanheim. So he was adopted by a Varanheim-born elf, and this elf had passed away and been cremated. He was here to honor her memories, well... admirable, a touch bit sentimental, but admirable nonetheless. His skills suggest espionage training, is he a spy then? Well, the equivalent of a spy from whatever nation he hailed from. That was good, they had plenty of warriors, knights, mages, and a combination of those, but not many dedicated espionage specialists.

Well, that was everyone done with, Eve supposed she could get back to tinkering with those items-... oh right, Roxas took them. "Sigh..." A subtle sigh of disappointment escaped her lips as the redhead awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck, dejectedly looking off to the side. This gesture seemed to attract Gray's attention as the masked elf proceeded to inquire her about the items, He read me like an open book, was I that obvious? Truth to be told, Evelyn had zero interest in participating in the whole 'Finder's Keepers' debacle, but since she was asked directly about the matter... "Perform any necessary maintenance to return them to full functions, if needed, then give them to someone who can make the most use of each artifact; the brooch to-..." She paused briefly, her eyes looking to the side for a moment before returning to Gray Flame's eye slots, "-...a healer, the lamp to Sir Takumi, and the twin swords to Sir Tillius or you, Sir Gray."

Unless prodded further, that answer would be the last time Eve would humor the topic. Much preferably, she'd let Engelbert, Gray, Vesemir, Fia, Carnatia, or anyone else - as long as it's not herself - to handle the tantruming healer. As for the items, well, apparently they held great sentimental values judging from the history of their owners, some Varanheiman elite soldier according to Gray. Mmmngh... I want to explore mythical lands of ancient secrets and otherworldly artifacts, not... this. Well, to be fair, they got here due to a storm-induced detour anyway. Haaa... With her job done and little else to do besides socializing, the young artificer decided to just reserve a seat for herself, procure her journal, then began sketching and writing about the items she just appraised.

@Visyn @A5G @Randomguy @Conscripts @Valkon @Remuri v2 @Mas Bagus

---

"And my thank you for the recognition." Tillius nodded graciously towards Carnatia. He was pleasantly surprised with a little nod here and there. While the Westernant military was a well-renowned organization consisting of both noble knights and citizen soldiers, they were looked upon with more fear and awe than respect like this. "If you'll excuse me though, I shall check up on our...'discontented' member of the group."

He left his shield and helmet down in a corner somewhere on the first floor, but still kept his gladius with him as he ascended the stairs, just before Vesemir came down from it.

"You're disgruntled." Tillius stated, once he saw the elf sulking on the table near the window. "I can't say it's unjustified, but it's not the best start to the journey." He said, being as frank as possible while trying not to frame her as petulant, which deep inside, it was true. Huffing away from slight insults weren't the most mature responses a person can have.

"I'd like to understand why."

@Visyn@Randomguy

---

“I’m not offended, dear.” said Fia. She smiled at the spellsword. “It would take a lot more than that. I guess I’m just not mindful when it comes to the folly of politicians.” Fia shrugged her shoulders. She then shifted her gaze to the masked elf. It was hard to gate his state of mind or emotions due to the mask, but the way he shook his head dismissively was telling. “You know something, don’t you, dear? Something about the house, perhaps? The people in the picture? Is there a reason for not telling us?”

Well, if nothing else, Carnatia was glad she did not burn any bridges. She still thought Fia's earlier remarks simply served to exacerbate the situation, but regardless it was fortunate she did not take it personally. Furthermore, it appeared that both Carnatia and the sorcerer were of one mind regarding the Gray Flame and Engelbert's reaction to the photograph.

Perhaps having been questioned by two people, the Gray Flame decided to shed some light on the matter.

"Gray, You can call me Gray Flame. Without the 'sir' if you feel so inclined. That's what my colleagues in the Adventurers' Guild called me." the masked elf said ruefully, glancing at the young noblewoman. "I've been to Nuria several times, so I think that's how I earned the honor to be here. As for your questions, miss Carnatia, and Madam Fia, It seems the youngsters in that photograph had quite a reputation in Varenheim's special forces. Yeah, I believe I myself had heard about him because it was not every day they casually transferred someone from a different branch to The Sentinel. It is similar to Royal Guards in Westernant, so you know how prestigious the position is."

Carnatia couldn't help but feel that there was still more to it, but it was pretty clear that the Gray Flame was not intending to say more, and so further inquiry at this juncture would only serve to antagonize him, and possibly Engelbert. She would keep it in mind but for now...she would let the matter be.

Therefore, instead of pushing the matter, Carnatia nodded, "I see. Well, as long as it does not become an issue in our expedition, I shan't press further. Thank you for indulging me, Sir Gray."

Having settled the matter—for now at least—Carnatia's attention turned to the armoured man who had helped them by providing some sort of magical flames, as he introduced himself as Rezello Fulsteel-Ashton.

Shifting his weight as he took a step forward, Rezello began his own introduction. "I suppose I'll go next. My name is Rezello Fulsteel-Ashton. I was trained as a knight in the city of Scheel, in the northern frontier of Westernant. For those of you know, well, you know, and for those of you who don't... in the interest of time, it's not a story I'll go into now. Suffice to say, as of ten years ago I am no longer in service of the city..."

Ah, one of the surviving sons of House Ashton, then? Ten years ago, the inhabitants of the city of Scheel mysteriously disappeared. She was but a child in early adolescence back then, but she did remember the panic that swept across Westernant. Many nobles were especially concerned that their fief would meet the same fate as the city of Scheel. There were many speculations back then, that they were whisked away by the mythical fae of legends, or it was a magical experiment gone awry, or even some sort of a divine punishment. He remembered her father had commissioned various great mages and scholars to devise possible countermeasures to avoid the same phenomenon happening in their Duchy. In the end, it was for nought, no one had come up with any concrete theory and no similar phenomenon happened again, after some years, eventually the event was remarked as a mysterious anomaly.

As Rezello demonstrated his magical capabilities, Carnatia's eyes could not help but be drawn to his peculiar mask. the rest of his armour was somewhat typical of what one would expect to be worn by knights of Westernant—Carnatia recognised his armour as the armour of the Sten Corp knights, though Carnatia heard the order disbanded after what happened to Scheel—the mask looked particularly out of place, it was not something she had seen any Westernant knights wear before. And being the daughter of the most prominent knight noble house in Westernant, she had seen many Westernant knights, so it was peculiar that she did not recognise the mask.

Well, regardless, Carnatia had no intention of digging deeper simply to satisfy her curiosity and risk committing a faux pass. Therefore, Carnatia averted her eyes before Rezello could hopefully notice and instead replied, "I did hear what had happened to the city of Scheel yes, though as you did not bring it up yourself, I suppose it's neither here nor there. Regardless, I recognised your armour, it's gladdening to have a knight of the famous Sten Corps with us for this expedition."

The Eastern man introduced himself next. A shinobi by the name of Watanabe Takumi, whose purpose in joining this expedition was apparently to bring the ash of his adoptive elven mother. It was an unorthodox reason, but one that she somewhat understood. Taking care of one's parents' funeral was only right as a form of filial duty. It was somewhat complicated in Carnatia's case as having been exiled, she was technically no longer part of the de Luson family, and thus, no longer a child of her parents. Still...were something to happen that left one else capable of taking care of their funeral, Carnatia would probably acquiesce to take care of the matter. Despite everything she did owe much to her parents.

Watanabe then continued, explaining what he had meant by spirit.

"A spirit that dwells along with the house dwellers. They are those who protects the home, looking after the entire household spiritually.

I couldn't sense the souls of the previous dwellers here. It seems that they already departed into the afterlife." he replied to the orange-haired noblewoman with a warm smile.

Carnatia nodded, "Ah. I see, that was what you meant by a guardian spirit. Yes, I suppose that would be an apt enough translation. My own master did hail from Eastern lands, the same as you. So I have heard of tales and legends of such creatures. The Zashiki-warashi or akashaguma, for instance."

Carnatia did not put any stock on their existence being real, herself. But from her Master, she did know that many people from the East believed in their existence.

"Well, in any case, a pleasure to meet you, Sir Takumi...ah, or perhaps Watanabe-san? Oh, and once more, thank you for preparing the bath."

Carnatia was not exactly fluent in their language, but through her old master, she did pick up the language. Including the preferred form of address. As so, Carnatia's former noble upbringing kicked in. Addressing someone with how their custom dictated was a common diplomatic tactic, as well as considered to be proper manners.

And with that, the rounds of introduction were over. Evelyn then spoke again, giving her assessment of what was to be done with the items Roxas found, as per the Gray Flame's request.

"Perform any necessary maintenance to return them to full functions, if needed, then give them to someone who can make the most use of each artifact; the brooch to-..." She paused briefly, her eyes looking to the side for a moment before returning to Gray Flame's eye slots, "-...a healer, the lamp to Sir Takumi, and the twin swords to Sir Tillius or you, Sir Gray."

"I quite agree. The brooch in particular would be of tremendous help, halving the mana cost for healing spells. It would help us avoid situations where we have people in need of healing but our healer having no mana left to cast healing spells. If nothing else, I would say that the brooch would be a boon in ensuring the survival of our group in the worst-case scenario," Carnatia remarked.

She then let out a sigh as she continued, "Now then...if you all would allow me, I think I will take advantage of the working plumbing of this house to take a warm bath."

Although...she turned to Fia, who was propositioning Forbann to take a bath together a few moments ago.

She coughed, her cheeks slightly tinged red, as she blushed, "Erm...yes, er...Lady Fia, if you have any intention of doing... ahem...licent—er..."

She stopped from saying 'licentious acts', considering the presence of Evelyn, who was but a child.

"...certain acts with Sir Forbann, then I believe it's common courtesy to have the rest of us use the facility first...yes? So if you do not mind..."

Her blush intensified at the rather awkward situation, before she composed herself by taking a deep breath, "I-In any case, I'm sure you do not mind allowing myself to use the bath first, yes?"

@Randomness@Mas Bagus@Remuri v2@Valkon@Izurich@Deide

"Perform any necessary maintenance to return them to full functions, if needed, then give them to someone who can make the most use of each artifact; the brooch to-..." She paused briefly, her eyes looking to the side for a moment before returning to Gray Flame's eye slots, "-...a healer, the lamp to Sir Takumi, and the twin swords to Sir Tillius or you, Sir Gray."

The Gray Flame nodded. His expressionless masked face was directed at the elven-style falchion that lay unclaimed on the table. Carnatia seemed to be supporting the idea as well.

"I quite agree. The brooch in particular would be of tremendous help, halving the mana cost for healing spells. It would help us avoid situations where we have people in need of healing but our healer having no mana left to cast healing spells. If nothing else, I would say that the brooch would be a boon in ensuring the survival of our group in the worst-case scenario,"

"So we are already talking about distributing and utilizing those trinkets..."

He muttered, his words were less like a conclusion and sounded more like a question weighed with by misplaced morality consideration.

"I don't see that as a problem."

Came a bold, whimsical voice from the stairs. The Gray flame looked back and had his shoulder clapped by Vesemir.

"Why the tense atmosphere! Eh?" he cleared his throat and fixed his top hat before continuing. "Well. Tell ya, it's hard for me to disagree on these two young ladies' acute proposition. Why indeed *ahem* not claim them? If they are as powerful as Miss Evelyn concluded, then in my opinion, it is also a crime to leave them here in the dust while it can be used to illuminate one's way and help people."
Raising his both hands like some sort of arbiter, Vesemir shifted his gaze at everyone present. "To take or not take, it is an equally right proposition. Neither of us here may claim the authority to prevent any of us from claiming such items. And if morality is still holding you back..."
The archeologist took out a leather pouch from his bag and placed the clinking purse on top of the fireplace.

"Paid in full. The choice is all yours."

"Now we have finally seen eye to eye about that matter, I've something to announce to everyone," Vesemir spoke again, louder this time, not only to get everyone's attention but seemingly to deprive Gray Flame or Englebert a chance to discuss the looting kerfuffle again.

Between his speech, he pointed at the map at the table. Before gazing at Carnathia and Fia in particular.

"It is important, but I will be brief. So please stay a while and listen. It was decided that we are going to take a slightly longer detour first, toward the ruined town of Lassë and then to Ostianor slightly to the east. I think that's all for now. Any questions regarding those areas please consult with our expert, Mr. Gray Flame."

Respectfully, he beckoned at Gray Flame, who had been acting like a statue for the remainder of the exchange.

"As for now, please take a rest and don't hesitate to make good use of... well, the amenities we have."

With her demonstration done, Fia quickly scooted over next to the man in armor. Fia had never met an oni before, and that alone caught Fia’s attention. But then when it came to his work with curses and cursed metal, she found someone truly special. Fia was aware of the possibility of cursed metal, but now she found living proof. Fia looked up at the armored oni with eagerness. Fia's eyes were as deep red as her dress, and a black ring surrounded her pupils. “You don’t have to worry about me, lovely. I would be most interested to learn more about how you wield your cursed metal.”

As the Sorceress,and wasn’t that a surprising thing, came closer to admire his armor, he couldn’t help himself but feel pride. The Scholar might have been a bastard, but the fact remains that he gave him a truly wonderful ability."I’d be more than willing to show you,Lady Sorceress.Hopefully i’ll prove to be up to your standards"

Before he could continue, the small red-head introduced herself, and his hypothesis proved half correct. For one, she was a noble, a very high ranked one at that. She did,however, seemingly come here because of her passion instead of any more pressing concerns. Being free and willing to follow what your heart tells you, she was worthy of respect for that.

The offer to bring them all to Helvetica after the expedition took him by surprise. Enough that Evelyn continued, explaining the usage of each of the items that the Roxas found. The generosity of it for one, but mostly because he never thought of it as a possible place to lay low. Though…he doesn’t have any plan after this expedition… he could try it, let himself become famous enough that nobody would try anything stupid, refuge in audacity and all that. "I might take you up on that offer, Miss Evelyn. i have heard much about Helvetica, and it seems a truly lovely place to explore."

"Does no one understand what the word investigation mean?" She set the pictures down, letting out a frustrated sigh before snapping her eyes to Gray Flame and giving him a glare as well. "FINE, FINE, fine, fine, fine!" Her magic flared around her in anger, silvery with amber flecks as it swirled and then settled. "Fine."

After Evelyn scryed the items, she scooped them back up. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, jaw clenching and unclenching. Loud enough for everyone to hear, before she disappeared; "Roxas. Healer." She then moved upstairs to put everything back. Damin might have been right, why did she bring herself on this expedition. Once upstairs, she put the chest items back, the flier on the desk and put the pendant, draft and picture back in the bedroom. She didn't come back downstairs.

But as soon as he finished, the Gray flame and Roxas discussion came to a close in a quite…Spectacular way. He could understand her frustration, after all she didn’t do anything wrong. Misunderstandings truly are a poison that slowly corrodes. Hopefully they can surpass this, and come out stronger as a party for it.

"With you by my side, Ser Forbann, we could take on an entire army! Pleased to work with you." He offered an appreciative nod, moving on to the next soon after.

Fortunately, the silence left by Roxas departure was broken by the fearless(Allegedly) old Human Knight. Looking him over, he couldn’t help but nod back"Likewise Ser Engelberd. Any army would be wise to fear us!" Misunderstandings aside, Engelberd was a fierce warrior, and he wondered who would win a fight between them.

In a fair fight, there were good chances that he would be able to take him, but he didn’t entertain the thought for more than a moment. If they truly fought to the death, The old Knight was wise enough to exploit his weaknesses to make the fight far more favorable for him.

"For me, I am Tillius Battakka." Tillius spoke, his tone seemed normal if not a bit low for an orc, but it carried underneath a gravitas befitting his status. "Unfortunately, I do not bring with me magic or technological marvels, only strength and techniques." He paused and laid a hand on his gladius to briefly indicate the gear he was using. "I was an officer in the Westernant Army, but in case you worry, I am now retired, and am merely an adventurer, just like everyone else. I am more than confident and honored to be serving with you brave comrades into the unknown."

Tillius left it as such, as he took a step back. His weird intonation in the last sentence might seem a bit out of place for an otherwise normal introduction. Maybe it was just orc speak, or military speak. But the Gray Flame might notice a glance to him from the orc afterwards.

Soon after Engelberd, the Orc spoke up. A fellow Military man, Forbann couldn’t help but stand at attention, or at least as much as he could while being seated, at his tone. He introduced himself as an officer, and he believed it, that tone was far too similar to the officers of the Tritagonian army, so much so that some old ingrained instinct came back to the fore, if only for a moment

"It’s an Honor to have you,Sir." his response was short and concise. The former officer was obviously displeased about something, most likely the misunderstanding about Roxas, and it was probably best not to aggravate him more.

His attention was once again taken by the Sorceress,Which for some reason stayed close to him for all this time,though he couldn’t tell you why. Maybe she didn’t know where to sit?

Fia Blackfire

---

“A bath sounds lovely.” she said, almost like she was never questioning the masked elf at all. She turned on her heel to face the tall armored oni. She clasped her hands together resting them on her cheek as she tilted her head. Fia gleefully spoke again with a sweet smile, “would you care to join me, darling? I’ll help you wash your back.”

He looked down at himself. His armor was still drenched from the thunderstorm before, which was still going strong. He himself felt wet, and now that he noticed, it was starting to become slightly uncomfortable.

Carnatia de Luson

---

Although...she turned to Fia, who was propositioning Forbann to take a bath together a few moments ago.

She coughed, her cheeks slightly tinged red, as she blushed, "Erm...yes, er...Lady Fia, if you have any intention of doing... ahem...licent—er..."

She stopped from saying 'licentious acts', considering the presence of Evelyn, who was but a child.

"...certain acts with Sir Forbann, then I believe it's common courtesy to have the rest of us use the facility first...yes? So if you do not mind..."

Her blush intensified at the rather awkward situation, before she composed herself by taking a deep breath, "I-In any case, I'm sure you do not mind allowing myself to use the bath first, yes?"

Certain acts? It was a bath, what would they do that would make her so nervous? Unless the Westernian bath customs were different when multiple people were involved? Well, not like it matters much, he very much doubted he could even make use of the cabin bath.

“I think you’re fine to go first, Carnatia. A bath wouldn’t go amiss, no,but unfortunately I don't think that most baths in Varenheim could fit me, especially the bath of a cabin in the middle of the woods.” he regrettably had to turn Fia offer down.

"So, unless you wish to use the thunderstorm to wash ourselves, I'll unfortunately have to decline." He joked, trying to abate any disappointment his rejection might have caused.

"I don't see that as a problem."

Came a bold, whimsical voice from the stairs. The Gray flame looked back and had his shoulder clapped by Vesemir.

"Why the tense atmosphere! Eh?" he cleared his throat and fixed his top hat before continuing. "Well. Tell ya, it' hard for me to disagree on these two young ladies' acute proposition. Why indeed *ahem* not claim them? If they are as powerful as Miss Evelyn concluded, then in my opinion, it is also a crime to leave them here in the dust while it can be used to illuminate one's why and help people."
Raising his both hands like some sort of arbiter, Vesemir shifted his gaze at everyone present. "To take or not take, it is an equally right proposition. Neither of us here may claim the authority to prevent any of us from claiming such items. And if morality is still holding you back..."
The archeologist took out a leather pouch from his bag and placed the clinking purse on top of the fireplace.

"Paid in full. The choice is all yours."

Well, that was one way to smooth things over. Forbann didn’t know how long such solutions would last. Hopefully enough to forge actual bonds with each others.

"Now we have finally seen eye to eye about that matter, I've something to announce to everyone," Vesemir spoke again, louder this time, not only to get everyone's attention but seemingly to deprive Gray Flame or Englebert a chance to discuss the looting kerfuffle again.

Between his speech, he pointed at the map at the table. Before gazing at Carnathia and Fia in particular.

Hider [+]

"It is important, but I will be brief. So please stay a while and listen. It was decided that we are going to take a slightly longer detour first, toward the ruined town of Lassë and then to Ostianor slightly to the east. I think that's all for now. Any questions regarding those areas please consult with our expert, Mr. Gray Flame."

Respectfully, he beckoned at Gray Flame, who had been acting like a statue for the remainder of the exchange.

"As for now, please take a rest and don't hesitate to make good use of... well, the amenities we have."

He nodded. It was his expedition, and from what he gathered, his aim wasn’t to just reach Nuria, but to re-discover history. It only made sense to have a few stops to historically relevant places on the way.

Seems like a fine enough plan, Boss. Here’s hoping we’ll find what you want, eh?

---

Fia stood close to Forbann as the others continued conversing, awaiting his answer. Though the seriousness of her proposal could be questioned, it seemed to have made at least one of the others blush. Fia turned her head to look back at the noble knight. Seeing the young woman flustered, Fia couldn’t help but slowly smile.

“Are you perhaps a little envious, my dear Carnatia?” said Fia coyly. Fia continued to smile at the orange haired spellsword, tilting her head as though adding pressure. Fia’s turned to look again when Forbann shifted and spoke up. Using pure logic, Forbann turned down Fia’s request. Fia looked up at the ferromancer and frowned, but it didn’t seem to affect Forbann’s attitude toward the situation in general. Fia took a step back,

“I guess there isn’t a way around it,” sighed Fia. “I’ve had my time in the rain. I think I would rather wait for the bath. At least our silent fellow will replace the hot water, won’t you dear?” said Fia, raising her voice so that the man who initially offered the bath could hear. Fia walked around the table towards the spellsword who took Fia’s place in line for the bath. She reached out and rested her index finger and thumb under Carnatia’s chin and cheek, pulling the two of them closer. “If size is the issue, then perhaps we two would be a better match.” Fia looked into Carnatia’s eyes for several seconds. Before long, Fia cracked a smile and her eyes closed shut as she chuckled. She pulled back dramatically and sat down onto one of the loose chairs strewn around the table. Fia moved one of her hairs that got stuck on her face out of the way.

“Go ahead dear. I don’t mind waiting a bit longer. Just so long as the water is hot when it’s my turn.” said Fia sweetly with a smile. Fia then turned in the chair to look at the map ahead on the table, void of trinkets but instead replaced with a pouch of coins. A detour? Fia wondered to herself what was in these places mentioned. Did something in the house reveal a need to venture further south?

And that's everyone introduced. Westernant, huh? A familiar place, yet so distant now. Yet despite of time and distance, it's hard to completely forget one's root. Even if the others were cut from a different cloth, at the end of the day it's all united under a single banner. As rife with infighting as it were.

The knight offered a nod to the easterner, another piece of puzzle that complement their toolbox. Though something told him that the man was thinking something rather rude at the moment... well, there's no way to tell beside an old man's intuition.

Momentarily lost in his musing, Engelbert was silent as his partner took over the conversation. It's not the best kind of explanation, but at least it's satisfactory enough that no one decided to pry further. And then there's the distraction that was Fia's bold statement. Whether it's an actual offer or a teasing, young Carnatia bite it hook line and sinker that it didn't quite matter.

And then there's the follow up from the sorceress.

"Oho, there'll be no boring day with you all around!" A hearty laugh echoed, rumbling from the recess of the armor. "It's good that you're getting along! Just dont bother the... 'house guardian', yes? While I've no idea if it even exists, better be safe than sorry."

Unfortunate that Vesemir's interjection came next. Engelbert was silent throughout, even more statuesque than the Gray Flame. Well, as much as he'd prefer to raise an objection, it would be too suspicious to be that insistent. And at the end of the day, the archaeologist was the boss. Oh well, he'll just have to make sure that if anyone ended up taking something they're not ruining the object.

At least no one seemed very interested in the act.

"Worry not, Ser Vesemir, we'll keep you safe throughout." The detour wasn't that big of a deal. The other sites were related to the ancient capital, and they had more than sufficient supplies besides. Heck, Vesemir probably had planned to make the visit from the beginning. "Now, we do have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Let us take this opportunity to rest and prepare, yes? I'll get us dinner, if you allow me to peruse the supplies."

Stepping away from the main room, Engelbert took a moment to find and inspect the kitchen. It was... not in as good condition as the previous room. Perhaps it's the chimney, allowing moisture and humidity to seep in. Rotted wood, rusted utensils, and a concerning amount of mold on every surface. The knight took a moment to ponder how much work would be necessary to clean up, and quickly decided that beside judiciously torching every inch it would be much faster to just get it done elsewhere.

"Do not enter the kitchen. You will permanently damage your lungs." He announced gravely as he closed the door behind him, stepping toward the back where the entrance to the stable was barred.

Commandeering Stepen for assistance, soon enough the necessary utensils and ingredients were prepared. Engelbert couldn't help but whistle - Vesemir certainly spared no effort on the supplies, the eccentric yet well-funded archaeologist completely different from the misers that were the military quartermasters. There's a rather impressive collection of meat and spices, dehydrated vegetables, and even bottles of powdered stocks. Among other things.

In one of the more weather-isolated stalls Engelbert hummed a marching tune as he deftly peeled a pile of potatoes, a white and blue apron snugly wrapping his front. Stew would be the menu tonight, hearty and warm, with a side of hardtack to fill the belly. Flour and butter to make the roux base to thicken the broth. Salt-cured beef as a treat, pad it up with potatoes and beans. Little bit of salt since the beef already got enough, sprinkles of additional spices, a pinch of dried garlic, and a couple slice of dried tomatoes for a hint of acidity.

Yes, that sounds like a plan. Turns out regularly cooking (and other household chores) for someone supremely picky was a good life experience. Who would've expected?

Collab between &

Upstairs on the second floor

---

Her head shifted the slightest bit, as if to tell the next person to leave her alone before she paused. Her head turned further to look at Tillius before looking back to the window. “I didn’t like being questioned.” She frowned lightly to herself. “It hasn’t happened in nearly 100 years and it did not sit well, when I felt I had good intentions.”

“I realized as I walked away, it was fairly childish to do what I did; by yelling at Gray Flame.” Her hand moved from around her leg and brushed some hair away from her face. “I will apologize to everyone tomorrow.”

She looked at him again with a turn of her head. “Did they ask you to come here?”

Tillius was prepared for a lecture, but she pretty much knew right away she was wrong. Saved him a lot of time and quite frankly he was somewhat impressed to hear.

”Good. Credit to you for being self-aware of your own faults.” He didn’t really mince his words, but was fair when it came to it. ”And no, I came up here of my own volition. I don’t want to see unresolved discontent. On a journey, it’s always more dangerous with discord than any monsters.”

The focus then ought to become just letting her sort her frustrations out herself. That’s not a big deal.

”You said you haven’t been questioned in nearly 100 years. Tell me more about it.” He said. ”Where are you from exactly?”

Roxas gave a soft laugh. Her posture became more relaxed as she pulled her legs away to dangle versus scrunched up in defense. He was changing the subject, which was fine by her. “I’m actually from Alkaustar, but I moved after fumbling about for 100 years. It grew boring for me.”

She turned, so he could see her more, but she still had a view of the storm. “After wandering for a couple years, I found an out of the way small city and have been living there ever since; being one of two best adventurers and guides for newbies and anyone who needs help when they come through.” Her gaze moved to her bag that sat by the bookcase, as if she was remembering something that she had inside; likely a keepsake.

”Mhm.” He mused. ”Not a bad start.”

Also explained why she wasn’t used to being questioned. She might be the best adventurer there, but here everyone is at least several degrees experienced.

”Boredom is a strong motivator, I will say.” Tillius continued. ”I was an officer in the Westernant military. Retired, no drama, good relations with the general. But civilian life was boring, so I came here with you rowdy folks.”

Another smile graced her lips at his profession of coming with rowdy people. ”Rowdy, huh?” Her gaze moved down to the desk she sat on, fingers running along it. ”Military is impressive; hence why you’re a light sleeper.” She swung around and hopped off the desk, moving to her bag.

She rummaged through it and pulled out a small wrap of leather. She pulled out a piece of jerky, taking apart a piece and then putting the wrap back. ”I love adventuring and I love helping new adventurers. It’s fulfilling to see them win their first battle or sell their first materials.” She tore the jerky in half and moved to him, offering him as she took a bite of her own piece. She looked up at him, not all the way tilting her head, looking through her lashes.

”Everybody starts their journey somewhere.” Tillius bowed lightly as he took the jerky offer from Roxas. ”Any particular adventurer that you remember?”

The blonde elf gave a hum of thought as she moved and leaned against the desk now, crossing her ankles. ”Ah! Rentt. He was a new one in town; a tank. He was having trouble getting used to using a shield and blocking attacks so his party members could get in to attack. In one of our jobs; he had gotten too flustered and caused an attack to happen to one of the others. He felt so sorry that he bought them something later because he felt so bad.”

A smile pulled at her lips as she told the story, looking up to him with a genuine smile. ”Those two married five years ago and have a child now.”

”Wow, nice lad.” Tillius raised his eyebrows as he munched on his jerky. ”A happier ending than who I knew, that’s for sure.”

Roxas’ smile faltered to a smaller one with a nod. She knew what loss of people she helped was one she knew well. She looked back up to him, chewing on a piece then tilting her head a little. ”And you, Tilli? Anyone you were fond of?” She had subconsciously given him a nickname; likely just a habit with newbie adventurers.

”I do.” Tillius didn’t really budge with the nickname. ”I met him just before crossing into Varenheim actually. He’s my former superior, Marcus.”

”I could go on about him, but if you want a short story that tells all about him, it’s one when he one day saw a poor lad, a completely new recruit, scrubbing a stable all alone, all night. Marcus decided to give the guy double pay for that month.” With an air of reverence, Tillius narrated. ”A few days later, both of us came to the same stable, and saw a dozen or so soldiers scrubbing the stables, all from the same company as that new recruit, by the way. So you obviously knew what they were up to.”

”Both Marcus and I saw that, and he said something like: ‘You guys should instead go and scrub each other in the bath.’, then left.”

The elf chewed on her jerky as she listened to his short story. Her gaze lifted to him and she gave a laugh at the end of it. Her face lit up in the dim room. ”He sounds lovely.” Her smile faded a little, before she took a deep breath. Her head fell back to look up at the ceiling. Her ear shifted slightly at the noises from downstairs before looking back to Tillius. ”Thank you for talking to me, Tilli. Don’t feel obligated to stay up here anymore.” She turned and moved to the bookcase where her bag was, scanning the spines.

Being up here by herself would likely be lonely, but she still didn’t want to go downstairs. She pulled one of the medical books and sat in the chair at the desk. ”Feel free to tell them, if they will believe me, that I have no intention of stealing the items. They are safely back in their respective places.” She looked to Tillius and offered him a smile.

”If they would ask, then yes, I shall convey.” He too felt it safe to leave her alone. It seemed like everything worked out in the end. ”It is a pleasure to help.”

Tillius gave her a single firm handwave before backing away to the stairs and then descended.

Roxas waved back to him and went about reading the medical book, one of the few things she had been looking forward to when she saw the room and what was inside.