Groan What a freakin' week... Sorry about not being as visibly (or actively, regrettably) present for you guys as I would have liked to be - and indeed am duty-bound to be through my role as GM - but this past week has done its best to take as much of a toll on me as it could. I've been pretty fatigued mentally and emotionally, and while I have read what has been going on here, I really haven't been able to assume the state of mind necessary to deal with the things that have come up here. (Additionally my PC was actually unavailable altogether almost the entirety of yesterday, so there is that.) But I'm here now, ready to get back to work.
So where should I start? After you guys get into the city?
I imagine I'll be meeting with the group which Gregory already has some level of familiarity.
Considering that Gregory has already been inserted into the world in the past and thus faces a purely geographical limitation if nothing else, I actually don't think Gregory
could meet up with the other group at the place and time they occupy at the moment, realistically; not only are they significantly farther away from the forest where Gregory left them the first time around, but their action also lags behind in time a day or so compared to the rest.
As for how to introduce him to Aemoten's group... I could maybe suggest meeting up with Kaedan, first, and if finding the other group is to be the objective then probably meet them in Zerul City? They could even get acquainted with the trio already waiting there (I'on, Ixion and Morgan) if worst comes to worst and the companions turn out to take their sweet time to show up in the city still, even though I thought they'd arrive imminently.
And no, I don't have any problem with Kaedan's introductory post, though it does still pose the question of where he should go from there. Like Gregory, placing Kaedan (why does that name sound familiar? It's been bothering me for a while now...) where he was put, geographically and chronologically, makes it highly unrealistic for him to be able to join up with Jillian's group. He has freedom to do just about whatever he wants, obviously, so if he does want to investigate the monster that attacked Nemhim City, that's his decision (and his funeral; as Shien mentioned, that particular creature is
very dangerous (it routed the Nemhimian Army
and Guard, numbering a total in the neighborhood of six thousand armed troops), and ironically a direct result of a player's past decision).
But the same suggestion goes for you as with TNY; maybe have Kaedan meet Gregory if you so desire, and then have them meet the rest of the lot over in Zerul City. (It'll be quite a band once everyone's been recruited, that one; Jaelnec, Aemoten, Thaler, Olan, I'on, Ixion, Morgan, Kaedan, Gregory, Iridiel and Claw makes eleven people, not counting whatever other characters they may or may not recruit from my near-infinite supply of them. EDIT: Realized immediately after posting that I'd forgotten about Domhnall; that'd make twelve, not counting Etakar and the mounts.)
(One last parenthesis in relation to Veridis' first post: while it doesn't require to be corrected because it is completely feasible, and even realistically probable, that the NPC would say something along those lines, I feel that it is necessary to point out that the Nemhimian refugees actually did have other places than Zerul City to go to. A lot more went to Seclyr City and Wenal City than to Zerul, actually, due to them being closer (and in possession of larger armed forces), and another part of the routed population also went to Anaxim City. Again, not a problem, just something I wanted to clarify in case anyone was confused about it.)
What else have I missed... Oh.
@Jack: I noticed that the Crusaders' entry doesn't really speak of how they can be identified (other that they are humans and sometimes ride belagons or wyverns)? I know from their descriptions elsewhere, but when it came up, I really had nothing much to link...
Is that so? Huh. Well, the main way to recognize the crusaders would be by their red tabards with the emblem of the Guild on it (Guild priests and Goldheart Templars do not wear the tabards, but have the emblem on their priest-gowns and armor, respectively, instead).
If I missed anything else that needed to be paid attention, please let me know.