[IC] Avalia

[Helo]

Time: Morning
Location: Dugmaghord - The Pit
Interactions: Random Orc
Mentions: Pâsh@Alivefalling, Slick @FunnyGuy, Rosaria @Potter, Aurora @Mole
Weapon: Glaive with Unbreaking and Returning Charms
Armor: Just the clothes on his back
Equipment: Lockpicking kit, a small knife, 4 large red potions (1 used in post), and a pouch of amas.

Purchases During Time Skip

-Cobalt Glaive -200 amas
-Charms; Returning and Unbreaking -200 amas and -600 amas
-Lockpicking Kit -70 amas? (idk how much this should be)
-Small Knife -6 amas
-4 Large Red Potions -6 amas each
Total deduction: -1,100 amas

---

Drip.

Drip.

The gash above the young catman’s head continued to drop blood into his eyes and even though it stung, amongst all the other pain in his body, it barely registered. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths.

No time to think, he dove away from the swing of the mighty war hammer.

Leaf on the Wind was swift on his feet, his energy often had few limitations, and he could outrun an orc, under normal circumstances, any day. Most orcs were slow, predictable, but ruthlessly brutal. It had only taken a couple of good hits from the orc to turn the feline into a bloody mess.

Several quick blinks tried in vain to clear the blood from his vision but his grip on the glaive remained tight. His tail flicked with anticipation as he caught the next movement of the orc that towered over him.

The orc swung the war hammer again with all his might.

Leaf’s ears pinned back and his mouth grinned in a way that showed his blood-coated teeth. Leaf ducked down, rolled forward towards the orc, missing the hammer, and he ended up parallel to the orc just to his left. The glaive that felt like a part of him shot forth, slashing through the back of the orc’s calf just above the foot. The trusty glaive slashed through flesh, the faint and satisfying sound of a pop reached Leaf’s ears, and a small bit of bone was flung loose as a tendon was snapped and severed.

More blood mixed with the sand. The orc’s blood. Leaf’s blood. All of it soaked into the sand as the sun beat down upon the two sparing warriors.

The orc let out a primal cry of pain and rage, that echoed through the pit and whipped the crowd into a frenzy as the spectators let out a deafening roar at the sight of more bloodshed.

The orc swung the injured leg and Leaf went to move but his glaive was now stuck firmly in orc flesh. The orc’s foot collided with his ribcage and Leaf heard and felt the cracking of several ribs as he was kicked to the side. His glaive remained within the orc.

The orc’s weight now rested mainly on his other leg, the injured leg toe-touching the ground, and the war hammer was briefly used as a cane to keep the large creature from falling over.

Leaf struggled back to his feet, knowing another hit from the orc and it was lights out for the catman. His ears were ringing so loud he couldn’t hear anything else, and blood continued to drop into his eyes making his already blurred vision even more useless.

Leaf had learned many things over the last few months. He’d learned that you couldn’t always trust what a pixie’s said and Aurora did not have some form of highly contagious blindness and was, without a doubt, the most genuine and kind creature he’d ever met. He’d learned that sometimes you really could trust orders from some folks and Rosaria wasn’t out here to use people up and toss them aside. He learned that men like Slick, who could lie as easy as breathing could make the most trustworthy of companions. The world was growing darker by the day but those with him here kept the light burning.

Most importantly to his current situation, he’d learned that when you fought an orc you didn’t even have to see them, cause you could always smell them clear as day. Especially in the desert.

The orc’s scent got stronger, the creature was against the light blow of wind. Leaf spun towards the wind and away from the orc, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the sand as he did so.

“Meliora!” He shouted the name he’d chosen for the glaive, his every breath already stung, the effort of shouting was almost enough to leave him doubled over but Leaf would not allow it. Not in the pit, not in front of the other orcs. He had to do better, had to be stronger.

Thhwwwaaapppp.The returning charm did its trick and the glaive ripped itself free from orc flesh with a wet sound and returned itself to Leaf’s outstretched hand. There was no cry from the orc, only angry grunts and snarls as it lumbered about.

Orcs were massive creatures, it was hard to miss the feel of heavy thumps their footsteps made against the sand of the pit. In a feat of pure strength, Leaf would never best one, even the smallest of orcs had fists like anvils.

So Leaf had to be better, had to use every advantage he had. They were going to war, people would be counting on him and he couldn’t let them down. If Pâsh could go out there and kill a hygora shrimp, and Leaf had damn well heard that story from just about every orc here, then Leaf could finish this fight and he had to do it quickly before the orc knocked him out.

Now Pâsh was scary, even without the added shrimp powers, and Leaf would rather chew off his own tail than disappoint the orc chieftain who he knew was bound to be watching the pit fights. Maybe that was all part of Leaf’s problem, when he was around an impressive figure he wanted to be impressive too, and the hard to please the harder Leaf tried.

He had to try harder. He had to win this one. He was so close he could taste the victory.

As the orc’s footsteps sent clumsy vibrations through the ground, Leaf’s feet dug into the sand, claws outstretched, weight shifting forwards. The massive blurry shape swung again, this time lifting the hammer upwards as the orc was forced to use it as both weapon and crutch. A swift jump out of reach, his feet slid against the sand. Then the glaive shot forwards, driving into the orc’s forearm as the orc swung the hammer back downwards again.

A guttural sound that was a mix of a warcry, shock, and pain, burst forth from the orc and broke through the ringing in Leaf’s ears. Leaf opened his mouth and emitted a similar sound, blood and spit spraying from his mouth as well. He ripped the glaive free.

More blood splattered the sand. The war hammer fell to the ground as well.

Leaf lept forward, the glaive now held between both hands with the staff hitting against the orc's throat. The big guy tumbled backward, hitting the ground with a loud thud with Leaf still atop him and the staff of the glaive still pressing down against the orc's throat.

Wide orc eyes stared up at him with fury, bulging almost out of their sockets, as the big guy struggled for air.

Some orcs would take the opportunity to kill the weaker, and straggle the air from enemy lungs. Some might also offer a swifter death, Leaf still had the glaive, in a quick second, he could burry the spear tip into the enemy's throat.

But the pits were not the war and Leaf was not an orc.

“Yield?” Leaf asked through gritted teeth. The orc whose color was darkening from the lack of oxygen sputtered a muffled reply. Leaf shifted his weight from the orc’s throat to better hear the reply only to find himself being knocked off the orc. The orc attempted to get back on his feet.

Leaf was knocked backward but true to his nature he landed atop his feet with feline grace, spun the glaive, and thrust it towards the orc and where his neck should be. The tip pressed against the orc’s flesh and Leaf held it there.

“Yield or die!” Leaf did not ask this time.

“Yield.” The defeated orc said before collapsing back into the sand with a sigh. Leaf let out a sigh of relief, and sunk down to the bloody sand. The adrenalin began to wane, and the pain of every hit took its place.

Four months of training with the fiercest race in Avalia. Several weeks of being constantly exhausted trying to keep up with them. Three months of being knocked out by orc fists in pit fights. Countless days earning respect for being able to take hit after hit and bounce back up again. Time and time again every pit fight he’d stepped into had ended in bloody defeat, only for him to try again as soon as he was able. Four months of him learning how to fight in ways he never had before. Today it paid off, today Leaf on the Wind was the victor. The roar of approval from the crowd made it even sweeter.

Large red potions were offered to the fighters after they had left the pits to make room for the next fight. With a bit of time the orc would be fine, his pride seemed to have taken the worst injury. As for Leaf, the potion headed up the gash to his head, his vision slowly cleared up, and the overall pain lessened a great deal. His ribs, his well just about everything, still hurt but he’d heal fine, and in time all trace of the beating would be gone. What he had now was well worth it, he’d beaten an orc, something didn’t think he could do four months ago, and that feeling wasn’t going anywhere.

His glaive was still held firmly in his hand because just like teeth and claws meant survival in the wilderness, his weapon meant survival both here and in war. He kept it close at all times, always ready, never forgetting the terrible sight he’d seen in the sky of demons and what they could do. They would not get him, they would not get his friends. Once he could move a bit more comfortably, he cleaned the orc blood from it and inspected his glaive for any sign of damage but the unbreaking charm kept it safe. After his glaive was tended to, Leaf cleaned the blood from his fur.

Now he could relax, Leaf looked forward to watching more pit fights, studying the way the more seasoned orc’s fought one another. The gurgle deep in his stomach, however, demanded lunch before he could truly relax and enjoy the day's festivities. He groaned with disappointment, getting lunch meant he had to move from where he sat, and right now moving sounded very unrelaxing.

[Mole]

T I M E : A F T E R N O O N
L O C A T I O N : D U G M A G H O R D
I N T E R A C T I O N S :
T A G S : @Princess, @Alivefalling, @FunnyGuy, @Potter , @Helo , @Baraquiel , @13org , @hide on mana
E Q U I P M E N T :

[+]

T E E T H C L E A N S E R , A R M P I T F R A G R A N C E , W A T E R F L A S K , W A Y F I N D E R , T R A N S M I S S I O N B R A C E L E T , B A T H I N G S U I T , C A R B U N C L E , S M A L L R E D P O T I O N , S M A L L B L U E P O T I O N , M E D I U M R E D P O T I O N , M E D I U M B L U E P O T I O N , L A R G E R E D P O T I O N , L A R G E B L U E P O T I O N , P U R P L E P O T I O N , Y E L L O W P O T I O N , P I N K P O T I O N , B L A C K P O T I O N , G R E E N P O T I O N

The next four months went by carefully, and when Aurora contemplated it, she felt that parts had gone by quickly and other parts had gone by slowly. She had learned a lot about humans during this training period. These four months would be an integral part of the human’s experience during their small life span, and she was enjoying their personalities take shape around the training. She noted that they grew much stronger, not just in their glows but the worth of character, as well. She wished her father could have been here to have this same experience. He had taught her as much as he could during his long life, but ultimately, he had not been able to teach her everything. Aurora fully intended to make do with her recordings and publish her gained knowledge for future generations.

One particular thing she noted was little things effected humans to a greatness that surpassed the impression of elves. It was not that elves did not express tenderness towards the fine lines, but they seemed to be more resistant and often times more already inwardly understanding of them. These small things shaped the humans. They made impressionable prints on the humans (especially in this world). But, as impressionable as humans were, the mold that was made from these small experiences or impressions, almost always resulted in their inner glow becoming more beautiful, even if the experience was negative. Upon that note, she noticed the smaller details of Caelan and Sophie’s growth warming to each other’s. It seemed to carry a similar color as that of Nuallan and Princess Rosaria, but the human’s seemed more fragile.

One human specifically noted by Aurora was Slick. He seemed more reliable than the other humans. In fact, he had an internal desire to accompany her on her varied tasks and missions during the four months. He managed to find out a few things about her personal life, a surprise to her since she had long ago taken an oath with the gods and goddesses, to live her life for them and not herself, which inclined her not to speak about herself — an act that always put other’s stories before her own. It allowed her the opportunity to help carry other’s burdens without them worrying about carrying hers, as well. Of course, Slick reminded her of her brother, always wanting to help her, in any way possible. She found herself accidentally relaying this to him.

After Aurora began showing herself to be a decent advisor, her father was determined to shape her into a helpful being, not in need of others. Her brother had always been reluctant to let her go, but under their father’s wisdom, he eventually did and rarely checked on her. For this reason, the light elf was abundantly comfortable doing things by herself, After her father’s eternal sleep, Aurora was more alone then ever. However, this never became a dilemma for her. Her habit of doing things in solitary, allowed her to walk not in the council of mortal beings but in light of the gods’ everlasting presence, just as she had promised. Of course, she only relayed that she had an older brother who used to mind her when she was younger and that he is now a soldier.

Under the accompaniment of Slick, it occurred to Aurora that her independence may have cause to give her less compassion when dealing with creatures who were more readily dependent for social interaction. She was more trained to give advice than a hug, having been taught to keep her feelings and emotions at a distant, lest her vision become jaded. Thus, she found herself a companion, a carbuncle she named Mela. Under Aurora’s care, Mela served as a comforting and cunning familiar to open the elf’s world little by little.

Leaf was also an interesting creature, who she noticed to be a loyal and determined being, if not mischievous like Slick. She could not help but be inclined to find him as a leader for showing strength of will. Aurora believed that the power of will would take a significant part of winning this war. She took this knowledge from the old age wisdom that good will always triumph over evil, in the end. Just like the sun shines every day, despite the night coming so quickly in the evenings, the daylight never ceased to shed its magnificent rays. (For this reason, Aurora purchased Sophie an umbrella to shield her delicate skin from the Dugmaghord sun.)

Mela was sitting on Aurora’s lap. She was curled into the small of the elf’s white cloak. She was sleeping under the desert sun and whatever was available of shade from the house. Aurora was gently petting the softness of Mela’s ear and quietly humming a chant that her mother had taught her as a child. It was in praise of Novildir, and at the time, when her mother had taught her this chant, she had laughed at it. Orcs had such a different ear for music. She remembers how much her mother scolded her to never laugh at such antiquity. The memory returned to her as she hummed, but just as quickly as it came, it went. Some memories were not for lingering too long, and this appeared to be one of them. Her humming paused her humming when Slick spoke, but quickly went back to meditating after some several seconds of listening to him.

[Lava Alckon]

Bardulf Siegfried

Time: Morning
Location: North Pass
Interactions: @princessAnnya, @Th3King0fChaos Ismael, @FunnyGuy Kaleb, @Potter Rue, @Helo Bowyn, @Tae Eris, @Gingerboi123 Bron, @Kazemitsu Kharne
Equipment: Leather armor over smallclothes, tooth necklace, halberd, and

Rucksack

One bedroll
a mess kit
a tinderbox
a waterskin
2000 amas

---

Just as soon as Bardulf had entered this strange new world, he found himself shoved onto a ship to travel to who knows where. The early morning rise did not bother him much, as he typically woke up at first light anyway. The journey across the sea was new, he had never seen ocean waters before, nor felt the rocky waves against the hull of a ship. His feet would wobble on occasion, and his stomach would lurch at the uneven territory he had found himself in. He would soon grow accustomed to it, as best as he could, while also learning and meeting so many new faces from several different backgrounds. He found himself practically overwhelmed from all the interactions, every day he chose to only speak or meet one or two people a day to best acclimate himself to this very close and social-heavy environment.

An elf princess, whose actions somewhat reminded him of his mother back in his teenage years, the way she would scold him into being more outgoing and talking to more folks within his village. Another human, Ismael he believed was his name, stood about half a foot taller than Bardulf. He seemed to have a rather nice disposition, always taking on most issues with a level head and working with the others in such a natural way. Then there was a half-dragon creature, that Bardulf noticed seemed to be a rather nice friend to Ismael. His name is Kharne, and at first glance Bardulf found him to be similar to himself, keeping to themselves and mostly leaving socializing to the others. The final human to complete the trio of them in their group was Kaleb, someone Bardulf had met in Riverport. He had a rather fiery and upfront personality, something to match the powers he had seen displayed if only for a moment.

Further down the list of group members were Eris, Rue, Bowyn and Bron. Bowyn proved to be the most unsettling to Bardulf of the previously mentioned 4. Bardulf learned early on of his distrust for the dark elves, their atrocities, and all he planned to do in recompense. Bardulf did not like to confront this notion of thinking, as he didn't even know the whole story. It did not, however, stop him from shrinking away once his own opinions were called upon. Eris, an elf he hadn't even noticed around, definitely caught his attention when she did finally show up. He was rather envious of that otherworldly level of stealth, and would see if he could somehow mimic that same level of shadow-skulking during his hunts. Bron was an interesting person to Bardulf, consisting of very similar backgrounds albeit a few twists and turns here and there. He found that they enjoyed similar hobbies and still had something to show one another. Rue, a rather petit female fairy as he had learned to address her as, whose social anxiety rivaled his own. He would find quite some amusement in how he would notice them both shy away from topics they'd rather not speak on, or how they would stick to the edge of crowds during gathering, a small common factor that would become a particularly wholesome way for them to relate with each other.

---

After reaching the settlement of North Pass, Bardulf immediately noticed the biting cold weather, to which he found some winter clothes to help fight back the white-tinged weather that he remembered from the more harsh winters from his homeland. The next few weeks would prove to be a little taxing, putting him back into the more physical lifestyle he was used to. But it was honestly exactly what he needed, something to take his mind off of all this change and the hardships he had faced last month. He worked hard to hone his skills with his halberd, and just as hard to improve his electrokinesis, which he found to be quite the power. It was something that stroked his more creative side as he found himself brainstorming various ways for him to use this newfound elemental magic. He would also do just as Annya instructed, practicing meditations in the morning and keeping a journal to express his emotions, which he found rather therapeutic. All the feelings he usually kept to himself he found himself pouring over the page. With all this new routine, Bardulf found a new surge of enthusiasm, and went to make a few more close friends during his stay.

Firstly was Annya, who upon reading his journal entries about the death of his late wife and the pain of losing his father still weighing on his mind, found it imperative for her to talk with him about how he felt. He learned about the factor of emotional control and how it played into his magic. He took her lessons to heart, seeing that she did in fact care, and was genuine in her concern for her new...friends? Soldiers? Family? It was still up in the air to him, but he would take these interactions one step at a time, not wanting to make her worry anymore about him. He would let her know he could handle the emotions he felt, not letting them simply take over, but controlling them, much like the magic powers he had acquired.

Then there was Bron, a much more stout figure he learned to be a dwarf that still carried as much power as someone twice their size. While he had moments of aggression and boldness, which Bardulf could find rather intimidating, Bron carried a lot of similar passions to himself. They shared stories of hunting from their homeland, Bron being from a snowy mountain and Bardulf from a forestland. They were able to share some interesting hobbies and skills of theirs, with Bron showing Bardulf some more physical training and even showed him the art of throwing axes, something Bardulf found very amusing. Bardulf on the other hand, would show Bron a few agility exercises and stretches he would do back home, and even showed off some of his woodcarving skills to Bron, giving him a look at what his downtime is usually filled with when he isn't making money for his family.

Rue proved to be a pleasant surprise amongst the group. In the midst of several go-getters and Type-A personalities, it was certainly nice to see another shy one in the group. He often found them both skulking towards the back of any group huddle or training session, sometimes sharing a coincidental shrug when conversations proved too much for them in the moment. It would be her creativity and ways with magic that Bardulf would begin to also stem out with different ways of bending his electrokinesis. They would even start to form their own combination moves as a form of learning together, which he rather enjoyed. From coating ice arrows to electricity, to creating a lightning shield around himself or her, Bardulf found his magical prowess really flourish during their training sessions.

The most curious of the bunch to Bardulf was definitely Eris. He wasn’t even aware she was around until she decided to show herself, which was an interesting trick that Bardulf wished he could repeat. She couldn’t show him that trick, but she did help him hone the strength of his magic to where he could make more potent versions of things he already had practiced. Not just this, but her knowledge of the war and state of affairs in the land of Avalia is what helped him gain some extra perspective and knowledge on both sides. During one particular night, she shared with him a story about the first ever dark and light elf couple that she believed sparked the start of the war and set the twins on their dark and twisted path. It was talks like this that Bardulf typically enjoyed, with the other person talking much more as exposition was dumped onto him, answering the several questions buzzing in his head, and creating several more. In return, he would share his own stories with her, something he hadn’t really had a chance to do. He would tell her of his own loss, and the hardships he faced and why exactly he enjoys staying “hidden” more than most.

---

The training and routine had grown to be rather ordinary to Bardulf. Ordinary didn’t mean he wasn’t a fan, just that he had grown used to the physical and mental strain of his newfound combat training. It was a bizarre feeling, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. It had been such a long time since they had started to get to know each other, Bardulf had a sudden idea creep into his head one night. They had been going at the same regular routine, that he felt some changing up would be in order, so he took the time to get some parchment and ink, and wrote a special note to each of his new friends in North Pass. He rarely did such social gatherings like this, but he felt it would be a true testament to the less physical aspect of his teachings. For each person staying in The North Pass Inn, a hand-written note addressed to each of the group was given, likely slipped under their door in the night, that reads as follows:

Dear Friends

I think we’ve come to enjoy our time here, and I would like to have us all have a fun day tomorrow. If you would like to come, please meet me and whoever else is attending outside the Odds and Ends shortly after 2pm. I know it’s our day off but I think this will be fun. We can go shopping for some new gear, and then I was thinking of having us all go on a little hunting trip outside of town. We could even make it a friendly competition! Whoever brings back the biggest kill wins! Or we can just do it for fun, really whatever everyone fancies. I look forward to seeing you all!

Sincerely,
Bardulf

[FunnyGuy]

Time: Evening
Location: Guarav Village
Interactions: Isolde @Blizz, Dante @Alivefalling, Menzai @samreaper, and Aidan @potter
Mentions:

Equipment:

Armor Deflection
Channeling Gloves
Ergen named Marble
Padded Cloth Armor
Memory Glass
Teeth Cleanser
Hair Cleanser
Hair Softener
Body Cleanser
Armpit Fragrance
Wayfinder
Backpack
4 flasks
3 Medium Red Potions
4 Medium Blue Potions
3 Black Potions
Elven Outfit 170

---

The last four months had to be the most interesting collection of events that Darius had ever experienced. Living in a fantastical world out of a fiction novel, arriving in a village of wolf people that adored humans, performing military-style physical fitness with his older brother that was meant to be dead, and discovering he could harness powerful magic… water but still! Even after arriving at Guarav, Darius was waiting to wake from this trippy dream in a hospital bed or his apartment floor. As implausible as that was given his healthy lifestyle at the time, Darius found it far more probable than getting sucked into a portal created by elves who needed help fighting a war against… other elves. The whole thing felt like the introduction to some RPG or something.

Fake or not, he was here and it didn’t seem like he was waking up anytime soon if he was indeed asleep. He was already in the depths of this whole thing. So instead of searching for the lifeboat that wasn’t present, why not swim while he could. Perhaps he’d find something along the way. Maybe he’d drown. But it would be far better than treading and waiting for the situation to change. Stagnation was Darius’ enemy. That may have been the reason why he thrived so well. Training, learning, and socializing. It was almost perfect except for the fact that he had to watch Dante and Aidan shoot cool fireballs and Isolde with her lightning. Darius felt like he had been put in the position he had always taken while with Dante. The second fiddle. However, this second fiddle held a purpose. Who would douse the reckless flames? Who would help apply ways to defend the group with an element that exuded physical force?

And for fourth months Darius practiced how to not only hone his element but to support the elemental prowess of his comrades. Extinguishing, conduction, and steam generation. He was disappointed he couldn’t transition his element into its solid or gaseous state like he’d seen in the the Avatar: The Last Airbender, but made due with what he could do.

During his time in Guarav, Darius had decided to purchase an Ergen mount he named Marble due to its color palette. It wasn’t as fierce as the tiger mount he could have gotten, but all he could think about while seeing the creature was a skit from Katt Williams about tigers kept in captivity.

“Nah.”

Darius didn’t want to hedge his bets on an overgrown tiger. He’d just get something that would take him from Point A to Point B. He was all about the experience anyway and an overgrown deer would promise that better than an overgrown big cat.

“Looks like I’m the first one here, Menzai!” Darius approached with his padded armor and Marble trailing behind him. Darius crossed his arms at his chest confidently. “Whatchu got for us?”

[13org]

Time: 2pm
Location: Dugmaghord
Interactions: Rosaria @potter
Mentions: Aurora @Mole, Caelan @Alivefalling, Kuroi @hide on mana, Leaf @Helo, Sophie, Mikazuki @princess, Nuallán @13org, Jomari @baraquiel and Slick @FunnyGuy

---

While in the end, the crisis was solved without any harm to either Rosaria or Mikazuki, the situation was still incredibly impactful for Nuallán. For him, the fact that despite being Rosaria's buttler and bodyguard, he let her be kidnapped could only be interpreted as him failing with both his duties and his mistress. Besides, due to Rosaria being someone deeply important to him, the desperation he felt when he knew that Rosaria was gone was something he never wanted to feel again. As a result of that, not wanting for that situation to ever repeat again, Nuallán became even more protective, attentive and vigilant around Rosaria after they arrived at Dugmaghord, refusing to leave her side even for a single moment. In the following months they spent at Dugmaghord, this also had the effect of making Nuallán even closer to Rosaria, not just physically, but emotionally as well.

In the four months they spent in Dugmaghord, Nuallán was able to further interact with some of the group members. One of the most interesting changes in this aspect was regarding Jomari. Having been given the task of keeping an eye on Jomari by Rosaria himself, his initial impression of Jomari wasn't a good one, having even considered him a possible threat. After having forced to fight together with the human though and on the four next months he spent on Dugmaghord, a few things changed between them. Naturally, Nuallán still kept a watchful eye on Jomari and his actions, but he also found out that Jomari was a surprisingly fast learner. Despite having discovered his abilities recently, Nuallán only had to give him a few hints and some small guidance for him to figure out the rest. All in all, Nuallán still kept a watchful eye on Jomari, but his impression of him was definitely better, even if only for a bit, than it was before.

Among the humans, there was another person whom Nuallán came to know a bit more, although it wasn't entirely on purpose. Since the first time he saw her, he noticed how Sophie resembled Rosaria herself in some aspects and even Aurora in others. Due to that, Nuallán couldn't help but find himself paying a bit of attention towards her as well when she is near him and Rosaria. Despite being a introverted and quiet, Nuallán did notice that the girl has an unusually sharp mind. Due to that, whenever he takes his time trying to help or guide the others either with physical training or with their powers (despite both Rosaria and Aurora being way better at the last one than Nuallán himself) he also tries to encourage Sophie to be more confident and to even experiment around with her powers in order to hopefully, help both her and her powers to grow.

---

Having considered Slick's idea to go hunting quite a good one, Nuallán ended up agreeing with him. Especially since it might help the humans to get a better feel of their newfound powers in actual combat in relatively controlled situations. The extra Amas they would make would be only a small extra.

"Are we going to hunt as well, my dear lady?" Nuallán asked, looking to Rosaria with a mischievous glint in his eyes as he teased her.

"Forgive-me for the jest. I would gladly accompany you for hunting or even for a peaceful outing in the woods, should you be interested, of course." he said with a chuckle.

"As always, your comfort, happiness and safety are my utmost priorities." Nuallán finished, with a polite bow as he did so.

[Potter]

Rue

Time: Night
Location: North Pass
Interaction: @helo Bowyn
Equipment: Small backpack, two knives, rations, water flask, food, hygiene products, Old outfit
New purchases: Female outfit, Bow & quiver of Arrows

---

The past four months had been one of the best times of Rue’s lifespan. She had met so many new Avalians and humans. Losing the human girl, Saoirse, had been upsetting. Her duty to watch the human had failed. There had been a heavy weight on her chest she hadn’t been able to shake. As a result, her mission had been to protect and keep track of the other humans: Bardulf and Ismael. In the back of her mind Rue knew this was fruitless to blame herself yet the guilt persisted. Rue had given Annya a hug and helped her search for Saoirse but they ultimately ended up leaving.

Before leaving Riverport, Rue had made sure to stock up on the honeytoast the next morning, forcing the shopkeeper yet again to close early. The light elf army that had surrounded their group was both surprising and filled her with dread. The war was here, she was with a princess and humans. The situation had felt much more real and caused Rue to sink into a bout of anxiety that caused her to disappear from the group at random. She didn’t want to worry anyone, so she’d kept it to herself and had surprisingly, shared some of Bowyn’s zemak when the opportunity arose. It helped being around him and she usually perked up when he was around.

Leaving Riverport and going to North Pass aided the young fairy’s mood. It was cold, snowy, and far away from the drama of the other areas. Rue had immediately felt at home. As though a match had been lit under her, her spirits had risen. The North Pass citizens had been sweet and accommodating. Meeting a Polar Bear had caused her to nearly cry as she was reminded of those at home. She wondered how her family - no, the village - was fairing. When the war was over, she’d have more than enough amas to help it survive far beyond their wildest dreams.

Over the past few months, she had kindled a few new friendships that she had forced herself to get out of her comfort zone. One particular human had been an easy match: Bardulf. He was quiet and shy like her, and his willingness to hang in the back of the group brought her much relief. The two were on the same page and had taken to training together. Helping him develop his magic had brought her pure joy. The success and combinations they created together were incredible. Having heard of the human’s magic had been a fairytale, a legend and something she thought she’d never see. They had fire and electricity in the group with Ismael, Kaleb, and Bardulf. It was an honor to Rue to be able to watch them practice and protect them. Whenever things went awry in training, she was there to help heal them.

Rue had also kindled a friendship with the new dwarf, Bron and enjoyed being around him. His knowledge filled Rue’s thirst for knowledge immensely. His grumpy spirit had not deterred Rue from getting to know him. Though she gave him space when he needed it, Rue also remained available in case he did decide to chat. Having spent time around Bowyn had helped. She considered herself lucky to befriend and become close with him. When she was in a tough spot with her magic, she’d pick his brain for help. Additionally, Rue enjoyed learning more about Ironhold. The Dwarf army had been fascinating for her.

The next acquaintance she’d enjoyed was Princess Annya. Rue couldn’t imagine having the burden that the princess had and sought to make her life easier. If she needed a break or favor, Rue was there to fill in and help out. Annya was a princess, but foremost, a warrior. The skill and training the princess acquired with various weapons stunned Rue. It motivated her to learn so she could defend and protect not only herself, but the others as well. She had sought to learn how to hold a sword and also become a more skilled archer. Additionally, Rue had also picked the princess’ brain on how to develop her cyrokinesis.

Finally, and surprising enough to Rue, the dragonborn had become her friend. His short and sweet responses, mixed with his intimidating outward appearance at first had Rue on edge. She had never met a dragonborn before and had been quiet around him. His combat and training methodologies had struck curiosity in the young fairy. The training between Annya and Kharne had begun to wipe Rue out. The training, both with weapons, magic and also Annya’s meditation, began to block out her worries about the war. Ismael and Kharne were usually seen together, so she’d managed to strike a friendship with him as well.

Eris and Kaleb, two entities rarely seen without the other, were unfamiliar with her. Though the rough exterior existed, Rue believed there had to be goodness in both of them. Nonetheless, she remained with her guard up around them. The gut feeling that something was awry rarely left her. She’d confided only in Bowyn however, not wanting to disturb the rest of the group. The way Eris could stealthily move around and appear out of thin air startled Rue. How could she do that so easily? How old was she? With elves, it was hard to tell their age. She had remained polite and kind with both of them, not wanting to offend or upset them.

Now she stood outside Bowyn’s door, paralleling the way he’d been outside of her’s in Riverport. With Bardulf’s note clutched in her hand, she knocked quietly. While waiting, Rue shifted from side to side and pulled at her ponytail. She had allowed her hair to grow out so she could keep it out of her face while fighting and training. Rue waited and adjusted her bow over her shoulder and shifted the quiver of arrows.

[Helo]

Time: Afternoon
Location: North Pass
Interactions: Rue @Potter

Armor: Leather Vest with Armor of Deflection charm, Rest of outfit minus the gloves.
Weapons: Steel Short Sword with Shift Charm transforming it into a chain knife, and a boot small knife.
Equipment: a backpack containing: 1 large red potion, 1 green potion, 3 large blue potions, 2 small blue potions, a hunting knife, a flask, small tent, blanket, waterskin, rope, fire starting kit, lightmaker, matches, cooking pot, a bar of soap, some drugs (skaula and zemak), rolling papers, pipe, and a pouch of amas.

Purchases During Time Skip

Leather Breastplate -25 amas
Armor Of Defection Charm -1000 amas
Clothing -100 amas
Smoking Pipe -60 amas
Short sword (Steel) - 40 amas
Shift Charm - 150 amas
Chain Dart (Steel) - 50 amas
Boot Knife (Steel) - 15 amas
Potions - 40 amas
Gorestria Gem Rings - 250 amas
Amount spent on vices -200 amas

Total Deduction: - 1,930 amas

Time Skip Summary

True to his word Bowyn had chosen to follow those that Rue put faith in despite his reservations with many in the group. Finding out the group’s destination would be the frozen lands of North Pass had felt like a positive omen. A land far from the overbearing sun they faced in River Port, surrounded by the familiar comforts of ice, snow, and the numbing cold. He even found a new respect for Annya when she had been willing to send a distraught Raven back to her own world; it had been the only right thing to do, to not use the humans as tools without a say in their own fates.

However, the journey by ship to North Pass was a turn for the worse for the winter fairy as he found himself surrounded by the oppressive feeling of being utterly trapped in such a small place. Confined to a boat that was packed with unfamiliar faces, too many elves, and little space to be alone. He was constantly seasick and anxious, and there was never enough alcohol on that damn boat to settle any of his turmoil. That first week was a blur of sickness, shaking, sweating, and wishing he could throw himself into the sea because if he could not drown his pain in drink the cold water of the sea was the next best thing. After that, he slowly started to acclimate.

Bowyn understood that within the group he was maybe the furthest from the ideal warrior; not even close to battle-ready and eventually he joined in on the majority of Annya’s strict schedule. Bowyn began to rise when the sun did and attended every training session with Kharne and Bron whether or not he was entirely up for it. He did so without a complaint for every drop of sweat and every moment of pain was all in preparation for something worse that he knew would come. Through his own sheer stubbornness, Bowyn never quit no matter how close or how far past his breaking point came. Over time, Bowyn grew stronger for it, and he almost even enjoyed the distraction it provided. Exhaustion, at least, left little time for thoughts.

He skipped out on Annya's lectures, which he saw as little use to him, and the mediation sessions, an activity he preferred to do alone and heavily under the influence of psychedelic aid but made no remarks about it. He understood these to be of use to the humans. Bowyn was more than willing to assist in training the humans in controlling and strengthening their connection to magic. Any interested in learning from him would find a blunt but surprisingly patient instructor for those who took the subject seriously.

His entire focus tunneled in on being ready for war, all his anxious energy fixated on making sure he would not fail those who mattered to him nor his ultimate goal of victory. Once they had arrived at North Pass and alcohol was again readily available, his sobriety ended that night same in a blackout but his work ethic never vanished. When his time was consumed with training it was easy to stay focused, when left alone with his thoughts all he often sought an escape from them.

He searched for common ground with their leader Annya and put forth an effort to better understand her thought processes and strategies. Despite the many differences he could respect the way she lead, and that was enough for Bowyn. When it came to Kharne and Bron, Bowyn respected their honesty, their dedication to training those willing to learn, and their ability to push others to be better. When it came to Bron especially he found someone with whom it was easy to find a comfortable silence on the occasions when they shared a drink. Bowyn already held an appreciation for the dwarven race, his tension with Arn had been an outlier, and that grudge was long forgotten. He admired the strong-willed Ishmael, who arrived at Avalia already a warrior in his own right. As for Bardulf, he was glad Rue had found a friend of similar disposition but Bowyn kept a good amount of distance from the human who seemed apprehensive of him. He avoided both Eris and Kaleb, both of whom he felt had already proved themselves as people he could never fully trust. In the end, his strongest connection remained with Rue, his oldest friend, the only presence that kept him grounded and provided a much-needed source of hope.

Although Bowyn liked this group well enough he maintained his distance from all but Rue. They were preparing for war, he didn’t need or want any more close bonds that would inevitably lead to pain once the fighting began, nor did he want to split his focus further. He would do all he could to protect those on his side, even those he didn’t fully trust, but any loss was hard enough for him without the added pain of attachments. Bowyn did the best he could, he did what he could live with, and avoided what he thought would make things worse for himself.

Today was a good day for Bowyn, Abertha was a sacred time for the fae, a time to give thanks for all the earth provided and for the sacrifices that made life possible. He knew what he was most thankful for and that was his friendship with Rue, who continued to stick by him despite his turmoil and fragile mind. So he had tried to find a gift for Rue that could help convey things he couldn't easily put into words. It hadn’t been an easy task to find something that could really show how important Rue was to him but he hoped what he had now was close enough.

His heart raced a bit as he heard a soft knock at the door to his room, he knew who it was by the knock alone. Most of the time Bowyn had little trouble saying exactly what he thought or felt in any given situation, but sometimes he found himself wanting to say things to Rue but lost for the right words for them. So he had tried to figure out what he wanted to say but instead, he got stuck on why it was hard to tell someone how important they were. He’d decided that words weren’t often strong enough to carry the weight of the feelings behind them. Not that figuring that out helped him much when it came to trying to tell Rue exactly how much she meant to him.

“Rue.” Bowyn offered a small smile as he opened the door. No use in wasting time now, he’d only lose what remained of his nerve if he waited. “Hey, I got you something, a gift, a small gift. I guess it’s not much, well, I thought it seemed nice.” He said before rifling through his many pockets until he found what he was looking for and he held it concealed in his hand.

“Anyway I just wanted you to know that it means a lot that you’ve always been here for me, just in case you didn’t already know, and I hope I’ve done the same. And that no matter what happens, with everything, you know, changing and getting all crazy, that I don’t want that to change, us being here for each other.” Bowyn opened his palm to reveal a silver ring set with a Gorestria gem. The gem was a mix of purples, blues, and pinks with white star-like flecks dispersed through it which perfectly mimicked the night’s sky. Bowyn had been wearing a ring of a similar design on one of his own fingers but he slipped it off to show them both to Rue.

“They’re bonded and enchanted, so if you wear it, the stars in the stone will look like the same ones I see and mine will look like the same stars you see. So then it’s like we’re always connected, no matter where we are or what happens. If you want it, obviously you don’t have to take it.” He wondered if maybe she didn’t want to have to think about him when he wasn’t around, he could understand that. So he waited, studying her reaction, and wishing he had been able to come up with something better to say.

[Potter]

Rosaria

Time: 2pm
Location: Dugmaghord
Interactions: @13org Nuallán
Mentions: @FunnyGuy Slick

Equipment

• Outfit
• Potions
• Rings of Disguises
• Bow and quiver of arrows
• Cleansers & hygiene products
• Swords x2, unbreakable and returning enchantments
• Location Senders - Connected to Annya, Mika, and her parents

In her room

• Tent
• Rope
• Palm Warmers
• Dark Sight Glasses

New Equipment

• Great ax
• Desert Top
• Enchanted Oasis Water x5
• Quarter Horse named Sugar

After the kidnapping scenario had ended, Rosaria, Nuallán, and Jomari had met up with Pash, Mika, Kuroi and Uzul. Pash proved to be an excellent ally. During their travel through the desert, she had stuck close to Nuallán's side and kept an eye on Jomari. When Nuallán had told her about him harnessing his magic and how he’d used it, she’d congratulated him joyously then fell silent. After the incident she had become short and concise with everyone due to being overly exhausted.

The next day, Annya called and reported the news of the demons and the human dying. Thus, the urgency to teleport the others to their destination had been her priority. The idea of anything happening to the sweet and gentle Sophie, the sassy Jomari, or the adventurous and extroverted Caelan, broke her heart. These were her humans, her priorities, and she’d die defending them with her last breath. Rose vowed to herself to be more careful and not allow herself to become kidnapped. That had been foolish and reckless, and she was relieved to know Mika had been saved and survived as well.

Once they arrived in Dugmaghord, Rosaria had asked everyone to stick to her side. She didn’t want anyone wandering off. Meeting with the orcs had been eye opening. She had never been to this location, only in passing. It took her time to become accustomed to the orcs way of life, but she knew they were safe. A pleasant surprise awaited her in Mika’s group: Slick, another human. Though she didn’t know him well, she was happy to make his acquaintance and help when possible. Additionally, she thoroughly enjoyed Leaf’s presence. He was loyal and pleasant to be around. Rose admired the way he got up after being knocked down by these huge orcs in the arena.

Furthermore, she enjoyed hanging with Mika and Kuroi, who was a warrior she was glad to have on board. Most of the time, she was with Nuallán, whom she noted, was not leaving her side. Rosaria knew he blamed himself and she wanted to find a way to lessen that burden for him. Thus, she took part in not only training the humans, but training herself when possible. Rose would spare alongside the orcs with weapons and magic, finding ways to use it creatively and on the spot. When she wasn’t putting in time for herself, Rosaria was training the humans. She was kind but firm with the humans and would push them more each day. Her training consisted of magic, weapons, and also hand to hand combat taught by Kuroi. She also taught them how to scavenge and utilize survival skills, should anything happen where they were separated. After eight hours of training for six days, Rosaria allowed them time to relax and gave them one day off. She would also allow Caelan to smoke zemak as a reward for the hard work he would put in.

Today was an exception to training: they would go hunting with Slick. Rosaria finished braiding her hair and wrapping it in a bun when Nuallán's voice broke her reverie. She turned with a soft smile at his jest and approached him. ”I am indeed going hunting. Try to keep up.” Rosaria smirked at him and softened again. He was always so sweet and willing to put himself last. Rosaria looked at him with sincerity in her green eyes. ”So is yours, Nuallán, do not forget it either. You may do as you wish, though I know you’ll stay with me. I am always happy to have your company, as it’s one of my favorites.” She patted his cheek gently, then left to join Slick. ”Good afternoon. Nuallán and I are joining. Do you know if anyone else is coming?”

[princess]

Time: 1:58pm
Location: North pass
Interactions:: @Lava Alckon Bardulf
Mentions: @Th3King0fChaos Ismael @FunnyGuy Kaleb @Potter Rue @Helo Bowyn @Tae Eris @Gingerboi123 Bron @Kazemitsu Kharne
Equipment:Outfit, Ama pouch, Transmission Bracelet Axes with returning enchantment,Her backpack, Basket of rice balls


Annya had spent the last four months feeling like a mother, but little did she know how much she would enjoy it. She and Utada, the head chef at Utada's Hot Food, had hit off like old sisters and she had been able to buy a few cooking lessons from young fox chef. Though the first few weeks had been a bit disastrous as she tried to make meals for the group, she did get the hang of it. It had become her way of making up for draining them up of mana with magical training. However, she became a little controlling as she always did. And bossy. She made a food diary for her human boys and would lose her temper a bit when anyone ate too much unhealthy food. Her temper was a wild horse she manage to keep in check for the most part usually; she had only lost her patience while training six times! She was quite proud of herself for that accomplishment.

Kharne and her had bonded closer and she was quite fond of her dragonborn comrade. She had taught him the basics of magical control so he'd understand better why she had been so gungho about calming everyone down before training them. They were rather direct with each other with everything in order to best keep everyone safe, which was their priority. Meanwhile, Bron had also shared his skills with physical training and she had grown to enjoy the dwarf's company as well. While Kharne and Bron's expertise had been in the physical, Eris, Bowyn, and Rue had been a great aid in the magical. Annya tended to stick her nose in everything, so she had managed to fit in time for most of the group. Even Kaleb she had managed to improve her bond with. Annya liked to squeeze in one on one chats with each and every person to check in on how they were doing and to learn more about them. Bardulf had benefited most from this as she was able to get the introverted man to speak up a little bit over time.

Speak of the devil, Annya was now bounding toward Bardulf, her brunette hair in a ponytail and her blue coat dancing behind her, "Bardulf! I got your letter!" She stopped to stand before him with an excited smile and green eyes full of enthusiasm. She stretched out her basket of wrapped snacks, "I brought ideas and I brought balls!" Annya pointed at her rice balls, "Utada taught me how to make these. Genius portable snacks! I put different wonderful meats in them...They even taste okay a little cold. Promise!"

[FunnyGuy]

Time: Afternoon
Location: Living Quarters, North Pass
Interactions: Rue @potter, Bowyn @helo, and Eris @Tae
Mentions: Annya, Bardulf, Ismael, Bron, Kharne, Aidan, and Raven

Equipment:

Male Outfit
Backpack (top right)
Adamantine Quarterstaff 250
Sling 4
40 balls 30
3 lbs of black powder 150
Mithral Half-Plate with Lighting Enchantment 590
North Pass Drip 80
Zoomies 300
Teeth Cleanser 5
Hair Cleanser 20
Hair Softener 20
Body Cleanser 2
Armpit Fragrance 5
Ring of Warmth (gifted)
3 medium red potions 9
3 medium blue potions 9

---

The Four Month Recap (trigger warning. The arrogance is strong in this one.)

The True Four Month Recap

To think that the mighty hero of Avalia would blow his cover of being such a bold light elf after being tested by the likes of Princess Annya! But it only made sense! Of course, the princess of her own kind would see through even Kaleb’s near-perfect performance! She only provoked the hero so she could witness the true glory of her savior and bask in his raw magnificence! And bask she would as her reward for her sharp intuition were four long months of mentoring the one who would end the second great war!

Would love or passion sprout between them? Unfortunately for the princess, no. Kaleb had eyes for another beauty within his entourage. The very elven maiden that had been at his side from the beginning (even when he couldn’t quite find her whenever she vanished). Of course, the snowy-white-haired vixen, Valerie, might have been a worthy rival for the hero’s passionate affection, but sadly she sought to leave this world. It was far too harsh for her delicate spirit. Upon giving a warm farewell, she revealed her true name to him. Raven. A name Kaleb would carry with him as he continued onward. And to make matters worse, The Woman Formerly Known as Saiorse had abandoned her duties as someone who might assist the hero and fled into the night. The selfish deserter would not be missed.

The responsibility falling on the hero’s shoulders now more than ever only further invigorated and impassioned him. Despite the option to depart from this world being present and the grim warning of the realities that accompanied war, the hero remained. To him, the story was already written and only waiting to be told and shared through the lips of all who knew of its glory!

Whether the looming dark elf threat, a winding river, a frigid north, or even Annya’s overbearingness, Kaleb persisted! The hero did all he could to pass the obstacles presented to him. Meditation time? Ha! What hero wastes time with that? Instead, Kaleb used the thirty minutes to get in some extra sleep before the real training began. Monologues were mostly avoided by his requested desire to meditate on the importance of respect alone due to being far too distracted by lectures. The hero cleverly expedited the mandatory journal entries by simply drawing how he felt using faces so he could spend more time on matters that weren’t so self-indulging. Resting was definitely included in these matters!

Thanks to the ever-needful princess, our hero had the pleasure of learning about sailing. Naturally, he excelled in these lessons. So much so that he only found it fitting to allow Ismael and Bardulf to get some more hands-on practice while he “supervised” their efforts. Kaleb could not horde all the glory and needed to empower his allies any way he could.

Upon passing the island of Yenworth, Annya chose to kindle the flame of Kaleb’s vast potential by advancing his training to include magic. Unbeknownst to the princess, our hero had received plenty of advice from the gracious maiden, Eris! His displays of magic were flashy, even for one who wielded flame in the palms of his hands. Despite his ability to conjure flames, the hero found himself contending against the harsh cold, and arriving at the North Pass only made matters more challenging. Even the warm welcome of the kind Nana Ruma was not enough to calm the hero’s wild spirit.

Why had Annya chosen such a place meant full of crazed creatures seeking death in this unrelenting cold? Was it a trial? To test his willpower, or perhaps she required a suitable reason to seek his comforting embrace when the time came. Whether it be the former or the latter, Kaleb was in store for quite the challenge indeed!

North Pass

Ther was no denying that Kaleb couldn’t stand being in North Pass. It looked nice, sure but could he actually enjoy that niceness? Fuck no! On a positive note, it gave him a reason to use his magic to keep warm. Warm wasn’t all he kept either. Kaleb mostly kept to himself as well except if he wanted something from someone which he made sure wasn’t very often. His behavior in River Port would seem a tad more tolerable since his magical slip up in front of Annya behind the brothel. Still, his first impression was one that stuck in the minds of most of the group. Butting heads with Annya was a normal occurrence though it had gotten a lot healthier over time. Some might call them frenemies or even think of them as bickering relatives.

He continued to spend an intimate amount of time with Eris, opening up to her about his acting career, and in turn, she shared what she knew of Avalia. He discovered she had a firm grasp on many aspects of this world. Who needed a dusty old library when you could have a gorgeous woman tell you everything you wanted to know in a hushed sultry voice? Oh right, some people aren’t so fortunate. She also hinted that she was older than she appeared. She never put an actual number on it, but judging by Annya’s own age and looks, did it even matter? He also noticed she rarely shared too much about herself which made him wonder if it had anything to do with past trauma. Perhaps if he opened up about his mother, she would as well. However, for the time being, he’d keep that to himself.

Despite Eris being his favorite among the group he mingled with the others without causing too many issues, which only meant there were a few issues that were nixed swiftly. One occasion was when he complained about Bron’s training regimen. Before things could escalate or the decision of placing Kaleb under Kharne’s tutelage occurred, Eris recommended Darius be sent to Botan who might have far more patience with someone like Kaleb given her conversations with Hiruma. When alone with Annya, she urged that it wouldn’t be great for the group if Kaleb somehow spoiled relations with Kharne as he may have with Bron. Guiding her faith, the decision was made. As much as Kaleb grumbled about it, he went out to train with Botan.

The monk questioned Kaleb’s desire for training, though he was willing to take him on as a student regardless of the reason. All he needed to know was what drove Kaleb, which happened to be his thirst for glory. It wasn’t the healthiest goal, but Botan chose to make do with it. To the monk, it was nothing more than a weapon to use against the foe known as indolence. Botan knew every excuse in the book due to using the same ones himself as a youth. Additionally, the panda demi-human saw a little of himself in Kaleb. Someone always trying to shortcut his way through things he found mundane. Under Botan’s tutelage, the spoiled celeb was quickly given an ultimatum. The removal of his hair or his voice. Botan knew full well based on his information gathering on Kaleb that the young man would never sacrifice the former. Without uttering a single word, the young man was on his way out.

“And here I thought the savior of all of Avalia could endure a simple month-long challenge to become something more. Then it’s decided, farewell-”

“Psyche! Ha, you thought I’d quit? I never quit anything! Take my voice, but don’t beg me to speak when you miss it. I guess you escape me calling you Po. But trust I’ll be patient just for that.”

“And you’re sure about it being your voice and not your hair because you- never mind. The voice it is.”

And for a month there was not a peep from Kaleb. There may have been a celebration of sorts that he wasn’t privy to but things were a little smoother for the group. The fact that he could emote his ass off didn’t help much but the voice was a great thing to lose for a month. Annya even held a noticeable bliss whenever she was reminded of the blessing.

However, it was not for naught. After some time, Kaleb spent more time listening (as if he had any other choice) and noticed the different sides of people he hadn’t seen before due to the absence of his criticisms and complaints. Since he couldn’t socialize much, he practice training a bit more, which was even more so due to the fact that he despised the cold. He learned he didn’t have to always put his two cents in… maybe it was more like five dollars, but you get the point. He also learned he didn’t always need to be heard and that the chores he was subjected to due to his lack of doling out excuses were not as bad as he made them out to be. Being too prideful helped him persist, which in the end humbled him some. Kaleb was much more tolerable once he could talk, and the ring of warmth Eris gifted him after his month of silence assisted in snuffing out much of his whining. Was he still an asshole, sure, but he kept a lot more to himself. For the group, life was was better…

---

Currently

“Sincerely, Bardulf?” Kaleb stared at the letter, unamused by it before igniting it in flames. He’d read the letter a few times, contemplating if he wanted to attend. Even as he cleaned up the mess he made with the letter, he continued to let his options stir in his mind. Despite burning the invitation, Kaleb leaned toward attending the outing. He liked Bardulf, especially since he noticed Eris taking an interest in him. Sure, there was a tinge of jealousy but he had his ways of dealing with competition. If relations remained as they were between the two, then perhaps he’d continue to like the man. No promises. I am starting to run out of conditioner… But do I really want to be around everyone on a day off from Annya’s schedule?

After a shrug, Kaleb geared up, wearing his mithral half-plate armor. Leaving his room, he headed in the direction of Bowyn’s with a neutral expression only to find Rue at its opened door. Of course. He maintained his expression until he was close enough to see Bowyn and graced both fairies with a smile.

“Adorable as always. Hashtag BoRue for the win, right?” A light snicker escaped him as he strolled by eyeing the two. He noticed the clutched paper in Rue’s hand that he guessed to be a copy of Bardulf’s letter. Without a need to stop and ask, Kaleb assumed the couple would be attending the festivities.

He didn’t mind the two. Bowyn had been more of a stranger to him after the big reveal of him being a human. As for Rue... She was the shy type so Kaleb always felt he was probably too intense for her to hang with him. That and he just didn’t have the patience to pry a person from their shell. Oh yeah, and there was the way her wolf looked at him. Kaleb didn’t think he was a fan but wasn’t emotional about the opinion of glorified Yorkie.

Continuing on, he eventually arrived at Eris’ room door, and without pause, he gave the door three firm knocks. He’d been with her earlier for breakfast but hadn’t seen her since then. As often as he visited, he’d have a key if there had been a spare.

“Delivery for the lovely Eris Lorafir.” He stood waiting with his arms proudly crossed at his chest. His lips formed a confident smile that accompanied his posture. The man was primed.

[princess]

Time: 2pm
Location: Dugmaghord - A little ways away from the guest house
Mentions: Caelan @Alivefalling Slick @FunnyGuy Aurora @Mole Nuallán, @13org Rosaria @Potter
Equipment:Clothing,Backpack, Sketchbook with drawings, various drawing supplies, iPhone, charging cable, earphones

The four months had been a monumental change for Sophie. She had done more training than she had ever before. Though the magical training had been exciting to Sophie, the physical training had kicked her ass to say the least. Sophie could not remember working out ever in her life and she had regretted it as much as Ling from Mulan. It had been stressful, but she had been careful not to cry in front of others. She had simply listened to orders given the best she could and tried to focus on the others, cheering them up and making them presents when she could. She had liked to give presents out to the others, but Caelan, Rosaria, Nuallán, and Aurora had gotten them most, as they had become dear friends to her.

Aurora was an absolute angel. She was always so kind and tranquil; Sophie loved to make her smile and always tried to help her out when she could. There were many times that Sophie had bought her food or flowers. Nuallán and Rosaria had been extremely sweet, even when they had been training them. She had drawn portraits of them and presented her drawings to them just the other week in gratitude for their patience with her. She had gotten rather close with the three light elves, but even closer with Caelan, who had become the best friend she had always dreamed of. He always had her back and seemed to see through her when others did not. On top of that, he was always so much fun that it had been contagious. After years of sticking to herself, she had been able to start to voice her thoughts and feel comfortable coming out of her shell. Not only had Sophie started to change in personality, but her hair dye had long faded into a silvery white. However, instead of dying it again, she had left it that way.

Sophie had also become very fond of Alette, her little pixie, despite her mischievous behavior. As the afternoon sun beat down on the desert, she and Alette were just a little down the dirt road from the guest house. She had declined Slick's offer to hunt as she already had important plans today. They had done so much training and she was yearning to just to do less active things for a day.

"Sophie. His nose is much chunkier than that."

Sophie shhed the pixie fluttering by her shoulder. She had a makeshift easel where she was drawing on a large whiteboard. The umbrella Aurora had gotten her was perched on the easel, keeping the sun out of her face as she drew. She had been so thankful to receive the wonderful gift.

Currently, two orc children sat before them. Their names were Brubsnaga and Eichelberbog. Though Alette always called them all kinds of things due to her inability to remember such complicated names. Sophie had no idea how old they were, but they had taken a liking to her one day when she had been playing music out loud. She supposed their parents were often out raiding and they were left home bored, so sometimes she'd entertain them. However, then the other day, the children's father noticed her drawing and politely demanded with a huge war-ax in hand that she should draw his children.

"No it's not... Or..." Sophie tilted her head and scrutinized the drawing. She looked over the side of the board, "Hey Brubsnaga, tilt your head up a little for me, honey." The little orc boy looked up, showing his pointy teeth as he smiled.

"Are yer draw'n me gud? Brubsnaga iz gud lookin." The child asked. Even for a tiny one, his voice still seemed to boom.

"No." "Yes."

"Noth'n gud about Brubsnaga."Eichelberbog chimed in as if it was just a sad truth, shaking his head.

Sophie shot Alette a glare, but continued to assure the orc, "I think Brubasnaga looks really-" Before the sentence could fully leave her lips, the orcs were suddenly gone. She moved around the side of her easel with a distressed look on her face. She searched around the area with her eyes rapidly until she caught sight of them. Sophie frowned as she watched them struggling to run up a sand hill after a desert fox. "Nooo! Come back! I'm not done!"

Alette fluttered in front of her face, "Let them go! They smell!" She looked over her shoulder, her red hair moving as she adjusted her body."They can't even get up the hill." The orc children were indeed a little big and kept sinking into the sand.

"I've been working on this for two hours. Their dad is coming back tonight, Alette!"Sophie replied with an exasperated sigh. Her eyes lit up and she pulled out her phone. "I think this will bring them back."

"Oh yes!"Alette did a little spin. Her mood had turned around. "Sophie! Put it on ! Hurry! I can do the dance you taught me!"

Sophie bit her lip with a grin as she searched through her phone. She found the song she wanted and then selected it.

Rasputin by Boney M

Eichelberbog paused in his tracks and jumped in the air. In one quick twist, he was facing Sophie and Alette again. He grumbled something to his brother before charging back toward them. Brubsnaga's reaction was a little more delayed but he too came running. Sophie had found it hilarious how much orc children loved music. She clapped along to the song and the orcs began nodding their head along, clapping too.

Alette got to work there and then flew into view. She then began to dance, having memorized thanks to Sophie and Caelan's teachings. "There lived a certain man in Baussia long ago. He was big and strong. " Alette paused to flex each of her tiny arms then pointed to her eyes as the orcs looked up at her, "In his eyes a flaming glow! Most people looked at him with terror and with fear..." She waved her hands about as if she was a scary creature. Eichelberbog and Brubasnaga were attempting to follow Alette's dancing, letting out joyous deep laughs.

Sophie giggled to herself as she took the opportunity to finish up her drawing.

What even is my life now?

[princess]

Time:2pm
Location:Myriamor
Interactions:@FunnyGuy Astra @13org Myra @Alivefalling Alaia
Equipment: Crossbow, outfit, Backpack with hygienic supplies, two daggers, flask, skinning knife, trapping wire, rope, small cooking pot, transmission bracelet, water purifier, disguise ring.

It had been easy upon leaving the restaurant to locate a human. Not long after lurking about, he had spotted a man with flames flashing in his hands as he, Astra, and Myra hid behind a wall. There were four individuals having an interaction that was quite notable to say the least. He had told Myra quietly that she should try to remember the scent if she could catch a whiff of it. Nonetheless, they had followed the four back to an Inn, where Maeryn had climbed up on a nearby roof to listen in on conversations. From what he could gather, there were multiple humans as well as Princess Annya herself inside. However, she was calling for additional light elves. Nobody was close enough for him to get a shot in at the moment and it had been deduced that there were multiple others inside already. He was able to at least gain the location of other humans. They were apparently with her sister Rosaria. He had not been able to hear the whole conversation but had heard mention of Myriamor.

Nonetheless, the group had remained following this one for a brief time unnoticed, yet it went exactly as he thought. There were much too many light elves to get a good shot in without risking himself or his party. Vrexen had been eager to just go in for it anyway and they had just barely kept him back. Once the ship had sailed away, he turned to the others and advised they locate the other humans instead. He was certain that group would remain over-guarded and difficult for simply four of them to defeat.

So from there, they had journeyed to Myriamor, where the group had been trying to gather information for the last few months on where Rosaria and her humans could be without much luck, that was until 2pm on an October afternoon. Maeryn had pressed himself against a wall as he listened to exchange in the Myriamor Inn. His eyes had widened had what he heard and he had set off to find Vrexen and Myra.

[FunnyGuy]

Time: Afternoon
Location: Dugmaghord
Interactions: Rosaria @potter, Nuallán @13org, Aurora @Mole
Mentions:

Equipment:

Pocket watch
Black stetson
Hat and Cowl
Black Duster Outfit
Repeating Crossbow
100 Iron Bolts
100 Steel Bolts
Champ (Oak Horse)
Megatron figurine
Hunting knife
Rope
Saddlebag
Black neckerchief
Tinder box
Canteen
Matches
2 lbs of black powder
Two Gold nuggets
$40
Black swim trunks
Teeth Cleanser
Jumping Shoes
Body Cleanser
Armpit Fragrance
Birth Preventers (6)
Dark sight glasses
Wayfinder
First Aid Kit Cloth Armor
Mithral Shortsword
3 Red Potions
3 Blue Potions
Strength Gloves

---

Silent was the outlaw as he listened along to Aurora’s gentle hum. He had always enjoyed her company but the soothing melody made this time waiting for others to join him all the more pleasant. As nice as any moment was, it passed like any other. Rosaria’s voice cut in with a warm greeting and the declaration of joining the hunting party.

“Anyone else? Nope. Only folk that’re comin’ are the ones that show up on time. I ain’t no stickler for time, but I ain’t gon’ be waitin’ all day for dilly-dallyin’, princess.” He took one last sip from his canteen before tucking it into Champ’s saddle bag.

“You comin’ along Aurora? You know I’m always good to make space on the saddle for you and Mela there. And we ain’t racin’ or nothin’.” Whether she stayed or went was fine with him. It wasn’t like he would be playing third-wheel with Champ around.

[Alivefalling]

Pâsh Ruin Bringer

Time: 2 PM
Location: Dugmaghord- Fighting Pits
Interactions: Leaf @helo, Everyone in dugmaghord would hear his name being chanted.
Equipment:

Maul with Shockwave and Unbreaking

Adamanite Plate with Absorption, Water Skin, Torches, Rations, 6 Pink Potions, 6 Large Red Potions

---

The past four months for the chief were all leading up to the goal he had been waiting for. His time had been filled with preparations for war as well as gathering supplies and weapons by any means possible. Pâsh held many raids on small settlements, which were hidden from those who stayed in his camp; meanwhile, he trained his greatest warriors helping those who needed to perform their rites do so.

Pâsh did not have any interest in getting to know many of the visitors. He did have one however that caught his eye: a cheetah demi-human named Leaf. Pâsh watched this demi-human fight in the pits on many occasions losing most of the time but he put effort into training with his orcs. Leaf was also willing to help around the camp which made Pâsh enjoy him even if he was not the greatest fighter in the pits. He did hold celebrations and drinking parties for the visitors as well as allowed them to watch their ceremonies which would usually be shown to other orcs. Currently, Pâsh sat in this chair watching Leaf in the arena. A valiant and tough fight came to conclusion as Leaf had achieved a great victory against one of his greatest war chiefs.

Pâsh stood up from his chair silencing the crowd instantly as he stepped forward into the pit menacingly till he stood in front of Leaf. He lifted Leaf’s arm, looking around at the crowd.
“LEAF! LEAF! LEAF!” Pâsh continued chanting as the crowd joined his chant. Leaf’s name echoed through Dugmaghord with his victory. Pâsh slammed the ground with his maul silencing the roused viewers once again. “I AM APPOINT'N DIS MAN AS A WAR CHIEF, IF YA HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS YA KAN ANSWA TA ME!” He shouted to the on-lookers, who once again began chanting his name.

[FunnyGuy]

Time: Afternoon
Location: Myriamor
Interactions: Myra @13org, Maeryn @princess, Alaia @Alivefalling
Mentions:

Equipment:

Outfit (left)
Disguise Ring (Appearance)

---

Then…

The failure to inflict violence on humans in River Port had left Vrexen eerily quiet. His lack of communication with the others was ominous given his outspoken nature. The only sounds that left him for the first two weeks were simply low growls and muttering. The demon had been railroaded from his passion… his purpose. The demon had always believed violence was the only aspect of life that mattered yet he kept experiencing different in this world.

This wretched world.

Food… Amas… Fear… Death… Difficulty… Humans…

Vrexen had begun to despise the reliance on these things, yet as much hate he had gathered in his heart, he never inflicted harm to anyone during his eerie period of docility. The lack of violence or mention of it from the demon had put Astra on edge. The fear of Vrexen snapping at any moment was frightening enough, but now he was behaving so strangely. However, nothing occurred. After some time, the demon eventually spoke again but never commented on the events that occurred in the port town.

Astra took the opportunity to take the role of guide and navigator while she practiced the use of her magic. The dark elven rogue did this for two reasons: to increase her worth to Vrexen, and to leave Maeryn responsible if anything were to go wrong.

All the while, she asked for pointers with erebokinesis. She’d play the two against each other while reaping the benefits until they reached Myriamor, a place she wasn’t exactly comfortable traveling to. Her head was not without a price on it, and so she kept close to Myra and Vrexen as much as she could. The former she bonded with more than the others. Myra was Astra’s big investment after all. So much potential, but the pale demoness needed so much time to bloom. She attempted to teach her about what each ama was worth, the various uses of gadgets, and the effects of different potions.

At the same time, however, Astra noticed Myra’s extreme aversion to her and Maeryn’s use of dark magic. Even when she wasn’t using it offensively. In an attempt to keep good relations with Myra, Astra decided to use her magic away from Myra. Out of sight, out of mind.

---

Now…

Vrexen, Astra, and Myra were essentially window shopping within the Sturdy Stables where Vrexen eyed potential buffet he could help himself to if he ever felt the need to indulge in sinking his teeth into the beasts of burden. As desirable as that was, he was content with just being indoors and out of the sunlight. Still, in his reptilian appearance, he whipped his tail about as he was pleased with Astra’s showing of a place he could ravage later.

“You know if I had a mount, I could keep up with you two.”

“You could feed us as well…” Vrexen spoke plainly. Astra shot him a disgusted look before Maeryn came bursting in with a rare look of excitement on his face. Vrexen let loose a low snarl while Astra simply said,

“Where’s the party, Maerie?”

[Th3King0fChaos]

Time: 2 pm, early afternoon
Location: North Pass Odds and Ends
Interactions/Mentions: Rue/Sairose @Potter, Raven/Eris @Tae, Bowyn @Helo, Kaleb @FunnyGuy, Annya @princess, Bardulf @Lava Alckon, Bron @GingerBoi123, and Kharne @Kazemitsu
Armor:
A full suit of Steel Half Plate & a
Steel Targe
Steel Half Plate
Weapon(s):
Steel Longsword
Devil's Reach, an Adamantine electromagnetic Railgun

Inventory: A sturdy set of winter clothing, his dog tags, a set of faux demihuman Wolf ears, a Ring of Disguise, a set of Winter Boots, Eye Protectors, Dark Sight Glasses, Way finder.

---

Ismael had spent quite a bit of his time working on something he thought would be both an interesting endeavor while also a fun time to spend his free time and pick up some new skills.

Cost Summary and What Ismael Spent His Money On

Equipment & Tools:
Blacksmith Tools- 50 Amas
Carpenter Tools- 50 Amas
Eye Protectors (Sun Glasses)- 2 Amas
Dark Sight Glasses- 40 Amas
Way Finder- 10 Amas
Winter Clothing from North Pass- 80 Amas
Winter Boots- 25 Amas

20 Steel Balls- 15 Amas
1 Adamantine tube- 250 Amas
Materials to make a rifle stock and creating a break action system to lock and hold the tube while easily loading in the next round.- 20 Amas

Devil's Reach

This musket like weapon is made of a long Adamantine tube fitted to a stock made of wood collected around North Pass, and attached to a mechanism and houseing made of iron and steel. This mechanism is meant to both lock the barrel onto in place to make sure it fires properly while also loosening to either let the barrel slide a little to allow for the next shot to be loaded, or to allow the barrel to completely fall out so it can be cooled more easily and make sure that it doesn't melt, warp, or burn the stock and holding mechanism.

The mechanism is both a break action and lever lock mechanism to keep hold of the barrel. The lever lock is meant to hold the barrel, as when the heat becomes too great you can smack the lever upwards to force it to open and the barrel would just slid out. While the break action has a lock to the side that locks the barrel in place. When the action is unlocked the barrel will fall downward but still be attached to the mechanism so that the next round can be loaded into it. As when the round is loaded the barrel can be grabbed from the mechanism and then locked back into place.

Ismael uses the gun in tandem with his lightning powers, by creating electrical currents within the barrel to propel the steel ball loaded within at increadible speeds to deliver massive force onto anything that is hit by it.

Total Costs for Equipment:
542 Amas

Mount & Vehicle:
Dire Boar, Named Billium or 'Billy'- 400 Amas
Four Seat Cart (5 Seat)- 700 Amas
5 Lanterns- 15 Amas
Supplies to reinforcement of the cart, adding extra strength to the wheels, the axels, a strengthened harness for Billium, and the sides of the cart had been reinforced and raised to provide cover to act as a fighting platform- 100 Amas
Total Costs of the War Wagon:
1215 Amas

The Rightgeous Indignation or The War Wagon

This is a 4 seater wagon that has been modified and reinforced by Ismael to meet his wishes. Ismael had reinforced the axels and wheels of the wagon to make sure that they are able to handle more difficult terrain, the strengthened the harness to make sure that Billium is able to exert his full strength without destroying the harness and running away. He strengthened the walls by layering extra wood on them and the increasing the height by raising the walls. He also made it where the raised walls can be lowered by unlocking them and a hinge system will allow it to fall while being attached, giving more protection to the lower areas while allowing those inside to jump out more easily.

Ismael had also extended the seats on the long sides of the cart to accommodate 2 more passengers while he also reinforced them with iron and fur to make them more comfortable and to make sure that their living tank, Kharne, did not just sit down and shatter the wooden seats.

Crafted Item:
3 Repeating Crossbows- 195 Amas
12 Repeating Crossbow Disks- 240 Amas
600 Wooden Bolts- 30 Amas (lol the Blacksmith must hate me, I equivalently said 'here's 30 bucks, now make me 600 wooden bolts'. I didn't do this all at once, it was over some time, so he doesn't just get an aneurism and just bar me from ever getting something from him)
Supplies to create the gear crank, the turret mount, the custom firing system, and the swivel system for the turret.- 50 Amas.
Total cost for the Triple Threat:
515 Amas

Triple Threat

This is to be the mounted turret on the wagon that Ismael had been sinking his money and a decent bit of free time during this time. The turret is made up of iron and wood collected from around North Pass. Ismael had then affixed 3 repeating crossbows onto the turret, mounted to each be angled slightly towards the center to allow for when they fire the bolts will fly and converge at the same point at 100 meters.

To use the turret you take hold of a handle underneath a shoulder stock you set over your shoulder to control the turret with the movements of the body. Then to fire the weapon, there is a crank to your right side that you turn to fire the weapon. When the crank is turned it will turn multiple gears to rotate the gears on each of the repeating crossbows to both load the next bolt and then fire the crossbows. In a single rotation the disks on top of the crossbows will be turned, the string will be pulled back, and then once they are loaded the crank will be making it's turn as then once reset to the neutral position the crossbows will be fired.

The crank is able to complete a rotation in under a second and is able to completely empty the repeating crossbows in about 7 seconds. Meaning that with including reloading it can shoot anywhere between 150-180 bolts a minute. Ismael uses wooden bolts at the moment because he had been fine tuning the weapon and doesn't want to waste money on bolts that could get lost in test firing, also this is meant to be an anti-personnel weapon, a stick that is laced with nasty stuff is also very useful when it just sticks into a bit of flesh.

Total Cost of Everything:
2272 Amas (Exactsies on what I have, now I am as broke as I got here. But I now have some dope ass shit and some baller ass drip)

---

4 months is a long time

Once Annya made it back, she seemed to be quite peeved about losing Shae, yet it seemed after a letter and some explanation, she calmed down enough. And once she did she introduced them to their new companions, and it seemed that they already met one of them before Kaleb. Yet it seemed that after gaining some new members, one wanted to leave, Raven. Ismael witnessed Eris able to open up a portal to send Raven back, which made sense. Raven was a normal person, she witnessed death, pain, and was struck with fear. Few could handle such things without either changing or being able to cope because they've seen it before. It left something strange, a looming quiet was left for a bit before they left. Ismael knew what that meant.

As before the sun has even rose, or the night was broken, Annya had already been waking everyone up and get them to the docks. Upon leaving there were 20 soldiers with them providing an escort to the land of North Pass. A land that Ismael found out was covered in ice and snow, yet that was the destination, the travel was tedious. Annya reawoken Ismael's military spirit, he woke up minutes before Annya would try to awaken him, eating was monitored, then they had to meditate, exercise, combat practice, then came the etiquette course, after which they ate more, and then were either given designated 'fun time' or even learned to sail to help around the ship.

During this time they were each given a little notebook to write thoughts and feelings, yet Ismael had very little to write within it. Even when he kept everything he saw, everything he felt, it always looked the same: Actions happening and the time it happens, what he's feeling, a couple of jokes he had that he didn't say because the timing was off, felt strange, or was too dark or raunchy for the time. Ismael had always known it was very easy for him to actually keep himself composed, keep his feelings tamed, and letting things go. Which made him slightly chuckle to himself as he remembered when he needed to lose control, he needed to let his emotions go to actually use his magic. He wonders if that is something he'd need to train more, he wouldn't hope so as losing control isn't something he personally enjoys, letting his emotions go seem second nature. Yet this time was enlightening to Ismael, he was able to learn how to sail! It was something he did not expect to learn unless it was on a small boat, yet he got to sail on a large ship and even help sail. He found the time enjoyable and even began befriending the other sailors when they were traveling to North Pass.

Yet once they passed the point where land could be seen, magic training was to begin. Ismael focused himself onto his magical use quite fervently, dedication lead to focus, focus lead to results, and results leads him to power. Lightning power, electrokinesis, there could be more to this power he was given, all he needed to do was focus it. As Annya seemed to have wished to try and make sure that the training never got stale as Annya even had Rue and Bowyn enter in and train with them to better train their magic. The very blunt nature made it easy for Ismael to understand, and the assitance of Rue to almost act as they every cheerful aid made the time almost fly by. Yet even with this a week was a short time in the grand scheme of training that they wanted. As they made it to the promised land of North Pass.

When they entered North Pass, Ismael instantly recognized the architecture, as he had visited quite a few times for many different things. He went there for buisness, pleasure, and anything in between, so he knew quite a bit of the culture and found himself quite comfortable with land. The locals were such kind people, as the Chieftan Nana Ruma welcomed them with such hospitality it reminded him of the old woman who would sell dumplings near the market. She even provided inns and soup for them, Ismael made sure to show his thanks everyday to her in anyway he could. If she needed any assitance he would do anything within his power to help her, even if it was something minor. The next day they met with the police force of North Pass, the Blizzard, and their leader Botan Nagarashi, a Panda Demihuman who seemed to have some real size to him being near the height of Kharne. And just like Kharne he also seemed to have quite a bit of skills within combat.

As their training with in North Pass, Ismael had taken a much more active approach in his combat training. He talked to Kharne and Bron to accelerate certain parts of his training. His physicality was at it's peak, his skills in certain weapons were quite good, yet he wished to get training in certain weapons if he ever found himself on a battlefield. One handed swords, 2 handed swords, axes, spears, and other weapons inbetween. Ismael had confidence in some weapons, yet others he had little hands on experience with them. He did not need training in combat, he needed sparing and experience, and Kharne was one of the best for him to train against with his blade. Kharne and Ismael Clashed blades quite often, and Ismael felt a bond form between them, a bond that would occur in combat.

Bron was a short man yet had a hearty vigor that of a warrior and that of a man who would not fail when time came. His voice was seldom heard except for when conversation was struck with him or when he notices a mistake. So when he was heard, that meant someone messed up, and almost everyone tried to right themselves to make sure he did not need to repeat the same word. Similar to the pressence Kharne produced, both would have made good Drill instructors, yet Ismael had a feeling neither would have liked the idea, as Ismael was quite similar.

Magic training was quite rigorous, often times Annya would run them ragged as Eris, Bowyn, and Rue assisted. Ismael became quite intrigued with Eris her pressence had a very familiar feeling to it, one he could not quite pinpoint. Yet it seemed like she had a strange gravity to her, as if she was the center of attention while none either knew it or complained. Ael had spent the time here quite often getting closer with not only his fellow Humans, but also those who trained them. This training was important, yet Ismael knew that getting close to those around you was much more important. No matter the competency of the group, if you cannot trust the people around you with your life or your kid, then the group will crack and shatter. People will die and people will begin to play blame, so Ismael often would not only use his time he could during training to get closer to others, but also outside during his free time.

A Gunsmith is a Tinkerer restrained

Yet even with this, Ismael had some ideas he needed to let out, he spent many nights cutting into his sleep so he could draw up the designs for his many different weapons he thought would either be fun to make or useful, the first would be a cart. Ismael knew getting around would be top priority, if they wanted to work or move or truthfully cross land distances, they would need some vehicle, and Ismael had a few ideas. He first bought and ordered a cart to be made, as during this time he also bought a blacksmiths kit and carpenters kit. He wished to learn some new skills, and this was the time. As Once the cart was made for him, he spent some of his free time working on this cart. He often even invited people out to work with him, or just talk with him as he worked on it and even asked suggestions that they had for it. Ismael took into consideration they amount of people so he changed seating locations and made sure it was able to accommodate more people. Next he made sure that it could bear the weight of Kharne, so he often made sure to put extra support, reinforcements, and had Kharne come out multiple times to test different areas. Ismael next worked to set up the many extra fixings he wanted to make sure that the cart would be able to withstand tough terrain and other such things. And after this work, the cart was complete, yet it needed a beast to move it. A work horse could work, yet it would move slow from the weight that all of them, their gear, and such would create. So he sought a tougher beast.

Ismael landed on the Dire Boar, an aggressive creature that would be able to pull the weight of men, earth and even gods. Well it was an exaggeration, yet the aggressive nature, high endurance, and strength would make it something akin to the perfect beast to pull them through earth, sand, and snow. Taming one was a difficulty, Ismael needed to show his will to fight against the beasts temper. As through out the time it took much time to reigns it's temperament in a little, even now Billium does not fully yield to Ismael, yet it was nice to at least call Billium by his name or nickname and the Boar would notice.

Next came a fun project to begin working with more precise metal working, as Ismael wished to make a mounted weapon for the cart. He created schematics for a mounted turret that would be made up of multiple repeating crossbows, each of which would be attached to a crank system to constantly load the next bolt while also cocking back the crossbow string and firing them. After tweaking and making Ismael was able to build a weapon system able to belt out nearly 200 bolts in a minute. The weapon was still within its testing phase yet it was good to go and operate for it's first few test runs.

Finally came Ismael's latest project was something to give him the edge he's been missing for some time. He was sadly not able to utilize his many years of training with firearms. So as Ismael's skills with his power became better, he devised a weapon that was futuristic tech even for his time, a Railgun. He had to find a material to handle the heat that would be generated. Thankfully this world had magic so it would be quite easy to handle that, yet he did not have the money for such things. He was so confused on where his money went, yet he instantly was reminded of his many purchases and how his money dissappeared because he wished to do these many projects. Ismael laughed as he realized he was now going to need to figure out a method to keep this weapon cool. That was going to be a difficulty, yet he had a plan similar to what was done with the German MG 42 and American M60, he was going to make the barrel able to quick release through a lever and quick bolt. As he started to craft the mechanism that would house the barrel and hold it still for him to use his magic to fire a steel bullet at super sonic speeds. As he worked, he had to go through multiple tests, multiple designs, and a few faults in the mechanisms. Yet finally he was able to create his first prototype, the Devil's Reach.

By this point he has spent quite a bit of time not only working with others to make things, but also began learning some things that they might even find interesting. Ismael tried to use this time to maybe sneak a peak into their minds, and maybe he could make something for them. Even if it is slightly gimmicky, he would at least try and make something that could connect them.

Ismael had spent this time feeling almost at ease, he was working, he was training, he was being fed, and he was housed. Strangely it was freeing, it was as if he was in the military again. It was easy, yet also restrictive, Ismael thought of the things he could do, and knew if this wasn't what he was doing he could be exploring, yet in the same vein, he wouldn't be here. Ismael chuckled to himself when he thought about the time he had in North Pass, Annya had quite the temper, and all he could do was laugh. It felt slightly easy here, everyone was focused, yet Ismael had almost reverted to a form of normalcy he had missed.

Ismael sat up as he rubbed his back a bit, caressing the large scar upon his back before he stood up and stretched. He noticed the note that was left for him, Ismael was enjoying the morning for a while longer before he got out of bed. He took the note and lightly read the note aloud, as Ismael chuckled to himself thinking of Annya being a worry wart as this being one of their first days off, would she be able to handle them having free time.

Ismael finally began to gear up, he began to put the furs and leathers he has on, then came putting on his metal armor. Ismael quite honestly hates the cold, as often the best way to survive the cold is to comfortably cold. If you put too many layers on you can sweat and the liquid would ruin the insulation you have, and having too little is death. Ismael thought about how lucky it would have been to be gifted the powers of fire, maybe he wouldn't need to freeze in his armor. Ismael also thought about the fact he could have also bought himself a ring of warming and circumvent this entire problem, yet he is where he is now, and all he can do is laugh off the decisions he made.

Once his armor was on, Ismael began checking his weapons, he picked up his sword and began to check the blade. This was something Kharne had taught him to do, checking for a rolled edge, chips, or even warping. Because of his blade being made of steel, Ismael knew his weapon is combat able, yet through the immense force Kharne put out, Ismael had to develop skills to make sure he weapon did not break on clashes. Using parries, redirections, guiding attacks away from his body with his weapon through how he blocked and shifted his body.

Yet that did not stop the wear and tear, so Ismael had gotten very good with his blacksmith tools to make sure his Steel sword was still combat ready. Ismael thought about maybe upgrading, yet that would require a bit of more time. As Ismael grabbed his targe he realized it was quite beat up as well, yet it was still sturdy and after a bit of maitnence the spike was still able to hold a point. Finally Ismael grabbed his gun, the Devil's Reach, it was his most recent addition to his repertoire, and one of his most comfortable weapons. It was a straight shooter as it came, using his powers he was able to fling a steel ball with such speed and accuracy, he would be able to use his years of training and combat experience to some of its best. Ismael checked the metal clasps, locks, and levers to make sure none were sticking and locking up from opening properly. Then came the barrel, the very reason why this works at all, Ismael looked at the dull green metal and marveled at the very concept of what could this metal could be if magic did not exist. How would it form, or even could it form on earth. Ismael dwelled on the question for some time as he inspected the barrel, making sure no warps occurred, and making sure it would be able to fire properly.

Once Ismael finished his inspections and maitnence, he stood up and began to leave the inn, he knew that Bardulf said they should meet at 2pm, Ismael just wished to check on Billium. As Ismael went to the stables, he saw Billium resting in his stall, as he noticed the earth was rustled up and the metal slightly bent, as Ismael made it over he waved to the stable master and looked to the large boar as he said, "Billy~, I came with some food". Ismael produced a basket of food for his boar. Ismael sat down infront of the cage as he held out a vegetable for Billium, as the boar began to stamp and get roudy, Ismael shifted the food away and behind him as he said, "Uh uh uh, you need to be calm while you eat. If you act like that then I'll eat it myself". Yet as Billium began to get more impatient, Ismael began to eat it right infront of him. As once Ismael finished the first vegetable he did the same thing, as he continued to do the same thing with each food item. This was the same thing Ismael did with Billium for nearly 3 months, yet today seemed to have been different, as after the first food item, Billium calmed down. Ismael had a smile on his face when he saw this as he said, "Oh?~ Hehe, alright I guess you can have some".

After making some real progress with Billium, Ismael began to walk the town, assisting in things he sees as he moved through the town to get some real food. Often times assisting with carrying things for people, helping fix simple things around the town, and soon he realized that he had spent the better half of the day helping around. Ismael laughed as he grabbed something quick as he made his way towards the Odds and Ends, as he saw both Annya and Bardulf already there, Ismael waved to the two of them as he called out, "Hey you two!" As Ismael got closer, he patted Bardulf on the back as he said, "Thank you for the invitation". Ismael saw that Annya had a basket filled with rice balls and felt his stomach rumble as he looked at them as said, "Oh rice balls. Don't mind if I do~". Ismael began to jokingly extending a hand to grab a rice ball from the basket, knowing that Annya might get upset with him trying to eat one already.

[13org]

Time: Night
Location: River Port
Interactions: Astra and Vrexen @FunnyGuy, Alaia @Alivefalling and Maeryn @princess
Mentions:

---

After satisfying her hunger with the meat the waitress brought them under Maeryn and Astra's request, Myra followed them out in search of the strange 'Hoo-mans' as Maeryn and Astra called them. While it wasn't really hard to find them, given how one of them had fire coming out of their hands, Myra was still a bit confused about the reason for doing so. Since they were just eating, there was no reason to hung and instead, they ended up just observing them. Myra still did her best to hide though, which was one of her specialties. Using her camouflage, it was easy for her to stay hidden and even to get somewhat closer to those they were stalking, close enough for her to feel their scent and remember it, as Maeryn had asked her to do. In the end, despite Vrexen's eagerness to just go in and fight against the 'hoo-mans', they ended up simply letting them leave, due to the amount of light elves surrounding them.

With the decision made to search for other 'hoo-mans', who might have less people around them, Myra traveled with the rest of the group to another big city. After what happened in the other city though, Myra did notice that Vrexen was acting... strange. He didn't seem to talk like he did before and even the atmosphere around him seemed to give Myra a very bad feeling. Knowing that Vrexen was, sometimes, prone to random outbursts of uncontrolled anger, seeing him so quiet and calm made her be more careful around Vrexen than she was before.

Unfortunately for Myra, Vrexen's strange behavior wasn't the only thing she had to worry about as Astra and Maeryn began to practice and use a strange ability to move and control shadows, something that always made Myra extremely nervous. Even though Myra knew Astra was an ally and Maeryn was someone Astra trusted, she simply couldn't change her extreme aversion to shadow magic, enough to make Myra hiss and get extremely alarmed whenever Astra was using it and even going as far as not being as close to Astra as she was before, always being careful and wary near her and Maeryn, which became evident on how Myra seemed to be always standing just a step further away from Astra and Maeryn than she normally would.

---

At Myriamor, the strange atmosphere surrounding the group, at least on Myra's eyes, still continued as Vrexen seemed about to explode at any second and now, with Myra herself also having to be wary not just about Vrexen, but Astra and Maeryn's use of shadow magic as well. With the group having stopped at one of Myriamor's stables to look at horses, Myra, who would normally be moving around to sate her endless curiosity, was instead quiet, walking a few steps behind Astra and Vrexen, who was, just like Myra herself, still disguised as a lizard demi-human. That was until Maeryn approached the group again, his expression clearly stating he had something to tell them.

[Potter]

Rue

Time: Night
Location: North Pass
Interaction: @helo Bowyn, @FunnyGuy Kaleb
Equipment: Small backpack, two knives, rations, water flask, food, hygiene products, Old outfit
New purchases: Female outfit, Bow & quiver of Arrows

---

The door opened and Rue’s heart rate accelerated. Standing before her, handsome as ever, was Bowyn. Rue’s breath hitched momentarily until she quickly reminded herself to breathe. “Rue.” Bowyn offered a small smile which she returned. “Hey, I got you something, a gift, a small gift. I guess it’s not much, well, I thought it seemed nice.” Her eyes widened with surprise. He bought her a gift? Oh no, did he spend too much? She hoped not! Curiosity got the best of her, so she remained quiet to allow him time to finish. Rue held Bowyn’s gaze and realized she was blushing. She smiled nonetheless, because his voice was her favorite sound. She nodded in agreement with what he’d said, not wanting to interrupt. Her gaze looked down at his opened palm and gasped. The ring not only held her favorite colors, but it mimicked the night sky which she loved to gaze at. Rue squealed with delight and joy, practically bouncing on her feet. She quickly slipped it on and admired it on her hand. Its’ beauty was beyond comprehension. Her gaze flicked back to Bowyn as he continued to speak.

Rue’s face, split between blushing and grinning, split into a wide smile. ”Oh Bowyn, it’s perfect!” Rue exclaimed and threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. ”This is beautiful and perfect! Thank you so much!” She let go and grinned up at him now. ”I agree with everything you’re saying. Nothing could change me being here for you.” She looked back at the ring and grinned up at him. ”Thank you again! Dinner tonight is on me!”

She heard footsteps and looked over to see Kaleb walking past them on his way to Eris' door. “Adorable as always. Hashtag BoRue for the win, right?” Rue frowned at his snicker and watched him briefly before turning back to Bowyn. She ignored his response and looked at Bowyn.

”So! Where would you like to go? Your choice!” Rue beamed up at him as if he were the first snowfall of the year.

[Helo]

Time: Afternoon
Location: River Fairy Kingdom - Treeant Inn
Interactions: none
Armor: Adamantine Half-Plate and Steel Chain Mail (currently in his room)
Weapons: Apricus; a Mithril longsword, a steel sheild with barrier charm (currently in his room), and a steel dagger.
Mount: Cow, a black and white Oak Horse
Equipment: Bow and quiver of arrows. Small backpack: 1 large red potion, 3 medium blue potions, 3 medium red potions, darksight glasses, wayfinder, and fire kit. A transmission bracelet (connected to Augus) and pouch of amas.

Purchases During Time Skip

Longbow, quiver, arrows -75 amas
Mithril Longsowrd -350 amas
Steel Shield -60 amas
Barrier charm -400 amas
Adamantine Half Plate -420 amas
Steel Chain Mail -130 amas
Steel Dagger -15 amas
Potions - 25 amas
Darksight Glasses - 40 amas
Small Backpack -25 amas
Oak Horse -220 amas

Total Deduction -1,760 amas
Being Prepared for the War: Priceless

---

Orias’s day began the same as it had for the past four months; he awoke before the sun did, rising to watch Solaris’s might stretch across the sky during early morning meditation. These were his most peaceful moments before he had to assemble a mask to wear in front of others. Next came reminding himself of goals and duties that had to remain in the forefront of his mind; he had to project the image of a confidant prince, had to believe in his words and actions if he was to expect others to believe in them as well.

So many in the River Fairy Kingdom looked at him as if he held the answers to Avalia’s problems, if he let them down, if they lost hope in him, then he risked his allies losing the hope that they could win this war. He represented not only himself but the Biren name and legacy. It was hard to believe he could handle the amount of responsibility that had been so suddenly thrust upon him. He acted the part, walked with his head held high and confidant, and spoke as if he believed in his words.

He tried to look the part, commissioned a sword and shield from the finest smith he could find, fitting armor to match, and did his best to hide any trace of doubt in his eyes. The stress made his body ache in ways it never had before. Because he didn’t feel like a leader, he only saw himself as the coward who turned his back on his kingdom rather than face his own mistakes. How long could he keep this going before he, inevitably, ruined everything he was trying to build?

There was breakfast and training with the fae. He kept himself on a strict schedule; meditation, mealtimes, and sleep were the closest he came to taking a break. Despite the work Orias put into training and his continued meditations, his magic showed no signs of improvement, and so his primary focus stayed on physical combat. It was better to focus on what he could do than what he could not. He had to stay ready for anything, dark elves and demons could be at their door at any moment. He nudged and encouraged Xavier toward a more balanced schedule, opportunities for the human to explore and appreciate Avalia while also making sure he would be ready when the time came for battle. When it came to Aiko and Yuka, Orias did not find it his place to give orders, he was not their prince and they all were equals.

Aiko became a soothing presence as he began to understand their mysterious ways to simply be an aspect of their nature, rather than something he needed to be suspicious of. They were invaluable with knowledge of their demonic foes, and he trusted the dreakwalker implicitly. Xavier’s training was going exceptionally well, the human was strong, and a quick study. He not only showed a willingness to learn but to teach what he knew as well. Orias had faith in the young lad’s ability to bring and weather storms. Then there was Yuka, whose whimsical nature and mysterious motivations still made it hard for him to understand the lioness. He envied her unwavering confidence and the ease with which she acclimated into every situation. She so easily swayed public opinion in their favor.

Today’s training was cut short as Abertha was in full swing in the River Fairy Kingdom and Orias thought a hunting trip would be a fine use of the extra time. Taking part in Avalian holidays and customs would be good for Xavier, immersing the young human in the culture and people of the Avalia would only further impress upon him the importance of protecting this world. He hoped they would be successful enough that they could bring enough meat back to host a feast as a show of thanks for those who ran the Treeant Inn they were all staying at. He had offered the idea of a hunting trip the day before, and now he only waited at the inn for anyone interested in heading off into the forest.

[Mole]

_{T I M E : A F T E R N O O N
L O C A T I O N : D U G M A G H O R D
I N T E R A C T I O N S :
T A G S : @Princess, @Alivefalling, @FunnyGuy, @Potter , @Helo , @Baraquiel , @13org , @hide on mana
E Q U I P M E N T :}

[+]

_{T E E T H C L E A N S E R , A R M P I T F R A G R A N C E , W A T E R F L A S K , W A Y F I N D E R , T R A N S M I S S I O N B R A C E L E T , B A T H I N G S U I T , C A R B U N C L E , S M A L L R E D P O T I O N , S M A L L B L U E P O T I O N , M E D I U M R E D P O T I O N , M E D I U M B L U E P O T I O N , L A R G E R E D P O T I O N , L A R G E B L U E P O T I O N , P U R P L E P O T I O N , Y E L L O W P O T I O N , P I N K P O T I O N , B L A C K P O T I O N , G R E E N P O T I O N}

She quieted her humming and turned her milky gaze towards Slick. "I apologize, Slick," her eyes downcast at the small glow emitting from Mela. It flickered a little in its own mischievous way. Aurora knew that Mela would enjoy the hunting, but she was not feeling any particular need to come along. If anything, she was already preoccupied. "I should have said something sooner, instead of -" Her usual bashfulness painted her cheeks in a blush, and as usual, she wished she could have hidden herself under the hood of her cloak. Instead, she shook her head and pushed a smile on her lips. Her hand stopped stroking Mela, who was now looking towards Slick with curiosity. "I would prefer to stay here," she spoke while looking at Slick, again, and then she quickly looked back to Mela, "I am sorry, Mela. I know you would like to go, but I have some more meditating to do," Once again, Aurora looked back up at Slick. "Thank you for asking. You are always so kind to include me on your adventures." Her small smile widened as she cheerfully said, "May your hunting be blessed." One of her hands rose and a made a small sign in the air towards them and then rested on the back of Mela, who was tending herself in a perplexed manner.