LuckyBlackCat

Hoseforn’s Academy for Gifted Adventurers: Rebirth

@ChaoticLaw

"Oooh, I wonder if they'll be someone else who enjoys crafting, and tending to plants?" Karya continued. "Or if they'll have a completely different set of interests and skills, and we'll be able to learn from each other? I don't mind who they are though, as long as they're respectful. And I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in classes tomorrow! What will it be first, an athletics class, or a magic one? Or more of a theory one? Can't wait to see how it all works here! Yeah it's a bit confusing in some ways, I've gotta admit, but it's all a learning curve!"

Athena couldn't get a word in edgeways. It was someone else, however, who spoke up. Karya looked over at the young man standing at the entrance, his waist-length hair and the ragged edges of his robe giving him a wild appearance, as if he too were used to dwelling in nature. He bowed at the waist and introduced himself as Sa'Hari, clearly not yet accustomed to the common tongue, but making himself understood as he asked if the fire had bothered her.

"Oh hey there!" Karya swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, returning the bow, hers much more awkward than his fluid gesture as she stumbled and steadied herself. Mostly from her tipsiness, and partly because she wasn't used to such mannerisms. The Brackenglade tribe was less formal, but she did it out of respect for his customs. "I'm Karya, pleased to meet you! Athena's rooming with us too, I didn't expect we'd have an extra roommate, but it's a nice surprise!"

She gestured to the crystal on the wall, figuring Athena was probably a stone spirit. Either that or she ran on communication magic - the oreads in the mountains near her home forest, who traded runestones, knew spells for communicating via rock and gem shards. "As for the fire, ehh, it's just not something I'm used to." She glanced at the blackened nook in the wall, suppressing a shudder. That whiff of woodsmoke still lingered in the air. "Dryads and fire don't really mix. Hope you don't mind the runestone."

Stranded: Blacksite (High casual Sci-fi/fantasy Horror)

Ziola Ozro

Name: Ziola Ozro

Race: Tulak

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Appearance:

While Ziola's pale colouring and delicate features make her appear soft, the way she carries herself is anything but. Her face is usually neutral, only the occasional small tell giving away any emotion. At 5'6" she's fairly average height, but stands tall even in fraught situation, her mannerisms either purposeful or defensive.

Equipment: First aid kit, various surgical tools

Attunement/enhancements: Ziola is attuned to Life, able to heal wounds, as well as affect the body in various ways - not all of them beneficial. While she prefers not to cause harm, she's capable of it if it's unavoidable, or if she's pushed too far.

Unique Ability: Ziola is able to temporarily boost someone's physical functions, either her own or someone else's, such as strength, pain tolerance, or senses. She can only affect one person and one function at a time, and if she maintains the effect for more than five minutes, it becomes taxing on her - using this ability for too long will cause her to pass out. Aboard the ship, she can only use it to a tiny extent, and for a matter of seconds at a time.

Personality: To those who don't know her, Ziola is difficult to read. Her face is an impassive mask most of the time. This emotional restraint, combined with her tendency towards dark humour, makes her appear cold - and what really adds to this is her wariness. She's slow to trust, and even slower to forgive. Those she's particularly cynical about are those in authority or those who are otherwise widely esteemed, as she knows firsthand there's often more to them that meets the eye.

Gaining her trust, while not easy, will result in a loyal, protective friend - who will unleash her more brutal side to defend them if necessary. If that trust is broken, however, it'll be exceptionally difficult to rebuild.

Bio: Money and power aren't everything, and Ziola is living proof of this. A medic of wealthy origins, she was married off to a high-ranking politician, Aedar, since her family wished to gain some political influence. Aedar was unable to use magic, and while non-mages typically compensated by seeking other forms of power, he still bitterly envied mages. Behind closed doors, he'd take out his resentment on Ziola. Frequently.

If she spoke out, he told her, nobody would believe her. And if she tried to do anything to him, she'd suffer for it. Everyone, however, has a breaking point. Aedar forbade her from doing her job, claiming it was because she was meant to be devoted to him, but really it was because he envied her abilities. Nonetheless, she'd sneak out and continue to perform medicine on the sly. When he found out, Aedar was furious. He sent his men to track her down, one of them killing a patient to get at her while the others restrained her. They brought her back home, and the moment she was left alone with her husband was when she snapped.

As he'd warned, she suffered for it - especially considering how brutal and drawn out his death was, multiple organs failing. Having taken the life of such an important figure, she was sent right away to the prison reserved for the worst criminals, the Alcatraz.

Stranded: Blacksite (High casual Sci-fi/fantasy Horror) (An RP that's seen a few iterations)

Colour me interested!

Obligatory salty healer

Name: Ziola Ozro

Race: Tulak

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Appearance:

While Ziola's pale colouring and delicate features make her appear soft, the way she carries herself is anything but. Her face is usually neutral, only the occasional small tell giving away any emotion. At 5'6" she's fairly average height, but stands tall even in fraught situation, her mannerisms either purposeful or defensive.

Equipment: First aid kit, various surgical tools

Attunement/enhancements: Ziola is attuned to Life, able to heal wounds, as well as affect the body in various ways - not all of them beneficial. While she prefers not to cause harm, she's capable of it if it's unavoidable, or if she's pushed too far.

Unique Ability: Ziola is able to temporarily boost someone's physical functions, either her own or someone else's, such as strength, pain tolerance, or senses. She can only affect one person and one function at a time, and if she maintains the effect for more than five minutes, it becomes taxing on her - using this ability for too long will cause her to pass out. Aboard the ship, she can only use it to a tiny extent, and for a matter of seconds at a time.

Personality: To those who don't know her, Ziola is difficult to read. Her face is an impassive mask most of the time. This emotional restraint, combined with her tendency towards dark humour, makes her appear cold - and what really adds to this is her wariness. She's slow to trust, and even slower to forgive. Those she's particularly cynical about are those in authority or those who are otherwise widely esteemed, as she knows firsthand there's often more to them that meets the eye.

Gaining her trust, while not easy, will result in a loyal, protective friend - who will unleash her more brutal side to defend them if necessary. If that trust is broken, however, it'll be exceptionally difficult to rebuild.

Bio: Money and power aren't everything, and Ziola is living proof of this. A medic of wealthy origins, she was married off to a high-ranking politician, Aedar, since her family wished to gain some political influence. Aedar was unable to use magic, and while non-mages typically compensated by seeking other forms of power, he still bitterly envied mages. Behind closed doors, he'd take out his resentment on Ziola. Frequently.

If she spoke out, he told her, nobody would believe her. And if she tried to do anything to him, she'd suffer for it. Everyone, however, has a breaking point. Aedar forbade her from doing her job, claiming it was because she was meant to be devoted to him, but really it was because he envied her abilities. Nonetheless, she'd sneak out and continue to perform medicine on the sly. When he found out, Aedar was furious. He sent his men to track her down, one of them killing a patient to get at her while the others restrained her. They brought her back home, and the moment she was left alone with her husband was when she snapped.

As he'd warned, she suffered for it - especially considering how brutal and drawn out his death was, multiple organs failing. Having taken the life of such an important figure, she was sent right away to the prison reserved for the worst criminals, the Alcatraz.

The Avatar Upstairs (Forum Game)

My neighbor is a witch. Who casts spells late at night no less. I'll never get a good night's sleep through all that chanting...

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Jess' ribs tightened. She should have known Roxy would be blunt and to-the-point right as they'd stepped through the door, but she couldn't blame her for wanting to address the issues as soon as possible. Watching as her mother's lips pressed together into a thin line, Jess knew the trepidation tensing her muscles wasn't just her own.

"He told me... A lot of things." Her mom broke the awkward silence, using that cool, controlled tone she put on when dealing with something unpleasant. "We can talk about it once you're both settled in. Then you can tell me your side of the story."

Pulling her luggage along the hallway, Jess gave her mom an earnest look over her shoulder. "Look, I highly doubt she'd do anything like that," she said, before falling silent as she realised her mistake. Revealing Reginald as a liar and manipulator wouldn't end well. Knowing him, he probably planned to create so much tension and distance in this household that she and Roxy would have to spend more time at his place. Or make it look like he was the only one who could tame Roxy's 'wild ways', earning her mom's trust.

Even while away from Reginald, there was no escaping him.

Urban Starlight Wonderland: A Magical Girl RP

@Shiyonichi@FrogRFlowR@AzureKnight

Well, Crimson Wing's display was quite something. Ukiko stared in awe at the dancing flames and burning wings. Now this was along the lines of what came to mind when she thought "magical girl" - she couldn't imagine this girl having any confidence issues, or being scared of anything. Yui, aka Evergreen, gave a much more sedate introduction, but her power was no less impressive judging by the thorn attack just now. Compared to them, Ukiko suddenly felt small and lesser. Not that she was about to let it show - magical girls put on a brave face no matter what.

The white-clad girl reacted rather less favourably, with a blank stare. It was only with much prompting from the mouse, Quant, that she introduced herself as Kana. At Kana's sassing of Quant, Ukiko chuckled. "Oh believe me, I feel your pain." She glanced at Burabura, then back. "Nice to meet you though! And yep, ask away if you want. I've been at this for two months, so I pretty much know what I'm doing." Or at least, she hoped she did. Her stomach clenched as she resolved to live up to her words.

As reassuring and fearless as Ukiko had meant to sound, Burabura wasn't impressed. That single green eye rolled. "Don't get overconfident-bura. While all magical girls have potential, even those with years of experience still have things to learn-bura."

Ukiko gave a mix of a laugh and a groan. "See what I mean?" Yeah it was all a learning curve, but as forces of positivity, magical girls were supposed to be cheerful and confident, weren't they? Boosting each other's morale was important, and the classic magical girl mannerisms from her and Crimson Wing had put a smile on Yui's face. She stood tall, head held high. "No need to worry though, nobody messes with Ghostlight! Or any of us, by the look of it!"

She studied Kana, trying to figure out her concept. The white colour scheme suggested ice or light, but she couldn't connect those with a huge sword. "So besides that awesome sword, what kind of magic do you use?"

Hoseforn’s Academy for Gifted Adventurers: Rebirth

Karya swayed through the courtyard, a little more drunk than she'd intended to get.

In part, it was because she'd gone and chugged wine out of a big mug rather than a goblet, but she hadn't known it would be that strong. A container was a container, and a drink was a drink wasn't it? The other reason had been Hoseforn's warning, that they must all stay vigilant in the coming days. She'd asked around at the table, heard rumours of disappearances. Like the ones Xanthe had been investigating before vanishing herself.

The wine hadn't taken the edge off of the anxiety roiling in her stomach, as she'd hoped it would, but she'd kept up a cheery act, so as not to bring down the mood for everyone. She gripped the map tighter, silently resolving to become the best adventurer she could, and track down her sister. She'd give her all in class tomorrow, no matter how bad a headache she was likely to wake up with. It would be a good idea, despite her worries, to at least try to get a good night's sleep.

Crystals, lit up like fireflies, floated along the path's sides. They illuminated an immense, towering building, utterly unlike the small huts she was used to. She didn't get the point of such large and closed structures, but she wasn't going to complain. A glance at the map confirmed this was the right building. Buzzed as she was, her dryad-typical sturdiness meant she still had some of her wits about her at least. She staggered inside, heading up the stairs to where the map's route ended - door 415. As soon as she reached out to open it, a tingle of magic spread up her fingers, and she heard a click. The door swung open on its own, causing her to stumble. Steadying herself, she stared and recoiled at the sight it revealed.

The first thing that drew her attention was an orange blaze on one side of the room. Crackling noises. The smell of smoke sticking in her suddenly tight throat. "Oh crap no no no..." Ribs clenching as panic spiked, she turned and hurried down the hallway. "Fire! This place is on FREAKING FIRE!!"

"There is no need for concern," came an oddly calm voice from inside the room. A voice she recognised - Athena, the giant talking crystal who'd greeted her earlier. Karya stopped, her breathing harsh and rapid as she looked over her shoulder. How had Athena gotten in there? "The fire is safely contained within the hearth."

Taking deep breaths, Karya inched back into the room. The flickering flames in the alcove still set her on edge. So this really was how most of Ealinata did things - since the Brackenglade tribe used runestones for heat and light, only ever using fire under heavily controlled conditions, it wasn't a sight she was accustomed to. "Whew, just a bit of culture shock. Hope I didn't freak anyone out." With a shaky laugh, she turned her attention to the glowing crystal on the opposite wall, a smaller version of the one she'd spoken to in the hall. "Nice to see you again though! Didn't expect I'd get two roommates! The more the merrier. And neat, everything's already set up, that's pretty convenient! Ahahaha!"

Chatting served as a distraction as she forced her gaze everywhere except the fire. Someone had set up a workbench, and several potted plants in the corner. On each side of the room was a large bed, with rather more covers than necessary in Karya's opinion - mosses were good enough for her, but at least these plush beds looked comfortable. Her eyes settled on a water glass on one of the bedside tables. Heading right over, she grabbed it and flung the contents into the hearth. With a hiss and a billow of smoke that made Karya cough, the flames died down to embers, plunging the room into darkness. The only light came from Athena, soft and pulsing.

Although the fire had posed no danger, Karya exhaled in relief. Her hands still trembled as she shrugged the leather backpack from her shoulders, took out a runestone and dropped into the ashes. As soon as she spoke the words to activate it, the stone glowed orange, radiating warmth. There, that was better.

"Welcome, Karya of Brackenglade," Athena spoke up. "This will be your dorm room for the foreseeable future. There is a bathroom in the door to your right that you and your roommate may share if you do not wish to use the public baths. While sleeping in the dorm room is not strictly required, sleeping in any non sanctioned area of the school is forbidden and may result in disciplinary action."

"Bathroom?" Karya glanced to her right, eyebrows furrowed. "There's one of those artificial lakes in here?" She'd already visited the public bath house earlier at Athena's request. While it had been plenty soothing, surely setting up places like that was more trouble than it was worth when there were perfectly good ponds outside? And why have one meant for just two people, considering there was already a public one?

"All students at Hoseforn's are provided with bathrooms," Athena continued. "If you desire privacy, we will accommodate your wishes."

Well, now this was getting weirder. What was so bad about bathing that it had to be done in private? Still, for all the confusing talk, she appreciated Athena's company. After Hoseforn's ominous speech, she didn't want to be alone with her thoughts. Head still buzzing from the wine, she flopped onto one of the beds, taking in the spacious room. "Do you know who the other roommate's going to be?" she asked Athena. "I can't wait to meet them!"

Hoseforn’s Academy for Gifted Adventurers: Rebirth

Added lore for nymphs, hope this is ok!

Nymphs

Nymphs

Nymphs are beings descended from the fey, with ties to the natural world. There are many types, including dryads (wood nymphs), nereids (sea nymphs), aurae (air nymphs), and oreads (mountain nymphs).

Their physical traits reflect their element. Dryads are recognisable by their tough, bark-like skin. Nereids are covered in blue or silver scales, with fins on their limbs and gills on their necks. Aurae have flight-capable wings, resembling those of birds or insects. Oreads bear fragments of rock or crystal embedded in their skin. All types also have a much more diverse range of hair colours than humans. They have a high affinity for elemental magic related to the aspect of nature they’re tied to; for example, an oread of a volcanic area is likely to have a talent for both stone and fire magic.

Their connection to nature goes beyond their physical and magical attributes. They’re more at home living in the wilderness than in cities, their lifestyles involving foraging, hunting, bushcraft, and taking care of the land around them. The ones who embrace metal refinery the most are the oreads, due to their affinity with minerals, and even they seek ways to minimise the impact on the environment. While some nymphs do live in urban areas, usually due to marriage to city-dwellers, they’re happiest on the outskirts, near a forest, beach, cliff or mountain.

Although their primal lifestyles create distance between them and most other races, many will gladly trade goods. Dryads in particular are known for their wood crafting, and frequently trade with woodland elves. Oreads are the most reclusive of the nymphs, having been hunted in the past for the gems on their bodies, and they’re still targeted by criminals working for black markets.

Most nymphs are female, the ratio being two women to one man. Many of their communities are matriarchal, although some eschew gender roles. Their societies vary depending on their element: dryads are typically family and community oriented, of the mindset that it takes a village to raise a child, and sharing their items between the entire tribe. When dealing with non-dryads, this can lead to misunderstandings and accusations of theft. Conversely, aurae are often free-spirited and independent. To some, they may appear selfish, but they care for others in their own way, helping their loved ones assert their individuality and do what they personally find fulfilling within reason. Nereids and oreads are somewhere in between these two extremes.

Nymphs reach maturity at the same rate as humans, yet their natural lifespan is around 150 years. The exceptions to the rule are hamadryads. It’s a common practice for the leader of a dryad tribe to bind their life force to a tree via advanced magic, becoming a hamadryad and living for several centuries, at the cost of being unable to venture further than 100 feet from the tree without becoming sick and eventually dying. They undergo this to gain the wisdom they consider necessary for a ruler, and warriors will protect the hamadryad and tree with their lives.

Hoseforn’s Academy for Gifted Adventurers: Rebirth

New race and character!

Grimalkin

Grimalkin

These feline-featured people were originally created long ago by human mages, to serve as familiars. Magically bound into slavery, and sometimes even used as blood sacrifices, they eventually turned against their creators. Once free, they retreated from the large cities and formed their own small communities, many grimalkin taking on even more independence and living solitary lives as rangers or rogues.

Their history affects their attitude towards magic. While some embrace it, as it helped their ancestors break free from their masters, many more are distrustful of it. This may be ironic for a race with a lot of magical potential, but they claim their past is proof that it's too easily misused. The type they're most accepting of is natural magic, such as their shapeshifting ability, and even that's considered something to only do when necessary. Everything else incites wariness, as they believe those who seek power are typically unfit to wield it.

Those who reject magic often learn martial skill to compensate, and defend themselves against threats, making good use of their catlike agility.

The grimalkin are recognisable by their cat ears, eyes and tails. They have retractable claws on their fingers and toes, and stripe markings on their skin are common. Their senses of hearing and smell are sharper than those of a human, and they have keen night vision. They are also able to take on feline form, resembling either housecats or small wildcats.

For the most part, their communities keep to themselves in small towns and villages, although some intermingle with other races. Being skilled hunters, they often live in or near forests. Places of worship are rare, since most have little to no interest in religion, wishing to be bound to no one.

Tybert Palug

Name: Tybert Palug

Race: Grimalkin

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Appearance:


Tybert's most striking features (to non grimalkin anyway) are his cat ears and tail, glossy black like his hair. He has tan skin, and running from eye to jaw on either side of his face is a marking resembling a tabby stripe. His eyes are blue and slit-pupilled, and he has small fangs, as well as retractable claws. He stands at 5'11", with a lithe build suited for agility, and scars on his arms from his martial training.

Class: Fighter

Personality: Tybert is quiet, refined and finicky, to the point that he could be described as stuffy. He isn't the most approachable person, often wearing a frown and snarking under his breath. It's rare to see him smile, besided the occasional confident smirk, and even rarer to hear him laugh. His haughtiness drives him to be the best he can, so he spends much of his time studying or training.

Those who get past his grouchy exterior will find a much more affectionate side, and may even get him to be somewhat playful (emphasis on "may" and "somewhat"). He's extremely protective of his friends, and has a strong sense of justice in general, refusing to tolerate slavery or exploitation of any kind.

Strengths:
- His feline traits make him highly agile and flexible. He's good at jumping and climbing, and when falling, can land in such a way as to prevent or minimise injury.
- Skilled at fighting with swords and daggers, and with his claws in a pinch.
- Keen hearing, smell and night vision.
- He can turn into a cat, which is useful for stealth missions.
- If he got over his dislike of magic, he'd be pretty apt at it. Particularly motion magic because of his dexterity, and spells that temporarily enhance others' skills and functions.

Weaknesses:
- Since he relies on agility, he can't wear heavy armour.
- Despite having an aptitude for magic, he has a strong aversion to all but the most natural kinds. He distrusts magic users, and refuses to use it himself. If he has to use it as a last resort, his conflicting feelings about it often weaken the spell or make it go awry.
- Stuck up and snobbish, he won't admit to his mistakes or shortcomings easily, and is reluctant to take others' advice.
- Loud noises and strong unpleasant smells are overwhelming to his sharp senses.
- His cat transformations take 10-20 seconds depending how tired or injured he is, during which time he can't move and is vulnerable.

Biography: Growing up in a woodside grimalkin community, Tybert was a fair bit more free-spirited when he was younger. Taught from a young age to train as a fighter like his parents, he tended to defy the strict expectations put on him. Venturing outside of the town was how he met Trixie, a girl from Kako Village.

Trixie appeared to be human, and Kako Village was known for the crafting of magical items - two reasons to be wary. The grimalkin had a difficult history with human mages, the first of their kind having been created by them as familiars and bound into servitude. Many, including his community, outright rejected most forms of magic for this reason. Still, youthful curiosity won out over fear, and he developed a friendship with Trixie. A friendship that, sadly, wore away after an event drove him to take on the ideals of his family and community.

His father died in battle, and Tybert felt the need to follow in his footsteps. Not just this, but to be a good role model to his younger brother in their father's stead. Slowly, he drifted away from Trixie as the anti-magic prejudices of his family and his mentors got to him. Yet, likely thanks to her, his curiosity about it never completely disappeared. Since part of his training was to defend against magic, this involved learning a few things about how it worked, and he looked into it more than he should have.

One day, tragedy nearly struck again, as he learned his brother had been severely injured in a training accident. The medics were doing what they could, but the situation looked bleak. Visiting his bedside, Tybert knew there was only one thing he could do, even if it went against his principles. He wasn't going to lose anyone else. Making sure nobody would notice, Tybert focused and muttered the words for a healing spell. Considering his lack of experience, it took several tries for anything to happen - and by the time he managed to help his brother to any extent, the medics caught him.

He was promptly kicked out from his training, and his family made their utter disappointment clear. Even his brother, who'd been stabilised enough to pull through, admitted he'd rather have died with honour than live in shame. It seemed at first there was nowhere to go, but one person turned out willing to help - a certain old friend. Despite the distance that had grown between them, Trixie was willing to shelter him.

It was through her that he heard of the prestigious Hoseforn academy, and decided to go with her to regain his honour, as well as prove himself to his family. The only issue was it would inevitably be full of mages, but he'd show that even without casting a single spell, he could do better than any of them.

Urban Starlight Wonderland: A Magical Girl RP

@Shiyonichi@FrogRFlowR@AzureKnight

With a sick jolt, Ukiko realised she hadn't thought things through. What if the shade made a sudden movement and put the mouse in the attack's way? Or she failed to catch the creature if they fell? Luckily the fireball hit its mark, a thorn attack from another magical girl finishing off the shade. Ukiko swooped to catch the mouse, but to her relief, the creature was either a flying familiar like Burabura, or a fairy.

Exhaling, Ukiko floated down to where three other magical girls stood. One who looked like a forest nymph clad in green and white lace, one whose traditionally Eastern outfit blazed fiery red and gold, one who wielded an impressive sword and appeared to have conflicting feelings about her mouse friend's rescue. A strained smile spread across Ukiko's face as she fought the urge to recoil. She'd battled shades nightly for the past two months. Nothing should unnerve her after that, especially not meeting new people, but somehow it did. As always in such a situation, she hid her awkwardness behind a confident, goofy front.

She vanished, flying up to the swordswoman and reappearing in front of her, a crazed grin on her face, fingers outstretched and wiggling. "The scoooourge of the night, that's who I am!" Giggling, she flipped over in midair and landed. Hamming it up as much as possible helped her nerves, and would hopefully cheer up the other girl somewhat. "Well, to shades anyway. You can call me Magical Girl Ghostlight!" She raised her fist and did the cheesiest magical girl pose she could. "Or just Ukiko, and this here is Burabura."

She gestured to her familiar, who drifted over with a grumble. "Y'know, you might not want to startle someone who's holding a giant sword-bura," the lantern chided. "And you could've waited till you'd gotten closer to that shade before letting loose-bura. What if you'd hit the captive-bura?"

"Ehh, just trying to lighten the mood..." Ukiko's smile became a tense rictus again as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Don't mind Burabura, she's like this all the time." She stuck out her tongue at Burabura, who poked out her own tongue right back, classic chochin-obake style. In truth, Ukiko couldn't really blame the swordswoman for getting mad - her friend had been in danger, after all. But still, it had all turned out ok hadn't it? "And hey, all's well that ends well."

Burabura groaned. "Just saying-bura. One of these days you're going to get yourself, or someone else, in trouble-bura."

Shaking her head, Ukiko gave a tense laugh. Get in trouble? Yes it had been a close call, but wasn't the whole point of becoming a fearless fighter to keep people out of trouble? Like she'd failed to do all those years ago? "Anyway..." She glanced around the group. "What are your names?"