TaroAndSelia

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

Alisea:
Day 7 - spent day in library learning the written system, leaving the Literature Skill's autotranslate feature off.
Day 8 - same, but with Kyo in her company while half the guild was away. The pair studied together most of the day, stopping to go out for meals and just a bit of meandering about town. At certain persons' insistence, the magess did not take their charge anywhere even potentially dangerous.
Also of note, she has pulled Kyo into her room to share the large bed with herself and Aster. Anyone who hopes to object should message Alisea here or on Discord. ;)

Also, tag @Ithradine, @Tybalt Capulet, and @Trainerblue192 for that last post. (I went and forgot to include it IC, so you'll get it here.)

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

The afternoon looked like it would be a pleasant one. There hadn’t been a bad day yet, though knowing what she did of their host Alisea suspected a thunderstorm was only a matter of time. That made it important to utilize a day such as this. And after two full days locked in the library, she welcomed the bright day. At present she was sitting on a grassy field outside Genesis City, recording notes on her day’s research.

“Limbs don’t break or tear away; perhaps there are specific skills for causing those conditions.” Alisea’s finger tapped across the screen as she spoke, writing out her words in a message to Fyaira. “The boars react to a physical stimulus without damage, so their programming accounts for ‘pain’ as well as ‘attacks’--a strong indication there are non-damaging skills to pull an enemy’s aggression.”

To her side, a weak snort was all the cry a nearly-crippled boar could make as it tried to charge once more. Without even looking, Alisea raised a hand and cast Nether Push, halting the beast’s advance. Immediately she switched to a Nether Pull, toppling the boar forward and grinding its snout into the dirt once more.

“The starting mob has no intelligence, so its attack patterns are discernable and predictable. Also, the terrain is capable of causing damage to the mobs, so it is likely the same for players; a bad tumble may cost you HP.”

The boar stood once more, its HP bar scarcely containing an inch of life. This time Alisea let it start into its charge, building some momentum. Then she Pulled it forward once more. Unprepared for the extra speed, the boar’s legs faltered and it tumbled to the ground, coming to a stop not a meter away from the magess. She was mildly irked it hadn’t slid close enough to allow her to remain seated.

Alisea twisted her body and reached out with her hand. The boar was trying to stand once more; a Shadow Bind brought that to a stop. Alisea’s hand drew near, but the creature couldn’t move a muscle. Panic filled its eyes--a feral look of a cornered beast. She devoured that look, her own gaze swallowing it without empathy. The magess placed her hand on the creature’s eye and began to drain the heat.

It tried to shut the eye against the pain. It howled from deep inside as best it could without moving its jaw. Everything that wasn’t locked in place by its shadow squirmed and fought, but her hand remained in place. She counted the seconds--five, ten, twenty--and pulled her hand away. The eye remained whole, undamaged. In one last effort, she jabbed her fingers into the boar’s eye with all her strength. The blow hit and bounced off, just as though she had punched its side. Its HP dropped the last portion and the boar tipped over, slain.

The magess let out a sigh and returned to her typing. “Similar to the limbs, eyesight cannot be impaired through simple damage; again, I suspect specific skills target these capabilities, and interfering with them is impossible without those skills. The only good news coming out of this is that the same will apply to adventurers: normal damage will not disrupt our capabilities. We cannot lose limbs (or the use thereof) nor our eyesight, hearing, smell, or taste unless a specific status causes it, and skills or abilities causing such will be limited and identifiable.”

The body of the boar shattered into droplets of light and disappeared. Sixty seconds after the time of death, every time. That didn’t answer definitely whether a player was killed right away or after those sixty seconds, but it just might have been possible the GM left a grace period and some way to resurrect an ally--perhaps with a miracle. But that was one suggestion the magess dare not say aloud.

With that test subject lost, Alisea cast her glance around for the next. No more boars remained nearby; other players were pulling them away to train themselves. Embarrassingly, even though they were a week into this world, she had seen a player die under these simple mobs. As best she could tell at a distance, he had failed to maintain his gear and it broke during the combat. Foolish mistakes were certainly costly in life--especially this life.

Alisea sent off the message to Fyaira--now those notes would be saved for the both of them, at least for a month--and started another message. She spent a few moments in silence, pondering what to say. Finally her fingers began to move again.

“I hope you did not mind my slipping out early, Aster. You returned so late yesterday, I wanted to let you sleep longer. And you had Kyo to keep you company; she is a good assistant. If you need to access the storage, or if you want to have some fun, I have almost finished out here in the fields. Maybe we can find a salon to prepare for tomorrow’s festival!”

She sent that message, then started yet again:

“Reylan, I hope you enjoyed the trip! I have some thoughts to share with you when you have time--not the least of which is how adorable Kyo is! We had a lot of fun at the library yesterday, and she was a tremendous help! I hope you take good care of her today. Good luck with the search and everything else!

P.S. She may still be with us for the festival tomorrow, so make sure you plan for that possibility.”

Alisea nodded to herself as she sent the message. As it was for Reylan, leaving mention of the festival in the middle would be too little; tacking it onto the end should help the word lodge in his thoughts. She couldn’t count how many times she’d made sure to mention it over the last three days. Surely by now he would be thinking about it instead of worrying over Paralyze or other insignificant things. And as long as he was thinking about it, he would realize (he would, right?) he still hadn’t asked Aster to accompany him.

With her housekeeping finished, Alisea stood to look for another subject. More players had appeared on the field, so even fewer chances would present themselves; rather than waste time waiting, Alisea turned and started her jog back to the city. With the spare time she could…

An idea struck her. She opened her messages again, slowing to a walk only long enough to type out a short note.

“Hello, River! Do you like pastries? Baker Josef has a special right now leading up to the festival, if you would care to join me.”

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

The sun had dropped to the horizon, bathing the land in a majestic crimson. Freya paused in her travels long enough to enjoy the beauty of the sunset. Everything around her was washed with red.

With flames.

An uneasiness swept over Freya as she stood there. The woman pulled her staff close and cast her eyes about. These were the plains--open farmland in every direction. Nobody could be sneaking up on her, especially not on the raised highway. The feeling she had wasn’t one of personal danger, either; nevertheless, casting one last look at the dipping sun, Freya felt something off. Different. That there was a change.

’If I don’t hurry, I won’t reach Euford before full dark.’ Willing herself forward, Freya resumed her journey. Whatever her premonition was, the Flow would show her in time.

* * * * * * *

The wall came into view just as twilight enveloped the road. Freya approached the city guard with a wave. When she drew near enough to make out the men’s faces, she broke into a beaming smile. “Dirk! And Halden, too! What is the foreman thinking, letting a pair of slackers work the same shift?”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Dirk countered, crossing toned arms over his chest. “I work more hours than any other guard in Euford--no, in the whole of Adelon!”

“Punishment hours don’t count,” Halden interjected.

“Uh-oh,” Freya muttered in sympathy. ”Don’t tell me the viceroy found out that you and his daughter-”

“SSSHHHHH!” Dirk hissed desperately. He cast a wary eye at his companion--Halden was looking away and whistling, pretending he didn’t know exactly what was going on--then wrapped an arm around Freya’s shoulders and turned her to the side of the road. “I’ve told you a thousand times, she came on to me! And nothing like that happened, so stop saying weird things!”

Freya giggled quietly. ”I know, I know. I’m sorry. But you did want to chase after her, right?”

Color tinted Dirk’s cheeks, so he turned his head away to try to hide it. “Yeah,” he answered at length. “As soon as I’m strong enough. That’s why I’m working all these extra hours! Foreman keeps catching me training-” he tried to shut himself up, but it was too late.

”...in ‘disturbances of the peace’ I assume?” She had enough heart not to call it bar brawling.

“Heh. Sometimes it’s better for public peace, y’know? Give a couple of these transient troublemakers a good smack, they behave the rest of their stay. Last week we had this crazy guy from out of town trying to tell people how magi can be virtuous! If you let looneys like that run loose, nothin’ but trouble will come.”

Freya felt her shoulders tense, so she immediately spun out of Dirk’s grip before he could notice her reaction. She met gazes with Halden. She didn’t know what face she was wearing right then, but she was terrified it might give away her disgust. Thankfully, Halden simply averted his gaze, going back to watching the dim road.

She willed herself back to calm. “If we let crazies like you run loose, we’ll have even more trouble!” Freya jabbed with a forced giggle. Dirk took mock offense, protesting her unjust portrayal of his heroics. She quickly bade the pair farewell after that, hurrying into the town as night descended.

She made her way toward the tavern, knowing Grumpy would have a bed available. Visitors stopping overnight were rare out here--that alone made a group standing in the square a curiosity. They became a full-blown novelty when Freya recognized what each of them were. A Muran child wearing what looked to be Demacite-powered gauntlets was the first to catch her eye. Nearby stood a young man in haggered dress, ready for battle; he must be the young master’s bodyguard. A Ydran woman was present, though noticeably detached from the Murans. Freya could guess their distaste for anyone of another race; it was likely they hired her for her survival skills and avoided interacting with her as much as possible. And at the center was a small-

Ice flowed down Freya’s spine even as sweat appeared on her brow. At the center was Amuné. Disheveled, dirty, and thinner than ever, but it was certainly the small girl Freya would see clinging to her mother, Ma’am Amira. Just as panic swept in, Freya’s eyes caught sight of Wyth standing faithfully next to her. He was at ease--or at least, not aggressive--so she could logically conclude that there was no immediate danger to the girl. But logic can only do so much against emotion. Freya stepped forward, catching the final edge of what the young master was saying.

“...to get a map and get going…”

“Going where, young master?” Freya called as she came out of the shadows. Her staff was gripped tightly in her right hand, and her face was set in a cold glare. “The sun is gone for today, and travel after dark is unsafe--now more than ever. Surely you aren’t thinking of bringing that girl out into peril?” She kept her voice level, but the words were hard and pointed. Her eyes rose to meet those of the wealthy child’s bodyguard--the white-haired Muran. “Why do you have that girl with you? Shouldn’t she be with her parents?”

The accusation wasn't blatant, but it was present. She hadn't taken her pack off, so Freya hoped it wouldn't come to a fight. The guard were close by, but... Amuné was closer. Her prayer was for a peaceful surrender, though she had yet to meet a villain who would.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

I want to double-check some of the details at present.
1) The town has no name at present, right? (Or did I just miss it?) I propose Hamelton if doing so is an option.
2) The weather is semi-clear, with clouds gathering on the horizon. It may rain during the night, but the evening will be pleasant.
3) This is a small (nay, microscopic) town that exists only to support the mill. (What kind of mill, by the way? Lumber, steel, grain, what?) However, as it is on the road to and from other places with actual import, would you say travelers aren't infrequent?

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

Floor 32*: The Divided Lands
*(totally just a suggestion; move it anywhere except a safety (non-raid) floor)

Gate City: Fortuna

Hider

Formerly, the city Fortuna was a place of wealth and prosperity. It stands in the center of the floor, at the crossroads between the various tribes, and became the hub for trade. The city fell to ruin, though, when the Great War ended all ties between tribes. Each person returned to the place of his ancestry; the few who remained quickly fell prey to monsters.
The gate still stands unharmed before what used to be the governor’s palace. Everything else is deteriorated and overgrown.

Northern Mountains: Bornztun

Hider

The Bornzun settled in the mountains of the far north. Mountain springs provide their city with water, and the mountains provide an endless supply of stone and ores. The access to raw minerals has made Bornztun the most productive city on the floor. Its soldiers are well-equipped and well-trained in close-quarter combat.

As it has been some generations since the fall of Fortuna, the common language has separated to some degree. The Bornzun speak something close to common; if you’ll tilt your ears while listening, most players can understand the message being sent.

Northern Dungeon: The Haunted Mines

Hider

Years ago the Bornzun tapped too deeply into a mountain and opened a portal to hell itself (or so they believed). They closed up the mineshaft as best they could, but have occasionally had small problems arise from within. The town guard has been able to handle it without much damage. But recently something much bigger has been shifting deep in the abandoned mine. If left unchecked, calamity may befall Bornztun.

Eastern Plains: The Hrosen

Hider

The Hrosen, rather than settle a city and fortify against monsters, live a nomadic lifestyle. They roam the wide plains, hunting and gathering their food. Their battle prowess is not to be scoffed at; it is said a Hrosen on his steed can slay five men on their feet. The connection a Hrosen has with his horse is far deeper than that of a human and a pet; the two are companions in survival and combat. Some whispers even speak of their ability to communicate with their mounts as one man speaks to another.

With no permanent home, the Hrosen pass their history through oral tradition and a few, rare scrolls. Literacy is low, and the language has drifted a fair distance from the standard.

Western Forest: Vainaxht

Hider

Living in the deep forests, the presence of monsters was a constant in their lives. The Vainazzi mastered the ability to tame monsters; now monsters are an everyday matter in a whole new way. Beasts of burden, defense forces, skilled labor (and what bizarre skills some of them have!), and so on; the people live surrounded by tamed monsters that do the hardest work. In learning to coexist with these bizarre creatures, their language and customs have grown similarly foreign. From clicks to guttural fricatives, to putting their front doors dozens of meters above the ground, the Vainazzi are different; understanding and working with them is a tremendous challenge.

Southwestern Dungeon: The Forgotten Temple

Hider

Hidden in the far depths of the forest lies the remains of an ancient temple. It predates even the three great tribes. Archaic symbols cover the walls and ceilings—those that haven’t collapsed, hidden beneath centuries of overgrowth. All the tribes will agree that the temple is a place of mystery and magic. The Vainazzi, though, have tales of strange happenings more recently. They speak of a darkness building in the heart of the temple and beginning to leak out. Beasts enraged and driven by the darkness do not succumb to the Vainazzi’s taming abilities; and as the occurrences grow more frequent, they find their home increasingly endangered.

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

Floor 4*: The Orient
*(earlier is better for this one, I think)

The land is divided by two countries: In the east, the Celestial Shogunate; and in the west, the Heavenly Empire. A large mountain range divides the nations—and contains two dungeons: The Top of the World; and the Deep Naraka. An ocean surrounds the land, offering an easier route for traders to go between the two nations.

In the West:
Qigong

Hider

The capital city of the Heavenly Empire, Qigong lies at the heart of the land. Characterized by majestic structures reaching into the sky, the capital is a beautiful city. The streets are paved and well-maintained; countless shops offer the nation’s wares; and the Palace rising in the very center is home to the Heavenly Emperor himself. Also, the portal gate is here.
Surrounding the capital proper is the less affluent residential zone. Small, single-story homes fan out for better than a mile. Beyond those are endless rows of farms, broken only by the occasional, large, community hut rising from the mire. The distinction between rich and poor is, as has been the case throughout history, enormous.
As a culture, the people of the Heavenly Empire value song and drama. Skilled singers and actors are sought after, and those with the clearest voices have the greatest prestige.

Frozen Naraka

Hider

Beneath the Heavenly Empire is another land, a frozen wasteland filled with demons and curses.

In the East:
Edo

Hider

The city of Edo is geographically enormous. The buildings rarely stand higher than two stories, and through most of the city they are spread out to allow space for yards and gardens. The only exception is the dock area, where most of the trading occurs. Here the shops and warehouses are built close together—but that isn’t a concern, as only the eccentric would live there. The people of the Celestial Shogunate value nature and the natural spirits greatly, and verdant life can be seen throughout all their cities and villages.
They also value performers who can blend with nature, be it through instruments or the dance. Vocal performance isn’t as sought after, as speech is seen as a disruption of the natural song; but those able to dance with the reeds or harmonize with the winds are praised and respected.

Burning Naraka

Hider

Beneath the lands of the Edo lies this world consumed in flame. Distinctly demonic creatures attempt to consume anyone foolish enough to enter their domain—and they don’t mind eating their food extra-crispy.

In the Mountains:
Deep Naraka

Hider

When you reach the center mountains, you can choose to go up or down. When you go down, you enter the Deep Naraka, a lightless place haunted by incorporeals. Going in without several sources of light would surely end in failure and death. Similarly, not being prepared to deal with the restless souls haunting its halls would bring your downfall.

Floor Dungeon – The Top of the World

Hider

If you choose to go up, you will find the Floor Dungeon. This dungeon is remarkably straightforward: players will go through a series of tests to prove they are fit to ascend to the next floor. It demands more than brute force from a party—although the final test at the end will demand a lot of that. Much of this dungeon will require players to think and skill their way through.

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

Day 6

After securing basic clothing, the group continued toward the central market. They perused weapon shops as they passed. They spent quite some time learning actions and spells--mostly due to Alisea struggling to contain herself to only the most important. The trio even ventured into the shadier back streets, the shops where the more rare and more expensive goods could be found.

As noon drew near, they made their way to Town Hall. Dirk had arrived ahead of them; everything was prepared by the time they appeared. A funeral for Kajin wasn’t what Alisea had expected in the slightest. She kept glancing at Reylan during the service. Occasionally her gaze drifted to Dirk, but she averted her eyes quickly; she couldn’t smile at him, and she could barely suppress a glare. Maybe this meant something important to him, but he was forcing Reylan to face a fallen comrade. He was ruining what should have been a happy day.

Yet he was the guild’s paladin--their best shield. She would bear it in silence. At least she didn’t have to fake any sorrow; her somber expression fit the funeral’s mood splendidly.

As soon as it was over she pulled Reylan aside to speak. “Reylan. Your face is too serious right now.”

Genuine grief beset Reylan’s silver features, the muscles in his face tight and unflinching as the service concluded. That was the truth wasn’t it? Kaijin was gone...dead. And now so was Paralyze presumably. He did not look at Alisea at first when she spoke, but shifted his head to look at her when he was ready to respond. “I saw the message Paralyze left...”

Another blow to their vacation. Immediately her thoughts had an answer. ‘Really. We should be relieved; that man was going to murder one of us sooner or later--probably sooner.’ But those were thoughts not to be openly expressed. “If that is what he meant, can you even blame yourself for that? Paralyze was going to li- go at his own pace no matter what you or I might say or do.”

“There must have been something I could have done. I can’t..accept..that this was simply inevitable.” The message hinted very heavily that Paralyze was ending his life, whether through his own hands or in battle against unwinnable odds. Reylan was the leader of the guild, in his mind he had to take responsibility “I need to become a stronger leader, that’s all I can do now. Even though he might have been dangerous, he was a part of this guild and it’s first loss.” He stated with a new intensity filling his eyes.

For several moments Alisea had no response. Finally, rather than speak, she reached up and ran one hand through Reylan’s silvery hair.

A light rosy blush colored the archer’s cheeks, his body locking up as Alisea did this. His mouth laid slightly open trying to think of a response but the surprise of the action left him speechless. ’Why was she doing this?’ he wondered. That wasn’t something friends did, so why? Nevermind the secret fact it actually felt kinda nice “Alisea?” he simply asked, not knowing how to properly respond to this.

“I love your hair, bright as the moon. I could play with it for hours.” Her hand dropped to her side, but Alisea locked eyes with the archer, holding him fast. “I wanted to touch it, so I touched it. This is a game, right? So I will do what I want to do. So did Paralyze. So does Aster. We believe living like that is more important. You will grow strong, Reylan, but remember why. Why we all came here.”

To escape. To live in a world where you could do so much more.. To experience fantastic things with people you’ve just met. To be your honest, true self. Alisea was right, these reasons couldn’t be forgotten. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her powerful gaze, like a powerful spell locking him in place. “I think I understand.” This was always her way, tease him out of nowhere then say something completely serious to throw him off. He couldn’t stop thinking about what she said earlier “You sure like doing whatever you want with me,” he said.

“Because I like you,” she answered easily. After giving his blush time to deepen a shade, she added, “Almost as much as your hair.”

Their fun day was over, but at least it looked like Reylan wouldn’t be brooding intensely about this. Even so, he was more motivated to be “the Guildmaster” than before, so he put himself to work on exactly that. For her part, Alisea had a host of new spells to practice and a disappointingly free afternoon in which to do so. ‘I need a storage space for my extra gear first; then… I promised to stay safe, so I can start with those boars.’

---

Item Sold:
Metal Staff (+360 renn)

Items Purchased:
Sturdy Clothes x2
Fancy Clothes
Leather Boots
Shoes
Cutthroat’s Gloves
Ancient Mage’s Talisman
(-700 renn)

Spells Purchased:
Darken Vision (4)
Shadow Raze (5)
Attuned to the Night (6)
Shadow Bind (7)

Strengthen (1)
Healing Beam (2)
Attuned to One’s Body (3)

Emit Cold Air (5)
Cold Skin (6)
(-1125 renn)

Other expenses:
Baths: 2 renn
Meals: 25 renn
Storage Room (5x5, rent for 2 weeks): 100 renn
Inn Room (double, 1 week): 100 renn
(-227 renn)
(total: -1692)

Time spent practicing magic against boars: 1.5 hours
Boars slain: 67
Time spent searching for simple herbs in the forest shallows: 2 hours
Time spent at the local library trying to learn the written language: 4 hours

Day 7

“The Prince… Charmed… no, Charming. Prince Charming… Was that grabbed? Raised? Lifted, maybe? ‘Prince Charming lifted Princess onto… lifted the Princess onto her a… Onto his... steed.’ Wasn’t this the word they used for the peasant’s donkey, though? Ugh…”

Alisea dropped her head into her palms and groaned. She had discovered the city’s library yesterday after picking leaves had grown too tedious. Thinking that she could find something enjoyable to fill an evening--for surely the GM would have added some popular literature to the game, if only to fill space--Alisea had gone in to borrow a book.

Difficulty had greeted her at the door. First she was asked to fill out a library card. The small slip she was handed was covered in unintelligible swirls and slashes, with a few portions empty. After some explanation from the librarian, Alisea learned that this was in fact the traditional writing system. With the librarian’s guidance, she squiggled her signature into the mess. She did her best to make it illegible; it almost fit in that way.

Lightly scanning the shelves, Alisea confirmed her fears: nothing was written in the English alphabet. She had resorted to the small section of picture books in the back corner of the library in the hopes she might make sense of the new symbols.

That brought her to today. Maybe she could have given it up as a waste of time; but the game had laid down its challenge, and she would not back away. Even if that meant borrowing small children as they passed through to ask them to read simple books to her. With that much assistance, the magess-turned-kindergartner had discovered a heavy truth: the writing wasn’t in an alphabet. It wasn’t as complex as Chinese characters, but the system was definitely lacking in phonetic pronunciations. The markings for possessives alone were nightmarish.

A tiny, barely audible ‘ping’ provided a welcome distraction. Alisea opened her menu and read the message with glee.

Hey, Where are you at right now? I got something I gotta give you.

She was certainly ready for a break; she had been at this all morning. Her hands deftly flew over the English keyboard, tapping out each word with precision.

You can find me in the library--the large building with pillars one block east of Town Hall.

Looking over the piles of fairy tales and children’s rhymes she had amassed, Alisea had to chuckle at herself. She doubted she had spent this much time reading these things even when she was in kindergarten. Now she had gone over some of them enough she could quote them from memory.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith (High-Casual)

Almost there... just a little bit more...!

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

It appeared the day was rapidly moving into full swing. Alisea was surprised by how many of their comrades were already awake; it was yet another mark of how they might be oddities even among gamers. Only one of them came over to interrupt the conversation, though.

"Hey! Alissa...I'm sorry I didn't heal you back yesterday..."

She wasn't particularly interested in what excuses he had; she didn't even see that he had any need to apologize. His healing was capable of 300 HP, so spending a full cast to heal 200 (on a back-line fighter, no less) screamed inefficiency. But he kept speaking, and he was so sincere about it that trying to stop his apology seemed equally inefficient. Just as she was trying to decide whether she should simply accept his apology and wave goodbye, or if she should use this chance to correct how he pronounced her name, the healer brought a package out of his inventory.

"To further apologize I made this for you, it cloth armor made out of rare material I was rewarded with yesterday after the boss battle."

Karma had surprised her, to say the least. Alisea met his eyes and smiled brightly. "I really see no need for you to go this far, Karma. Nothing about yesterday was your fault. But, thank you." The magess stood to take the parcel from Karma's hands. As her hands rose, the front of her cloak slid open enough to reveal the clothing beneath--the fresh set of clothing Karma had sewn for her the night before the dungeon. "I will feel much safer with this--and knowing that you are watching over me. Over all of us." Alisea's arms withdrew and her cloak slid shut once again.

"Now, Reylan! We should hurry. We have some important work to do!" Alisea hustled him from his chair and toward the door. She waved one last time to Karma, and to the other persons rapidly gathering in the hall, then left.

As soon as they had left the inn behind, Alisea drafted a message to send to Aster. This was a chance to spend time with both of them--with Aster and with Reylan--and she wouldn't risk losing any more of it waiting in the inn.

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

As the ninth hour of sleep concluded, Alisea’s eyes snapped open. Dawn had yet to properly grace the world; the dimness was still too deep to make out features in the room. Nevertheless, her body counted itself rested and urged Alisea to rise and begin her day.

Rising proved more of a difficulty than one might expect. Alisea had been hugging Aster when she fell asleep, and the pair had undergone some… interesting shifts during the night. It quickly became apparent there was no gentle way to extricate herself from the tangle of sheets this morning; she did what she could, then adopted the ‘quick-like-a-bandaid’ approach and lunged out of the bed, hoping her companion would be able to settle back down quickly.

Immediately the chill of the morning air nipped at Alisea’s exposed skin. A shiver raced down her back, the magess trembling in the near-dark. For a moment she tried to grip her arms to heat them; however, an active body would be far more effective, she decided. Starting into what was becoming her regular routine, Alisea began to work and stretch her muscles. Most of them weren’t sore. The only pain she felt was a small twinge across her torso as she stretched her arms wide--and whether that was real or only a phantom memory of yesterday’s rending she couldn’t say. The longer she moved and worked, the less the magess noticed the cold that filled the room--the pumping blood numbed her to it.

Slowly the room was growing more and more lighted. Objects began to take on fuzzy shapes, then slowly resolved into a desk, a chair, the bed. As she was working her body in the growing light, a thought struck Alisea: was this not a time to work her skills, as well? One in particular came to mind. The magess began to Search. Her eyes roved the room--looking for anything, but nothing in particular. She didn’t expect there to be anything, and even if there was she doubted a single level would enable her to spot it now; her hope was simply that skills went up with use, not only with success (and either way, this was a chance to experiment and learn).

Concluding with deep breathing, Alisea settled down at the desk. She pulled out her journal to start recording some thoughts on the previous day. The light was almost bright enough to make writing manageable. Deciding to stall a bit longer for fuller light, the magess flipped open her menu to check if Fyaira had left her a message. She was surprised when she found a message, not from her rogue contact, but from Dirk.

Filled with curiosity, Alisea opened the message. It was disappointingly brief; worse, it was overdue. The paladin had requested a conversation last night. Wondering what their boisterous bodyguard would want to say, Alisea drafted a quick response on the faintly-glowing display.

My apologies, Dirk! I failed to see your message last night. Is there something I might help you with this morning?

Truthfully, she had her suspicions. This was the man loudly proclaiming he would protect his allies from even a single point of damage. He probably wished to speak with her about how near to death she had come--just as Reylan did. If at all possible, Alisea hoped to not have that conversation with Dirk; he would be all apology for failing in his duty to keep her safe, and she didn’t want that. It had been her choice to engage the wolfkin directly, and there was no reason anybody else should feel responsible for that.

Still, there was always the chance that she would be pleasantly surprised. Perhaps Dirk had only wanted to share a meal and some conversation; or maybe he had a question about her magic. Sending her reply off, she could do little more than wait. And checking her clock--6:12--she might have quite a while to wait.