Chevaleresse

Well, today was just super boring, wasn't it? He'd looked forward to training and getting better and making friends and stuff but no one but Baixue wanted to talk to him and now everything was on fire and he had soot in his hair and in his eyes. He skittered toward the plane, looking more put out than frightened. He didn't want to die today, that'd be lame, and he wouldn't be able to get back to his sister. He was, perhaps to the relief of others, quiet for the moment.

Ice nodded. "Understood." She focused her attention down the hall, preparing to do as Merlin had instructed. The goal: impede the foe's mobility, critically if possible. She wasn't sure if the plan would work strictly as Merlin instructed, given their opponent had been flying though the air; however, she had a plan. A slick surface would be problematic for anyone hoping to maneuver with control; spikes of ice conjured strategically about the hall would prove equally if not moreso for someone traveling through the air; even if one could smash through them unharmed, it would still slow them down. Clear ice would also not block the lines of sight needed to cast spells. Ice spoke in a much louder, stronger voice than her typical reserved tone. "Dropping temperature, preparing surfaces. Let all be naught but frost." A layer of incredibly slick ice started to advance across the floor, extending from about a foot in front of the group - it also progressed behind them at a lesser rate. "Let ice tarry and impede you, and let it pierce the unwary." Spikes of ice, some straight and some curved toward where Blink would likely appear from, erupted from not only the floors, but also the walls and ceilings.

The rock faces contain some amount of ores. Andre obtains one piece of Iron Ore, one piece of Machalite Ore, and one Aquaglow Jewel. Machalite is stronger than steel and used in a large variety of low to midlevel equipment. Aquaglow Jewels are a common jewel used to create decorations that are set into weapons and armor. The large things - he may have overheard that they were referred to as Aptonoths, and there were a couple being used to pull carts and such around town - are rather skittish, actually, tensing up when Andre approaches, with the largest ones placing themselves between him and the smaller. Mar's attack easily kills the raptor-like creature. The other two look about in alarm, sounding startled calls. Unable to immediately sight their pursuer, they flee further into the rocks.

Ice thought about the situation for a moment. They had two options: retrieve Feardorcha, or abandon him and pursue the rest of the mission. It was difficult to assess the risks of the former option, though given the fact that it seemed to be some kind of trap they were likely higher than first anticipated. The second one was safer, but the mage was a valuable asset. Either way. . . "We should go now, prepared for combat. Delaying will only put the mission at further risk." She mentally began preparing a few incantations for the potential security forces that might accost them. Conjuring a layer of slick ice over the ground to start, and then entrapping and eliminating the enemy as they recovered from the loss of mobility was her modus operandi, and a set of spells she'd practiced thoroughly, but she did not plan on being caught off guard.

[2, 1, 4] Mar obtains a Lightcrystal, a piece of Carbalite Ore, and a Novacrystal. Lightcrystals are faintly glowing crystals known for their hardness. They are sometimes used as abrasives or for creating forging tools. Carbalite ore yields a high-quality metal stronger than steel or dragonite; its properties are still being studied. Novacrystals glow brightly and are harder than Lightcrystals; they are used for similar applications. He obtains the Fossil as well as two more mundane Monster Bones. [2, 1, 1] Mar obtains two Godbugs and one Hercudrome. Godbugs are said to live for a thousand years, and are often used in the creation of potent medicines. Hercudromes are said to be "the world's strongest beetle;" their carapaces are often used in making a variety of equipment. He obtains a bottle of water. The pool has a couple small raptor-like creatures with a purple-bluish colorations, with frills around their necks. They look predatory, but not particularly dangerous, and have not seen Mar. He spots a few herbs, a patch of mushrooms in a nook, and a beehive dripping with honey, as well as some exposed ore. Andre enters the Steps. The rock overhangs quickly disappear, replaced by a wide open area of plains that seem to be separated into several natural sections by short rock faces (only about three feet in height each.) There are a couple large reptilian creatures, a black-grayish color running over their heads and down their backs to their slightly spiked tails; the rest of their body is a lighter blue-gray. They stop their grazing to look at Andre warily; a couple are quite small, shorter than Andre himself (even if they're at least twice that length without counting the tail), and they range in size from there to ones around twice his height. To the east, a natural rock ramp seems to lead into a slightly less verdant area, and to the south, one can see a path leading to a forest. A loud roar echoes from the south.

Age manipulation. Interesting but seemingly impractical unless being used to de-age someone or something, or possibly accelerate something to maturity; efficacy as a weapon was minimal. Unpredictable effects on mental state would render it impractical for producing soldiers from the children in the possession of the facility. This was wasted thought, though. A lack of interest by the leader likely meant it was currently irrelevant. Ice moved toward the exit, hesitating slightly and glancing back at Anemone. Assuming she received no warning from the seer, she'd proceed toward the next room.

Hm. A green mark. Green would indicate success, but signs indicate the specimen is dying. Which would imply. . . "Merlin. I believe they may be testing poisons here." One single sickly tree marked as successful might not be sufficient evidence - perhaps they're using a nonstandard color coding, or perhaps at minimum it was something else harmful, but if Merlin knew, she was about to be corrected. If not, more information was rarely hurtful. If they were indeed testing methods of killing here, then they'd best be prepared for those methods to be turned on them as soon as the operation began in earnest.

They find a cart pulled by more of the bipedal cats; some of them are the same cream coloration as the Street Chef, while others are of a more "tuxedo cat" coloration, black with white paws. The scenery, while pleasant, blurs together for a bit, until the pair arrives at their destination in the Ancestral Steppe. Andre arrives - without Mar - in a small, sheltered camp, raised above ground a bit with natural rock cover blocking most of the sunlight and providing a pleasant dappled shade. The rock forms a number of natural archways over a path that seems to lead down a slight slope and into a more open area. There's a bed with enough room to fit at least three people Andre's size beneath a tent made of stretched hide, and two rectangular chests - one is blue and seems to contain nothing, while the other is red and contains eight Potions, some rations, two torches, and two maps of the area, alongside three pink balls that have a strong, distinctive smell. All of the items are marked [SUPPLY]. Mar, somehow, finds himself in an entirely different area. It's made of the same reddish rock and raised up over the surrounding landscape, but he barely has space to turn around. However, a variety of unusual bugs seems to make its home here, as well as a vein of ore and what looks to be an old fossil. Looking down, there's a small pool fed by an equally small waterfall and space to drop down easily, though the shape of the alcove would make it difficult to climb back up without specialized equipment. MAP Base Camp - - - The Steps - - - Rocky Pool - - - Secret Area | | The Woods - - Wyvern Nest

Mar feels refreshed and energized. He feels particularly lucky, like he might discover something special soon. Felyne Explorer activated! Andre feels invigorated as well, as if getting hurt would only make him stronger. Felyne Heroics activated! The Quest Gate awaits after the cook tells you to come back safe and soon.

"Alright!" She stamps a sheet of paper and hands it to Mar. "Just take this over to the gate when you're ready and they'll take you out to the Ancestral Steppe on a cart. The cart will also drag you back to camp if you get a particularly large chunk taken out of you, so don't worry. Don't forget to eat before you go!" If they decided to stop at the Street Cook's wagon - he seemed to be offering free food for first-time customers - they would find that they could choose two ingredients for their food; various kinds of red Meat, a variety of Fish, some Grains, Dairy products, and last but not least, Alcohol of various exotic kinds.

"I see." She would have to hope that some fragment of their lingering will would reach her. For now, there was another task at hand. "Let's go, then." Mitsu heads toward the mentioned pillars.

Ice kept an alert lookout herself; she wasn't sure if she could trust the capabilities of anyone else here. Not that she didn't believe Merlin was capable of finding reliable talent, but it was difficult to know without seeing firsthand. The trees in the room, however, piqued her curiosity slightly. She looked them over, splitting her attention between them and watching for anything that seemed to be a threat to Merlin or the rest of the group, idly wondering what they could be doing with the plants. Her teammates were another curiosity. Merlin, of course, was a known factor, insofar as Merlin was capable of being such. Feardorcha seemed innocuous enough, but it was even harder to trust someone whose specialty was fooling people. Anemone's apparent lack of focus was a concern, though her ability was useful at least. Exile seemed to have similar problems, and Chernobyl was simply dangerous to be around.

"I'm actually heading off once you're set up here. I've got errands to run. I'll be back here in, um, hm, how does the calendar work here. . . a month? If you haven't managed to leave by then I'll get you back to your friends - but uh, hope they're not staying anywhere too hostile." Once they're out of the building, she hands the other card to Mar. "All set. Good hunting, both of you, and make sure to try the food here. I swear, that cook's got some kind of magic of his own." The cat doesn't respond directly to this, but you could swear a grin appeared on its face for a moment. "The Guildmarm will tell you the rest." The woman in green - the Guildmarm, presumably - nods. "Well, we've got your standard fetch quests and mushroom gathering, but you're probably not interested in those. . . There's an Iodrome running around the Sunken Hollow, and, wow, a Kushala Daora sighting around the old Tower. There's also a Tigrex that's been making a mess of the Ancestral Steppe. Here, let me check your card. . ." Assuming one of the pair hands it over, she looks at it for a moment, then hands it back. "Three stars, huh? You're probably after the Tigrex, then. Iodromes are small fry and an Elder Dragon is out of your league. That one work?"

Mitsurugi sighs slightly at the question as she floats back to shore. "It is my people. They willingly bound themselves to it rather than. . ." She cuts off, clearing her throat. It was still too raw to speak of at length. She turned her head away from Kino, so that the latter wouldn't be able to see the contorted expression on her face. "I am sorry. I would rather not speak further on this right now." Mitsurugi heads back along the path, avoiding the snake, toward the northernmost set of crates. She watches the creature near them warily, preparing to defend herself as she attempts to open these as well.

Marisa heads into the large building near the back of town (most of which is between it and the docks, which have a few things that look like ships made to travel over sand tied there.) There's another quest board inside, as well as a kitchen (which is also closed for the time being.) The interior is constructed with a sort of reddish wood for the most part, and has various trophies hung from the walls and ceiling. One of such is an unidentifiable skeleton tied to the rafters with a few wires. She heads to a desk near the left, which is staffed by three more women. She speaks with one of them, which quickly turns into an argument. It seems like they might be there for a while before the woman at the counter huffs and hands over two cards - looks like they're made of some rather sturdy variety of parchment - with three star marks on both. One is marked "Mar Stonerist" and the other "Andre" in big, blocky letters. Marisa presses the latter into the brawler's hands as she heads out of the building. "Come on, big guy, you've got a beastie to kill. The woman waves at Mar. "Hi! Are you a new Hunter in town?"

"Val Habar. Place where Hunters come to get their licenses and everyone else comes to trade from all over. I know a guy, so I can get you guys after the big game faster than most people - which is to say right now, or as soon as I talk to him. Er, what's your name again? I need it for your hunting license." The town's filled with all manner of shops; an Item Shop that sells the basic necessities for a hunter, such as potions, hot and cool drinks, and rations, along with what looks to be some kind of ammunition. There's a Weapon shop and an Armory that both sell basic gear, which one can see on display, but there are signs indicating that they're closed for business at the moment, along with a blacksmith who appears to be in deep conversation with a man dressed in what looks to be assorted animal parts - the latter has a massive blade strapped to his back with a similar theme. The most important features, however, are the street cook - who appears to be some variety of bipedal cat with white fur that gets darker around its extremities, and a board that is unmistakably one for quests, staffed by a woman in a green uniform with a pleasant smile.

A flicker, the groaning of engines, and possibly a fair amount of screaming announce the castle's arrival in yet another new world. It skids across a landscape of shifting sand, insofar as a full-sized castle on tank treads can skid, and worryingly one tread comes slightly off the ground before thundering back down to the ground. Even more concerning, as it slows, it seems to be sinking into the sand. The craft finishes careening toward the set of docks it'd been pointed at, more or less, with just the gentlest touch, before sinking another good foot or so into the sand. Fortunately, this is where its descent stops, the bottom of the drawbridge about half an inch below the surface. A lever is pulled inside - thankfully the correct one - and the wayward occupants come stumbling out onto the dock. They come out to a bustling caravan town, covered with the colors and smells that being a center of trade entail, all of them enticingly pleasant. Well, most of them. Some of the food seems a bit suspicious, but that's not too abnormal.

"Alright, great." Marisa claps her hands and rubs them together eagerly. "Hokay, that throne's gotta be where you control this from, right?" She skitters over to the seat in question, dodges around the control panel, and plops herself down, her hat tilting slightly as the sudden descent lifts it off her head by the tiniest bit. "This is, uh, a lot of levers. A seriously large number of levers. But, um, I think if I yank this one here. . ." Marisa, Mar, and Andre depart for Val Habar. . .

"Uh, hmm. . . I think it's Tigrex season. Well, it's always Tigrex season, the bastards are too hardy to only be active around a certain time of year, but I think it's mating season over there, which means lots of even more aggressive than usual pseudowyverns. Here, let me just. . ." She trails off into something unintelligible; an incantation? She makes a few gestures, and after a short moment summons an image. "Pretty sure you're allowed to eat 'em, since the muscle isn't worth a whole lot. Though I've been told they're not that great of eating. Oily, stringy, and tough."

"I'll just have to figure something out, then. What about you, big guy? You look like the type that likes to punch monsters on the face, you game for hunting some?" Marisa turns to lob the question at Andre before proceeding into the throne room proper, past the strange white room and its mysterious reactor. "That thing has some seriously weird stuff going on with it, by the way. I'd be careful with it."

Marisa raised an eyebrow, then grinned. "You remind me of some old friends. I should visit them, I wonder if old Krosh is still doing alright. . . Anyway, before we head off, I don't believe we've been introduced. I'm Marisa, and you?" She waits for the orc to introduce himself before continuing. "Anyway, yeah, I know a place that's got perennial wyvern problems, so they put out contracts for people to hunt 'em down as needed. You get to keep whatever you can carve off of the things and a money reward besides. I do need a way to actually get you there, though, so uh, do you know how to fly this thing?" She makes a vague gesture toward the ceiling.

Mitsurugi draws her sword, and undoes the ties holding its sheath to her waist before holding the latter out toward Kino. "Can you speak with the souls bound to this? I cannot commune with the dead, but perhaps they have something they wish to tell me." The spirits that had willingly subjected themselves to this in order to keep her alive, tying themselves to this inanimate object, aware of the world but unable to affect it. . . they must be degrading already. It pained her greatly to think of it; they would soon become vengeful spirits, or so she feared, full of the same hate that Kino had described. After handing the sheath over, she considers the task in front of her. Free the familiar from the box in the river. She takes a single step back, then leaps toward the crate, floating gracefully through the air. She sends a barrage of magic bolts at the fish in the water as she does so, to discourage them from attacking her while she recovers the crate.

"Heavy vegetation and wildlife?" Marisa perks up at the suggestion, spinning on a heel to face Mar. "If you're looking for a good spot to put this thing, I think I have a world in mind. They're used to old salvaged tech so this shouldn't throw them too badly - I saw a guy walking around with a rocket hammer once - and it's definitely got plenty of life. Problem is, the wildlife might be, um, a little TOO much? How do you feel about giant wyverns?"

Mitsurugi collects the orbs. She remained quiet as Kino wove her tale. She comes from no small tragedy herself. "I am sorry for your losses. A person who believes they are firmly in the right can do the most utterly vile things." Mitsurugi starts to head toward the nearby set of wooden crates, to collect their orbs. After doing so, she will go to the river in an attempt to collect the other metal crate. She speaks with the dead, and is one of them herself. . . I wonder. . . "Kino-san, may I ask a favor of you?"

Open up the rest of the wooden crates nearby.