Aervana #1 - Group 2 - (IC Thread)

[Flux]

IMPORTANT

This thread is for the follwing members ONLY

Group 2
Jory - M Human Ranger
rustytengo - M Vanda Thief
personwithbanana9870 - F Dok Necromancer
Marissa - F Elf Mage

If you are not one of these members, please DO NOT POST IN THIS THREAD. If you are looking to join, the sign-up thread can be found here: http://www.pokemonre...pic=6543&page=1

Thanks.

"So you're the only ones coming along then, eh?"

The tall, bearded man looked at the people lined up in front of him. He had a fellow human, an elf, a vandal, and one of the blasted Shadowed. He'd had Rhea put up flyers in all the taverns that would allow it, and this was what he got? Four people? Well, these were bad times, and he supposed fewer and fewer people were learning how to read. But still... there should have been more than this, right? People must have really given up hope on this world.

"Naaaassshhh!!!! NASH!"

That sounded like Rhea. Sure enough, as he looked into the large crowd of people in Atlantica, he could see her dark red ponytail poking up over the heads. It really did stand out. Almost nobody had red hair these days, and hers was a deep red. She seemed to be having some trouble maneuvering through the large crowd. Just as Nash started to move to help her out, her thin figure was spit out of the crowd and she tumbled to the ground.

"Owwww..." she said getting to her feet. Her white robe was smeared with dust and dirt now. The gold embroidering all along it seemed undamaged though.

"It's crazy in there during the market season. I know it's the capital city and all, but still..." She looked at the four people lined up by Nash and smiled. "I guess we did pretty good, huh?"

Nash put his face into his hands. "No Rhea," He mumbled through his hands, "This is not good. We only have four, and one is a blasted Dok!" He sighed. "Still, we don't have any time to lose. If we're going to catch up with Gillem, we need to get going. It'll still take us quite some time if we leave now." He adjusted the greatsword resting on his shoulder and walked towards the four. "Now, as you all should know, this purpose of this journey is to find the source of the declining mana in this world and stop it." He paused. "However, our first goal is to join up with Gillem, a friend of mine. To do that, we'll need to go through a lot of forest, and then much of the Shantii Desert. There will almost certaintly be fighting along the way, and you are accountable for your own safety. We work as a group, though. Now..." He stretched. "Introductions. I need to know what we're working with here. My name is Nash and I'm a warrior. Greatsword style." he gestured towards Rhea.

Rhea waved at the four people. "My name is Rhea, and I'm a Healer." She bowed. "I'm pleased to meet you all."

"Alright," Nash said. "You guys are up. I don't care who goes first, but let's hurry it up. I'd like to get moving before sundown."

[Marissa]

Alleria looked in despair at the others who had gathered here. The majority of the group was made up of humans. After the Evolutionary War Alleria had generally tried to avoid working with humans for extended periods of time so as not to accidently be responsible for rekindling it. And now she was expected to travel with a human as their group leader. Joy of joys.

She hadn't known a human was behind the call to gather to find the source of the mana depletion, but as this was their capital city she should have expected it. She had thought only fellow Elves would be in tune enough with the mana to care of its declining; then again humans were selfish enough to care if only for having lost their own magical abilities. She could only hope they were able to hold their own in a battle should they be faced with one on the way to their destination.

Even worse than the humans was the Shadowed that was present. The Dok were generally avoided by the Elves for their ability to drain magic and their association with necromancy. She prayed this one wasn't a necromancer. Even a thief would be preferable.

Speaking of theives....wasn't that a Vandal over there? Vanda Nomads had a reputation of being thieves and assassins. Just her luck. She didn't want to be associated with a criminal.

She heared the leader (Nash he said his name was) call for everyone to introduce themselves. She figured she should get her turn over with before she changed her mind and turned for home.

"My name is Alleria. I'm a mage as I'm sure most of you probably figured out by now," she said gesturing to her staff. She decided to just stop there in order not to risk saying something that would show her distaste for her companions. If they wanted to know more, they could ask.

Edited December 30, 2013 by Marissa

[Jory]

A pair of light green eyes glinted mirthfully in the shadow of the cloaked human's hood. Under his gray cloak he wore a brown leather tunic with two diagonal buckles across it, as well as brown leather greaves, gauntlets, and boots. The elf in their group, apparently a mage- Not an easy profession at all these days, he thought to himself- was clearly uncomfortable standing among a group of humans. Her curt manner and leery eyes had given her away the moment she'd opened her mouth. Then again, he could not really blame her. Ever since the Evolutionary War, the Elves had been reticent to interact with most humans. This particular human thought that very idea was laughable. In times like these when even the most basic Healing spell was hard to cast for want of mana, people needed to band together instead of cowering in fear of one another.

Had he known there would be an elf present, he probably would have worn something less mysterious to make said elf feel more comfortable. However, he turned his attention back to the task at hand. Hopefully there would be time for the niceties of cloak selection after they had found out what was causing the mana to stop flowing.

The cloaked human stepped forward and removed his hood, revealing a head of close-cropped pale blonde hair. He gave each member of the party a light smile, then addressed all of them.

"I am Roland Charleson. You may all refer to me as 'Roland' if you so choose. I specialize in use of my trusty daggers-" he said as he gestured to the long blades at his sides and the throwing knives on his breast- "and my shortbow. I suppose my fighting style is most similar to the Rangers that protect our lands due to my mix of extreme close-quarters combat and ranged combat. I'm quite skilled at moving unseen and unheard, as well." Roland cleared his throat and stepped back into the group, awaiting the other introductions.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Jory

[rustytengo]

Crag sighed and yawned as the others started to introduce themselves. "These people don't seem to have much flare for introductions." he thought to his self as the elf Alleria and the human Roland finished there introductions. "The elf Alleria was her name may look pretty but she could be nicer when introducing herself. Hmm Roland if he thinks he knows what unseen and unheard is he is going to be in for quite the surprise." Crag thought as he stood up, flourishing his finely made black cloak and lowering his hood to show his pale blue eyes and dark blond messy hair.

"My name is Crag Witherhide owner, provider of the grand shop known as Witherhides Fine Goods and the occasional collecter of things that are lost. My shop as all you will need though these travels from half rotten cabbage to the finest of jewels and anything in between and i am willing to give each of you a companion discount as long as we are traveling." He said with bow

"Other then services that my shop provides i am as skilled in sneaking, lockpicking for those pesky doors that brute force can't brake, the making and disarming of all manner of traps, and in the chance of a fight lets just say i am usually the the last thing never seen." He said well flourishing one his many knives over his knuckles. "Now i believe that theres one more left to introduce herself." he said nodding to the Dok left in the group.

[Nico Nico Nii~]

Turning towards them all and giving a fake smile was too difficult for the Dok to do since most of everyone generally hated Doks, and even more for Necromancers. Well, she thought, sooner or later I'd had to introduce myself. I should just be prepared for the heaps of hatred that will no doubt fall upon me. From all these races it would seem as if Alleria would hate me the most, seeing as we Necromancers can absorb their mana. Roland says he can move unseen and unheard and can range or close combat too. Crag is a thief with skills and owns the place with all these nice things. And I'm just a Dok Necromancer. Then Crag nodded towards her as he finished his own introduction. She then took a sigh and step forward and introduced herself.

"I am Megaira, and yes I am a Dok and a Necromancer at that. I know we Dok are hated and we also absorb mana as well, but I intend to restore it quicker than we take it for my father's sake. I do not care much at all for your feelings towards me, I merely joined because restoring mana to the world would be easier and quicker in a group rather than just myself." With that she took a step back awaiting whatever comes next, let it be setting off with them all or just herself.

[Jory]

Roland smiled lightly as the Dok stepped forward to introduce herself to the company. However, his smile faded as she began to speak about how the Dok were hated. That is why I am here, though, he thought to himself. As he looked at Nash, Rhea, Alleria, and Crag, he realized that most everyone would probably have some sort of issue with the Dok just based on her role as a Necromancer. Why? he wondered. Why can we not put our hate and prejudices aside, even under such dire circumstances as these? He sighed lightly, the sound barely noticeable above the din of the crowded city.

Still, he continued thinking, she is courageous for joining our group, especially knowing how most feel about her kind. As he looked at the group again, he pondered the fact that although they would be facing the greatest trials of their time, they could barely be convinced to trust one another. As long as she believes she is not trusted, she will not trust us, Roland realized. He suddenly stepped out of line and approached the Dok, getting a little closer than most people would consider polite. He looked her up and down, then stared directly into the pools of darkness that served as her eyes. "You think we won't trust you," he stated.

Then, Roland broke into a smile and brought his hand up in front of him, offering Megaira a handshake. "We're all creatures of this world. Painted skin and a bit of magic should not be what prevents us from working together to cure it of its present illness."

[Nico Nico Nii~]

Megaira first reaction to Roland was a small flinch. No one has ever came this close and put their hand out except when they try to kill me in my sleep. I best be on my guard considering he has those daggers with him. She then looked up looking in Roland's eyes.

"Excuse my flinch, no one has ever approached me this close with an attempt to kill me, and as I may agree with your statement the bad blood between us and all seems to never change. You may not see prejudices for the Doks but most if not all others do. No matter what I do the image painted onto others about us will only change little by little assuming they're willing to change it at all. You may have trust in me, but from the looks of things the others will not so give me their trust so easily and I too will not give my trust to you all as of this moment. May I ask you a question, do you not fear me even when the stories about us killing and making weapons out of other lifeforms not scare you?"

[Jory]

Roland chuckled quietly, keeping his focus on Megaira despite the temptation to look around and gauge the rest of the group's reactions to his friendly gesture. He kept his hand out, still waiting for the Necromancer to grasp it. He gestured to the knives on his hips and the wrapped longbow and quiver on his back as he spoke: "If I were truly afraid of you, my weapons would likely already be in hand. I have not survived this long because I am slow to react to danger. No, I do not fear you or your people, for just as your customs seem odd to us, ours may seem strange to you. I am not attempting to speak for the others in our presence. I believed that establishing trust between us would benefit the both of us, seeing as we will likely hold each others' lives in our respective hands." He continued to smile at her, moving his hand slightly to draw her attention to it. "And regarding your reaction to my earlier gesture, in these troubled times only a fool would not flinch at a hand being thrust at her."

[Flux]

Nash cleared his throat, looking at the man called Roland and the Dok. "I don't know about the two of you, but I'm in a hurry. We have a lot of ground to cover to catch up with Gillem. I recommend that we get moving while it's still light out. We need to get all the way to the Shantii capital in 7 days. On foot." He sighed, shaking his head. "Gillem sure left me with one hell of a task," he mumbled.

---------------------------------------------------

They had made good time for the first day. They were a few miles into the forests, and the sun was just setting. They had arrived at a small clearing in the forest.

"We'll stop here for today," Nash said to the group. "We have some dried food, but I'd like to save that for when we really need it. There's still some light now, so someone should nab us something to eat." He gave a meaningful look at Roland's bow. "You seem well-equipped for the job. Consider it your first test to prove your skill. I'm going to go get some firewood. The thief can help me. Rhea will cook whatever Roland catches, and you two..." he looked at Alleria and Megaira, "can prepare a fire pit. The mage can light it when we return with the wood." With that, he strode into the woods.

[Marissa]

Listening to everyone's introductions, Alleria was surprised by the diversity in their fighting classes. Nash was a warrior and the human girl Rhea had introduced herself as a healer. That would surely prove to be a useful skill during their journey. The final human was a ranger, which rounded out their group quite nicely. Perhaps they had a chance to succeed after all.

While she wasn't surprised that the Vanda was a thief, she was shocked to learn he owned a store. She had thought Vandals avoided civilization, yet here one was operating a business. And offering to give them discounts at that. "Although everything in the store is probably stolen," Alleria thought to herself.

To her dismay the Dok was indeed a necromancer. At least they were on the same side for now. You never wanted to fall in combat to a necromancer as there was no telling what they’d do with your remains.

..Which was why she was so shocked when the ranger extended a gesture of friendship to the necromancer. Had the world gone mad!?

Thankfully Nash chose then to give the order to move out. It appeared at least one other person was as uncomfortable with the exchange as she was.

Surprisingly they made good time, and the order was given to make camp at sunset. She was to make a fire pit with the Dok of all people and light it when Nash and the Vandal returned with wood. That left the two of them with only the healer, who was to cook after the ranger returned with meat.

...Alleria didn't actually know how to make a fire pit. It had never been her job before. Even on her travels she had relied on wild fruits, herbs, and berries between towns. She assumed it should be outlined with rocks so the surrounding grass didn't catch fire, but that was about the extent of her knowledge. Did you dig a hole and fill it with dirt or sand? Or just throw the logs straight in the pit?

Either way she wasn't getting her hands dirty. She placed a hand over the orb on her staff and began to chant in Elvish. A tiny crater appeared in the earth a short distance from her. Not really knowing what else to do, Alleria turned to the Shadowed. "You can finish this," she said. "I need to be ready when they return with the firewood."

[rustytengo]

Crag walked a ways into the forest with the human Nash picking up dry fallen branches and twigs along the way making sure to get different sizes of each so the fire would burn nicely all in silence. Crag never liked to travel in forests that much so many places where any manner of things could be hidden. Well he was sure he would have no problem getting out of any problem he might run into, he was uncomfortable at leaving the ladies alone in the camp. For if they where set upon by any manner of things especially if they had ranged weapons it could get quite troublesome for them.

Shaking his head to get such thoughts out of his mind and telling him self to stop underestimating them for between them they have all forms of magic even if the mana of the world was dwindling and besides if he underestimated them to much it would not be that profitable to him either.

"So Master Nash if you don't mind me asking what motivated you to journey on this quest as well? And what can you tell me of this Gillem person we are in such a need to meet?" Crag asked Nash well continuing to collect firewood.

[Flux]

"So Master Nash, if you don't mind me asking, what motivated you to journey on this quest as well? And what can you tell me of this Gillem person we are in such a need to meet?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nash grunted as he picked up some heavier branches and then turned to look at the thief. He was taken a bit off guard by the question. They had been collecting wood in silence and he had been lost in his thoughts. "Well..." he started, thinking of what he wanted to say, "I suppose it was Gillem who talked me into all of this. I met him a few years back, after I had finished a mercenary job with a caravan. We passed a few drinks around, and got to talking about Aervana. He convinced me that the world is dying, and quite frankly, I believed him. I swear that lad could talk anyone into anything. I've been fast friends with 'im ever since. As for who he is, well... he's a young one. At least ten years younger than me, probably more. He's got a way with words and could make you believe in almost any cause. He's great with a sword, though not as great as me." He grinned as he said that. "But... he's too kind. It's a weakness of sorts. He's much too friendly, especially for these times, almost to the point of being gullible." He straightened up after grabbing a branch. "Well, I think we've got enough wood here. Let's head-" He froze. There was a slight rustle in the bushes that quickly quieted. Nash leaned a little closer to Crag and whispered.

"We're not alone. Act natural, but be on guard. I don't think they know that we heard them. I left my armor back at camp, so we'll need surprise. On 3, in those bushes. 1...2...3!" He drew his sword off his back and charged. A man quickly stood up from the bushes, knife in hand. Nash dispatched him before he had time to raise it. Suddenly more charged from the bushes behind them, all armed with swords. Nash counted 4. "Damn. Bandits. I can't even get off easy on the first day..." Nash mumbled. He raised his sword on nodded to Crag. "I'll distract them. Guess it's time for you to do your thing and disappear. Just don't decide to run off on me." He grinned and charged forward.

[Nico Nico Nii~]

"And regarding your reaction to my earlier gesture, in these troubled times only a fool would not flinch at a hand being thrust at her."

Megaira thought there Out of all of them, he seems the most trustworthy, but at the same time he may try to play me like a fool. The same goes for all of them. I am unsure of him but my trust is earned not given. I guess reaching towards his hand will make me seem non-hostile to the rest. Might as well shake it. Megaira was then about to pick up her hand and return the handshake until Nash cleared his throat and began to talk about leaving now.

Walking towards the woods Megaira was reminded of her quest when she was alone. Ah these woods, where do these trees take me again? I believe it was a place not to fond of Doks, but then again that's not being specific enough. When the sun was setting with a clearing up ahead the group stop to rest at the clearing. Nash then began explaining everyone's role in setting up the camp. After the explanation Megaira thought So I stay here with the healer and mage, what joy with sarcasm. Right before Megaira was about to dig a hole Alleria began creating a small crater for the fire pit. When Alleria was finish she then told Megaira, "You can finish this, I need to be ready when they return with the firewood."

Okay, I didn't know you had to be prepared for a simple task. No matter I'll just make the hole a bit bigger for the wood. Megaira then approach the hole and began digging to make the hole wider and a bit deeper than from what it was before. Oh wait, if they don't bring enough wood then the hole will seem like a complete waste in effort. I guess it doesn't matter I'll just make it as big as the ones I'd usually make when I sleep out. After a few minutes working on the hole Megaira then heard a noise from where Nash and Crag were. Eh, if anything probable one of them drop some wood or they ran into an animal, no to worry about.

[rustytengo]

"Well you don't have to worry about running away after all that wouldn't be that profitable for me at this point but your right disappearing would be the best coarse of action for me. Well at least after i make this a little fairer." Crag said as he threw a six of his knives at the bandits.

Three of them hit his steel one and two of the iron ones he threw well the others either got stuck in a tree or the ground. His steel one hitting the one bandit in the right eye causing him to yell out in pain but not killing him well the one of the iron knives hit one bandit in the thigh well the another iron one hit another bandit in the arm well he disappeared into the woods with the two bandits with minor wounds chasing after him. Leaving Nash to deal with the one that just lost an eye and an uninjured one.

Crag was amusing him self with playing a game of cat and mouse in the forest him being the cat of course. Well Crag may be more comfortable sneaking around towns and cities these bandits where not much of a challenge compared to the guards of such places. Every time the bandits would seem to lose him he would show himself just long enough for them to see him or throw a few more knives at them. By the time Crag had grown bored of his little game and was resting in a tree above the two bandits(he had decided to name the one he got in the thigh Bob and the other one Felix). He had added a few more wounds to them Bob was now unable to move his left leg without a very noticeable limp and was bleeding from a wound above his right eye where it almost took out his eye as well. Felix on the other hand was a little better only had taken a knife in side which was still bleeding.

Crag having grown bored of this game decided to end it. Dropping down from his perch causing the two to jump he threw a bronze knife at Bob well Felix charged him. Hitting bob in his shoulder he went in to motion pivoting on his right foot dodging Felix's charge well bring his right hand holding a sliver dagger on the back of Felix's knee causing Felix's knee to give out and him to fall to his knees as Crag pivoted on his left foot bringing him back around with his left hand holding a sliver dagger with a ruby in it strait at Felix's throat."I may have left most of my kin but I am a Vanda and i know how to fight."Crag thought to himself as he pulled the dagger out of the bandits throat and wiped it on the bandits cloths. Looking at the other bandit who had fallen on the ground after he had took the knife in the shoulder Crag thought well walking up to him and hitting him with the hilt of his silver dagger knocking him out."Well i do like making a profit and one form of that is information so lets see what return i get from this investment." "Well i guess i should head back to Nash right now hopefully his bragging of his sword skill was not for not" Crag said as e finished binding the bandit and started to drag him back to the place the left Nash with his ruby dagger at the ready, all the while looking for any of his knives he might of lost in the game.

Edited January 1, 2014 by rustytengo

[Jory]

The ranger gave Nash a sidelong glance as he said they had to move on. He nodded in agreement, acknowledging the fact that he had become somewhat sidetracked by his conversation with Megaira. Trust was important, but it could be established on the way to their destination.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He gave a meaningful look at Roland's bow. "You seem well-equipped for the job. Consider it your first test to prove your skill.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roland nodded solemnly as he was assigned his task. He was not particularly surprised by the assignment, especially considering the fact that he was the only one carrying a bow among his group. He pulled the wrapped bow off of his back and took it out of its protective covering, admiring once more his prized bow. It was a piece of yew that was well over five feet in length, standing nearly as tall as Roland when it was not bent. He pulled a bowstring out of the buckled pocket on his belt and began to string his bow, taking extra care to ensure that the weapon was bent properly. He tested it a few times and, satisfied with it, turned to face Alleria and Mageira. "I am going to head out to the woods to hunt. Stay on guard," he reminded the unlikely pair as he strapped his quiver onto his back and strode into the forest.

The tracks were evident along the game trail. They seemed to be made by a herd of deer. At least ten, Roland thought to himself. Two bucks would feed the group for the night and allow them to dry the rest of the meat, providing more dry rations for their journey. Roland tightened his grip on his bow and broke into a light jog, his gray cloak fluttering behind him as he approached another clearing. There were twelve deer visible and four of them had the beginnings of antlers. Roland ducked low in the brush of the forest and circled around the clearing to get a better shot at the first buck. Once I hit the first one, the others will begin to run, he thought to himself. He slowly drew and arrow from his quiver and put it to the bowstring, pulling it back with his back muscles and sighting the buck. "Directly for the heart," he whispered. He let the arrow fly and quickly nocked another, sighting the second buck. The first arrow impacted the deer perpendicular to the direction it was facing, punching through the thick shoulder muscle and penetrating the heart. The buck fell with a scream, causing the rest of the deer to run into the forest. Roland fired the second arrow, catching the second buck in the back left thigh and causing it to tumble forward. He sprinted into the clearing and jumped on the second buck's back, slicing its throat with one of his throwing knives. He pulled the arrow from its thigh, wiping it on the grass and returning it to his quiver. He approached the other and softly pat its head as it lay dying on the ground, then slit its throat and removed the arrow from its chest.

Roland sighed, then tied the two bucks together. It would be a long hike back to camp with them, but it was worth it to feed his group. Suddenly, Roland heard a scream of pain, followed by a rustling in the woods near him. He set the deer down and nocked another arrow, firing it toward the sound. Two men charged out of the woods, one with the arrow lodged in the shoulder plating of his leather armor. Bandits! Roland realized. He fired another arrow at the one who had already been injured, taking him in the neck. However, the other had already closed too much for Roland to take him down with an arrow. The bandit charged in with a vicious horizontal swipe of his mace and a battle cry. Roland stepped back, the large metal head of the weapon barely missing his ribcage. He stepped in and swung his longbow in a sweeping arc toward the bandit's legs. It caught one between the string and the bow itself and Roland pulled viciously, taking the attacker's foot out from under him and causing him to fall to the ground. Roland then nocked another arrow and fired it directly through the bandit's eye, puncturing his brain and killing him. He pulled the arrow out of the bandit, then searched him. Finding a few gold pieces and some dried food, he pocketed both and did the same to the other bandit. Such animals deserve no mercy, Roland thought to himself as he began dragging the deer back to camp as quickly as he could. Mageira and Alleria can likely handle themselves, but I should hurry just to make sure.

((These are members of the same bandit group Crag and Nash fought, but not the same individuals))

[Flux]

"Well, you don't have to worry about running away. After all, that wouldn't be that profitable for me at this point, but you're right; disappearing would be the best course of action for me. Well, at least after I make this a little fairer."

---------------------------------------------

Nash sighed to himself as the thief threw his knives at the bandits, and then ran away with two of them following him. When he said he should disappear, he meant to sneak attack them while Nash had them distracted, not to run off while being pursued. Whatever. If anything happened to him, it was his own fault. Either way, Nash was left with two bandits to deal with. One was injured where Crag's knife hit his eye, and the other was fresh and looked fairly angry. Nash ran forward towards the uninjured one first. The bandit swung his longsword as Nash approached. Nash brought up his greatsword to deflect the blow, then used his momentum to ram the bandit with his shoulder, knocking him to the ground. By now, the other bandit had made his way over and was swinging his sword at Nash. Nash started to position his shoulder guard to deflect the blow as he usually would have, before quickly realizing that he wasn't wearing it. He quickly stepped the other way, but the sword still glanced his left shoulder. Nash cried out at the wound. In his anger, he swung his greatsword with all his strength in a vertical swing. The bandit raised his sword to deflect it, but the weight of Nash's greatsword and the strength behind it were too much for the cheap longsword. It snapped in two, and Nash's blade ripped open the front of the bandit. Nash turned to face the other bandit, scrambling to his feet, looking afraid of what he had just seen. Nash quickly dispatched him as well, then examined his left shoulder where he had been hit. The wound was fairly deep and oozing blood. It was difficult to move his shoulder now that the adrenaline from the battle had left him. "I'll have to have Rhea look at this one," he thought to himself, then started off towards where the thief had run off to.

Edited January 1, 2014 by Flux

[Marissa]

Alleria was relived when the Megaira took over the fire pit. She decide to sit next to the human girl, where she had a good view of what Dok was doing so she could learn something about fire pit making. No way was she going to get exposed for being clueless at something everyone else probably knew how to do already.

After a few minutes of silence Alleria heard a sound in the direction Nash and Crag had went, but the others didn't seem concerned so she let it pass. She figured Rhea would rush to their aid if something was wrong. Speaking of Rhea, Alleria thought the girl was probably bored just sitting there in silence. She decided to attempt to hold a conversation with her; after all where better to start than with the least threatening member of the group? Perhaps Megaira would join in as well and the three of them could have some female bonding time. The thought almost made her laugh.

"Rhea," Alleria began, "have you known Nash long? How did the two of you become acquainted?" She figured it was as safe a topic as any. Besides, if nothing else it would help pass the time until the others returned.

[Flux]

Rhea was knocked out of her daze by the sound of Alleria's voice asking her a question.

"Rhea, have you known Nash long? How did the two of you become acquainted?"

Rhea smiled. "Oh, I've known him for a while. Probably close to 2 years now. I used to work with some other priestesses back in Rhodestar, on the outskirts of Atlantica. A small group of us were on our way to a neighboring town to help some of the sick, but we were attacked by bandits on the way there. Luckily for us, Nash and Gillem were nearby. They managed to chase off the bandits, and while talking with them, I became a little envious. They were always traveling around, seeing the world. I was becoming bored with the priestess life, and they told me about a quest they were starting. They were going to save the world. It sounded more than a little absurd at first, but eventually they convinced me to join them, much as they did to you, I'm sure. I've been travelling with them ever since." She smiled meekly at the memories. "It'll be nice to see Gillem again..." she trailed off. Just then, Nash came crashing through the trees.

"Are you all ok?" he said, clutching his left shoulder. It appeared to be bleeding. Badly. Rhea rushed over.

"What happened?" she said hurriedly, moving his hand to look at the wound.

"Bandits." he grunted. He dropped the firewood he was carrying under his right arm. "They attacked me and the thief in the forest. He ran away with two on his back, and I dealt with the other two. Looked all over for the damn vandal but couldn't find him anywhere." He looked around. "The ranger isn't back yet? Blasted gods, it's been a rough night all around."

Rhea was rapidly whispering prayers under her breath, paying little attention to what Nash was saying. The wound on his shoulder stopped bleeding and slowly began to seal shut as the divine magic worked through his shoulder. Nash muttered his thanks.

"Be careful with that," she said. "Freshly healed wounds break open easily. If that happens, it'll be worse than before." She sighed and sat back down on a tree stump. She was exhausted, both from a day of walking, and the recent magic working through her. "Let's just hope Crag and Roland come back safe..." she whispered worriedly.

[rustytengo]

Well Crag was heading back with the bandit in tow to the the place he left Nash. He was getting quite annoyed with him fro he was causing a lot of nose and slowing Crag down quite a bit. After finally getting to the place he left Nash he found the two bandits he left there quite dead. "Well i guess the bragging about his swordsmanship was not a lie, though it looks like one got him though. he even left them for me to pick over how thoughtful of him." Crag said well examining the bodies finding one of there swords with some blood on it as well as a few coins and very crude knives. Well he was looting the bodies of the dead bandits the one that he had tied up had managed to cut the bonds with a knife that was laying on the ground for the beginning of the encounter and started to try and sneak up on Crag well he was busy with the bodies. Has he was about to strike Crag a knife found its mark in the bandits throat. Reaching up trying to pull it out the bandit fell on his back dead with Crag standing over him with the last of his life he heard the thief say "If your going try and kill me, your going need to be much quieter if your want to do with out me hearing you." After Crag pulled out the knife he picked up the fire wood that he gathered earlier and headed back to the camp.

Upon getting close to the camp he heard the voice of Nash saying"Looked all over for the damn vandal but couldn't find him anywhere." After the conversation between Nash and Rhea ended and they sat down he walked quietly out of the shadows into the camp a smile "Well of course you would not be able to find me Master Nash if you could i would be a horrible thief if you could." he said setting down the wood he brought with him "I would of brought more then wood with me but unfortunately the other thing tried to kill me so i had to end it. Well enough about that has the ranger not made it back yet of not perhaps you would like me to go look for him. After all i am quite sure all of us are hungry and it would be a bad thing for one of us to be out there alone with bandits running around after all." He said with a casual smile on his face.

Edited January 6, 2014 by rustytengo

[Jory]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well enough about that has the ranger not made it back yet of not perhaps you would like me to go look for him. After all i am quite sure all of us are hungry and it would be a bad thing for one of us to be out there alone with bandits running around after all." He said with a casual smile on his face.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roland grunted loudly as he entered the campfire clearing, dragging the two rather large bucks behind him. He turned over his shoulder to see who else had made it back. It seemed he was last. "There will be no need to come looking for me, I can assure you of that. Although from the racket you two were causing-" he said, looking from Crag to Nash and then to the others, "I would assume you ran into some trouble as well." Roland gave another loud grunt as he pulled the deer over to the firepit and unstrapped his bow from his back, unstringing it carefully and putting it back in its wrapping. He then pulled his quiver and its strap over his head, setting the arrow holder down next to the bow. "I tried to get back here as quickly as possible after the bandits attacked me, but I did not believe it would be wise to leave our dinner for other scavengers."

The ranger reached into his travel bag and pulled out a long skinning knife, then approached one of the bucks and evenly cut open its stomach, beginning to pull out the entrails of his prey. He did this casually and absentmindedly, standing up to dump the entrails at the edge of the clearing. "From the look of Nash's wound, I can only assume the two of you ran into more bandits then I did. We got lucky that they were not trained killers. I scarcely broke a sweat," he said aloud. Returning to the deer, he began gutting the other one. "Is anyone else going to help with these? We will need to dump the entrails far enough from here that wild animals are not going to sneak into our camp tonight looking for a meal."

[Nico Nico Nii~]

Standing from where the hole was Nash can back alone, saying bandits were attacking both him and Crag. How annoying bandits are. Just then after Rhea and Nash finished Crag comes from nowhere with some firewood, and after that Roland comes into camp with the two large bucks and said the bandits also attacked him but they were no trouble. Soon Roland started gutting one of the deer and said "Is anyone else going to help with these? We will need to dump the entrails far enough from here that wild animals are not going to sneak into our camp tonight looking for a meal."

"I'll help," replied Megaira walking up to the other deer. She then used a bit of mana to remove a part of the deer's skin and then began gutting the deer with her bare hands, removing any and all organs while breaking and removing any bones that happened to be in the way. "Oh, Roland," began Megaira," when you are done could you also remove the bones, I would find great use for those." She then looked at the rest of the group. "Will someone take the entrails from here, or shall I take them somewhere else once I am finished?"

[Marissa]

Alleria was in shock. It appeared everyone who didn't split off had run into bandits. She could only assume the reason they had gone after the men instead of the women is because they didn't know the three of them were here. That or even bandits feared the Shadowed. Perhaps she had been lucky to have been paired with Megaira after all. Alleria sent a prayer of thanks to Yathdiriel for keeping them safe and returning the others alive.

She saw the ranger had returned with not one, but two bucks. She was surprised he had managed to drag them both back on his own; he must be stronger than she had first estimated. When he and Megaira began to gut the deer, Alleria had a sudden though. Had anyone said a prayer over these deer after they had been slain? To take nature's blessings without offering your thanks could only bring misfortune upon them all.

"Wait," Alleria said, walking to stand before the two deer. She knelt, careful not to get too close to any of the organs, and began to pray. She could not remember the exact words the elders would say, but she did as best as she could remember.

"We thank you, princes of the forest, for offering your lives so that we may be fed. We thank you, Yathdiriel, for blessing us with them. May Drauthier watch over their spirits in the afterlife and may they harbor no ill will against us. Amen," she added at the end, mostly for the humans' benefit. She had heard it was common for them to end their prayers in such a manner.

She got up and began picking up the the logs to put them in the fire pit. She worried about what Megaira was going to do with the bones of the deer; but as her presence had likely saved the lives of Rhea and herself, she didn't feel she could protest much. She had prayed for the bucks and that was all she could do for the moment. After the logs had been gathered in the pit, Alleria cast a simple fire spell to set them alight. She sat near the warmth of the fire, suddenly feeling very cold after all that had happened.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Marissa

[Flux]

Nash knelt down by one of the deer and took out his hunting knife. He started cutting out pieces of meat for cooking, and others for drying. He gave anything that was to be cooked to Rhea, who was preparing a cooking pot over the fire.

------------------------------------

Rhea had decided on making a stew for their meal, due to the fire available and the excess of meat. She hung the cooking pot over the fire. There was a smooth rock in the bottom to help the stew heat faster, along with water she had taken from the stream while the others worked at gutting the bucks. There was also a hint of wine mixed in, which she had taken from an unopened bottle in Nash's bag. She cut the slices of venison into smaller pieces before adding them to the mix, along with some diced carrots and potatoes she had brought along. She only took a little salt from their supply; much of the rest would be used while drying the remaining strips. Finally, she brought out her spices and added a hint of rosemary and stemroot, a plant unique to this area. She wanted to make the first meal of the journey a good one; no doubt there would be times when she had little to work with. With that, she began to stir the mix, lost in her thoughts while the others finished up with the deer.

[Jory]

Roland nodded at Megaira, pulling out what bones he could as he continued stripping flesh and meat from the buck. The ranger laid the bones off to the side, creating a small pile for the Necromancer to take when he was done. He had also taken a small tarpaulin out of his traveling bag and laid it out in between the two deer as a place for the meat that was to be dried to be laid so it would not get dirty on the ground. When Alleria began praying over the animals, Roland stopped and stepped respectfully back. He was not much for religion, but he could respect the faith of others. As Rhea began to cook the stew, Roland's mouth began to water. It had been a long day on the move and all he had had to eat was a biscuit that he had picked up from a bakery in the capital. "If this is how we will be eating every night of this journey, then I am glad Rhea is coming with us," he said with a chuckle.

[Marissa]

The stew that Rhea was making smelled delicious. She hoped it was a sign that Rhea was a good cook, after all having tasty meals throught their journey would be nice. Or would they be rotating the chores for camp and someone else would cook the next night? Alleria supposed cooking wouldn't be too terrible, but the idea of hunting or gathering firewood didn't much appeal to her. How would she be able to carry it all? She was a mage and not physically strong. While her spells were sufficient to protect her in combat, they wouldn't exactly make carrying logs or animals any easier. Maybe they'd pair her with someone stronger to protect her from bandits and such. Speaking of that...

"I'd like to know more about those bandits," Alleria stated to the group. "Do you think they were after anything particular or was it just an unfortunate coincidence? And are they likely to come back with reinforcements?" Truthfully she didn't know whether they had managed to defeat all of them, and even so the bandits had worked in a group. While this was not unheard of, it wasn't exactly commonplace either. Most bandits liked to keep treasue for themselves, not share it amongst a group. It could mean they were dealing with a larger organizaton.

"Were they really just bandits, were they assasins sent to stop us from restoring the mana?" Alleria wondered. "And how much more dangerous is this journey going to get?"

Edited January 13, 2014 by Marissa