Roleplay The Haven (RP)

[HeartOfFerria 83]

“Wisdom... Im not sure about that....” her Body closed in on itself as she folded her arms. Galla shifted back and forth on her feet for a moment, her mind in thought. She then quietly sat down. On the bench. Her posture still rather closed off. “I suppose that would be fine.”

 

 

Ceres slowly began to follow the thin man. A small light forming in her hand. She looked to Winona for a signal of sort. A sign of what she wanted to do. The light shifted as if lacking the confidence in its own creation .

[Scrapmaster 1,731]

- Hektor - The Gentleman -  Cafeteria -

A smile formed on Hektor's face as Rhiannon commented about his hat, and how he wore it so casualy. "It took me some getting used to, but now I can't quite part with it, it, plus I must say it makes almost any man look quite dashing with it a hat such as this one" He commented with a chuckle as Rhiannon placed his hat back into his head, with a graceful nod and a chuckle as the rim covered his eyes, as he readjusted it he looked at her as she had to leave to buy some items. "Hm, I am curious as to what wares are being sold, may I come along?" Hektor asked Rhiannon with his signature polite and courteous tone.

 

- Henry - And the Spirits - Cafeteria -

Well this was a predicament, he didn't exactly had much to do at the moment, other than maybe peruse the market for any useful items, have a meal alogside the spirits, or...have some fun in the arena, the last option seemed the most appealing as he was not hungry at the moment, funny as he hadn't eaten much ever since he got there, neither did the spirits, then again they didn't really need to eat to survive, his guess is that his connection with them gifted him with some of that trait as well. Eh, no use thinking much about it.

 

Sylph was still doing her own thing, giggling like a little girl as Rhiannon patted her on the head, she flew off to see who else she could interact with, and who better than the towering being such as Reksis? Who was enjoying a cup of tea by his lonesome.

She quickly zipped through the air like a fly as she quickly arrived near Reksis and his ghost, immediately taken by the ghost's appearance, practicaly the same size as her...but not humanoid shaped, "OwO What is this?!" Sylph spoke as she poked Reksis's ghost, who would most likely turn to her, startling her by its movements "wah!" She did a backflip mid air as she continued to float in place. "Who are you mister? And what is this object flying beside you? is it a toy!!?" Sylph exclaimed with utter glee at the possibility of playing with the ghost, much to both their chagrin. 

 

Henry, and the other spirits only watched in quiet acceptance at Sylph's antics. Henry decided to just ignore that and go look for something to do, quick. And he found it! Hogarth had just spoken to Lucia. Deciding to approach them.

"Surprised to see you out of the arena, Lucia." Henry commented, considering the girl rarely ever left the place. He had spoken to her on occasion during his two weeks stay in the Haven, but not had the opportunity for a real chat with her. "And good to see you're well Hogarth." He also added.

Behind his legs hid Gnome, who always kept close to near hugging distance to him during social interactions, peaking her head from the side. Salamander simply waved at them with a smirk, Undine simply waved with a solemn expression. 

"So what brings you both to the cafeteria? aside from Uzume's request of course" Henry asked them.

 

Edited May 6, 2019 by Scrapmaster

[Vaude 536]

- Winona, with Ceres following a Spectacled Man -

Winnie caught on that Galla was as eager to take this man with glasses on as well, considering he was definitely up to no good, and nodded as a signal to continue what she was doing.  Winona did the same, stalking closer to the man and keeping clear of fallen brush from the singed trees.  The last thing they needed was for him to catch on.

This continued for a short while before the man halted, his back towards them both.  Winona could almost feel the man's expression change, a ghost of a feeling similar to dread.  He was on to them, she was certain of it.

"It is unwise to sneak up on people.  Someone might get the wrong idea and do great harm to them," he spoke up sonorously, looking back at them over his shoulder with his off-hue eyes and mischievous smile glittering in the pale light.

And there it was, her premonition coming true.  What could have triggered his noticing them?  Neither Ceres nor herself were very audible.  Did something else give him a tip-off, or did the man have eyes in the back of his head?

She studied him carefully in the ill-seeming silence allowed by him.  He was definitely of narrow build, and she could not tell if he had a weapon at all.  Victory seemed simple if their party trapped him like they planned, but something seemed off, very off.  She did not know if it was his eyes or his voice.

His eyes focused mainly on Winona, and he next said, "Now tell me, girl, what is your name?"

"Winona," she blurted without intention, or maybe because she wanted to.  Her hand rose to her sword and drew it out skillfully so that it pointed towards his heart.  "What you said before about a hermit.  Tell us what you intended to do with him."

"Simply to place him in an area where he is comfortable and free to conduct business without interfering in my business.  I have a heart, you know.  Now, stand down and let me be on my way."

Her sword arm wavered, then dropped.  His honeyed words and gaze were oddly appealing.  Could this man even be who she thought he was?

((I wonder what Ceres will do now.  The choice is yours, Heart, though as you may know this man is more dangerous than he may appear.))

- Hogarth, with Henry and Lucia -

The three-eyed man's expression beamed upon seeing the elementals, especially seeing Sylph flying around and little Gnome as she hid shyly away behind Henry's leg.  Perhaps one day he could aspire to gain an elemental companion as well.  It would certainly cure his loneliness in the lab and give him someone to talk to, much more so than his robotics and golems.  Perhaps his studies can help him acquire one, whether it be through that nature essence he garnered a few weeks back from the Elysian Forest, or through other means like a pact.

"Good to see you and yours as well, my elementalist friend," he welcomed chipperly, raising his tiny cup of tea -- which was mainly filled with sugar cubes -- in their direction, even Sylph's.  "I'm refreshing myself at the moment, spending some time outside of my laboratory.  It gets so dreadfully dull, and my limbs need a bit of action, so I was thinking about heading to the arena to unwind.  Would you two care to join me?  I think we have a little bit of time left on our hands."

[Elrandir 783]

- Iseult Mylis - The Haven: Cafeteria/Kitchen -

Iseult listened closely at Uzumeashy's explanation about their quest. Apparently they had to acquire a dragon's gallbladder to complete Uzumeashy's cure. The quest asked to end the dragon's life, but Uzumeashy would rather leave the creature alive. That, of course, was up for interpretation. Iseult knew better than to face a dragon alone, even back in her home world people avoided dragons, the wild ones, for their impressive endurance and raw power.

"Taking down such a beast would be complicated if only a few engaged in combat with it, but if the people whose names you've told me will be joining in this quest, then our chances to succeed are high. I do not know any of them personally, but if they agreed to help you then that will make this quest a lot easier."

And then it happened, Uzumeashy's eyes were distant, as if she was not present at the moment. Iseult had seen this a few times in the past. It mostly happened when the young girl was thinking about food, ingredients and how to create new dishes. It was endearing for some reason.

"Uzumeashy? Uzume? Are you still there?" Iseult asked, "I see you've come up with a new recipe. BUT, we need to focus on the task ahead."

(Two can play that game!)

[HeartOfFerria 83]

Ceres scowled as her shield lowered, then her grip tightened on the light, blocking its illumination from view. "you are the thin man in only but appearance, however i do not know your life or you." she opened her hand and the light formed into a pyramid shape. she then tossed it upward leaving a trail of light behind the shape arcing into the air catching the light. the light beams shot down creating a large pyramid shaped cage of light and barrier magic locking herself and the Thin man within. she then drew her sword. "Come quietly and be questioned. If all goes well you may return to your....charity. If you fail to comply then I will strike you down for Lady Aphremia and my friend Pang, as well as all those you have wronged from the Haven." A glass like armor surrounded her current armor. Improving her defenses. her blade and shield were then also covered in the armor.

Edited June 3, 2019 by HeartOfFerria

[Mystics Apprentice 2,397]

He watched Galla maintain her distance, though didn't say anything on the matter.  It did indeed seem difficult for her to open up, but he wasn't particularly exuding with warmth, either.  It seemed they made quite the excellent pair.

"You told me once that you hated the Haven," Kolm murmured lowly.  "Or something like it.  May I ask why it is that you begrudge the higher-ups so, when they did save you from the brink of death?"  He blinked, glancing her way before lowering his head.  "I'm . . . sorry if this is to sensitive a topic.  You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

------

"Most certainly!" Rhiannon beamed, grasping Hektor's arm and tugging him along.  Her gaze fell upon Reksis with Ghost at a nearby table, alone, to which she felt obliged to extend an invitation to as well.  "Say, Reksis, if you're wanting to kill some time feel free to join us.  We'll be in the shopping alley on the eighth floor."  Still gripping Hektor's arm, Rhiannon led the gentleman to the descending escalator, releasing him as she stepped upon one of the moving platforms.

"If you've never seen the shop I think you'll love it," she stated, leaning an arm casually against the railing as they glided down.  "All kinds of weapons and gadgets.  There is also an apothecary where there's all sorts of brews for sale that have unique effects during combat.  I think I'll get some things with phoenix feathers for our next mission, just in case."

Upon their arrival Rhiannon beckoned toward the shop, busying herself with poking through bottles and, much to the dismay of the shopkeeper, cracking open vials to sniff at the contents.

[Vaude 536]

- Uzumeashy, within the Cafeteria/Kitchen -

Uzumeashy snapped back to reality and closed her recipe book, grinning sheepishly as she did.

"Sorry about that.  Ever have that moment where you think "THAT'S IT!" in marvelous fashion?  I get that a lot.  But yes, the others are a lot of help.  I just hope that they are up to the task, and me too."

Pocketing her newfound refection in her back pocket of her Bedazzled trousers, she got up, feeling lighter than a fairy and better than before.  The taste of blood still filled her mouth, but she was contented with being around somebody who she felt understood her.

"Let's go get that gallbladder once the time is up, but first you had best eat and drink something.  Who knows where the Gate will spit us out, but given that we are facing a dragon I don't think it will send us close.  We might have to walk a ways."

- Winona, confronting the Spectacled Man (?) with Ceres in a Forest -

Winona felt her strength be revived as Ceres empowered her with her presence with her certainty.  Before she could act, the tetrahedral shield was summoned and blocked her off from Ceres and the man, her on the outside and them on the inside.  Gravity magic affected a wide area and could ruin the shielding field or hurt Ceres if she was not careful.  As a result, she could only look on, or at least make preparations.  A pale glow erupted from her before she split into three, self-cloning herself with 80% of her strength still within herself and 10% for each clone, and every one of the Winonas took a side of the triangular base.

The man kept a lurid green gaze on the two, most especially Ceres as she remained steady, enveloped in light and her shield projection.  Impressive, but not enough to keep him in place.  The last afterthought made him smile without restraint.

"You are a peculiar specimen, holy knight, or so you seem to carry yourself.  Would a holy knight strike down someone who refuses to be questioned for a matter of stringent, better importance than names that mean nothing to me?  Let a simple man go.  I will warn you just this once before I call upon my protectors."

Beyond the grove, Winona began to see the glow of yellow eyes dart from among the trees in a wide circle, followed by wisps of bodies that trailed behind them.  She counted one at first, then a second one.  She quickly began to realise that this was not the typical shadow she had dealings with in graveyards, but something worse.

[HeartOfFerria 83]

Ceres kept her stance seemingly ignoring the spectacled man’ threat. The light of her magic flared into her barriers. “The haven can change the way people view things. Its a mix of wonderful people, all of whom I cherish.” She slowly begins to approach. Her shield held infront of her. The sword kept low more focused on her shield then her blade. Her eyes watched him close, there was a faint disturbance in her eyes at the statement but she forced herself through it.. “Just answer my questions and you can go free” 

—————————

Galla looked over at Kolm. “They took me from my endless rest.” She sighs breaking eye contact and looking out at the arena, watching the new combatants enter. “A terror that i once desired, i was intentionally torn away from.... my true brush with death. It is that which made me stronger as a necromancer. Will that suffice as an answer?”

Edited May 12, 2019 by HeartOfFerria

[Elrandir 783]

- Iseult Mylis - The Haven: Cafeteria/Kitchen -

"I can understand that feeling and I can honestly say that you are one of the few people who I've seen zoning out completely," Iseult said as she scratched her cheek, "And do not worry, I am sure that with such a big group this mission will be a lot easier."

The Dra'tul looked around the kitchen, looking for something to eat. Sure, she could request something, but it would be faster if she had something that was already cooked. And then she saw something she had always disliked ever since she was a child.

"Beeeans? I hate beans. That won't do. Let's see what we got over there, away from this pot full of inedible food."

Iseult spent a few minutes looking around, it was early in the morning, or late in the night for her, so most of the food was for breakfast. She got a plate of scrambled eggs and a fresh loaf of bread and a glass of orange juice. She didn't needed much at the moment. She sat in one of the stools around the kitchen and began to eat her eggs. It was better to wait in there with Uzumeashy as her company than outside with, well, people she had barely seen before going to bed most of the time.

"I used to travel quite the long distances, but I suppose that using a mount wouldn't be the same as walking," Iseult said calmly, her gaze lost in the distance, "although I had to walk for long distances when...well...yes. Leaving my home was not something I planned on doing, but the Fate Weaver works in mysterious ways, I suppose."

[Vaude 536]

- Winona and the Spectacled Man (?), in the forest with Ceres -

The Spectacled Man released his perfect smile and beamed a grin with his filed teeth.

"Come and try," he uttered.

With a wave of his opulently robed arm, he let out a trio of earthen ripples in front of him that grew with each release.  The first one, one foot high, was meant to weaken Ceres' grip on the ground and dishevel her shield.  The next grew to three feet after a second and was intent on bowling her over onto her back.  The third and final wave was the real issue.  Also released a second of time later, the ripples rose between six and nine feet high, and crumbled
the earth beneath it.  If Ceres was not careful, she could get completely covered in earth and barely have the strength to escape it.

"To me, my minions.  Kill the other Haven wench," he replied, summoning a rocky stalagmite from behind him, which was aimed toward the heart of the shield's release.  If it was able to penetrate the Shield energy mixed with light, the field would be disabled and allow him maximum movement (or at least that was his intent).

Winona found herself assailed by the shadows that she had espied earlier, yellow eyes leading in front of whatever bodies that came towards her.  The original and a clone of hers swung dodging ripostes as the shadows lunged as one, and both of their swords slid through the bodies of the creatures as if they were nothing but air.  Winona's other clone performed another aggressive strike from a defensive position.  When one of the shades attempted to claw at her with knifelike fingers, she brought up her shield and swung her gladius once she felt the strike, but the sword whiffed the fleeing ghoul even when it should have connected.

She wondered what in the world was going on.  How can something have mass in one moment, yet be intangible the next?  There was a trick somewhere, a secret that had to be unveiled before she could land a strike.  Until then, she had to keep aware and maintain a level of patience.  Eventually, as long as these creatures did not smarten up and attack at once, she would be able to discover their secret.  Ceres knew how to handle herself, she inwardly thought to herself.  She would not fail to capture this strange man for questioning.

- Uzumeashy, with Iseult in the cafeteria / kitchen -

Uzumeashy broke out in a fit of giggles at Iseult's disgruntlement towards a particular strand of legumes, soft at first and slightly louder at last.  She did not say anything, however, and watched as the white-haired elfin girl fixed her own breakfast, which is more than what she thought half of those in the Haven could do.  She sat down with her own newly crafted dish that she made earlier, before she even spoke with the others, and ate quiescently as Iseult talked about her past.  This intrigued her.  She did not pry too much into the dark elf's past, but what was said did trigger her curious instinct.

"If it isn't too much trouble," she inquired between bites, nudging herself to the edge of her bar stool and closer to Iseult, "what was your home like, and your world?  Were the people nice and caring?  I did not know many people and sheltered myself in the kitchen when I was younger, but from what little I have seen there has to be much better worlds than mine."

[Elrandir 783]

- Iseult Mylis - The Haven: Cafeteria/Kitchen -

Iseult's hand stopped midway towards her mouth, a few small pieces of egg falling into the plate as she stared in the distance once Uzumeashy asked what her world was like. What was her home like? Were people nice and caring? Such good questions coming from her friend.

"My home was...well, from my point of view, it was pretty normal, but if you asked me as if I were an outsider then..."

The Dra'tul remained silent for a moment, trying to recall her home. She closed her eyes and, in what felt like a long time, began to see it in her mind's eye.

"The place I was born in is beautiful, it is a city enveloped in lasting nighttime. Multicolored lights fill the streets, lights created by arcane means. When the time is right, the High Priestess and the Maidens of the Pale Mistress allow the light of the sun to be seen by all. We Dra'tul prefer the darkness, but some sun is good every once in a while. There are a some places for learning arts, arcane or history such as the Chlomos Academy or the Nildan Conservatory. At the center of the city lies the Kristalos, the palace of our rulers. The palace is like a beacon in the middle of the city, it glows with a mysterious arcane light, it's amazing."

She stopped there, it was better if she stopped before she began to think about her former home, or the current state of it, which was unkonwn to her and it would only serve to make her imagination run wild.

"And my world is called Istrora, our lands float in the sky. You could take a ship to the ends of the ocean and then you would find yourself in the Sea of Clouds, there you might see winged whales from time to time," she said while looking at Uzumeashy, "or so the books say. I've never been on a boat to the Sea of Clouds, but maybe one day I will. To the north we have the Frozen Wastelands, home to the ruins of the ancient city of Ithuriel. I do not know much about the continent to the east. And to the south there is a city buried into the earth, home of the dwarves, or so I've been told."

After that, Iseult remained silent and finished her breakfast. Thinking about her home felt strange, it had been some times since she had been in the Haven, and sometimes she wondered if she would ever go back. But for now? Uzumeashy made good company.

"I am sure you would like my world, or my home, at least," Iseult said with a smile, "how about you? What is your world like, Uzumeashy?"

[Mystics Apprentice 2,397]

Kolm's gaze fell to where Galla's traveled: the new combatants entering the arena.  He was ashamed to admit that he hadn't even noticed them approach until then.  Henry and Lucia appeared with a man he scarcely knew, though he did recall seeing him that morning in the cafeteria, as well as lingering around the Haven every now and again.  He returned his attention back onto the necromancer, trying to come to terms with what she'd just said.

"So you would have preferred death," Kolm repeated, as though difficult to ascertain.  "Forgive me for being blunt, but I do not see how one could look forward to eternal rest, unless you really have a life that is so terrible."  Which she might've, Kolm thought, but it was too late: the words had already escaped his lips before he could put a shackle on them.  It was a terrible trait of his: speaking his mind before having the chance to fully consider the consequence of being blunt.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, turning his face away.  "That was inconsiderate.  I just . . . have never met someone who would actually be willing to embrace death."

(Sorry for the delay; I've been a bit busy)

[HeartOfFerria 83]

Ceres’ eyes widened as she lost her footing feeling the shift in the earth. The second knocked her off her feet. The paladin slowly tried to get back up only to find the third wall start crashing down upon her. A faint light covered her body as the earth fell upon her burying her form.

—————

 

Galla sighs. “At the time... yes....” she looked at him. She chose to change the subject of their conversation. Trying to pull away from her own memories. They were starting to bring back thoughts she didn’t  want.  “Why didn’t you use the blood magic during our fight? Its the only reason i chose not to follow through... what held you back?”

Edited May 14, 2019 by HeartOfFerria

[rikunobodyxiii 700]

{Jerod: Haven; Shops}

Jerod leaned against the wall next to the gate room, silently completing a count down. Nothing. No signs. No tremor in the Call. So, it seemed coming to Haven was going to work out. For now, at least. The Blind Wanderer let out a deep breath before pushing off the wall. Unhooking his cane from the crook of his arm, he made his way into Haven’s shopping section. His cane would tap ahead of him as he maneuvered between shops and shoppers, sampling the sounds and smells of this new place. He paused by some escalators, the sound of a conversation filtering through.

“...for our next mission...”

The voice was female and seemed to be accompanied by one other. As Jerod stretches out with his senses, the woman seemed to...fit the surroundings, more than others. And her companion seemed slightly “blurred” to his blind sight, an effect Jerod had encountered in those who weren’t as confined by things such as “here” or “now”, even both, as most people.

“Interesting.” He murmured before following after the the two anomalies. After an escalator ride, Jerod approached Hektor and Rhiannon.

“Sorry to interrupt.” He said in a clear voice, coming to a stop a respectful distance from the two, both hands resting on the handle of his cane, planted squarely before him. “I’m new to Haven and still trying to get my bearings. Would I be intruding too much to ask both of you a few questions?”

As he spoke, Jerod didn’t really attempt to give the impression he was looking at them. His dark sunglasses hid his sightless eyes well enough, though moving a little to his sides could get an observer a peek around them.

[Scrapmaster 1,731]

- Hektor - Shopping spree with Rhiannon -

Hektor cocked a smile at Rhiannon's reaction to his question about accompanying her to the shops, as he also noticed Reksis sitting alone, being pestered by Sylph. He let Rhiannon speak for them as she began to lead him off while gripping his arm.

Hektor smiled as he saw Reksis trying out some tea, his favorite beverage, but rhiannon pulled him along quick enough to make him unable to comment on the sight of Reksis drinking tea.

Rhianno commented about the shop area, saying it was replete with weapons, gadgets, you name it. "Certainly sounds pleasing to adventurers such as ourselves!" He commented as they soon arrived in the merchant district. 

Hektor followed her to the shop in which Rhiannon found herself poking the bottles, casualy waving to the shopkeeper to not get too mad on the girl. 

He was about to join Rhiannon in the bottle spelunking but he then heard a stranger's voice to their side, turning to face the man, he noticed two things. One was a shifty looking man in a trenchcoat, addorned with a belt that had some weird casings in it, his stall full of weapons he'd never seen before, with casings and the like, gunpowder's smell permeating the atmosphere of the shop as the man's glowing yellow eyes were the only things he could see through the man's hood, trenchcoat and bandana covering his mouth, the other was a seemingly blind man, another cane afficionado, which pleased Hektor greatly.

Looking over the man, he did not look like your common medium class citizen. Hektor tapped his cane to the ground as he answered the man. "Most certainly!, me and my lady friend would be delighted to answer your questions." Hektor politely spoke.

 

- Henry - Cafeteria - 

"Not enough action in the lab?" Henry casualy replied back, sarcasticaly, to the three eyed, mask wearing man, who had just commented on his predicament, the idea of a match in the arena appeased him greatly, Salamander beamed up as well, always excited for a fight.

"Well the idea is very appealing, I haven't had much practice aside from training dummies in the past week." Henry explained. "I'l accept." he finished with a smile.

Salamander laughed at the back as she approached. "Well, always eager for a fight aren't ya?" Salamander commented. 

"Like you're one to talk." Undine chimmed in at Salamander's expense. 

"Well, what do you say Lucia?" Henry turned to the arena fanatic. Before remembering something, Ceres and Winona were long absent. "By the way has anyone seen Ceres?" He asked, curiously;

"

 

- Sylph - Shenanigans -

Sylph's antics towards the ghost, and the latter's lack of reaction, and its companion seemingly unaware of her, not that she minded, she wanted to mess with the floaty thing right in front of her, even after Rhiannon and Hektor came and spoke to them she didn't leave until she saw something most peculiar...Pointy ears, coming and entering deeper into the cafeteria!.

Like a lightning bolt Sylph shot out so fast she probably spun the ghost around as she followed Uzume into the cafeteria's interior and kitchen, quickly approaching them from behind.

"Ooooooohh!" Sylph exclaimed from behind Iseult, "Excuse me! Miss! my friend, Henry says its rude to just come up to strangers and mess with them, but...are you an elf?!" Sylph asked shyly at first but quickly the exicitement got the best of her as she exlaimed her question with pure glee in her voice, as if seeing something rare and unique. little wings flapping in exciement as her size was roughly the palm of Iseult's hand. Small wing particles floating around her as her aura also beamed, star glints in her eyes as she looked at Iseult.

[Elrandir 783]

- Iseult Mylis - The Haven: Cafeteria/Kitchen -

While Iseult was waiting for Uzume's reply, she heard another voice coming from behind her. She quickly found the source of said voice, a small creature, a fairy, perhaps?

"You could say that I am a subspecies of the elven race, but yes, I am an elf," Iseult answered while looking at Sylph, "I am what is known as a Dra'tul, or a Dark Elf, in a more common term."

She had seen a few fairies back in Istrora, but this one felt slightly different somehow. She could feel arcane elemental magic coming from the small creature, perhaps she was a wind elemental? She was not sure.

"And what about you, little fairy? What exactly are you?" Iseult asked, "I can feel the arcane around you, but you are not a fey, at least not one from my world."

[Mystics Apprentice 2,397]

The mention of blood magic immediately arrested Kolm's attention.  He brought his aqua gaze to hers, startled.  "How did you know that I use blood magic?" he demanded.  His palms were suddenly clammy in his lap, and he instinctively reached for his bandaged arm.  "I . . . resolved not to use it.  It is dark magic, tainted, and I would not desire to use it upon someone whom I consider a friend."

A friend . . . is that what Galla was to him now?  Kolm, who had no friends for about as long as he could remember, and even then he regarded Galla cautiously.  He clenched his soda can tightly, the metal having given way long ago, and it could not be compacted much more tightly.

"If you could go back, and choose whatever form of magic that you could, would necromancy still be your calling?" he asked, voice soft.

--------

The apothecary shopkeeper swore under his breath as Rhiannon picked up a particularly expensive brew, plucked off its cork, and gave it a hearty sniff.

"No, no, no! no opening the bottles!" He waved his arms frantically at her, sighing as he took note of Hektor and his apologetic nature.  "These brews are sensitive.  Even opening them and allowing them to permeate can give effects off to the user.  Too much liability."

"Oh," Rhiannon said, disappointed.  She smiled sheepishly toward Hektor, placing the cork back into a bottle and setting it back on the shelf.  It was labeled "shrinking."  The young woman was rather engrossed in the shelving that she did not even notice the newcomer standing a short distance away, until he addressed them in his question.

Would we be? Rhiannon thought to herself, glancing toward Hektor with skepticism.  She indeed had never seen him in the Haven before, yet there was something about the man that disconcerted her.  She brushed her bangs from her face and offered her gloved hand out before Jerod.  "Pleased to meet you!  My name is Rhiannon, and this is my, uh, friend, Hektor"–why did she pause?–"I don't think I've seen you around, so welcome to the Haven!  May I ask your name?"

[HeartOfFerria 83]

“You said earlier... that our magic stemmed from the same root. I also felt it on the battlefield. Its not so tainted as you think, but it is close.” She looked at him. Her dark expression lightening around one who shared similar abilities  as her. This then turned into a laugh at  his question. “Honestly.... i wouldn’t  have much of a choice. It was this or death by disease. Luckily  my master chose me to pass on his powers and knowledge. If I could choose.... id chose temporal magic or transmutation magic.” She smiled at the question, finding it mildly silly.

Edited May 17, 2019 by HeartOfFerria

[Vaude 536]

- Uzumeashy -

The girl smiled and continued her breakfast, gladdened by the fact that she was going to learn a bit more about Iseult's homeworld, but did not expect to be so starry-eyed that she would drop her fork to listen.  Flying whales, colour-lit cities, floating lands -- the world was so unique and the imagery so beautiful to her young mind that she could not help but be enamoured by it.  This secret capital, hidden in darkness and yet allowed to enter the light, seemed like a dream come true, and she felt very embarrassed in comparison to be born on a world as docile and sequestered as hers was.

Before she could utter anything more than an embarrassed string of um's and ah's, a spirited sylphid burst into the kitchen, apparently catching a glimpse of Iseult and badgering her with a question.  While this was a nice distraction that allowed Uzumeashy some time to ponder over a way to respond, she could not help but feel a lick of jealousy towards the little fairy.

"She's an elemental, from what I've witnessed," she commented, hoping to respond before the fairy.  "Her elementalist is outside, as well as three other elementals.  They're all nice, though I like Gnome especially.  She's cute, shy, and doesn't say much."

- Winona and the Spectacled Man -

The real Winona let out a gasp of shock as she took a glance inside the shielded tetrahedron, not catching a glimpse of Ceres at all and only the Spectacled Man behind a mound of rubble, smiling quiescently back at her through the barrier.  Something within her snapped, and she angrily thrust out both hands toward him.  He frowned, potentially because the shield was not down, or perhaps because he knew that within an enclosed area he was in her specialty conditions for fighting:  close quarter combat.

Gravity magic was a baffling magic, and had a variety of practical uses.  Lightening loads, burgeoning loads, and drawing things into gravity wells made everyday life a simpler task, but when weaponised it was a way to ruin armies.  However, she did not have an army to focus on.  She had one man who threatened a dear friend, and that was fine.

Changing her mind at the last second, Winona withdrew her hands pointed in his direction and instead slammed them into the ground near the barrier's base.  Gravity lost its effectiveness for a second or two, then completely reversed and launched everything within the Shield barrier, including the man and the clods of dirt he disheveled, towards the top of the barrier.  The man was quick to catch on and shifted his body within the changing conditions of his prison before he was pelted with earthen clods falling upward with the acceleration of normal gravity.  Over time he was almost completely hidden in the dirt, and it kept gathering until she found the paladin.

"Ceres!" she called out, hoping she was all right.  Gravity started to lessen again, this time just barely enough upward force maintained to keep all of the recently disturbed ground from slipping down and onto her.  "Ceres, tell me you are all right!"

- Hogarth -

Hogarth made a puzzled expression, glancing about in search for them and not finding either in the cafeteria.  Could it be that they were out and roaming still in the expanse of the Haven, or were they settling down for different tasks?  After all, he and some of the other individuals in the cafeteria were thinking about going to the arena to hone their skills, so it could be possible that Winona and Ceres were the next ones in line.

"I'm sure they will turn up eventually," he responded with a shrug of his shoulders.  "There's still some time before we leave, though we should make it a quick match while we could.  If you all would follow me, I'll set it up."

With that, he swallowed up the rest of his tea and surged for the door, quite giddy with anticipation for the match-up of him against Henry and/or Lucia.  They hadn't come up with who fights who yet, however, so he proposed the question, "Brawl or two versus one?  I must say that I feel up to taking both of you on, though the choice is yours."

[rikunobodyxiii 700]

{Jerod: Haven; Shops}

Jerod smiled a little at Hektor and Rhiannon’s greetings. The sound of Hektor’s cane and his greeting completed Jerod’s mental picture of the man. He was still a little fuzzy, but up close it wasn’t a problem. Rhiannon’s reaction to Jerod seemed guarded. He wondered if she had recognized him. He and Lexa were something of urban legends in their current form back home, and merely stories now for their lives before.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He replied to Rhiannon’s question. “Forgot my manners. My name is Jerod Montrachet. I am new here, though I have heard stories of Haven. Do I wait for someone to tell me about lodgings and duties, or should I go someplace?”

[HeartOfFerria 83]

Ceres’ slowly adjusted to the gravity shift, standing up...or down.... she seemed a bit dizzied by the gravitational shift. She looked around “how am i... oh... thank you Winona” she looked...down.. at her comrad. She then looks towards the assumed geomancer. “Give up!” She growls.

[Vaude 536]

((All right, I will switch gears now and have things switch to the dragon quest.  Those who want closure to the conversations they have started with others can accomplish this during or after the quest, and the arena fight between @Scrapmaster, @Nero Kunivas, and myself will be done via PM.  You two can expect a PM starting for this soon.  @rikunobodyxiii, @Elrandir, feel free to join the main party as you deem fit, and I look forward to seeing your characters in action!))

-- -- --

Elemental Effectiveness on this Planet:

Spoiler

Dark magic effectiveness = 0.5x day, 4x night,
Light magic effectiveness = 3x day, 1x night
Fire magic effectiveness = 2x day, 1x night
Ice/water magic effectiveness = 0.75x day, 0.75x night
Earth magic effectiveness = 1.5x day, 1.5x night
Lightning magic effectiveness = 1.25x day, 1.25x night
Air magic effectiveness = 1.25x day, 1.25x night

Parched ground with scraggy bushes can be viewed around jericho trees as two suns dance overhead, only letting day slip into night every 72 hours.  Other areas besides around the mountain are lush and green, but even the trees here are fighting for moisture, digging deep into the ground with large taproots in search for water.  The aforementioned bushes are long-dead, their husks remaining like skeletons.  With the death of the dragon, however, the land may revert back to its normally prosperous form in time.

Jumping from the Frying Pan into the Fire, the Dragon Quest

The gate opened with a roar of grinding technology and singing electrical snaps as its portal burned bright and revealed a tall mountain in the background, smoke billowing and forming into a deathly miasma about its top.  Trees still blanketed the area with just enough foliage to cover the landscape and allow enough sun to strike their bases, but clear dirt paths, all of which was encrusted by fire, led in three different directions.  One led to no distinctly visible area down a hardly travelled road, another essed down a more travelled road and had recent footprints in its crunchy wake, and yet another finely baked road leading directly toward the mountain.

Pang was among the first to have stepped through the gate, supercharging himself and sniffing the air.  He found it foul, sulphurous, as if the mountain had vomited volcanic gases from its peak and down into the forests below, but there was no other evidence that the mountain was active.  He assumed it was the dragon.

Hogarth stepped through too later, followed by Uzumeashy, who covered her mouth and coughed as lightly as she was able to hide her consumption.  Hogie's eyes glittered with interest, possibly because he always seemed to be spat out into a timberland.  With a wave of his hand, two of his eyes popped free from his sockets and soared to great heights, surveying the area with digital analysis.

"From the whereabouts and my downloaded map, we are three miles to the nearest village of Tumula in that direction," he voiced, pointing towards the second path away from the mountain.  "It is home to some Rakshasa and Rakshasi, who would probably tell us more about this dragon, or we can charge in and take care of this as quickly as possible.  I would recommend gathering more intel, but I'll leave it to Uzumeashy here to decide."

Uzumeashy looked helplessly about and shyly shooed the idea away, explaining, "I would rather put it to a vote.  It would be dangerous either way, as the Rakshasa are a ferocious race, but additional information might spell the difference between life and death.  What do you all think?"

- Winona and the Spectacled Man, with Ceres -

Winona smiled as she continued to aid in shifting the gravity upward, but a glance toward her right made clear that one of the yellow-eyed shadows was lurching for her with both claws outstretched.  Both of her clones jumped toward her to rescue her from its killing blow.  One took the blow for her after a failed shield parry, and the other used gravity magic in an attempt to pull the creature back and away from her.  It worked well -- very well.  Once it was tugged back so that its eyes were touching the shadow itself, it was torn apart by the strong gravitational pull of the magic, shrieking inhumanly while it did.  Her eyes lit up.  Even though it cost a portion of her to find it, she obtained her solution to defeating them.

While her remaining clone made short work of the other shadow, the Spectacled Man struggled to overcome the weight of the soil as it pressed against his front.  With Shield energy at his back, there was little dirt to propel him forward, so he performed a better method.  Grasping the dirt near his hand, he clenched it so that the soil turned to stone and forged a pillar leading to the remainder of the ground beneath him.  This missed Ceres by a fair bit, but with a bridge connecting him to the ground surface, he was able to launch a pillar out from under Winona's feet and launch her sky-high.

Her concentration undone, gravity would begin to revert back to normal.  Winona called out, "Look out!" shortly before falling hard onto the ground, her off-hand's lower arm breaking both her radius and ulna in the process.  She winced, fighting through the pain as she strove to get back on her feet.  This would not stop her, she thought to herself.

The geomancer grinned, feeling freer now that he was not under crushing weight.  He counted on Ceres being done for or in the same position as he was, and with the gravity mage at the loss of one arm it meant she was only half a threat.  He lost his guardians, but he could always make more, whereas the thought of killing two Haven individuals was altogether greatly satisfying.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Vaude

[Elrandir 783]

- Iseult Mylis - The Haven: Cafeteria/Kitchen -

"An Elemental you say? I've learned about those. Spirits who are in command of the elements of nature," Iseult said while looking at Sylphid, " we call them the Elemental Lords. It is quite interesting to learn that they exists in other worlds as well."

Iseult spend the rest of her time finishing her breakfast and talking with Uzumeashy, always paying attention at her behavior and reactions, just in case she felt sick or hurt. In her mind she knew that in time she would need to join the rest of the group who would take Uzumeashy's quest.

 

- Iseult Mylis - The Haven Gate -

Some time later it was finally time to leave the Haven, meaning that she would need to a) go outside in the middle of the day and b) join the rest of the group. This quest would make an interesting experience, at least. The moment Iseult was hit by the brightness of day, her mistly cloak materialized around her, covering most of her body from the rays of the sun. She could see three paths leading in three different directions. One looked like it was not used that much, the next one looked like it was used more offten, if the footprints were any indication, and the last one would take the group directly to the mountain.

It took a moment of waiting but Uzumeashy finally came out from the gate. Iseult noticed that the young girl was trying to hide her affliction, the others seemed to not pay much attention to that and so she remained close to Uzumeashy. One of the group gave two options to proceed. Either go to Tumula village OR go directly to face the dragon. He then let Uzumeashy decide the next course of action. It looked like she was not comfortable with that, though, and instead the group would have to vote.

"I find that paying a visit to this Tumula village is the better course of action. No one should be too eager to face a dragon, unless they wish for a swift death. Instead, we should focus our efforts in learning all we can from these Rakshasas. The more information we can obtain in regards to this dragon, the better the chances of success," Iseult said while looking up the mountain, trying to find any sign of the creature, "and it's just like Uzumeashy said, both options are dangerous, one more than the other, but dangerous nonetheless. Personally, I feel the dragon would pose the higher risk, while dealing with the villagers could be easier. That's, of course, it's just my personal point of view."

Edited May 19, 2019 by Elrandir

[HeartOfFerria 83]

Ceres landed hard on the ground as gravity was reversed back to normal. Noting her situation she moved as fast as she could to dodge the falling pieces of earth that had once buried her, not really willing to be buried again. She scrambled to her feet and dove out of the way. She then stood back up once more her eyes moving to relocate her target. Her focus on the cage seemed unwavering. She was set on keeping it up.

 

 

Galla looked around the sulfuric area. “Information is crucial but acquiring  it could be dangerous if the locals arent keen on sharing. Course....we could always make them talk if they don’t  want to... But I presume we aren’t  here to burn bridges.” Her skull floated close behind her.

Edited May 24, 2019 by HeartOfFerria

[rikunobodyxiii 700]

{Jerod: the Haven Gate}

Jerod followed the party heading out to deal with a dragon, eager to prove himself a valuable asset to Haven. The condition of one of the others concerned him. He sadly lacked the ability to heal others, though perhaps... No. Lexa wouldn’t help. Not yet, anyway. 

“I rather agree.” Jerod added in to the conversation.

He strode a little further into this new world, getting a feel for its flow, smells, and sounds.

“The village has opportunities, not just for information, but to aid these people.”

He turned so that he was somewhat facing Uzumeashy.

“While reward enough on its own, helping others have additional benefits that might come in handy when taking something like a dragon on.”