Elias
Mage Knight
The Crimson Mage
I'm just saying that the problem isn't going away, no matter how good we get at stabbing them.
Posts: 451
Etruria Fame: 1
Sacae Fame: 2
Lycia Fame: 1
Profession: The Crimson Mage
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Profile (updated)
OoC Alias: Elias
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Post by Elias on Jan 22, 2014 12:57:45 GMT -6
Laus, a land of zombies and monsters. A city by the river, incredible in scale, but not as much as compared to their last stop of Santuraz. Elias lead the small group of scholars to the capital, on a journey to study the monsters. There was Elias atop his steed Demon, grey and with a black mane. He headed the group, but there was others. Reid, also known as coolguy because he had cool hair. Gustavus, also known as ladyface because he had the soft and delicate features of a middle aged woman. Edrick, also known as tallboy because he was like a foot taller then Elias and no one needs to be that tall seriously what hell. Finally bringing up the rear was Mimi, also known as girl because she was a girl.
Laus was their destination, for several reasons. There was the guild Silver Cross situated not too far away, an organizations dedicated to hunting these monsters they searched for. Of all places in Lycia, Laus is the one that was hit the hardest by the monsters that managed to survive. Ostia was nothing but a monster infested hole in the ground these days, but Laus still struggled to survive somehow despite all the problems and strife. In the city of Laus there was a magic academy, recently rebuilt after some tragedy that happened years ago. Stories involved magic, a dragon, and a hugely dorky guy in blue. The previous headmaster, a man named Chester, was recovered and tried for treason and executed. Now it was being lead by a woman named Lucy, who was formerly a high ranking magic knight in Pharea's army. She was a part of a now defunct task group called 'golden lance' whom dissolved mysteriously after trying to petition Bern for assistance. The bonds between the nations of Lycia were still rocky, now more so then ever with the monsters, but that wasn't the nature of their trip. They were here to study monsters, and due to their experience with these creatures, this would be the best place to start. Not to mention it made a handy pitstop on their way to Ostia to boot.
Elias, as he had all over Lycia, has lived in this town for a portion of his childhood. When it came to Lycia, he just about been everywhere once or twice. He remembered this place in particular, since his father taught in the academy for a short period of time and Elias even attended the school for a short respite. This was back when his father had recently adopted the boy, and was determined to make him the greatest mage ever. An ambition that he eventually abandoned, but the memory of it stuck with the mage still.
"Alrighty then guys. This is Laus. Not exactly the best shape, but probably the best you could assume with monsters everywhere." He wasn't kidding either. The skies were clouded over, and the entire horizon looked like a bar of grey across the sky as if it was about to storm soon. The air was lit by a sort of dirty yellow light that made even the most vibrant colors seem faded and sad. The land wasn't green and vibrant like it once was, but cracked and hard. The grass barely broke through the hard earth and looked a sickly yellow, bending under it's own weight. The trees were dying, but they managed to hold out just barely. The land looked... sick. For lack of a better word. Maybe it was just the seasons, or maybe it was something more sinister in nature.
The town, while still populated, was a shadow of it's former glory. Nothing like the metropolis of beauty and culture that was Santuraz. Instead it looked just as sick as the land. Many closed and boarded up homes from those that fled, the men and women that remained were hardy folk and nationalistic to a fault. Even though the hordes have lightened up on the city once Ostia fell into ash, it was still a harsh picture. Countless guards lined the streets, with many more posted at the gates. They didn't hassle the scholars though, because it wasn't men like them they were guarding the city from. But rather... something else.
Elias slid off of demon, digging into his saddlebag that was bulging and lumpy from the multitude of books he had borrowed from that library. His tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he dug around for a minute. "Where is it, where is it..." He muttered to his self, before pulling out a parchment. "Ah! Here we go." It was revealed to be another map as he unfurled it, one of the city they stood in. Or at least how it had been five years prior when the cartographers mapped it. It had street names, buildings, diners, schools, stables, all that good stuff. It might be inaccurate now, but it was the best they would get. Elias took the liberty of procuring maps of all the places they planned to visit. He wasn't the most thorough person in the world, but Elias loved a good map. "Alright, the mage's academy is... here." He pointed at a building on the map for everyone to see.
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Post by Oya on Jan 22, 2014 15:27:52 GMT -6
Oya was at the back of the line, which was strange to him. Normally people would always place the female in the middle. It was the safest place to be in the line, though the fact that they chose to put him there told him a bit about the group. He was not a priority, which was good as it made keeping his gender hidden easier, but also bad as that meant he would not get as much aid when the fighting began. Still studying his comrades was not giving him the information he sought.
Oya took great notice to some of the plants in the area. Botany was one of his chief studies. He made sure to collect some samples from the side of the road while they were traveling. He wondered if the substance inside the plants could be extracted and used as a poison. He also took note how the environment looked sickly. He remembered that the fog rolled in right before the ghost ships attacked. He wondered if the presence of the monsters caused the environmental change, or was it the environmental change that caused the presence of the monsters. It was all unclear to him. However some of the samples he took might be able to aid him in further discovering this fact. If he could extract whatever substance that was in the plant and then apply it to a new environment then he might be able to cause monsters to appear, but then again the plants may not even have a strange substance in them. It could be the lack of sunlight that was making them sick. There were so many variables and so little time.
Oya was brought back to the group activity by Elias words. He pointed towards a map that he hand and pinpointed the magical school. Magic was another topic that intrigued Oya, but his ability to actually manipulate it was actually low. Still taking a visit to this magical academy would be a great experience. Though there was something else on the pirates mind. He wondered how long they were going to be in Laus. If they were going to be there for a few day’s ten Oya could have a bath. It was one of the few things he loved about being on land. He could bathe all he wanted without worrying about using up the fresh water. Still however that was a subject for another time. Now was the time to focus on study.
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Reid
Shaman
Posts: 27
Profession: Scholar
Profile: Reid
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Reid on Jan 23, 2014 20:52:00 GMT -6
Reid was more excited than a girl who pranced around in her new dress about this field trip for he had hardly taken them. It wasn't a matter of interest, he never had somebody to travel with in case of danger. The buddy system was always a great thing to have, it sure would have allowed Reid to sleep better at night as he traveled from Illia to Lycia in the first place. Before the group had left something had struck as odd about Mimi, he had suggested to Elias that they keep the girl in the rear of the group for reasons unknown to him. He was looking all around, taking in the sights so he could record them in his note book once they stopped moving, he saw Mimi picking some sort of plant, he knew it looked familar but he couldn't place his finger on it. He held his bags closer to himself. It wasn't long before Elias had stumbled around in his bags and pull out a map holding it out pointing out their destination. Elias had seemed to know this area pretty well, could it be because he once lived here? More importantly, his father being a druid may have some books Reid would kill to read. "Elias, you did say your father was a druid, would you be able to get a hold of any of his old books? It may aid me in some of my research."
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Post by Augustus Nacht on Jan 23, 2014 21:11:51 GMT -6
"Gustavus" Nacht's own horse, Midnight, rode on as well. The Druid himself was paying a bit more attention to the rest of the group than the road itself. However, as Elias stopped and dismounted, Nacht also brought Midnight to a stop, humming in curiosity as Elias started rooting around in a saddle bag before pulling out a map. The black stallion trotted forward a bit more and Nacht leaned over slightly to get a better look. After Elias pointed out the building, he nodded and looked over the group once again.
There was something he'd heard Reid mutter before about how off the orange-headed girl seemed. And Nacht had to agree, there was a certain something that seemed off about the girl, but whatever it was, it wasn't obvious per say. Still, that wasn't what he was looking for right now. "I believe we're close to there now, aren't we? Shall we continue on or rest a bit?"
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Edrick
Shaman
Even in darkness one can devote themself to the light.
Posts: 114
Sacae Fame: 1
Profession: Jack of all Trades
Affinity: Light
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Post by Edrick on Jan 24, 2014 9:57:33 GMT -6
So this was Laus, although it looked to be in horrible condition it apparently had once been a nice fertile citysend in Lycia only to Ostia and Santaruz. Looking at it now it was in a horribly depressing state, it seemed as though everything was wilting just from the presence of the monsters. Even the city looked scarcely populated to what it should be and there were guards everywhere, at least it seemed safe for now.
The group seemed muttering about stuff but he didn't see the need to pay it much attention, he was a bit more focused on the black sheep of the group, Nimi. She seemed to be always wandering off and poking at plants, he recognized a lot of them, but they seemed to be mostly dead in this area and weren't interesting in the least, what could she be doing with them? He was snapped out of his subtle observations by the group's sudden stopping.He then noticed that Elias had brought out a map and was pointing to it. "Alright, the mage's academy is... here." He said. Natch then spoke up. "I believe we're close to there now, aren't we? Shall we continue on or rest a bit?" To which Edrick replied, "Nah, lets continue on. Resting now would just be a waste of time and I can keep going for much longer." And with that said Edrick then pulled out his homemade map in the works and began to sketch down the landmarks he had seen while traveling down the road.
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Elias
Mage Knight
The Crimson Mage
I'm just saying that the problem isn't going away, no matter how good we get at stabbing them.
Posts: 451
Etruria Fame: 1
Sacae Fame: 2
Lycia Fame: 1
Profession: The Crimson Mage
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Profile (updated)
OoC Alias: Elias
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Post by Elias on Jan 25, 2014 9:56:41 GMT -6
Each of the members of this coalition of learned leaders seemed to be preoccupied by their own little agenda and things they were interested in, but they were all there and they were paying some attention to Elias, so whatever. Many seemed particularly interested in Grill but Elias personally could not understand why, she looked like a little boy just with a pretty face, and half these dudes are probably ten years older then her, so it was kinda creep. Whatever, she didn't preoccupy much of his thoughts, he was too focused on the cool stuff they were going to do oh my goodness they were going to do so much cool stuff it should be and probably is illegal.
Coolguy was interested in something in particular, and Elias was glad he asked. Though not entirely able to give him a clear answer. "Sorry, I haven't seen my dad in years. He travels around Lycia all the time, it's a pain to track him down." Assuming he was still alive, but that wasn't something he wanted to think about. "He has a house in town though, that he might have left some books in though. We can check it out later." His father traveled around so much, it was simply a hassle to carry all of his extensive library of librams, tomes, and grimoires with him at all times. Instead he left them in his homes across Lycia, content to return and pick them up if he truly needed them. "My dad in particular researched magic from before the scouring, and the heroes themselves. That seems to be the kind of stuff you like right? Maybe you'll find something interesting?" He also had in invested interest in scrying, but that never panned out and he eventually abandoned it. It was simply too difficult to get it to a level where it was of any use. Still he had mastered it just about as well as any person in this day and age can.
"Yeah, let's just push on." Ladyface suggested and Elias complied. He just wanted to show everyone where it was on his map. Elias grunted as he made a hop back unto Demon, who seemed rather blasé about it all. It shook it's head with a neigh, but listened anyways as they began to trot forward through the town.
Inside the town wasn't really all that comforting. Like the outside it appeared... sad. Dead. The colors faded and dull, the trees wilting and sickly, the home boarded up and abandoned, soldiers lined the streets. There was no music, no sounds outside of the clanking of metal upon cobblestone and the grunting of armored men as they moved about. Elias grinned all goofy like, this was interested. It reminded him of Ostia, not as badly as Ostia was, mind you, but on it's way. They say the monsters have acidic blood and vile bile poison the land as they die, it wasn't something that sounded real but looking at Laus it was easier to believe. It was fine though, Elias will learn how to fix this, he was sure. Strapped upon his back was two staves, mend and the sparkly holy one, and the second one remained silent but... Elias could feel a sort of magic almost pulsing from it. Too bad Elias didn't speak staff. He assumed it was sad, or whatever, though. Over the land that is. This staff was special, it wasn't just a magical stick, it almost seemed to have thoughts or feelings of it's own. Not complex, interesting thoughts that Elias could go and have conversations with, but it was more like the magic wrapped in it was so powerful that it seemed to react to things. It was a staff of healing, and this place was deeeeeeeaaaaaad, so it made sense.
"They say the mages, shamans, acoyltes, whatever in this town have been studying these monsters. Nearby the town they have a guild called the Silver Cross which hunts these creatures." Elias explained as they made their way through the silent streets. "So when we enter, don't be surprised if you see weird junk." He followed it up, while adjusting his fancy hat.
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Post by Oya on Jan 25, 2014 17:11:43 GMT -6
“Yes the silver cross sounds interesting”, spoke Oya. “Still I must wonder what information have they stored. People who usually enter into combat are not the best scribes. They have a tendency to leave things out and not look into things further. Most of the time they only list the basics like what they do, or how they move. I wonder if any of them have even dissected one of these things. I would love to compare the insides of a doom wolf and a normal wolf. Are there different organs inside, or are they identical below the skin.” Oya went off into a little rant there for a moment before he retreated back into his note book. The plants he had found earlier were interesting, but the idea of getting his hands on some of the monsters bodily fluids sparked his interest more.
He heard the rumor that some of the creatures blood as acidic. Acidic blood could be used for poisons, or even better yet to add to another poison and get a more potent effect. Poison was always an easy way to get rid of an enemy. It also aided in removing large numbers of opponents in one go. Oya goal in this whole expedition was to get some new weapons out of this. Science and research were all good and subjects of his interest, but cold hard truth of the matter with him was how useful the knowledge was. Knowledge is power and useless knowledge was a waste of time.
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Edrick
Shaman
Even in darkness one can devote themself to the light.
Posts: 114
Sacae Fame: 1
Profession: Jack of all Trades
Affinity: Light
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Post by Edrick on Jan 26, 2014 17:39:51 GMT -6
"It might be interesting if we actually could look at your father's book if we got a chance later," Edrick said upon hearing that Elias' Dad might have some ancient knowledge in town. Although it wasn't likely, he may have something that may help increase his power over the Elder magics. That would be amazing, he needed all the power he could manage after all. He can't let another arena happen to him.
"They say the mages, shamans, acoyltes, whatever in this town have been studying these monsters. Nearby the town they have a guild called the Silver Cross which hunts these creatures. So when we enter, don't be surprised if you see weird junk." Elias said as they walked through the town. "Weird junk? I doubt that it would be drastic enough to phase anyone, aren't we looking for stuff like that anyway? Any little extra bit would help. " Edrick said while walking towards the academy based off of Elias' map. Although it wasn't entirely true. He wasn't the biggest fan of dissecting things although he could and would in certain cases, like dressing an animal. Sometimes it just felt wrong, but it may be very well be needed soon so he'd have to man up to it sometime.
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Reid
Shaman
Posts: 27
Profession: Scholar
Profile: Reid
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Reid on Feb 3, 2014 14:53:54 GMT -6
Meeting Elias was a blessing by fate itself, he had access to knowledge that could put Reid one step close to his research. The others were a bonus, for the most part they had gained knowledge on other fields of intellect that interested him almost as much as elder magic. Something Elias had said struck Reid as odd, it had seemed like Laus had a much worse monster problem than other parts of Lycia and the environment had reflected it. Could the monsters themselves be bring such a change to the land? He had began to put together a thesis about it but lacked the necessary tools to put it to test. "Once we reach the town, if it is okay with you fine men if I wonder off to gather some supplies. I hate to say it but I had came ill prepared for our journey due to the fact I had not expected this expedition. I would meet up with you at the wonderful academy when I am finished." Reid had hastened his pace without noticing, so much to learn and so little time.
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Post by Augustus Nacht on Mar 4, 2014 13:47:00 GMT -6
"They say the mages, shamans, acoyltes, whatever in this town have been studying these monsters. Nearby the town they have a guild called the Silver Cross which hunts these creatures." Elias explained as they made their way through the silent streets. "So when we enter, don't be surprised if you see weird junk."
"Well, sounds perfect for what we're looking for." Gustavus chuckled as Midnight continued to trot along.
"Once we reach the town, if it is okay with you fine men if I wonder off to gather some supplies. I hate to say it but I had came ill prepared for our journey due to the fact I had not expected this expedition. I would meet up with you at the wonderful academy when I am finished."
"Fine by me, I could stand to do a little shopping myself." The green-haired Druid gazed at various stalls as they passed. A lot of merchants seemed to be out and about in loss, mostly those pitching sales for armor and weaponry. Not exactly a big surprise there.
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Elias
Mage Knight
The Crimson Mage
I'm just saying that the problem isn't going away, no matter how good we get at stabbing them.
Posts: 451
Etruria Fame: 1
Sacae Fame: 2
Lycia Fame: 1
Profession: The Crimson Mage
Affinity: Fire
Profile: Profile (updated)
OoC Alias: Elias
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Post by Elias on Mar 6, 2014 2:35:57 GMT -6
Elias eagerly awaited for his stalwart compatriots to respond to his detailed summary of the town, it took a bit and by the time they all finished Elias had grown bored and started to look around aimlessly. Taking in the city, as it were. There wasn't a lot to take in to be honest, but whatever. They seemed to have made plans about gathering supplies and such, but Elias already had all the supplies he needed and was eager to get started on the whole 'learning the secrets of the world' business, but if they wanted to then who was he to stop them? "Watch out for price gougers, this town's in an awful state, don't be surprised if you're seeing people selling food for 30 times the original price." Elias shrugged, he hadn't experienced it first hand but it totally sounded like something that would be happening right about now. "Lets meet by the academy later when you're all ready. How's that sound?" While these people all went about shopping, Elias would wander off and see if his father's safehouse is still around. Maybe he could open it, if he remembered how to do it. His father's homes were sealed by an intricate spell that he devised after studying ancient magical wards, it was mostly so he could test out the concept, but then he applied it to all his homes. Only someone with the talent of anima magic (as that was the school he, his wife, and Elias all knew) could open it, so unless it was torn down or his father came and got everything, it should still be standing.
He looked at his fellow scholars, preparing for this little shopping spree, and then reached into his pack on the side of his horse. Digging around for a few moments before pulling out a small leatherbound book, he finally transferred all his notes from his old firetome, after days of boring copying, so he should have what he needs in here, with all the added benefit of not reading around a huge spearhole. He flipped through a few of the pages and hummed to his self lightly, before snapping it shut and smiling. "I'll see you all later, c'mon demon."
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Post by Oya on Mar 8, 2014 11:09:32 GMT -6
"Very well", spoke Oya as he walked off from the group. There were many samples of plants he wanted to collect and many stories of monsters he wanted to hear. Oya first began his private study session by going to the outskirts of town. He wanted to collect some more samples for him to test latter. Normally he would go ahead and engage in his plant test, but an hour was not enough time for him to try and separate the fluids in the plant. He needed proper space and time to do that. Not to mention the proper materials to do the separation. This was a task for latter. He first needed to get the samples and preserve them.
"Lets see where can I find some more plants", spoke oya to himself. The pirate began to check around the gate. He did not want to go outside the walls in case there were monsters about. He had never faced such a beast and recon he would not stand much of a chance if they swarmed him in a group. Instead Oya poked around the inside of the wall. He looked for plants that would have started to grow in the cracks in the walls.
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Reid
Shaman
Posts: 27
Profession: Scholar
Profile: Reid
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Reid on Mar 30, 2014 15:43:36 GMT -6
Elias had warned Reid of price gouging, money wouldn't be too much an issue back home but he's far from there now. He was going to have to find somebody reliable to ship a lot of his study supplies to his parents house, he didn't feel they were exactly safe in this group. Somebody gave him a shady feeling of their intent but he wasn't sure who or why. He was able to get a wooden crate for a cheap price, loaded up all of his books except the couple of ones he used to jot down notes in and had that sent back home. He was able to pick up a couple of empty vials for more than he was used to pay for, the poor vendor looked famished so he defiantly needed the gold more than Reid. By time he got to the vendor selling a small knife he knew he was charging close to five times what it should be. Using his middle finger to push up his glasses with his left hand he held the small knife in his right examining it. "Normally I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for something but this price is outrageous." 'Well you see, this is a steel dagger, steel is hard to come by in this area with those monsters walking about.' Reid began to toss it an inch or two and catch it in his hand. He then began to try to balance it on his fingers. "Judging by the weight it's too light to be steel, feels more like iron than anything. I don't use weapons very often but the balance is way off thus it being poorly made. I'll pay you 1/4th of your asking price or I'll walk away." 'Fine, damn-it. How can a man make a living with people like you around' Reid just gave him a smile as he paid for the dagger and walked off, now he was in search of a small pot which he found for a decent price, compared to everything else he paid for today. Looking in his wallet he spent over half of what he left Illia with.
It didn't take Reid long to find the school and he began to wonder around it, taking in all of the sights, as well as searching for his party.
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Edrick
Shaman
Even in darkness one can devote themself to the light.
Posts: 114
Sacae Fame: 1
Profession: Jack of all Trades
Affinity: Light
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Post by Edrick on Apr 9, 2014 8:32:22 GMT -6
The group started to go off on their own accords throughout he town, and they had been warned of the inflated prices, hopefully no one really needed to buy anything. Edrick himself had most of the thing he'd thought he would need, a small knife, some medicine, spices, dried meat and fruits, Ect. He seemed good to go, though he wanted to take a quick view of the town before he went to the guild.
Strolling through the town he began to realize just how bad off this place was. The buildings were starting to get rundown, random buildings were boarded up, there were beggars everywhere. It was quite a pitiful site, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for them all. It was quite a change from what he was used to; The bustling growing city, a booming economy, and an overall feeling of safety. He just wanted to tell everyone here to go to his hometown, but that would be risky. People can't really get in Etruria now a days, have to keep those who would harm it out after all. But he could settle on one thing; he spotted a particularly miserable looking beggar. When he squatted down next to her he saw that the light had completely gone from her hazel eyes. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out some coins, enough for a meal and a room, and placed them in her hand. At first she glanced up in fear, probably not knowing what the money was for, before she saw his eyes and noticed the kindness radiating from them, a twinkle of hope appeared in her eyes once more. Before she could reply however, Edrick promptly stood up and began walking around getting a last few glimpses before heading towards the guild site. There was a warm feeling spreading through his body from that act, but it wasn't as warm and fuzzy as similar deeds made him feel in he past.
There it was, the Silver Cross guild. it was a nice building, well much better than a lot of buildings in the area. Taking a moment to admire the building, the last of the fuzziness dissipated from his body; he began to mentally prep himself into the scholarly mindset for this next part, it might be needed. With that he entered the building. Wandering around a bit he noticed that Reid was already there. Walking over to him, Edrick nodded his head in greetings before taking out a book to read.
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Post by Augustus Nacht on Apr 16, 2014 18:10:27 GMT -6
Nacht looked over many a different merchants' wares, looking for anything that might appeal to his interest. He did buy a scythe made for combat, finding it a rather amusing novelty at the time. The Druid had to admit that his skill at arms could use some work when it came to a more direct confrontation. And a bit of intimidation factor never hurt in terms of style, no?
Still, he had time to dwell on certain other concerns that were on his mind as well. Concerns about his main objective and goals. Yes, this research could prove useful, but to what degree? Everything he'd found so far never indicated any means of control, just eradication and warnings. For all intents and purposes, the knowledge he'd gathered so far would be enough in terms of dealing with them. And while they were certainly an interesting subject worth studying, he had better things to do with his time.
It was time to finally return to Bern.
Nacht looked off in the distance at the Academy, spotting a number of the others there. He genuinely wished them luck in this endeavor. The monsters were a plague to one and all and if he could get them out of the way of his own plans, that would be lovely. Nacht pulled on the reins of Midnight before sending him off in a gallop. He had alot of ground to cover.
[Nacht exit thread.]
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