Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Oct 30, 2018 9:12:10 GMT -6
It was a sunny day in the plains of Sacae and a pleasant breeze swept through the Chaklai village. A smiling Selunae strolled along a small open market in the new apparel she had recently purchased. A simple pink gown under a sleeveless red kimono. A wide burgundy waist band was wrapped around her and kept snug by a long pink ribbon belt tied in a bow. It was minimalistic as far as local styles went, lacking in any sort of decorative pattern, but it was all she could afford. Nonetheless, the archer still felt quite elegant and ladylike wearing these local garments. She still stood out somewhat though, but that didn’t bother her a bit. Selunae had been staying at Skai’s ranch and both training and working there for several weeks now and though she had this afternoon off from her chores, she had offered to run a few errands in the village. Mainly, she had made a few deliveries. Now, with a bit of time to herself, she browsed to her heart’s content. It couldn’t hurt to look, though she had quickly burned through the modest pay she received for her work every time she turned around. Not today though. She hardly had anything left from buying her new clothes the other day. Tiring of browsing through things she couldn’t buy, she found herself slipping into a chair in a cozy tea house that she had grown to be a regular of throughout her stay. The young waitress who was a few years Selunae’s senior, turned to her, eyes lighting up from beholding the Bernese teen. “Ah, Lunie. It is you. I hardly recognized you, dressed up like that. Shall I get your usual?” she offered, the warm smile on her face replacing an expression of pleasant surprise. “Of course, Lingyu,” Selunae answered with a small giggle. “--but wow, the place is so busy this afternoon.” Sure enough, nearly every table was occupied. Mostly it was locals, but one or two stood out more than she did. “It is! There are quite a few travelers passing through lately. Good for business, mother says, but it just makes more busywork for me though.” Lingyu huffed. “Oh! I don’t mean to complain though. I’ll be right back with your apple tea.”
“Oh, it’s no… uh..” Selunae watched as the Sacaean waitress spirited away before she could finish. She sighed with a soft smile and muttered the rest to herself. “..No problem.”There was little to do but wait as Lingyu served other customers, but in idle boredom the archer caught notice of a wrinkled, bald old man shooting frequent glances her way. She made the mistake of making eye contact though and was met with a stone-faced stare. Suddenly, she found herself losing focus as his eyes seemed to pierce through her. Selunae’s mouth hung open, words roiling inside but never escaping her throat. A hand grabbed her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her chair with a start. Her eyes, nearly feral from fear, turned to find Lingyu frowning at her with concern. “Lunie, is everything okay? You look like you just saw a ghost.” The waitress tilted her head to the side. Selunae choked out a nervous laugh, the tension easing away quickly. “I’m fine.” The Bernese huntress breathed deeply and offered a reassuring smile. “Jus’ got lost in thought for a sec. I’m....” The old man was gone. The table where he sat was unoccupied and she was staring into space now. “I.. I’m.. Sorry, guess there’s lots on my mind today ‘n all.”
“It’s okay. They’ve kept you pretty busy on the ranch lately, huh.” Lingyu reassured Selunae with a gentle squeeze of her shoulder. “Oh, but hey. I want you to try something. I’ve been practicing making mooncakes for autumn and wanted you to have one.”
“What’s a mooncake?” The redhead’s brow arched with curiosity. Turning to face the table, she saw it sitting there on a neatly folded cloth beside her steaming teacup. “They are an old tradition from the tribe my family was a part of before joining the Chaklai.” Lingyu explained. “We eat them to celebrate the moon, for luck.”
“Wow.. really? For me?” Selunae’s eyes lit up. “Mother’s are better, but I hope you enjoy it.” Lingyu beamed a smile. With the enthusiasm of a child, the archer shoved the round confection into her mouth and took a bite. “Ith vewy chewy..”Lingyu burst into laughter. “Oh Lunie, don’t talk with your mouth full. Ah, but I have to get back to work. I’ll talk to you later, alright?”
“Fankth, ‘ingoo,” Selunae answered, mouth still full of the surprisingly dense cake. “Ith good.”With that, a satisfied Lingyu sauntered away to fulfill her responsibilities, leaving the huntress to her mooncake and tea. Selunae was able to finish both without interruption and thankfully the bizarre distraction from the old man was gone from her mind. She was able to relax and enjoy the rest of her time in the tea house. All was normal once more. It was late afternoon, so it seemed like a good time to return to the ranch to help Lady Azi with dinner. That was exactly what Selunae intended to do. However, the moment she left the tea house, a bony hand grasped her wrist tightly. With a quick shriek, the girl turned to find herself face to face once more with the old man. “Stay away from the haunted grove. Beware!” the old man released her just as quickly as he grabbed her. Once more in a fit or terror, Selunae ran from the crotchety elder, paying no mind to her direction. She only slowed her pace when she realized he wasn’t following her, not that he’d have been able to match her speed anyway. Perhaps it had been irrational of her. What was this haunted grove nonsense anyway?
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Post by Lauren on Oct 30, 2018 11:33:51 GMT -6
Enemy territory; Lauren sighed as she rolled the words around in her head. She was proud to be Etrurian, and she was proud to be an inquisitor, even one of low rank and standing. She enjoyed more freedom than most from less restrictive nations and yet at times she felt trapped. She was trapped by her siblings and how their care forced her hand. She was trapped by her status and how it created fear and loathing in others, and admiration and awe in some. She was trapped by superiors who considered her their asset and puppet to string along. And she was trapped by her own desires to overcome her past and show the world she was so much more than a street rat.
Enemy territory; again the words came to mind as she looked at the marketplace before her. It was such a beautiful day and the winds were a compliment to the heat. Spirits seemed high and the good feeling was infectious. Her own mind was the only thing that could sour the moment. Threats were everywhere in this world, and the seeds of greater crimes were sown in the most unlikely of places. It was these small unseen crimes that urged her to travel to far off places so often. She looked at the market and saw a peaceful place she could enjoy herself for a time, but her training and indoctrination saw a dish of filth and disease waiting to cultivate. It was mentally exhausting to think like that so much and she wasn't quite ready to enter the bustle yet.
Finding an errant tree she decided to rest beneath it as she composed herself. As she settled in a small flower caught her eye. Growing in the shade of the tree was a beautiful flower. She smiled softly to herself as she examined it and decided to draw it into her notebook. She had considered plucking it to press but she saw none of its type elsewhere and wanted to let its beauty grow.
Enemy territory; her brief joy was sapped from her in an instant. She bore no visible iconography but she was still easy to identify as an Etrurian, and worse perhaps, her demeanor and bearing might have been her greatest tells. Just as she stalked and observed others, so too could someone be doing the same now. She finished her sketch, accurate and lifelike in detail before she made a few notes on color and location of discovery. She then pocketed her book and entered the market.
She strolled casually, as casually as she could, her posture was ever straight and firm. She should enjoy a meal, she thought, but fate would have a different card to play. A young woman, perhaps even a child still, with red hair and an outfit that seemed incredibly impractical for running looked to have been possessed of demons as she frantically bolted past her, clearly seeing nothing of the world around her. This was odd, and perhaps exactly what she needed to find.
Enemy territory; Lauren followed the girl at a distance, maintaining sight of her, and keeping a pace that was void of suspicion was, difficult, and she had to tread quickly a few times. When the girl finally stopped Lauren gave her a moment to rest and compose herself. Running her fingers over and under the brim of her cap she then made her presence known.
"Excuse me," She announced herself from a distance. Last thing she wanted was to be baring her presence down onto the girl. "You seem to be in some distress, is something amiss?" Something clearly was, but she needed to remain even and helpful if she wanted the information from the girl.
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Post by Kayla on Oct 30, 2018 15:40:53 GMT -6
The winds and warmth of the Sacaean plains were a treat for the young Pegasus rider. She had grown up in the chilling northern territories. “The plain winds are so fun to ride on. They remind me of Ilia but sooo much warmer. Isn’t that right Polly?” The Pegasus bobbed its head slowly. “Aww Polly are you getting tired? How about we land and get you some rest?” Kayla scanned the plains below and found a village. She guided the Pegasus to a smooth landing.
Kayla pulled her bandanna down around her neck as she wandered into town. Her clothes were dusty as always and she had a few smudges of dirt on her cheeks. Kayla wiped her face with a portion of her shirt. Oooo a tea shop. Sounds Tea-rrific. Kayla chuckled to herself for longer than a moment or two. She then saw an old man speak a type of warning to a young lady. Kayla, not so subtly, eavesdropped. What the man said had sent the young red haired lady running in fear. Kayla made a face.
A warning like that was more like an invitation to the thrill-seeking Pegasus knight. She thought to herself. Oh come on. If that isn’t an adventure waiting to happen then I dunno what is. Kayla forgot all about the tea store and began to skip off in the direction of the redhead. She thought as she moved. Is it bonewalkers or revenants? Maybe something worse? Whoa… Creepy… In time, she caught up to the now stationary redhead. Kayla paused for a moment and observed a second woman who had come to speak to the first. Both her and the redhead seemed so proper, but for Kayla that bar was low. She had met more than a couple of birds that carried themselves quite regally.
Kayla shrugged and walked up. She hastily ignored all introductions and pleasantries. She spoke, a lot, and rather quickly. “Eyyy Red, don’t tell me you believe that old dude and his ghost stories. I hear his eyes went a long time ago. Honestly, he probably got spooked by a family of bunnies, or, ooo maybe a baby wyvern. We’re near Bern after all right?” Kayla’s imagination was already running wild.
“Well anyway listen. Whatever it is, wouldn’t you say it’s our responsibility to investigate? As if we were some type of uhh investigators. Ya know, just to make everything is uhh.. not.. haunted."
Kayla turned to the other woman and waved an arm inviting her over. She called out. “Do you want to come too?” Kayla disregarded her own abruptness and zeal. She was just excited to get a little investigation group together. Ooo this is going to be so much fun. I hope they’re into it.
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Dawson
Shaman
Posts: 65
Affinity: Wind
Profile: Dawson
OoC Alias: Fargus
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Post by Dawson on Oct 30, 2018 21:29:48 GMT -6
Why... That's the only thing Dawson can ask himself. Why... Why was he here in Sacae for starts? Sure, he has no problem with the nomads of the plains, but this is by far the worst place for him to be right now. The open space was far too dangerous for him, considering that at any notice, he could easily get ambushed by Draco or his minions. Though he was able to elude them thus far, he still couldn't risk running into anymore of them. He barely managed to defeat Black Wolf when he was ambushed back in Bern. Going into town seemed like a suicide mission in of it's own, but he was running out of supplies.
No good, Dawson was forced to use some of the funds that he got from selling the Regal Axe to get some more rations in the form of nuts and vulnerarys. Just as he was about to head out of the town gate, he noticed a familiar face rush right past him. "Wait, was that...?" Dawson thought.
No way, that was Lunie wasn't it? The last time he saw her was when he stopped by Roddricks lodge to offer his regards. It was regrettable that he couldn't stay too long during that time in risk of attracting attention to himself by Draco, he didn't know if he left a good impression on her. Nevertheless, he still feels guilty. Guilty for almost getting her killed when Black Wolf ambushed her.
Though, Lunie certainly looked frightened by something when she ran by. What could have her so frightened? Was another one of Dracos minions in town and tried to kidnap her? He silently went out the gate as he followed her. Apparently, he wasn't the only one that noticed her distress though as another spellcaster had seemed to be attempting to converse with her. Though Dawson was nervous since he could recognize the spellcaster as being from Etruria. Maybe she didn't hear of the Illian Resistance yet, but that was mainly his place to go undercover so as to avoid Draco.
Then there was the other girl, she seemed to be more eager to talk to Lunie than he was. But he couldn't help but overhear. "...Investigation?" Dawson says out loud as he starts to walk towards the now gathered group. Welp, here he goes again. He may as well do something else while he's here aside from constantly worrying about Draco. Who knows, maybe whatever this "investigation" is could uncover something that could be useful.
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Oct 31, 2018 3:47:12 GMT -6
As Selunae gathered what wits hadn’t been frightened out of her by being snatched so suddenly by the creeper of an old man, she realized that she had made a bit of a scene. She was very much right in the middle of the public eye and she blushed nervously at the attention she had drawn to herself. The woman calling for her attention was plainly not of the Chaklai and maybe not even Sacaean at all. In fact, the archer couldn’t tell anything about where this tall black haired lady hailed from. A quick thought reminded her that such details didn’t matter with the Chaklai’s openness to outsiders. Was it Midori or Lady Lucy that had told her that the Chaklai took in outsiders frequently? A boisterous voice was now approaching from behind as well. It was a relief that it was not the raspy gravel tone of the bald creep, but just as the Etrurians’s words began to register, the archer was bombarded by the younger girl’s far more direct approach.
“Oh! I uh.. um..” Selunae fumbled her words as the purple haired girl energetically moved closer. The pegasus rider was a hard counter to the warning of the old man, and with everything occurring in such a small time frame the archer couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed. It utterly disrupted her train of thought. However, she managed an odd chuckle that didn’t really sound much like a laugh and a lopsided smile formed on her face as she tried to position herself where she could see both of the people speaking to her. “Well.. y’see.. I don’t really know nothin’ ‘bout this um ‘haunted grove’ or whatever. Not that I believe in ghosts or nothin’ like that....” The girl’s tone grew quiet as she finished, and she absentmindedly dusted herself off despite not really having anything in the way of dust on her.
Selunae never really answered the first woman’s question but the Ilian summed up the situation well enough to compensate for the archer’s speechlessness on the matter, and now it felt rather pointless to bring it up. Less flustered, she was able to focus on the here and now. The lady to her left seemed cool and collected with an even temperament while the younger approaching from her right was simply rambunctious and untidy, covered with a layer of dust and grime from open travel. Well, aside from the profile of her face that been freshly wiped clean.
“I always heard stories ‘bout ghosts hauntin’ places fulla treasures ‘n stuff. But that’s jus’ stuff that grown ups make up to scare ya when you’re a kid. None o’ that stuff’s really real right?” Selunae pondered the thought, hoping someone would just hurry up and agree with her. She wasn’t scared of ghosts. Probably.
“So um.. hi! My name’s Lunie!” Her cheeks were still lightly flush from the spectacle she had caused, but something about this dust-cloaked traveler was getting her fired up. Selunae felt some kind of synergy with that personality. She offered a friendly wave to both of the strangers, but as she did her brow furrowed. Something in the distance wrenched her attention away. The archer had caught sight of someone that looked familiar but couldn’t see his face from this angle so she craned her neck to get a better view. Still, he managed to elude her by chance as an idle villager stopped in the way.
Not wanting to look any sillier than she already looked, she finally gave up for the moment and turned her attention back to the travelers that she had encountered. Besides! What were the chances of Dawson being here anyway? What a silly thought!
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Post by Lauren on Oct 31, 2018 10:42:45 GMT -6
Lauren did not have to wait for an explanation of the situation another young woman had seen it all and was quick to reiterate everything that had happened. Was the woman a fool, or just excitable? Either way, if she was so forthcoming perhaps she should try and turn her into an informant of hers. Lauren smiled lightly at the blue haired rider.
Lauren folded her hands behind her back and appraised the two girls silently from head to toe before a man arrived on the scene. "...Investigation?" An eavesdropper? Lauren gave him a sharp sideways glance. A shaman too. He was someone Lauren would keep a sharp eye on. He did not seem to radiate power or dress finely so he was likely inexperienced if she had to guess. Still, shamans were often tricky to decipher.
Lunie seemed to calm the whirlwind of oddity when she calmed and introduced herself. "Well then. Seems you owe no explanation following the... thorough report." She gave Kayla a wry look. "You may call me Armatae Miss... Lunie." Odd name indeed, perhaps it was Sacaean, or a nickname? "Anyway, it seems that there are stories of a haunted grove?" Lauren hmmed to herself as she absorbed this new 'fact.'
Producing her notebook she turned to a fresh page and titled 'The Grove.' "So, a strange man randomly targeted you to prevent you from going to some 'haunted grove'?" Looking at Kayla she added, "And you observed all of this?" Back to Lunie, "Do you know this man? Do you have any affiliation with this grove? Or do you believe you were randomly targeted?" Loading questions. "I believe that if none of these questions have a definitive answer then that man is hiding something within the grove, or payed off by someone else to spread rumors and fear of the grove." Back to Kayla, "In short I believe it is worth investigating. Worst case scenario should not be discarded either, the potential for the grove to be a bedrock of crime or actual monsters cannot go ignored." Lauren affirmed with a nod and looked to Dawson this time. "Do my questions and miss Lunie's words summarize the situation at hand?"
Lauren tapped her chalk and the corner of her page for a moment. "Disregard my question about the grove. If you know nothing as you say you do then you were supposedly randomly targeted. I hate to incite fear but you should watch your back for a time until you can be certain you aren't followed."
Interminor always appreciated her habits of cutting straight to the point and relaying her facts and theories but she tended to forget that it could be overwhelming to others unfamiliar with her patterns. Plus the insinuation that the young girl could be a target of something sinister was likely not going to do much to ease her mind."
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Post by Kayla on Oct 31, 2018 20:18:08 GMT -6
A black clad boy approached. He overheard Kayla speaking of an investigation and it must’ve piqued his curiosity. Kayla eagerly nodded her head to his inquiry, the more the merrier. She listened excitedly to the redhead and bounced on her toes in excitement. It seemed like her words had a chance to win her over. The redhead introduced herself as Lunie. Kayla mouthed the name silently.
The other woman came over and introduced herself as Armatae. She then complimented Kayla’s summary of the situation. At least, that’s how Kayla took it. She had been employed once or twice to deliver messages between camps. The Pegasus rider gave a quick, two finger salute toward the woman. Kayla then nodded in response to her question about the observation. She did raise a bit of an eyebrow at the note taking during what she thought was a casual conversation. What is she some kind of local authority or something? Kayla didn’t get along too well with authorities. The Pegasus knight shook the thought off. Time would certainly tell, and she seemed to be interested in searching the grove as well. So that was a plus. Not to mention, that the woman already had paid Kayla a compliment. All in all, Armatae was good in her book.
“You’re dang right Red, uh Lunie. Ghost stories are just pranks adults like to play on their kids. Armatae is right, that old guy is probably hiding something. Something…” Kayla squinted her eyes and spoke quieter. “Sinister.” She waited a moment then returned to her normal countenance and tone. “Or like anything else. Treasure maybe.” She shrugged with a palm facing the sky.
Kayla turned her head back and forth, checking the surroundings. “And even if you are being tricked or targeted, like Armatae says, we’ll have strength in numbers. I don’t see any reason not to check this grove out.” Kayla bounced on her toes again. “Oh right, my name’s Kayla. Nice to meet all you.” Kayla waved a gratuitous wave that lingered in the air for a moment.
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Dawson
Shaman
Posts: 65
Affinity: Wind
Profile: Dawson
OoC Alias: Fargus
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Post by Dawson on Nov 1, 2018 20:12:27 GMT -6
A haunted grove? Dawson wasn't one to believe such spectacles, but considering all that's happened lately, anything is possible. He couldn't help but keep walking towards the group, even though he likely was painting a target on his own back considering all that's happened with Lunie the first time he met her. He still regrets that he couldn't stay long when they were back at Roddrick's lodge, but he figured she was able to recover faster and not risk getting herself worked up if she saw him there.
Besides, there's no way that the rumors that he heard about this grove are the works of Draco or his minions. They'd usually do something bigger than this, so it's safe to assume that he won't arise suspicions with him investigating this rumor. "Excuse me, I can't help but overhear your conversation. I assume you three are talking about a haunted grove?" Dawson says. He didn't know why he was doing this. Maybe it was to make up to Lunie the time he almost got her killed by Ito? Maybe it's because he's tired of always being unable to do anything to help when he could...just like when he could have helped Bee escape from Draco's clutches!
From the group, he could assume that one was Lunie obviously. Maybe he'd be lucky and she won't remember that he almost got her killed. Another looked to be a powerful Etrurian spellcaster. He wasn't sure what to make of her yet considering that he pretty much would be a kill on sight if Etruria found out that he's part of a resistance in Illia. Granted, it's been awhile since he last saw any of the members of said resistance, it still concerned him. He personally has no quarrels with Etruria, but if shes associated with Etruria, then she likely is going to detest his use of dark magic...even if he himself hates using it considering that it'll always remind him of Draco Guro.
Then there was the purple haired girl. She seemed to be quite energetic, but he could tell that she's Illian. Talk about a mixing pot of cultures! A Sacaen, A Illian, A Etrurian, and then there was him, a Lycian. She seems honest enough that he could feel comfortable around her, so long as he doesn't make the same mistakes with her that he made with Lunie.
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Nov 2, 2018 1:29:52 GMT -6
Selunae listened halfheartedly to Armatae’s methodological interrogation, paying more attention to woman’s writing than the questions themselves. She was fairly easily distracted, after all, and though there were questions being asked, this Armatae wasn’t actually pausing long enough for the archer to respond before moving on to the next. From an outside perspective it might have been obvious that the Etrurian was gauging the girl’s reaction rather that seeking any sort of vocal response. However, the process simply confused the young Bernese teen and eventually a clueless smile emerged on her face. Then the woman turned away to address something Selunae’s ears hadn’t been privy to. Her eyes followed Armatae’s glance and incredulously, Dawson was approaching. It was him! They had originally met under absolutely bizarre circumstances prior, Dawson having shown up on the tail end of a failed mugging attempt. Instead of taking out the bandits, Dawson had accidentally caught Ito with a blast of dark magic and before the situation could be clarified, Selunae had released in arrow in panic and struck him in the chest with a weak shot before blundering into another casting of Flux. Truly, it was a miracle that Ito hadn’t put a sword through the Shaman. Thinking about the horrible sensation of that magic made Selunae’s shoulder itch, however the man had proven to be a worthwhile ally later on, even saving her life from Black Wolf. It had been mildly disappointing he had moved on before she awoke from her wounded state, however here he was before her again and she smiled brightly at him. “Umm.... don’t think nobody’s been following me..” Selunae pondered the notion, unsure what to make of Dawson’s presence in light of the suggestion. A short frowning sigh escaped her lungs. Could someone be following her? She wasn’t particularly important. As Selunae listened to Kayla’s energetic and somewhat clumsy delivery, the archer felt like they should all go to this haunted grove right now and see what was what. Of course, that was when the real problem stuck out like an elephant in the room. “Yeah.. You’re right, Kay! CanIcallyouKay?” Selunae quickly mumbled the last part nervously, having already mentally nicknamed her that and blurted it out accidentally. “We should go see this haunted grove or whatever for ourselves! Uhh… where is the haunted.. grove...? Oh, hi Dawson!” The archer tacked the greeting on with a sudden enthusiasm that made it clear that she had already forgotten the glaring flaw in the plan.
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Post by Lauren on Nov 2, 2018 20:49:29 GMT -6
Miss Lunie, Miss Kayla, and the male one was Mr. Dawson apparently... interesting that the young girl knew the shaman. There was a lack of familiarity about the two despite knowing names so it was unlikely that the shaman had managed to pass to her any sort of dangerous ideologies. This was good, if the shaman should prove a problem he could be an isolated threat for her to quietly remove.
Where is the haunted grove? Lauren sighed at that question. "It sounds like our mysterious harasser is in fact an old fool. Drawing attention to something that no one knew of prior." Unless that was part of the trap? There would be no way to confirm the craftiness of an enemy without springing said trap if there even was one. "I know naught of this grove but I suppose someone around here would."
Enemy territory; once more the words played in her head. It would be best of her to let the others do the inquiries of the locals. The less she inquires of the locals the less attention she draws to herself. This kept her from volunteering to ask around for information. She spared an extra glance at Dawson, she never felt much for or against shamans but she knew they were counted as an enemy of the church and that made him a threat to her brother Lloyd. She showed no visible signs of animosity but in her gut she felt troubled by his presence.
"Miss Lunie, Miss Kayla, would either of you happen to know anyone on the up and up about rumors or news around here?" She didn't bother to address Dawson. He was clearly an outsider like Kayla, but unlike him she seemed to be watching and learning from every going on.
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Post by Kayla on Nov 3, 2018 10:43:17 GMT -6
Kayla clapped her hands together. “Kays okay with me.” Kayla chuckled briefly and held up an ‘okay’ hand sign. She then turned to address the black-haired boy. She baselessly assumed that he would be joining in the venture as well. “Welcome to the squad Dawson.” She then paused when Lunie and Armatae brought up their lack of information.
Kayla stroked her chin. “Yes quite the roadblock. Sorry Armatae, I just flew into town today. I don’t know anyone.” Kayla wasn’t too concerned though. Worst case scenario, she could scout out the surrounding area from the skies. She would certainly be able to spot a haunted grove. “Why don’t we track down that old guy and see what he really knows?” Kayla pounded a fist against a palm, more playfully than threateningly. “Wha?” Kayla turned her head as some type of commotion started behind her, in the direction of the tea shop.
Kayla’s sharp eyes peered into the distance to spot that very same old man, making a ruckus at a town bulletin board. He eventually got shooed off, but not before posting a warning note. It was a map of the surrounding area with a region marked with red and some words. This was a truly convenient turn of events.
Kayla laughed and nodded her head triumphantly. “Problem solved. Good work team.” She pointed over to the board. “Let’s go see what we’re working with.” The Pegasus knight skipped over to the board, assuming the others would make their way over as well.
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Dawson
Shaman
Posts: 65
Affinity: Wind
Profile: Dawson
OoC Alias: Fargus
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Post by Dawson on Nov 5, 2018 10:04:22 GMT -6
Dawson gave a smile at Lunie. Seems she remembers him in a good way after all. "It's good to see you again" Dawson says. He nods towards the spellcaster and the Illian that was apparently named Kayla. It would be best to explore these rumors in a group after all anyways. Not much to work with though, so it looked that as far as he could tell, it could just be the ramblings of an old man. Either that or he was trying to scare Lunie, which wasn't a nice thing to do considering how frightened HE made her when they first met. Sure, she's still alive today thanks to him and Ito, but the situation could have gotten much MUCH worse. I wonder if those bandits are still out there though...we almost became their slaves after all Dawson thought. One thing was certain, if he found that man again, he was going to give him a piece of his mind. He's certainly gotten stronger after all, but not strong enough to take on Draco...he needs more training.
Before Dawson could comment though, the Kayla had already found a clue of some sort. She certainly was an enthusiast one wasn't she? She was already off investigating the area this supposed old man was that harassed Lunie earlier. With a shrug, Dawson followed behind the girl to investigate as well. "Uhh, wait for us!" Dawson called out. Jeez, how Dawson is able to handle this kind of shenanigans on a day to day basis not even he knows.
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Nov 5, 2018 22:32:11 GMT -6
The sudden commotion had quickly distracted Selunae away from the Etrurian inquisitor’s vocal ruminations and she trotted off alongside Kayla, trying to keep up. The old man hadn’t simply targeted only her; he seemed intent on bothering anyone he thought might show interest in these so called haunted woods. His actions were having the reverse effect though, bringing together a group that might never have paid any mind otherwise. Funny how that works.
“He sure is stubborn huh..” Selunae spoke aloud to anyone who would listen. Most of the townsfolk had dispersed from the board, more from annoyance at the old man’s bickering than any concern for what he had to say. By the time Selunae and company approached, there was only a middle aged woman there eyeing the group with hope.
There were few other requests on the board, but the one did stand out. The request had a warning hastily scribbled over it and an accompanying map. Only the map held any interest for the redhead and she plucked it from the board with no concern for the actual request under it which floated whimsically to the ground at the huntress’s feet. There seemed to be a warning scribbled onto the map along with a large cross mark over what Selunae guessed must be the haunted grove. There was writing on the map as well but she couldn’t make any sense of it. It pointed the way to a place that looked like a forest, that is what she gleaned from it.
Now done with the map, she passed it along to Kayla who seemed eager to take a look at it herself. As Selunae turned from the board, the villager woman retrieved the paper that had fallen to the ground and pressed it into the archer’s hands. “Please, you dropped this,” the woman pleaded, her tired eyes showing signs of desperation. “You’re here to help right?”
“Huh? Wha..?” Selunae’s fingers closed on the paper shoved into her hand as she turned to face the woman. “Help?”
“I’m sorry.. I hoped you were accepting the request to find my daughter..” The lady showed signs of recently crying, and was at least a full step inside of the archer’s personal space.
“Um.. w-what happened?” Selunae asked nervously, the creepiness of this afternoon’s events catching up to her once more. She shifted uncomfortably and stepped backward away from the woman.
“It’s my daughter..! She.. she left three weeks ago with her friends,” the villager explained. “They traveled to Theigr Grove and never came back..!”
Selunae idly glanced over the written request, not seeming to notice or care that the paper was turned sideways. She frowned, scratching the back of her head bashfully. “Theigr Grove? What’s that?”
“It’s the forest marked on the map. Everyone avoids it because it’s supposed to be haunted. When I was but a young girl my grandmother told me it was the resting place of ancient tribe.” The woman turned her eyes to the creepy old man who still watched the group like a hawk from nearby. “He also lost his son over ten years ago in that forest, but now he’s trying to stop anyone from looking for her..!”
“W-wow.. that’s mean!” Selunae shot a dirty look at the man who ignorantly continued watching.
“Please tell me you’ll find her! Even if the worst has come to pass, I must know what has become of my daughter!”
“W-we were gonna check it out anyway, so we’ll look for yer daughter too while we’re at it.” Selunae gave a stiff salute and smiled. “Right?” The archer turned to the others.
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Post by Lauren on Nov 6, 2018 10:12:27 GMT -6
And off all three of them went to follow the very first suggestion made. She sighed and pulled her cap lower to hide a small smirk. "Energetic, aren't they?" she didn't say it to anyone in particular and more for herself before she followed after the others at a casual stroll. Miss Kayla's instincts were right to find the man, but he was far too busy rambling like a fool. Lauren suspected he could have something useful to say in the mix but someone with more sanity and a clear head was much more useful. As the revelations about Theigr Grove were revealed Lauren's face soured visibly and a cold merciless gaze passed from her and onto the old man. "An old fool indeed," she muttered. Lunie agreed to help the elderly lady to find her daughter but for Lauren that was not enough. She would find the others too and crack the mystery of the grove. A ten year long mystery was not something she could ignore. Ten years of monster? Ten years of well masked crimes? Or ten years of something else? Her blood boiled at the thought of it. "Yes. I will do everything in my power to bring all mysteries and questions to light." Taking her notebook in hand once more Lauren addressed the old lady directly. "Can you give me a description of your daughter, and friends if possible? The more specific the better. I want to know exactly who we are looking for." Lauren could draw an accurate representation if the old lady could give her enough detail. And knowledge was power. If they met others then they needed challenging and explaining, or possibly even a rescue.
"Oh, yes, yes, of course. I can tell you everything you could want to know." The little old lady did not seem to appreciate Kayla's attitude but she was happy to deal with Lauren. "She has such long hair you know, parts it down the middle and freckles. The CUUUUTEST dimples, and..." The woman began to cry again. Lauren put her sketch on hold to console her.
"So far she sounds lovely. What sort of structure does her face have though?"
Sniff, "Oh uh," And so Lauren asked for information until she had enough to show a sketch. "Is this her?"
"Oh my." The woman was taken aback. "It's just like her!"
"Good. Then we will search with her specifically in mind, and others rescued will be a bonus. Thank you for your time." Lauren closed her book and gave Kayla an incredulous glare.
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Post by Kayla on Nov 6, 2018 17:38:50 GMT -6
Kayla accepted the map from Lunie and mindlessly responded. “Yea I’ll save your son or whatever.” Kayla was hardly paying attention to the woman’s words, she didn’t even notice that she got the child’s sex incorrect. Kayla was preoccupied orienting the map one direction then another. It took a moment, but she eventually got her bearings. “We’re here.” She pointed to a particular position on the map. Then handed it off to whoever else would like to examine it.
“I say we leave sooner rather than later. We wouldn’t want to lose the daylight. We’re also on a roll right now.” Things looked like they were going to be some true, bonafide heroes on this one. That was fine and all, but just maybe they could cause a little trouble while they did so. Where’s the fun in pure heroism anyway? I’m in it for the thrill not the thanks.
“We have all the information we need right? A strange thing is happening in a strange place. We’ll have to be prepared though.” After a few sentences, she began talking to herself more than the group. “ I should bring my lance for what that’ll be worth. I could also bring snacks. Maybe some drinks too. Oooh and a basket and a blanket.” Kayla addressed the group again. “Anyone up for a haunted picnic? ” Kayla laughed. She wasn’t even sure if she was joking or not. The Pegasus knight probably wasn’t going to actually go through all that trouble though. She would only have to get her mount and she would be ready to move.
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