Complete Private Side Story Solvale A Prosperous Town

[Pandora*]

A Prosperous Town

Lady luck has smiled upon this place..

Data

Name: Town of Ripplethorpe
Size: Small
Time: Afternoon
Weather: 67 °F Sunny
Populace Census: Humans: 84% | Beastfolk: 14% | Elves: 2%
Party: @Ash Vargold | @Rael | @Fiora Di Angelo

"Slow your speed Lady Idol, we are here. We should take advantage of a good night's rest and eastern hospitality. "

Maximilian Faulkner, once head of the Gradibrook military under his Oracle, now a simple traveler on a quest. He reins in his steed and dismounted. He patted it and racked him up as A blonde girl with a far stranger steed rushed up beside him.

"Yay,! I don't think Maribelle could handle much more. Let me set her up!"

Hylia hopped off of Maribelle, a literal flying Dolphin. The creature's wings flapped tiredly as Hylia pointed towards the river.

"Looklooklook Mari! Water, now you can recharge super good! You'll be all flappyflappy and make happy dolphin noises again!"

The dolphin flopped itself into the water with a splash sending cold water everywhere.

"Careful Lady Idol. I can't have you catching a cold and not being able to defend your title due to traveling with me. I'm grateful by the way. You are forsaking duties... While I have chosen to uphold a vow even in the face of prophecy. "

"No it's ok! I'm not all that great when I'm not singing anyway and I will just use some Vocali to help prep! So umm... just remember that there is no prophecy involved Max! All the futures I sing about are real! It's just which one you trigger as long as you don't... huh?! Ahhhh, why is this thing so sensitive? We haven't encountered Dissonance in days!"

A gem on her wrist gleamed slightly.

"So we will not have that chance to rest after all? Blast it. "

Hylia shook her head.

"I wish I was better at reading these... but it's fine! Look this place seems nice and I don't sense any dissonance around from these fated peoples! I can do that better than some little gem anyways! Yepyep..."

With a nod, the two split up to take care of their needs before they would reunite back at the inn.

A sense of... something not quite right lingered.

Outdoors

The townsfolk are staring at you accusingly as if you did something wrong. Several families and individuals can also be seen keeping a great distance from each other. Many are muttering to themselves but they seem quite happy regardless of the anti-socialness on display here.

Inn

It seems the rooms are all completely free. Most of the tables are a mess and the entire place is unkept. The owner and his wife are planning a vacation behind the counter and just waving to whoever approaches to go upstairs or leave. They sound rather loud for just talking.

• This is where Maximilian is heading to prepare a room.

Shop

A woman here is reading a book and keeping one eye on the goods laid neatly around the store. The price tags on these items are jacked to a ridiculous degree. An apple will run you 700GP! No one is shopping here either.

Mayor's House

A sign says NOT FOR SALE. The doors of the mayor's home are locked and window curtains closed. The grounds around his home are quiet and no guards or guard beasts are present if you trespassed.

Riverside

A gentle river runs through here. It's quite cold to go swimming right now. Some fish are visible under the surface.

• This is where Hylia is practicing her vocals.

Other locations exist. These are examples of the environment.​

Guidelines

Posting Rules

• Post every 2 days preferred. The thread will be concluded if it drags on too long (over a month).
• One post from each character per 'cycle' as in when I respond with NPC. There isn't a cycle count for these types of events. There are no comms. Keep the rp in one place.
• There are no rolls or need for a build... yet?
• Pandora's Manual
• Pandora's DM Page

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

Location: Riverside

Despite the skies being clear and the sun's presence, there was a natural coldness to Solvale. Not too shabby for most, yet it certainly didn't make for a good day for a swim, least one wants to get a case of the colds.

The one-eyed elf came over near Ripplethorpe in search of game rather than the town itself,. Fishing rod at hand despite being clad full in plate armor and cloak, betraying any semblance of being a fisher. It couldn't be risked when predators could be lurking behind a bush, which tends to be reduced to the most dangerous sort nowdays given the wolf & bear massacre.

"Adequate." Fiora voiced her thoughts, mangled ear flickering at the rushing waters coming from the river as she made her approach. Already some fish could be seen at a surface level. A schooling she noted, rather than the shoaling she's after, which prompted her to keep moving up-river. Non-chalance soon taken over by mute surprise, then wariness, as another noise blended itself behind the water's flow.

'A siren, perhaps..?' There was a melodic tune behind it, and it came strictly north where she's heading to. Granted, she hasn't seen a fish woman in Terrasphere before, so if this was to be her first time, her luck's rotten. Fortunately, what she found once enough of a distance was short is nothing as impressive.

A shortie by the river, who didn't look the part of a mythical fish but certainly carried the voice of one, thankfully without the magical properties that made them dangerous. Fiora cast her gaze past the trees in direction to the town, knowing full well she had to make the way back there soon, sighing at the realization of how clueless she remains about the place in question.

"Hey!" She approached with intent, calling out to The Singer, if only to let the other know of her presence before getting any closer. "I'm looking for a town that's supposedly near this river. Know anything about it?" Laconic in her approach, Fiora stopped at an appropiate distance between herself and the stranger, eyeing up and down the peculiar fashion sense this one had.

 

[Ash Vargold]

Location: In the inn

This town was... weird

Initially, Ash had assumed were because he was a player. Even in plainclothes, it was hard to hide being over six feet tall and green. (He'd yet to repair and wash his jacket, thus the plainclothes. They were more comfortable anyway. At least, in theory.)

But there were other things that felt off. People in small towns like this usually felt more... cohesive, didn't they? People had to rely on each other between merchant caravans, so why did it seem like everyone was avoiding each other, too?

...it's not really my problem, though.

He was just here to find a safe place to log out, and in a place like this the inn was his best bet. It meant he could get some fresh food too, maybe even a warm bath-

His nose was assaulted by the smell of old food and stale ale. He brought his arm up to his face, but it was already in there and no amount of snorting and sneezing would save him.

"Ugh... did I miss a party?"

His attention was drawn to the conversation happening between what he assumed were the innkeepers. Though it sounded more like an argument. They certainly didn't seem to be doing any inn-keeping, going by the state of the place.

"...this seems like a bad time." He found himself stepping backwards towards the door, ears pinned back. This clearly wasn't the well-kept inn he'd expected, and he really didn't want to end up the subject of redirected ire. Guess I'm camping again...

 

[Rael]

Location:
Mayor's House

Hands cupped to either side of her head, the elf leaned against the glass panes of tall, covered windows, failing to peer at the insides of the building. One step at a time she would retreat from the grandiose building, the only testaments to its former glory condensed in one attribute alone: the sheer size of it.

Everything else? She would've mistaken it for a haunted manor, the kind spoken of in myriad tales collected from a life spent on the road, what with every trace of its beauty hid away behind obstacles deliberately placed to keep outsiders at bay.

Where rumors flew, the Storyteller was there to investigate their source - no matter how seemingly insignificant of menial a task. It nurtured her understanding to expand her horizons, to partake in the vivid offerings of the moving pieces of a world mimicking the act of being alive. If she could spare thoughts for the grander scheme of things, then so could she for the smaller events.

As she stepped away and pivoted on her heel, she waved a dismissive hand over her shoulder, directing the companion which had but recently taken shape at her side, strapped in heavy armor and heavier weaponry to his back - hostility waiting a reason to be unleashed.

"You best hide yourself for the moment, lest you hinder my chances of making progress."

"Understood. I am but a call away."

Newfound solitude aside, the building continued calling to her in its curious state, undeterred by drawn curtains and locked doorways. By way of expressing the minimum amount of courtesy required, she would link her hands at the front and bow to an unseen master.

"Is there anyone inside?" Loudly, she called out, waiting for the full length of an incantation to pass before she went ahead with her own investigations.

The elf would trace her path along the outside of the building, testing each window to see if, on the off-chance of oversight from a manservant or a groundskeeper, one would budge or reveal to be unlocked.

 

[Pandora*]

A Prosperous Town

Lady luck has smiled upon this place..

Location Data

Name: Town of Ripplethorpe
Size: Small
Time: Afternoon
Weather: 67 °F Sunny
Populace Census: Humans: 84% | Beastfolk: 14% | Elves: 2%
Party: @Ash Vargold | @Rael | @Fiora Di Angelo

"I'm looking for a town that's supposedly near this river. Know anything about it?"

*!!!!!!*

The blonde turned to see who it was with a startled expression. Her mouth remained open for a few seconds before she remembered to shut it. She ran up to the tall stranger completely ignoring any attempt Fiora made to keep her distance.

"Hi! Yepyep! There is a town right over there. I'm not imagining it, right? Max saw it too so it's definitely there and not some forbidden magic trap set by First Orders!"

She pointed to the houses up against the river and then put her spun her arms in a circular pattern before bringing them together in a triangle formation and bowed slightly.

"Fate's be blessed! My name's Hylia. Are you a traveler here too? I have a friend, he's Max but not Max like Maximum, Max like Maximilian! Oh, and not two l's! He's here trying to get us a room I think? What's your name? You're an elf! How neat! I didn't see many of them back home! Do you like the river too? It's so... um... "

Taking a step back she adjusted her dress and thrust a staff that looked much like a microphone into Fiora's face.

"Okay! Now you can share stuff with me! I can add lyrics to my songs if you inspire me!"

@Fiora Di Angelo

---

"Ugh... did I miss a party?"

"It's my damn money I can do whatever the hell I want and go on vacation!"

"It's OUR money and I don't want it spent on anything! We need to hold onto all of it, no more spending on your crap ever again! I'm not spending a single piece!"

The voices rang out from behind the counter as Ash swiftly backs out of the inn.

A voice calls out from the door shortly after as a man donned in red armor exits.

"Hail there! Sir Ash the caenis man! Your style is unmistakable!"

Maximilian gave one more look at the inn as he continued.

"I see you didn't stay. I cannot say I blame you. I have traveled to smaller villages and even western Tertorian settlements have better management than this. I had to make the room myself for me and my companion."

The chivalrous man thought for a moment and asked.

"Have you acquired any information during your travels? I would be grateful. Perhaps we can trade something."

@Ash Vargold

---

"Is there anyone inside?"

Alas, the door was locked. Not just locked but had several bolts going up it. A comical amount in fact.

A sudden sound came from above as a third-floor window slid open and a 'creepy' girl's voice could be heard.

"Nahhhh. No one around but ghooosts like me heheheh. You should vamoose on out of here if you knoooow what's goooood for yaaaa! Seriously this place is currrrsed..."

@Rael

Outdoors

The townsfolk are staring at you accusingly as if you did something wrong. Several families and individuals can also be seen keeping a great distance from each other. Many are muttering to themselves but they seem quite happy regardless of the anti-socialness on display here.

• Ash
• Max

Inn

It seems the rooms are all completely free. Most of the tables are a mess and the entire place is unkept. The owner and his wife are planning avocation behind the counter and just waving to whoever approaches to go upstairs or leave. They sound rather loud for just talking.

Shop

A woman here is reading a book and keeping one eye on the goods laid neatly around the store. The price tags on these items are jacked to a ridiculous degree. An apple will run you 700GP! No one is shopping here either.

Mayor's House

A sign says NOT FOR SALE. The doors of the mayor's home are locked and window curtains closed. The grounds around his home are quiet and no guards or guard beasts are present if you trespassed.

• Rael
• ????

Riverside

A gentle river runs through here. It's quite cold to go swimming right now. Some fish are visible under the surface.

• Hylia
• Fiora

Other locations exist. These are examples of the environment.​

Guidelines

Posting Rules

• Post every 2 days preferred. The thread will be concluded if it drags on too long (over a month).
• One post from each character per 'cycle' as in when I respond with NPC. There isn't a cycle count for these types of events. There are no comms. Keep the rp in one place.
• There are no rolls or need for a build... yet?
• Pandora's Manual
• Pandora's DM Page

 

[Ash Vargold]

Location: Outdoors

"It's OUR money and I don't want it spent on anything!"

"..."

...yeah, he really didn't want to be around for this argument. The subject was uncomfortably familiar. He didn't even bother to shut the door quietly behind him as he bailed - they probably wouldn't hear it slam anyway. He took a moment to breathe in the fresh air, slowly and carefully, willing the first flutters of anxiety to leave him alone-

"Hail there! Sir Ash the caenis man! Your style is unmistakable!"

-a fluttering that abruptly stopped as a familiar voice called out to him. He turned towards it and saw... someone he didn't remember the name of. But the combination of red and blond was hard to forget, and at this point he wasn't going to turn down a friendly face in this frigid town. The act was easier when it didn't feel like he was constantly on the edge of an anxiety attack.

"Ah, hello. It's been a while."

"And yes, the innkeepers seem to be having... problems. I think I'll be better off camping with the caravans."

He crossed his arms with a sigh - a sigh that hitched slightly as the man continued...

"Have you acquired any information during your travels? I would be grateful. Perhaps we can trade something."

Had he acquired any...? Oh.

The memory was foggy. The encounter had been brief, and formal. The blond was looking for someone, right? A lady he served who'd gone missing? And Ash had... said he'd help? Leave it to past Ash to make my life difficult...

He looked down with a frustrated frown, ears pinned back. It wasn't as if he could say what he was thinking, things like I didn't bother to remember or I didn't think I'd meet you again or I'd rather focus on real problems. Instead...

"...no, no luck. I'm sorry."

It wasn't lying, really. It just wasn't the whole story.

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

"Hi! Yepyep! There is a town right over there. I'm not imagining it, right? Max saw it too so it's definitely there and not some forbidden magic trap set by First Orders!"

The speed Hylia took after was shocking enough for her to take a backstep, only to be met by the blonde's insistance as she disregarded any semblance of private space, stunning her with a flurry of words reminiscent of a top tier rapper. Surprisingly though it was understandable enough, despite being puzzling.

"...Huh? Slow down, First Orders? Forbidden magic? What's all that about, and why is there a dolphin on a lake-"

It was all a fever dream coming true, and this was her trying to partially ignore the fact the dolphin is winged and attribute it to Terrasphere's fantastical world. Yet despite every obnoxious little detail, Hylia's worries rang true and peaked her interest past winged mammals.

"Fate's be blessed! My name's Hylia. Are you a traveler here too? I have a friend, he's Max but not Max like Maximum, Max like Maximilian! Oh, and not two l's! He's here trying to get us a room I think? What's your name? You're an elf! How neat! I didn't see many of them back home! Do you like the river too? It's so... um... "

Unfortunately, the barrage of information did not take that much into account, as 'Hylia' begun to explain the nuances of this Maximilian man not being Maximum, as if that could . Something told her this chick didn't come with brakes, so there's no stopping it, at least not yet. A window of an opportunity was open by the end of it but as soon as she parted her lips to even begin answering everything asked, something was shoved uncomfortably close to her face, a hand catching it reflexively so before it could get any closer-

"Oh come on..."

"Okay! Now you can share stuff with me! I can add lyrics to my songs if you inspire me!"

-a microphone staff... Her amplified voice confirmed it just there and then, lowering the thing a little below her neck. Either this was a player with some performer delusion, or a Lander who suffered from said performer's delusions and their accursed technology.

Something told her that making friends of Hylia would prove better than to outright turn down her request, but after a moment of thinking it through, Fiora sighed and cleared her throat, giving up to the cheerful girl and her lake dolphin.

"Hm... Let me tell you about the Starcalled homeland then. Not the kingdom of Astorea, but where they truly come from. A world ruled by technology but nowhere near the ones Magia use. Where we have large flying metal birds carry people across the skies and carriages need no horses to be pulled from. Where the greatest kingdoms have their stars faded across the skies. It's bleak, miserable for most of the population, and self-destructive in nature."

She kept the microphone down, if only because announcing her presence all across the woods wasn't a good idea to begin with.

"And yet everyone finds a way to make the best out of their day. We have singers with staves like these, dancers clad in brilliant, fantastical garments that you would never see anywhere else but in a stage, and despite how dark and deep rooted corruption hides beneath this world, there is beauty in every corner, small specks of it that keep everyone sane. From the kids that spray the walls of stone to give them a shade beyond greys and whites, to the storytellers crafting new worlds of fiction for others to dive and invest deep into, in search of brighter colours to look at beyond the four walls that make their homes."

She paused then, handing the staff back over to Hylia.

"I'm not exactly one to inspire or talk much, but if that doesn't help, I only got tales of foes I've killed all across Arcia."

Fiora shrugged. She already went over her talk quota with how much she tried to inspire a mind far more creative than her own when it came to the artistic side of life. And most of it being asspulled on top of that, but if they were a Lander, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference now would they?

'Time for a different approach...'

"Now I don't know if this town is a trap or not, but I'd rather know what I'm dealing with in the case it is and your friend Max is in danger..."

 

[Rael]

Location:
Mayor's House

A window slid open, though not by her own making and prodding into alternative entryways into the seemingly abandoned manor. The flat of her hand pressed to a windowpane, she retreated a step backward at the sound of a lock sliding out of place.

The elf tilted her chin upward and in so doing, met with the indeterminate features of a stranger possibly masquerading as a ghost, if one were to judge from their speech alone.

It would be a smart idea, if folks around the area were prone to falling for such deceit.

"Cursed how?" Rael asked, voice a measure louder than a second prior, a palpable undercurrent of excitement in direct contrast to the indifferent exterior of the Storyteller. "By whom? What would be the nature of the course?"

An eccentricity to her mannerisms that was most obvious - the uncanny ability to be undeterred by the supernatural, the outlandish, the foreign. If anything, it spurred her onwards, made the yearning for discovery that much more unbearable.

This, too, was a test of sorts for information that she so desperately sought in every nook and cranny of Arcia.

"It would be alright," a pause from the interrogation, more so for herself than the other. "As it happens, I am versed in various rituals to commune with spirits, ensure their passage, or exorcise those that have overstayed their welcome."

She did not, but with as small a reputation as her own, she needn't fear anyone recognizing her or her abilities.

"Alas, I do not happen to have a lockpick, so any other methods of entry would be a welcome suggestion. Else, I shall make my own. Please pardon the mess that I may create in about a moment."

 

[Pandora*]

A Prosperous Town

Lady luck has... smiled upon this place?

Location Data

Name: Town of Ripplethorpe
Size: Small
Time: Afternoon
Weather: 65°F Partly Cloudy
Populace Census: Humans: 84% | Beastfolk: 14% | Elves: 2%
Party: @Ash Vargold | @Rael | @Fiora Di Angelo

@Ash Vargold

"...no, no luck. I'm sorry."

The simplicit yet likely truth of the caenis's words brought a frown to Max's face. Indeed, the two men equally frowned in the middle of town.

"No worries good sir. I was overly optimistic and expected too much I'm sure. But for even Starcalled like yourself to not discover anything in your own lands. I fear for my lady."

Looking towards the river, he saw Hylia speaking to another tall greenhair. He glanced back at Ash and thought, relatives? It would make sense to travel together if they were brother and sister. The slight differences between their ears but he was too tired to distinguish the differences from elf and caenis from here.

"My companion, the Lady Idol. Hylia. She is by the river there. She will be staying at the inn with me. It will likely be a cold night. Are you certain you want to camp Sir Ash? I shall not pressure you further if it is your decision of course."

Finally, he had to ask another question due to a concern he had here.

"Have you noticed... anything odd about the civilians here?"

---

@Fiora Di Angelo

"Hm... Let me tell you about the Starcalled homeland then. Not the kingdom of Astorea, but where they truly come from. A world ruled by technology but nowhere near the ones Magia use. Where we have large flying metal birds carry people across the skies and carriages need no horses to be pulled from. Where the greatest kingdoms have their stars faded across the skies. It's bleak, miserable for most of the population, and self-destructive in nature."

"....?"

Hylia didn't say anything. A rare event that only the Orchestrator, Zia, was able to accomplish with such swiftness. Hylia furrowed her brow a little and didn't raise the microphone back up as it was pushed lower.

"And yet everyone finds a way to make the best out of their day. We have singers with staves like these, dancers clad in brilliant, fantastical garments that you would never see anywhere else but in a stage, and despite how dark and deep rooted corruption hides beneath this world, there is beauty in every corner, small specks of it that keep everyone sane. From the kids that spray the walls of stone to give them a shade beyond greys and whites, to the storytellers crafting new worlds of fiction for others to dive and invest deep into, in search of brighter colours to look at beyond the four walls that make their homes."

Even as the woman continued to warn of possible danger here, Hylia thought back to some things. After a moment she smiled and nodded. Pulling the microphone back and tapping it on the ground the rod constricted and in its compact shape, she pocketed it in a bag on the belt of her dress.

"Wow. So it's true. it's like... you come from a history before the calamity. Buildings of steel that go on and on and manymanymany Ellania Highways..and lights everywhere and flying vehicles like that big one that crashed? Stuff that flies like that... it must be amazing, the stories I've seen and heard sure are... and spraying walls! That sounds like something they do at the Academy! I think... I was pulled out early because I became an Idol teehee."

Looking over, she saw Max exit the inn in the distance. The man was still wearing his red armor. He truly never knew when to relax...

"I knew that you all came from another place but I never knew all that. Corruption always hiding its dumb bumpy head and carriages without horses... Max would be sad. So you don't have to excavate stuff or have it approved? Stories? Like the books Priscilla writes? Oohooh! I bet you have stuff like the Viewing Center too."

Hylia had lit up again. Chatting as if with a friend. Either she was stupid, this was her nature or both. It's as if all negative thoughts left her in an instant!

"Welp! That means music is what soothes everyone's souls! Here and where you come from! I've gotta sing even singier yep!"

The warning of danger was brushed aside with a flash of her wrist embedded with a turquoise crystal in her skin.

"Max can slash and shoot things all day long! If dissonance shows up it's not a problem because I'm a Star Chosen! See this gem? It's all hunky dory!"

It blinked again and gave a burning sensation in her wrist.

She frowned.

Maybe there was a problem.

---

@Rael

"Cursed how? By whom? What would be the nature of the course?"

"...you're nosey or crazy or both. I said the word CURSE. Run away or somethin'."

"It would be alright, As it happens, I am versed in various rituals to commune with spirits, ensure their passage, or exorcise those that have overstayed their welcome."

A shuffling about was heard.

"I don't think there are ghosts left for that, crazy lady."

"Alas, I do not happen to have a lockpick, so any other methods of entry would be a welcome suggestion. Else, I shall make my own. Please pardon the mess that I may create in about a moment."

"You talk like a snobby noble. I'm thinking you ain't used to being told no, yeah? Maybe you deserve a damn curse. Alrighty... I warned ya. There's a door around the east side that's open. Just waltz in through there cause the Mayor was a dumbass. I picked the place clean of the usable stuff, so I'll be eatin' good for the next few weeks heh."

One last bit of shuffling and the voice ceased...

Outdoors

The townsfolk are staring at you accusingly as if you did something wrong. Several families and individuals can also be seen keeping a great distance from each other. Many are muttering to themselves but they seem quite happy regardless of the anti-socialness on display here.

• Ash
• Max

Inn

It seems the rooms are all completely free. Most of the tables are a mess and the entire place is unkept. The owner and his wife are planning avocation behind the counter and just waving to whoever approaches to go upstairs or leave. They sound rather loud for just talking.

Shop

A woman here is reading a book and keeping one eye on the goods laid neatly around the store. The price tags on these items are jacked to a ridiculous degree. An apple will run you 700GP! No one is shopping here either.

Mayor's House

A sign says NOT FOR SALE. The doors of the mayor's home are locked and window curtains closed. The grounds around his home are quiet and no guards or guard beasts are present if you trespassed. The manor can be entered through a side door, climbed into from the still-open upper window, or you can bust the door down. Some people have gathered and watch in the distance with eager expressions.

• Rael

Riverside

A gentle river runs through here. It's quite cold to go swimming right now. Some fish are visible under the surface.

• Hylia
• Fiora

Other locations exist. These are examples of the environment.​

Guidelines

Posting Rules

• Post every 2 days preferred. The thread will be concluded if it drags on too long (over a month).
• One post from each character per 'cycle' as in when I respond with NPC. There isn't a cycle count for these types of events. There are no comms. Keep the rp in one place.
• There are no rolls or need for a build... yet?
• Pandora's Manual
• Pandora's DM Page

 

[Ash Vargold]

Ash nodded slowly. It made him feel a little guilty to lie, but...

...actually, why did it make him feel that way...?​

"Between the Astorean exodus and the complications the battle with Szofrit left us... either people aren't interested in sharing, or they... can't."

The best he could do was to back up a lie with truths, even if they were simplified for the man's benefit. It wasn't as if he'd understand if Ash started going off about IRL deaths and VRSA censorship and shoddy AI agents...

"It will likely be a cold night. Are you certain you want to camp Sir Ash?"

"I'll be fine. Being Starcalled means worrying about the weather is. Uh. Optional."

Actually, this was a good opportunity, wasn't it? Ash unfolded one arm and made the trademark hand gesture to bring up his menu. It only took a tap to activate Investigation mode, causing his eyes to light just long enough that he could glance above the other man's head...

"I just prefer renting an inn room so I don't 'wake up' to an unexpected ambush. Or a rainstorm."

Maximillian! That was his name.

...did it really matter if he remembered it, though? On one hand, the chance of meeting this guy again would be slim. On the other hand, that's what he had thought last time...

Ash turned still-glowing eyes in the direction that Maximillian had looked. Sure enough, there were two people on the riverbank, neither of which were labelled with a name. Strangers, then. The light faded from his eyes as he ended Investigation mode and let his arms drop to his sides. He slid his hands into his pockets (god, he needed to wear pants with pockets more often, it was nice to have something to do with his hands).

"Have you noticed... anything odd about the civilians here?"

Ash smiled bitterly.

"Do you mean how frigid everyone's being? I thought it was just because I'm Starcalled. It kind of reminds me of home..."

But 'home' was a city that was famous for it's chilly populace. Ash's smile faded as he glanced towards the people in their own little territories.

"...which doesn't make sense for a small town like this. It's one thing to be standoffish around outsiders, but they aren't even talking to each other. So it's not just me, then?"

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

Location: Riverside

"Wow. So it's true. it's like... you come from a history before the calamity. Buildings of steel that go on and on and manymanymany Ellania Highways..and lights everywhere and flying vehicles like that big one that crashed? Stuff that flies like that... it must be amazing, the stories I've seen and heard sure are... and spraying walls! That sounds like something they do at the Academy! I think... I was pulled out early because I became an Idol teehee."

Keywords, keywords... She hadn't heard of many of these, and neither did they sound like anything she's seen in Astorea or heard of Falderen. The most shocking being Hylia's admittance to being an idol, which suddently clicked with every other quirk this girl seemingly had. The microphone, the fancy clothing- Not the dolphin but-. Her sole eye glimmered with curiosity. Thankfully, her silent wouldn't be taken the wrong way, as Hylia proved to be quite self-sufficient to have a conversation with herself for a little while.

It gave her enough time to trigger her Investigation Mode before opting to jump back into the loop.

"In our world, even existing requires approval at times. But I wouldn't know what a 'Viewing Center' is for you. I don't know where you come from. I've heard of idols in Terrasphere before, but not of you."

Questioning the vericity behind Hylia's claim with one thoughtful look in her face, one hand on her waist while the other held onto the fishing rod in a far more lax position.

"Max can slash and shoot things all day long! If dissonance shows up it's not a problem because I'm a Star Chosen! See this gem? It's all hunky dory!"

It was almost like this so called chosen one wished to tempt fate by showcasing that gem, one that obviously needed to get a throughful hit of her Investigation Mode If only to find out if this thing is real or a ruse. Unecessary, as the frown on Hylia's face speaks for itself about the dangers it supposedly warns about.

Quickly opening her palm menu, two taps on the air and the fishing rod was gone, de-materialized, only for something else to come through into the world: A scabbard holding her tainted onyx blade, which she holstered onto her hip no sooner as it came forth.

"A Dissonance Detector would make my job easier, so if you want to pay back the favor, tag along and let's find your bodyguard. Things are getting ugly if dissonance made it this far out of Tertoria."

Indifferent in tone rather than stingy. Fiora shot a glance back to the river, seconds before turning back towards the town's general direction, setting herself in motion once again, with or without Hylia.

 

[Rael]

Location:
Mayor's House

Right then. Whoever that person had been claiming that the place was haunted by ghosts let up the facade quite soon, especially after seeing how she remained impervious to its attempts to sway her path away from the Mayor's House.

Unbeknownst to the figure, or perhaps with its full acknowledgment of the fact, Rael pressed a hand to her chest, and from the spark of magic that sat placidly in the palm of her hand emanated a subtler glow still - harmless, timid. Her grimoire manifested shortly after, with the quill in the opposite hand as the figure gently provided information that she would need to delve further into the building to obtain otherwise.

Another thing she barely paid attention to was the newly-received label. Rael was not known for fighting claims made against her person, electing to place her energies and efforts elsewhere. After all, everyone was entitled to their beliefs.

They weren't too off the mark, either.

Pages, after pages, after pages of notes collected throughout the course of her travels. A new section reserved for the special occasion of today. She wrote what was revealed, intent on looking around some more before fully committing to the exploration of the place.

"What happened to the Mayor?" The elf would ask, pointed ears twitching about in a flicker of motion nearly resembling a cat's curiosity, only to then lower with a mild disappointment at the disappearance of the figure.

Without the help of her emotional inhibitors to aid in the conservation of her energy, her elven nature alerted her to a gathering of individuals not too far off from where she stood - murmurs caught in the wind that'd breeze past her ears, emotions weighing down on her person that she was made all too aware off with Mindmeld.

When had all of them showed up?

A prudent distance away, enough to break into a sprint should situations turn sour, she stood from the crowd. A prudent distance away, enough to make herself heard and not seem particularly impolite. Her hands linked at the front to support the spine of her Grimoire as she pressed it to her front, and bent low with a bow.

"Greetings and salutations. Would any of you happen to know why the building is in such a state? What happened, if I may ask?"

 

[Pandora*]

A Prosperous Town

Lady luck has... smiled upon this place?

Location Data

Name: Town of Ripplethorpe
Size: Small
Time: Afternoon
Weather: 65°F Partly Cloudy
Party: @Ash Vargold | @Rael | @Fiora Di Angelo

@Ash Vargold

"Do you mean how frigid everyone's being? I thought it was just because I'm Starcalled. It kind of reminds me of home..."

Maximilian had learned much about what had happened here during the Gardibrook incident. That the land was besieged by magia and in the end, much of the blame was put upon the Starcalled. It didn't make much sense to the knight. How could they be at fault when they were trying to defend their land? Much like how many found fault with him simply seeking to find his lady.

"A foreigner in one's own land? Dare I say I can understand that feeling at times. Being an old-fashioned man who follows principles up till recently only written about in tales from Gardibrook nobles. Now with the revealing of Falderen I can find an entire civilization that lives in that world..."

He frowned again feeling ashamed in finding joy in anything with the current circumstances.

"...which doesn't make sense for a small town like this. It's one thing to be standoffish around outsiders, but they aren't even talking to each other. So it's not just me, then?"

"....indeed. I feel I have noticed similar oddities before but this is much worse. We should consult with the Lady Idol before making assumptions."

---

@Fiora Di Angelo

The investigation mode didn't take notice of the gem as a piece of equipment, an item, or anything else. It was simply Hylia's wrist. Fiora's activation of Investigation mode made bubbly girls' eyes sparkle.

"Ohmahella! That's so cool! You are using one of the Starcalled powers, right? I saw your eyes glow! You all have like built-in soul reading in your eyeballs!"

She blushed suddenly and backed up with her hands raised.

"Y-You're not doing anything icky with that, are you?!"

Giving a slightly accusatory stare at the elf with a pout before smiling again and continuing at the mention of the Viewing Center. Hylia was able to shift from any expression to all smiles very easily.

"The Viewing Center is the place where you can watch stories! It is based on a technology from the ancient world. The best storytellers use it to show people amazing things! It's been closed for a while though... The Evil Queeny covered it with this yucky evil gold stuff. It was so gross it was all like... not good nopenope!"

"... and.. um... well idols are... "

"A Dissonance Detector would make my job easier, so if you want to pay back the favor, tag along and let's find your bodyguard. Things are getting ugly if dissonance made it this far out of Tertoria."

Hylia nodded and winked with a v-sign.

"Yepyepyep! No worries! That's my job an-"

Her eyes widened as the greenhair started to walk away.

"Lady Idol! Come and meet Sir Ash! He is an acquaintance I made on my journey."

"!!!!!!

Hylia made a small jump in place and then with a single nod at Maribelle ran towards Maximilian and the doggo man.

Her gem blinked again, soft gentle burns...

Maybe there was a problem.

---

@Rael

"Greetings and salutations. Would any of you happen to know why the building is in such a state? What happened, if I may ask?"

The words of the people meant little... for the sensation that flooded Rael's sensitive elven mind was like a jolt of a powerful intoxicant...

"He took the most of it. He has it. He has our gold! Our prosperity! My worth!"

Greed...

"Everyone should have unlimited gold! We must cherish every ounce! Every piece! We can do anything we want! We aren't controlled by that useless King Astor! We don't need to rely on the Starcalled! We can just use gold to survive!"

Greed...

"The more we have the better it will be! More.. more.. more..."

Greed...

"More.. more.. more..."

GREED....

Oh how much better it would be to have it all.. all the land.. all the freedom... all the LORE.... and of course that requires...

ALL. THE. GOLD.

Never before had your GP felt so...limited.

<Rael must make a Will save vs 75 or suffer from Curse of Greed.>​

Outdoors

The townsfolk are staring at you accusingly as if you did something wrong. Several families and individuals can also be seen keeping a great distance from each other. Many are muttering to themselves but they seem quite happy regardless of the anti-socialness on display here.

• Ash
• Fiora
• Max
• Hylia

Inn

It seems the rooms are all completely free. Most of the tables are a mess and the entire place is unkept. The owner and his wife are planning avocation behind the counter and just waving to whoever approaches to go upstairs or leave. They sound rather loud for just talking.

Shop

A woman here is reading a book and keeping one eye on the goods laid neatly around the store. The price tags on these items are jacked to a ridiculous degree. An apple will run you 700GP! No one is shopping here either.

Mayor's House

A sign says NOT FOR SALE. The doors of the mayor's home are locked and window curtains closed. The grounds around his home are quiet and no guards or guard beasts are present if you trespassed. The manor can be entered through a side door, climbed into from the still-open upper window, or you can bust the door down. Some people have gathered and watch in the distance with eager expressions.

• Rael
• Group of villagers.

Riverside

A gentle river runs through here. It's quite cold to go swimming right now. Some fish are visible under the surface.

Other locations exist. These are examples of the environment.​

Guidelines

Posting Rules

• Post every 2 days preferred. The thread will be concluded if it drags on too long (over a month).
• One post from each character per 'cycle' as in when I respond with NPC. There isn't a cycle count for these types of events. There are no comms. Keep the rp in one place.
• You may use a 3.05 playtest build to make rolls.
• Pandora's Manual
• Pandora's DM Page

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

Location: Riverside

'Strange. So it's just a part of her..?' That's what it all leads her to believe, but it's not often one sees an idol Lander with a beeping wrist, so even her own judgement couldn't be so certain about it.

"Ohmahella! That's so cool! You are using one of the Starcalled powers, right? I saw your eyes glow! You all have like built-in soul reading in your eyeballs!"

The fact she could tell apart from her investigation mode caught her off guard, instantly forcing her to shut it off entirely as Hylia begun to speak of her eyes as if she wasn't down to one. The realization had her heart thumping hard against her chest- Could Hylia really peek past the hollow socket?

And yet she can't hear the dead, raspy voice of her accursed follower warn her of the idol's powers or anything of the sort., as if light had forced its way into their world and forced the shadows to scatter least they be found.

Could it be..?

"...No."

Fiora broke her silence if only to deny any weird accussations Hylia came up with, only to watch that happy-go-lucky attitude return as a throughful explanation on what a Viewing Center is followed, right as she had planned to take her leave in search of whoever the idol's bodyguard was.

"-The Evil Queeny covered it with this yucky evil gold stuff. It was so gross it was all like... not good nopenope!"

Her eye widened, dropping her full weight to a stop, plated equipment rattling as she turned back to Hylia at these words, yet just as she was about to part her lips to ask for an explanation-

"Lady Idol! Come and meet Sir Ash! He is an acquaintance I made on my journey."

A second voice joined, and it looked like their search was made short as the idol and her bodyguard were reunited yet again, with a Third Party involved with pointy ears. She cut the distance short on the group, nevertheless resting her hand over the hilt of her sheathed blade.

Can never be too sure what kind of tricks dissonance would pull...

"The bodyguard, right? Have you two seen anything strange on the way here? Hylia claims there is dissonance somewhere in here. We were about to go look for you, but since everyone's here, I'd suggest we don't play around for long."

She informed. A frown nestled on her features as she cast a glance back to the town.

"If the town's still standing, then it must be wearing an unassuming form."

 

[Ash Vargold]

"A foreigner in one's own land? Dare I say I can understand that feeling at times."

"Comes with living in a city, mostly. Too many people, not enough bandwidth."

Ash didn't know much about Tertoria beyond the glimpses he'd seen in Camp Hope. He'd just assumed it was more of Falderen's thing - another euro-fantasy feudal kingdom with a twist. Maximilian certain did nothing to make him think differently, but...

"Being an old-fashioned man who follows principles up till recently only written about in tales from Gardibrook nobles. Now with the revealing of Falderen I can find an entire civilization that lives in that world..."

Wait. What?

Ash stared blankly at Maximilian as his words sunk in and his perception of the man cracked a little.

"...pff!"

He turned away suddenly, covering his mouth as he tried to cough to cover up a laugh, and ended up choking on said laughter for his trouble. It took a few moments to regain his breathing, but his composure didn't feel like following suit.

"K-kff! S-sorry. Just... that sounds like something a player - er, a Starcalled would say."

That makes two of us, I guess.

And then the moment passed. Ash took a deep breath before looking in the direction of Max's... ally? Ward? Along with an elven women, and-

That's a dolphin. Why is there a dolphin. He shook his head, somewhere torn between of course there's a dolphin and if I ignore it maybe it won't notice me, before his attention was drawn instead to the words of the elven woman.

"Hylia claims there is dissonance somewhere in here."

"Dissonance? Here?"

Ash snapped his hand upwards and opened the palm menu. He hadn't noticed any of the UI corruption he'd learned to associate with Dissonance when he'd activated Investigation mode before. He stared at the palm menu for a moment before toggling Investigation mode on again. More UI elements meant more of a chance to spot the tell-tale flicker.

"I didn't notice any signs of it earlier... you're right, it can't be very strong. It's always fucking Dissonance..."

(The hitch in his chest was something else entirely, and he wouldn't give it any thought.)

Ash looked around the town, eyes glowing as he swept the town, and paused at the sight of a gathering of people around one building in particular. In a place where everyone seemed intent on keeping their distance, it stood out like a sore thumb.

"...something's happening over there."

 

[Rael]

Location:
Mayor's House

Her eyes fell shut for a moment as she staggered backward, the whirlwind of emotion overtaking her for a minute with an almost supernatural resonance, the echoing thought running circles around her head drawing her attention to the pouch that hung unused in her inventory.

She was awful at managing her money, which meant she had very little of it and often relied on her companions, or on deals struck with local business owners to get by.

Why would she need more? Rael shook her head and with the motion dispelled the feelings gripping at her, inviting calm into her senses as her eyes returned to the crowd gathered before her.

Talk of double-edged swords. On one hand, she could offer to right the wrongs committed by the mayor and return the heavily afflicted populace of the town with the wealth and possessions they had been unjustly stripped of - but such a path would invite scrutiny, not to mention the potential of hostility should they think her capable of stealing and running away with whatever she could find.

On the flip side, to anger the civilians would mean for her investigations into the story of this land to be cut short due to a lack of cooperation from the locals. Neither was the perfect scenario.

"Did you not hear?" Innocence channeled, coupled with an expression befitting one who spoke with genuine surprise. She masked the emotions, knew how to embody them after years and years of practice. She found no joy in it, but found usefulness in the skills.

"I'm afraid you won't find your gold here, the Mayor has fled and the house seems to be empty," she spun her tale, hand lifted to cradle her chin, index finger tapping intermittently against unblemished skin. "If only he had left a clue around here somewhere, but the House would be too obvious a place for that... My, do things seem unfair. When did he stop showing? Did he display any kind of erratic behavior? Any clue, no matter how seemingly small, would help us find him, and your missing gold!"

Rael kept a hand pressed to her temple as she awaited answers, pressure nursing the headache building in the wake of the overwhelming flow of foreign emotion that had threatened to seep into her being.

---

Rolls

Save
1d100 (56) + 45 = 101
Will | Rael | 2068C4

 

[Pandora*]

A Greedy Town

Greed...

Location Data

Name: Town of Ripplethorpe
Size: Small
Time: Afternoon
Weather: 65°F Partly Cloudy
Party: @Ash Vargold | @Rael | @Fiora Di Angelo

"K-kff! S-sorry. Just... that sounds like something a player - er, a Starcalled would say."

Unlike before, some very peculiar words and mannerisms came from the Caenis. Hopefully, the strange mannerisms of the townsfolk had not rubbed off on him. Before he could comment the other greenhair and Hylia approached. The woman not so much as offering a greeting.

Chivalry was rare as always. How he missed the presence of his lady, even when she gave him the most ridiculous of orders on a whim...

"The bodyguard, right? Have you two seen anything strange on the way here? Hylia claims there is dissonance somewhere in here. We were about to go look for you, but since everyone's here, I'd suggest we don't play around for long. If the town's still standing, then it must be wearing an unassuming form."

"Bodyguard? It is not something so official. I am the Harmonizer's companion as we travel together. There is one I've sworn my sword to however, that is true."

Maximilian would have been taken aback to see a woman who was nearly eye-to-eye with him. It was a rare meeting indeed before he ventured to Eastern Arcia. He placed his hand over the hilt of his sword. Even after making the bed, he remained fully geared.

"Max! Oh, and hello doggo guy! Ash?!" Ash sounds like a name for someone with red hair but that's ok! You look pretty handsome, I bet Max is worried he'll eventually have t-"

Hylia stopped and looked at her wrist, then looked at Ash again with a worried expression.

"Um... sir... I don't know how to say this but you might want to remove your shirt for a minute."

Blushing, she shook her head.

"W-What I mean is, I'm a Star Chosen and I can detect dissonance infections. You are giving me signals. It's not too bad, I don't think? You aren't having disturbing thoughts or obsessions lately are you?"

"What? Certainly not! Sir Ash is someone I met at the D.E.S. construction site, he is a good man. I vouch for his character."

Although perhaps he is acting strangely.

"....it looks like you both barely know each other at all to me, Max. Ash, please stay near me okay? I might be able to suppress it."

A moment of seriousness in her mannerisms. She wasn't just some trainee anymore like back during Titanius. She may still be learning but she had to put on her serious face sometimes! Then she returned to her hyperactive manner. She smiled and nodded her head as if answering yes for him and reached out her hand to take his much as she did with Seigi before.

"Lady Idol, look. That fair lady may be in some trouble."

He gestures as the rest all look at the gathering in front of a manor. A lone pinkette sticks out from the group just as much as these four do (well Max is fairly generic).

"I'm afraid you won't find your gold here, the Mayor has fled and the house seems to be empty. If only he had left a clue around here somewhere, but the House would be too obvious a place for that... My, do things seem unfair. When did he stop showing? Did he display any kind of erratic behavior? Any clue, no matter how seemingly small, would help us find him, and your missing gold!"

The crowd's reactions varied. Some looked angry and shouted expletives. Others left muttering. Yet still, others made arrogant expressions. Several took out gold coins and stared at them longingly before huffing dismissively at the Lore Seeker.

Finally one started to walk towards her with hungry eyes.

"Why not pay me? Pay me with all your worth!"

"No! Me!"

"ME!"

The crowd started to fight amongst themselves rather than be cooperative.

Mayhaps the dissonance is there...."

"B-But I'm not getting signals from them? Uhhh.. ummm...."

She started tapping her wrist before running towards the crowd. The armored blond called for her to slow down but resigned to jog after her.

Outdoors

The townsfolk are staring at you accusingly as if you did something wrong. Several families and individuals can also be seen keeping a great distance from each other. Many are muttering to themselves but they seem quite happy regardless of the anti-socialness on display here.

• Ash
• Fiora

Inn

It seems the rooms are all completely free. Most of the tables are a mess and the entire place is unkept. The owner and his wife are planning avocation behind the counter and just waving to whoever approaches to go upstairs or leave. They sound rather loud for just talking.

Shop

A woman here is reading a book and keeping one eye on the goods laid neatly around the store. The price tags on these items are jacked to a ridiculous degree. An apple will run you 700GP! No one is shopping here either.

Mayor's House

A sign says NOT FOR SALE. The doors of the mayor's home are locked and window curtains closed. The grounds around his home are quiet and no guards or guard beasts are present if you trespassed. The manor can be entered through a side door, climbed into from the still-open upper window, or you can bust the door down. The crowd has thinned and is now borderline strangling each other.

• Rael
• Group of villagers (hostile).
• Max
• Hylia

Riverside

A gentle river runs through here. It's quite cold to go swimming right now. Some fish are visible under the surface.

Other locations exist. These are examples of the environment.​

Guidelines

Posting Rules

• Post every 2 days preferred. The thread will be concluded if it drags on too long (over a month).
• One post from each character per 'cycle' as in when I respond with NPC. There isn't a cycle count for these types of events. There are no comms. Keep the rp in one place.
• You may use a 3.05 playtest build to make rolls.
• Pandora's Manual
• Pandora's DM Page

 

[Ash Vargold]

The words of the blonde girl drew Ash's attention away from the crowd for a moment. He turned gleaming eyes towards her with a startled expression, one that become increasingly more concerned as she kept talking...

"Um... sir... I don't know how to say this but you might want to remove your shirt for a minute."

"You want me to what?"

Ash froze, fur and hair fluffed to a level rarely seen on anything but the roundest of birds. He blushed furiously as he lifted a hand towards his chest, unconsciously clutching the area just above his heart.

"N-no. Shirt stays on."

He averted his eyes, settling slowly but still feeling distinctly uncomfortable. It wasn't even because he was worried about what she might be looking for - he just didn't like the idea of beeing seen like that.

"You aren't having disturbing thoughts or obsessions lately are you?"

long nights spend illuminated by the glare of a monitor
a heart swinging between unearthly calm and unstoppable chaos
a sick sense of relief as a sword pierced through​

"...nothing worse than my usual."

All those issues could be easily explained by the fact he was playing a game practically designed to cause and exacerbate mental trauma. Aisling knew he had some issues rattling in her skull, even before Terrasphere had barged back into her life.

Ash remained tense in the face of the "Star Chosen" girl, even as he leaned on the steady rhythm lent to him by Maximilan's admittedly naive trust-

"But if it makes you feel better, I'll try not to run off-"

"Any clue, no matter how seemingly small, would help us find him, and your missing gold!"

"...Rael?"

Ash immediately ran off.

The crowd was already a mob by the time he arrived. He growled, wishing he was better eqipped - but he hadn't exactly been expecting a fight in the middle of town. He did his best to loom above the battleground and picked out the familiar flash of pink on the other side.

"Hey! What the hell is going on here?"

He kept his palm menu ready. Rael could more than take care of herself, but if it became a big enough issue he could always swap back into his usual gear, bloodstains and all.

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

Location: Mayor's house

"Bodyguard? It is not something so official. I am the Harmonizer's companion as we travel together. There is one I've sworn my sword to however, that is true."

Not entirely off the mark at the very least. A lucky guess that helped greatly to assess the blonde's character, with a speech that was the anti-thesis of Hylia herself. Either the brain, or the most consistent of the duo- Something tells her that Max's existence is the whole reason the 'Harmonizer' isn't lost in the clouds.

"Um... sir... I don't know how to say this but you might want to remove your shirt for a minute."

"N-no. Shirt stays on."

"..."

Sharp golden eye set on 'Ash' (If that was really his name at this point) as the man caught Hylia's attention for all the wrong reasons. His refusal wasn't helping his case either, at least not in her view. If anything, that just made her wary of his existence, despite Hylia's own reassurance that his plague could be dealt with. Or perhaps that's just a keyword for 'We'll kill you before you become a real problem'.

Her ears flickered, senses tickling in more ways than one as the roars of a crowd and their very presence became a beacon for greed and anger, the later one she's attuned enough to sense in more ways than one, with the former only making her skeptical of this being the source of dissonance, as Hylia seemed to argue at Max, moments before the Idol rushed into the heart of the issue.

Fiora didn't wait to pursue after them, but unlike the golden-haired bodyguard she wouldn't settle for jogging. Dissonance, a senseless, greedy, angry mob fighting against eachother, and not a single guard on sight. Everything piled up for a bullshit stew that someone else had concocted in what otherwise should have been a peaceful little town.

Not only Hylia, but so did the beastfolk step in as if these villagers weren't ready to tear eachother's throats or the next person's. Still, their lust for the coins seemed apparent, and perhaps it could be a good opportunity to test out if this pink-haired third (Fourth?) party could be helped out of a pickle.

Don't get too close, things are getting heated.

An understatement from her as the elf pulled a hand beneath her cloak, snatching a small coin purse, fingers easily ripping the fabric in half before she tossed it over the floor, letting the coins spread all across the mob's feet, dangling and clacking one against the other.

Worst case scenario, they finally aggro. Best case scenario, an opening.

 

[Rael]

Location:
Mayor's House

Her less preferred outcome came into fruition, the string of colorful falling on deaf pointed ears that did not care much for the names she would receive. Cautiously she wove the beginnings of a translucent companion to stand at the back, readying themselves should any of the crowd try to approach her with a clearer hostile intent.

They would not, for they busied themselves fighting each other and she stood a moderate distance away with a puzzled look set upon her features, head tilted ever so slightly to the side. Rael, in typical nonchalant fashion, would begin scribbling away the behavioral shifts of these people. Her senses shut off to the danger of her surroundings, trusting her summon with the task of being her eyes and ears, and then some.

Unintelligible whispers against her ear alerted her to the approach of a group from the riverbank, a certain shaman and some others whom she didn't quite recognize soon coming into view - but between the group and herself, there was still the very obvious matter of an angry crowd.

Driven not by greed they were, and she breathed a little easier to know this for a fact with how they failed to dive into the crowd in search of riches that didn't exist.

"We have to stop meeting like this," amidst blood, chaos, war drums, and fights itching to break out around every corner, "but I will not say it does not gladden my heart to some measure." Her greeting for the beastfolk, voice raised above the cries and deranged screams of the mob.

Modest earnings flew and scattered across the ground from a source originally unseen, but that she, by stepping back and around to allow some more visibility of her newfound comrades, could eventually make the vague shape out of. Not someone that she recognized.

"Oh, you," recognizing the visage of another who shared in the long-eared trait of their selected race, she extended a kindness. "Do not come too close, and while it might seem counterintuitive, do close your senses. I cannot explain it, but they carry with them an oppression that is quite headache-inducing."