18+ Private Redchron Descent Into Depravity

Vina Skysong

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A job had been posted in the Ghylios branch of the Adventurer's Guild, asking for the assistance of experienced adventurers to help root out an evil cult that had made its home further to the west where some villages still stubbornly held on despite the ominous presence of the Shield of Axiolus reminding them of the unnatural threat to the south. The councils of the villages had come together to make the request, leading to there being a considerable reward for whoever managed to complete the job, while at the same time demonstrating the urgency the villages felt regarding the problem.

The job request talked of an evil cult which had shown up several moons ago, with preachers entering each village to try and convert the people to the worship of an eldritch deity none of them had ever heard of before. When those preachers had been chased away rumours began to spread through each visited settlement, of unknown figures moving about at the edges of town, with even stranger things moving throughout the night... and people swore that they heard things as well.

Panic began to form once people started to go missing as well, especially younger folk (but never children, oddly enough). While it wasn't completely unheard of somebody to leave town or to disappear in the rocky terrain of Redchron the clear increase in disappearances quickly led to the villagers assuming that this cult was kidnapping people to turn them into sacrifices, at which point the request for outside assistance was made.

The actual request was straightforward: get rid of the cult, and rescue as many kidnapped villagers as possible.

It also included a map showing where any would-be heroes could visit one of the villages before heading for the lair of the cultists.

Sitting on a rock Vina was rhythmically hitting her seat with the heels of her feet, humming a tune as she waited for her friend to arrive. She was clothed for once, even if her attire was still rather revealing. Walking naked into a village where people were in an uproar about an evil cult kidnapping young men and women wasn't exactly a good idea... actually, walking naked into most settlements was just a bad idea, because even if Vina held no ill intentions most people still weren't comfortable with that level of openness.

Regardless, during one of her rare trips to Ghylios she'd picked up on the job, as well as people arguing that with Norfova so close by you'd be a fool to look into whatever demon-worshipping cult had set up shop in the area. The opinion of most adventurers seemed to be that the Ynglar Brotherhood could take care of it if they claimed authority over the situation in Norfova. After all, if this cult turned out to be an offshoot of the Blood Coven there's a good chance you wouldn't get out alive... or only emerge as something different.

Vina felt differently, and had taken the job while at the same time sending a message to her friend Fina to ask if she could join the playful vixen in Redchron. If the villagers were starting to panic then the druidess would do her best to help, and if the Ynglar Brotherhood wanted to get involved they could do so whenever they wanted.

The weather was rather depressing, with grey clouds covering most of the skies. The occasional gap allowed for sunlight to reach through, but for the most part the land was cast in shadow, which only made the red glow of the Shield of Axiolus even more noticeable. Vina wasn't directly looking in the direction of the massive magical barrier that separated Norfova from the rest of the world, but she'd occasionally cast a glance towards it: it was far enough away that if it had been a sunny day the red glow probably wouldn't have been noticeable at all, but with the clouds subjecting the sun to a heavy filter the barrier was difficult to ignore.

There was also a light rain that fed whatever plants managed to grow in the area, as well as wetting the reddish ground that had earned Redchron its name. Vina's hair and fur were already clinging to her body and tail, even as the druidess kept whistling her upbeat tune: she liked the rain, especially compared to the red barrier down south. Her tail rhythmically moved from side to side behind her even as water dripped from the fur covering the vulpine limb, showering her seat. Her attention was on the roads leading north towards the plains of Solvale, where Fina would almost certainly be coming from.

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Getting involved in the larger events of the world was certainly a good way to find an adventure or two, but it was also at times simply too much to handle. When that happened, it was always good to cut back a little and relax... unless someone called for help.

Granted, Vina's message didn't quite convey the urgency necessary to call it a cry for help, more like a hope for assistance. It didn't matter much, however. The feline set out as soon as she was able to, considering there was quite some distance between herself and the point in Redchron she had to reach, even on horseback.

But that was exactly what Vina would eventually see - the weapon master arriving atop her trusty steed, galloping atop the road, muddy from the light rain. It wasn't the most pleasant of transports, but at least she was here now, and the cloak flowing in the air behind her did a pretty decent job of protecting her from the worst of the weather. It was undoubtedly a bit chilly here, at this time of the year.

"I've come as soon as I could, hope you didn't have to wait too long. Your message didn't make it sound like the end of the world, but I'm guessing you would have worded things differently if this was nothing to be worried about."


She already had a pretty decent read on the vixen, and could figure out exactly what she wanted just by looking at the way she formatted her message. For now, her ears were twitching in anticipation of hearing exactly what was going on, and why her assistance was needed here... and, hopefully, this whole thing would not end in a disaster.

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The sound of hooves hitting the beaten path reached Vina before anything else did, even muted as it was thanks to the rain trying to turn the packed dirt into mud. Thankfully years of peddlers, travellers, and merchants had done a good job, so Fina didn't have to worry too much about her horse losing its footing.

Vina's smile widened as the sound reached her ears, the vixen's tail swishing from side to side as she eagerly awaited the arrival of her dear friend. Now that she knew Fina was approaching she peered at the road more impatiently, narrowing her azure eyes slightly as she saw a figure in the distance, clearly on horseback. She didn't move from her position on top of the rock, but her tail noticeably moved faster and her humming became more lively as Fina came closer and closer, until her lavender hair was clearly distinguishable even underneath the grey skies.

Once the mounted Starcalled was close enough Vina raised one hand and waved cheerfully, waiting until Fina was a bit closer before sliding off the rock to wave with both hands instead. With her silver-white hair and fur it wasn't like it was difficult to see her from a distance, but she did always like reuniting with her friends.

Glad to see you again Fina~!


Regardless of rain or distance her melodic voice reached Fina's ears clearly, the songstress's talents allowing her to bypass such pesky obstacles with little difficulty. Walking up to her mounted friend she waited for Fina to come to a halt before nodding happily, quickly answering her friend's inquiry.

It's not the end of the world, no... but there are worried people depending on us. (She pointed towards the village behind her.) There's people going missing, you see.


She hadn't explained the quest in detail, as she figured it'd be easier to do so in person. She imagined Fina would have some questions as well, and that the villagers would be better equipped to answer some of them. Stepping closer the vixen jumped onto the horse behind Fina, a brief upwards wind carrying her higher than her legs alone could have managed while at the same time letting her float down gently. Wrapping her arms around her friend she hummed.

You're familiar with cults, yes~?


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Looking in Vina's direction, it was pretty easy to forget about the giant magical barrier to the side, almost making this whole place seem somewhat pleasant. But even then, the feline wasn't exactly planning on staying her for too long, unless she'd have to. So when her friend approached, she was quick to extend her hand in a gesture that she'd help the vixen get up on the horse. Something that ended up rather unnecessary, as it turned out...

"Can't say I've ever been part of one. So I guess my knowledge is the basics that just about anyone else would know. Fanatics dedicated to one thing or another, usually at the expense of others, or some such."


That sounded about right. That said, people going missing sounded pretty serious. So as Vina settled, a gentle squeeze informed the horse to start trotting toward the village that the girl had previously gestured toward.

"Though... if we're supposed to be dealing with an entire cult... isn't just two people a bit... I dunno, I just feel like this would be a task for a whole warband?"


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Vina laughed softly, amused by Fina's response.

I'm glad to hear it~ But yes, that's pretty much it: a group of people devoting themselves to something or someone. (She frowned.) They're often used as enemies in adventure games... but now we're dealing with one here.


The usual problem revealed itself, where those enemies which were exciting to defeat in other games became a bit more serious in Terrasphere, where the plight of the Landers wasn't as easily ignored as just part of the setting. Shaking her head she continued, holding onto Fina as the horse slowly led them towards the village.

Maybe, but I think we'll be fine Fina~ (She briefly tightened her embrace.) The quest didn't talk about them being really dangerous: there's just people who've gone missing and we need to get them back while convincing the cultists to leave. It's not like they're a band of experienced bandits~


She figured that the majority of the cult was just Landers who'd gotten pulled in by some central figure, not real combatants. Of course, a mob could be scary all on its own, but Vina was a staunch follower of the strategy of running away when things got too dangerous... at least, if there wasn't anything behind her that needed protecting.

We'll find somebody in the village who can tell us a bit more about the situation, and then we'll look into the cult. With some luck we can free the captives without having to fight at all~


The village looked fairly standard, a bog-standard frontier village at the edge of civilization. Relatively small houses, built to remain standing and provide shelter rather than impress tourists, with thatched roofs and whitewashed, sun-dried brick walls. In any other environment it would have looked rustic and homely, but the red shade from the south gave the place a slightly more eery vibe... or perhaps that was the fault of the villagers.

There weren't many people outside, and those that showed themselves seemed to be in a clear hurry to go wherever they needed to be. As Fina and Vina got noticed the first villager to spot them stared for several seconds, then quickly headed deeper into the village. The next kept staring for longer, his brow furrowed as he silently watched the two Starcalled enter the village. The other villagers they encountered were little different: either clearly avoiding them or watching them silently, not openly hostile but clearly wary of the outsiders when there was a cult stealing people.

Of course, the rain might have encouraged them to be about their business as well, especially the beastfolk whose fur threatened to become a damp mess if left exposed for too long.

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It seemed that Vina was not all too eager to change her ways, talking about dealing with a cult the same way one would deal with a disgruntled neighbour. It was amusing in its own right, but could also lead to a bit more danger than an otherwise careful or outright aggressive approach would yield.

"Being able to spirit people away sounds plenty dangerous already. Not to mention... 'convince' usually only works on someone who is willing to listen. And fanatics generally only listen to whoever is leading them. Besides, if they're willing to kidnap people, then they've gotta be committed enough to not just pack up their things and leave the first moment someone tells them to."


Those were Fina's worries, anyway. As to whether they'd really be able to deal with a whole cult by themselves, well... there was really only one way to find out. Thankfully they already had a good composition of a frontliner and a support, so that'd help if things went south.

But as they arrived at the village and slowly approached the center, the feline couldn't help but sigh.

"I guess we're being mistaken for cult-adjacent figures. Do you know who posted the quest and where they might be?"


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Fina apparently didn't share Vina's optimism, pointing out that cultists weren't known for listening to outsiders. The vixen nodded along with her feline friend, waiting for the weaponmaster to finish before responding.

We don't know how they've been kidnapping people, but you're right that they might not want to listen to us. But it's still worth a shot because even if it doesn't work we can still kick up a fuss~


Vina might not be happy with the idea of going around killing bandits and the like, but that didn't mean she wouldn't bonk them with her staff if that was necessary to get them to behave. The druidess had played enough adventure-type games to be familiar with how things worked, even if Terrasphere played out a lot more realistically than most of its competition.

Don't worry Fina~ You're really strong, so it's not like we need the element of surprise to win a fight, right~?


Even the rather cold welcome from the villagers didn't dampen Vina's mood, the vixen looking around with curiosity and answering their wary stares with a friendly smile. Some of them seemed confused by this, others just walked away. The druidess tilted her head with some confusion as one outright scowled in response, but then shrugged and turned her attention back towards Fina, humming thoughtfully before replying.

If people have gone missing it's no surprise they're scared of outsiders~ But the quest was posted by a bunch of people, so I think we'll just have to find somebody who can point us in the right direction.


A rather optimistic approach, but it hadn't failed her yet. And it wouldn't fail her this time either: as they got closer to the centre of the villager the sound of hammering would reach their ears, quickly followed by the sight of a heavyset male human fixing up a broken window. Once they got close enough he turned away from the window to look at them, and while his gaze wasn't exactly friendly it lacked the wariness all the other villagers had shown: stern, but not unfriendly.

Leaning to the side so she was visible from her seat behind Fina Vina waved at the first villager to not glare at them or walk away, her usual bright smile accompanied by a wagging of her tail.

Hey there~! We're here to help with finding the missing people!


She didn't bother to keep her voice low either, although it didn't really matter since there wasn't anybody else nearby. The human raised one eyebrow before rubbing the back of his neck, letting out a grunt.

I'm guessing you want to know more?


He appeared to be completely ignoring the weather, his shirt already soaked by the rain. A couple of planks resting against the wall made it clear that he'd been working on the window for some time already, possibly with limited success.

Vina nodded quickly, pointing towards herself and Fina.

The quest didn't say much about where we should be looking, and we're not from around here~


The man nodded, taking the two of them in before turning around.

You'll have a hard time finding anybody willing to talk to strangers, so I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. Follow me.


Leaving his work behind for the moment he led them towards the inn facing the village square, where he'd offer to help Fina get her horse settled before leading them inside where the blessed warmth of the hearth would greet them the moment the door was opened... even if the mood inside wasn't quite as warm. There were more people here, but like the villagers outside they didn't seem inclined to greet the outsiders, even if their guide's presence kept the villagers from staring as he led them to an empty table.

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Even if they didn't know exactly how the cult was kidnapping locals, the name of the action itself said plenty for itself. It wasn't like all of these people just walked along with the cultists on their own. If that were the case, then surely at least some would first try to get in touch with family inside of the town to let them know that some friendly faces that were new to the area wanted to show them their collection of rare candies, or something... as for the notion that Fina would be more than enough to pummel all of them...

"You might be putting a bit too much faith in my abilities there, so I hope we'll not come to regret it later."


Not much they could do about it now, either way. Not unless they wanted to wait here for more reinforcements to arrive, which was rather unlikely, given the presumed urgency of the situation. But at least they finally managed to find someone who was at least willing to talk. You'd think that if they wanted the problem to be solved, they'd be a bit more cooperative...

"As much as you're willing to share, ideally."



She didn't exactly want to go into the spider's den completely unprepared. At least the inn seemed inviting enough, even from the outside. Tying the lasso around the nearest wooden pole with a strong knot, the feline left her steed under a small awning to ensure the horse would not get completely drenched in the meantime as they entered the building. An almost entirely different world, one submerged in the warm light of the flickering flames.

"I, uh... I'll leave the questioning to you with this one, I think."



She softly spoke and gestured at Vina as they approached the empty table. Maybe she'd ask some questions if she felt something was missing afterward, but she had no idea how to actually lead into things in the first place.

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The burly human paused for a moment at Fina's words, glancing at her before giving a quick nod.

No point in sending you out there if you don't know what you're up against, I'd say.


Once they were at the table he sat down on one end, his impressive frame making it clear that it'd be easier for both Fina and Vina to take a seat at the other end. The playful vixen did so, seemingly unaffected by the attitude of the other villagers if her swishing tail was any indication. She did certainly appreciate the warmth of the inn, stretching her arms before setting down and patting on the seat next to her for Fina to join her.

Leaning forward the man placed one heavy arm on the table, his voice lowering a little as if he didn't want the other patrons to listen in... although his voice was comparable to his frame, so even when he was trying to be quiet it would be difficult not to hear his bass.

First, I hope you aren't offended by the others. Everyone's on edge. (He sighed.) I'm sure they'll change their tune once you've helped us: they're good people.


Vina nodded without hesitation in response.

The quest did say that people have gone missing, so I can imagine that you're all on edge~ (She smiled.) Don't worry about it: we'll bring all your loved ones back~ Right, Fina?


When people were stressed it was easy to become distrustful, especially if the source of the stress was a group of outsiders making your friends and family disappear. She wasn't going to hold their suspicious stares against them when they had to deal with all that uncertainty and worry.

With Fina delegating the questioning to her Vina continued, although even as she talked her tail sneakily curled around her friend's, the long vulpine limb entwining with Fina's more slender feline appendage.

What we've been told is that a couple of months ago some strangers showed up and began talking about their religion, but that after they were chased out of town people began to disappear. Does that sum up how it started~? Oh, and I'm Vina Skysong, by the way. Nice to meet you~


The man nodded, shifting his weight a little before elaborating.

Hamza. And that is the gist of it. They spoke of a god they called Urvarata, said all our deepest desires would come true. (He frowned.) Nobody here stupid enough to fall for that, so we told them to try their luck elsewhere. Turns out, they'd done the same thing in every other village in the area, and gotten the same response there as well.


That does sound a bit... shady.


Vina wasn't exactly one to doubt others, but to have all your desires granted? Those preachers must've really been laying it on thick. Hamza nodded again, tapping the table with one finger.

Exactly. Sure, gods can be good for blessings if you know how to ask nicely, but this went much further than that. (He shook his head.) Anyway, after they left we thought that was the end of it, but then people started going missing. Young folk, mostly. I've got no idea what exactly happened, but after a week or so people started talking about sacrifices and such. (He snorted.) No proof, of course, but that didn't stop them: soon after there were rumours of things moving at night, and now half the village thinks that the cult is sending evil spirits to steal our friends and family.


And what do you think Hamza?


He paused, taking his arm off the table as he leaned back and lifted his hand to carefully stroke his well-kept beard, finally answering slowly, as if choosing his words carefully.

...Truth is, there have been... noises in the night. Rustling, groaning, thumping... Something strange is going on. (He quickly lifted a shovel-sized hand.) But I've got no reason to believe it's evil spirits or somesuch: I've also heard footsteps, and I'm pretty sure spirits don't walk. More likely it's those cultists sneaking into the village at night to... well, possibly kidnap people.


Vina frowned, Hamza's last words bothering her a little. The vixen hummed briefly and softly, her tail stroking Fina's as she considered her next words carefully as well.

If there's nothing else like things being stolen, it does sound like they're coming here for the people~


Hamza narrowed his gaze, looking past the two at the wall. After several seconds he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck again, looking rather resigned.

We haven't found signs of anything else, no. I guess I'm doubting because... (He briefly looked at the rest of the inn.) Well, I can't imagine them kidnapping our folk without some kind of fight. Life isn't easy out here, and those preachers didn't look anything special either. Some of the missing folk aren't much smaller than me, so if they didn't want to be taken we would've heard more than just some shuffling. Something isn't adding up.


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If they were being seated, then that could only mean there was a good bit of information to go over. Or perhaps merely speculation, rather than concrete evidence. Still, anything that could help them turn the tide would surely be beneficial, especially since so much was still left in the dark.

Sitting down next to Vina, the feline employed her usual calm demeanor as she listened in, her ears occasionally twitching. It was somewhat surprising to hear that the vixen had a bit more info on her hands than what she shared before, although, ultimately, none of it was particularly game-changing. Offers that included deities capable of offering anything a human's heart could desire was pretty usually, at least in other games. Though, at this point, it all made her wonder if maybe this cult was controlled by a player rather than a lander...

Though she rather didn't verbally reply at Vina's enthusiasm about returning everyone alive and well. She did not, as if to agree, but she preferred to not make promises where she wasn't sure she could actually fulfill them. What if someone was already dead at this point, after all?

". . . . . ."



As Vina's fluffy tail started wrapping itself around Fina's own, the girl tried to pull away, but it seemed that the druid had greater mastery over her extra limb, causing the feline only to twitch a bit in her seat as she continued her attempts to 'free' herself during the conversation.

"...Fina Drago."



Interjecting her own introduction into the conversation, she continued to listen. All about what she had expected, although she felt that the man was maybe thinking a bit too much about all of this, in both possible directions.

"Pardon any implications, but... both horrific and non-horrific noises at night could very well just be animals. You do kinda live in the middle of nowhere, but two or more cats fighting, or god forbid, being in heat, can cause such unholy sounds that you'd think the Devil himself was rising from the depths of Hell just on the other side of the window."


She had plenty of experience with that, especially during summer nights when she had to keep her windows open for some ventilation. And yes, she was well aware of how that might have sounded coming from a feline beastfolk.

"As for your people, even a mountain of a man can easily hit the ground against a specific type of magic. A bit of a puff to put them to sleep, and that is that."


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If Fina's lack of affirmative response bothered Vina she didn't show it: the playful vixen kept her positive attitude, a mischievous light in her eyes as she felt her friend try to escape from the vixen's affectionate tail. Unfortunately for Fina, Vina had ample motivation to learn how to control that fifth limb, so said attempts only resulted in their tails rubbing against each other while the vixen pretended to be fully focused on Hamza's explanation.

The human male didn't show any sign of noticing the riveting conflict happening below the table, safe perhaps a slight raising of an eyebrow. However, Fina's input made him fold his arms and lean back in his seat as he looked at her, his expression unreadable before he exhaled through his nose.

We're no stranger to animals scurrying about in the night, miss. These sounds are different... unless we've got some truly strange pests bothering us this time around. (He frowned.) I'm just saying I don't know what is going on, but some folk are getting ahead of themselves. Better to go in with a wary eye without assuming too much.


A short silence fell as he appeared to have said his piece, and Vina took her time to think of where to go next with the conversation. Hamza was clearly hesitant to agree with his more excitable fellow villagers: perhaps he just didn't want to believe that those missing people had been sacrificed, so he was looking for other explanations. She imagined that the two of them would find out the answer for themselves anyway, so it was better to focus on other parts of the situation.

You said that the preachers didn't look impressive... I'm guessing that means they didn't try anything when told to leave~?


Not that I know of. (He shifted his gaze back towards Vina.) The ones that came here just yelled a bunch, but no fighting or magic or anything. If they tried anything in one of the other villagers I didn't hear of it.


And nothing else stood out about them?


Hamza stroked his beard again, thinking for several seconds before shaking his head.

If it wasn't for the tattoos and the long robes they could've been from next door. (He paused.) Unless the tattoos were magic. Didn't bother trying to use them if they were, but if you want to be careful you could keep an eye out for that.


Vina glanced at Fina. Her friend was worried that the two of them wouldn't be enough to deal with the cult if push came to shove, which was a reasonable concern. Vina wasn't as worried, and Hamza's answers didn't exactly make it sound like this cult was filled with mighty warriors or powerful sorcerers. The playful vixen smiled and nodded, turning her gaze back towards Hamza.

We'll keep that in mind~ Thanks Hamza~ (She tilted her head.) It sounds like we'll have to find out for ourselves what they can do. But do you happen to know where we should go to~?


Given the lack of contact between the villagers and the cultists asking more about what the cultists might be capable of seemed like a waste of time. The bigger question by this point was where the cult was located, so Fina and Vina could go and take care of the problem. And rescue the people, of course.

Hamza scratched the side of his head this time, considering the question before replying.

You wouldn't happen to have a map on hand?


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In all honesty, Fina wasn't even sure what she should be imagining in terms of wildlife that lived around these parts. Especially this close to the barrier. Sure, that thing was containing... whatever was on the other side, she wasn't even entirely certain, so presumably no horrors could come from there, but at the same time... could it stop any and all leaks? Perhaps it was best to not think about it at all, and the man was rather sure of himself that it was not an animal anyhow.

When it came down to describing the cultists, there wasn't much to go off of either. But at least they had one distinguishing mark to go by - tattoos. That, and the usual long robes... but the mention of tattoos was fairly interesting.

"Could be just regular tattoos, I suppose. But if they were magical at all, they'd most likely be used to enhance the person donning them. Things like physical strength, speed..."


After all, she used something similar, in a way. Well, no tattoos were visible on her body, but if she needed to exert more physical force than her mortal body could reasonably produce, she had a bit of an ace in her sleeve that worked similarly to what she had just described.

When prompted for a map, the feline was quick to reach into a bag that clung to her side, firmly secured by a belt that went over her shoulder. From within it, she produced several parchments of paper, taking a few seconds to sift through them to find the correct one - a map of the local area, including just about every village that could be found in this desolate part of the land.

"Traveling without a map and documentation of the local terrain would be a thing most foolish. I have a copy so feel free to scribble on it, if you have anything to write with."


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Vina nodded along with Fina as the warrior described the possible uses of magic tattoos. It wasn't a type of magic the druidess dabbled in, but she'd played enough games to know a thing or two as well.

That's right, magic tattoos could be used to boost them a ton~ That, or maybe the tattoos allow them to summon~


Granted, the kinds of summoning tattoos she thought of would probably have caught more attention from Hamza, so probably not. But at least they did now have something to pay attention to once they got to the cult, which was good.

She shook her head as the human asked whether they had a map with them, but Fina came to the rescue as she revealed that one of the bags she carried with her was filled with maps, and only after a little bit of searching did she pull out a map representing the area. Vina blinked, somewhat surprised that her friend was this prepared, but then smiled and patted the arms master on the shoulder.

I'll agree to being foolish sometimes, but I'm glad you're here to cover for me Fina~


Hamza nodded as he took the map and spread it out in front of him. Shifting his weight he reached below the table with one hand to dig through his pockets, eventually pulling out a piece of charcoal which looked almost comically small within his large hand. Leaning over the map he pushed it a bit further towards the two of them so they could look at it as well while he drew a circle around one of the villages.

This is where we are. (He tapped the other villages.) These are the other places they've been. (He drew a larger circle away from the villages, further to the west.) If they're still around they should be here somewhere. Not many other places where they could keep themselves fed. (He drew a smaller circle inside the circle.) From memory, this would be a good place to start. There's some ruins here they might be using.


Vina planted her hands on the table as she leaned further forward to peer at the map, humming softly to herself as Hamza tried to give them an idea of where to go. From how the map looked like there was some green in the indicated area, supporting Hamza's argument that the cultists would have an easier time finding food there. However, it was also very rocky territory...

That's a pretty big area, but we'll see if we can find them. Right, Fina~?


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Fina didn't exactly mean to suggest that Vina was unprepared for this, but... no, actually, the vixen absolutely was not prepared for an expedition like this. In fact, she was never prepared for much on the account of it being rather difficult to carry items around without any clothes... and she rarely seemed to actually keep things in her inventory.

But no matter, the feline merely exhaled a bit louder than usual as she opted to watch the man draw on her map. Ultimately, she did expect... something a bit more concrete than just conjecture, but at least it was better than nothing. The locals would know this place much better, after all, so even if it was just an educated guess, it had higher value than anything a stranger to these lands like Fina could come up with.

"With a bit of luck we'll run into them still traveling from a village, take a listen to their pitch, feign interest, and get the exact location for a promise to visit later... or something."


As to whether they could come across as actually interested in joining their cult instead of horribly suspicious... well, that was an entirely different question they'd get an answer to if they actually ran into someone on the way.

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Hamza idly tapped the map with his bit of charcoal as Fina suggested waiting for the cultists to return from one of the villages, the blackened piece of wood leaving behind faint dark imprints before the human spoke up.

If you're hoping to catch them you might be better off waiting here until dark: the sounds happen almost every night, so they're bound to show up.


Vina's ear twitched, the playful vixen still studying the map in case she could make out any useful details. She imagined that a cartographer or a Whistle would be able to tell a lot from the terrain alone, but given that this was a traditional map rather than a satellite image all she could really say was that the territory the cultists were in would have lots of rocky terrain and greenery... which meant it would be easy to find, but difficult to find anything in.

We might also learn what they're doing in the night if we wait here for them... What do you think Fina?


Fina had made it clear that she thought those sounds in the night might be completely unrelated to the kidnappings or the presence of the cultists, so Vina wouldn't be surprised if her friend would argue in favour of just heading directly for the cult's hideout. The songstress was more curious and was willing to potentially waste a night waiting to see if there was anything behind the villagers' rumours about things creeping about in the dark.

Hamza looked at the two of them, then nodded towards the bar at the other end of the common room. Behind the counter stood a more lanky elf male, his expression rather dour even if he did occasionally throw a curious glance towards the two outsiders and their bulky host.

Whatever plan you make, if you tell Fadl that you're after the cultists he'll probably let you stay for free and keep you fed. His daughter was taken, so he'll want the cult dealt with as fast as any of us.


Vina looked over towards the barkeep as well, noting his rather downcast expression.

I think we're good for food, but that's a good idea. Thanks Hamza~


Hamza nodded, putting his bit of charcoal back in his pocket and pushing the map back towards the two Starcalled.

Just be careful. I know I've said that the preachers didn't look anything special, but I don't want you dropping your guard and ending up like our missing folk.


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Somehow, the potentially really stupid idea of actually meeting the cultists and having a friendly banter has caught on. Well, she might have expected as much from Vina, who already proposed that they'd try to resolve things peacefully by just convincing the cult to let everyone go and move on, but Hamza was the first one to speak up and take Fina's words seriously.

"Huh? Ah, um... well, I was thinking more along the lines of heading out and keeping an eye out along the way, but I guess staying here is also something we could do... wait, how long ago did you say that they showed up here?"


Maybe she should have pieced it together in her head sooner, but she was under the impression that this has happened a while ago, yet the strange noises were a nightly occurrence?

"Even on horseback, reaching the area you circled should take a while... well, maybe some returned with whoever was kidnapped while more stayed here?"


Talking more to herself, Fina took the map, looking it over one more time before sighing and pocketing it, returning it to its original place.

"I'm not really sure which approach would be better here. If you don't think that proceeding as fast as possible is that important, it might be best if we stay here, maybe we'll at least ensure that no more kidnappings occur after we depart."


She was also somewhat unsure what might have given the man the impression that she wasn't taking this threat seriously. She was the one trying to imply that they were in for more than they could handle from the start!

@Vina Skysong
 

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Don't worry Hamza~ We may not look like it, but we're experienced adventurers~


Vina did often take a more free-spirited approach to things, but it wasn't like she was wholly incompetent: in addition, her sharp senses did allow her to usually notice trouble before it was too late, allowing the druidess to retain her cheery attitude even when diving into dungeons and the like.

Hamza stroked his beard as Fina asked more about when the preachers first showed up, the burly human frowning in thought.

Must be more than three moons ago by this point: we'd already finished prepping for winter but the snow had yet to fall.


Vina blinked as she came to the same realisation that it must've taken a lot of work from the cultists to harass the villages on a nightly basis throughout the winter... at least, if it truly was the work of the cultists.

And there've been noises in the night all winter? The cultists must be really devoted to their mission~ (She nodded along.) If they're hiding out there they must have some way to speed up travel...


There's none left in the village, that I know for sure. (He scratched the side of his head.) You'll have to find out for yourself, I'm afraid.


He folded his arms and leaned backwards as the two Starcalled discussed their approach. He'd told them more or less everything he could think of that might be relevant, so he left them to it as he just waited to hear what their final decision was.

Vina tilted her head as Fina offered her own perspective on the two approaches, the songstress mulling it over in her head before replying.

It's a pretty big area, so we might have to search a long time~ If we stay here and catch them in the act that would also be fine~


The cultists at the very least would know where their hideout is, so they would also be the quickest path to finding the hideout if they were nearly guaranteed to come here. Finally letting go of Fina's tail Vina stood up and stretched, her tail now swishing behind her as she smiled at her friend.

Shall we go talk to Fadl then Fina? I'm sure he'll satisfy our needs, if Hamza says he will~


The burly human raised an eyebrow but nodded, slowly getting up as well.

I have to get back to work, so I'll wish you good luck. (He stretched out his massive hand.) I hope you can return our folk safe and sound.


Vina took his large hand with her much smaller one, shaking it with a wide smile on her face.

Don't worry about it Hamza~ They'll be back before you know it~


Hamza nodded at her before offering Fina his hand as well before leaving the inn to return to his work, leaving the two Starcalled to prepare themselves to wait for nightfall. Vina looked at the innkeep, then at the arms master next to her.

It'll be a while before the sun goes down, so how about I talk to the innkeep and we both return in the evening?


No point in waiting around all day in-game if they weren't going to do anything until it was already dark, after all.

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And so it was decided. Whether it be for better or worse, they'd find out tonight. All they could really hope for was that the extra day or so wouldn't worsen the situation of those already captured. For now, she got up along with the rest of the group, her tail finally freely swaying from side to side in a much calmer manner than Vina's own, still feeling a lingering echo of the coiling touch. Shaking hands with the man, she nodded.

"Thank you, and know that we will spare no effort in this matter."



If she couldn't morally outright promise that they would definitely bring all the victims back, she at least hoped to assure him they would do their utmost to have it be so. And just like that, they parted with the one friendly face currently present in this whole village. Fina could only nod to the suggestion.

"Sounds good to me. Honestly, I'm not sure what that elf could even do for us if we're logging out. Unless you want to keep your body physically here, I guess..."


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Hamza nodded back at Fina before leaving the inn and the warmth it provided, seemingly unbothered by the soft rain which was still falling down outside of the building's windows.

Vina smiled as Fina questioned the use of interacting with the innkeeper, since the both of them could simply log out and return in the evening. They didn't even really need a room: unless they decided otherwise their bodies would just disappear when they logged out, returning in pristine condition when they logged back in.

If we're going to be travelling out there some extra food wouldn't be a bad idea~ (She swished her tail.) And I find that the People of the Land are more at ease when we follow the same norms, you see~?


They could just log out and disappear in broad daylight, but given the tensions that existed between Landers and Starcalled Vina thought it more considerate to not flaunt their nature as outsiders.

Her tail briefly curled around Fina's before slipping away again, the playful vixen giving her feline friend a wink.

Besides, it's always nice to meet new people, right~?


With that she set off towards the barkeep, her usual friendly smile on her face as if to compensate for Fadl's much more sombre expression. Whether it was truly necessary or not, Vina wasn't too worried about practicality to skip out on an opportunity to make another friend.

Logging back into the game Vina quickly got up from the bed she'd laid down on after securing the two of them a room at the inn. From her position she could see that the sky was quickly turning dark, and that there was at most an hour left before night had well and truly fallen in this part of the world. Her ears confirmed that the rain had stopped falling, even if there were still quite a few clouds in the sky: there were stars visible, but not many.

After taking a moment to stretch the songstress walked over to the window to look at the village proper. The inn was one of the taller buildings in town, which allowed her to get a good view of the settlement as night fell and everyone returned to their homes, windows glowing orange from lights both magical and mundane. Opening the window she stuck her head outside, her tail swishing behind her and her hair dancing as a gust of cold air entered the room.

Hmmmhmmm~


Humming to herself Vina closed the window again and left the room behind, heading downstairs to wait for Fina to arrive so the two of them could try to catch any cultists trying to enter the village... if there were any cultists to catch. The uncertainties of this plan were still a bit concerning, but it wasn't like Vina was quickly discouraged.

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As usual, Vina's answer didn't really apply to Fina herself, who could only shake her head and let out a sigh.

"Maybe if you're an extrovert. I have some serious doubts that I will see any of these people ever again once this mission is over, so..."


So what point was there to getting to know them, really? And on that account, she dounted that even Vina would get to know this barkeep beyond getting the duo some food and rooms for the night. Or one room for the night, if her teasing was any indication of things to come...

Which, surprisingly, did not happen. In her own room, Fina organized her inventory a bit, thought about it all, and logged out. The next time she logged back in was clearly after Vina, as the vixen did not respond to knocking on her room's door. Descending down the stairs, the druidess was easy to spot, even more so with how empty the room was. Even though it might have been the prime time for people to fill the tavern and be merry, it was clear that not many wanted to be out and about after nightfall, afraid of being the next to disappear.

"Good evening, and here we are. I guess we can either stay inside until we hear those 'suspicious' sounds that were mentioned or go out already and patrol... though there is a certain risk that if we did that, any potential cultists could see us from a distance and bolt it."


But the same could realistically happen even with her first idea, the source of the noise quickly disappearing before they could get out of the door.

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