Private Western Brisshal Red vs. Blue

[Frey Elzeiros]

.

Acquiring a quest had become an increasingly difficult task over time.

Not only where the Landers reluctant to send the new Starcalled Travelers off on their own, something he suspected had a thing or two to do with the Lions, but he could barely take two steps into the wilderness without someone materializing out of thin air to lecture him on the dangers of Terrasphere and its ever-changing nature.

The raven-haired male walked away from such another failed attempt to acquire a quest around the local area, resigned to his luck. This time the Lander seeking help had taken a problem with his choice of attire, which favored form over function, and had thus been unwilling to send him on the quest.

He tried, as he always did, but of course it hadn't solved his problems.

Palm menu pulled up, he takes a deep breath to will calm into his frustrated self, hissing a curse underneath his breath. And in that instant, another player walks right past him.

He spots her amidst a crowd of Landers as she passes him by, a blur of motion at the edge of his vision that initially cannot distinguish the woman he had seen once before. He stops shortly after in his tracks, coming to a halt in the middle of the town's plaza, earning the disgruntled noises of Landers colliding against his side.

With little to no hesitation, he half turns, the nagging sensation at the back of his mind forcing the faerin to tilt his head backward at the smattering of red walking away, no signs of her having recognized him either. Yet it only takes for him to look slightly up to know that he's seen the horns sitting at the top of her head, and in doing so, he lets his voice carry in the air.

"Red!"

Frey calls out, scrambling to redirect his course to trail behind her, bumping into stranger after another stranger in his path. He continues to call for the player he instantly recognizes to be better armed than him, already his mind bringing to life thousands of ways he could ask for her help. All if only he could strike up a decent conversation with her.

"Red and pointy, hey!"

When it seems she might not react, he hurries his step, and a hand seizes at her elbow with no real force behind his grip. It lingers there for but a second, immediately letting go of her now that he's succeeded at capturing her attention.

"Hey, sorry. We met before and I never caught your name, so I didn't know what to call you."

@Sol

 

[Sol]

☀˚̣⋅ .

Sol was rarely in one spot. Usually she was on the move, exploring new places and meeting new people(not by her own accord, of course), but today she was Western Brisshal with absolutely nothing to do. Ever since the Lions Arms had made their stance, the AI in this game seemed to get a little more... Odd about new players going out and about. She insisted that she knew what she was doing and they usually listened to her, but sometimes they also didn't. And on this particular day, she was having a harder time going about doing her thing.

Letting out a soft sigh, she moved along a crowd with other Landers and the odd player, aiming to find an out to a place less crowded as soon as possible. As she was moving, she could hear someone yelling behind her, but she paid the noise no mind- It probably had nothing to do with her. Plus the voice was shouting out some kind of colour, maybe they were a 'player' gone crazy? Either way, none of her business.

That was until it got closer.

She still ignored the voice as it approached as she was convinced it couldn't be her, even if the words 'red and pointy' could very well definitely be her. It wasn't until she felt a hand on her arm that she flipped her head back to look at the person grabbing her, her piercing purple gaze falling onto said person. At first, it was a glare, but it quickly faded into a look of surprise and confusion, which then melted away into one of recognition and more confusion after she searched her brain for a bit, "Oh... It's you."

A Faerin man that she had met at the Lion's Arms meeting, a face that she would've found it hard to forget for... Various reasons. Opening her mouth to answer his question in whichever way she had intended it, she was suddenly bumped into by another Lander passing by who shot them both a dirty look as they did so. Shooting him an equal look back, she looked back at the Faerin and gestured with her head over to a clear spot at the side of the moving crowd before moving over there quickly, avoiding bumping into any bodies as they went. As they got over to the side, Sol turned and got a better look at them, the events from previous running back through her brain.

'Point is, now you know me.'

Their last interaction played on repeat in Sol's brain as she studied him. He was... Interesting, to say the least, both in character and appearance. No one in the game or out of game spoke to her with such graceful but also sloppy confidence as he did, and she was even surprised that he recognized her so easily in the crowd. But why, was the question, did he stop her and what did he want from her? He at least made the effort to get her attention, so Sol decided he more than deserved a hearing from herself.

"Now that we're out of the way... To answer you, it's Sol. Why do you want to know?" Straight to the point, but Sol couldn't ignore the fact she was at least slightly curious about what he was thinking about when he wouldn't let her get away. Besides... She'd never gotten his name, and she'd be lying if it didn't cross her brain every now and then about who the mysterious stranger was that had spoken to her at the Lion's Arms meeting.

 

[Frey Elzeiros]

.

She doesn't immediately shut him down without even bothering to hear what he has to say, which is a win in his book.

Sol, as she would introduce herself, seemed willing enough to talk, if not for the untimely interruption of a particularly rude Lander. In a more secluded location where the two might talk without having to experience the thrilling adventure of being shoved and pushed by NPCs and players alike, he explains to her, palm menu pulled up into his hand, what had compelled him to call for her.

It never occurs to him, neither before nor after he goes on a long tangent, that he has yet to introduce himself.

"...And I figured, 'Hey, she carries sharp things! She looks like people might take her seriously and I'm kinda needing that right now because they won't let me do this quest alone.'"

A sharp intake of breath, resting his eyes back onto the woman whom he'd be lucky to encounter still standing in his proximity. Not because of anything special, but the sole fact that, while being a stranger, he had grabbed and pulled her. Ah, he might as well apologize now while he has a chance to.

The original tinge of enthusiasm in his voice persists even as he inhales, shutting down his earlier train of thought in favor of a new one. Frey lifts a hand to pinch the back of his neck as he takes a backward step, laughter rolling easily off the tongue. An almost apologetic sound. "Sorry that I grabbed you like that, Red. I didn't know you, you didn't know me. It was the first thing that came to mind so I could get your attention."

If, somewhere in his head, he has registered her name despite her mention of it; he does not show it.

"What I'm failing to convey here is that there is this quest I'm interested in doing. The pay is good for just collecting a few plants, but you have to go at night time and they won't let me do it alone." Much like he had done before, he once again clenches his hand into a fist just so he can pull open the player's menu and view the multitude of options in there.

His finger hovers momentarily over the Contacts lists, wondering if he should add her, but he doesn't dwell on the thought and instead moves onto the Party selection screen. "And I wanted to ask if you would do it with me? We can share the rewards, so you will be compensated for your efforts."

He dares to look up from the confirmation screen that appears right in front of him, scanning the red-haired woman with a touch of hesitation that flashes through his dual-toned eyes, cerulean and rose-colored. Right when the smile would falter, it reignites with a new flare of emotion, shown in the way he inches a step closer, regaining the distance he'd initially put between the two of them, his finger pressing the "Send" button on his screen.

Party

Frey Elzeiros has invited you to join their party.

 

[Sol]

☀˚̣⋅ .

Sol almost regrets in the first couple moments stepping into the side to speak to him. As soon as he starts going on a long tangent, she listens but her expression falls into a blank one as she hardly gathers the first part of what he says. She crosses her arms over her chest as he speaks, shifting her weight to one foot as she watches his expression while he speaks, letting out an inward breath of relief when he finally finishes speaking. So he needed her help, that was it?

It was then that he spoke again, catching Sol's attention as he referred to her as 'Red' again. He either missed her name or just decided to ignore it all together, but with the way he seemed to work she wasn't entirely sure what the intention was behind it. Biting her cheek in annoyance, she breathes in through her nose heavily as she processes his apology, shrugging, "It's fine. I probably wouldn't have noticed you if you hadn't." Which was true. She usually ignored people yelling in the middle of the street.

She watches as he pulls up his menu, glancing away from him for the moment as she processes his request. Help him finish a quest because he couldn't do it alone, split the rewards. Simple, right? It also gave her an excuse to leave and the guards wouldn't bother her, but she also wasn't sure how the two of them would get along. On the other hand... Something about him was definitely intriguing. Maybe it was the way he spoke and behaved? Maybe it's because he thought she was approachable and then dared to call her 'Red' even when she gave him a hard look. Either way, why say no?

She looks back towards him as the notification to join his party pops up, and she seems to pause for a second, glance up at him, and then look back down before reaching forward and pressing the little entrance button on the screen.

Notice

Sol has joined your party.

"Alright, I'll do it with you. Seems easy enough. Plus, the guards won't bug us if we're partied up together," She steps forwards towards him as well, standing beside him for as she glances towards the onslaught of people walking, before looking back at him. She glances him up and down for a second, before tilting her head in a direction as if not really gesturing towards any which way, "Well, what are you waiting for? Lead the way, Blue." A smirk flickers over her face as she gives him a little nickname of her own, but only for a second as her face returns back to a neutral state, waiting for him to lead them towards their quest giver so that they could prove their prowess and begin.

 

[Frey Elzeiros]

Sol, or as he would rather call her, Red speaks her agreement to his request and he cannot help but beam at the flashing screen in front of him, and then back at his companion. The crown sitting atop his head is plucked from its place, twirled playfully between his fingers before he brings it to his chest and presses it over his heart, closing his eyes and bowing his head out of respect.

"It would seem I have, yet again, forgotten that manners were even a thing to begin with. Frey Elzeiros, not that you asked. I quite like the sound of Blue, however."

A surge of energy passes through him with the eloquently chosen nickname that she gives him. Not the kind that is born from the rush of adrenaline pumping through one's veins after a particularly exciting moment, be it a perfectly executed combo or holding a loved one's hands, but it is much subtler in how it manifests itself.

The kind that is perhaps his alone to relish in when he bites the inside of his cheek and awkwardly shifts on his heels, biting down on a chuckle as if it might keep it from spilling forth when in reality, all it does is cause for laughter to follow. It almost seems like a natural occurrence around him, unconscious and carefree in its practice.

He returns the conspiratory smile of the Beastfolk's with a bump of his shoulder against her own.

"This way," he says, voice alive with amusement and wonder both. Frey even goes the extra mile to do the gentlemanly thing of leaning himself forward and extending a hand out in the appropriate direction so he can follow walk behind her, extending the beginning of each word into a melodic hum before he breaks into the instructions of where the two should turn to reach the appropriate Lander.

It isn't long before he leads the both of them to a shopkeeper currently sweeping the floor outside of her establishment, various signs depicting potion vials and scrolls alike giving away the nature of it. Though she looks mildly irritated at the sight of Frey, she controls her temper when she sees he is not by himself, but now in the company of someone whom he introduces as his traveling companion for the evening.

Her brows quirk some, a swift motion of wind that carries a whisper to Sol's ears: "Are you alright? I do have something to put him to sleep if you need to. Quite the chatterbox, this one. Just look at the way he is dressed!"

Frey blinks a few times in rapid succession, ignorant of the usage of magics. Whatever Sol's response might be, the woman, although skeptical, softens up enough to tell the pair of her particular problem. A simple task made difficult by the circumstances of it: collecting a flower that only blooms at night in places touched by the leylines flowing around Brisshal's forests.

A screen flashes to life in Frey and Sol's UIs at the same time.

Notice

Warning! If you log out before this Quest is completed, all progress will be lost. Proceed?

"Last chance to back out, Red. No one's going to blame you."

 

[Sol]

☀˚̣⋅ .

Frey Elzeiros. So that was his name. Sol watched as he bowed in front of her, raising an eyebrow. Was he... Also one of them rpers? But no, that would go completely against what he said at the Lions Arms meeting. So... He was just like that? Unsure how to read him and reminded of how confused he made her feel in the first place, she watches him quietly as he beams at her, purple gaze flickering along the details of his face as if gathering it all will tell her something more about him.

It's then he bumps shoulders with her, causing her to be surprised for a moment before clearing her throat and looking away, gathering herself. He was an odd one, for sure, but... Maybe not in a bad way? He was just much different from people she was usually used to. Watching as he bows in front of her to gesture her to lead, she pauses for a moment before nodding. He was also quite small, which was something she had gathered when they stood side by side. Probably a couple inches shorter than her. Might be better if she led the way, "... Thanks." She wasn't sure why she was thanking him as they set off, but it just seemed like the right thing to do with the way he was acting.

She listened to his directions while they walked, glancing back every now and then to see if he was following in the crowd and no one was bumping into him, and before long they finally reached the establishment in question. Upon entering the building, Sol scans her surroundings, stepping to the side for a moment to study a particular interesting looking potion before she is introduced, grabbing her attention back to the two. It was in that moment she feels a tickle of wind by her right ear with a message carried on it.

"I'm fine, ma'am. He may talk a lot, but he's telling the truth in that we are traveling together," Looking over at him, she quickly looked back at the woman, "Besides, his attire has little to do with his abilities." Not that she was sure what they were, but her eyebrows had furrowed in to a look of annoyance at the Lander as she moved to stand near her party mate again. If there was one thing she hated, it was judging someone by something as shallow as their attire. She was wearing a dress and heels, for goodness sakes.

As the details of the mission are given to them, Sol's gaze flickers down to the notice that pops up in her UI. Sounds like we're in for a long one... She was okay with that, being an Explorer's League member, it would probably be helpful for expeditions to come. Her one worry however, was... Him. She had an itching feeling she would probably find herself exhausted by the end of this mission, no matter how hard she avoided it.

Regardless, her finger fell quickly upon the check sign, fixing her jacket around her arms as she looked over at Frey, meeting his gaze for a moment before looking away and smirking a little bit to herself, "Do I seem like someone who would back away from a challenge, Blue?" Her tone was ever so slightly playful as she spoke, but it would be hard to miss if you weren't paying attention to her. She quickly however returned to a neutral state as she looked back up at the woman, entering mission mode.

"Any leads on an exact location, or tips you can give us? Like the best time to find the flower, or so on. Oh, and we'll also need some supplies for the trip as well, seeing as we won't be able to log out..." Sol's voice trailed off as she began to think, crossing one arm over her chest and resting her other elbow on the arm as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Looking up at Frey, it was almost as if the woman didn't exist in the space anymore as she spoke directly to him, "Lets make a stop before we leave and grab some stuff for camping, make sure we're prepared." If there was anything she learned from her mini expedition with some other players, including a particularly knowledgeable Lepis, was that you always needed to come prepared.

 

[Frey Elzeiros]

.

"Hmm? You two say something?"

Mira, as the shopkeeper would introduce herself, shoots Sol a confused look when she speaks her concerns, or rather, her lack of concerns regarding her party member's abilities out loud. Color quickly takes to her cheeks, lifting the hem of her apron and dabbing at her cheek with it as if to pretend a bit of dirt had collected about her face. Anything to hide from the embarrassment.

My, my... I guess it cannot be helped if you have already made up your mind.

Frey too lifts a hand to his lips, stifling the beginning of laughter, the woman's embarrassment obscuring the fact she had questioned his abilities. The woman beside him receives another bump to her shoulder, followed by a tilt of his chin in Mira's direction, wordlessly asking: "Are you seeing this?"

You've heard of our bountiful forests, mmh? Fauna and flora both so rich and enigmatic at the same time, you ought to be careful not to look too hard or some of it might enchant you! (An awkward giggle, dusting her hands off in her apron.) It is no coincidence, mind you. We owe plenty of it to the leylines seeped deep into the ground, overflowing the land with an abundance of magic.

It is a phenomenon to be studied for sure, but that isn't what you are here for. No, no. Many a green adventurer often rushes into the forests without knowing what to expect, and ends up coming down with a sickness provoked by the leyline's most... potent side effects. (Her hands disappear into the pockets of her skirt, coming back with a folded piece of paper which she hands over to Sol. The picture drawn onto it is a depiction of this flower.) This is a potent ingredient used to treat such illnesses.

Halfway through the explanation, she retreats back into the solace of the shop, coming back with a pair of containers that she deposits in each of the players' hands. The containers themselves are light, made of an enchanted leather which allows for supplies stored in it to retain the qualities in which they were first gathered. The only item that would make a quest such as this one possible, and not an outright failure.

The shopkeeper does not even glance in Frey's direction, the entirety of her attention and kindness focused on the red-haired Beastfolk. When the faerin steps closer into Sol's proximity, leaning himself in a way that would allow for him to have a better view of their objective, there is the slightest twitch at the corner of Mira's mouth, almost as if her customer service smile would falter. Before it can completely crack, she clears her throat and moves on with the rest of the explanation.

"I got the sneaking suspicion she does not quite like me..." He whispers right as the woman begins to speak once more, trying to ease the air between the two of them. "Couldn't tell you why, though."

Wish I could give you a location, but due to the nature of the leyline... It is unpredictable. It blooms on the branches of trees touched by the leyline. Yet it only does so at night and disappears at sunrise. You can detect it from afar by its sweet aroma, and it emits light when it is in full bloom, around midnight. However, both of these qualities often attract predators, so take what precautions you esteem convenient.

Any questions?

Much like Sol herself, Frey looks to her, successfully tuning out the woman's voice as he nods in agreement with the shopping list that increasingly grows in light of the challenges presented to them by the quest. Dependable light sources, mapping tools, containers for their potential finds...

"I already have a bedroll of my own, bought one not too long ago. As far as rations go... I think I ran out while I was on my way here. Heard there was a stall near one of the town gates, wanna check it out?"

E-Excuse me? Travelers?

 

[Sol]

☀˚̣⋅ .

Sol almost smiles when the woman finds herself embarrassed, pleased that she understood the wrongness of her actions in judging her travel partner. She's once again met with a bump on the shoulder from the faerin, mouth forming into a thin line again as looks out from the corner of her eyes at him and then back at the woman, crossing her legs as she stands on the spot so that she can lean away from him a little bit as her arms cross over her chest. Whatever he was, besides his way of dressing and behaviour, he definitely knew little about personal space.

She listens to everything the woman explains to them, taking the picture and studying it for a couple moments, as well as pocketing the container she is handed. When Frey enters her proximity to get a better look, the corner of Sol's mouth twitches slightly as she glances back at him, ignoring the woman's annoyance.

Reaching back and placing two fingers against his chest, she gives him a small push, "Space," she says evenly, sounding out a warning to him that sounds full but also empty, unclear if she would follow through with upholding it as she looked back towards the woman. She clears her own throat as if regaining her own composure and rolls her eyes slightly at his whisper, Yah... I wonder why. She doesn't voice her sarcasm out loud though, liking the idea of giving the npc in front of her satisfaction less then snipping at the blue faerin at her side.

As soon as she was finished with all the information and her and Frey went into mission mode, she quickly open up her palm menu to flick through her inventory. After successfully double checking that they had most of what they needed and just had to get a small restock, she closed the menu and nods at him, "Alright, stall it is. Seems I have mostly everything else to aid us, but we can grab anything more we see that might be helpful." At least he was good for something, right? This couldn't definitely be as bad as the lady made it out to be... Speaking of the lady, "We'll return when we have your flower, thanks for the info," Not much else to say to her about that, she was just a quest giver after all, "Lets go, Blue."

Turning to exit the building, Sol moves to lead the way again. Moving past Frey, she pauses only for a second to give him the picture of the flower so that he could get a better look at it without bugging her, then walks out the door without saying anything else to the lady. Making her way through the crowd similar to last time, she guides Frey to the town gate that he spoke about earlier after asking him which one he heard it was. Pulling up to the few stalls set near the gates, she pauses as she looks at the store inventory, tapping her finger against her cheek as she thinks.

After a moment, she leans over and seems to be looking through a pile of wrapped up food for a second, before standing and looking at Frey, two half wrapped sandwiches in one hand and one in the other, tucked in-between her fingers, "Cucumber, tuna, or peanut butter and jam?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at him as she tilts her head to the side, waiting for an answer. With anyone else it might have been a more casual question, but with her it was obvious she was being entirely serious, her mind already moving onto what else they could grab before they moved out towards their destination before nightfall.

 

[Frey Elzeiros]

.

"Fair enough, fair enough." It doesn't cross his mind to protest her request that he retreat from her personal bubble, letting the strength behind the redhead's gesture be the one to dictate the distance as he takes a backward step, then another, stopping when her arm is fully stretched out.

All throughout the rest of the conversation with the Lander, he doesn't let his awareness slip, telling himself that once they got on the road, he could ask all the necessary questions without the need to cross her boundaries. It wouldn't do to cause a fight this early on while they stood to gain something from completing the mission.

"We'll be seeing you when we come back with your potion ingredients, Miss Mira." A succinct and short farewell accompanied by a bow before he runs after Sol.

Hmph! Travelers these days!

He peruses the merchandise on display with fewer reservations than his real-life self ever could, attentive to the price tags stating the gold required to buy each item and secretly delighting in how, for once, he hasn't to worry about how he spends the game's currency.

Were it Ava the one accompanying Sol in making the required purchases for the upcoming trip, it would be a time sink, watching minutes and hours pass the two of them by as Ava dragged Sol to different shops in the area, her sole objective to compare the prices of different things put up for sale. Were it Ava, she would stall her decision by measuring the quest's expected rewards versus the costs of ensuring its success.

Were it Ava, there'd be many factors to take into consideration during the decision-making process.

Similar as they were appearance-wise, they were not quite the same. Opposing sides of the same coin would be one cliche way to describe the relationship, but there was a bit more than the idea of acting like your own idealized version of yourself.

"How about this?" Frey begins, the curve at the corner of his mouth tilted upward, emotion flaring to life in the dual-toned pools of his eyes. Deft fingers grasp one of the pre-wrapped sandwiches left untouched by his companion, waving it around in the air as if some kind of wand or pointer he could use to illustrate his idea. "We get something for ourselves, you have a preference? I will admit I am quite bored of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as much of a classic as they are."

"She said something about predators, right? Maybe we get some type of meat to lure them out, so that we don't have to deal with them. We distract them by placing the food somewhere where they'll definitely catch the scent, we swoop in and take the glowy plant."

A disgruntled noise of the merchant has him putting back what he had taken without paying for it first, a fleeting panic writ upon his features. The Faerin immediately goes over the available wares, transferring the required amount of gold to leave with another bedroll and an extra set of blankets, both of which he tucks neatly underneath one arm.

"For you," his free hand taps the bedroll and one piece of fabric even when he doesn't outright offer for her to carry it, content to keep them in his possession for the time being. Then he moves to the remaining blanket, tapping it twice with his index finger. "And for me. I... Ahem. It can get quite cold at night."

 

[Sol]

☀˚̣⋅ .

Shrugging a little at his reply, Sol placed back the peanut butter sandwich and the tuna, opting for the cucumber one which seemed a little more veggie now that she looked at it closer. Mid grabbing a couple different slices of sandwiches and some other things to stuff into her hands, she looks up at him with an expression that almost looks impressed at his idea. Why didn't she think of that? He definitely isn't as useless as that woman made him out to be. Loud? Sure. Annoying? Maybe. But so far proving to be very useful.

"That's a pretty good idea, actually. We can grab some and see how that plays out, maybe we can just avoid combat altogether," It was a hypothesis really, an open idea that hung in the air because Sol didn't really have a preference if she fought or not. Either was an experience, and cutting down on any supplies they needed to heal was always a plus. She stands up as the man gives Frey a little grunt, a smirk pulling at her lips as she watches his expression change. She lets out a small snicker, turning back towards the merchant, "Got any meat? Something large." she asks, lips turning downwards once more and giving him a serious expression that probably looked a little more serious than she meant it to.

Giving her a look and a small noise similar to Frey's but more affirming, Sol quickly pays for enough food for the both of them once he is done with his own purchases. She would probably ask him the amount for his part later, but at this point she didn't really mind spotting the Faerin. She quickly moves the large piece of meat to her bag for later and most of the other things, keeping out two bottled drinks. They were both yogurt drinks, one strawberry and one blueberry, obviously one for each of them. Turning her attention towards him, her eyes fall on the bedroll as he explains his purchase, Oh... That's very kind of him.

An unreadable expression crossing her face for a moment as she places his drink within his blanket mess, looking away for a moment as she once again regains her composure for like the 3rd time that day, then she looks back at him at the mention of cold, "Oh, I can take care of that." Turning her hand in the air, a little ball of flame springs up from her palm. She flickers it in-between her fingers, back and forth once, before flipping her hand back over and closing her fist over the flame, "Pyromancy, comes in handy when you're out and about, so don't worry about being chilly." She flashes him a small smile as she said that, almost as if she was showing off her cool skill choice.

Cracking open her drink and taking a swig, she wipes her mouth with her sleeve before taking a deep, preparing breath, hands on her hips. Then, with a small wave towards the merchant in thanks and a gesture of her head towards the exit, Sol guides him once again, but this time out into the forest beyond the town they had been in. The guards only move a little to stop them, but after seeing the glaring red head come through this time with someone else, regardless of his odd appearance, they seem to give up on their quest to keep her from danger and let her pass by.

The two walk out a while, Sol leading the way even in the forest, until after a while she falls back to match his pace, "Well, according to what the lady said, we're probably going to have to wait until nightfall to find any trail..." Her eyes turn up towards the sky, studying it for a moment. Good thing that the sun was already beginning to drop on the horizon, but in all honesty Sol wasn't even sure what they were looking for in the first place, so she didn't even know where to begin, "Let's find somewhere in a more dense area, set up camp, and then get moving during the night. Sound good? Unless you have a better idea." The way she spoke to him was casual, honestly looking for any kind of tip or hint he could give her, not that she really expected him to have the answer.

"Also... I hope you like blueberry. It just seemed to fit right." Referring to the drink she had passed him earlier, Sol's runs a hand along her ear as she tucks a loose strand away, avoiding making eye contact with him as she does so. It was still a little difficult for her to function normally with people, only really being around specifically curated friends for her circle in real life. It wasn't like Estelle or Sol were mean though, just... Awkward. It was one of her 'early friendship bumps', which was something people would refer to those moments to. It didn't help much that Frey was just so... Frey.

 

[Frey Elzeiros]

.

Like her, he is a player dedicated to the arcane arts, though one who had steered away from the most evocative forms of it.

Unlike her, his body shifts and changes with the prolonged use, depleting reserves of energy as if in a race to tear some measure of control away from him. An impulse. A tug. A nagging feeling.

On different occasions, he had even witnessed the tips of his fingers darkening as he cast, dark speckles of energy filling his vision in a way it didn't other players he had witnessed. He had never thought much of it until he found himself in close proximity to another caster, watching her weave magic out of thin air without a drawback to speak of.

It makes him unable to hide the glimmer of wonder blazing in his eyes, drawing himself closer to the flame.

"I'll be counting on you to keep me warm at night then," Frey says with a carelessness that baffles even the merchant, every word coated with a distinctive sense of entertainment to it. Almost as if he doesn't realize how anyone else might find it offensive, almost as if he doesn't even entertain the notion that it could get him his face punched in.

As the pair passes the guards posted at the town's gates, the faerin flashes them a smug smile, daring to put up their protests and warnings now that he had dutifully followed their advice and found someone to accompany him.

"We do know a few things about it. One, it glows. Two, it only booms at night. Three, a lot of things that'd find us to be especially exquisite meals like to flock around it. Four, it wilts with the sunrise. Did I miss any of my marks?" Though he does not voice it outloud, there is a singular concern that hovers around him, the one regarding the magical sickness that took other Starcalled Travelers down when exposed to the overflow of magic for too long. The unprepared, that is.

Frey gives Sol a cursory glance once she settles beside him, then repeats the gesture on himself, looking for any indicators that'd rate their durability on a scale that could tell them how safe they would be. Casters of some degree, the both of them, wielding the magics offered by this world. Would their abilities hinder them in their advance or grant them solace from the mana-altering land?

Yet her lips part and the words that roll off of her tongue are not what he expects to hear. A simple gesture, it is, to ask someone if they'd like a drink. A gesture one Frey had performed in real-life almost daily, one that had become second nature.

It is so strange to be on the receiving end of something you always ask of others.

"That was for me?" He doesn't know what to say, scrambling for words, for any clever quips, until nothing appears and he is empty-handed. Confidence turns to shame. "Man, I thought you were just handing me stuff to carry. Not that I would mind, this doesn't weigh a lot, haha!"

"What I mean to say is thank you."

The Leyline Welcomes You

The landscape shifts, bizarre apparitions clouding the edges of your vision and disappearing as if on cue when you turn to look at them. The breeze catching on the leaves of trees overhead mimics the sound of laughter, brushing the hair on the back of your neck.

Things do not... Look the same once you pass them by. Footprints engraved on the soil underfoot turn invisible with every step you take, the terrain left undisturbed to the common eye, even if you swear you had just stepped over there moments ago.

But much more than that, much more than the uncertain, than the unknown - is the distinct aura of magic permeating the area, prickling at your skin, making your veins sing with warmth, as if overjoyed.

The Leyline welcomes you. Will you play its games, Starcalled?

Exploration Progress:
0 / 425​

 

[Sol]

☀˚̣⋅ .

... What? A bewildered expression had crossed Sol's face at his comment. "Well, yah, that's kind of why I mentioned it." she had managed to force out, diverting her eyes away from him as she bit down on the inside of her cheek once again, the tips of her ears shading a colour red. It was moments like these where she thought back and regretted teaming up with him in the first place, but it was far too late for her to turn back at this point, ... Why did he have to say it like that?

As the two were walking, she tilts her head at his question, thinking over the points of the objective and checking it off their mental list, "Those, and we have no idea where to begin looking," Good thing she liked looking, or this quest would already be a failure. However as if to aid the two and giving them an answer, the forest began to feel almost... Strange, as they walked. Goosebumps raised on her arms as she ran a hand over them gently, eyes flickering along the forest lines as she studied the details, looking for anything out of the ordinary to latch onto.

Her eyes fall back onto him as he replies to her, an eyebrow raised as an amused smile pulls up at her lips. It was fun to see his reaction when he had nothing to say, and it seemed that she had now caught him in one of these moments, "Of course that was for you, don't be silly," she lets him finish his sentence before she speaks again, this time rolling her eyes and laughing through closed lips that sounded like a soft hum, "You're welcome, Blue." She had to admit, it was comforting to her to see him be awkward too.

It was at that moment she suddenly paused, throwing an arm out in front of him at her side. A couple seconds after she spoke she had felt a little tinkle by her ear, almost like tiny bells of laughter also sharing on the moment as they continued on farther into the forest, Sol stepping forward in the direction she heard them head, "There. Did you hear that?" she spoke quietly to him, eyes not leaving from where she was looking, "I don't know about you, but the forest definitely changed since we stepped in. I can feel it." Maybe it was the magic that ran through her in-game veins, but something was reacting to their presence and she couldn't help but think that this may be the lead that they needed.

"Let's follow it," Was all she said before she headed off with or without him, following the tingling feeling of the Leylines as if trusting them to guide her way. And if she was wrong, what was the worst thing that could happen?

Rolls

Expertise Check
1d100 (73) + 0 = 73
Awareness | Sol | 500

Exploration Progress: 73/425
Playsheet Link
(ignore corrupt)

 

[Frey Elzeiros]

.

"Uh... Nope. I didn't hear a thing."

Idle, careless steps and glances stolen at his surroundings do not alert him of the arm stuck out in front of him until he has already bumped into it, supplies clinking in place as he struggles to keep them from falling.

Another tap of magically imbued fingertips sees his struggle reduced significantly, a triumphant expression taking over his face. When he would turn to share his accomplishment, his success is sent to the back of his head, overtaken by the surprise that is to see her standing many, many feet ahead of him. "You are the boss, I'm the mule! The sidekick! Something, something!"

Not an hour passes before the first inconvenient arises.

A sweet aroma flutters in the air, akin to that of pastries just pulled out of the oven, or of your grandmother's favourite sweet recipe, invoking tender memories, and the hunger that usually followed in such moments. Even when he wasn't feeling particularly hungry, his stomach grumbles, the noise as subtle as it is bothersome.

Another thing he cannot notice is how his steps, dutifully following Sol's thus far, had strayed from their path, taking him across the foliage and deeper into the maze that was Western Brisshal's shifting forests. There is an underlying purpose to his steps, which he doesn't realize until he stands in front of a tree a few feet taller than him, relatively small when compared to the others.

Beyond their reach, beyond what fingers could tear at or grasp, shimmers a teal light underneath the cracks made in the bark.

"Hey, Red..? Check this out."

Frey watches the tree intently with a metaphorical twinkle in the deep cerulean hue of his eyes. The faerin reaches out a hand as if asking to partake of something he cannot quite see, stilling his breath for a split second as something else, something that would've been cataloged as a miracle in the real world, happens.

The branches twitch in place with the Faerin's proximity, twisting and changing its coloration as leaves sprout alongside it. Starting out small and green, its captivating aroma redeems the failures of its less appetizing appearance. The longer he watches, almost as if caught in a trance, the quicker the seedling advances through the cycle of life, growing until it becomes similar in size to an apple, but with the shimmering coloration of something the likes he had never seen before.

It isn't the only one to do so, as movement spotted out of the corner of his eye suddenly informs him. He watches, utterly mesmerized, a suggestion falling gently from parted lips.

"Free food is free food, yes? Maybe we can save on rations like this, we don't know how long we'll be out."

Hunger Settles In...

• Special Event Triggered! You can't roll for Exploration Progress this round.
• Roll a DC 50 Will Save. On a failure, the delightful aroma of the fruits becomes irresistible to you, and you are compelled to grab one to eat. You can choose to fail the save.
• All effects last 2 rounds.
• If eating the fruits, roll a 1d6. Based on the number rolled...
  • 1) The effects of gravity are temporarily annulled on your possessions. Everything that you carry (not counting your clothes), starts to slowly float away.
  • 2) The aroma of the fruit you've consumed envelopes you, and as a result, all animals in the vicinity start flocking to you. They are friendly, but for how long?
  • 3) Upon consuming this fruit, your body (and all you are carrying) shrinks to one-third of its size.
  • 4) Everytime you blink, you instantly teleport to a random location within 5 feet of you.
  • 5) Your body progressively takes on more of a ghostly visage until you are completely incorporeal! You gain the ability to pass through creatures and objects.
  • 6) An overwhelming sense of strength encompasses your own body, making you able to carry things even five times your size. It even comes with a confidence boost!

Exploration Progress:
93 / 425​

Rolls

Expertise Check
1d100 (20) + 0 = 20
Awareness | Frey Elzeiros | 500

Playsheet Link

 

[Sol]

☀˚̣⋅ .

It was as Frey existed in the back of her mind, somewhere far away as Sol was spurred forward, moving quickly and nimbly through the forest while following the call of the Leyline. Magical energy flowed through her body, seemingly humming in tune with the mana that flowed around them.

It's then that she comes to a stop in a clearing, a sweet scent hitting her nose as she closes her eyes, drawing a deep breath in her nose to take in the lovely aroma as she finally turns to look at her companions' whereabouts. She does this just in time to see him walk away from their path, her eyes widening as she quickly moves back towards him, "Be careful Blue, the last thing we'd want is to get separated and then... Lost..." Her voices trails off as she comes to a halt beside him, her gaze coming to rest on his outstretched hand.

Her breath catches in her throat as the tree before them quite literally sparks to life, a apple that could only be described as otherworldly sprouting right before their very eyes. Although the second before she had seemingly been caught in a trance, the faerin's voice seems to bring her back to earth, blinking heavily for a second before turning towards him, a frown pulling downwards on her lips, "That's a bad idea. The last thing we should be doing is eating.. Extremely beautifully coloured fruit from magical trees..."

Although for the first half of her sentence, Sol seems focused on him, her voice giving no place for argument, but as she went along her tone seems to soften, eyes catching sight of a second apple that forms just beside her head, almost as if a being was outstretching their own arm to give to her. She hesitates for a moment as she stares at it, before her pupils seem to glaze over, fingers carefully grasping the fruit and giving it a gentle tug from the branch. It takes only a small pull to snap from its grasp, and Sol holds it only a centimeter from her face as she quietly stares, before speaking up, "... I guess one wouldn't hurt..."

Her mutter comes out for a only a moment before her mouth opens, teeth sinking into the fruit as her eyes flutter closed, savoring the sweet flavour that hits her tongue and enters her body. She chews for a couple moments, swallows, and then goes silent...

And then she opens her eyes.

Tossing the fruit up in the air, she catches it again, other hand resting on her hip as a smirk dances on her lips, "Hmmm... I feel great." She says out loud to no one in particular, her eyes searching the vicinity they were in until they rested on a larger sized rock. Striding over to it with an air of confidence, she picks it up with one hand, tossing it up in the ear and catching it with the other, and then balancing it on one finger as her smirk turns into a confident grin, finally turning her eyes back onto Frey.

Dropping the rock on the ground, she quickly makes her way over to him, eyes flickering to the heavy bag of supplies on his back. As if she's gone through her whole, albeit short and biased, thought process, she quickly sweeps him off the ground and into her arms, as if picking him and everything else up was her only option. She flashes him a cocky, out of character smirk, flicking her head as some of her shorter red locks get tossed over her shoulder and out of her face, "You looked like you need some help earlier, and who am I to ignore?" By the tone of her voice, however, it was obvious her action was less about concern for him, and more about showing off her new, amazing strength.

Rolls

Save
1d100 (50) + 10 = 60
Will | Sol | 500
Success! Failure!

Playsheet Link