Author Topic: Raven's Hunt: Chapter 3 (Read 20372 times)

Darkflame · « **on:** »

Chapter 3

We rejoin our heroes having survived a surprisingly difficult and strange encounter in the woods that ended in earth, fire, and blood. There is high liklihood the party now share Madis's dislike for squirrelkin.

(I will write a more suitable opening when I can go through and read the previous chapter )

Darkflame · « **Reply #1 on:** »

Wymsin had been quiet the past week on the road. The curious questions seemed to barely trickle from her. Only occasionally asking for extra details about their fight with the demon and squirrels.

She journaled about the encounter. Drew pictures and tried to be as detailed as she could. Including the updated anecdotes about the fox spirit and their subsequent death despite her healing magics.

The whole adventure had been weirdness. Wymsin closed her journal slipping it into her backpack as her silver eyes scanned the area.

They came back over to the earth dome she had shaped for the others to sleep in while she stood guard, her eyes studying Blackthorns face over the dying embers of their fire.

he dryad seed he carried had not wanted to be planted at the falls they had treked to. They once again found themselves on the road looking to see where the could find other waterfalls and adventures.

The road led them higher into the mountains where the air held a bit of a chill compared to the city, but the weather held as they traveled. They shifted their schedules so that Wymsin wasn't they only one having to sacrifice for them to stay together. They met a few people on the road, and even were able to trade with a merchant who was headed to the city for some supplies to help keep their stock up.

They had discussed at length what they were looking for to fulfill the promise Blackthorn had made to the Dryad, and poured over the maps they had, determining that there wasn't likely to be another location with a waterfall the size of what they sought anywhere near where they were at the moment. Since heading across the border to the predominately human kingdom next door seemed a far too dangerous thing, not to mention hopefully unlikely to be a place where such a magical creature would want to be, they continued north, intent on crossing the mountains and either heading to the west or further north toward one of two possible places, Either a larger city where they might find more information and better maps, as well as replacements for Madis's broken glasses, or a remote fort near the border that appeared to be built on a high elevation with a river running alongside- a possible place for a waterfall.

They were about a third of the way down the other side of the mountain, looking for a good place to make camp for the night as the sun had already set some time ago, and dinner and rest would be needed soon when Lydicas indicated to the rest of the party that he heard voices in the forest to their left, at least two males, possibly more.

"Bandits or fellow travelers taking shelter in the woods? Which is more likely?" Wymsin whispered to the group.

Madis grunted, glancing off towards where Lydicas had indicated. "you want to check, blackthorn? I can't see a damn thing." He said quietly so his words didn't alert the men.

"I can check," Blackthorn said, nodding. "I will seek out their camp and see what there is to see." He paused, considering. "I will endeavor to avoid any sentries they have set, in order to avoid any potential misunderstanding."

Misunderstanding. It was an odd way to say murder.

Madis nodded, and they waited as blackthorn once again showed his expertise. As Blackthorn got closer the conversation became clear to his ears.

"I Cannae believe you lost it." The voice was gruff and more than a little gravelly.

"Ye already said that." Came an obviously younger voice. " Plenty o' times already. Quit yer complainin and keep lookin will ye? It's got tae be here somewhere."

"Ye better hope it is, else Edda will have yer arse." A third voice came, this one female.

Eventually Blackthorn could see that the source of the voices was three dwarves, carefully scouring the forest floor for something.

The elf watched silently, trying to gauge the dwarves' mood. If they were too dour, it was unlikely that they would like having their search interrupted. Then again, he was an elf in the dark woods and they were dwarves, looking for something they'd lost. Depending on what it was they were looking for, they would either welcome or resent assistance.

Wymsin waited patiently with the others her face a mixture of anticipation and concern as she waited for the dark haired elf to return to them with his scouting report. Already she was thinking of what would need to be done if they heard his cries for help as she silently prayed they would not have to cross sword with a group of people if conflict and violence could be helped. However if there were any lessons that were learned from their month on the road and their encounter with the squirrelkin, she knew that sometimes one had no choice but to fight.

"shouldna have given ye the wagon anyways. ". The female continued. " It doesna matter who yer da is, yer a walking disaster."

"Now, Sen. There's no need to go that far." The older male admonished.

The younger male sat heavily on a log. "No, she be right. I dinnae know why I have such cursed luck. And now if we Cannae find it, it'll take weeks or longer to make another trip for supplies." He sighed.

"So what exactly are you looking for?" Blackthorn asked. "And would an extra few sets of eyes be useful in helping you look?" The elf hadn't stepped out of the darkness but perhaps his use of the elder tongue would set them at least a little at ease."

All of them jumped in surprise at the sudden voice, the younger male falling backwards off the log with a thump.

"What the!? Who be there?" The older male demanded, looking for the source of the voice. None of them seemed to be armed exactly, but the female appeared the be carrying a small ornamental hammer on her hip.

"A traveler," Blackthorn said. "One of several. We heard your voices and thought it best to check to see if you were dangerous. Are you dangerous? Or do you need some help?"

"us dangerous? Ye be the one sneakin up on folk." The female admonished.

Darkflame · « **Reply #2 on:** »

The younger male picked himself up off the ground, rubbing his head. "Damnable luck." He grumbled. " O course there would be folk on the road this late ta hear us."

"If I was planning on being dangerous, do you really think I would have called out?" he asked. "Now would you like a little help finding whatever you lost of do you want to go scrambling around in the dark until dawn?"

"Do we trust him?" The female asked the others softly.

"Well, he does have a point. None o us noticed 'im. Coulda done whatever he wanted ta." The younger male said .

"What if he's just hopin ta get his hands on the wagon?". The older one asked.

The female leveled a sour look at him. " Who cares. Besides. He speaks the old tongue like a native. Maybe he ain't be a human. Could be worth the risk."

The older male sighed. " Fine. Have it yer way." He grumbled. "Aright, whoever ye be. If ye can help us find it, there might be a reward for ye."

Blackthorn whistled sharply. "Come on along," he called out. "We have some people who are in need of a sharp pair of eyes."

Madis snorted. "Understood." He barked back. "Wymsin, sounds like you. Ren, how's your night vision?"

Orrin tilted his head. " Good. I can see very well in the dark."

"Ok go on then. Lydicas, they might be able to use your nose. Me, Raijin, and Narisha will be right behind."

Wymsin nodded and followed after Lydicas letting the wolfkin use his sense of smell to track down Blackthorn in the woods as her wolf Scout trailed behind sniffing at the night air.

When the others arrived, Blackthorn led them out of the trees and into the dwarf’s camp. “I am Blackthorn,” he said, his raven badge clearly on display. “My companions, those that chose to join me at any rate, are Wymsin, a priestess of the Moon, Lydicas, my wolfkin friend and Ren, another student of my huntsman master. Between us we should be able to find what you lost. Assuming you can tell us what it is we are looking for. That piece of information might be useful, unless you want us to bring you every pine cone and acorn we find.”

"elves, wulfkin, and a human boy? That be a strange collection." The younger male muttered with an odd look, earning him a fist to the top of his head by the female.

"Manners, ye punk." She adminished. Then she turned to Blackthorn. "Well met. I be Sen, follower of Matron Gemstone. This be forgekeeper Morin and young Ruan. " She continued the introductions, gesturing first to the older male then the younger. " We be looking for a magic item the young one dropped. It will look like a small carriage or covered cart, like what a merchant might use to take goods over the mountain." She used her hands to feature on the size. Small was right. It seemed it would be about the size of a chess piece or so.

“I know a follower of the Matron,” Blackthorn said. “Well met, Sen. Forgekeeper. Ruan. Do you remember where you had it last?”

"Eh. Somewhere between the road and home." Ruan said with a sigh.

Sen seemed pleased to hear that Blackthorn had come across another follower previously. "We've already checked between the road and here and haven't found it. I don't suppose any of ye have a way of locating a magic item easier than just staring at the ground and praying?"

"Speaking the magic word and watching it grow to full size?" Blackthorn suggested facetiously. "I mean if it turns into a carriage, I wouldn't exactly want to have it in my hand when I activated it."

"Well, he aint wrong." Morin said with a chuckle. "But if we did that then it may get damaged. Who knows which way it fell an it be full o supplies. Might be the way to go if nothin else works though."

Wymsin cleared her throat "I might be able to assist. A meditation ritual and through the use of an object I might be able to sense magic in the area much like a dowser looks for water if it be of interest to you folks."

Wymsin paused running a hand through her cropped hair absentmindedly recalling only as her hands hit air that the hair was short brushing the tops of her shoulder caps. "I mean if you wish me to try. The goddess Selene is more than just a moon goddess shes also the patron of magic...It has a limited radius but I could wander about splitting the area into sectors and see what comes of it. "

"well now, that sounds promising." Sen said with a grin. "Be there anything ye would like in return? "

"The church is always grateful for donations, coin or donated goods. I'm far from town so goods wise it would be preferable to be light weight for ease of transportation." The mousy brown haired half elf said as she slipped her hair behind her ears blushing. She was still not entirely comfortable asking for specific amounts of coin or items while on the road, but she had to admit her coin purse was lacking in coin. Donations of any type would be welcome as the milk of the poppy she would use when healing others was costly and her last venture using it, the return payment of a chicken and a couple copper coins had not covered the cost of the medicine she used. "Are you folks fairly familiar with the area around here?"

"Oh aye." Ruan said with a grunt. " Been here for generations." He continued, earning him a pinecone thrown at his head by Morin.

"Blabbermouth." Morin growled.

"What? Not like they wouldna figured it out anyways." Ruan said, rubbing his head.

Darkflame · « **Reply #3 on:** »

"well perhaps if we can help you find your missing cart, maybe you can help us with information as well. We are looking for waterfalls." Wymsin said.

The three exchanged looks. "Well, we do know where there be one somewhat near by..." Sen said.

"I'd like to see it," Blackthorn said. "I'm looking for something very specific. I'll know it when I see it."

The three exchanged another look. "Well, I suppose if ye help us, then we'd be glad to show ye the way, but it's in a bit o' an odd place."

"I'm familiar with odd places," Blackthorn said. "In fact I would prefer a waterfall that is difficult for the average person to get to. The more remote the better."

"Well it be that..." Morin said softly. "Fine. Its a deal then."

The moon priestess got to work meditating on trying to hone in on the carts magical essence.

Standing up from the earthen ground she slipped her holy symbol off her neck rapping the chain around her wrist to secure it and closed her eyes trying to sense perhaps a slight tingle in her stomach as she waited to see if her pendant would swing in any particular direction. Gentle would indicate she was not directly within range but if she were practically on top of it she would see the symbol seemingly levitate and almost stand upright.

It almost looked like it wouldnt work, then slowly the symbol began tugging deeper into the woods around the time the rest of the party arrived where they were. The dwarves were taken aback by the appearance of the plumekin and humans, especially the imposing figure of madis, who was carefully picking through the brush.

"Would... that be someone ye know?" Ruan asked, his voice a bit high pitched with worry.

"Never seen them before in my life," Blackthorn said, straight faced for a moment. "Evening Madis. Evening Raijin. Meet Sen, Morin and Ruan. Seems they've lost something of value that Wymsin is helping them locate." He looked at the dwarfs and tapped his Raven badge. "Madis is my huntsman master and Raijin is another companion. And I would be a fool to forget Narisha." He left out the fact that she was a witch. No need to reveal all their cards.

Raijin nodded to the group of dwarves. "Ah, you really have a knack of making friends with the elders, don't you Blackthorn?" Raijin asked the elven hunter, none if her normal sarcasm showing through.

Madis grunted. "Blackthorn. Your humor is going to get me attacked one of these days. " He grumbled.

"We're distant kin," Blackthorn said, answering Raijin. "More closely related than elves are to humans. And you needn't worry, Madis. I would feel horrible if I got you attacked. It's why I pick my audiences."

Orrin wandered off in the direction the holy symbol was pulling, his eyes scanning the forest floor as he went.

"Good to know." Madis said.

Raijin nodded but couldn't help the snicker that escaped her when Blackthorn told Madis not to worry.

"Oh aye. we trust elves faster than humans to be sure. " Ruan said, earning him another fist to the skull from Sen.

"I said ta watch yer manners." She scolded.

"What? It be the truth." He grumbled, rubbing his head.

"No insult is taken." Madis said. "We know how it is." He turned to Blackthorn. "So we help find this missing item, then find a good place to make camp?"

"Sounds reasonable," Blackthorn said. He lowered his voice and casually moved closer to Madis. "We could camp together. Greater numbers. Choice is yours. I'm tempted to trust them but you don't need to go by my opinion."

"This temptation to trust doesn't have anything to do with your relationship with a certain emerald eyed lady?" Madis asked with a arched eyebrow, his voice equally low. If there was anyone who was more paranoid than Madis, it was Blackthorn.

"Potentially," Blackthorn admitted. "Sen serves the Matron, Gemma's patron. It is a major point in their favour."

"Ah." Madis nodded, rubbing his chin. "Fair point, that. Hard to imagine a servant of a hearth goddess being violent. If they are keen to camp together I'll not argue."

Wymsin slowly watched the pendant move and began a slow walk her focus on the holy symbol as Ren and Scout joined the cause. She could hear the others conversation becoming more quiet as she moved away from them.

It took a bit but finally it became clear the item was very near. Orrin hurried ahead a bit, having been paying attention to the pendant and how it reacted to direction. "Maybe it is near here.... Ah! I think we found it." He said, brushing some debris aside and pulling an object from the ground. " It looks like a wagon alright."

"Good searching skills." The moon priestess called out pleased they had found the item so quickly. She whispered thanks to her Pale Lady for her wisdom and guidance. "Shall we get this back to the dwarven folk."

Orrin smiled. "Of course. I am certain they will be pleased to see it."

They travelled back to the rest of the party easily. "I believe we found the item you described." Orrin told them as they rejoined the group. " Is this it?". He held up the small figurine that looked like a covered wagon.

"Oh aye!" Sen exclaimed happily.

"Glad we could be of assistance." Wymsin nodded in agreement.

"Well then, we should probably make camp," Blackthorn said. "Would you share your camp with us, Sen? I swear by the Matron that we shall offer no harm."

"well we were going to head back home tonight, but I suppose we could wait. We did promise to show ye where the waterfall be." Sen told him, looking to the other dwarves, who nodded agreement.

"There be a fine spot to camp just a bit that way." Morin pointed a bit down the hill.

"Likely where we were first planning to camp," Blackthorn said. "Flat spot? Cluster or rocks to one side?" He turned to look at Wymsin. "You should probably warn them about Scout."

"scout? Be that the wolf? It were obvious it were a companion. We have a few such companions at home." Morin said. " And aye, that be the spot. Tis a bit closer ta the road so we dinnae use it much ourselves, but we see others use it often enough."

Wymsin patted the large wolf affectionately. “He's been by my side during the entire search for the cart. Must have missed that while you and Madis were socialing."

The silver eyed Priestess looked up to the sky regarding the moon at a client high enough that she was due to offer her prayer and thanks for the evening." It will be appreciated to have the chance to set up camp so that I can pray and offer my thanks to The Pale Lady Selene. She has blessed us with her favour tonight. "

Narisha had nodded to the three Dwarves as she stepped out from behind a large tree but otherwise remained silent.

The group made their way to the camp space and began settling down, the magic item now securely in the possession on Sen. Once everyone had settled in, shelter had been arranged, and a small cookfire had been started, the dwarves had sat to converse with their helpers while wymsin finished her prayers and Ren started putting together a stew from some preserved items they had in their bags.

"If ye dinnae mind, might we ask why ye be looking for a waterfall? Specially a hard to get to one?" Sen asked Blackthorn as she settled down, shifting her hammer so she didn't sit on it.

“A promise made to one who belongs to a race even older than ours,” Blackthorn answered. “I carry the seed of a dryad. She asked that I plant it near a waterfall.” He tapped his forehead. “I will know it when I see her new home.”

"a dryad!? Now that be a rare thing to come upon. And to trust ye to carry her... That be a special thing. Ye must be blessed by the Matron" Sen said, her dark eyes wide with wonder.

“Blessed by someone,” Blackthorn agreed, nodding. “I swore I would find her the place she sought. And if I can’t find it, I will create it, whether I have to move mountains or alter the course of rivers. One day, she will have her waterfall.”

Darkflame · « **Reply #4 on:** »

Wymsin had finished her prayers and watched with bated breath as Ren tried his hand at cooking. It wasn't likely the young noble ever had to cook a day in his life but he had been watching Wymsin cook up meals for the group on the road. Her silver eyes watched as he remembered to stir the cast iron pot so the contents wouldn't stick and she watched as the salted beef began to soften the salt mixing with the water blending with the pots contents. She pulled out of her pack a small bundle of dried herbs and explained what each was passing him a sprig of rosemary and some dried sage leaf to add to the cauldron.

"If we had some ale or spare wine to add to this it would be divine but this is a pretty good melody. You even managed to cut the potatoes and turnips very uniformly and I confess I think your knife skills are flourishing Ren. Blackthorns teachings are definitely showing you are much more confident holding and handling a knife both in combat and in a kitchen setting. We will have to see how you do with dressing an animal the next time he or Scout manage to rustle up some rabbits."

"Thank you. I have been practicing." Orrin said with a smile.

Morin reached into a pocket and pulled out a flask. "It isna wine or ale, but if ye wish a bit o' dwarven spirit, I could spare a mite."

Narisha handed Ren a small burlap bag tied with twine. "Try adding a small handful of these no more than one minute before you take the stew off the fire. Stir them in good and then let then sit for 2-3 minutes off the heat. Under no circumstances try one raw. Although they are not poisonous they will cause severe intestinalis distress for a day or two." Inside the small bag were hundreds of tiny mud brown spheres no larger than the size of a pea. They looked very much like dirt covered pebbles or worse yet, young swamp beetles. Despite the looks of the contents of the bag, it emanated a soft earthy/woodsy aroma that was rather pleasant to ones sense of small.

In short order the meal was done and eaten, the additions either add d thankfully or declined politely. They chatted while they ate, polite chatter as one would expect. Then it was time to rest, and the group settled Thier usual pattern of keeping watch.

Blackthorn found his usual place in a tree. He wondered briefly if he'd ever spent a night in a dryad's tree. It was unlikely. Dryads tended to stick to themselves and the chances of coming across one of their trees by chance and departing unchallenged was low. Soon, however, he would know where to find a dryad's tree, if he ever needed to commune with nature to that degree. There was a great deal of healing that his soul needed to do and there were few sources where he could find what he needed to to finish the job.

It seemed the dwarves were more than happy to sleep in like the party did, making up for lost sleep from staying up so late. Orrin woke with the dawn though, and carefully left the camp so that he didn't wake the others.

Wymsin woke a four hours after dawn to note that Orin was not in camp. She stoked the dying embers in the fire to get the campfire back up and ready for a modest breakfast as Scout lazily stretched and padded out of the earthen shelter they had slept in as he sniffed the air.

Scanning the area she looked for whom ever had last watch to enquire about Ren's whereabouts.

"everything okay, wymsin?" Madis asked the priestess. She had a tendency to wear her emotions on her sleeves.

Wymsin sighed. "I don't want to panic but after the whole squirrel kin event... I don't see Ren about since I rose this morning. You think the lad would be more careful about wandering off alone. The folly of youth I guess some lessons come faster than others. Do you know where he has wandered off to?"

"of course I do. " Madis said with a bemused smile. " Do you really think he'd go too far? He likely just wanted a bit of space is all. He's over there." The old huntsman told her, gesturing with his chin at the direction Orrin had gone. The boy had gone far enough away that he wasn't in direct view of the others but not so far that he couldn't get easy help if he needed it.

"Fair enough. That has alleviated my paranoia and anxiety. I think Blackthorne is starting to rub off on me. Paranoia has its place." She said as she finished kneading the dough and began to shape up flatbreads placing them on the edge of the hot rocks around the fire. She stirred the pot that contained simmering vegetables and salted fish adding some herbs. She would pull the potato out when it was done to mash it and use it to thicken the morning meal so they could stuff the pitas she was making.

It wouldn't be as elegant as some of the meals you could get in a tavern or inn but it would be filling and keep them going for the day. On the plus side it had some fish in it so Lydicas would eat it rather than mournfully trying to eat porridge.

Perhaps if they were fortuitous Blackthorn or Lydicas could rustle up some fresh game for their dinner tonight.

Half an hour passed and the scent of the cooking pot wafted through the camp as Wymsin began doling out food for those that were awake. She made her way over to the tree that Blackthorn slept in. "Rise and shine it is time to break your fast." She called up to him.

"I'm awake," Blackthorn said. "I'm just watching. I'll be down in a moment."

The elf slipped out of the tree, landing on the ground near Wymsin. He gave her a smile and ruffled her hair. "Did you sleep well?"

"The extra couple hours helped. Here I made food." She said offering him a shy smile as she passed him the stuffed pita of mixed veggies and fish. "Ren is apparently off in the woods not too far off.

She paused and looked around. "Ren! Its come to break your fast. Come back to camp." She called out not at a yell but loud enough for her voice to carry.

Orrin made his way back to the camp, not as quietly as blackthorn would have, but quiet enough. He had spent enough time in the forest to be rather comfortable there after all, even with the events in recent times. He had been sitting, thinking, or perhaps not thinking, but mostly grieving in a way. He missed his protector, the dryad whose seed blackthorn carried. And he struggled with a whistful emptiness, a somber kind of wonder of the kind of people his mother and father had been. He had been sitting against the firmness of a tree trunk, either looking out at the peaceful forest around them or turning the tiny dragon figurine over and over in his fingers.

The gentle smile he put on his lips as he greeted the priestess, meant to relieve her worries, did little to lift his own. " Thank you, Wymsin." He told her as he settled down to join the others for their meal.

The dwarves roused groggily at the smell of food and wymsins call for Orrin. "Oof. I feel like we owe ye a bit more than directions." Sen grumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. " Ye found our cart and fed us too. Is there anything else we might do fer ye?"

Narisha set a small pot of water next to the fire and added some dried herbs to it, She stirred the mixture for a couple of moments as the water gradually heated up then she let it sit and seep till the liquid came just to a boil. Pouring the drink into a small mug she gratefully excepted the food that Wymsin had made for their breakfast. "There is tea there if anyone would care for some."

Wymsin joined the fire witch in having a cup of tea and ate her meal in relative silence. She had stayed up to finish several paragraphs and sketches in her book closing out her chapter on the squirrelkin and the death of the fox spirit.

The entire chapter of how they met her got her out of the city and met her later only to have her die despite her best efforts made her sad. She wondered about the concept of fate and divinity. Perhaps this had been the plan all along and this was her part she had to play still it was sad. After causing death and reclaiming her tail she had laid down her life to save the group. Well perhaps not the group but the young boy that traveled with them.

Wymsin wondered how long she would choose to travel with the group. Her reasons were not entirely altruistic. The elf in the group held more knowledge in him likely than some of the small libraries at the small shrines she had visited in her travels. Traveling on the road and getting but a small amount of time to ask questions and commit things to book would likely take many months. However the path this group took seemed full of dangers and mysterious circumstances. Would she be able to keep up and not get swept away or lose her life while they traveled.

Unfortunately she had no answer for that as her lips pressed together to form a thin line as she watched the others eat and wondered if the dwarves had forgotten that earlier she had mentioned a donation of coin would be appreciated. Would it be rude to remind them she wondered as she waited for one of the other Ravens to answer the dwarves.

Darkflame · « **Reply #5 on:** »

Madis ate his meal, looking out into the forest. "Know someplace I can get a pair of glasses? Need a new pair that will take enchantment."

The elder male dwarf nodded. "Aye. Just so happens it be the same place we already promised to show ye."

"your home?" The bulking huntsman asked curiously.

"It not be our home, no." Sen said. "But we do a bit o' business there. Just.. Ye probably shouldna tell anyone aboot it."

"Why not?" Orrin piped up.

"Ye will understand when ye see it. " The female dwarf said, wiping her fingers on a linen handkerchief. "When we get there we will be able to use our cart and we can see if there be anything ye can use. If not, there should be coin in it anyways."

Wymsin looked at the others her curiosity piqued why not mention the location? Was it a thieves camp? Perhaps a secret military fortification? A magical sanctuary maybe?Her eyebrows raised slightly as she looked to Blackthorn and then to the others trying to gage their reactions.

Hearing that there would be potential coin definitely elevated her spirits. Since coming to this country she had not been able to make any money whatsoever the meager coin she had for travel had slowly been dwindling away on supplies for her healing kit and travel rations.

Madis had a thoughtful look at the dwarves words, while Orrin looked confused. Raijin just chewed her food in silence.

"Wouldn't be the first secret I've kept in my lifetime," Blackthorn said. "Find anything interesting in the woods Ren?"

"What?" Orrin blinked and swung his head to look at Blackthorn then looked a bit sheepish. "Oh, well, no, not really." He said, his gaze shifting away from the elf who had become a sort of mentor to him, suddenly embarrased by his recent melancholy.

"Pity," the elf said. "There are many interesting things in the woods, if you know how to look."

With the meal out of the way Wymsin cleaned the pot and packed it away. There wasn't much to do in the way of breaking up the camp so she was very happy when they took to the road once more.

Slowing down she fell in line beside the elf and softly asked him in elven what he thought their destination would be admitting she was hesitantly curious hoping it was a safer endeavor than the trip to the squirrel kin village.

"I have no idea," Blackthorn answered truthfully. "Clearly a place of significance or wonder, otherwise there would be no mystery about it. Patience, Wymsin. All will be revealed in time."

"I just hope it is safe I've had enough danger for a while. Mad squirrels and demons aside. With that being said perhaps you can tell me more about your history so I have something to write later this evening. Do you have a surname? What was your family like?" The silver eyes priestess asked trying to not think bad of the dwarves as they lead them on their journey to their secret destination.

Blackthorn was silent for a very long time, long enough that Wymsin began to think she had offended him with her question. She was about to beg for forgiveness when he answered. "The closest translation is Silverhawk, although the silver is moon silver, the colour rather than the metal. My father worked with hides and my mother was a seamstress. Between them they made beautifully embroidered leatherwork."

the dwarves led them through the forest, a task made slow because of the horses and the lack of an obvious trail. It was obvious that the dwarves seemed to be using game trails at times, at others picking thier way through in a direction only they seemed to know. The sun was low in the sky, lending the tops of the trees a fiery glow, when they stopped.

"This be it." Morin said with a grunt. Even though he said that, the area around them seemed completely unremarkable, and there was no sign of the promised waterfall, or anything else for that matter.

Wymsin scanned the area she had gently interviewed Blackthorne during the afternoon learning about the superior craftsmanship of leather goods and hunting techniques when they had stopped and found their destination. It didn't look like much but she closed her eyes holding onto the moon pendant her holy symbol as she medidated attuning herself to the vibrational field around them looking for shifts hoping to detect any magical residue or fields. She suspected arcana must be in effect in some way since to the naked eye she could see nothing.

As Wymsin closed her eyes and opened herself to the guidance of her goddess and the aura of the land itself she became wholly aware of an intense field of magical energy the like of which she had never encountered before. The land and air around them were saturated. When she opened her eyes she saw a strange overlap in her vision, as if both common sight and another sight existed at once for a few moments.

She saw beyond the dwarves that there was indeed an entire town and a majestic waterfall, even if the naked eye could not see it. As she turned her gaze around at her companions, she saw the faint glow of divine power around Sen, the ghost of flame about Narisha, the strange mix of dark and light swirling around Madis, and a mirage of a graceful but small dragon superimposed over Orrin's form. The dragon's head turned towards her in time with the look the boy gave her.

Wymsin let out a little noise a soft triumphant hum as she had indeed been correct but she paused taking in the double vision scene. She had never seen an area bathed in so much illusionary magic. Sure the mages enclave had it but this was magic hiding an entire village.

She swallowed calming her racing heartbeat at the excitement of the discovery. "Why hide all this?" She asked softly in common tongue. "You must have some very powerful witches or wizards to maintain something so elaborate."

"Nope." Morin grunted, with a shake of his head that the other dwarves echoed. "It isna work o' any witch or wizard. This be somethin else. That's why we told ye to keep it secret. Tis only one way in."

Sen turned and gestured with a follow me kind of motion and slipped in the space between two trees covered in red moss.

Wymsin hesitated at the tree gently touching the red moss making note of its coloration and shape. It was something she had never encountered before and she wanted to commit the color and shape to memory. It was after all an unknown type of for her flower and fauna book she to perhaps add to its pages later that evening.

Blackthorn caught Madis's sleeve and when the old Raven looked, he nodded towards Ren. "Look at his eyes," he said softly. "This place is calling to him."

Madis's brows furrowed as he followed the elf's gaze to the golden haired boy and he hissed a soft curse. He didnt have an answer as to what they should do though, as Orrin followed Wymsin's example and gently touched the red moss, then looked at his fingers curiously.

"There's magic here, can you feel it?" Madis asked, his voice so soft that only blackthorn and perhaps lydicas would be able to hear it.

Blackthorn shook his head. "I feel nothing," the elf said. "Wymsin obviously can and Ren. Likely Narisha. I don't know if the beastkin can detect the unnaturalness. I'm assuming you're feeling something?"

Madis nodded slightly. "I think the magic that caused my.. condition.. makes it so I sometimes feel something." He confirmed. "If there's magic, this may be an appropriate place for the dryad. I guess we are just going to have to pray that Ren's eyes are the only thing that change."

"I'll know when I see the waterfall," Blackthorn said. "One wonders how their magic would handle a full transformation and whether it would be able to contain it."

Madis gave Blackthorn a grim look, then moved to follow the dwarves into the magic zone.

As they all entered through the trees, they became aware that there was indeed a town in front of them. Dozens of buildings spread out before them with a large stone tower near the center of the town and a beautiful tall waterfall behind it all, the water reflecting the crimson and amber of the sky, making it look like precious gems were falling from the cliff side.

The dwarves walked on, being greeted in the elder tongue by a couple of gray haired elves who were sitting on a blanket near the outermost buildings watching the sunset. They didn't seem to be too surprised to see the extra people coming with the dwarves.

Wymsin grabbed Blackthorns arm and squeezed it as she whispered in Elven"Look Elves! Real ones not half breeds like me! See I told you you couldn't be the only one. Praise be Selene!" She whispered loudly. "You aren't alone. It isn't just you. You aren't the last one."

Darkflame · « **Reply #6 on:** »

She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself hoping her semi loud whisper had not drawn too much attention. But her heart sang with happiness for the dark haired elf.

She was no true companion for him. A pale imitation with no sense of real elven identity, even her elven wasn't fully formed as she knew her vocabulary was lacking as she traveled with her better. She had quit speaking her mother tongue once she had been given to the church using it only sparingly to read rare texts outloud to translate.

Her time in the Mages enclave had been spent trying to be more human and to blend in further the barbs of not being good enough due to her blood taint had made her not wish to bring any more attention to the fact that she was not wholly human.

Perhaps this would be a spot that Orin and Blackthorn could both settle in. It was quiet secluded and didn't seem to contain man. It could be a safe place for the young dragon child to learn rather than be dragged from town to town while Madis feared him not passing as human, a fear she knew only too well.

She wanted to pinch herself, it was almost too good to be true this place. It was beautiful it was hidden and it held magical wonders. She herself was tempted to stay so she could chronicle more about the place and learn about its secrets and history.

Narisha paused when the Dwarves stopped. She could feel the tingle of some sort of magic in the air no doubt a magical barrier of some sort. As she approached the two trees that hid the entrance to wherever they were bound she let out a small strangled cry of pain. Whatever magic warded this area was not been a big fan of her kin.

Raijin looked back over her shoulder at Narisha, cocking her head in confusion. "Did you trip? Just walk between the trees. It just tingles a bit." She said as she stood directly in the threshold.

Narisha shook her head at the question. "I did not trip, no. The magic here," she paused to try and find the right words. "It seems to me that there is a conflict with my magic and the wards of this place is all. Not enough to ensure that I can not pass nor to do any lasting harm. I will be fine. Do not worry."

"huh." Raijin grunted with a shrug. "Okay then." She said and turned to follow after the others.

Narisha took a deep breath and continued onward. The pain eased after she had passed the trees, it didn't recede entirely but it did abate enough that it would be no hinderance.

“You are not a halfbreed,” Blackthorn said or at least he wanted to. His voice caught in his throat. He stopped, looking at the elves. How old did elves have to be before they would start to go grey? What was the appropriate greeting for such elders? Grandmother and Grandfather? Elder? He’d forgotten so much.

He approached the pair as if he expected them to vanish like smoke. When he finally reached there blanket, his face was wet with tears that mixed joy and grief in a tangle of warring emotions. He sank to his knees.

“Please,” he said, his voice breaking from five hundred years of solitude. “Please tell me that there are others.”

Wymsin watched as he walked over to the elven couple. She took a few steps forward but choose to stand to the side as she hesitated not wanting to intrude on the elves.

She felt her eyes tear up at Blackthorns emotional response as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped at her eyes again silently thanking Selene for guiding them here so that Blackthorn could rest easy, the burden of being the last elf to walk the land, now no longer a title he had to bear.

His life had been hard and full of tragedy he deserved a chance to heal and find some hope. A lot of the group had this issue.

Maybe if they were lucky this could be a chance for them to catch a respite, so long as they didn't discover that something nefarious was happening or dwelling in the village shadows.

The two elves, obviously an old married couple looked at blackthorn with a mix of caution and confusion before the woman, her face still beautiful despite the lines of age upon it, or perhaps because of them, began to show signs of understanding. "Oh, you poor thing. How long have you been on the outside to think you are so alone?" She said, her words in the elder tongue a fluid melody. She reached out to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "Of course there are others. At least five families here alone."

Blackthorn caught her hands, holding them against his cheeks, as if afraid she would stop touching him. "Five hundred years," he whispered. "I am the last survivor of the Everglades. Monsters took the rest. We asked the humans for help but none came until after I'd already killed the last beast."

"humans." She said with a darkness passing over her features.

Her husband laid a hand on his shoulder. " You aren't alone anymore." He said solemnly, then looked up towards wymsin. "You either child. There is no need to keep your distance."

Madis watched with a carefully blank expression, although he had to work hard to not smile at fortune that brought them here.

Orrin didn't bother hiding his smile, even though there was a part of him that was a bit jealous.

Wymsin gave them a polite bow but she chose to stay in place for the time being. She had very little in knowledge of proper etique merely the small lessons as a child and did not know if they were cultural elven things or a regional to her country, it left her feeling unsure and she wished terribly not to offend.

She may look mostly like an elf to Blackthorn. But she knew so little about the elven ways she might as well be human. She was after all raised by the church and enclave both of them contained no elves that she had met. Both had been very clean to tell her that her mixed heritage left little room for her in world and that her being taken under their wing was a blessing and a gift as she was an orphan of mixed blood and that neither elf or human would normally wish to embrace one such as herself. Too likely to outlive a human partner and too tainted to be taken on as a bride by any elf unless they wished for heart break as she would wither and die long before they did.

She turned to the dwarves after her respectful bow to her elders. "My good folks what comes now? I think perhaps our elven friend might be temporarily indisposed but is there anywhere further we need or you wish us to guide you? Is there anything else we can do to perhaps earn a few coin." She blushed. "It isn't considered good form to speak of finances where I come from, but I must admit my coin purse is light. I am a scribe by trade to some, if you are in need of anything penned or scribed. I also do art, and can mend small things with the use of very minor magics." The half elven priestess said with a smile. "I can heal as well as the Temple of Selene trained me in the arts of healing and herbalism, though I see you have clergy that travels at your side so that offer is likely moot."

She looked to the others in the group to see if they too wished to offer their services in a side hustle to make some much needed coin perhaps.

As soon as Narisha entered the town and saw those who dwelt there she pulled the hood of her cloak up to hide her face. She wasn't truly human even if she did look it and was well aware of the prejudices that people harbored.

"Eh?" Sen asked. "What comes now? Hell if I know. We plan to find a good spot to check our wagon to make sure it dinnae get damaged, and plan to pay ye back for the meals and whatnot with what we have on it. Aside from that, ye can stay here however long ye want. It be a bit of an odd place though, so do try not to stare at anyone. "

"It doesn't seem like you have many humans here. I haven't seen any yet. Is this why you hide away you wish to have a metahuman community without human influences." Wymsin asked curiously.

"oh there be a few. This be a special place. Best I understand it, somewhere in here be a mana font, and it protects itself using what ye saw out there. Although I have heard rumors of other places like this, I've never seen em." Sen shrugged.

Wymsin nodded and licked her lips she felt a rush of excitement at their statement about the font. "Is this a place that can be visited? It sounds like a very holy site. My goddess the Pale lady Selene, I have read of sacred sites where she had blessed the earth with places where magic runs more freely. Mayhaps I might feel her presence there if I could meditate near it. I would very much like some spiritual guidance. The last temple I visited I did not get any instructions from her no visions or suggestions on what to do with myself. So perhaps with time and permission I could visit and see what comes of that. This place is very curious and I feel drawn here. Do you find it a good homestead?"

"We dinnae live here. We have a place up the mount. We just do business with the people here. Most o them dinnae leave less they must. Some o them are a bit standoffish with strangers at first since it be a rare thing, but they come about quick enough. As for the font, no clue where it be. Maybe under or near the mage's tower. Maybe not."

"Ah you have an Enclave tower here!?" Wymsin asked incredulously. "Are they humans or is it run by meta humans? Or a Mix? Or is it not related to the Enclave guild towers that are spread across the lands and countries in the cities of man. but instead a hodge podge collection of hedgies, shamans and druidic types?"

The dwarves looked confused. "Eh? I dinnae say anything boot an enclave. " She pointed in the direction of the tall tower near the center of town. " I were talking boot the old mage's tower. Least that be what people call it. Supposed that an old crazy ass mage built it ages past, maybe lookin fer the mana font. Now days that be a sort o town hall I suppose."

"Easy Lady Wymsin," Narisha said softly. "They have fulfilled their end of the bargain thus far, let us leave them to their business for now. Perhaps we can all meet again later for the nights meal and more talk but for now walk with me if you would and let us see what we can see."

Wymsin looked dejected and back to the dwarves. "Sorry If i am bothering you, I just have so many questions and since you merchant through these parts you have knowledge I do not. So the tower is where one would go to get answers and meet the folks that run this town then?"

"no worries. But aye, the mayor would be there if it were earlier, as well as the council sometimes. Oh, and the library. That be on the third floor. But ye may wish ta get lodging for the night. There isna an inn really but there be a couple merchants in the square that have a bit o room to spare. "

" Is there any issue with perhaps just pitching a tent or Earth shaping a structure or perhaps camping out somewhere under the stars. As I said earlier coin is not something I have much of and I don't want to offend the inhabitants of this town but I don't have to spend money on lodgings and the town is relatively safe to sleep in during the night, I think I'd rather do that. Not many taverns and Inns are welcoming of scout. " she explained to the dwarves as she patted the soft furry flank of her large grey Dyer wolf.

The dwarves looked at each other and the young one snorted with laughter. " Oh ye dinnae have ta worry bout him." He said between snickers.

" I feel like I'm missing out on something maybe a joke. " the small half-elven cleric said has she cocked her head her Silver Eyes scrutinizing the dwarves." Is it permissible to Camp beside the waterfall I bet you I would sleep so good be able to listen so that and also enjoy the evening Stars."

Blackthorn’s head swivelled to look at Wymsin and Narisha. He was filled with emotional turmoil. He wanted to put an arrow through the hedge witches head for presuming to order Wymsin on matters that did not concern her. He wanted to drag Wymsin over to share his joy in discovering the elves. Had they not invited her over? To meet not just one but FIVE families of elves?

"look. Ye can camp if ye want, just dinnae do it by the waterfall. That be dangerous. And ye will understand when ye meet more of the folk here."

"Are you good with camping out under the stars to save money? The waterfalls a no go but we could still have a gander while the sun's still high in the sky is that okay to just check to see if it is Blackthorns waterfall from his visions?" She looked at the old Raven , the wolf and bird kin and narisha. She paused and looked over at the dwarves tilting her head " why is the waterfall dangerous?"

"that be where the dungeon is." Morin said with a nod.

Darkflame · « **Reply #7 on:** »

Madis shrugged. " Don't care either way." He said, then he looked around. "Fuck. Did anyone see where Ren went off to. I swear he was just here."

"And this is why I say we find the kid a good home. You wont have to worry yourself into an early grave Sir Madis." Wymsin said with a heavy sigh. "Thank you for the details folks." She said to the Dwarves. "It seems we have an annoying child that wont do as he told and not wander off to track down. Scout lets try and find Ren. Thats a good boy... Yes find him. Find Ren!" Wymsin said gently petting the wolf as he began sniffing at the air trying to catch the blond youths scent.

She cast a look over at Blackthron. "Blackthorn Ren's wandered off again it looks like we have to go track him down AGAIN. Enjoy your talk with your... umm elven friends and I guess you can track us down when you are caught up and feeling better. No sense in us all having to do the child hunt thing. He can't be far."

Blackthorn stood. "I will be back shortly,so that we can talk longer," he said to the elven couple. "I would dearly love to meet the others and I want you to meet Wymsin."

He turned to look at Wymsin. "Have you tried the most obvious way?" He took a deep breath. "REN! FRONT AND CENTRE!"

"you do not have to be so loud. I am right here." Orrin said from beside Blackthorn.

Madis turned, his eye twitching. He could have sworn the boy had not been there a moment before.

"Eh, find us in the square when ye have things sorted." The dwarves waved and set off.

Wymsin rubbed her eyes. "Child do you like trying to give everyone around you fits and increasing the chances of seeing an early grave? How many times has Madis told you not to wander. You take someone with you or at least tell someone. One day you are going to do that and end up in the back of a slavers cart cage or getting molested in an alley and you know. One day we might not be able to come or find you. Please for the love of all the good gods Ren stop doing that. Madis the kid is your ward make he understand how dangerous it is. I just don't have the words to explain it anymore." Wymsin said her voice tight as she tried to calm her racing heart. Everytime he vanished she had to assume the worst as their encounter with the squirrel kin. The entire event had definitely left the half elf cleric with some serious paranoia and trauma.

Blackthorn caught Ren by the collar, a deliberate choice, rather than grabbing him by the throat. He pulled the young dragon close. "Do not tell me that you just turned invisible just now, because I would have bet my bow that you weren't there a moment ago," he hissed.

Ren swallowed, blinking hard. " I.. I do not know what you mean. Truly. I swear I did not wander off. Why would I when I have found myself in danger even with you all? To think I could protect myself as I am would be foolish, and I know no trick to make myself not visible."

The elven couple stood and the woman laid a hand on blackthorn's arm. "Peace. Your heart trembles so."

Madis closed the distance in a few steps. "When did you leave my side?" He asked Orrin in low tones.

"About the time wymsin was asking about the tower." Orrin said, looking from madis to blackthorn and back again. " I thought I saw something and moved over here to see if I could get a better view. I did not want to intrude, so I said nothing."

"What was it that you thought you saw, Ren?" Blackthorn asked, releasing the boy but not before checking his eyes.

"I am not sure. I swore something moved along the outside of the tower. " He said. His eyes were still slitted as they had been outside the barrier. The elves didn't seem to notice, or if they did, they didn't care.

"Can you be more specific? Describe it please." Wymsin chimed in.

"Like... Like a piece of the tower moved. I thought it was a trick of the light since the sun is setting.". Orrin said.

Madis scowled.

The male elf looked surprised. "the gargoyle. Amazing you saw it from here. It usually camouflages too well."

"Is it friendly?" Blackthorn asked.

" It stays to the tower and does not attack the townsfolk if that is what you mean." He replied.

"No, I mean when Wymsin ventures to the tower and attempts to go in, it's going to be nice and tell her how to open the door, rather than trying to eat her face," Blackthorn replied. His emotionless veneer had restored itself, at least for the moment.

"It doesn't talk to anyone. It doesn't stop anyone from entering the tower, although no one has ever gotten past the third floor. There's no door that can be found. And it doesn't bother Kulluk when he is on the top sunning himself." The elf shrugged.

" Why don't you all join us for dinner? We can answer your questions at length." His wife said.

Blackthorn looked at Madis. "Master Madis?" he said. The tone let Madis know that Blackthorn was freely admitting that his paranoia was not working properly and he was willing to let the old Raven make that decision.

Madis chewed on the offer for a moment. " I think we need to catch up with our dwarven friends." He said somewhat hesitantly.

" Oh, they'll be spending the night. It's too late for them to head home. They stay with the blacksmith while they are in town, so we can send word that you will be a while if that's all you are worried about. And we don't mind your furry companion either. "

Madis huffed. Truthfully he hadn't seen or heard anything that made him think the elves were dangerous. "If you insist." He said after a moment.

The man barked a laugh. " If you don't she'll follow you around town. She's a bit of a mother hen." He said, earning him a pointed look from his wife.

Wymsin silently watched the exchange trying to gage how well Madis was fairing. Meeting elves might be exciting and a new experience but after dealing with man killing fox spirits and the friendly squirrel kin that turned out to be demon worshipers... She nervously wondered how the night could go wrong.

Was this how Blackthorns thoughts were? She gently chewed on her bottom lip trying to be small and unobtrusive as she led Madis made the call and to either accept the offer or rebutt it.

"IF you will excuse me Master Madis, I will seek out other accommodations," Narisha said. "I would not want to darken your visit with Blackthorn's kin with my presence." She said this last while looking in Blackthorn's direction.

"You have bad history with elffolk Narisha" Wymsin queried.

"Do what you want. " Madis said with a shrug. " You have your reasons and I don't need to know them." He was keeping an eye on the elves out of the corner of his eye. There was something odd about the way that woman was looking at blackthorn... And wymsin.

Wymsin looked to Lydicas and the others then to Blackthorn then to the elf couple. "Perhaps dinner would be nice but we don't want to intrude and leave any of our interested friends out of such a thing. The old man and the boy and the hedge witch dont seem too interested but Lydicas are you interested and maybe you Raijin?"

"it's no intrusion, and the offer was for all of you, even your beastkin friends. Our home is quite large, after all, and we have plenty to share." The elf said.

"Including meat?" Wymsin asked with a blush. "Lydicas is a carnivore."

Lydicas's ears turned to listen to Wymsin speak. He opened his mouth to speak but his stomach loudly growled answered for him. He embarrassedly laughed. "Dinner sounds great. Wait people eat dinner without meat?"

"Remember porridge Lydicas?" Wymsin said with a smile the wolfkin had been thoroughly turned off by the apple and cinnamon infused porridge she had made when they had first met. "Yes many folk cant afford or chose not to eat meat because meat comes from living creatures. I was very young but my mother and father would only cook up meat about twice a week for us for meals. The rest of the time it was yams legumes porridges breads and greens along with seasonal fruits."

Lydicas's ears flattened to his head a pout clearly forming on his face. His head turned to look at the elf with what could only be described as puppy dog eyes full of hope.

"I can't speak for this couple. It was just how my family ate due to the region we lived in. I am not familiar or have met any elves other than my parents and Sir Blackthorn. Blackthorn seemed to eat a fair amount of meat so maybe you will be in luck." Wymsin said with a chuckle as she walked over to the towering wolfman and patted his hip with a small hand. "It is free food though and a chance to experience something new perhaps. It could be a very educational experience. If you find yourself hungry later perhaps you and scout can go hunt up small woodland creatures later together."

"I like to learn and your suggestion to hunt later works well for me. Onwards to this dinner." Lydicas smiled his tail wagging a little.

"we do eat meat regularly enough." The elf male said with a nod. "Tis easy enough to get a delivery from the butcher."

Wymsin curseyed to the elder elves. "Excellent I think good sir and Madam that we will be delighted to join you for a meal. What time shall we be joining you and is there anything we can do for you to help things go smoothly."

Darkflame · « **Reply #8 on:** »

Some time later they sat about a large table, eating and talking, the elven couple, who had finally introduced themselves as Tial and Mital Lorafir, answering the questions asked of them as best they could. The group hence discovered that Thier son Ruven was the current mayor, and the surnames of the other families were Enren, Maglen,Sharo, and Ori, and that they didn't have a specific immigration policy. They hadn't had many visitors as the years had passed since it seemed a good idea to keep this unique place a secret from the war loving kingdoms outside. The waterfall is apparently the entrance to what the locals call a dungeon- a place full of interesting things and monsters, which is why it was avoided after dark in case anything escaped. The tower was older than the town, but didn't seem to suffer any weakness due to its age. The first floor was the "town hall", the second floor was a sort of business where requests for items from the dungeon were taken and passed on to brave explorers, and the third floor was home to the town library.

The town had taken to sending the bodies of the dead into the dungeon. As for the mana font, no one knows exactly where it is. Some people think it's deep in the dungeon, some think it's under the tower. Either way the air and soil within the boundaries is extra thick with mana, making magic stronger and sometimes affecting magic sensetive individuals in odd ways.

Wymsin hadn't said much throughout dinner. She had let Blackthorn and Lydicas pose most the questions.

She used her enclave etiquette at dinner treating the elves with the same respect that she would have offered any human Nobel once she learned of their sons status and saw their home. She was the last to dig into her food and had asked only about the font as the others chatted.

Dabbing at her mouth and placing her napkin down in her lap Wymsin looked to her hosts and thanked them for the meal. "If it isn't too much to ask, I know you've been bombarded all night but I wanted to inquire as to what your library was like as well as if you have any shrines or temples perhaps to The Pale Lady?"

"Oh, the library is lovely. We have many old tomes, but for thier protection they are carefully stored and only handled sparingly. But.. we don't have any temples. Many of the people of the town worship the elder gods, who do not bother with such things." Tial said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Of course, you can worship whoever you want."

Wymsin nodded appreciatively. "Thank you for that information My lady. Again I apologize for imposing on you but do you think the mayor would not have issue with us camping on the edge of town. Your dungeon sounds intriguing as does your library I can see us wanting to stay here for some time if it was okay. The concept of a bounty board is also interesting."

"There was a time when we had many more visitors. Of course there will be no issue with you making camp. Of course there are more comfortable arrangements that can be made as well." she replied with a smile.

The half elven Priestess smiled"Oh we are simple traveling folk used to modest accommodations. I can't speak for everyone, but for myself permission to set up camp is good enough. But I can of course pass the message on to the others if they are looking for something more elevated taste wise. I can understand the town Folk wanting to see us make use of their tavern or Inn if we can. I plan to visit your library tomorrow and who knows I might actually be able to assist on your librarian and repairing some of your older books if they desired. I am a trained scribe. I-I might not be as good as maybe any if they are elven but my penmanship is neat, legible, and I can draw. "

Mital smiled. "Oh, we dont have an inn anymore. Tavern, yes. Good drink is always a nice way to spend an eve after all. But there are plenty of places that have extra rooms. I am confused though. you keep refering to elves as if they are something foreign. Why?"

Wymsin chuckled softly a blush crept across her cheeks. "Apologies sir. It is because I'm mixed blood and raised by humans. Besides Blackthorn you are the first elves I have laid eyes on since I was a small child. My parents went to war when the Black Prince and his army came to our country and never returned. I grew up in a human city my mother was the only full blooded elf in the region where I lived. The temple of Selene the Pale Lady took me in and raised me."

"Wymsin is a delight but has a rather negative opinion of herself," Blackthorn said. "She seems to consider herself tainted. I've been trying to convince her that she is anything but."

"tainted? What kind of silly idea is that? I mean certainly having human blood is unfortunate, but we would never be so crass as to call it a taint." Tial said, looking disturbed.

Wymsin gently nudged Blackthorns leg under the table. "Again I apologize if I have offended you. The wording might be off. But I do find my outlook is of course very human on things since that is how I was raised. Let us not mention it again. I don't wish to sour the lovely evening with such talk. If you are fine with my presence as are the town members that is good enough for me. Outside your village however I assure you the general opinion on those like myself or even like yourselves, folks don't look at things as you do. I don't wish to go into it further as the the conversation would turn rather dark. You have a lovely village and the gods have blessed you with a haven from the outside world. Cherish it."

Blackthorn raised his eyebrows. "Each time you mention it, I will counter it," he said, looking at Wymsin. "Kicking me under the table is not going to get me to stop."

The crimson of her cheeks deepend. "I-I didn't kick you." She stammered. "I nudged you." She softly protested. "And I didn't put myself down."

Madis snorted. " Wymsin. You yourself used that word, more than once, but every time you are called out on it you deny. " He turned to the elven couple. " We have been trying since we met to convince her that what she was taught is wrong. Unfortunately she is very stubborn."

"I see." Mital said, glancing to his wife. " We do understand."

""It is like dealing with a stray dog that receives kicks more often than pets. It will take time to unlearn what she thinks she knows."

"I beg your pardon my lord and lady. I need to excuse myself for a moment." Wymsin said her voice was soft but strained as she gently set her napkin on the table and pushed her chair in. She made a bee line for the exit from the dinning room to have a few moments alone to compose herself.

Madis sighed. " And she often runs away rather than face her feelings. Can't say I blame her. Self hatred is a hard thing to deal with. As it is, though, we should probably meet up with our dwarven friends then make camp. Dinner was wonderful. Thank you for sharing your home and bounty with us."

Outside on the front stoop of the house the night air was cool and refreshing. There is a tightness the priestesses chest has she clung to the railing engulfed in several long fills of cool air as she tried to get her hands to stop shaking.

Utterly embarrassed and humiliated she thought to herself. And this is why you kept your distance at first.

Her elven companion had managed to undo a perfectly good night or perhaps she
had because she had spoken too much. She reflected on the months of lessons on how to conduct oneself amongst those of high status but tonight outside the Towers tests and exams she had utterly failed....

Perhaps they held her back from graduating for more than just failure to produce a child for them to train and replace her after she left.

Darkflame · « **Reply #9 on:** »

She sat down on the steps of the large home and looked up at the sky as she gently let her fingers trace over the moon medallion around her neck as she tried to calm down. To not cry or feel the anger that was crawling up from her belly into her throat that made her want to shriek with rage. She was beyond words with how upset she was at the dark haired elf. Blackthorn was a prick.

Orrin gently opened the door and stepped outside. "the others are saying goodnight. I thought I would come check on you. You seemed very upset."

"I'm fine. Blackthorn was just having a bit of fun in the way that he does with most adults. It's fine Ren. He's just cost me a bit of embarrassment and what time it will take to write an apology letter tonight to this poor family who was ever so kind to host us. If you could be kind enough to apologize for my departure I need to head out to the edge of town so I can make shelter for tonight so some of us can sleep there if they choose to. I mean if not there is an inn and tavern they will have soft beds if Madis has the coin to spring on a room for you and him. " the silver eyed priestess explained to the young boy. " tell them I plan to set up on the east side of town you should have no problems finding me as Scout will no doubt lead you straight to me. "

"If you truly want, I will make the requested apology on your behalf, but I admit I am confused. Perhaps it is because I have such limited experience, but you seem to be quite... Emotionally volatile lately. I wish there was something I could do to help, instead of just being trouble for you. "

Wymsin sighed "I'm sorry you can't really help Ren. Coming to this country has been a curse and a blessing. Do you know why I even considered pairing up to travel on the road. I did it because Blackthorn was the first elf I had met since my childhood."

Wymsin climbed down the steps and said softly. "He had knowledge of over five hundred years and claimed to be the last of his kind. That is a very worthy and honorable thing to chronicle so it isn't lost to history. I don't get much time to record it. Then we found you and imagine my shock to discover all that and then the dangers of a fox spirit and then the rapey squirelkin and the demon that literally could have killed us. All of it could have and you the pressure of knowing that you are like Blackthorn last of your line and just..." Wymsin shut her eyes. "It's been a lot It's been so much for the past month. Maybe too much stress and pressure. Wondering who is going to die everytime we have to fight is it going to be him or you because hes fiercely protecting everyone from danger. I just miss being in a temple or a quiet library with just the sound of quill to parchment or evening prayer and hymn. I just wish there was a respite to it but there doesn't ever seem to be one. Its just one thing after another and I thought maybe tonight might be different but it wasn't I didn't call myself tainted or a half breed but that stupid prick hasn't noticed I haven't called myself any of that in over two weeks. I'm just sick of it. No one sees I am trying it's just more fun to poke fun at me or to mock any effort I put in. So am I okay yes and no, but I'm sure after a night of sleep things will be less shite as long as everyone decides to stop trying to ride me."

It was orrins turn to sigh as he sat down next to her. " People die every day. Nothing stops that. Worrying is really such a pointless thing, isn't it? And yet we still do it. " He gave her a small smile glancing at her with his slitted eyes before turning his gaze off to the tree line. " But I do not think he is mocking you, rather, that he is frustrated by the way you seem to hide as soon as such things are brought up, as if you either do not think yourself worth the notice, or are afraid of having someone care for you as he obviously does. Your lack of using certain vocabulary does not seem as effort to see yourself in a better light, but rather that you seek to avoid further confrontation. " He looked her way again with a faint smile, then stood. "I miss the wymsin I first met. The curious, bright woman full of wonder. I hope she is still in there somewhere, and I hope one day she can look at herself with that same sparkle of joy in her eyes. I shall give them your words now. " He said, turning to the door to go back in.

"Thank you for the kind words maybe share that first part with Madis too. The man worries more than I do about things, if you haven't noticed. As you get older you will understand some of the trials of navigating the world of man right now things are simple because you lack all the key information. Perhaps that will change if we stay here. I urge you to check out the libraries dig deep into the history of man and metahuman. Learn about the nobel houses about economics about the wars and how the nobel houses run their jurisdictions. Perhaps this country takes a better view on elves and meta humans than mine does, but something no matter where you go in the world, they do not change. You are being forced to grow up and to do it fast. I know that isn't fair but it's a burden that needs to be shouldered. Sometimes we are not allowed a proper childhood Ren. If we meet again in fifty years we can compare to see if you are the same as you once were and constantly take on this chipper and liaze faire outlook on life. People do die all the time you are right, but I don't want that on my conscience if it can be helped." Wymsin said looking tired despite the fact that the night was young.

She watched the youth head inside and made her way to the east side of town to find a slightly elevated hill and got to work on earth shaping a dome for the group to settle into. It looked like they would be here for a few days at the very least and she wanted to construct something that would be comfortable and perhaps of use to the village once they left.

Darkflame · « **Reply #10 on:** »

Narisha watched as Wymsin left the house of the Elven couple. She had not gone from the rest of the group, close enough to keep an eye on them and assist if things went sideways but not close enough to hear what was said within the walls. Watching Wymsin walk towards the Eastern side of town she frowned slightly at the look of dismay, or was that something else, on her face. Letting the Priestess get a good distance away Narisha turned to the last tree that she was tending to and placed her hand upon an old scarred wound. Her magic flowed from her hand and into the tree healing its pain that sat deep within. Withdrawing her hand she nearly fell to her knees from the drain. The scar was still visible on the outside of the bark but the deep wound was now healed just as were the other five trees she hand tended this night. Slowly she followed Wymsin to location the other woman had chosen to set up her camp.

"Lady Wymsin," she called out softly as she approached, "May we speak for a bit before the other join us?"

Wymsin studied the small hill before her and began to upend the earth with her magic slowly forming the dome walls focusing on moving the earth to conform to the shape she desired.

Fifteen minutes later she had a yurt shaped dome of earth that was a foot thick. She opened the earth making a small doorway as she entered it and began making the fire pit. With care she shaped the pit with a thick wall where they could sit pots or food to sit on the ledge.

The magic calmed and focused her some. Her mood less sour as she focused on the task. When she was done she sat on the earthen paced floor in the darkness as she sighed.

She had no fire wood but it didn't matter for the time being. It would keep the rain off them. With care she made a second pod off the main one, it was much smaller but it didn't have any murder holes. Despite being annoyed at the black haired elf she knew he would like the option of having a few holes that he could shoot out of if it came to it.

The pod was large enough for Scout and her to curl up in to sleep while the sun was up.

She was emotionally exhausted but she knew sleep wouldn't come anytime soon. She would still have to pray and meditate for the evening, but for the time being, the others would while away their time at the elder elves residence while she tried to figure out what she would would pen in the way of an apology letter. She wondered where the Hedge mage had wandered to. It was a small blessing she had not been in attendance at least one of the group members hadn't seen the social quartering she had received. For the time being she could sit and reflect and try to rid herself of the negative emotions she was feeling before Scout brought them back to their temporary home.

Narisha waited a few minutes for a response from Wymsin. When one was not forthcoming she called out again, just as softly but allowing her magic to help carry her voice to the top of the hill.

"I'm in here." She called out into the darkness. The hedge mage had made an appearance.

When the woman entered the shelter it was dark but Wymsin lifted her staff and uttered a soft prayer and the crystal atop her sling staff glew to life and illuminated the shelter. "No fire yet. I didn't get fire wood but we have a place to sleep for free so we don't hemorrhage coin." Wymsin said dully. "Did Scout guide you?" She asked as she softly whistled to coax the direwolf inside if he was lurking outdoors in the dark.

Narisha smiled at the other woman. Wymsin noticed the weariness in her eyes and the tilt of her mouth as she sat. "No, Scout had no need to guide me. I had not been far from the house that you and the others were being entertained in." A fire of blue and yellows sprang to life in the fire pit in the center of the hut. The light it threw off was a little disconcerting but it held warmth and would gave of no smoke. "I am sorry about the odd coloration of the fire. You will get used to it in time I hope. I have found that this color combination is the least likely to draw attention from unwanted guests as most
creatures cannot see it. Hence they simply pass by my camps if I keep any noise to a minimum. I doubt we will have such worries here in town but it is always better to be safe." The was a definite tiredness to her voice.

"Is it safe to cook on? How does it burn with no fuel?" Wymsin asked leaning forward to look at the fire her mood less sullen and genuinely curiously "I'm not familiar with much magic when it comes to Hedgies... I mean Hedge mages. I know it is different than that of those that are classically trained but that is about the extent of it, or at least where I will confess to as to not ummm offend you. Hedge mages aren't looked upon too kindly in my country due to the Black Prince employing them for his wars while shirking the divine right to the council and lifelong service of Enclave Advisory mages."

Narisha frowned at the mention of Hedge Witches being employed by this Black Prince. "More then likely those were Thorn Witches and not Hedge Witches." There was slight edge to Narisha's voice as she spoke but she shook it off as quickly as it came about. "Forgive me. I will endeavor to answer any questions you have to the best of my abelites but I wish it to be known that most Hedge Witches will not talk of such things nor will they share much knowledge of our society. But I have been given special permission by the Elder's Council to speak with you on such things. It is a great honor to be allowed to do so." She drew quiet for a couple of moments as she gathered her thoughts. "Let me start with the Thorn Witches Thorn Witches were once part of Hedge Witch society but at some point they either broke or lost their covenant with nature and turned away from helping to aid the natural world. They do not wantonly engage in the destruction of nature but they do not actively protect it either. Instead of rendering aid and protection where they can they sell their magical abilities to the highest bidder. Think of Hedge Witches and Thorn Witches as two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other, unfortunately. There is a deep animosity between the two factions. So deep that if we ever cross paths with each other blood will be spilled."

"As for how the fire burns with any fuel. It does have fuel my dear Priestess. It is fueled by my own energies and the element of fire which is all around us."

"Ah I see." Wymsin said slowly as she watched the fire. "Fire magic isn't really my forte. I can use it but not to any great extent while air and earth I find easy to use and water isn't taxing fire tends to wear me out faster than any of them. The Enclave council suspected my predisposition to elemental magic might have had something to do with my mother being an elven druid. " She licked her lips and sighed. "The council you speak of. It gave you permission to speak to me? Are they normally not a chatty sort? How did they contact you. Is there a representative here in town?"

"No there is no member of the Elder Council in town. They are spread all over the lands as are my sisters. I am not even sure that they have all ever met in person at any one time. A security thing I am sure. Hedge Witches have a direct tie to nature. We can sense it all around us, sense its health and pain. We can use it to communicate with one another, kind of like sending a message via a messenger bird but without the bird. It is rather hard to explain I am afraid. As to them giving me permission to speak with you about things usually kept private, Hedge Witch society is rather secretive by nature. Mainly due to others not understanding and fearing us. We do not speak of our powers, rituals, histories, or other such things to those outside of our society for fear of them using that knowledge to try and harm us. The Elder Council has determined that you are safe to speak with about such thing even though you are sure to write them down and give those writings to others. Most of the Council is in agreement that it is time for us to start stepping out of the shadows and allow the world to see for who we truly are, protectors of nature."

"As far as the fire being safe to use cooking that answer is yes. The food might have a different taste than you are used to but there is no danger."

"You sound sort of like druids." Wymsin said and most of my writings gt donated to the temples I visit not the Enclave. I am out here to cut my teeth as they say. Come back in a several years and show us if you have put my practical lessons to the test. Time will tell if they will be impressed. So far with what I have done in the time I have been roaming it is doubtful. So why decide to travel with us. The group is a bizarre lot after killing that demonic witch, her pet demon, and taking care of the squirrelkin encampment why travel with us? Madis is a curmudgeon, Blackthorn is a bit of a sarcastic prick, Raijin is Madis's pet and also leans hard into the sarcasm, but the three of them are all Ravens, Monster exterminators. Maybe not as famed and gifted as witchers but they have their purpose in the world. Ren is but a boy that is clueless of the world around him and Lydicas is a freed slave that travels with us because Blackthorn still holds is papers and due to a sense of gratitude I think?"

Wymsin shrugged and warmed her hands by the fire "And myself with a group this eclectic how could I not chronicle it though my main focus is on the elf. When we met he claimed to be the last one of his kind. The five hundred years of history and knowledge he holds in his head, tis an honorable thing to chronicle what I can so it is not lost to the ages. Though much to my hope it is proven true that he is indeed not the last of his kind as we have discovered since coming here, merely a limited edition to what I suspect is a race teetering on the brink of extinction." (edited)

"Since my Rite of Initiation I have worked with the Cougar Huntsmen's school on and off. One of theirs has gone missing and I have been hired to track him. His path led me to the town where we first met and so far his trail has coincided with that of this group. If there is a divergent in paths I will leave to follow that which I must. But for know our paths are joined."

The Priestess nodded. "Sort of the same for me. If my Goddess sends me dreams to move on I will. My fancy of learning what I can will have to wait if she wills it but so far she has been silent. I will take it as a sign that so far she is pleased. Perhaps if you share a description of this man you hunt the others might be able to be of assistance. I know little of these huntsmans schools we do not have these things where I come from. The work is more freelance and taken on by mercenaries or those that wish to try their hand at fortune and fame. The path they walk has dangerous and tiring. Before meeting them my exposure to monsters was limited to minor nuisances like kobolds and goblins. I welcome the respite and pray we can tarry here for several days. I feel close to my wits end."

Wymsin shook her head observing the strange colored flames. It was crazy to think how much had happened since she had met the chaotic group.

"My Enclave training leaned more towards dealing with the high courts and protecting whomever I was assigned to as far as noble families were concerned, it did not really encompass all of this... whatever it is I've been doing since stepping foot in this god forsaken country. But as much as I feel like it was a mistake I have to think that it can't be. The Pale Lady but a feeling in my belly to board a certain ship. There were a dozen I could have chosen but the one I took led me here. I'm just trying to keep up and stay a float amongst all this lunacy." Wymsin confessed. In truth she was exhausted. The days were long and hard on her. She was still adjusting to the schedule of her group even though they had been kind enough to embark a couple hours later than normal to try and accommodate her. "Tis hard to serve two Masters. But the one in the Heavens holds more sway than the other and that is how it will stay."

"Please do not take this the wrong way. I mean no offense by it," Narisha said, "But you have but one master, The Pale Lady, and one would be slaver, this Mages Enclave that seems to want you only for what you can offer them and not what they can offer you in return." She sighed softly. "I have but a basic description of the missing Huntsman but he has a birth mark that is unmistakable. When the others join us I will speak with Master Madis about my mission and see if he is willing to aid me or if I am to continue as I have been." There was the sudden but subtle scent of burning oak in the hut. "Does this scent put you more at ease about my fire? Or you would prefer another? Mayhap Hickory, or Apple, or Cherry?" As she asked about each wood the scent within the hut change.

"I have no preference." Wymsin said looking more weary. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on her Enclave and what they did but few knew how they truly operated.

Was it frustrating to have not graduated yet, most decidedly, but they had taught her much in her years and she could not accept that it was for naught. She was so close to being able to take her next exams, if she could prove that she had grown and could also find a proper replacement for when she graduated.
Still the prospect of trying to find another elf or to procure offspring had been fruitless. Blackthorn would be a terrible candidate to bring back to the Enclave. He would sooners shoot arrows and slit throats than sit at a teachers knee and learn the arcane secrets of the universe when it came to magic.

For ten years she tried to give them a child to teach and raise and it had ended in failure. The head healer suspected she was barren. It meant that her chances to advance in the Enclave were halted unless she could find someone that was a suitable match. If she could find an
elf or half elf that was interested perhaps then she could advance and grow into the mage she felt she was destined to become.

Wymsins eyes lifted from the fire and she nodded again at the Hedge mage. "I think that sharing the likeness of this man might be of help. Did you know him well or do you have any thing object wise that was personal to him? We were taught certain rituals there might be a way to narrow down where he is with certain locating or tracking spells."

"I have never met him personally and was given no object that belonged to him to aid my search. It would do me no good anyways. My tracking magic does not work along those lines. I can sense his residual energy after he has passed through an area and if needs be I can always enter into a trance and see which direction he went if I feel the trail is growing weak."

"A pity. So why hunt him down? What has he done?" Wymsin asked curiously.

"As I said he has disappeared. He was supposed to meet with two of the other Cougar's but failed to show. He has not made any reports nor has anyone been able to find him in nearly three months. Last any heard from him he was tracking an unknown beast into the Northern lands. A meeting was set for him to meet with two others and then they were to continue the hunt but he never showed and no word has been heard."

"Might have been snatched up by Slavers. They are common in these parts I hear." Wymsin said.

"Slavers would never make the mistake of trying to take a Huntsman. I fear something else has befallen him. Something not of nature."

The small priestess closed her silver eyes and pondered. "It's possible. Had you asked me if this country was terrible dangerous a month ago, I would have said no more than where I came from. At least here you don't seem to have giants. Mind you our population was pretty much eradicated when the Black Prince took control of our country and decided to remove them. Their territories were rich with rare mineral deposits. It is how most humans see things I guess. Is it rare or exotic? Harvest it exploit it or hunt it. Either way some value is found for even the most trivial of things. I hope you find your huntsman. It doesn't sound an easy task."

"If was an easy task they would have no need of me." Narisha responded with a tired smile.

"May the Pale Lady illuminate your path and help you find that what you seek. She likes offerings of milk and white wine or silver coins tossed in open bodies of water where the moon shines down upon then." Wymsin said "nothing wrong with asking for a little extra luck."

"Indeed there is not." Narisha paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "If I may be so bold. What does feel like when you use your elemental magic? The only others I have ever met with magic similar to mine are other Hedge Witches."

"It feels different than the other schools. I don't need components for it first of all. The headmaster said this is common for elf folk. They are more in tune with the elements so it was of little surprise to find I lean towards that more so than the other schools. Magic in general has always just sort of called to me. At first the Divine but as I was took on to study at the Enclave Academy it felt like I was coming home to something familiar despite it all being new. The only schools I do not like practicing though I had to study the basics to get a grounding in them were necromancy and planar summoning. Neither felt right. There is no such thing as evil magic its all in how you use it but I admit to it feeling heavy and much harder to control than some of the other schools. Transmutation, Illusionary and divination magic I have grounding in as well though the understanding and skill is not as grounded as the elemental school and that all requires spell components of some sort. All magic comes with a price you cannot expect something to come from nothing. So even though my elemental magic has no component requirements it does draw from the environment as best as I can tell to produce my desired results. If you do not have the desired requirements in the environment or on your person the magic will draw from yourself and the results can be desivating. I once watched a young student try and conjure jewels gold coins from thin air, the magic not having a satisfactory offering or components withered her arm until it became a useless husk that just dangled limply at her side." Wymsin said trying to explain the way some of the magic worked. "Wind spells are easy for air is everywhere. Water again not hard to use as water is virtually everywhere even in the air despite it being unseen and earth is everywhere as well." She said as she tapped her booted foot on the ground.

A genuine smile spread across Narisha's tired features. " That sounds very much like the elemental magic of a Hedge Witch. Our magic is a part of us and a part of nature at the same time. Hence the covenant we have with nature to protect and preserve as best we can at all times. Each of my sisters, myself included, are bound to one or more of the elements and pull are power from there. I have the power of fire, smoke and air. Enora, whom you met at the Squirrelkin barrow, it tied to the element of water. Others are tied to earth, wood, or stone. But unlike your kind, we can not learn new magics. We cannot learn to use an element that we are not tied to. Since we are so closely tied to our element or elements we need no components to use our powers nor do we fear retaliation for using them. There is a price to pay as you say. But generally it comes in the form of weariness and fatigue, especially if we have been healing nature. There are no natural healers amongst us. We cannot heal living creatures like you can. We can heal the land, the water, the air, or the flora of an area if there is need but to do so means using our own life energy. It is tiring but with a few good meals and a couple of nights rest we are usually restored."

Wymsin smiled looking thoughtful."I see. The ability to heal is divine magic. They cannot teach this at the Enclave. It is only through the will of the gods to select vessels in which they channel their devine gifts. They can give and they can taketh away if you displease them. However the enclave does teach its own form of healing though it lies solely in the grounds of knowing the anatomy, I studied many cadavers in my first three years of schooling. They also teach alchemy and herbalism so you can make draughts and tonics that can assist in recovering faster. As Master Amon used to say the difference in a poison or a healing draught is usually in the dossage. Your magic sounds more druidic in my mind if I can speak plainly. My mother was one and hers was tied to the elements and nature spirits. At the end of the day I guess magic itself comes from somewhere perhaps the gods themselves, but it seems to have mutated depending on the races and regions where it is studied and taught. I do believe your magic does come with a price. Your stamina is what dictates how much you can do therefore there is indeed a cost. Your energy and essence seems to be what partially drives it. I was under the impression that Hedge mages sometimes made pacts with beings or spirits to draw forth more power to enhance their abilities when they hit a wall and could not progress further with their mastery of magic. Is this not the case for your council members?"

Narisha shook her head. "No. We are born with all the power we will ever posses. It can increase as we age but we can never gain more than what we are born with no matter what we try or what pacts we might make. And we do not gain our powers unless we pass the Rite of Initiation at the age of 16. Not all on the Elder's Council are powerful. They are the eldest of our sisters not necessarily the most powerful among us."

Narisha tillted her slightly to one side. "The others are approaching and should here in a few minutes. If you wish to learn more about me and mine we can talk again soon."

Darkflame · « **Reply #11 on:** »

“It would seem you have developed a taste for rough living,” Blackthorn said. “There are soft beds available and yet you choose the hard earth. Curious.”

Wymsin grimaced "If things are not to your liking and we are staying here for a while hay ferns and leaves can be used to make for a softer sleep. Sadly our hut is not been placed near any trees so you will not have the pleasure of rough bark or hard wood to keep you company this eve."

She gave a polite nod her shoulders still tense as she slipped out of the hut and back into the night air as she knelt down on the grass to say her prayers and offer worship.
November 27, 2021

Madis and the others had mostly decided to meet up with the dwarves before it got too late, leaving Blackthorn to go check in with Wymsin. As he watched her leaving the earthen hut she had crafted, he became aware of someone approaching. They had an odd gait, and appeared to not be trying to hide themselves.

"Well met, fellows!" Called a voice with a strange scratchiness to it. "Speak you the common tongue or the elder?" The words shifted from one language to the other it spoke. It was impossible to tell whether the strange voice was male or female, but the form that approached made it clear why- this was no human, elf or dwarf.

"Hail and well met future friend," Narisha said as she exited the shelter. In the light of moon her face could be seen as drawn and hagard. The flame that could be seen dancing in the depths of her eyes is on looked close enough was but a dim flicker now.

“Both,” said Blackthorn, answering the newcomer as he watched Wymsin walk away. He’d clearly offended her, ironically in an attempt to defend her. It was hard to focus. He’d been so certain that he had been the last elf alive, discovering others had shaken his entire world view to the core. If there were elves here, perhaps there were elves elsewhere and if there were elves elsewhere, perhaps Wymsin’s parents were still alive.

Noting that one voice had answered in the common tongue while the other professed knowledge of both languages, the visitor chose to speak in the common tongue in case not all there shared the skills of the one. " I hope I am not interrupting. I felt the flow of the earth shift and came to see what caused it." As the source of the voice came closer, details of the strangers appearance became clear. It was a creature that looked much like a nearly humanoid raven, carrying a staff of some type. "I am Arkar, druid, and member of this town's council. "

“Greetings, Arkar, Druid and member of the town’s council. I am called Blackthorn. I am a Raven of the hunter school. What you most likely felt was the work of one of my companions. She had an affinity for working the flesh of the earth as if it were putty. You just missed her. She ventured into the night. If you tarry, she will no doubt return before long.”

Arkar nodded. "I see. It is a rare thing to have visitors these days. Do you intend to stay?" The druid leaned on his staff, glancing from Blackthorn to Narisha and back, his head cocking in a decidedly avian expression.

Blackthorn shook his head. "I have a task to perform. It may end here, depending on what I find at your waterfall. Even if it does, I have responsibilities outside. Perhaps when I have done all that I can do, I might come back here to rest for a while and cleanse my soul."

The druid nodded. "It is important to fulfill responsibilities. I am sure you would make a lot of people happy should you choose to return." The noise that came from Arkars throat sounded like it was meant to be a laugh. " You are interested in our dungeon then? The entrance is behind the waterfall."

"I'm interested in the waterfall, which makes the dungeon something I need to see. I will know if this is the waterfall I seek or whether I need to seek further." Blackthorn touched the pouch around his neck. "I made a promise to a dryad that I would find the right place to plant her seed. She showed it to me, so I will know it when I see it.:

The druid blinked rapidly for a moment. "You... You were trusted to carry a dryad's seed? "

"I was. I have been. I am," Blackthorn said, in the Elder tongue.

Arkar went to a knee, head bowed, speaking also in the elder tongue. " If the is anything I can do to help one so blessed, a word is all that is required."

"No need to kneel to me," Blackthorn said. "And all I could ask is that you do your best to keep this community safe. And if the seed finds a home here, guard it and guide it as it grows."

"It would be an honor to do so." Came the reply, although there was a moment of hesitation before the bird creature came to its feet. "It would also be an honor to take you to the waterfall on the morrow if you wish it."

Narisha took a step forward. "What can you tell me about that small copse of trees just wonder," she asked with a wave of her hand towards the six trees she had attended to earlier. "Those six with the scars on their barks. Can you enlighten me as to how they were wounded?"

The druid returned to leaning on his staff, dark eyes following the hedge mage's gesture. "It happened before my time, but as I understand it, a great beast was released from the dungeon, and that is where it was destroyed."

Blackthorn looked at the trees. "Well then, if anything gets out tomorrow, we must endeavour to make sure it doesn't get that far."

"Only weak things escape now. It isn't like it once was, with untested delving into the dungeon and leading things out when they are overwhelmed." The druid nodded.

“Perhaps it is past time that the dungeon be cleansed.”

"cleansed?" Arkar tilted his head quizzically.

“All the monsters within dealt with, so there is no longer a danger of them escaping,” Blackthorn said.

Narisha gave Blackthorn a steely stare. "Is that what they teach at the Raven School? That anything that might even be the slightest potential threat at some point in the future must be destroyed?" she hissed out in an icy tone. "I will not be party to they whole sale slaughter of those creatures. It is most likely that any attacked on those who enter the dungeon, or by those creatures that eventually escape, or simply reactions to the continued invasion of their home. If there is need for a specific creature to be dealt with that is different. But the destruction of all the creatures, whether they or their kind have ever attacked anyone, escape or not, No. That I cannot and will not be party to."

She turned her attention back to their visitor. "You state that once the untested delved into this dungeon but not anymore. Is that due to your youngsters having no desire to do so anymore or has the city council curtailed such deeds. And what type of creatures do venture forth from time to time?"

The druid looked uncomfortable at the woman's outburst. " We don't get visitors anymore. Long ago outsiders would come to test themselves in the dungeon, to prove Thier strength or seek the rare crystals and ingredients that could be found there. Now it is only the townspeople, who have been well trained before being allowed to enter, or enter with experienced guides. Every so often a weak creature will wander from behind the waterfall. The only reason they are a bother at all is because of the ambient mana that permiates this place. It sustains them where otherwise they would simply disappear. " He glanced back to blackthorn. " Cleansing it would do no good. The creatures within are not truly alive, at least not as you and I are. They are... What was the wording for it? Ah, yes... Magical constructs. When they are defeated, they disappear, returning to the mana flow within the dungeon."

"It sounds as if it might have been designed to be a training ground of some sort for some long past people."

The bird thing shrugged. "Perhaps. Or perhaps it is to protect something deep within. None of us know for certain. It was here since before the known origins of this town. We have some records that say the tower was here as well. It seems a mage built that, perhaps to study the dungeon, or perhaps he made the dungeon as part of his research. There are a few books at the library that offer some information on that, but it is far from complete."

"Than if your council will permit it I would like study those books. And any others that pertain to this region that you might have. Especially any books that might cover the flora and fauna of the region if you should happen any such. I know Lady Wymsin would also like to visit your library and study any books you might have on magic if you would permit."

"of course. The library is free to enter, although you will have to speak with the librarian about the oldest books. He is a bit possessive."

Narisha smiled at their guest. "That is understandable. It is a sad day when old books are damaged or destroyed by those who are careless with them."

“Interesting they your attitude would flip when you have no personal involvement,” Blackthorn said. “The squirrel-kin might have benefited from your stewardship. And yes, killing things to protect civilization is exactly what they teach us to do.”

"Do not dare to think that you know me or my intentions Blackthorn. The Squirrel-kin made there home in Enora's lands not mine. I had no right to claim stewardship over them even if I had been so inclined. I no not what Enora's arrangement with them was but evidently they broke whatever pact they might have had with her when they alligned themselves with that devil. The offer I made to my sister was done as a last resort. nothing more, not out of some sense of vengeance. I can understand killing to protect, it is one of the tenant that my kind follow as well. But we do not condone the killing of those who have not yet presented themselves as a threat."

"should I perhaps come back in the morning? It seems you have something to work out. I wanted to meet your other... Friend... But I certainly do not want to be in the way." Arkar said, shifting nervously.

"You are hardly in the way," Blackthorn said. "This is how things are. One of us takes it upon themselves to claim to be the moral compass of the rest. The others express their opinions at various levels of volume. You should see us when we're fighting." The elf looked at Narisha. "The wisest of us pick the battles they fight. Some choose poorly."

"I see. You must be quite the trio." Arkar blinked.

As they spoke, Wymsin completed her prayers and offerings to her goddess as was usual. What was not usual was the vision the priestess received. The goddess stood in a sliver of moonlight and pointed toward the tower in the town. "You must go down to go up." She said softly, and with her words, wymsin knew that the key to reaching the hidden parts of the tower lay in intent. One must walk down the stairs to the cellar with the intent to reach the upper floors.

Wymsin stood from her kneeling spot in the grass "As you wish it, so it shall be done my Goddess."

She stood and made her way back to the entrance of the hut only to note that Blackthorn and the hedgewitch were talking to someone. Wymsin's silver eyes were wide and bright, but she shivered or perhaps trembled she seemed paler in the moon light than normal as she held her sling staff and approached the trio.

“Perfect timing,” Blackthorn said. “Wymsin, this is Arkar, a Druid and member of the village council. He felt your magic and came to meet you. Arkar, this is Wymsin, priestess off the moon and mage of no little skill.”

"a pleasure to meet you. " The druid greeted, bowing his avian head.

"Blessings and good tidings from the Pale Lady Selene to you and your own Druid Arkar." Wymsin said giving him a respectful nod as she clasped her hands in front of her holding her fingers in each other to shape the fist into the roundish shape of the moon. "I have not done anything wrong have I by shaping a hovel here? If I did I am sorry, I was only going off the advice of the elven couple that had us over for dinner this eve. The place looked clear and far enough from anyone's home that we would not disturb."

"oh certainly not. I was merely curious, as I felt the energy of the land shifting as you worked, and none here have that talent. "

"But are you not a druid? It was something my mother's magic was capable of. Perhaps because she was an elf and you are a- forgive me I am terribly sorry but I don't want to be rude and say Corbin, but your appearance is very reminiscent of such things. I know not what to call your folk can you enlighten me?" The priestess said.

"I am indeed a druid, but not all of us share the same abilities, and certainly not to the same degree. Your earth shaping is much more masterful than mine could ever hope to be. Perhaps it is indeed due to my race. Fear not, I take no offence. I am what is called a Ravna. We are extremely rare."

Wymsin nodding taking in the new knowledge. "It would appear so. I know little about drudic magic sadly forgive me assumption that all druids had the same ability. So besides meeting us is there anything we can do for you?"

"Ah, well, no. I was just being curious, although the conversation has been quite interesting. I have offered to serve as a guide on the morrow should it be needed." Arkar said, his head tilting from one side to the other. " Though..... " The druid sounded thoughtful. " Perhaps I should warn you. The elven families will be in a frenzy trying to get you and blackthorn to stay. Don't be surprised if you end up with multiple marriage proposals in short order."

"That might work well for Blackthorn, but I am already in a committed relationship with my goddess and my order. I am married to my studies and it is my duty to travel to minister aid to those I meet in my travels so marriage really isn't an option due to my transient lifestyle. I never stay in one place for too long." Wymsin explained. "No I think the reason for coming to your town has little do with matchmaking and everything to do with studying your tower and unlocking its mysteries. I wish very much to sit down and talk or pour over whatever books your town may have available. We have heard things sometimes come out of it and disturb the peace so perhaps we can aid in this issue as well."

"ah, we were just speaking about this. You are welcome to come to the tower and browse the library, but the dungeon is simply what it is, and there is very little to be done that has not already been done. It seems our elven families will be disappointed then, not that they will give up so easily."

"Well the potential of one versus none..." She smiled. "Besides I wouldn't waste their time I'm barren so that will likely discourage them from wanting me. So if you want to pass that on feel free Id hate to have them waste their time and efforts. I think on the morrow I will seek out the library then and learn what I can. And then perhaps our group can sit down and discuss a proper way to investigate your dungeon and speak with some that are familiar with it."

“Is so much of your value wrapped up in your fertility?” Blackthorn asked. “And just because you are not fertile with men does not mean your fertility does not lie with the elder race.”

"It does not." Wymsin answered coolly, the reminder of the earlier evenings events still present in her mind. "It is merely a point of interest and something that would dissuade those that are looking to branch out their family trees. The business is none of yours, you've made it clear what you think and are always present to give your expert opinion to everyone on all things that seemingly happen in my life. Be it kind or cruel, welcomed or not."

“Hardly an expert,” Blackthorn said with an amused smile. “Merely an observation. Perhaps you might want to eventually settle here, take up residence in the tower and pass on what you have learned. You might reconsider.”

"Perhaps someday. I have tasks that have not been completed. Your history will not chronicle itself and I have the whims of my goddess and my order to follow as well. Perhaps in a hundred years if I am alive. This place seems decent enough." Wymsin answered the dark haired elf but turned her attention back to the Ravan. "What is the name of this town anyhow Druid Arkar?"

"please, no need for formality. Just Arkar is fine." The druid waved a clawed hand, trying to not look too uncomfortable. "We call the town Dunton."

"As you wish." The Priestess said with a nod. "So was Dunton named after the family that founded it or for other reasons?"

Arkar twittered in amusement. "Actually it's short for dungeon town. Our founders didn't have much imagination."

Wymsin laughed "Its fine I am sure town naming is hard. It works and that is all that matters. I don't wish to keep you since its past midnight but if you could point out where the library is it would be most appreciated. I will go there in the late morning to see what comes of that knowledge hunt."

"the library is in the tower. Can't miss it. If you don't wish my guidance now you can find the mayor or some council members there as well."

"Well I thank you for your time in coming down to make introductions. It was enlightening Akar. May the Pale lady watch over you granting you wisdom and the light to illuminate your path." Wymsin said offering the Ravan a formal bow as she turned to look at the others to see if they wished to also verbally see their new friend off or to ask any parting questions.

"If the creatures in the dungeon are indeed construct of magic and not of the natural world than my covenants will have no baring in how I interact with them," Narisha had replied just before Wymsin rejoined the small group. "The rest of our party should be returning shortly if you would care to wait Master Arkar. They went to pay regards to the Dwarves that gave us guidance to your town."

"Well, I don't really see much of a reason to stay to meet everyone as I am certain I will in time anyways, so I will bid you a good eve." Arkar said and turned to head back into the town.

Darkflame · « **Reply #12 on:** »

Wymsin watched the Ravna leave and made her way into the earth shapped hut and smiled as she noticed Scout had crept in at some point during her worship and the Ravnas visit.

She let her fingers give through his soft grey fur as she settled down by the fire contemplating what her goddess has said.

It was truly exciting she could count on one hand the amount of times Selene had spoken to her to guide her.

Once as a child telling her to persevere and learn when she had been adopted by the mages enclave.

Once when she had been told to inspect the cleaved stonework stream from the wolves blood. She had obeyed and found Scout as a tiny pup. A gift to her from her goddess.

And Once more she had said unto her to ride the Wind. It was the day after the Enclave had told her to go forth and gain some real wisdom and world experience. In Port she had multiple ships to choose from but the Sea Breeze had been her choice and ultimately brought her to this country.

Now selene wished for her to observe and study this tower and its secrets. Go down to go up... her journey would start with a delving into the cellar.

She paused in her thoughts and musings to pull her back pack from the small side room she has crafted and retrieved the sauce pant strung to the pack and her water skin.

Emptying the skin into the pot she rested near the fire on the clay ledge that she had shapped to keep the fire contained.

Reaching inside the folds of her vestments she pulled out the satchel of her herbs and spices and added some to the pot to make an herbal tea.

The rest of the group seemed in good spirits as they came to the earthen mound that wymsin had created as a place to stay. They had met up with the dwarves in town and met the blacksmith as well as a few of the townfolk still about.

With the others back Wymsin severed up her tea to anyone that was interested and then softly informed the group she was going to retire early for the night seemingly fine with not arranging a watch for the night, they were after all in a town.

She made her way to the small earthen side room she had made and softly called for Scout to join her. unrolling her bed roll she settled into to sleep with her direwolf companion beside her. She idly stroked his soft warm furry flank and feel quickly to sleep. The emotional evening of having to recover from her embarrassing dinner with the new elves she had met and her minor spat with Blackthorn having drained her mentally. Physically she was exhausted as well, the shelter she had crafted was larger and more detailed than previous ones and she had worked her magic to make it a decent shelter that would last them the duration of her stay here. Tomorrow she could work to add more detail and comforts for it but for now sleep was the only thing on her mind.

It would be roughly another five hours or so until dawn came what the others chose to do with that time was entirely up to them, but she tried not to dwell too much on the evenings events and sleep came quickly to claim her.

Darkflame · « **Reply #13 on:** »

Blackthorn wanted to sleep but his mind was spinning like never before. He'd wanted to accept the elven family's hospitality but something prevented it. He'd believed himself alone for so long that the presence of the elves had seemed a miracle, a fantasy, perhaps even an illusion. A lie. A trick. A trap.

He found a place where he could watch Wymsin's shelter and be aware of anything approaching it. Even here, in this idyllic town, there might be dangers. He'd heard stories of towns where everyone turned savage on the dark of the moon, stalking through the night and killing anything or anyone they came across. The next day it was as if nothing had happened. None of the townsfolk ever mentioned it. He didn't expect this town to be exactly like that but when something appeared too good to be true, it frequently was. He would watch for the night and in the morning things would make more sense.

Most of the others turned in, with madis standing outside the shelter to watch blackthorn for a moment before going inside and settling down. After a time, Orrin came out and settled down to look up at the sky. There were no clouds in sight, the stars sparkling gently against the darkness. It was peaceful, but the boy's posture, the way he fiddled with something in his belt pouch, spoke of restlessness.

Blackthorn bent down and picked up a small handful of pebbles. One by one, he began tossing them at Ren. He wasn't intending to hit the boy, just to catch his attention and let him know that he wasn't alone. When Ren finally looked around to see where the stone rain was coming from, the elf stepped out of the darkness.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

Orrin shook his head. "You would think with all the travel and the recent excitement that I would easily, but somehow I feel... Restless. I've felt it since we crossed the barrier, like a humming across my skin. I imagine you are sleepless for your own reasons as well, and not simply out of habit."

"Both answers would be accurate," Blackthorn replied. "My brain is spinning faster than I can comprehend. Perhaps we can solve each other's problems." The elf sat down. "I suspect you are feeling the magic that protects this place. Likely because you are so close to its source. You're likely not alone. Can you describe the sensation?"

Orrin sat up straighter and laid a hand on the ground as if testing the elf's words. " It is... As if someone made the sound of a bee's buzzing into a feeling. And it is more than that. Deeper. Like I am a bell that has been struck. " He looked unsure, opened his mouth to say more, then closed it again, shaking his head.

"Does it come from the air or the earth?" the elf asked. "Does it grow stronger when you rest your hand on the earth? Does it grow over time? If you are distracted by something else, does it fade into the background, not gone, just set aside?"

Orrin thought about the questions. "I cannot quite tell where it comes from. Earth, Air, both perhaps? But also maybe not." He looked frustrated. "Placing my hand on the earth does not make it stronger or weaker. Trying to find from where it comes feels like chasing a mirage. But.. it has grown stronger since we have been here. " He looked toward the town. "And I think it was stronger in town. Do you think I has something to do with that mana font we were told about? Could I be feeling that?" He asked, suddenly perking up at the thought.

"You are far more attuned to natural magic than I am, so I suppose it could be coming from the font," Blackthorn said. "We'll need to see if it is time or proximity that is responsible for the sensation. Hopefully the latter rather than the former. I suspect we might be here for a while. There are things Wymsin wants to investigate. And I want to spend some time with the elves."

Orrin nodded, then smiled a bit. "I am glad you were able to find other elves. Being the last of your kind...." His smile faltered, a shadow crossing his gaze. "Well, now you know you aren't the last. "

"Whereas you are in the position I was in yesterday, unaware as to whether you are the last of your kind." The elf shrugged. "We will just have to keep looking. At least we'll have an easier time seeing your fellows coming." Even here, even now, he was unwilling to put a name to what Ren was. He didn't trust any of the ears in this town, no matter how pointed they were.

Orrin snorted. "Perhaps. It would surely help if we knew more about what they might be capable of. "He sighed. "I just hope I don't do anything... troublesome." He said, rubbing a finger along his brow where one of his horns had been for that short time. "But enough of me. Can I help set your mind at ease? It would be the least I could do for all you have done for me, and all the trouble I have been for you."

"Not unless you can undo five hundred years of belief that I was alone," Blackthorn said. "Or convince a professional paranoiac that something this impossible is real."

"In the past few months you met a dryad, me, watched someone get up from being dead, fought a devil and met what you think was a god... why would this not be real? Simply because it is something you desired deeply but gave up hope upon? Think. This explains so much. Why you have not seen any of your kind for so long. I doubt anyone could just stumble into this place. The dwarves told us they have a mine and a forge further up the ridge. They have been acting as a sort of protector to this place for a while now. Imagine that there could be other places like this out there. Places filled with magic, hidden away, where those who are hunted can be safe. I wish I had been brought someplace like this. Then perhaps I would not be the burden I am."

Blackthorn smiled wryly. "Remind you of the description of a certain castle tower that is only there if it wants to be found?" He shook his head. "Perhaps Wymsin can find something in the library. A map of secret places that you can only find if you know they are there."

"maybe. And maybe Madis and I can make use of this mysterious dungeon for training so I can be of some use." He looked down at his hands. He had pulled out the small dragon figure from his bag and was absently rubbing his thumb over it.

"Perhaps," Blackthorn agreed. He snorted. "At least I've been given clearance to destroy anything I find there. It would seem that one of our companions is very selective about what does and does not deserve to live another day, our own feelings on the matter notwithstanding. Apparently everything in there is a construct. Not unlike your friend there, assuming I understand the magic involved."

Orrin looked at him funny. "Well, wymsin is a priestess. Of course she is loathe to kill unless necessary. Wait, you weren't talking about her, were you? You said selective .." he shook his head, then looked back at the dragon. " They used to be separate pieces." He said, tilting his head as he looked at it. " The gem... Causes the timeless sleep. The dragon... Makes the room and the furnishings."

"You are more astute than you realize," Blackthorn said. "As I have mentioned, I'm not exactly an expert at magic, so I couldn't tell you how to separate them, let alone what would happen if you did. You might put this entire vale into a dreamless, eternal sleep."

"I would not wish that on anyone." Orrin said, turning the dragon over in his hand. Then he tucked it back in his bag. " Perhaps one day I will find someone knowledgeable and trustworthy enough to look at it. For now it is just a physical representation of my past."

Blackthorn’s hand went unconsciously to his bow. He’d made it a long time ago but still it hand been well after the demise of his people. He’d put every ounce of his knowledge and skill into it and, truth be told, a little of his soul. It was the closest thing he had to a relic of his people. Everything else had worn out, broken or been lost over the centuries. “Treasure it. You may one day find that it brings you comfort where nothing else does. If you still feel you can’t sleep, get out your knife and show me what you still remember.”

Orrin nodded in appreciation of the sentiment, then let a smile cross his lips. "That sounds like a good distraction for us both." He said.

Darkflame · « **Reply #14 on:** »

Morning had come quietly, as had breakfast. It seemed that many of them had much to think of. Once they had eaten, Orrin fished some coins from his pouch and held them out to wymsin. "The dwarves asked me to give this to you because they did not know if they would see you before they left for home. They said they wished they could spare more, as the item they had lost was worth much more than this because of the magic it had, but that you can ask the blacksmith for help on anything while you are here and he will handle it at a discounted rate." In his hand sat a gold coin and a couple silver.

Wymsin softly thanked the lad for the donation slipping the coin into the folds of her cloak the gold piece would go to her church the next time she was near a temple or shrine of the Pale Lady.

She had been generally quiet that morning cooking up the food serving the group but she didn't harass the group with questions. Instead she ate her porridge and worked on the letter to her elven hosts from last night formally thanking them for their hospitality and apologizing for her poor manners and the scene that she had caused.

With the meal done she stood announcing to the others that she was going to head out to the Library as she slipped on her back pack and she watched as Scout perked up. "Lydicas did you and Scout want to go out and hunt? See what you can drum up for yoursleves so you don't have to subsist on porridge I know you aren't fans and if you get lucky and have your fill whatever you bring home can be used for future meals so you don't wear out our welcome here or have to spend more coin with the local pubs markets and butcher."

The concept seemed to please the wolfkin who had slowly been developing a bond with scout and she watched as the two wolves took off and nodded to herself as she made her way to the library.

The way to the library was easy enough, as it resided on the third floor of the tower. The town itself wasn't exactly bustling, but also wasn't too silent either. The townsfolk seemed curious and perhaps a bit excited at seeing a new face.

---

"Well, wymsin is probably headed for the library." Madis said, watching the woman depart with a pensive look on his face. " I guess Ren and I will head into town to find out more about this mysterious dungeon. Want to join us, Blackthorn?" Raijin had flown off to investigate the gargoyle on the tower, and he wasn't close enough to Narisha to care about what she chose to do.

“I think I want to get a look at the waterfall,” Blackthorn answered. “If it isn’t right, then I won’t be digging any root holes. If it is?” The elf shrugged. “I don’t know how fast dryad trees grow. If this is the place, Ren might have a chance to say goodbye to an old friend.”

Wymsin made her way to the Library and was greeted by the familiar smell of leather bound books vellum and paper. She breathed in the soothing familiar scent as she made her way deeper into the room her silver eyes scanning the shelves as she felt a tinge of excitement in her belly at the prospect to look through the new assembled collection of tomes. She would however have to ask for permission from the librarian and trust they could guide her to that which she currently sought.

"I would like that very much. " Orrin said with a smile. " Perhaps we meet at lunch to share what we have found? We can share a meal by the lake."

Madis nodded, satisfied with the idea. " That good for you? Maybe we can drag wymsin away from the books for a meal."

---

" Well hello there. I don't think we've met." The voice was deep but quiet, coming from behind wymsin. When she turned, she was greeting with the sight of an extremely large figure with horns adorned with colorful scraps of fabric and a pair of gold rimmed spectacles on a black furry snout. The minotaur had a stack of books in his muscular arms.

Wymsin blinked at the book keeper not what she was expecting but rather than rudely gaping at the bovine blooded man she nodded. "Sister Wymsin, I serve the Pale Lady Selene Goddess of the Moon. I came here seeking knowledge about your tower and dungeons to assist my companions who have come to visit your town."

" Nice to meet you, sister wymsin. I am Marcus, the librarian. I'm afraid there isn't much information here about the tower, and you would be better speaking with Catrina downstairs about the dungeon. She runs the dungeoneer office on the second floor. Other than that, if you make a right at the end of the row you can find our local history section, which may have some useful information for you. I can answer some questions for you as well if you like?"

"I don't think we have enough horses to pull Wymsin out of the library," Blackthorn said, more than half serious. "But we can try. At the lake for noon." He turned and headed for the river, intending to follow it back to the waterfall.

Wymsin nodded and asked Marcus about how long he had lived here in the town and how long he had served as the lore keeper indicating she was happy to look over the town history.

"oh, I've lived here all my life, well all of it that I can remember. I was a foundling. As far as how long I've been librarian, oh, about 20 years give or take. I always loved coming here when I was a boy, so I trained with the old man to take over. " Marcus said with a smile as he shelved the books he carried. " If you want stories he has a lot, if you can get him focused enough. "

----

The waterfall was easy to find. It fed into the large lake that the town was built around, and was surrounded by tall cliffs. It was easy to see that this was not the place the dryad had show him, even if it was beautiful, the water vapor making rainbows in the air.

"Perhaps another day kind sir. I do not know how long we will be staying but I felt perhaps learning more about the town and such might help us with the investigation of your dungeon and perhaps help us reduce the threats that they contain." Wymsin said as she settled down at a table ready to look over the tomes that Marcus would find for her to read.

Blackthorn watched the water falling. He wasn't sure how long. The base of the waterfall was rocky, with no soil to support much more than some rushes. There was no way a tree could flourish here. "This is no place for you," he said aloud, touching the seed."I will carry you a while longer, it would seem. Have no fear, I will find the proper place in time. Then you can set your roots in fertile soil and grow strong, straight and tall."

He returned to watching the waterfall. Once, he bent to drink some of the water from the river, before returning to watching. After a time, he turned away from the waterfall, looking for the entrance to(or was it exit from?) the dungeon.

There were signs closer to the waterfall, stating that the path was slippery. Given that there was no visible entrance to the dungeon, that implied a hidden one. A path NEAR the waterfall suggested that perhaps the path went BEHIND the waterfall. Blackthorn put up his hood and headed for the path. He kept one hand on his sword as he moved closer.

The books that Marcus brought to Wymsin outlined some of the monsters that had been seen in the dungeon, as well as the main reason why there were still people who delved into its depths knowing that there was a never ending supply of monsters. Apparently there were many unique resources within its depths, such as mana infused crystals that many of the townfolk used regularly in thier day to day lives. There were also floors where rare plants could be found growing, apparently thriving in the magical confines.

Darkflame · « **Reply #15 on:** »

As it happened, the hidden entrance to the dungeon was made more apparent by the appearance of someone coming from behind the waterfall. She was tall, dressed in simple clothing, breeches and a loose blouse tied with a sash colored a blushing pink. Her long, dark hair hung around her shoulders and clung damply to her cheeks. In her arms she carried a bag from which various leaves and flowers could be seen peeking from the top of.

"Are you hiding a garden behind there?" Blackthorn asked, stepping aside to make sure the woman could pass without difficulty. "I'm new here, so I'm not sure whether I should be surprised by that or not."

"A garden?" The woman looked up, surprised, and he could see that her eyes were the same shade of blush pink as her sash, and with that oddity brought to his attention, he noticed that her skin held a very faint trace of green, and indeed, her hair was a deep green that bordered upon black. This was not human. She tilted her head as she looked him over, then smiled. "It's not a garden, really. The third level down has a lot of useful herbs and other plants, that's all. I go gather them when I need to. You really must be new here if you didn't know that. My name is Lyric. "She shuffled her grasp on her bag so she could hold a hand out to greet him.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. I am Blackthorn," the elf replied, taking her hand. "And yes, I am new here. I arrived last night. I'm going to be horribly rude and ask what you are, Lyric. I've never seen someone like you. I am at once intrigued and wary. Obviously not so wary that I won't shake your hand but wary nonetheless."

She giggled. "It's quite alright. I actually prefer it when people just ask. So much easier. I'm a Nymph. My father was a Willow Dryad."

"I can say without fear of contradiction that I have never met a nymph." Blackthorn tapped the pouch around his neck. "I have met a dryad., briefly. I carry her seed and a promise to plant it near a waterfall." He gestured. "Sadly, this is not the right waterfall." He wasn't sure why he was telling Lyric about his task; it just seemed like something he should do. Then again, this was an odd place, so he should have expected some odd behaviour out of himself as well.

"Third level down, you say? I have a friend who might want to visit that level, should the plants there prove beneficial. I'm assuming it isn't difficult to get there unharmed? I've heard some interesting things about the dungeon."

Wymsin chatted with the librarian and read the books for a couple hours making some notes in her one book when something of interest cropped up from plant pictures to descriptions of the creatures within and what they might be capable of.

Standing up she stretched to get the blood moving in her legs again after sitting for a spell.

She enquired again about going to the 2nd floor to talk to the dungeoneer lore keeper making sure that it would be okay and that she would not be intruding before she made her way to the floor in search of more answers about the dungeon within the small hidden town. (edited)

"Nymphs are very rare, mostly because it is hard to find a male dryad. Of course female ones are in short supply right now too, unless you know where to find them. How interesting that one trusted her seed to you. That doesn't happen often. "She smiled. "And yes, the third level down. It's not too difficult. The first couple of floors are mostly populated with bats and rats and the such, so it isn't hard to get there, and there are a lot of useful healing herbs. I would be glad to guide you and your friend if you like. It's been such a long time since we've had visitors here."

-------

"Whoa, seriously!? A new person?" The voice was youthful and energetic, and totally matched the girl who literally bounded over the counter to greet Wymsin as she went to the second floor. The girl had wild golden hair with streaks of red and brown through it, and furry ears peeked from it, almost lost in the chaos of fluff. She had beautiful caramel colored skin and amber eyes that slit for the pupil. She wore a leather vest and pants, and soft leather boots, and behind her a fuzzy tail twitched. It was easy to tell what she was, based off of Wymsins interactions with Lydicas- this was a feline beastkin (known commonly as a whiskerkin).

"Hi! I'm Catrina. You want to go to the dungeon, right? Youve come to the right place! I can tell you all you need to know and even set you up with a quest or two!"

"Thank you Catrina. I'm Sister Wymsin I serve Selene goddess of the moon wisdom and magic." Wymsin said giving the catkin a polite bow. |I arrived here yesterday with a small party of seasoned folk. Any advice or details you wish to provide about your dungeon would be very appreciated. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. "

"you came with a whole party?" The feline girl was practically dancing in excitement. "That's so awesome!" She gestured towards the counter. "Come on, come on! It's been so long since I've seen someone new. The dungeon might seem super dangerous, but it's not really, not until you get pretty deep in. Every level is a bit harder than the one before. So a completely untrained person could totally go in the first level and not die. Just.. watch out if you are afraid of creepy crawlies. You know, bats and rats, and pretty big ones. "

"A decent party we have a swordsman, a wolfin that's pretty good with his hands, a witch, a plumekin with some arcane gifts, an elf with exceptional bow skills a young lad thats trying to learn how to fight hes sort of the gentlemans squire or apprentice despite them not being knights and then they have a healer she said pointing to herself. Tell me of these levels if you can and how deep the towns folk normally go before things get unpleasant also theres an up and a down for the tower, if possible an outline of what is down would be something I would really be keen on." Wymsin said offering the woman a smile with a hopeful look reflected in her silver eyes.

"It's long story and involves truths that are not mine to reveal," Blackthorn said. "Should we need a guide, where would I find you?" He had no doubt that he would be able to protect Wymsin on her journey but it was always good to have a native guide who knew the terrain.

"Wow!" The catgirl's eyes were practically sparkling. "What an awesome sounding party! I bet you could take down some serious monsters. How exciting!" She did a little dance, then remembered herself and had the good grace to look sheepish. "So... yeah... the first few levels are super easy, just like rats and bats.. stuff like that. Theres a few townsfolk that go in for the first few levels since the third one has a bunch of useful herbs. You hae to go a bit deeper for the crystals, but the low grade ones are on the seventh floor, so the delvers usually start there. after level ten it starts getting a bit more difficult. Thats the level you start seeing humanoid monsters. Up til that point its usually animalish stuff. But you should bring supplies if you plan to go on an extended delve. You can forage some edible plants and whatnot, but the animals in the dungeon aren't edible. I mean, well they aren't usually poisonous- unless they are supposed to be-, so your wolfkin can totally chomp something and wont get sick, but eating it is pointless. You just have an empty stomach afterwards. Those things die, and after a while they just fade away. I guess they just return to the mana, if that makes sense." She pulled out a booklet and passed it over the counter. "Um, we have maps of the floors people have been to. This booklet shows the first 15 floors."
-----

Lyric pointed towards the other side of the lake where there was an extremely large willow. "I live and work under the Willow tree. And before you ask, no, it's not my father." She smiled.

Blackthorn grinned. “That might lead to awkward conversations,” he said. “Is it actually a dryad or is it an actually willow?”

He was looking at the tree, trying to find the easiest way to reach it. “And how does one knock on a nymph’s door? Do I rap on the trunk or thud my boot against the roots?”

"only a willow. There are sadly no dryads here. " She said, then smiled. " And you can just knock on the door to my shop. It's easy to see from merchant square." She told him, gesturing beyond the tree to the rest of the buildings beyond.

“So you literally live in the tree,” Blackthorn said. “You must have been listening to the elves. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a proper tree house.”

A long time. A long, lonely, painful time.

"I do. It's peaceful, and my shop, I'm the town herbalist, is at its base. " Her green tinted skin took on a pretty blush. " You could come see it if you like. I... Im not usually the type to invite someone I just met home, but I think it might be okay. You just seem like it would make you happy.." she said so softly it could barely be heard over the waterfall.

"You don't need to do anything that might make you uncomfortable," Blackthorn said, looking at the tree. "I used to live in a tree, a long time ago. Not a willow though. Cyprus. In the Everglade." He snorted and shook his head. "They're likely all cut down now. But by the Gods they were majestic, the canopy towering over your head, so high up the limbs were lost in shadows. We used to dare each other to climb into the canopy as children."

He chuckled. "I' just remembered that. I'll need to tell Wymsin."

"Is that your friend, this Wymsin?" The Nymph said, and gestured towards the path behind him. " Shall we walk and talk?"

"Yes, she is," Blackthorn answered. "A mage and a priestess of the moon. Insatiable curiosity. She'd never met another elf and she's been recording everything I can remember about growing up, because she didn't grow up with elves. Perhaps you should lead, because you know where you are going."

She nodded and slid past him to take the lead on the path into town. " Priestess of the moon, hmm? Can't say I've met one of those, even in my travels. Must be the sort who usually stay cooped up. Is she an elf too, then? " She laughed. " Oh they've got to be losing Thier minds. Two new elves in town. Did someone warn you about those old women yet? They are going to be throwing suitors at you both faster than you can blink."

“She’s mostly elf,” Blackthorn answered. “Three quarters at least. It isn’t the resident elves that are losing their minds. It’s me. For the past five centuries, I thought I was the last one left alive. I have met two of them and it was a very intense moment emotionally. I’m not sure how I would handle having an elven maiden thrust upon me with in the hopes that I might be a suitable match. I may settle here eventually but I have a task to complete first.”

He looked at the nymph. “What about you? How are you handling being here without any of your own kind?”

"Well, as I said, Nymphs are rare, so I've only ever met one other and that was a long time ago, before I came here. Nymphs come about when a male dryad has a child with a non dryad. In my case, my mother was an elf, so it's kind of nice to be around elves, although this community is a bit.. odd.. as far as elven communities go. It's to be expected I suppose. We have so many different kinds of creatures here, and all of us rely on the dungeon as a source of livelihood in one way or another. And of course the mana here is very thick. It sometimes has odd effects on people." Her tone was friendly as they made thier way back to the town proper.

“Care to elaborate on what you mean by ‘odd effects’?” Blackthorn asked. “I’m trained by the Ravens, so odd generally has a negative meaning for me and usually leads to me hunting something down to see if it is a danger more to itself or to things around it. Most recently that was a fox spirit out for revenge. We convinced it to accept the return of its pelt and tail.”

He wasn’t about to tell Lyric that the spirit had tried to kill Madis and had developed an unhealthy attachment to Ren or that it had died trying to defend him from a demon. No sense in making every story a sad one.

She stopped and looked at him, blinking as she registered his words. "That.. seems like dangerous.. and morally complicated... Work." She said finally. "Still," she continued, turning back to walking towards town, " I doubt you will find much to hunt here unless you care to try your skills in the dungeon. I understand that young men used to use it as a sort of proving ground." She shook her head. " But as for your question, the mana can boost strength, or speed, or sometimes in those who are more sensitive to it it can cause abilities to awaken or misbehave. We even had a year where it seemed everyone birthed multiples. Mostly twins but there was a set of triplets. So, nothing particularly dangerous I wouldn't think."

“Twins? Elven twins? Wymsin will lose her mind.” Blackthorn shrugged. “Yes, it can be complicated. But there are cases where monsters preying on a community is only the perspective of the community. They conveniently forget why they did to provoke the monster in the first place. Destroyed its home. Killed its pack. People can be short sighted”

Wymsin thanked the lady and took the small booklet and began studying the pages with interest while casually asking if the woman had ever gone into the depths of the place personally.

"Who me? Sure, but it's been a while. I'm the only one who mans the office here, so I can't just run off." The catgirl sighed whistfully. "I heard there used to be whole parties that would delve into the dungeon to discover its secrets and riches. Now people just go looking for things they need. You looking for something in particular?"

"Not really anything in particular that I know of but we are in need of funds. So anything that you could list off that your department or the town would have a desire to purchase is of interest to us." Wymsin explained flashing to woman a smile

"oh! " The feline female perked up happily. " You want quests? We have quests. Members of town who don't want to or can't go in the dungeon come and post quests for items they are looking for. You and your friends can fulfill them for rewards." She slid a board from behind the counter that had slips of paper on it describing numerous requests for items. There was a request for various types of crystals, some plants she had never heard of, and even a request to trap a certain type of monster and bring it out of the dungeon for study.

"But don't the monsters vanish if you kill them or they stray too far from the dungeon? You know due to their mana dependent environment or is there enough outside in the town that they can exist?"The priestess asked curiously

"oh yes, if you kill them, the vanish, although they have been known to randomly leave behind things like teeth and claws or feathers and such. But there is enough mana to keep them from dissapearing if they are still alive usually, as long as they dont go too far from the dungeon and the mana font, not that we have been able to pinpoint where that is."

Wymsin nodded "My guess is buried deep within the walls of your dungeon. Before I head off to update my companions is there a list of wanted items and any other advice you think could be useful to our group ma'am?"

" I keep a log, but the slips here have the quests. If you see one or two you like, take them from the board. And the best advice I can give you is be careful the first time you go in. The maps are pretty accurate but occasionally something will change."

"Fascinating magically shifting terrain." She murmured as she silently mused and wondered if her enclave housed a font or part of one as it was layered with illusions and it was rumored that should you seek out certain rooms within that they could only be found during very specific conditions. Wymsin wandered over to the board checking out the missions and the pertaining floors. There was little point in being greedy as they were the only adventuring party in town. Start off small and go onwards from there.

Besides she mused she had read up but Magic could Act up for those when the party that used such things. She used magic as did the Hedge witch and then there was Ren. It would be prudent to take things very cautiously she had a lot to report to the group.
January 29, 2022

"so is there anything else I can help with?" Catrina asked, her tail twitching happily as she watched wymsin with sparkling eyes.

Darkflame · « **Reply #16 on:** »

Lyric turned to Blackthorn as they approached the willow tree by the lake. As she had said, there was a small building at its base, half hidden by the curtains of leaves. He own home, up in the branches, could I lay be seen if you knew what to look for. "It has been lovely speaking with you. As I said, I would be glad to guide you to the herbs should you like. " She chewed her lip a moment. " And... Well, if it's not too much to ask, maybe I could see the seed you carry before you leave?"

"I think that will be everything for now unless I have questions of the requests bulletins Miss catrina." she said as she took a look at the requests an selected one of the requests that was the least deep into the levels of the dungeon reading it over to familiarize herself with it.
January 30, 2022

Blackthorn raised his eyebrows. "Coming from a beautiful woman who spoke so recently about her loneliness, that might be taken two ways," the elf said. "But I understand which one you meant." He pulled out the small pouch that hung around his neck and, with great care, shook the acorn out into his palm. "Would you like to hold her for a moment?" he asked.

The easiest request on the board was one for light crystals from the fifth level. There wasn't a particular number of crystals requested, and the earned money depended on the size of the crystals. If asked, Catrina would explain that some of the crystals on that level glow with mana, but all they are good for is light sources. The ones much deeper can be used for certain elemental magical effects.

----

The Nymph blushed a pretty pink at blackthorn's words, but her embarrassment was quickly forgotten at the offer of being able to hold the seed. "that would be wonderful!" She breathed excitedly.

With great care, Blackthorn placed the seed in the centre of Lyric’s palm. He watched carefully and intently to see what her reaction was. It could range from disappointment that the seed was so normal to excitement that she’d been able to commune with it. Only one thing was certain; things were going to end with the seed once again safe and sound in the pouch around Blackthorn’s neck.

No matter how cute the nymph was or how prettily she blushed or begged, nothing was standing between him and the promise he’d made to the dryad.

Lyric gazed down at the acorn for a moment, then closed her eyes, humming softly. "Oh! Aravel... " She said. " It's been such a long time. Going home finally?" She smiled.

Wymsin spent several more minutes talking with Catrina to learn about the crystal types to get a better understanding of what crystals were best to farm and with the knowledge firmly under her belt, she spent a few more minutes to write a letter of apology and thanks to her elven dinner hosts from the previous night.

With it penned and with thanks given and apologies offered for her early exit she took her backpack of notes and the work order for the crystals with her back to the earthen hut, to their base of operations. There was the brief pause in returning to the hut to slip her note to the elder elven couple, quietly slipping it between the front doors slight gap before she found her way back.

Her stomach rumbled softly it wasn't time yet for dinner though so she settled to fill the kettle and restock the fire so she could brew up some tea while she snacked on a piece of cheese. She looked over her notes in her book as she waited for the others to return from their various outings. She hopped that the Wolfkin Lydicas and her familiar Scout had fortune while out hunting for their breakfast and that perhaps they would return with some fresh game that she could put to use for their meal later that evening.

Blackthorn raised his eyebrows. “So you know her? How well?” His opinion of the nymph’s age rose radically. “Were you aware of her task?” he asked, trying to contain his excitement. “I met her only in her last moments and took up some measure of her burden.”

"Hello, wymsin." Orrin said as he came into the hut carrying a bag with a loaf of crusty bread hanging out of it. He was apparently alone. "Madis got us some bread and fruit to go with dinner. He is still in town, speaking with some artisans about getting a new pair of glasses." He explained, setting the bag down near the fire. "apparently his old ones were special made to use certain oils and mixtures for magical effects, like being able to see in the dark."

----

"Oh yes, I know her. She's my grandmother." Lyric smiled brightly. "I haven't seen her for quite some time. " She looked up at blackthorn, her eyebrows knitting together. "Her task? She never mentioned a task." She looked down and cocked her head as if listening. "Oh, I do remember a boy, yes. Lovely thing with golden hair and bright blue eyes. She adored him. Is he safe? " She looked up again for the answer from blackthorn, but it was clear her attention was a bit torn.

“He is safe,” Blackthorn said. “He is here. That is the part of your grandmother’s task that I have taken up. I, along with some others, are protecting him, educating him and trying to find a place for him. It is unfortunate that this is not the correct waterfall. It would have been nice for Aravel to grow among friends and family.”

He had known the dryad only through their brief communion. Discovering that the nymph knew her well made him wonder if he should ask to know more about her.

"oh, good. I am glad to hear he is taken care of. But the Grove is a far way from here. It was kind of you to promise to.." she stopped and looked down at the acorn with a shocked expression. " Hold on, she's trying to tell me something but it's a bit jumbled." She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment, then shook her head. " I can't make it out. " She opened her eyes again and held out the acorn. " I can tell you the place she wants to go is far to the northwest of here and hard to find, much like this place."

Blackthorn smiled. "Anything you can tell me will help. Northwest is the most information I've been able to gather. Up to this point, it's been a case of following rivers to their source." The chance meeting with Lyric was proving far more useful than the elf had imagined. More and more he was thinking that this was a place that he could settle, now that he knew that he was not the last of the elves.

That was still something he was trying to accept. He'd thought himself alone for so long. Then he'd met Wymsin and then he'd found this place. She had been his good luck charm. He was going to have to find out what happened to her parents.

"I can try and mark a general location on a map if you like. You mentioned a waterfall, and I know she told me she would like to go home when she could, so all I can assume is she wishes to go back to the Grove. I do hope you stay for a bit before you have to be on your way, though. "

“We will be staying for the immediate future at least,” Blackthorn said. “Wymsin wanted a chance to study at the library in the tower. Any help in finding the waterfall would be appreciated. I doubt Aravel would run out of patience any time soon but I suspect she would rather find herself there sooner rather than later. I’m sure once I get close, I will find myself guided, if not escorted, to the correct location. I doubt the other dryads would appreciate my trespassing, even with good cause.”

Wymsin nodded. "It is nice that the old man feels it is safe enough in town to let you be on your own. Hopefully your day as interesting. The trip the library proved fruitful. I wonder what Lydicas has managed to rustle up for dinner. Has he or Scout been back since they left late morning?

"I haven't been here to see, but I also haven't seen them in town. I doubt it is anything to worry over though. No doubt they are enjoying themselves. " He pulled out a bit of fruit and some cheese he found in the bottom of the bag, offering some to wymsin for a snack. " There's plenty enough for snacks too." He smiled, then got a thoughtful look as he sat. " Say, wymsin, have you noticed anything odd since we got here? I've been feeling this strange... Vibration, and it seems to be stronger when I go into town. It kept me up all last night. Blackthorn and I talked last night and it might be that I am just sensitive to the extra magic here, so I was wondering if you felt it too."

Darkflame · « **Reply #17 on:** »

Lyric pursed her lips as if thinking on what next to say. " I think... You might be surprised." She told him. " At any rate, I'll mark it before you return to your journey. I can't tell you how to get in, but I am sure you will find the way. Until we next speak." She gave him a little wave and disappeared into the leaves.

Wymsin nodded. "The area is very saturated in magic. Its a very comforting feel very nostalgic for me. I hypothesize perhaps that the mages enclave maybe sought out areas where there were high concentrations of mana to build their strongholds. that or just over the years of spell work in one spot has seeped into the stonework to create an effect similar to this one?" She said as she looked quizzically into the fire as she poked the flame her silver eyes looking to the pot of water hoping it would boil soon so that tea could be had. "What are your thoughts about the place and things Ren?"

Orrin took a bite of a small apple like fruit and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. " Well, it is certainly much different than the city. The folks here seem friendly enough but I have noticed a bit of a cool reception when Madis approaches. I have a feeling they don't much care for humans, and so far I haven't seen any in town."

"Can you really blame them on the human front? The other races are less common and humans do have a way of announcing to the world that they are superior. I can firmly attest to that in my enclave I was never seen as equal due to my heritage. Plus they expend to territories take them over and seem to procreate faster than the elder races so perhaps they worry that Madis will tell other humans of this place and fear that they will be pushed out of their homes. Is there anywhere in particular you feel the pull of magic to be stronger? I was told if we investigate the tower that it is teeming with mana so I suspect that place will make you perk up and take notice I haven't really wandered the entire town yet so I have no idea if there are other concentrated pockets of magics lurking about." Wymsin said casually "For now I think this is a fairly safe place with a grand opportunity for us to make money before we head back out to try and find that waterfall that Blackthorn seeks. I even took us a job request which we can get into after dinner when the others return."

"oh, a job request? That sounds interesting. " Orrin mused. " As for Thier stance on humans, no I certainly do not blame them. Historically speaking, they have plenty of reason to distrust if not outright hate." He gestured to the pot on the fire. " Water is boiling. " He said, then looked down at his fingers, flexing them. " And if this feeling is magic, then yes, the strongest seems to be there at the tower. I made sure to check before I came back here."

Wymsin nodded pulling out a small punch of black tea leaves mixed with clover flower and rose hips and added some to the boiling water as she took the pot off to rest on the ledge she build around the fire letting the herbs and flowers steep. "They have many jobs at the office I just don't want to have our first foray into there be a disaster so I only picked something that had us not go in too deep. I was warned that the tower could have an effect on magic using types and since we have a few of those in our group it seemed prudent to delve into this gingerly."

He perked up a bit. " An effect? What kind of effect?"

"Well she wasn't super clear because it can vary. Just magic tends to work differently. So spells might be stronger or weaker or could fizzle. we have no idea what might happen to you but you might i suspect pop horns or a tail or something of the sort if there are any mana surges I suspect. Again I have no solid evidence its all second hand anecdotal evidence that the catkin miss Catrina offered me when I inquired." Wymsin said as she took out a wooden spoon and stirred the pot her silvery eyes lifted from the pot to look at the young dragon. "With how drama and antics seem to crop up and follow you like a shadow, i suspect we might be in store for more abnormal aberrations to crop up in those regards. Go fetch your mug from your travel pack the tea is almost ready."

"I don't mean to cause drama." Orrin said dejectedly as he got up to do as she said.

"I know." She said calmly. "I assume its just all a part of your puberty how long it will last I have no idea. Experts in that feild would be hard to come by. I just state that if I was the gambling sort that likely our venture into the tower will likely have some unexpected hiccups. It is why when everyone gathers for dinner we should discuss the job and come up with ideas and a good list of supplies that we might need for when we go in so we can expect the unexpected and be armed so nothing bites us in the ass. No one is saying we leave you behind for the forray, though I do admit to the fact that heading into battles and the unknown with you not being seasoned in battle does make me worry, but that is just my opinion. I am not your keeper Ren at the end of the day you and Madis decide what paths of fate you chose to venture down."

"I suspect one of those paths might lead into the dungeon," Blackthorn said. He sniffed, smiling at what Wymsin was cooking. "There is an entrance behind the waterfall. A nymph pointed it out to me. Her name is Lyric. She'd like to meet you, Ren. Turns out she's Aravel's granddaughter. She mentioned something you might find intriguing, Wymsin; the mana font occasionally surges and has caused, among other things, a spate of twin births, including with the elves."

Wymsin's shoulders tightened slightly at the sound of the elfs voice as he entered their abode as she stirred the pot of tea and poured a cup of the hot fragrant liquid when Ren presented his cup. The last evenings exchange at the elder elven house hold still fresh in her mind. "Grab your mug and you can have some as well." She said her tone neutral. She took the time to digest the information and when the dark haired elf returned she filled his mug. "Interesting so the mana font might have more than just magical abilities but to help promote the elder races in increasing their numbers with twins when pregnancies occur. So was the water fall the correct place to plant your seed or will we need to continue our search for more fertile ground?"

“It wasn’t just the elves,” Blackthorn answered, blowing on the contents of the mug. “It was everyone who birthed over the course of a year. It seems events can be triggered.”

He took a sip from the mug. “It is not the correct place, despite the presence of the Aravel’s granddaughter. Lyric was able to commune with her. She said it was a little fragmented but she was able to pin things down more accurately. To the northwest and equal as hard to find as this place. Given the location I suspect it may be a dryad forest. You should both meet her. Lyric knew about you, Ren and described you. You’ll have a great deal to discuss with her, Wymsin. She’s the towns herbalist and knows a great deal about what is to be found in the dungeon as far as plants are concerned.”

Wymsin nodded as she poured herself a cup of tea letting the heat seep into her hands as she focused on the almost too unpleasant sensation as the elf spoke. She chose her words carefully trying not to irk him. "If you wish it I will seek her out to converse, when should I head out?" She murmured as she tried to sip the tea noting it was far too hot.

"She lives under the willow on the far side of the waterfall," Blackthorn answered. "Literally under it. She said to just knock on the door. I don't know how long she has been here. Centuries at least. She'd be a useful resource if you wanted information on what is available in the dungeon."

The priestess nodded "After I cook dinner and see us all fed I will seek her out for an interview if she will have me."

Orrin sat listening to them converse as he gently blew across the top of his mug. He had been surprised to hear about the Nymph, especially her being aravels granddaughter. It made him miss the dryad all the more.

“She seems friendly enough,” Blackthorn replied. “She was quite chatty with me when we met and I was a heavily armed stranger. I suspect that a fellow herbalist would receive an even warmer welcome. She did warn me that it was very likely that the elven families would be throwing suitors at the pair of us, so take that as you will. You’ll likely be able to glean more of the elven culture out of them as well. I’m going by memory while they are living it.”

"Do you think it is wise to write it down will it be the same as what you've told me or is this going to cause inconsistencies with what you have shared because they are from another region?" Wymsin shut her eyes trying to ignore the gentle throb behind her eyes as she thought of all the work she had laid out before her. She loved to learn and collect information but at the time she felt like all of that should potentially take a back seat due to the fact her goddess had come to her in a dream or vision while she had been meditating.

The pale goddess had come to her desiring her to check out the dungeon and had urged her to go below to seek that which lay up top. She felt uneasy so far she had spent the morning and afternoon researching what she could about the tower would a visit to the dryad this evening help with that investigation or would she be eating up time that should be spent focusing solely on how to traverse the tower.

“I suspect there may be the occasional variation on the majority of topics. I may have misremembered certain phrases or omitted parts of a story that didn’t have a major impact on the outcome. You may even encounter a variation in dialect. But as a scholar I’m sure you know better than to rely on a single source when there are. Multiple available. When we both thought I was the only living elf, it made sense to take what I said as gospel. Now you have a chance to see whether what I remember was accurate. Not to mention I suspect that you will be able to learn things about other artisans and how they work their art. I doubt a baker would thank the wood the way I do but they may thank the flour.”

Wymsin frowned and nodded "Yes I guess this is true. I-It just changed a lot and the amount of work the lays ahead it... is....its....a bit intimidating. A lot of writing and interviewing and I don't want to annoy anyone more than I already have." Her thoughts went back to the older couple and the botched dinner her ears began to turn red "And there is the small matter of the Pale Lady. She chose to speak to me last night. She has told me I have to do something. I think perhaps that should be put at top priority until I can solve the mystery she wishes me to look into."

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware,” Blackthorn said. “That would obviously take priority. “

"Last night didn't really seem like a proper time to bring it up." She murmured blushing harder mildly ashamed of the how the evening had played out. It was likely true that she had over reacted but she was still hurt and embarrassed with how Blackthorne had thrown her to the wolves and over shared with the older elven couple.

Orrin looked up from his cup. " Your goddess spoke to you? When? How? What did she say? I mean... If you can say, that is... Sorry." He sounded energetically curious at first, then cut himself back when he realized she might not be able to talk about it like raijin.

"She wants me to investigate the tower." Wymsin confessed. "I had wanted to wait for everyone to be present to talk about this but as it is were down a wolfkin and old man a plumekin and a hedge witch..."

"So we're missing the majority," Blackthorn said. "Is it specifically the tower or is the dungeon included? If I may venture a thought as someone who knows little of magic, is the dungeon perhaps a way to vent off excess mana, like the boiling over of a lidded pot?"

"It is hard to say how the tower and dungeon work. I can only compare to how our enclave towers are set up. Mana has saturated the walls for years and things are not always what they seem upon inspection. The routes taken to get somewhere might not be as straightforward as what one would expect in a normal tower structure. With what my goddess relayed I am guessing it is something similar I must go down to get to the top. But I figured a simple excursion to go into the tower to make some money and scout and do some investigating before we dive right into poking around in the basement." Wymsin explained.

" that feeling I told you about last night was stronger at the tower. I checked before I came back here. Madis is talking to someone about new glasses." Orrin told Blackthorn

"You might need to avoid the tower then," Blackthorn said. "It wouldn't do to push things too far."

" do you think it could be dangerous? Like maybe I could lose control of my shape and end up getting big and scaly and stepping on people?"

"It is a possibility,"Blackthorn said. "We know so little about your abilities. I doubt you'd deliberately step on people but then I don't know how well you can balance with four legs, no arms, a set of wings and a tail."

Orrin nodded. "That is true. I suppose I should stay out here away from town as much as possible then. People have already remarked on my eyes. We wouldn't want to risk putting anyone in danger."

"Or you can get a set of glasses that are tinted from wherever Madis is getting his made." Wymsin countered.

"people aren't worried about my eyes. The seem to be simply assuming that I am descended of lizard kin. The concern is if other things show." Orrin said with a half shrug.

"We had discussed the fact that the tower might have undisclosed effects on those of us that use magic. We simply do not know unless we test the theory however." Wymsin said. "Ultimately Madis and you should decide."

"If other things show, they will show. And we will deal with it," Blackthorn said. "This community seems built on secrecy, I doubt that they would expose you."

"Best place to have an oopsie I suppose since everyone around here is weird in their own right." Wymsin replied.

"so do I stay away from the tower or not? I am a bit confused. Perhaps it seems more complicated to me because I have not slept. Then again you would think I have had enough sleep for a lifetime." Orrin huffed, turning his mug around in his hands.

"It is a discussion best suited to have with your guardian when he comes back. You two can discuss the potential risks and come to a conclusion then." Wymsin said sipping her tea thankful it had cooled some.

Darkflame · « **Reply #18 on:** »

Some howling could be heard in distance. Followed by laughter and playful banter however it was oddly one sided. Lydicas hefted an ass end of a large buck to sit better on his back. Scouts body looked as if he was donning a new armor as the bucks rack balanced along his furry back with a bit of rope for stability.

"We're back! We got the grubs and some nice bone too!" he bellowed.

"I think Scout has a new best friend," Blackthorn said with a grin. "Hopefully that isn't somebody's pet. Good hunt, Lydicas. Did you save any of the offal or did you two snack on your way back?"

Wymsin's eyes widened as Lydicas came back. "Oh my thank the goddess this is such a bounty. My dear I did think you might bring something back but I thought maybe a couple rabbits. There is enough here we can feast like kings and I can even smoke some of this!" She rose inspecting the large haunch and give the towering wolfkin a pat on his arm her face full of admiration on the fact that they wouldn't have to worry about food for a weeks at least when it came to meat.

Wymsin got to work once they tied the haunch high over the fire pit and carved off a generous chunk to put in the stew pot. so they could stew for dinner.

"We chowed down on the front half at lunch. Not going to lie was hoping to grab two but this will do well. how has everyone's day in town been?" Lydicas stretched before beginning to untie the rope from Scout to release the bucks rack.

"interesting I think." Orrin said. " Madis should hopefully be back soon. You should like this place. People are pretty friendly, especially if you aren't human." He wiped out his mug with a cloth and settled back down to finish going through the supplies madis had bought in town.

"Met a nymph," Blackthorn said. "She lives under a tree by the waterfall. Not the right waterfall, unfortunately."

And hour and a half later the stew pot at the fire side was bubbling full of diced deer meat potatoes onions and carrots as Madis returned and Wymsin was quick to announce to the group seeing that everyone had finally returned, for them to fetch their bowls.

Hearty servings of stew were doled out to everyone as they ate and Wymsin announced what she had learned at the library and about the tower cheerfully informing everyone about the job opportunity to make some much needed money. "It isn't very deep into the tower but it is a start and a chance to ultimately see if our magic has any issues inside while also making some much needed coin. Thoughts?"

"From what I learned, the upper levels are relatively safe and individuals can venture there easily. Relatively safe is not completely safe, especially for people who don't know the layout," the elf said. "I would recommend pairs at least."

"Due to the unusual effects the dungeon has on magic we come to the fact we don't know how Ren might react to it so we have to decide if he should sit this one out. I propose he perhaps sits out the first excursion into the dungeon until we can observe how things react to arcane and clerical magic. So perhaps we have someone stay back to make sure he is safe while we delve in. Maybe someone would be willing to stay back with Ren so he will be safe and have company. The home team could stay back to research in the library while the second team can delve into the dungeon and return with the desired items we have for this job task." Wymsin said as she fished out the job request paper passing it to Madis so he could look over it. "On top of that yesterday when I was communing with my goddess she send me a message letting me know she desires us to go into this tower in town there is something at the top of the tower I believe her guidance mentioned the best way to do this is to go up rather than down. We do not need to do this first go in but for those that are interested there is that I must contend with. She didn't say what to look for or why however, I hope to meditate tonight and see if I she will tell me more but there are no guarantees."

“If there are commissions, we could likely pick up some coin here,” Blackthorn said. “Although I am not certain they would have much. Likely we will be paid in last fall’s jam or some fresh bread. Granted that I wouldn’t mind that sort of payment; food removed one transaction from the meal. I just hope it’s not all payment in goods or services. Barter had its place but it is hard to buy something three towns over when you were paid with one day of labour.”

"There are a slew of requests and they were offering more than just provisions for the jobs Blackthorn." Wymsin said. "We can definitely make coin."

“That would be an interesting change, eh Madis? Getting paid in something other than chickens?” The humour was hard to pick out of his odd accent but it was there. Ravens were frequently promised the moon to defeat monsters but were more often than not paid without the exchange of coin.

"I can vouch for that this country seems pretty poor since all the human towns and settlements I've assisted at have offered nothing really in the way of coin so its made trying to help others difficult. Diminishing returns I can't restock medicine if I'm being paid a copper here or there and a chicken or food. Milk of the poppy is very expensive and I haven't been able to restock that medicine I have two doses left so I have been hoarding it and not offering it to poor country folk in need incase we are in need of it. This town does seem to have coin since they do have a general store and the job slips are offering coin. Fret not Blackthorn." Wymsin said.

“I’m too old to fret,” Blackthorn said wryly. “I leave that to young men like Madis.”

Madis snorted. "At least we can eat chickens." He said, looking over the requests. "But yeah, they have coin. The dwarves trade over the mountain for them." He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. " I think it will be fine to split up, and checking out the dungeon is a good idea.". He gave blackthorn a flat look. "You sure you want a youngster like me wandering around in a dungeon?" He asked the elf in a tone that could have been humourous.

“How else am I supposed to trip any traps without getting hurt?” Blackthorn asked. “On a more serious not, is there a craftsman here that can replace your spectacles?”

"Ren mentioned earlier that was where Madis was, perhaps you were still out while that was discussed." Wymsin said. "With luck they could service you Madis."

Madis nodded. "He's trying. It's not his usual request, so it may take a bit. As it is, he did mention that if I could bring him some high quality crystal it would help. "

"Perhaps there is something like that inside the dungeons. Maybe after dinner you can go back and ask him if that is the case and perhaps if he has an idea what floor they might be found on if he can confirm that such crystals are inside this place." Wymsin said looking hopeful. "One thing we will need to do is provision our trip down to the dungeons wisely. You can't eat any of the monsters or animals there they vanish after you kill them returning back into the magical ether that they are spawned from. Also if magic can be unpredictable I think purchasing some torches or lanterns might also be in order just incase light spells cant be depended on as well as dry food stocks just to be on the side of caution.

Madis nodded. " It would be best if we went in with someone who knows what to expect but I think we can handle whatever comes our way."

"Can you manage it without your spectacles or will you be staying to take care of Ren until we return with your crystal?" Wymsin said.

"while useful for many things, I can see just fine without them." Madis said.

"This is useful to know and good news." Wymsin said as she cleared her bowl of stew. "So the thing now is what to do after dinner. See if the quartermaster's store is open for supplies. I mean we could make torches on our own there is enough wood out and about so all we would need is spare cloth and a bit of lamp oil. Food wise Lydicas has brought enough food we could carve up some of it and between myself and our lovely hedge mage she and I could likely use magic to preserve the meat so we have a form of jerky to take in with us. A run to a bakery for some heavy bread could be useful. What else do you think we might need folks?"

"Jars or bags to collect whatever we're looking for or perhaps cloth to wrap them," Blackthorn suggested. "It might even be worthwhile to use an actual lamp rather than torches. The flame would be protected and less likely to inadvertently set something on fire."

Darkflame · « **Reply #19 on:** »

The next day was overcast but it did not stop Blackthorn or the others from gathering the gear they needed. The elf had managed to get his hands on an actual lantern to light their way. He’d left his pack in their camp and was carrying only his weapons and some tools that he thought might be useful.

He looked at the dungeon entrance, then at the moon priestess. “I trust that you have a description of what you seek?” he asked Wymsin. “And an idea as to where we might be able to find it?” (edited)

Wymsin nodded looking thoughtful. "Today is just a little recon trip I won't be making the attempt to hunt for that what my goddess seeks. Today we are looking for those light crystals to make some coin."

“One would assume that any close to the entrance would be regularly harvested,” the elf said. “And if they regrow regularly, those nearest the entrance would be smallest. Do we need to delve deeper to find crystals of any decent size?”

"Best guess we will be delving to fifth or six floors ?" Wymsin said pausing as she rifled around in her robes finding the job request passing the paper for Blackthorn to read.

Blackthorn waved the page off. “I trust your ability to read,” the elf said.

Most of the group had opted to stay behind or investigate other things about the town and the surrounding area, so it was just blackthorn, wymsin and madis standing at the entrance to the dungeon, the sound of the waterfall loud behind them. " It sounded like the first few floors would be easy going anyways, from what you told us, so let's head in and see. Blackthorn, you want to take point? Wymsin, you can bring up the rear if you want, or I can if you'd feel better that way."

The elf nodded and slipped through the door like a shadow. It was nothing like slipping through the woods at night but the same skills applied. He needed to wove without being noticed and spot those things that tried to remain hidden.

Wymsin took the rear letting the two men enter first. She was best in a fight using magic so she didn't need to be up front and personal with anything. It just made sense to take the rear that and she didn't need the same amount of light that the old man would.

She paused at the entrance to call the magic's of her staff to ignite the pale white lunar light from the top of her sling staff as the trio passed behind the waterfall and into the dungeon proper.

With Madis and Blackthorn in front they eased their way into the first room of the dungeon and Wymsin looked around using the light from her staff and quietly asked Madis if he had enough light to see properly. If not they had purchased a lantern just to be on the safe side in case her magic didn't work properly inside the unknown depths of dungeon.

"I'm fine. You sure this isn't going to tax your magic use?" Madis asked as he paused to look around. The cave was enormous, with stalactites and stalagmites scattered here and there, along with some faintly glowing moss and some plants. He watched a large rat scamper from behind one of the rocks to a patch of what looked like weeds. "Looks like rats. Little bigger than usual, but don't seem aggressive. Probably need to look out for bats too." He said as he looked up towards the dark ceiling.

"The staffs magic, It just needs me holding on to it for it to produce the light. I will keep an eye on how much spell slinging we are doing. After all we don't know what the next levels look like and if Rats and Bats are the only thing on this level, I think we should be alright unless the rats don't have a food source and we are the only option." Wymsin replied looking around the area studying the floor and ceiling.

"Blackthorn will you be taking point? Keep Madis in the middle since he is reliant on light it likely be safest for him. Lydicas takes the rear so that way we don't have any nasty surprises sneaking up from behind as we go down deeper." Wymsin said as her eyes adjusted to the dungeon gloom as she softly uttered the prayer to light her staff.

Blackthorn suppressed a grin. “What part of taking the lead, with intent to sweep the area for danger suggested that I might be willing to take point?” He asked in elven, his fluency in his native tongue allowing him to convey his amusement in a way the human trade language didn’t. “Yes, I will take point.”

Wymsin felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she softly apologized for potentially sounding bossy but thanked him in elven for taking the lead. With Lydicas watching their rears and the elf in front she felt safer knowing she was in the middle and only just wondered if Lydicas was able to see in the dark should her magic fizzle out. She turned to ask the wolfkin, mildly annoyed that she hadn't thought to enquire earlier.

Madis raised an eyebrow and considered wymsin. " Out with it. You're acting as flustered as you did when we first started travelling together. What's got you wound up?"

"N-Nothing." Wymsin flinched at the old mans demand and started as she waved a hand in the air, as if it would ward him and his questions off as she protested. "Nothing worth talking about honest. I'm still awkward me dealing with awkward things as per the normal."

"Mhmm. " He grunted, clearly not believing her. "Look, if you're worried about that vision you got, don't be. We'll go in that tower with you to investigate it, just in case. "

“Not wise to disobey a god’s suggestions,” Blackthorn said, aiming at a rat only to have it disappear behind a rock. “Nothing much to worry about on this level. Small vermin. I’m going to keep an eye out but it seems we are relatively unchallenged here.”

Wymsin nodded. "No pressure so good so far but I will follow through on my end when it comes to what the Pale Lady has guided me towards. This is just us dipping a toe in the water to see how things function in this town. Not sure if the tower will have the same issues as well but at least we will get to experience what all the talk is about."

"Let's head down to the next level then, start looking for these crystals." Madis said. So far the first cave seemed just that, with maybe a bit more vegetation than was normal.

"Indeed, let us continue. Lead on Blackthorn." Wymsin whispered as she made sure her backpack was settled securely on her back as the delved deeper into the dark depths of the structure.

Blackthorn nodded. "Is there a particular pattern to the dungeon or is there just a randomly placed staircase that leads down?"

When Wymsin produced the papers she had received from the whisker kin at the tower, it showed clearly marked the way down on the first three levels, along with some other notable things, such as a small alcove on the third floor down that is notated to have a small fountain with fresh drinkable water.

After showing the group what to expect for the next two floors she silently followed Blackthorn as they made their way down but she kept her eyes open for crystals and movement.

Blackthorn scanned the map, located the way down, then headed towards it. He wasn't going to waste arrows on this level. He would likely need them later.