#M'shara Rhaz

[heartwoodventures]

This piece the wonderful @pocketninja-ffxiv had done for the officers of Heartwood! Commission by @floatyskye who did such an amazing, beautiful job!! We’re all blown away!

[lettersnorth]

Faux Memory: Animosity

FAUX MEMORY: ANIMOSITY

Heartwood and co arrive after answering a distress call from Ileana. Following a commotion that leads them to the Aleport docks, they discover that the judge had gone over to the Isles of Umbra to meet with some of the Saviors. However, something had happened and a fight had broken out thanks to a strange artifact going rogue. Heading deeper alongside one of the Saviors going by the name of Rhae Bhowsu, they arrive to yet more trouble and mysteries. Ileana had apparently managed to hold the strange artifact back alongside a Viera dressed in red magitek armor. However, they'd finally hit their limit. What was more shocking was the fact that the floating artifact clearly displayed Haila's image as she spoke like a person completely devoid of any kindness. A fight ensued and, while the party managed to come out alive and with three new fragments claimed for themselves, Rhae had been killed in cold blood in a similar manner than the girl, Myne. Grabbing a gravely injured Rising and an unconscious Titor, a 'friend' of Haila, Heartwood decides to regroup back at the estate while agreeing to meet the red Viera there. Whom has been discovered to be Haila's daughter, Meam Rhua.

Logs Below the Cut!

As people gather, time seems to be of essence. While the judge had barely gotten to communicate through the linkpearl she’d left behind, it was evident that it was an emergency. With the words “”Another murder—- Can’t hold it back—- Help from—-” going through for everyone before it went silent. While the process had been in no way simple, a location had been pinged among those with tech skills. The judge was stuck somewhere in the Isles of Umbra in Western La Noscea.Whether it be out of personal interest or to see what is truly happening, everyone gathers with haste at Aleport, where a commotion seems to already be taking place by the dock. There’s sailors trying their best to calm down each other. And the presence of a few Yellowjackets trying to keep order. 2/2

Riylli Aliapoh stepped out onto the docks with a golem core in hand, having been dragged out here by the alert but not entirely willing to dedicate her full focus to the mission. The only reason she came at all was simply for the groups connection to Haila's disappearance, but she did not exactly trust them and was not in a huge hurry to help them out either

Rising Lotus raises an eyebrow as she sees Riylli taking one of her cores with her. "You really think it's good idea to bring that, what if you lose it?" she shrugged, surely readying herself for whatever complaning would come if the core fell into the water. "Wonder what all the noise is down there, think it has somethin' to do with the folks we're goin' to see?"

Emelin Blackstone was in the process of tightening her gauntlets as she watched the chaos unfold in front of her. She wasn't sure when was the last time she watched the Yellow Jackets to be spurred into a frenzy and it was enough to cause Emelin to start haunching her shoulders. "We at least know it's not pirates." Emelin answered, both hands moving to the hilt of her blades.

Heading down the pier to catch the next ferry to Umbra, Aislinn hears the raised voices before noticing the excitement going on further ahead at the docks. "Wonder what happened up ahead." she jerks her chin towards the commotion. "Running around like they've bees in their bonnets."

Titor Jaraba arrived at the scene after a linkpearl call. He was armored enough that he could defend himself and hopefully the party should anything happen to attack them. He stood silently, but gave a gentle wave and nod of greeting to those around him.

Riylli Aliapoh: "S'okay, this is one of the empty ones... Or at least, one I can't get a response from. I aint ready to give up on them all yet though, I don't see any cracks or nothin' to explain why it's not responding..." She murmured back to Rising, still never taking her eyes off the core despite the hectic energy around them

M'shara Rhaz sighs, "It's too noisy here. I imagine it has something to do with why we've been summoned here. Always seems to work out like that or Heartwood."

Aislinn North murmurs in agreement

Aislinn North "Aye, but best go see." She keeps walking down to the docks, trying to listen in on the conversations going on around her.

Riylli Aliapoh follows along behind the officer

Titor Jaraba waved back to Emelin before the vanishing.

Upon approaching sailors and the like, the group would see a not so familiar face. A rather tall Au Ra man with a wooden mask resembling that of a deer (and probably the smell of one) had just managed to get to shore, with several condensed silhouettes of different forest animals following after him. Their figures floating above water until reaching the dock as a few rattled sailors got off their backs. It seems they were evacuating the nearby island. 1/4

Haila Wetyios The man nodded in silence towards all the people thanking him for his help as he threw a few large rock carved runes at the ground, with the animal shapes each disappearing into their respective rock.Spotting the group, he immediately offered a curt wave at them, as if knowing the group, or at least being familiar with them. “Tch… No sign of the bitch at all yet? ” a disgruntled woman, a Keeper of white hair and tribal facepaint asked the man as she approached from among the sailors of a nearby boat. The man grumbled, taking a single step forward as if wanting to strike the woman before stopping in his tracks. You could tell he was truly holding back from any sort of violence as he settled back and merely shook his head no. There was clearly some bad blood between them. 

Riylli Aliapoh was honestly far too used to weird stuff happening around her at this point, but the stone carvings drew her attention and brought her forward. "Oo, what are these..? Familiars? Elementals? Somethin' in between?"

Titor Jaraba blinked at the scene, looking over the runes, then at the two new individals. This seemed like some form of magic, of which he was terribly not adept at. He decided to keep his watch and try to better analyze the situation before speaking or acting.

Aislinn North looked on in interest as Riylli peppered the individual with questions.

Rising Lotus held back from the commotion, watching for not, and maybe a tad disappointed it wasn't a dock brawl. She looked between everyone, seeing what they made of the strange people, guessing they were related to the judge since they seemed so odd.

At Riylli's questions, the man turned to her all too eager to distract himself as he waved his hand a bit, almost as if trying to say "something in between" .

M'shara Rhaz scratched at her face with a finger, "Doesn't really explain all the commotion."

Riylli Aliapoh grins up at him, immediately becoming rock buds with the stranger. "I'm workin' on a lil' somethin' in between myself right now too!" She says with a grin, proudly showing him the golem core in her hands. "Though before I get distracted, what's goin' on around here? We got some vague news of trouble in the area and came to help!"

Before the poor man could up and say any word, the Keeper bumped past him on purpose and stepped forward with crossed arms. While tiny in stature she clearly was not intimidated by sizes as she eyed the group with a half glare. Patience running low despite the people still arriving in boats to safety. "You bunch with the Judge?" Of course, this earned a rather loud grunt from the man, clearly not wanting her to take the lead of anything regarding this case. "What? Are YOU going to speak up and tell them the situation?" the Keeper snarked at him. Powerless and with gripped fists, the man stepped back to allow the group to speak with her instead.

Riylli Aliapoh paused, then glanced back to the officers. WERE they with the Judge?

Aislinn North steps closer "Aye, we received a message from her. Seems there's trouble?" she asked, seeking more information

Rising Lotus inhales sharply through her nose, glad that she doesn't do the talking in these situations. She moved in a bit closer to hear of the situation, eyeing up the agitated keeper.

"Aye. .. She asked for a meeting with us out in our usual spot before things went to shite." the woman explained as she pointed back towards the island, a distant explosion going off as she did. "Some weird creepy artifact showed up and started attacking. The Judge insisted on staying back and keeping it distracted while people fled the scene. Completely worthless if ye ask me. We told her to leave it be since we could use to to finally kill our prey and stop any more trouble coming our way, but she wouldn't listen." she finished. Her words confirming that she was in fact one of the so called Saviors. Though it was easy to assume there was more to that given the fact that she didn't stay behind herself to protect her own people.

((Riylli Aliapoh)) Thats a whole bunch of red flags right there

((Emelin Blackstone)) Boss Fight

((Haila Wetyios)) kekekeke

Riylli Aliapoh: "Uh... Artifact? Prey?" Riylli couldnt help but ask, getting super bad vibes from just about every word the lady said and looking to her rock friend for a hopefully brighter explanation

Rising Lotus: "Always some sort of dangerous artifacts ain't it?" she watched the explosion fade away in the distance. "Aye, what kind of artifact?"

Aislinn North glances out over the water in the direction the woman was pointing. As she spoke, Aislinn listened, inhaling a decidedly deep breath. Explosions and strange creatures. Of course.

Titor Jaraba: "What manner? A construct? A sword? Something else?"

M'shara Rhaz glances about, looking towards the island with the explosion. Yep. All par per the course.

"Machine of course. Some other lady that we didn't know of jumped in and joined the judge in holding it back. I think all her weird floaty robots contained the artifact's signal to keep it in the island instead of it calling back up. Or doing whatever it is that it came to do." the Keeper said. With the deer like Au Ra merely nodding with defeat behind her. The explanation was crude, but it was what was taking place at the time.

Titor Jaraba sighed in relief. "Oh, good, I'm optimized against mechanical entities. I can help with its containment or eradication if needed."

Aislinn North "Right. Suppose that's where we're heading, then. Not like we're going turn around and head home." she says, accepting the inevitable. She turns her attention down the docks. "Wonder if the ferry'll still haul us, all things considered."

Rising Lotus looked to Titor for a few moments, he looked so familiar..."OH! You're that door closer from when we met that lady!" she nodded, finally satisfied she had remembered. "..probably ain't your name, but I knew I seen ya before." getting back to the ask at hand she turned her direction to the docks and situation at hand, dangerous boat rides ahead!

M'shara Rhaz hummed, "I'm sure if the bag of gil is big enough the ferryman will at least consider it." She remarks to Aislinn.

"Don't really care what you do. But if ye lot came for the judge, you better hurry, I think she'll get herself killed if she stays there." the woman said despite clearly not caring about Ileana's wellbeing. If anything, the man was the most concerned as his body language told everything that was needed of how worried sick he was for having gone ahead of her. He did though, tap his rocks as more deer like creatures peeked out of it. Ready for another ride back into the island this time. "I don't think i need to say it. But he's urging you go to too. .. We'll follow after you, we still have business there.." the Keeper stated. 

Titor Jaraba: "Indeed, it is I. I am Titor."

Rising Lotus: "Nice to meet ya proper, shame it's here an' not at bar night or somethin'. Name's Rising." she gave him a nod before turned her attention to the strange craetures coming out of rocks. "Hmm, so we're ridin' across then?

Titor Jaraba: "It is nice to meet you, Rising. We shall have to converse at a later date, if you wish."

Aislinn North nods to the woman before making her way to the ferryman, murmuring over her shoulder to Shara. "Didn't happen to bring a hefty sack of gil with me." She then turns and speaks with the ferryman about passage to Umbra.

((Haila Wetyios)) Lemme know if some of the DM posts are going too fast, I wanna give peeps enough time for posts but also type pretty quick

Riylli Aliapoh gives the deer man a hopefully comforting pat on the arm as she passes by and follows Aislinn towards the boat, but turns to mutter to her when she arrives. "Hey... You pick up on how they're talkin'..? They didn't want to hunt whatever their prey was, they wanted to kill it... I dunno, this doesn't really feel right..."

Aislinn North nods in agreement with Riylli. "They just wanted to let that artifact kill whatever this prey of theirs is, so can't exactly let it run all over the island. Aye, it doesn't feel right. But we can't exactly leave the judge to die either." she sighs.

Riylli Aliapoh tilts her head back and forth in thought, but doesnt seem to come to any satisfying conclusion and decides to step away to focus on her core instead. Better to be productive than paranoid

While reluctant, with some nudging and extra coin a ferry man agrees to take people on his boat. The Keeper woman also takes a boat alongside two other people to follow after the party. With the option to take the floating animal like creatures if one was feeling fancy (and confident) enough in making it to the other side.

M'shara Rhaz mutters to Aislinn, "We should keep an eye on that one."

Aislinn North tips her head in silent agreement.

Emelin Blackstone tapped the au'ri man on the shoulder before climbing aboard one of the floating animals, reappearing to be in complete view. She turned towards him and gave him a mischievious wink. "I'll be grabbing one of these if you don't mind?"

Titor Jaraba went for the normal boat. He couldn't swim and the animal looked unreliable.

Reaching the island reveals a rather grim outlook, there’s sounds of explosions nearby. A casual drone being seen flying up and about before being shot down by something else. Several pings requesting emergency backup going off before possibly being shot down as well. The fight that’s ensuing ahead is truly a fierce long lasting one if it’s still ongoing despite the time that has passed. However, nothing is eternal, perhaps it would be a good choice to hurry before something happens to the Judge and whoever is with her. All this time, the Keeper continues to follow you with two of her henchmen to her side. There’s a scepter strapped to her hip, though you can almost feel as if it isn’t meant for whatever is ahead but for you. 

Emelin Blackstone turned towards the sounds of the fighting and drew her swords. "Right, let's be quick about this!"

Riylli Aliapoh had spend the boatride over prodding the stone totem with aetherial energy, curious to see if she could figure out how it worked. She would set it aside as they arrived at the island to the sounds of explosions, grimacing at the feeling in her gut that this was not going to go well at all

M'shara Rhaz waved a hand, "Quick about what? We don't even know what we're facing yet other than the fact that there are explosions and such. Let's get eyes on the judge first."

Titor Jaraba seemed to be distressed by the emergency backup ping calls, as well as the signals the drones would emit as they went down. He held his head for a moment. "Nnn, their noises...."

Rising Lotus hopped off the strange creature as they hit the shore, keeping a brisk pace with other others as she slipping a purple crystal into her spear, spark coursing over the blade for a moment. "Well let's keep on then, we don't gotta rush in blindly, but we ought not to dawdle niether."

Emelin Blackstone nodded towards Rising as the Roegadyn got the meaning she was trying to say before turning towards the Keeper. "Anything you want to tell us about this thing before there isn't a chance to ask?:

Aislinn North keeps moving ahead but her attention is behind them towards the Keeper, though she doesn't turn her head. She draws her firearm, keeping it lowered at her side. "Aye, probably best to be quick about it but let's not run in blind." She says, turning herself to get the Keeper in view now that Emelin had stalled her.

The Keeper merely came to a halt, keeping a safe distance from the group as she did so. ". ..What is there to tell? Creepy floating spike shows up and attacks one of ours. The judge tries to stop this and protect everyone while we tell her to just wait for our prey to get there and let the spike and it fight it out. ..You lot have business helping the judge, mine is getting rid of my prey, not even the Savior's prey, our goals just align..."

M'shara Rhaz looked over the keeper and her goons out of the corner of her eye, obviously not trusting her.

Riylli Aliapoh: "Y'wanna tell us a little more about this 'prey' of yours incase they show up mid fight?"

At last, she did seem more compliant at that. "A Xaela bitch, has a red and blue eye. You leave me to kill her, and I leave you be and save the day, maybe even help you. You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

Emelin Blackstone could taste the venom that was spat from the Keeper. "Think she'll attack us too midfight?"

Titor Jaraba had a red and blue eye. He just hmm'd at that.

"Beats me, you got beef with her as well?" she asked, gripping her scepter some. "If you do, she's still mine. Gotta repay a favor or two."

Riylli Aliapoh: "She got crystals all over her?"

Emelin Blackstone: "Never met her, just needed to be sure if we have to deal with more problems?:

Aislinn North turned to Riylli and Rising. "Wasn't it a xaela keeping Haila in that cave?"

"I want an actual person dead, not some fantasy shite you may be thinking." at the mention of a Xaela keeping Haila though, she frowned. A cord had clearly struck with her, however, she chose to stay quiet about it. At leas the fact that she'd not attacked the group was a good sign right?...

Rising Lotus nodded "Aye." she motioned to Riylli. "Crystals all over her...then the griffin took her off, don't remember her eyes though..." she rubbed her chin.

Riylli Aliapoh winces a bit at Aislinn's choice of word and slowly brings her hand to her staff so as not to attract notice

Aislinn North watches the woman's response to the name with interest. It confirms her thoughts. "Maybe she managed to get away." she says, her eyes still on the Keeper

The Keeper merely huffed before continuing her paces towards the spot where fighting had been happening. Which, by now had grown increasingly quiet when compared to the lively explosions from before. With the emergency pings also having come to a halt, an aftermath if one would say of the encounter.

Riylli Aliapoh removes her hands from her staff and follows behind the other Keeper

Aislinn North "Either way, can't sit here chattering about it. If it is, least you'll know what to expect. We should try and find the judge." She lets the woman move ahead.

Emelin Blackstone nodded and shifted back into the shadows again, "I'll scout on ahead. Whether we engage is up to you." She whispered to the redhead's ears before follong the Keeper.

At last you arrive to see a scene unfold. There is a strange spike artifact that is floating in the distance. A shocking revelation happens as it makes a projected image the spitting image of Haila. A deadpan gaze looks down at the two people before her, the judge and a Viera in RED magitek armor. Both seem exhausted beyond their limits as craters and scraps are spread all around the place. Shot down drones beside the red Viera are on fire with only two left hovering weakly by her side. It seemed Ileana and this other woman had been fighting Haila’s image? Or perhaps the artifact she was using to project herself? Regardless, the once motherly figure before the group is clearly devoid of any warmth or kind intentions that she would usually have as her usual self. “This is your second warning to step aside Rhua. A third will not come. ” Haila stated, looking down at the other Viera rather expressionless.

Riylli Aliapoh takes a step forward. "Is that... Haila..? Somebody please explain what in the seven hells is goin' on!?"

Rising Lotus grunted as she looked at the floating thingie, tightening her grip on her spear. "It can't be the real one...right?" she cocked her head "Some sort of I duno, fake or somethin'?"

Emelin Blackstone whispered behind Aislinn, "Seems like the Viera in red is the ally of the Judge. How do you wish to proceed?"

Aislinn North shakes her head, damned if she knew. "If it's not I'm impressed with how quickly Haila recovered. She was still comatose before we left." She shoots a flat lipped look in the direction of Emelin's voice.

Aislinn North glances towards Shara. "I'm thinking whatever that is, ain't -our- Haila. And I'm thinking the judge could explain this."

Riylli Aliapoh: "But we cant just attack it... What if it's important to Haila..?" She asks, before the smartest idea ever pops into her head. Taking a step forward she shouts up to the projected Haila image. "HEY! HAILA! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING HERE!?"

((Emelin Blackstone)) F in chat for Riylli

M'shara Rhaz looks back to Aislinn, "Odds are good. You think we could incap-" She watches Riylli step up and rolls her eyes. "Never mind, line up a shot. Perhaps even if we can't hurt whatever is making the image we could distract it enough to extract the judge."

Titor Jaraba moved to stand next to Riylli, just in case some sort of attack was inbound.

Rising Lotus "R-Riylli wait!" she tried to grab a hold of her but she was too quick to run in. She Readied herself for the worst, spear at the ready not too far behind her, while hoping for the best, eyes darting to the fallen judge once or twice.

Aislinn North weighs the options before them and raises her weapon. "Right. Well, let's see." She pauses, waiting to see if the artifact even heard Riylli over the noise of battle.

As everyone took their moment to asses the situation. “Haila” stretched her hand towards the defeated Viera, causing a familiar looking compass to stutter from the woman’s hip as it started to suddenly float rapidly towards the spike and it’s projection. But just as it was about to reach “Haila”, it was shot away from reach by a stray bolt of thunder. The Keeper finally stepping in as she walked in slowly. “This ain’t why we wanted you here bitch. We want the Xaela.” she stated. 

The judge meanwhile saw the group finally arrive, but just as she heard the statement from the Keeper, she yelled “Wait! No! Don’t come back here! Get away while you can! ”. But it was too late. The projection flickered briefly alongside Haila’s image as her body was suddenly shown like a Xaela with the exact same features that the crystalline Xaela had had during Heartwood’s encounter. “Ah, Rhae Bhowsu. Long time no see. ” the projection paused briefly to offer a smirk. “How did it feel to burn down your own brother alive in front of his own lover? ” she said, causing the Keeper to scream in rage as she was the first to send a fireball towards the artifact. The projection flickered back to Haila’s Viera image before stopping it with a blast of fire just as strong. Riylli’s call outs barely ringing with her, but enough to draw her attention briefly as she also threw a stray thunder at Riylli in return.

Riylli Aliapoh 's eyes go wide as the image flickers to the xaela woman they had met before, and though her arms come up with staff in hand to erect a defensive wall of earth in front of her, her reaction time was far too slow. The lightning bolt blasts against the half formed wall, the discharge throwing Riylli back and sending her tumbling into the sand

The strange occurrences among Heartwood start to manifest once more. The following statuses have been applied to some people.

Rising Lotus: All rolls will have the following applied: -50.

Titor: All rolls against machines will have the following applied: +50 for attacks, -50 for defense.

M'shara Rhaz watches Riylli take a tumble and glances about the battlefield as she moves into a more favorable position. "Alright, melee keep lines of fire open for those of us in the back."

Rising Lotus raised her arm to shield her self from the explosions, cursing as she sees Riylli get blown back. She charges in soon after, blade of her spear crackling with lighting as she goes to to stab the haila(?) in the abdomen, leaving the head open after hearing Shara mention lining up a shot.

Aislinn North As the viera discharged the lightning bolt at Riylli, Aislinn squeezed the trigger and let the shot fly. To Shara's point it might do nothing but buy them some distraction.

Emelin Blackstone was startled by the sudden explosions as Riylli flew past her. "Shit!" She cried out, drawing her daggers while everyone else moved on ahead

Titor Jaraba decided to return lightning with lighting. He held his hands out and attempted to shoot some ball lightning towards the target.

Riylli Aliapoh pops her head up from behind the rock and shakes her hair free of sand. "T-That aint Haila at all!" Riylli shouts. Who coulda guessed.

Rising's attack would, by all means go through Haila's projection, however her lance would briefly hit something glass like within? The projection flickered for a moment, giving the perfect mix of lighting and a headshot to hit the artifact head on. While "Haila" did not even react to the aggression plus the few stray arrays of fireballs that were intercepted with quick lightning strikes, the sound of more glass shattering was heard as four fragments looking exactly like the ones that had been around Heartwood spilled out from her. Each one landed on both of her sides as they remained still. With the first one glowing a bit until a sudden mist of poison was launched at the group.

Emelin Blackstone teleported towards the fragment on the far right to "Haila" and slashed against the strange entity, feeling her blades impacting hard on the shell."

Riylli Aliapoh: "Gah!" Riylli shouts furiously, an explosion of golden aether enveloping her as she covers herself in a protective spell and tries to run back into the fray. "After all this is done SOMEONE better explain this shite!"

Rising Lotus grits her teeth as she made contact, but it felt wrong. After seeing her spear sitting in the Haila as if it were mist or a cloud and the strange glass floating about, she figured out what she had hit. She twists around, trying to swipe at one of the shards, overcoming the current dragging her down, but the things were squirrely and she missed as it moved away.

Titor Jaraba rushed to the shard directly in front of him, he swaped at it with his claws.

Emelin Blackstone: "You'll find you around the same time as we do! Someone get the Judge and the red one out of the front lines!" Emelin yelled, keeping her eyes on the fragment.

Emelin Blackstone: *out

Too many coincidences, Aislinn thought as the glass fragments appeared. But as one began to spew poison, she tosses her security node out from her pack. That done, she swings her gun towards the poisonous shard and fires while backing away from the mist.

M'shara Rhaz drew her rapier and focus, the sharp sound of metal on metal as the combined into a scepter from which she cast an aero, the gust aimed at blowing the mist away in support of the others.

Both fragments showed a brief crack on them. A sudden frequency going off as if they synced with each other. Haila's projection still remained unamused as her attention went back to also continuing to fend off the Keeper's ireful attacks in the background. However, Haila's voice rang after taking the three consecutive hits. "Year XXXX: I was threatened by my father to influence the frontlines and put him at the front for the fight of Carteneau. Despite the clear signs that I could have denied him and sent him to jail, I watched in silence as a fragment of Dalamud finally crushed him to death. But. .. Was I truly free when my life was also over thanks to this?" Suddenly the fragment closest to Titor started to glow a fiery red, getting ready for a simulation of a blast. While the one Rising glowed an earthy brown, trying to encase her in rock being raised from the ground. The fragment before Emelin meanwhile, glowed an eery green once more, getting ready for another blast of poison.

Emelin Blackstone Tried to cover her mouth as poison was blown towards her, but she had already inhaled a bit of it. In the midst of coughing, her slash failed to deliver the same amount of force as it did prior

Titor Jaraba looked down at his blades as he realized the impact with the shard had caused them to deform slightly. He retracted and re-extended them, repairing them somewhat, but they still seemed a bit damage. Despite that, he was up close to the shard. Instead of attacking as individual claws, he formed the blades into one large blade and thrust it into the shard like a sword.

Riylli Aliapoh: "The hells is she... 'it' talking about?" Riylli mutters, conjuring up a clump of earth to yeet at one of the crystals... Only for it to fall apart as it struck. "Dammit! WHY DO WE ALWAYS FIGHT IN SAND!?"

Aislinn North the jarring sound of Haila's voice ringing out momentarily distracted her, sending her shot wide and off to the side. She's distracted enough to notice the attacks thrown at those attacking other shards. "Try and focus on one and we can get them down faster." she calls out as she reloads. "Right now we've got one spewing poison."

Rising Lotus was poised to strike again when the earth itself tried to entomb her. With a mighty swing of her weapon she shattered it to pebbles, not slowed down in the slightest. She quickly retaliated with a upwards stab, though missed by a few ilms, the fragment was a small target, the current had dragged her off course slightly.

M'shara Rhaz quickly looks over the targets before her and spots the one about to belch poison, launching another veraero, this time in the form of a large ball of violent air.

The poisoned fragment shuddered once it was striken enough times. Haila's voice screamed right from it saying "NO MattER HOW MuCH I said HE WAs A GooD PERSon ON THE inSIDE, HE KEPT FOrcING THE PoiSON DOwn MY THroatT!" before it finally shattered. A familiar source of aether seeping from it as it sought it's next host, slowly making it's way over to Aislinn. However, it was as if something repelled it from being fully taken like it had been with everyone else. With green trails instead flowing in a circular motion around Aislinn like a starglobe would. Those too close would feel the effects of the poison, however, it would not reach the hyur herself. The one untouched fragment started glowing white, sudden flashes of concentrated energy shooting out at the group like a gunshot.

Titor Jaraba staggered and muttered out a string of profanity in a strange accent. The miniature explosion nearly staggered him for a moment. However, an orange aura pulse over his body to let him keep fighting. He retaliated against the fragment before him, bringing his singular hand-blade down upon it with all the force he could muster, using his heavy weight to add extra force.

Emelin Blackstone Watched as the "Bullet" fired off towards her. She moved her head to the side, but didn't expect the explosion and let out a cry as fire and shrapnel flew at her. The veil that she wore around her face turned to ash and the Highlander crouched with her back turned.

Riylli Aliapoh: "S-Shite!" Riylli cries out in pain as the heat strikes her, her stoneskin doing nothing to protect damage of this kind. She quickly shoves the burning areas of her skin into the cold sand, unsure if it would do anything but desperate to try

Rising Lotus was about to strike again when the shriek came out of the broken fragment, turning her attention to it only to have the far one fire off a shot and luckily hit the armored part of her right arm, though she still let out a grunt of pain as the explosion scraped up her arm and side a bit on impact. In a blind fury she tried to grab the shard to drive it to the ground, and missed completely.

Aislinn North the poison circling her was concerning. Moreso because it affect those around her more than anything. But the sound like a gun shot had her instinctively hitting the ground but not before the aether bullet grazed the side of her ribcage, tearing through her coat and leaving a burning trail across her skin. "One down." she muttered before catching sight of Riylli and tossing her a cooling potion from her pack."Take that. Should cool the pain a bit. Better than getting sand all in it we're gonna have to clean out later." she said as she pulled herself to her feet.

M'shara Rhaz huffs as the bullet whizzes past her head, reflecting on the phrase 'it's better to be lucky than good.' She turns her attention to another shard, a dark bolt of levin firing from her scepter towards it. "Stay focused! We're not done yet!"

Riylli Aliapoh absolutely CHUGS the potion before climbing back to her feet. "T-Thanks..." She grumbled, before using her magic to repel the sand stuck to her skin off of her. Aislinn was right after all, and she didn't want an infection

Titor's added attack and weight work well to wear down the fragment as it started cracking at last. The voice going off once more as Haila said "I wake up in complete darkness, my hands and feet chained to this huge creature that came out of Dalamud. It stares at me in silence as I'm too overwhelmed to move. .. Just count the seconds. .. 100. ...2000....500000....Just keep counting in this purgatory for my sins..." . Then suddenly, Shara's lighning finally shattered it. More strange aether seeping out of it as this time it went into Titor. However, unlike the effect it had on Aislinn, it did not seem to stay on the outside nor affect him physically. At least. .. Not as far as everyone is aware for the time being. "Please. .. Just stop doing this mother!" Rhua the Viera finally called out from behind the group as she was still trying to help the judge stand on her feet. Of course, her pleas went to deaf ears as "Haila" merely said "I just came to fulfill my purpose of so long ago, nothing else" . One last distant blast finally defeating the sailors and the Keeper that had been fighting her as well, though not actually finishing the job. The fragment that had eluded Rising so much started glowing once more, this time calling upon two slabs of earth to squash the whole party together as the projection started walking towards the defeated Keeper and sailors. 

((Haila Wetyios)) everyone rolls for defense

((Emelin Blackstone)) These random rolls before the defensive ones are sucking up my good mojo

((Haila Wetyios)) Em and Aislinn get squashed together, Aislinn might melt Em?.... my condolences, everyone else is fine. Shara avoids with style

Titor Jaraba was distracted by the voice, something about it resonated in his mind. He held his head for a moment, not able to act or move, seemingly stunned by the situation.

Emelin Blackstone felt the earth shift under her feet before she was suddenly slammed and thrown towards Aislin. The Highlander, in a span of a second, spun just as she collided with the other Hyur. Seconds passed before a bolt of lighting struck the final silver fragment. Emelin was standing, barely, with blood covering half her face and one eye was shut. How damaged it was, she couldn't tell but right now Emelin was on adrenaline and spite.

M'shara Rhaz wall jumps her way up the slabs of earth before finally vaulting over the top of one and landing on her feet, combing her rapier and focus into a scepter once more and flinging a fire spell that goes wide. She mutters to herself as she adjusts, reminding herself to remain calm.

Riylli Aliapoh pauses and stares at the viera. 'Mother'? The hamster wheel in her mind working at full capacity, Riylli finally figures it out and runs to Rhua's side to help the two of them out. "You're Haila's daughter?" She asks, just to be sure. "Well... Guess that means we're on the same side after all!" She continues with a grin despite that not meaning that at all

Rising Lotus finally got a lock on the crystal, gritting her teeth as lightning crackled at the tip of her spear once more. She drove it upwards with a furious shout, pushing right through the pull that hindered her movements and making strong contact with the spear, spark exploding around the area at the impact.

Aislinn North Aislinn is sent tumbling to the ground as the much larger Highlander crashed into her small frame. Bloody hell. How many times was she going to greet the dirt this day. She resolutely pulls herself back up.

The two hits from Rising and Emelin found their target, however it seemed Haila was almost done having to deal with them. As the group continued fighting, "Haila" finally stood before Rhae the Keeper. Her image switching once more to that of a Xaela as she asked "How did it feel to burn your brother alive in front of his lover?" . The Keeper just raging once more despite her injuries as she lashed out one last time. "IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE YOU-" before anyone could react, more bullets of concentrated energy fired everywhere. Several finding their mark and killing the Keeper with small explosions being heard within her as the rest of the bullets were aimed at the party. In the nick of time, two drones swept in to protect both Riylli and the judge, while everyone else was left to fend for themselves.

Titor Jaraba took even more damage. Another orange pulse wrapped around him, it seemed to be trying to keep him consious and alert. However, the bullets seemed to be doing particular damage to his internals. There was a small spurt of strangely colored, pale bluish-red blood. He was unable to attack yet again.

Emelin Blackstone cried out again as another bullet explodes, this time on her left rib. Sucking in air despite the burning in her lungs, Emelin manages to perform a singular hand movement before apparating a large shuriken and throwing it towards the silver fragment.

Riylli Aliapoh decides totally of her own will to step forward and erect a wall of earth in front of the wounded group, hoping to prepare them somewhat from any further attacks. It wouldn't be perfect, but hopefully it could be enough to keep them safe while Heartwood takes out the threat

M'shara Rhaz is struck in the flank by an aether bullet which pops and shoves her to the left, grunting as she attempts to stabilize herself before she ends up eating sand as well.

Aislinn North Grunts out in pain as the bullet lodged in her shoulder as she's knocked back in the sand. Yet again. Only she's not so keen to get back up this time as she hisses in a sharp breath and presses a hand against the pain. Her node races into range of Haila and splits apart to show a violently glowing orange core. It sets off a electroaetheric wave blasting from its core towards the shifting image of Haila.

Rising Lotus turned to see the keeper get iced by the shots, only to take one directed to the gut, wind getting knock out of her from the impact as she dropped her weapon, the explosion buring away her armor and heavily damaging the skin on her abdomen and un armored arm. Before she could do anything however, she was nail once more, hitting her right thigh. The blast knocked her off her feet several paces away, armor and skin just as torn up as from the first shot. She crumpled along the sand, laying motionless and bleeding quite heavily. Her spear remained near the HAILA-GRAM in the sand, while her feather ornament had been blown off in the blast, a couple ilms away from her on the ground.

As the dust started clearing. Another pained grunt was heard. Rhua had also taken a bullet to an arm in Riylli's place before the earthly wall was erected. Except all that was seeping from her left arm were wires and short circuitry. She panted some, staring off at the floating artifact. Aislinn's blast had actually interfered with it, causing it to chug for a moment as energy coursed through it, ceasing to display Haila's image. Emelin's attack meanwhile, had finally been the last nail needed in the hypothetical coffin to shatter a third aetherial fragment. It's trail this time flowing into Emelin, however this was perhaps not a good outcome. Despite having lost three fragments, the artifact eventually snapped out of it's lag as it displayed Haila's image once more. "You are all in the way. My best option would be to skip my warnings and kill you." she said as she stared nonchalantly at the group. "But, I've achieved what I've always wanted. .. So I shall let this pass." she stated as a similar aether trail flowed out of the dead Rhae's body and into the artifact in itself. Lost three yet gained one in the process. Offering a brief smirk at the group. Haila's image disappeared alongside the remaining fragment that had shot everyone before the floating artifact floated off into the sky. At least everyone had lived another day. .. Right? 

((Haila Wetyios)) FIGHT DONE

((Riylli Aliapoh)) Riylli did not land a single attack all fight lmao

((Riylli Aliapoh)) Shes here for morale support

Riylli Aliapoh stares at the wires and such that hang out of Rhua's arm. "Uhhh..." She looks around awkwardly as shes unsure what to say, before noticing Rising laying on the ground. Immediately she takes off to her side, barely hesitating before shoving her hands onto the bleeding wound to try and apply pressure. "H-Hey! Aislinn! Somebody! Rising needs healing NOW!" She shouts around to anyone who could help her

As people assessed the damage done to themselves. The dark haired Viera that had remained with them, Rhua slowly stood up and looked down at Riylli. "She is my mother." she stated, trying to push through the pain. Her expression souring. "But I'm not on anyone's side." saying that, she instead went over to help the judge up. Ileana meanwhile seemed rather ashamed of herself as she looked at everyone. "I am sorry. .. I couldn't stop it..." she expressed, biting her lip a bit as she picked up her staff from the ground. "I know how to mend wounds. . Let me at least do that..." she said as she rushed to Rising's side. 

Emelin Blackstone was breathing heavily, watching as the aetherial trail had seeped into her. All she could feel was the pain of the fight: the toxins in her lungs, the burning sensation across her face and ribs. She groaned while sheating her daggers and lumbered her way towards Rhua and offered her hand, "We need to get back to the Estate and I would prefer if you came with us."

M'shara Rhaz sheaths her rapier

Titor Jaraba had been shot twice, and he was starting to bleed out a little bit now. He was kind of staring with a rather blank look on his face forward, before he unceremoniously plopped to the ground with a thud.

Aislinn North at the sound of Riylli's yells, Aislinn painfully pulled herself up into a sitting position just in time to see the artifact take flight. Cursing under her breath, she sets her gun down and pulls a small pouch of white powder across her wound before heaving in a breath and going to see to Rising, not content to leave it to Ileana.

M'shara Rhaz sheaths her rapier and tucks her focus to her side once more before clutching the same side, that bullet had definitely knocked something loose or at least it felt like it. She huffed and fixed her hair, she really wanted to throttle Haila right about now but now wasn't the time as she turned her attention to the wounded.

Rising Lotus was unresponsive, her abdomen and right thigh having most of the damage, with a good amount on her left arm as well. Her skin was burnt and bleeding from the explosions, seared in some places and busted open in others.

Aislinn North kneels down next to the bleeding Roe and pulled one of gloves from her hand. Leaning forward, she seeks to set two fingers along Rising's neck, keeping track of the pulse as she kept an eye on Ileana's work.

Rhua merely stared with a rather similar hostile gaze than what her mother had had before at Emelin. Wordlessly, she reached with her right arm to tap at some buttons on her armor, only to hear a short circuit right after, followed by something clearly having clearly burnt out on her back. "Shit-" she muttered, her B plan having failed as she was left with no choice but to address the strangers. She took a deep breath before saying. "Just to make it clear, I don't trust any of you. Nor do I know your relationship to my mother." the plopping sound near her though, caught her attention. Ears barely flickering as she pointed at Titor. "Your rob-. .. Your " guy" needs immediate attention..." Meanwhile, despite the exhaustion, Ileana was actually proving to be a decent healer. While her magic was not resembling too well of conjury despite carrying a staff, she seemed to at least be able to stabilize and stop the bleeding from the Roegadyn. 

Emelin Blackstone: "Listen to me, we are trying to help your mother or a version of your mother..." Emelin coughed harshly, "Look she was one of us, a valued member of our Company. We want to help her, but we are bumbling in the dark here against foes whose power is immense. You seem to have a better idea than we do so if its not trust, can we at least join hands in solidarity in trying to keep Haila safe?" Emelin pleaded weakly.

[3]<P'tajha Kett> so who's dead, sound off

[3]<Haila Wetyios> Rising definitely is

[3]<Emelin Blackstone> Rising lost a lot of blood.

M'shara Rhaz turned her attention to Rhua and Emelin, making her way over to that coversation while clutching at her side. "We don't trust you either. That said, I don't think any of us here know much about what you are he is made of...maybe Aislinn." She looks back to the triage happening on Rising. "But she's a bit busy right now."

Aislinn North expression tight but entirely on the task as hand, she lets go a breath before noticing Riylli beside them. "She's alright for the moment but we need to get her back to Heartwood. Get these injuries properly looked at." She murmured, attempting to keep the worry from her voice  as she pulled her hand away and tapped the side of her glasses. The node at her side rolled up and began shielding the coagulated wounds against elements. "Teleporting back is the quickest." she turned to Riylli.

Aislinn North Hearing her name, she glanced over her shoulder and then back to the Keeper. "Not a great porter at the moment. Can you do that part?"

At Emelin's plea, Rhua did not seem convinced too much. "I'd beg to differ on the helping her part." she commented as she slowly walked over to Titor to have a brief look at him while nodding in agreement with Shara's words, she liked this one. "I'm not as much of an expert as my mother. But I can see what I can do." she merely stated, already seeing if there was anything she could do to stabilize Titor amidst the talking taking place.

Riylli Aliapoh had clearly been fretting, having been uncharacteristically silent as the healers around her worked. "Y... Yeah, lets head back." She agrees with a nod, glancing around the beach to find Risings feather nearby. With that secured, she returns to Rising and places her hands on her as she begins to channel the teleportation spell

Titor Jaraba seemed more cybridized than a full robot. He had blood, though it was pale and a bit modified. The blood, should anyone be attuned in biological processes, seemed to be rather anemic. However, it's structure seemed to facilitate working with his augment. The augment replaced his entire spine and connected into his brain directly. Part of his augment had been damaged, but the majority of his problem right now was his blood loss.

Emelin Blackstone: "Look, I don't know want this means but my lungs hurt and I'm not sure if most of my eye is still functioning so I wouldn't mind a bit of transparency here?" Emelin whined as she goes to turn Titor around, albeit gingerly"

Aislinn North gets to her feet and stands back, knowing Kevin and Lewra would be on the other side waiting.

Riylli Aliapoh poofs away with Rising in tow

M'shara Rhaz leers at Emelin, "Emelin take care of yourself and let the woman work, she clearly knows more than we do about this sort of stuff." She began to sound annoyed.

Aislinn North frowns in concern as the pair disappear but she quickly pushes it aside and turns to the other group gathered around the fallen Titor.

Emelin Blackstone chuckled, "Sorry, just need to make sure that our man is going to be fine first. I can teleport him to the Estate once that's done."

Rhua frowned upon noticing just how intricate these augments were from just a few glances. She clearly was not up to the task of a full treatment, but at least she knew enough to help with the bleeding. Everything else would come after. "I don't guess you have a lab to look him over? I lost all my tech in that fight..."

Aislinn North "Little busy to be getting into it." she says as she takes in the bleeding body. THe augments give her pause but oddly, she doesn't seem overly shocked. "Lot of blood. Need to take care of that first." She looks at Ileana. "Can you do the same thing you did to RIsing? Stop the bleeding."

Aislinn North nods to Rhua "We do. Can give him a once over when we're back at the House."

M'shara Rhaz: "Long as we can at least get some stoppage on the bleeding we can teleport him."

Haila Wetyios Hearing someone actually needing her work, Ileana immediately nodded as she rushed over to the group. Once more, her staff did not even glow upon casting her spells, but rather let out a soft sound each time she used it. Whatever she was doing, was at least good enough for the bleeding and stabilizing the body despite the augmentations. Once satisfied with her work, she brushed her forehead a bit, the long fight before everyone had arrived and the constant spending of mana finally getting to her as she slumped back on the ground. "Please, taking him somewhere safe. .. Ben should be here soon." she said, referring to the large man that the group had met at the docks. Rhua meanwhile did a double check on Titor just to be safe as she stepped back. "You better take him with you." she stated, pausing only to add a very reluctant "I'll. .. need to borrow some of your facilities too. .. I need answers." 

Titor Jaraba 's wounds could be healed, but due to the anemic structure of the blood and his alterations, it would be a bit harder than your average heal.

Emelin Blackstone: "That makes all of us." Emelin quipped, still having enough strength to throw such a remark. "I'm Emelin Blackstone. It's an honor to meet you, such as it is."

Aislinn North snorted at that. "We don't have much of those. But come on, then." she says with a nod as she waits for Ileana to finish, her eyes never roaming from wounds on the man in front of her. When the woman steps back, Aislinn once again taps the side of her glasses and directs her node in creating shields to protect the somewhat stabilized injuries.

Titor Jaraba would stop bleeding, but he was still passed out from the bloodloss.

M'shara Rhaz would grow increasingly frustrated. "Emelin, not the time and place."

M'shara Rhaz: "Let's get our man back to the house."

"Meam Rhua." the Viera stated with a half shrug as she gave people space to take the unconscious Titor. "If your lot is the one with that blue miqo'te who has my mother's surveillance system. .. Then I'll find yo and get there eventually. Teleports won't do me any good right now. . Go."

Aislinn North satisfied that Titor had stopped bleeding, she looked up at the others and nodded in agreement with Shara. "Right. Let's get back."

Emelin Blackstone noting Shara's annoyance, nods and starts teleporting back.

M'shara Rhaz: "Good enough, the rest of us should be off."

[second-chance-stray]

RP Log: Cravs, Aislinn, and Bertram try to find a buyer for stinky fish in a country of vegetarians.

Aislinn North Comes out from the house like a person moving briskly from one task to the next. Brushing a hand down her skirts, she smiles briefly to Cravendy. "Alright there, Cravendy?" she asks in her usual fashion.

Cravendy Hound - To this day, there have been -at least- five fish deliveries from Dirtpatch to Heartwood, all handled by Bertram Windshadow. The highlander’s feelings about becoming a fish courier was unknown...what was known was that Heartwood’s storage area would soon fill up if the product wasn’t dealt with soon. Crates upon crates upon crates, each full of fish in different stages of decay.

Bertram Windshadow was ponder such a turn of events himself as he walked along the path toward the Heartwood headquarters. It was certainly a stark change of pace for the man but it also came with the blessing of distraction. Something he'd found to be quite the blessing. Even if the perpetual smell of fish was ... maybe less than ideal. He waved a hand to the two standing just outside the yard and flashed a quiet smile, "Cravs! Lin!"

Cravendy Hound is outside, trying to dry some of the fish. But the drying racks are full and there are still plenty more to deal with. She turns to Lin and gives her a somewhat panicked smile. “Eh, er. Hm.” Then after a pause. “Nnn..nno. Oh bugger, Windy. Are ye ‘ere with more to deliver?”

Aislinn North By now she knew well enough not to jump right into the business at hand. Which in this case, was definitely the amount of fish piling up on the grounds. Even so, the looming need to move the product, and *fast* hung over her head. It was starting the smell and soon she feared the aroma would seep into the walls of the house itself. She turned her attention to Bertram as he arrived. She was smiling but her eyes all but dared him to say he had yet another delivery. "Afternoon, Bertram."

Bertram Windshadow: "Uhm ..." Bertram's gaze sweeps over the scene as he quietly processes what it all means, a somewhat nervous chuckle rising up from the man as he notes the look from Aislinn. "I ... uh ... was coming by to borrow a chocobo to haul it up the hill ..." He shifts his attention to Cravendy looking apologetic.

Bertram Windshadow: "But the ice crystals still have some chill in 'em, so ... they should be good for a ... bit!"

Cravendy Hound: “NO...” Cravs sinks to the ground, crestfallen. So soon! And all her efforts would barely cover the first batch, as there were still several more crates to process. That said, Cravs was really just buying time...a house full of fish jerky was still suboptimal.

Cravendy Hound: “The smell is startin’ to attract unwelcome company, if ye catch my drift. So far just small critters, like spriggans an’ squirrels, but if we don’t do somethin’ soon it’s only a matter of ‘when’ a bear’ll come and make itself at home ‘ere.”

Aislinn North groans inwardly at the news. With a shake of her head, she glances between Bertram and Cravendy. "We can't keep stockpiling it all here. Soon we'll all be smelling of fish." she makes a face. "What about...the botanist guild? Surely they need some fertilizer or somesuch?"

Bertram Windshadow watches in muted horror as Cravendy succumbs to piscine despair. Though he is pulled from that moment at Aislinn's suggestion of selling it to the the botanists. "That's a pretty good idea ..."

Cravendy Hound: “Seems like such a waste.” Cravs tips her head to a particular crate that she’s been too scared to open. The wood used to be straw brown, but now it was stained darker from its wet contents. She grimaces and averts her eyes from the disaster. “But we don’t ‘ave a choice for a lot of it.”

[FC]<M'shara Rhaz> if there's so much fish in the house all I can wonder if how badly the races with sensitive noses are suffering [FC]<Altani Misair> Maybe the fish smell good [FC]<Riylli Aliapoh> Did no one deal with the box after it was left there [FC]<Riylli Aliapoh> is it just rotting [FC]<M'shara Rhaz> fish do not smell good [FC]<Altani Misair> Maybe someone sprayed them with perfume [FC]<M'shara Rhaz> *shudder* [FC]<Cravendy Hound> ahahahah

Aislinn North she shoots Cravendy an incredulous look. "It can't possibly be fit for eating at this point. There's nothing for it."

Bertram Windshadow follows Cravendy's gaze to the ominous and unopened crate. "Yeah ... I think we've already passed that threshold."

Aislinn North waves a hand in Bertram's direction. "Maybe we can still sell the new delivery as food but whatever's sitting in that crate there..." she followed Cravendy's gaze to the ominous box like it was a ticking timebomb. "It just has to go."

Bertram Windshadow: "If it makes you feel any better, Cravs, it might be used to become food again."

Cravendy Hound: “By who?!”

Cravendy Hound: “Ye mean that one-” She points to the soggy crate. “-t-that one, as food?!”

Aislinn North tips her head. "I think he means that it'll be used to grow actual food. Part of the cycle. No one would eat it as it is." she assured the Roegadyn.

Bertram Windshadow blinks, trying to parse the question. "Not directly, I mean! But if we can sell as fertilizer like Lin suggested ..."

Cravendy Hound: "OH YE MEAN. AS fertilizer it'll become food again....Not like. Someone’ll eat it like food. Ah." Cravs finally understands. Gods, her mind is far too preoccupied by fish despair.

Bertram Windshadow gestures toward Aislinn, "Yeah, that!"

Bertram Windshadow: "Or maybe swine fodder ..."

Cravendy Hound blushes slightly as she clears her throat. “Ahem. Well, let’s go over and try to sell it to the botanists then. And keep an eye out for anyone interested in the fresher stuff as...instant food.” Cravs grabs a couple of fish samples before she heads out, just in case.

Aislinn North As the wind shifts, the putrid smell drifts their way. "Nymeia's breath." Aislinn chokes. "Alright. Yes, this needs to get solved. Yesterday. Surely we can make some sort of deal."

Bertram Windshadow suppresses the sudden urge to vanish as the scent of ripe fish wafts in his direction. He speaks as though he's being partially strangled, "Yeah. Let's go."

(Cravendy Hound) heading over to the botanists guild :D )) (Aislinn North) ((That firecracker was handy! :D)) (Bertram Windshadow) (( A signal cracker!! *grins* ))

Cravendy Hound - The Botanist’s guild is, as usual, a verdant and bustling place, with farmers diligently working the fields. As the trio approach, one of the guild’s workers stops what he’s doing and freezes in place, nose crinkled and generally confused. “Gods, what’s that smell?”

Bertram Windshadow follows along with Aislinn and Cravendy whilst also holding a russet colored chocobo by the reins and walking them alongside the trio. Hitched to the saddle bags are two small crates of fresh(ish) fish that are being kept chilled via ice crystals. He clears his throat and looks to the others at the cry. "Fish..?"

Cravendy Hound - Cravs realizes the stranger must be talking about her. When she had grabbed samples, she had grabbed a fish from every stage of rot, from unspeakable, to fresh, to bone dry. Figuring that there was no point in hiding it, she presents the source of the smell to the farmer. “Fish...”

Aislinn North Jerks to a halt, a dawning look of embarrassment flashing across her face. She knows it can't be the still fresh fish Bertram has in tow. "It's happened already. We reek of fish." she murmurs leans over and discreetly sniffs Cravendy. "Everywhere we go." a flush of red starts creeping up her neck.

Cravendy Hound: “I can’t tell if it’s ye, or this thing.” Cravs lifts the rotten fish in her hand slightly. “Or me. Or all three. Seven ‘ells, this is bad....Maybe we’re numbed to the smell.”

Aislinn North Realizes what Cravendy has brought with her and pulls back sharply. "Twelve above!" she hisses. "Nevermind." she says somewhat in relief. With a bracing breath, she steps forward and addresses the botanist.

Bertram Windshadow was starting to wonder if he was just going to smell like fish for the rest of his suns. He'd been around the scent for so long now that he was worried that he couldn't really discern it from himself any longer. "We ... uh ... we were hoping that we could, maybe, ... offer a trade with your guild?" He looks toward the botanist thoughtfully.

Aislinn North Nods in agreement with Bertram. "We find ourselves with some good quality fertilizer on our hands and we were hoping you all here might be interested."

Cravendy Hound - The farmer puts down his bag of seeds for a second to listen to the trio’s sales pitch. “Let me guess - fish fertilizer? We’re already stocked up on other varieties of fertilizer. What makes yours different?”

Bertram Windshadow seems entirely at a loss on this one. He's not exactly a botanist and his knowledge of caring for plants was ... middling. He looks over at Aislinn in the hope that she would know something about this, otherwise he'd have to fly by the seat of his pants.

Aislinn North "Namely, it's fish. It does wonders for the overall health of the soil. And the plants really take to it. The gardens at our Company House are quite the sight to see." Aislinn replied as she took a look around the garden plots. "We have an agreement with a fishing village and ended up with a bit of surplus."

Cravendy Hound: “Ye know why Sea Wolves are tall and strong? It’s cause we love fish. And eatin’ it daily ‘elps keep yer eyes workin’....Not that you’d know, since you Gridanian’s don’t eat meat...” Cravs notes, her comment both useless and insulting? She clearly has a bone to pick with Gridanian cuisine. “Anyway, that’s gotta count for somethin’ with the plants.”

Bertram Windshadow nods his head slowly along with Aislinn's explanation before looking back over to the botanist. "And I could make personal deliveries." He looks over to Cravendy's pitch with ... a bit of uncertainty but nods all the same. "It could bring some nutrients that the local varieties don't usually replenish!"

Aislinn North Blinks once at Cravendy's reply. And again. But aside from that small tell, she makes no sign that the comment was anything out of the ordinary and plows ahead, building off of what Bertram had said. "You really can't go wrong with a well-rounded fertilization schedule."

Cravendy Hound - The farmer listens intently to Lin and Bertram, his curiosity piqued. He opens his mouth, about to ask about price and volume, but is interrupted by Crav’s comment. So instead, he gasps, insulted. “Wait, what?! What do you mean by that?”

Aislinn North lets go the quietest of sighs. So close.

Bertram Windshadow takes in a *deeeeeep* breath as he lifts a hand up and rubs the back of his neck, "She ... uh ... she doesn't mean anything by it. She's just not from around these parts."

Cravendy Hound: “I’m sayin’ ye should try it too. Fresh fish. We got that.” Cravs says somewhat aggressively. She steps forward, invading the botanist’s space and looms over him with her fish-begotten height. The farmer shrinks under her shadow. What the HECK is this negotiation - more like intimidation?!

(Bertram Windshadow) (( I'm dying. "Fish-begotten" )) (Cravendy Hound) bad cop good cop confused cop ))

Aislinn North Steps neatly between the looming Seawolf and the botanist with a gentle laugh she certainly doesn't feel but sells all the same. "Or, just the fertilizer. Like Bertram said, our friend is from Limsa, very passionate about seafood. She just wants everyone to try it." as she's speaking, an elbow is nudging Cravendy back. "And I can't blame her. It really is, very good. Very fresh."

Bertram Windshadow takes a step forward and reaches up to touch Cravendy's shoulder with a pleading smile, "That's right. She feels real strongly about it, but it comes from a place of passion and knowledge."

Cravendy Hound - There isn’t much space between Cravs and the farmer, so for a second, Lin, Cravs, and the poor man are sandwiched against each other - chest to back to chest. At Windy’s touch though, Cravs backs down and takes a step back. She has more to say, but senses that maybe she should leave the talking to the others.

Cravendy Hound - The botanist is visibly shaken and annoyed. “Tell your oversized friend that around these parts, we live in harmony with the forest and Elementals! That our meals are balanced and wholesome!” He huffs, arms crossed.

(Aislinn North) ((I love the visual of us all just piling on this poor botanist XD)) (Cravendy Hound) probably never gotten a sales pitch like this before ))

Bertram Windshadow pats Cravendy's shoulder as she backs off from the botanist. Something that the man says seems to spark a thought. "I guess ... these fish would be like a wholesome meal for the plants that is in harmony with the forest? The fish returning to the soil..?"

Aislinn North For a moment, Aislinn stills and her smile grows tighter. Insults thrown in her direction rolled off her like water off a duck's back but insults tossed uncaringly at her friends were an entirely different matter. Even so, she tries valiantly to keep sight of the bigger picture. She merely nods along with what Bertram had said deciding it was much better than what might slip from her mouth.

(Cravendy Hound) return to soil )) (Bertram Windshadow) (( He's trying his best. )) (Cravendy Hound) I love all of this xD )) (Aislinn North) ((Ahh yes, the soil. Natural habitat of fish XD))

Cravendy Hound is being placated by Windy...for now. But when she hears the botanist spit an insult back, she nearly goes right back at it. Teetering on the edge of doing something rash, Cravs grabs tightly onto Windy’s shoulder and whispers harshly in his ear. “Guh, I know I shouldn’t, but I wanna give this whelp a new eye socket. ‘old me back, alright?”

Bertram Windshadow feels the vice like grip upon his shoulder and shifts his attention back to Cravendy. He listens quietly to the request before lifting his brow and, ultimately, giving a firm nod. "I'll do my best, Cravs, but you have fish-fueled strength." He offers back in a hushed tone.

(Aislinn North) ((*dies*))

Cravendy Hound - The botanist is at the limits of his patience and desperately wants this colorful trio to leave him alone so he can work. He raises his hands up in defeat. “Fish returning to the soil? I....doesn’t everything return to the soil eventually? Agh, look. Just. How much are you selling this for? If it’s a good price I might be willing to try, provided you throw in free samples as an apology for how your colleague acted. VERY generous free samples.”

(Cravendy Hound) LOL )) (Bertram Windshadow) (( I couldn't help myself! ))

Cravendy Hound: “Free samples?! F-for wh... Alright, this bloody drylander is askin’ for an ass kickin.” Cravs growls under her breath. She tries to lunge forward, truly testing Bertram’s strength.

Bertram Windshadow does his best to hold Cravendy in check! He slips his arm through her own and tries to lock it there ... or as best as he can! "Cravs ... we're *trying* to get rid of the stuff!" He whispers sharply.

(Bertram Windshadow) (( Good lordy. She's so much taller than Bertram. )) (Cravendy Hound) djfkls the contrast between professional and the absolute clownfoolery in the back ))

Aislinn North The only thing keeping the smile on Aislinn's face at the moment is the thought of this man opening up the dark, fish juice soaked crate that currently sat back at Heartwood. "Certainly. I can have that sent over straight away." she paused, a look of consideration on her face before tossing out a gil price per ponze of fertilizer. Discounted but still enough of a profit knowing the need to get rid of the stuff while still giving Dirtpatch something for their efforts.

Cravendy Hound is like a lion on a frightfully thin leash. For the moment she is held back, but for how long?

(Bertram Windshadow) (( *laughs and grins* Also, if you want me to roll or anything to hold by the fish primal just let me know. )) (Bertram Windshadow) (( *hold back )) (Cravendy Hound) oh god I desperately would want you to roll higher than me )) (Cravendy Hound) let's roll the dice why not xD )) (Aislinn North) ((famous last words)) (Cravendy Hound) also LOL the fish juice soaked crate....true fear )) (Cravendy Hound) Random! 664 (Bertram Windshadow) Random! 815 (Cravendy Hound) -wipes brow in relief- )) (Bertram Windshadow) (( Fate provides relief! )) (Aislinn North) ((Whew!))

Cravendy Hound - The botanist considers the price, considers the free sample, considers the sight of Bertram holding Cravs back....and finally gives. “Okay. But if this fertilizer isn’t up to par, we have the right to get a refund. Eh, hope this stuff really is a wholesome meal for the plants.”

Cravendy Hound isn’t able to break free from Windy’s grasp, and he buys enough time for the botanist to agree. This, in turn, is enough to defuse Crav’s fighting spirit.

Bertram Windshadow manages -- by some miracle -- to hold back the tide of fury boiling over in Cravendy, though he does hope and pray that the botanist either hurries or keeps his mouth shut a much a possible. He doesn't want to have to explain to the Wailers why there's a botanist outcold that smells of spoiled fish.

Bertram Windshadow heaves a sigh of relief as the tension seems to settle.

Aislinn North shakes her head. Did he take them for fools? The price was already discounted. All she could see was him opening up the crates of decaying fish and sending it straight back. They'd be in the same situation a sennight from now. "Alright, that's fair." she allowed. "But if you decide it's  not up to snuff, we'd like to come back and see the plants that you feel didn't benefit before issuing a refund." she replies.

Cravendy Hound - The man nods. “That’s fair. I’ll bring this up with the guildmaster and we can draw up official agreements, refunds and conditions included.”

Cravendy Hound shakes her arm free from Windy. Thank the twelve for Lin. It looks like she has something to say, but wants to wait until they leave.

Bertram Windshadow exhaled a sigh of relief as the botanist seemed to take to the demand reasonably. "And I'll be happy to come in and check up routinely for a moon or so!" He fully pulls his hands away from Cravendy as he decides to trust the roegadyn not to throttle the botanist now.

Aislinn North nods as the polite smile returns to her face. "We'll leave you some samples now." she waved to the decaying fish Cravendy had brought with her. "And we'll stop back later to sign the agreement. I'm excited to see how the plants here are going to take off once you start rotating in our fertilizer." turning to Cravendy and Bertam she gives them a look of utter relief. "We'll be getting out of your way now."

Bertram Windshadow nods in fervent agreement with Aislinn before looking over to the botanist with a small smile, "It was ... uh ... a pleasure doing business with you. I look forward to speaking again!" He then looks back to his two companions and quiets his tone slightly, "That ...wasn't so bad?"

Cravendy Hound places the rotting fish at the farmer’s feet and then backs away awkwardly. The farmer simply stares down at it and then at the three as they make their way out. The silence that follows is particularly uncomfortable for Cravs. What an experience.

Aislinn North Is only too happy to beat a hasty retreat before the botanist tries to change his mind.

(Cravendy Hound) lmao I like to think we ICly RAN AWAY )) (Bertram Windshadow) (( "Scatter!" )) (Aislinn North) (( Ahahaha! 'They bravely ran away'))

Cravendy Hound: “Pah, fish this high quality, and it’s just goin’ straight into the ground. What a goddamn waste!” Cravs bemoans, her agitated expression more intense than usual. She rubs the space between her brows. “Maybe there’s an underground market for this kinda stuff...I know there’re miqo’te in the woods that might be more open to eatin’ fish.”

Aislinn North Once they're far enough away, a rush of breath escapes her. "Alright, the important thing is we've dealt with the spoiling fish problem. From here on out, we can try and find takers who are actually interested in the fish as -food-."

Bertram Windshadow follows behind as they make their hasty retreat from the botanist's guild, leading the chocobo along with him. "That *does* take care of the more critical problem." He turns his attention to the crates on the chocobo's sides. "That just leaves the fresher catch..."

Aislinn North "Hopefully there are people around here a litt more open minded than that...." she stops herself. "man." from the stress she puts on the word it was clear she had something more colorful in mind. "Miqo'te, you say? Maybe some Keeper tribes?"

Cravendy Hound: “I can’t believe that man!” Cravs hears an echo of herself gently speaking back - but you started it. Undeterred, she shakes her head. “And he ‘as the gall to complain about how the fish stinks, when they’re usin’ literal shite as fertilizer too? Bloody shove it.”

Bertram Windshadow: "Sometimes it's the novelty of the stink that really gets people ..."

Cravendy Hound: “We’re givin’ ‘em the caviar of plantfood, and then ‘e’s askin’ for a discount, for samples,” Cravs grumbles. She sighs. But Lin was right, at least the problem of Heartwood filling up with fish was dealt with.

Aislinn North Nods to Bertram. "Shite, they're used to. Fish, not so much. But once they see the results, they'll stop complaining.

Bertram Windshadow nods his head slowly before lifting a hand and rubbing the back of his neck, "So ... we should look for one of the keeper tribes out in the Shroud?"

Cravendy Hound: “Worth a shot. A lot of ‘em ‘ave been branded as poachers though, so they might be ‘ard to find. Maybe Riylli could ‘elp us get a foot in the door.”

Aislinn North offers up a placating hand. "But think about it this way. You don't have to open that jack-in-the-box of decaying fish now. That joy belongs to him." she looks to Bertram and nods. "I think that's our best bet. Especially if that man's attitude is prevalent around these parts."

Aislinn North "Aye, maybe Riylli could help, if she's willing."

Cravendy Hound smiles smugly at the thought of the man dealing with /the/ wet crate. Hopefully, he wouldn’t return the merchandise, but still. It felt good to be petty.

Cravendy Hound: “That’ll be a once in a lifetime experience for ‘im. Windy, make sure ye run at least a malm away, in case ‘e wants to open it the moment ye deliver it.”

Bertram Windshadow glances over at Aislinn at the mention of pulling in extra help. "Well, I certainly wouldn't turn down someone that's more familiar with them. I can't say I know which would be the best to approach with this sort of offer." Bertram has chosen not to think about the horrifying pandora's box of the sea.

Bertram Windshadow looks at Cravendy at *that* comment. "I'll be ready to run ... don't you worry."

Aislinn North Seeing she had successfully hit the mark with appealing to Cravendy's vengeful side, she turns back to Bertram. "We'll have to move quickly though if we don't want the latest shipment to end up in the ground again." she glances over at Cravendy. "Can you try and track her down? See if she'd help us and soon?"

Cravendy Hound: “I can catch ‘er at the next bar night. Riylli...I don’t know where she lives, actually. She’s the type to drop in and out at ‘er own schedule,” Cravs notes. “Meanwhile, Windy, if ye can find others that might be interested, other Keeper clans or otherwise. I’ve found that when ye ‘ave rules on what ye can and can’t ‘ave, there are always interested parties willin’ to pay premium for illicit goods.”

Aislinn North snorts delicately. If that wasn't the gods honest truth, she didn't know what was.

Cravendy Hound gives the two a hearty thumbs up. A job well done! Well, it was mostly Lin, and 

Bertram keeping the situation from diving nose-down into disaster. But regardless, a job well done.

Bertram Windshadow nods his head firmly, "Yeah, I can do some scouting ..." his gaze drifts in the direction of the chocobo at his side, "And ... I'll keep these crates on ice as best I can."

Aislinn North glances at the crates. "We've got some more ice crystals back in Heartwood's lab. We can fill them up."

Bertram Windshadow reaches up and scratches the neck of the chocobo fondly before looking back to the others, "Compared to selling spoiled fish selling edible fish should be a breeze, right?"

Aislinn North "One would hope." she returns dryly

[heartwoodventures]

Faux Memory: Inside the Locus

Kazushige gathers all the officers to show them his discoveries during the time he was missing in Haila's lab. Though it seems they weren't the only people that decided to explore the portals left behind by Haila herself.

Kazushige Asayama is waiting with relative patience, having summoned the rest of the officers via their private linkpearl. He wonders, distantly, if it truly required all of them--but considering what he had *found* in the depths of Haila's extraplanar space, it was easier to show them, than attempt to explain.

Cravendy Hound had always been vaguely aware of...'something' going on in Haila's lab. She didn't have a word for it, but could recognize it as 'something' better left untouched. However, it'd seem that she couldn't ignore it any longer. Hesitation writ on her face, she steps into the lab and waits for the others to show up. Cravs gives Kazushige a "what-up" nod and leaves it at that.

Nyscera Nara had entered the room and offered everyone a small nod as they showed up, a butterfly fluttering around her as she looked around the room. She can't remember how long it's been since she was in here. "Apologies if I took to long." She said softly.

Aislinn North slips in to Haila's lab with minimal fuss. She's not sure what this is about but Kazushige had asked them to meet him here. She just desperately hoped no one took it upon themselves to -touch- anything while they were there. In her pursuit of studying the gun and megaphone, let alone Myne's body or the necklace Aislinn herself wore, she was getting a better handle on just what kind of artifacts Haila might have lying around. "Alright, there?" she murmurs as she comes to stand in the middle of the lab.

Cravendy Hound: "Aye, what did ye want to show us?"

Kazushige Asayama offers both Aislinn and Cravs nods as they come through one after the other, one of Florus's little brown sparrow drones perched on one of the nearby shelves to give itself a good vantage of the goings-on. At the prompt, Kazu gestures at the door, "we must needs wait for the last of us to arrive, the ...portal, as it were, will bar access to the lab from the outside once engaged." He points to a lever over Cravs' shoulder.

Kazushige Asayama PRETENDING HE SAID THAT EARLIER, HE CONTINUES **COUGH**, and heads over to the lever, giving it a tug.

Aislinn North and just like that, before she can get a word out against it, Kazu goes and pulls a lever. Seven hells. She holds her breath.

Cravendy Hound sends the Au Ra a look of concern as he brushes past her. "Uhh, ye...water? Need water?" Her mind is redirected away from the lever and whatever it could hide.

Haila Wetyios | On cue, there is a metallic sound going off as well as something resembling magic being dispelled if anyone even knew how that sound was. The door from which people had come through slowly started to go down into the floor as if it had been a mere screen cover, revealing a rather large window that seemed... to stare off into space? It was hard to tell other than the fact that clearly the exit for the lab was no more and that whatever was out in this new place, was probably the reason so many people got lost inside the lab.

Aislinn North whirls around and looks at the new scene laid out before them. "What the..." she stepped back from the dizzying, disorienting scape. "Is that...is that where you were trapped, Kazushige?" she asks, her eyes still on the space beyond the lab.

Cravendy Hound is busy searching for water when the entrance shifts. She has her back turned when all the magic happens, and does an about-face with a vase in hand. She stares, dumbfounded, at the space before her. "Seven hells, I 'ad an inklin' of what Haila got into but...bah. What Lin said - there's more to yer story, ain't there?"

Kazushige Asayama: "It was, yes. And the space is as vast as it appears, within. I cannot discern whether it is an elaborate glamour, or..." He shakes his head. "At any rate, with Florus aware of our imminent excursion, we are unlikely to be trapped within. And there is something you need to see."

Nyscera Nara stared at the weird space magic, the Xaela should be surprised but with all the years she's spend with Heartwood this was kind of the norm for them. "This won't be the first time I've jumped into some odd portal."

Aislinn North glances between them with a look of disbelief. "We're going in and our backup to get us out is...-Florus-?" she asks, making sure she's heard correctly.

Cravendy Hound: "Well, it's /my/ first time so..." Cravs lets out a nervous chuckle. She involuntarily glances over at Lin, finding comfort in the other woman's presence, before steeling herself for her first step.

Haila Wetyios | Deep within if one was to peek at the space, it was full of distant stars, a sight a tad more vast than the usual starry sky, however, the ground that continued on the other side was clearly stone.

Nyscera Nara waved her hand and her butterfly moved to find a spot to keep an eye on the portal. "I'll have backup, if anything happens my butterfly will alert Tynos if that makes you more comfortable, Aislinn."

Kazushige Asayama tilts his head slightly. "So long as no one attempts to enter the laboratory, the portal will remain open." As though that were any consolation, considering the amount of people who bumble in here on a weekly basis. "It will be a matter of course for him to reopen the way." Which certainly doesn't explain why *Kazushige* didn't think to alert *someone* to his plight, including Florus, but... well, that was another story. He returns to the lever, activating the pad that would open the glass currently barring entry (I think?)

Haila Wetyios | Thus did the protective glass go down, systems kicking in to even point out a red light on the side of the portal frame, as if to remind people that this is a bad idea. But then again, this is Heartwood.

Aislinn North shoots her attention between Nys' butterfly and her own security node. "Good deal better than counting on the man who thinks we're all bumbling idiots." she murmurs in reply to Nys.

Kazushige Asayama takes a step towards the portal, evidently unperturbed. He'd been inside once already, after all. "I did experience some few... anomalies, within."

Cravendy Hound likes the color red, usually. She does not like it right now. Cravs grips and regrips her hora, hoping that she wouldn't find a reason to use them once within. "Of what sort?"

Aislinn North quickly steps after him. "Aye, that." she says on the heels of Cravendy's question

Kazushige Asayama: "I..." He hesitates considering the question. "Spirits, perhaps."

Kazushige Asayama doesn't look like the sort of man to say "ghosts, actually", and yet here we are.

Cravendy Hound: "Big ones? Small ones? Some the size of your head?" She waves her hand in a circle, urging Kazushige to elaborate.

Kazushige Asayama: "The sort barely able to manifest a corporeal form. The one I saw dissipated too quickly to identify." He's altogether too calm about this.

Aislinn North makes a low noise in the back of her throat, long and drawn out. None of this was encouraging.

Nyscera Nara sighed softly. "Well, at least we'll have a new story for good conversation starters."

Cravendy Hound: "Maybe I'll get a better look at 'em. Vision's shot for seein' normal, but I've been pretty good at seein' ghosts lately." She's not exactly looking forward to this, however.

Aislinn North glances over her shoulder at Cravendy with a considering look. "That's true."

Kazushige Asayama: "Presuming the compass given to us by the Judge remains where I left it, there will be some form of reading on it that may allow you to extract more solid identification." He turns towards the portal, starting to make his way inside, though he does hum encouragingly at Cravendy's words.

Haila Wetyios | Upon going inside, just as Kazushige had described, the place was more vast than anyone probably could have thought of. Floating islands with structures resembling palaces, starry skies mixing in with several shades of purple and blue. Purple mist on the distance that seemed to make it so that those who walked wouldn't see too farther ahead with ease. But probably more interesting was the fact that there was a gil coin and a bunch of trash one would see at a bare few meters away. A few smaller round portals also floating about overhead, though peeking through them was the equivalent of trying to look inside a drawer full of hats from the looks of it.

Kazushige Asayama peers up and around as he takes several steps deeper within, leaving the light of the portal behind. His gaze catches on the trash and coin, an eyebrow rising. That hadn't been here, the last time…

Cravendy Hound storms quickly into the portal and then abruptly comes to a halt. She's tense, hyperaware, and doing her damndest to watch for any signs of danger or "ghosts." While she can't quite make out the gil coin or trash at this distance, she can certainly smell it. "...so that's where the burger went."

Aislinn North The first thing Aislinn did after getting her bearings was to set her node to stationary and tap the side of her glasses, sending a signal that would ping the node every so often. She wasn't about to rely on Florus. Always good to have backups. That done, she looks around them at a loss before her attention is drawn to the glinting coin. She moves towards it. "What burger?" she asks.

Kazushige Asayama mouths 'burger?' to himself, glancing past Cravendy to Aislinn, a brow rising as though she could better understand the Roegadyn.

Cravendy Hound: "Aw shite. I 'aven't 'ad time to catch ye up. But since yer all 'ere...Altani can make portals. She tossed a buncha trash in a couple of suns ago."

Kazushige Asayama: "..."

M'shara Rhaz looks around, appreciating that she had arrived into a swirling black abyss and was totally comfortable with that. "Place has a certain charm to it."

Nyscera Nara: ".....why is Altani able to make portals?"

Aislinn North Now sees the trash and nudges it with the toe of her boot. "Good question. Here's another. Where'd the burger go? There's just the wrapper."

M'shara Rhaz: "Perhaps she finally drank so much that reality warped around her."

Cravendy Hound shrugs her shoulders. "Came back with the ability after that last thing ye all went to. Rising's been 'avin' trouble lately too - some weird gusty thing throwin' 'er off."

Kazushige Asayama 's brow furrows. "Was there not a surge of aether that passed from that crystalline Xaela to...?" She'd been able to create portals to and from this place, which... If indeed Altani had inherited that ability, somehow…

Kazushige Asayama pinches the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb.

Cravendy Hound: "Funny ye mention drinkin', Shar. Altani was so sloshed the night she showed me the portals that she even tried openin' one on 'er own body. Told me she opened a big one in 'er room for the 'ell of it too." She smiles at the memory of bar night, but it steadily falls as she begins to connect the dots. "......"

Aislinn North listens as she carefully moves past the trash, scanning the alien landscape. "To...Altani?" she finishes as he trails off.

Kazushige Asayama || Cravendy's words all but solidify where his thoughts had begun to go. "..."

Cravendy Hound: "..........."

M'shara Rhaz sighs, "I just assume she's always drunk at this point. Is that wrong?"

Nyscera Nara: "Please don't tell me Altani is here somewhere lost."

M'shara Rhaz looks around.

(Haila Wetyios) I leave the floor to Alt on where they'd like to show up drunk or passed out

Kazushige Asayama 's gaze drop to the burger wrapper.

Kazushige Asayama: "I believe that is the logical assumption, yes."

M'shara Rhaz: "This place is rather cozy at least."

Kazushige Asayama thinks Shara has a weird definition of 'cozy', but he's too polite to say so.

Aislinn North glances at her node. "Show me any bio signs in range." she asks the  node. It whirls as it complies, tossing the information up on one the lenses of her glasses. There were the five of them, obviously.

(M'shara Rhaz) shara gazed into the abyss and said 'aw fuck yes')

Cravendy Hound: "If she is, I'm gonna raise some HELL once I see 'er. Damnit, I TOLD 'er not to...." She stomps off in a forwardish direction, trying to find higher ground to get a better look around the place.

M'shara Rhaz: "I wonder if she's somehow still drunk even now."

Nyscera Nara: "I think the important question is how long has she been here if she is here? Without food and water."

Aislinn North waits to see if the node picks up any other signal. "Well, we know there was a burger at one point."

Kazushige Asayama closes ranks slightly in the direction Cravendy wanders in, just to ensure everyone remains in sight.

Haila Wetyios | The node would pick up on another signal, probably nearby, though it was a tad hard to tell given some strange interference that was starting to pop up around them. Bringing some static into any feed. There was someone out here though, that was definitely something that could be detected.

Nyscera Nara looked around to see if her eye could pick up the Viera's aether, even the slightest hint would work but with how this place was she wasn't sure if Altani's aether signature would be hidden from her.

Aislinn North lets out a breath. "There's another body nearby. We should probably spread out a bit and see if we can find her." she tells the others with a note of concern in her voice.

Altani Misair in the dirt someone may spot some faded foot prints, they were clearly human seeming to be heading up the mountain, the drone detected something living to the south west, Nys's aether scan would reveal a very faint trace atop the mountain

Cravendy Hound clambers to the top of a spire and looks around, praying that for ONCE her wack aethersight can come in handy. Barring that, Cravs relies on something tried and true (albiet pretty dumb, but she's too concerned with finding Altani to think too deeply). She tries shouting. "ALTANI?!"

M'shara Rhaz  ears twitch and she now looks towards the mountain top at the shouting.

Altani Misair the aether sight gave woudl reveal something that stuck out around the (I) Mark, the shouting fell on deaf ears

Nyscera Nara shook her head as a hand reached up to cover her right eye, a soft groan coming from her. "Damnit." She huffed under her breath, the Xaela would be going into this half blind.

Aislinn North heads in the direction of the spotty bio readout on her lens.

M'shara Rhaz: "Suppose the mountain top would be a good place to survey the surrounding area."

Cravendy Hound blinks, and points off into the distance. "Over there! And--" Cravs slides down the spire and looks around, disoriented. Trying to focus on something that no one else can see.

Aislinn North nods "Aye"

Kazushige Asayama glances back behind him, then follows the group on their trek up the rocky, uneven terrain.

Cravendy Hound tries talking to air. "'ello? Are ye lost, lass?"

M'shara Rhaz was going up the mountain but stops to watch Cravs be weird instead.

Aislinn North stops and looks back at Cravendy "Who're you...?" she glances over at Kazu and recalls what he said about spirits. "Cravendy...there's no one there."

Kazushige Asayama: "...?"

Nyscera Nara: "Did Crav's have a drink before coming in here?"

M'shara Rhaz: "It's likely."

Cravendy Hound narrows her eyes. ".....Uh."

Cravendy Hound: "I did. But that's not the point." She pushes a hand through her hair and groans. "I saw a girl? None of ye saw 'er?"

Nyscera Nara: "No."

Kazushige Asayama: "No," he says, glancing at the others for confirmation.

M'shara Rhaz shakes her head with a hand on her hip, "No one."

Aislinn North gives a worried look around them, one she quickly attempts to hide. "No." she adds along with the others

Cravendy Hound: "She's right there. Yer standin' on top of her, actually. 'ow very rude and unlike ye, Kazushige." She laughs nervously, but points ahead. "...anyway, I. Let's find Altani first. I think that's what my 'allucination wants us to do too."

Nyscera Nara looked at where Kazu was standing, maybe he was standing on something that was really small? Either way she didn't see anything and she held a very confused look on her face.

Kazushige Asayama 's eyes widen slightly, and he takes a step hastily to the side; strangely enough, he offers the space where he was a slight bow of apology.

Aislinn North nods slowly. "Right....uh...back to it, then?"

M'shara Rhaz now looks to Kazu who's being weird.

Kazushige Asayama: "Let us find Altani. The spirit may accompany us if she wishes, I see no reason to dissuade her." He says aside to Cravendy; if she's the only one who can see the girl, perhaps she's the only one who can communicate, as well.

Cravendy Hound keeps an eye on strange vision but would carry on, allowing it to tag along or leave if desired. First, Altani. Then, Kazushige's compass. Finally, coming to terms with going insane.

Aislinn North nods to Shara "Up the hill."

M'shara Rhaz: "A big bunch of rocky nothing. Just like home." She sighs wistfully.

Altani Misair at the top of the hill the first sign of the Viera would be her ears sitting right on the horizon, as the group draws closer they may have heard alt mumbling "Gods why didnt I bring any bleedin shoes, swear gonna need some damned magiwhatever feet.." Altani would seemingly be in the middle of wrapping up her bleeding feet with bits of fabric seemingly torn from her shirt

Aislinn North the ears were the first giveaway but as Altani's voice drifted over to them, Aislinn blinked, relief flooding through her. This is expressed by a sharp exhale of breath. "Bloody hell. Altani?" she calls out to the viera.

Kazushige Asayama: "The second missing Viera to be found in this space," he comments quietly, almost to himself. Still, it was good to see she was relatively unharmed, save for her feet.

Cravendy Hound whips her head at the sound of Altani's voice with the speed of a sighthound. She breaks into an angry sprint and gives the viera's hair a rough tousle once she's close enough. "WHAT DID I LAST SAY TA YE, ye piss-for-brains, arse-backwards bastard?!"

Nyscera Nara: "That's one mystery solved." Her eyes widened for a moment as Crav's gave Altani a scolding, it was the first time she's witnessed it and she honestly wasn't expecting it. "One scolding I don't have to do." She mumbled to herself.

M'shara Rhaz surveys the situation, her lips quirked as she thinks. "I swear I'm going to have to hold a seminar on the importance of footwear. They're really going to make me do it."

Kazushige Asayama smiles slightly over his shoulder at Nyscera's mumbling, bemused by the situation himself.

Altani Misair hearing Aislinn glanced back, she glared at the group for a moment "...Am I already seein things or...?" As Cravs came charging towards her, if it werent for her torn up feet she'd have tried to run "Eh?! What'd I do! Don't even know how I got 'ere!" Her voice was rather horse as she spoke up, but besides the feet and sunken eyes she seemed to be mostly alright, atleast at a glance

Cravendy Hound: "What'd I do. OOOoohh, what'd I do!" Cravs mimicks through grit teeth. "I'll tell ye what ye bloody did! Ye promised me ye'd close the portal that night and not mess 'round with the shite and - lo and behold, what do I find? Yer bloody IN the portal space!"

Aislinn North While Cravs scolds the woman, Aislinn crouches down and gently takes a look at her injured feet. "Probably something to do with those portals..." she trails off and lets Cravs continue. Meanwhile, she drew a small roll of bandaging from her hip pack and a travel size jar of salve. "Best let her get it all out." she tells Altani as she goes about dressing the wounds. "Worried about you, after all."

M'shara Rhaz smirked as she watched the dressing down, at least they had found the missing person.

Cravendy Hound drags her hands down on her face and sighs into them, the sound muffled and frustrated. "I 'ave 'alf a mind to knob ye on the spot, but that can wait until /after/ we're outta 'ere. Ye can walk, right?" She then turns to Kazushige. "What ye wanna show us. Far enough to warrant droppin' off Altani first, or should we take 'er with?"

Haila Wetyios | Judging from an extremely distant beep that could be confused for ambience sounds, it seems the walk is a little far.

Nyscera Nara: "Might be best to take her with, don't want her falling through another portal and needing to come back to find her once we leave here." She teasing the poor Viera at this point, Crav's had done enough scolding for Altani to learn a lesson so the Shinobi didn't need to add anymore.

Kazushige Asayama considers slightly, "I would say "far enough" but it is--difficult to say, in this space." He glances down at Altani, agreeing with Nyscera. "Cravendy or I can carry you, should the journey prove too arduous."

Altani Misair pouts up at Cravs, seeming to be genuinely confused "Eh? Oh....that makes sense..." She could barely recall the events of bar night, as Aislinn began to help she sighed letting her work, at the idea of being dropped off Altani shook her head "I know the place real well! So can kinda guide you? spent er...however long in this place anyways." Altanis stomach grumbled in disagreement

Nyscera Nara: "I have an idea to carry her if Altani is comfortable with it that is."

Kazushige Asayama lifts a brow slightly. "Did you find her?" He asks, his gaze intent on Altani. "The girl in the crystal."

Cravendy Hound unfortunately would have nothing to offer but alcohol. She nods to Kazu's assessment, then looks back to Altani with a well-meaning frown. "That's one way ye can begin makin' up for makin' us worry. What if we didn't come in and ye starved? Just..." She lets out a hot breath and doesn't continue. Everyone's probably got the idea by now.

Aislinn North Finishes tying off the bandages on Altani's feet. "Best I can do right now. Gonna want to stop by the clinic when you get back." she tells the viera. As she rises to her feet, she eyes Kazu "The girl in the what now?"

Altani Misair: "Don't mind being carried by who or whatever, but no, ain't seen much really 'sides some empty ruins? No people though."

Kazushige Asayama hums quietly to himself. "Likely further than you have explored, then. I too found the ruins, but she was further beyond." He nods slightly to both Altani and Aislinn, gesturing. "Provided it was not a mirage conjured by this place, that is what--who--I wanted to show you."

Kazushige Asayama: "And where I initially found Haila, before she was taken unto the Forelands."

Kazushige Asayama steps over to Altani, crouching nearby as though to let her clamber onto his back.

Altani Misair as Cravs kept scolding Altani she'd let out a groan "I didn't fall in on purpose, least I think so? You ought to know if I planned this I woulda packed!" She laid back grumbling softly, at the offer from Kaz she climbed on using his horns as handles as she did so "Thanks, guess I owe you er...Kazoo?" She really hoped she got the name right

Cravendy Hound: "What even is this place..." She blinks several times and squints, practicing normal sight and trying to get a read on the ruins scattered below. Who had put these here? Alternatively, what had destroyed this realm and rendered it like this?

Kazushige Asayama hooks his arms up under her knees, hefting a little to get her comfortably settled. If he minds his horns being used as handlebars, he doesn't complain. "Kazushige," he says, "but close enough."

Nyscera Nara reached inside one of her pocket and pulled out a small parcel wrapped in cloth, with her three kids the mother had learned to always carry food on her, even if it was just dried meat or fish. A small smile formed at Kazushige's nickname. 'Kazoo the Moogle' she thought, not wanting to die today she kept it to herself. "I have dried meat that you can eat, just don't get it all over Kazushige."

M'shara Rhaz watches the scene unfold, weird.

Aislinn North shakes her head in a bewildered reply to Cravs' question. "A space in the void?" she ventured. "A pocket construct?" It was the only frame of reference she had from her own experiences.

Kazushige Asayama plods along a little more carefully with his new passenger, nodding to Nyscera. "If I tire, I may have need of your aid." Not that he was one to ever *admit* weakness, really. He glances over at Aislinn and Cravendy, but he didn't have any answer for them, either.

Nyscera Nara nodded. "Just let me know." She knew the man too damn well and now would need to keep an eye on him if help was actually needed.

Kazushige Asayama will head on along to their next destination when everyone's ready!

Cravendy Hound: "What lies beyond the sea and stars...danger, and adventure, the wind at our backs." Cravs mumbles, before continuing.

Haila Wetyios | What awaits the party is something probably not expected, even by this strange space's standards. After a brief walking downhill among steep rocks, a distant beep slowly but surely started to sound louder and louder. One matching that of the compass aggressively trying to warn people about something. Much farther ahead though, was the answer. A small patch of flowers growing in this barren land with a medium sized crystal right in the middle of it, the girl Kazu had mentioned still "sleeping" from the looks of it. It was hard to tell given the fact that she did seem like she was able to move inside the crystal.

Haila Wetyios | Near the girl was the missing compass, still aggressively beeping and going off, how it had not run out of energy was a wonder by now.

Cravendy is able to stare at it directly which is odd given that crystals are usually dense collections of aether. This is something else entirely.

Kazushige Asayama peers down at the compass, a quiet sigh passing his lips. "The compass is there. It was alerting like that when I left it, as well."

Altani Misair rested her head atop Kazu's as they walked nearly falling asleep till she caught sight of the crystal entrapped girl "Huh...thats something."

Aislinn North comes to an abrupt halt several fulms from the crystal. Her brows drawn together, she fingers the slowly rotating pendant on her necklace as she studies the girl locked in the crystal. "How long do you suppose she's been here?" she asks quietly.

M'shara Rhaz looks upon it with brows raised. "Don't know, I'm more curous as to /why/ she's in there."

Cravendy Hound walks forward to recover the compass. What's it say on its display?

Nyscera Nara: "This whole situation doesn't feel right."

Altani Misair: "Someone wanna try poking it?"

Haila Wetyios | The compass would just keep vibrating endlessly, it's screen alerting you of impending danger nearby like a sonar. Pointing it at the girl in crystal though, would cause it to flash a clear number two on it.

Kazushige Asayama is very careful to keep Altani comfortable as he can, so it's no wonder she nearly dozes off. He does nod slightly to the space where he'd found Haila dozing, "and that's where Haila was, sitting partially upright. She was sleeping here, as well, and did not rouse even when taken by the Xaela." he nods to the location where the Xaela's portal had opened.

Haila Wetyios | While there was no open portal at this time, Kazushige had pointed to the general space to the left side of the crystal.

Cravendy Hound swings her arm away from the girl and then back towards her, double-checking the compass's readings. Two. That's a two. She lets out a drawn-out sigh. "The Beast Ileana wants to talk to."

Aislinn North eyes the compass Cravendy recovered. Something about the flashing 2 jogged her memory. "Aye." she stared back at the girl again. "Something dangerous, then. If Ileana is to be believed."

Kazushige Asayama peers up at the crystal, and the girl within it. "Do you trust her word?" He asks quietly, looking over at Cravendy. "We have no way to know if this girl can defend herself, should talking merely be a ploy to get in closer." He may have eavesdropped on their conversation, but he was also a suspicious man to begin with.

Cravendy Hound: "If not dangerous, then at least precious. Somethin' worth seekin' out."

Cravendy Hound: "Ileana told me that there are many Beasts, and the buggers aren't usually the aggressors. So 'The Lost' are more akin to 'unters." She stares down at the compass in her palm and then back to Kazushige, wearily resolute. "I've 'ad my fill of thinkin' everyone's just out for themselves. Ileana wants to talk, and I say let 'er."

Kazushige Asayama || A thoughtful hum rumbles in the back of his throat, but he doesn't argue, turning his gaze back to the crystal.

Haila Wetyios | The girl remained motionless for a time save for a brief hover movement here and there. At one point though, those observant enough would see her slightly peeking at the group here and there. Was she pretending to be sleeping? Who knew, the land would shake once or twice during this time before stopping. Ending up as if nothing had happened at all, no crumbling, just silence and stasis.

Altani Misair: "Does she mean to talk with 'er mouth or with 'er fist?"

Cravendy Hound: "I /think/ with 'er mouth? But like, when she does...we should come with. Make sure no funny business 'appens. If there's some way to limit 'er magic too, or somethin'?" Cravs glances over at Lin for this, unsure of what's within the realm of possibility.

Aislinn North Could appreciate Cravs' sentiment but wasn't quite there herself, especially against someone untried or tested. "Aye," she nods with Altani. "Probably best if few of us go along with Ileana, don't  you think?"

Nyscera Nara: "That's a concern we always have to worry about it seems, at least there's six of us....well." She didn't want Altani to feel left out but she was injured and without a weapon so really there was five if a fight broke out.

M'shara Rhaz: "Sometimes things must be forced. I'm sure the talking or fighting would've ended up happening either way. Perhaps it'd be a nice change of pace to go on the offsenive for once?"

Aislinn North thinks a moment. "Can't possibly know that without knowing what she's capable of. Could just break through something like those aether dampeners I made awhile back." she gave a half shrug. "Better than nothing."

Altani Misair tilted her head over to Nys "Six? What Kaz gonna toss me at 'er?"

Cravendy Hound turns back to the crystal girl and studies her odd clothing. "Well, we could always talk first? She doesn't even look like she can talk, and if she can't, ain't no reason to bring Ileana 'ere."

Kazushige Asayama tilts his head slightly, trying to discern whether or not the glimpses of the girl's expression shifting was only tricks of light through the prism of the crystal, but given what he'd seen before Haila was taken, perhaps not. He snorts at Altani's comment, however. "Only if you wish to be utilized as a bludgeon," he assures her.

Nyscera Nara: "We can use that option if you'd like but more or so wanted you to feel apart of the group."

M'shara Rhaz: "How thick her head is I think she'd make a pretty good one."

M'shara Rhaz hums, "Anyone try poking it?"

M'shara Rhaz: "The crystal, that is."

Aislinn North eyes the crystal. "You volunteering?" she asks Shara

Kazushige Asayama: "I hadn't the time, during my last visit."

Altani Misair: "....If it comes to it I ain't gonna say no to being a weapon."

Cravendy Hound: "After ye." Cravs sends M'shara a wry grin.

M'shara Rhaz: "I do have a rather long sword."

Aislinn North "Shame to let it go to waste."

M'shara Rhaz sighs and draws her sword, marching forward towards the crystal. "Fine, I'll poke it."

Kazushige Asayama: "By all means, then." He gestures slightly to Shara, and offers Altani a little side smirk, just visible between the serrated edges of his horns. Whether or not she could take that as a threat or a promise was a different story.

Aislinn North lips quirk up in a dry smile

M'shara Rhaz prods at the base of the crystal with the rapier, looking very nonplussed.

Haila Wetyios | The crystal is just as expected on the surface, a solid rock. The sword makes a very slight sound when poking it. However a faint force pushed at it with the same strength that it had been poked with, which is to say, not a lot.

M'shara Rhaz thinks she picks up on the force but just to make sure... "Anyone got a rock or something on them?"

M'shara Rhaz looks back at the NINJAS. "Something, throwable?"

Aislinn North immediately looks at Cravs

Cravendy Hound looks back at Lin and straightens to attention, quickly checks her pockets, but comes up empty. "Nothin' but this flask, and my flintlock."

M'shara Rhaz sighs,

M'shara Rhaz: "Where's Riylli when I need rocks thrown at something."

Nyscera Nara flicked her wrist and a set of ninja stars sat in between each finger. "Can't exactly throw a smokebomb at it." Or one of Yami's bombs for that matter. "Perhaps this will do." With another flick of her wrist did she send them flying with ease through the air until they hit the crystal. Now they wait.

Aislinn North tilts her head with a 'worth a shot' expression before turning her attention to the shinobi of the group

Altani Misair: "Could just shoot the thing right?"

M'shara Rhaz: "No, don't shoot it."

M'shara Rhaz: "Stand off to the side and throw something at it....make sure you duck after.

M'shara Rhaz sheaths her rapier and stands behind cravs.

Haila Wetyios | The ninja stars bounced off the crystal, repeating the same trajectory that they had gone through as they flew right back at Nyscera. The strength in which they did however, was the same that she'd used to throw them, which was not a lot... No problem for the ninja to dodge or even catch if one wanted to be flashy enough.

Cravendy Hound - Despite not even being in the trajectory, Cravs manages to get a shallow cut from one. Because I guess she goes over to check Nys is okay and trips.

M'shara Rhaz raises a brow as she watches her cover trip over nothing. "Cravs...you good?"

Kazushige Asayama chuckles quietly to something Altani whispers, offering just a little shake of his head, and murmurs something in response.

Nyscera Nara watched as the ninja stars came flying back at her, not even flinching the shinobi waved a hand through the air as the wind around her changed direction and stopped the objects right in front of her. Snatching each one out of the air to put them back in her pocket, except for one that landed in the ground. "....shit. I'm so sorry, are you ok?"

Cravendy Hound: "Sod off," Cravs mumbles. She steps away from the group for a moment to sulk over how unnecessary that was.

M'shara Rhaz hums, "Well, seems clear to me now that there's some sort of field around the crystal or at least a property of the crystal."

Aislinn North tries to stop Cravs from stepping in front of the star but it was obvious how that was going to go.

M'shara Rhaz: "That returns any blow to it with equal force."

Aislinn North "To Cravendy's point, maybe we should see if the girl is responsive at all."

M'shara Rhaz: "Well I did just poke the thing."

Altani Misair shrugs softly whispering to Kazu again

M'shara Rhaz: "Am I so imposing that not even crystalized women wish to greet me?"

Aislinn North approaches the crystal, shrugging in reply to Shara's question. She studies the girl a moment. "Hello?" she attempts, raising her voice just enough to hope it travels beyond the crystalized barrier.

Kazushige Asayama glances over his shoulder at Cravendy's sulking, though still minding Altani's whispering. "Is there aught you can see differently, between the rock or the girl, Cravendy?" He asks, though he snorts quietly at something Altani says.

Cravendy Hound is still flustered over getting cut over nothing, and answers with her back to Kazu. "Nothin' different. But the fact it don't look like a lighthouse to me tells me the shit ain't made of aether...or at least, ain't rich in it. Which is odd, don't ye think? Everythin's made of aether."

Haila Wetyios | Though the crystal and the girl in particular do not seem to be moving or reacting to anything. The ground shakes very slightly for a moment as a voice echoes around the group. Some sort of muffling making it hard to make out the words too well "Λεαϝ��."

Altani Misair sat u,p seemingly happy with whatever answer Kazu had given her

Kazushige Asayama: "Especially crystals," he agrees, frowning slightly, shifting his hold on Altani slightly during the rumbling to make sure neither topple over. Whatever word is spoken sounds foreign and unintelligible to him, muffled as it is. "...?"

Aislinn North seems lost for a moment. "What language is that?" she murmurs to herself. Clears her throat and speaks up again. "Sorry, afraid I don't understand."

Cravendy Hound: "Maybe she's an alien, comin' from somewhere that ain't aether-based? It's not /that/ out of the realm of possibility given all...this. And the odd language." Cravs shrugs. But Ileana seemed normal, and she was certain if the murdered girl Myne was a non-aether based lifeform, Lin would've picked up on that right away.

Haila Wetyios | Once more, the ground would shake slightly. Almost as if the voice resonated with the space in itself. "Ψου'ρε α βοτηερ. Λεαϝε."

Altani Misair: "Maybe...er....okay yeah i've got no clue..."

Aislinn North Part of that, she understood. But not the important part. She looks back to the others for help. "Anyone?"

Nyscera Nara offered a small shake of her head. "I've got nothing."

Cravendy Hound shakes her head no as well. "I don't understand it neither...But I've 'eard stories of people with the Echo bein' able to understand all languages. We could record and look for such a person?"

M'shara Rhaz shrugs, "Nothing I recognize."

M'shara Rhaz: "I don't like how the ground shakes either."

Aislinn North nods at that idea. She glances back at the girl in the crystal with a look of consternation before returning to the others. "Seems like that's what we'll have to do. Florus' drone is getting a log of this, aye?"

Cravendy Hound gets the idea of getting more samples of this odd language - should they be unable to find someone with the Echo, then having a diverse set of data could help in decrypting it. "Oy, crystal lass! What do ye know about the Lost and the Saviors? Think we oughta trust 'em?"

Kazushige Asayama shakes his head. He felt like the understanding was within his grasp, but the words themselves lacked meaning for him as much as the rest. He remains silent for the moment while Cravendy prompts her further, his brows furrowed in concentration.

Haila Wetyios | There it was again, that slight shake, though with actual answers to the group for once. "Ι'μ νοτ ιντερεστεδ. Τηεψ ωερε ωαρνεδ αλρεαδψ. Τηε ρεστ ις ον τηεμ. " it stated in a rather distant tone. Pausing briefly as people may have assumed that she was done talking to add "Συστ λικε ψου. Τηις ις ψουρ φιρστ ωαρνινγ το λεαϝε με αλονε."

Cravendy Hound does not understand, but wants to ask one last thing since it seems that the crystal girl was responding seriously? Different sounds were being made - that's a start. Maybe they'd translate this and find out the beast was swearing back at them...still. "Also, what's 'appenin' with Haila and 'ow can we 'elp 'er?"

Haila Wetyios | At the mention of Haila, the ground stopped shaking for once. It seemed Crav's prodding had actually been enough to catch the girl's attention as she slowly opened her eyes and stared at the group, even going as far as to give a very hard glare at everyone except Cravs, Aislinn, Shara and the bird drone. She opened her mouth to speak, however, the crystal seems to have been the source of the muffling as the same voice was heard. "Σηε βροκε." she stated with an annoyed expression.| A frown starting to form with what seemed to be.. worry? doubt? Maybe concern? "Δον'τ γιϝε ηερ ονε βαδ μεμορψ ατ α τιμε. " she added, though that seemed all that they'd get out of her as she closed her eyes once more. This time not even moving at all from within the crystal anymore, she was probably gone for now.

Kazushige Asayama bows his head slightly in thought at the way the girl answers. From the distance in her tone, he'd assume she wasn't keen on either faction, though any nuance was lost on him. It was her reaction to the mention of Haila that gets him to look up again, his gaze narrowing slightly in response to the glare she settles on him, and the statement she makes. Whatever it was, it sounds almost like an accusation, softened afterwards by the --concern? In her expression as she continues.

Cravendy Hound: "I 'ave no idea what yer sayin', but 'opefully, we'll deal with that soon and get back to ye." She turns to the group with a sheepish shrug, unsure who could do such a thing and if she was promising the impossible. "...Well, nothin' left to do 'ere?"

Altani Misair gave a confused look back as she was galred at, mumbling soflty "Hells did I do?"

M'shara Rhaz hummed, "I should like to leave this place soon. Got a bad feeling."

Aislinn North frown deepening along her brow, she seems intent on puzzling out the language but as the girl grows silent and it's obvious she was done paying them any attention, she slowly nods. "Seems that way."

Kazushige Asayama: "So it would seem," he agrees slowly, frowning. Her ire had been settled on him, Nyscera, and Altani. What did they share in common? ... Nyscera and he were Au Ra, as was the woman who'd taken Haila in the first place. Altani had inherited her ability to open portals, somehow. Perhaps that was the connection. "Hm."

Nyscera Nara: "If that's all we're getting then I suppose it's time to head back, have Florus look over what we've found." She couldn't shake the feeling after being glared at by the crystal woman, something wasn't settling right with her.

Cravendy Hound kneels to the ground and plucks a flower for the road. It falls into her pocket, settling among dried bits casually stolen here and there from gardens neighboring Heartwood.

Kazushige Asayama spares a final glance for the girl in the crystal, unable to keep the knot from his brow. Still carrying Altani, he approaches and takes a last look around the area where Haila had lain, in case there were any clues he'd missed. That done, he'd soon follow the group back to the portal.

Aislinn North "Aye. Pretty sure no one wants to stay here longer than we need to. No telling what it'll do." she turns and follows the rest.

Cravendy Hound: "Found Altani, didn't 'ave to fight - that's a win in my book." She begins making her way back to the portal, eager to leave this strange nether-realm.

M'shara Rhaz: "And still managed to get hurt. Quite the outing indeed."

Kazushige Asayama || Once back and Heartwood, Kazushige deposits Altani DIRECTLY in the clinic. TREATMENT. And food.

[heartwoodventures]

Primary Access Required: A Chimerical Conflict

Crawlers were seen scurrying about Florentel's Spire, Wood Wailer's and the lone Heartwood member, Altani, could be seen watching in dismay as G'lewra, M'shara, and Vanriri were taken off to Coerthas by the larger spiderlike bioweapons. They hung right underneath the bellies of the beasts but were secured with wires wrapped around them. Their heads lulled to the side with every movement the Crawlers made, all three unconscious and unable to fight back in their state. Was there hope for them? Would someone have heard the commotion of their battles against the Allagan creatures?

There was one who would've got wind of the battle, and on his journey leaving his family’s house Archemides would've seen it all unfold in front of him. Two mages forming a protective wall around a lalafell who was in no shape to fight. Try as they might it didn't take long for them to get overwhelmed by the small army. G'lewra was first to go down as a stunning bullet struck her, then M'shara who didn't go down without a fight, it took four bullets, and with Vanriri's injuries, she was an easy catch. Altani had been making a run for it to get them all help but the odd thing Arch would notice was how the Crawlers paid no mind to the Viera as she ran right by them. Did she not have the aether they were looking for? Perhaps she wasn't a viable source for the project their master was working on.

"Can't believe I'm doin' this shit..." Arch grumbled to himself for what must have been the third time in as many minutes as he leaped from tree branch to tree branch.

Archemides Fontaine had been having a good day.

Had been having a good day.

Full Logs Here!

[heartwoodventures]

Primary Access Required: Hopeless Feeling

After hearing the news of her trainee being taken G'lewra didn't take it well, not wanting to wait for someone to come up with a plan the Seeker took matters into her own hands and grab a few members to assist her. She didn't need the group to be too big in fear of being found out so she grabbed those with the right skill set to help her. "Vanriri took Dellont through the Shroud and they were heading back to Coerthas, best we can do is follow tracks to see where they went off to. Hopefully, we can find a hint of some sort that will lead us to Vanriri." Lewra's ears folded against her head as the worry set in for her student, there was that bit of guilt saying she should've gone with.

Altani Misair scanned around letting out a small huff "It’s a well-traveled road, might be hard to find one set of prints...did he say at least when she got taken, or are we in the dark?"

M'shara Rhaz also looks around. "Oh there's some small footprints...wait that's an animal. Nevermind." She shrugs, "I suppose for the first pass we should follow the road and look for anything that really stands out."

"I suppose follow the path that will take us to Coerthas as that's where they were heading, and I'm unsure when it all happened, I'd assume with timing it would be the time it took to get out here from the Heartwood house." Lewra hummed in thought and started to move forward to try and find anything, whether it be footprints or a sign of struggle. "There are times where I wished I had paid more attention to tracking."

"It's really only about paying attention." M’shara pointed out.

"Guessing answers gonna be no, but any of you know Vanriri's shoe size? Or uh...Elezen guys for that matter...or well guessing we could look for those uh...allagan spider things foot prints look like assuming it was them.."

G'lewra stopped in her steps as she tried to guess Vanri's shoe size, holding her hands out in front of her to try and guess the size. She didn't meet the Elezen so she mainly focused on Vanri's information. "About this size?" She turned to the two to show them, it was a guess but luckily she spent enough time with the lalafell to have a decent guess for it.

M'shara raises a brow, "I'll do my best to look for something of that size then. Though it may be hard with how often it rains here."

Even though the path had been walked through many times by now whether it be a patrol walking by or the creatures that lurked within the Shroud, Altani would spot a pair of footprints that were almost cleaned away from rain and just being walked over. The path looks to be heading over the bridge up ahead. "Mmm...have a pair of some older prints here heading towards the bridge, given could be anyone but its something I suppose"

"Let us keep moving then, keep your eyes open for anything that could happen, for all we know what ambushed them is still out there. Hopefully, we're able to find Vanriri then get back without issue." There was a hint of worry to the Scholar’s voice.

"Think the might've spotted em passing by? Might be a new shift though..."

M'shara grips the scabbard of her rapier in her left hand to keep it from bouncing around as she walks. "So do we need to go back or?"

G'lewra Ajra: "The Wailers gave us the reports from what they saw already, I believe we might just waste time if we're given the same answers, apparently the two walked through and everything seemed fine. That was until they heard commotion and only found Dellont."

"So we could surmise that we'll find something up ahead somewhere?" M’shara asked curiously.

Altani nodded "Got it, back to looking at muddy prints then, Oh and didn’t Vanriri wear armor? so the prints would be a little deeper, not much to go on but might help just a bit."

"That's our best bet, we haven't found tracks of those spiders yet and that's what I was looking for most but we haven't spotted anything." G’lewra offered a soft nod. "She wears light armor, so nothing too heavy."

"Maybe deeper than a large nutkin." The Redmage wasn’t wrong.

"Could be he hired some goons or something too, might not want to risk some of his fancy things...but might be hard to find some little holes in the earth, unless he sent a shite ton of em." The Viera pointed out to the group.

"Keep an eye out for every possibility then." Lewra knew she needed to take their time for finding possible tracks but the worry of what state Vanri was in worried her most, or just the fear in general of not finding their lalafell companion. Having to take her glasses off as the rain splattered them, no matter how many times Lewra tried to clean them it just made things worse so into the safety of her pocket they went. "This is what I feared, rain." Her ears flicked to try and rid herself of the droplets of rain that ran down her ears.

M'shara raises a hand, feeling the rain on it, not bothering to look up as it grows heavier. "Well, it is the shroud and you know what they about rain in the shroud."

Altani Misair grumbled lightly "Knew I should've brought a coat or something..."

Ahead of the group, they can spot a small, bedraggled looking form limping along towards them, using a hefty quarterstaff to support her inconsequential weight. Her eyes aren't on the road, however, they're fixed on the guard tower in the distance--indeed she might not have even *seen* those approaching, yet.

G’lewra’s eyes squinted to try and see what was in front of them, a small form with a staff and was limping heavily. It could only be one person, more or so the Lalafell they were looking for. "Vanriri!?" The Seeker called out in hopes to get a callback but even then she didn't wait, bolting forward and kneeling in front of the lalafell Lewra's arms were quick to wrap around Vanri's smaller form. Being gentle in the process but she wanted to make sure her student knew she was safe now.

M'shara watches Lewra go. "Careful, she could be followed." She'd quirk her lips in thought as she stepped after the other seeker.

Altani didn’t even notice the limping Lala till Lewra called out to her, she kept quiet for the moment and simply scanned the area she couldn’t help but smile at the sight though

Vanriri very nearly bonks G'lewra with one end of her quarterstaff out of reflex, though dawning familiarity saves her teacher for the moment. "Lewra--" she sounds equal parts relieved and alarmed, and any words following her name is lost in a muffle as she's hugged. Fortunately, the Lalafell seems to have more or less come away unscathed from her encounter with the allagan spiders that had injured Dellont and absconded with her, her injuries mostly superficial--save the crushed metal of one of the greaves, the likely source for her limp. "I am--I'm alright," she offers, though it was  *quite* obvious she was putting on a strong facade to not worry the others. "...I don't know if I've gotten far enough, I was trying to get to the guard tower, and then--Dellont, did he--?"

M'shara Rhaz keeps a lookout, still gripping the scabbard of her rapier. Her ears twitch as she listens around but also to the conversation, curious.

G'lewra Ajra: "The Adder's have him." Letting go of Vanri the Seeker started to look her student over to see what injuries she has. "What happened?" As the Seeker fret over the injured lalafell the softest sound of something scurrying could be heard, was it the creatures of the forest or something else?

Altani kept focus on her surroundings humming softly as she kept watching "Might wanna get moving sooner...tower might be a good spot" At the sound of the scurrying she slowly reached back ready to draw at the first sight of trouble

M'shara Rhaz ears perked, clutching the scabbard more readily. "I agree with that assessment."

Vanriri shakes her head. "They came out of the woods--" her own ears perk up at the rustling, but she can't be sure it isn't just her nerves. "There were too many for--" she shakes her head. "But not so many it wouldn't have been manageable. A scouting group, maybe."

As M'shara and Altani looked around they would hear the softest thud and when they looked back the Wood Wailers behind them had collapsed to the ground, their bodies twitching as if they were stunned but that wasn't the most horrifying part. Slowly one by one the Allagan spiders started to come out of hiding, some were hanging from the tower while others started to crawl down from the cliffside. It was clear these machines were intelligent enough to form a plan to ambush their prey.

M'shara turns at the thud, drawing her rapier and focus as she spots the spiders. "Lewra, we need to go." She turns her head to spot more scrambling down the cliffside. "Very quickly!"

Altani’s eyes widen at the sight of the Allagan spiders, not waisting a moment she pulled her gunblade with one hand and her goggles down with her other "Well least it’s not raining anymore..." She grumbled taking aim at the tower ready to fire if any spider tried to pounce

G'lewra stood up quickly and placed herself between Vanri and the Crawlers. "We'll need to make an opening for ourselves if we're meant to get out." Grabbing the grimoire off her hip the Seeker prepared herself to cast any spell needed.

Vanriri shifts her grip on her quarterstaff, and it extends--though she's likely in no shape to fight well as a grimace works its way over her face. She shifts her footing to take as much weight off her mangled leg. "Fallgourd is the closest haven--"

M'shara slaps her focus and rapier together and casts verthunder on the spiders coming down the cliffside, she closed her eyes as she focused, hoping to pour enough aether into the spell that it would chain and take out some others too. She opens her eyes, finding the nearest spider, and firing her spell. "Ha!"

The spell smacked into the group of Crawler's close to Shara and it looked like a tiny explosion of spiders after they were hit, those that twitched on the ground unable to move were replaced by more as they moved in. Constantly repeating 'Locked on Targets' as they continued getting closer to the Casters. Even as Altani took out a few of their members with a few rounds from her gunblade they would make a path as if to avoid the Viera, was she not a target? G'lewra turned in every direction to watch the Crawler's as they came closer, if one got too close to her and Vanri the Seeker would send a ball of aether at it that exploded on impact. Ears drawn back and tail fluffed it would be a first for everyone to see the medic in actual combat. "We need to get back to town, keep blasting them away if you can!"

Altani heart was racing as the tide closed in, but as she was passed by she was very baffled, but she'd ask questions another time as she slashed her sword at the spiders nearly losing her sword as it got stuck inside, but she managed to pull it free "C-Can Vanriri make it that far?! She can hold onto me if she's too weak!" She said panic building in her voice.

M'shara backs off slowly as they seem to pour over the cliffside. "I don't think this is a fight we're going to win. We'll have to pick her up and run!" She fires a jolt blindly into the cliffside as she back peddles towards Lewra and Vanriri.

The Lalafell still had some fight left, it seemed, as she crumpled the legs of several spider monstrosities that got too close. This was more than had been sent for her and Dellont by far--her jaw creaks as she clenches her teeth. "I'm not going to argue!" This time, anyway. There were more important things to worry about than her pride.

Even as Lewra shot off another spell it seemed nothing would stop the hoard of Crawler's coming after them, with a quick apology the Seeker scooped up Vanri with as much care as possible as to not irritate the lalafell's wounds. They had Vanri but now the question was how were they getting out of here? "We have to keep trying!" The Seeker looked back towards the town, how many others would be put in danger if they brought the hoard with them? But then Lewra noticed how the Crawlers took no notice to the Viera, and then it dawned on her, Altani wasn't a magic user. "We need to send Altani to town to get help, they're not going to pay her any mind and we'll just have to hold them off until she comes back." As she spoke one of the Crawlers started to crawl up her leg and with a flick of her leg did she bring it back down to smash the thing. "I don't have any other ideas."

"Well whatever it is, it needs to get done quickly," M'shara said. "I think we should also pick a direction and run lest we be swarmed."

The gunblade wielding Viera didn’t enjoy the idea of leaving the group behind even if it was for a few minutes at most "Suppose that’s our best bet! R-Right...uh no dying while I’m away!" She shook her head as she began to run off, constantly looking over her shoulder as she ran.

The Scholar looked around in a panic, where could they go? They were surrounded, even if they tried climbing up anything the swarm would just follow right behind them. What would her loved ones do in this situation? At this point, she wished N'yami had given her one of her bombs to blast the wretched things away. "How big of an explosion can you make, M'shara?"

M'shara backs up further, "Big but is that the right call with us so close to them?"

"I have nothing else to work off of, I can protect us from the blast but we need to get rid of them somehow."

Vanriri was--not exactly a boon in this situation, scooped up as she was. She still had a grip on her quarterstaff, but with hardly the leverage to use it properly. "I've got a little strength left, I can channel my aether to either of you," she says hastily.

M'shara shrugs her shoulders. "Okay, but you better have a direction to run picked out by the time we -live- through this blast." She slaps her focus and sword together again, channeling aether into the focus.

"I have a route planned out." Making sure Vanri was secure the Seeker was prepared to launch herself in the direction for them to take, and once that explosion went off it was loud enough for Altani to hear back in town and when she looked back could see a few of the Crawlers flying into the air. It was a sight for those who had no idea what was going on. But as G'lewra lead her small group into the direction she thought safest they were met with Crawlers larger than the ones before. The glowing orb that was their eye locked onto all three of them, in a panic Lewra quite literally tossed Vanri to Shara in hopes to give them more time to escape. Her arms started to glow from the tattoos etched into her skin with aether and like a cannon shot off balls of aether to keep the Crawlers at bay, but that didn't stop them, a muffled shot was heard and the next thing Lewra was on the ground twitching after being shot with a stunning bullet from a smaller Crawler. Then they locked onto the other two.

M'shara blinked and looked at the Lala in her arms before turning to try and book it towards the town.

"L--Lewra--!!" Vanriri doesn't really get a chance to protest, however, as Shara starts to book it forwards, instead turning her efforts into punting whatever spiders try to crawl after them.

As M'shara ran with Vanri she would hear the Crawler's closing in on her, and the muffled shots were heard again as they shot off stunning bullets to stop the Redmage in her tracks, poor Shara had additional bullets launched into her as she refused to stay down so she could keep fighting, but one could only stop their body from spasming from such shock for so long. With both the Scholar and Redmage down they would have no issue picking off Vanri. 

The lalafell hits the ground hard as Shara goes down, managing a few ineffectual, panicked swipes with her quarterstaff at the tendrils that come for her, before she's plucked up and dragged into the cage--any protests restricted to strained whimpers. Alongside M'shara's focus and blade, and Gl'ewra's glasses and grimoire, Vanriri's quarterstaff would also be found half-extended in the freshly rained-upon ground.

With the threats taken out the larger Crawler's moved forward and crouched down over the Shara and Lewra's bodies to pick them up, securing them within the machines for transport while a third one half the size of the larger one went for Vanri. Its stomach opened and what seemed to be metal tendrils shot forward to grab the already injured lalafell to drag her to her cage within the belly of the beast. The smaller crawlers crawled onto the larger ones for transport and started making their way back to Coerthas, on the ground Altani would find G'lewra's glasses that had been shattered in the process along with her Grimoire. 

 All Altani and the Wood Wailers could do was watch in horror as the three were taken right in front of them. Taking out her gunblade she took aim at the spider that had taken them but after a second she lowered her aim knowing that she'd more then likely end up hurting or even killing one of them if she took the shot, though upon spotting the items left behind the Viera crouched down next to them with a thud and a shaky hand reached out to grab the items left behind.

How was she going to tell those of Heartwood that three of their comrades were taken?