#amali sero

[exotic-inquiry]

Day seven: Swords

[redwayfarers]

out of my depth

wayfarer. mc & amali sero, set post prologue and pre ep 1. gen, 927 words. on importance and access to choices. divider credit

“We can cut it, if you’d like,” Sero suggests. The room is warm; there’s a fireplace and cups of hot tea on Sero’s desk. Yet, the boy sits in one of the grand chairs for guests covered in furs to his chin. They almost miss his response, a slight lifting of his head. “Your hair, Cassander. Have you always worn your hair long?” 

Sometimes, they don’t know what to talk about with him. They can feel him watching and measuring their every word and motion. He probably knows they like to press their cuticles when they’re idle and that they like their meals slightly oversalted. There’s an intelligence behind his red eyes, bright and open and radiant, and they’re certain the kid knows way more than he lets on. 

If he ever does, in reality. Most of the time, Cassander doesn’t speak much. He seems to take forever to answer a question, if only because he’s measuring something in that overfilled brain of his. It’s unsettling, and if Sero was being honest with themself, it makes them question whether he’s a right fit for their apprentice sometimes. 

They’d never say it, though. They’re oddly attached to the unsettling, scrawny elf Cenric dragged from Vodena. Life hasn’t been kind to him there, Cenric said. Be patient with him, Cenric said. And Sero’s heart cracked a little from that walk in the snow, from watching an obviously terrified kid try and put on a brave face for survival, and their mind was made up. 

No kid asks to be hurt by adults. Sero’s doubts shame them. They feel Cassander’s eyes sliding over him, and they ask, gentler, “Have you always had your hair long?” 

“Yes,” he says. He tries to sound as neutral as possible. “For ease of styling.” 

“Ease of styling? From what I’ve seen of Vestra, your hairstyles are anything but easy to do.” Sero reaches out to one of the cups and drinks a sip. “Spire must be a downgrade in that regard.” 

“It is easy to style long hair,” Cassander says. He squirms on his seat. A halo of warm, red curls flies about his face, framed by the fire. Sero imagines they were more defined before winter took its toll on them. “Everyone has long hair.” 

“Not here, though. Some Wayfarers keep it short for practicality. We’re of a wandering sort and hair gets in the way sometimes. That’s why I asked if you would like to wear it short for a while.” 

Cassander shoots his head up and sits a little straighter. Sero almost regrets it; it’s rare to see him relaxed, but this time around, Sero notices, it’s less defensive, held back composure and more curiosity. Like a cat, they think. He schools his face to be neutral but it’s a struggle. His mouth is slightly open, as if to ask something, but he seems to decide against it. His hands grip the big fur coat. 

“It is up to you,” they say. Their heart tightens a little. Their nails click against the clay cup. “I’m not trying to force anything, Cassander. If you want it, it can happen. But if you don’t, there’s no harm done.” 

“That’s possible?” Cassander says, all too quiet, like he’s asking for some sort of permission. Sero is suddenly hit with a gods-awful reminder how young he is; Cenric’s asked around and the kid is ten. Ten years old, on the cusp of eleven, and they’ve seen many ten year olds running around and grabbing the world by the throat. Sero suddenly stands up, like something physically pushes them upward, leaves their cup on the table and walks over to Cassander, mindful of their step. 

Like approaching a spooked cat. 

“Can I hug you?” Sero asks. Their voice feels heavy in their throat. Cassander looks up. There are freckles on his nose and on his neck, faint in the winter. A moment passes, and Sero is just ready to step away, give him space, when he says a small, barely there yes. 

So they kneel a little to be on his eye level and wrap their arms around his small shoulders. He burrows his face against their neck and they feel his breath hitch and then even out. His hands grab Sero’s shirt and he holds tight, as if he wants to get under their skin. And Sero would let him. Part of them wants to card their fingers through his curls. 

“Has your hair ever been your choice?” Sero asks quietly. 

“No,” Cassander responds. 

“From now on, it is,” Sero says with determination. “I can teach you to take care of it. I can teach you to style it. But it is on you how you want to wear it. It’s on your head. The look of your hair is not that big to me as it is for you to become a good Wayfarer.” 

Cassander swallows, thickly. “I–” 

“There’s no need to make your choice now. Think about it. Should you come to any decision, let me know.” 

He simply nods and furrows back into Sero’s embrace. Sero has little heart to let him go just yet. Fire cracks behind them as the wind blows harshly outside. It doesn’t matter though, does it? Sero feels awfully out of their depth, but they know that this kid is theirs. 

Oh how Cenric would laugh if he saw them. Laugh, yes, but also hide a happy little smile that one unfortunate magiani child has found a home in their Order. 

Sero can’t fault him one bit. 

[idrellegames]

my found family ask chose Sero as a mentor + took their name

and i'm just. (shakes you) if MC doesn't get to meet their mentor again, for any of them, i WILL lose it. how dare you make them so family /j

If you roll badly you can get knocked out and see them in flashbacks. 😌

I of course can't spoil if/when/where the MC will see their mentor again, but I am very touched at how much of an impact they made in the Prologue. 💗

[thevikingwoman]

For @wayfarer-week prompt 1: View

Fandom: Wayfarer IF | Words: 298 | Read on Ao3

Vy Shard | post prologue, pre game rating: G

View

It was dark outside when they arrived last night, and Vy had barely glanced out the window then. Amali Sero had ushered them and Aeran up a set of broken stairs to a small room while Cenric and the elven woman – Varyn – bickered. Too tired to do anything else, they’d crawled into bed and Aeran had done the same.

Now, after dawn has broken, they look out the small window. The room has a view, sweeping across a dark forest glinting with snow and mountains looming far to the right.

The nature is overwhelming, and silent. They’ve had the whole journey to adjust to the lack of crowds and noise of life, but here they feel it more keenly, everything is far away in the distance.

Vy remembers once, when they were very little, their mother had lifted them in her arms and swooped across the rooftops of Nesactium. They remember giggling, and their mother’s laugh. Was their father worried? Did he look up at them? The memory is fuzzy, like a dream, and Vy suddenly doesn’t know if it happened at all. They don’t remember the color or texture of their mother’s wings. The name of their parents.

They punch the wall and curse.

Aeran mutters in his sleep, but he remains sleeping. Good. They’re not ready to talk, to voice the questions they probably both have about their new life.

Outside, the dawn paints the sky pink, and there’s an eagle flying high above. The stone of the tower is old, but solid and the blankets in their beds warm and clean. Someone scurries across the courtyard below.

Someone like them, in a world without magic.

Maybe their luck has finally turned, a new life awaiting them, like the new view they never thought they’d have.

[scionshtola]

for @wayfarer-week prompt 1: View

characters: Mirren Sero, Amali Sero words: 384 rating: G summary: five years after she was first brought to the Spire, Mirren thinks about what it means to her now notes: how many times can I write about Mir thinking about her life as a Wayfarer? as many times as I want 😌

Mirren followed Sero along the familiar path, one the two of them had tread together more times than she could count. Her steps slowed as they crested the hill and the barbed towers of the Spire came into view.

She paused at the top. The citadel loomed ahead of her, no less menacing in appearance than it had been when she’d first seen it nearly five years ago, a fortress blotting out the stars in the sky. And yet the sight inspired no trepidation in her anymore, only a comforting sense of familiarity, tinged with relief.

Mirren had never understood many of the sailors she’d grown up with—those of them who loved the sea, but spoke with immense relief of the idea of returning home. The stark white walls of the Briadis villa were nothing but a cage to her, a place for her parents to hide her away until the next time their fleet departed.

But each time she crested this hill, each time the towers rose high over her head in the distance, she thought she finally understood how those sailors felt. The open black iron gate, once seemingly a maw waiting to devour her whole, was a welcome sight on the horizon. The wall that wrapped around the citadel not a means of keeping her out of the way, but of keeping her safe. The towers a place for her to drag Aeran along as she explored, not full of rooms she wasn’t allowed in out of fear her touch alone would break things.

“Mirren!” Sero called from up ahead. She could make out the familiar grin on their face, their tone teasing. “You had best hurry. I can’t promise there will be any supper left for you if you arrive much longer after me.”

“I’m giving you a head start,” she yelled back with a grin. “You aren’t as quick on your feet as you used to be.”

“Oh? Need I remind you just how many times I knocked you on your ass this morning, Briadis? I think it was around six.”

“Not more than three!” But Sero had already turned around, leaving her behind with a wave of their hand.

Mirren shook her head with a laugh, tightened the straps on her pack, and set off toward home.

[reverienne]

Ok, I have an important question - would any of your OCs want to start a romance with Aeran? Like, before the drama. If yes/no - why? Me curious 👀

Ding ding dong, we have a winner! Congrats to @bluekaddis for sending the most difficult question so far!

I tried to keep it as spoiler-free as I can for the benefit of Loes and Sierra who may be lurking, but I still recommend not reading anything below the cut, if you haven't finished Ep 2 of Wayfarer.

Okay, to sort things out - a bonus question "Which Wayfarer master would my OCs get?"

Jedi Exile Siri: Amali Sero Emerald Aeducan: Brissa Varyn Kallista Tabris: Rindan Cenric (though I could see Amali Sero being tempted) Corina Brianta: Brissa Varyn Juliander Strzygomski: Rindan Cenric (though I could see Amali Sero being tempted) Bogumiła Niepołomska: Amali Sero (though I could see Rindan Cenric being tempted) Malve: Rindan Cenric

Based on that we can already exclude Emerald Aeducan and Corina Brianta from the dating pool. While I'm not judging any Varyn apprentices who fell for Aeran, to Emerald Aeran would have the same appeal as Gorim, which is to say, none at all, and Corina Brianta, much like her Wayfarer counterpant, would see Aeran strictly as a brother.

Kallista Tabris is excluded from the competition on the grounds of being a lesbian, obviously.

That leaves us Siri, Jul, Bogusia and Malve.

You know too well that I genuinely have no idea how to get along with Aeran. My only experience is with Corinne Varyn and goodness knows that Corinne cannot stay in Aeran's good graces for longer than 5 minutes. It's a constant hit-or-miss with him. Therefore, I genuinely don't know whether I - and by extension any of my characters - am capable of romancing Aeran.

HOWEVER, I can always speculate!

I feel that Siri could possibly be Aeran's closest friend out of all my characters - both as children and as adults. Their energies just seem to match. As children, they would be wild and carefree, as adults, they would be clearly Trying Their Best but also Burdened with Their Pasts. Whatever Aeran's deal, there's a chance that Siri's done something worse… so Siri Gets Him, they wouldn't pry, no matter their former closeness. I also could actually see Siri seeing the deeper reason for him lashing out in Ep2 and being the bigger person, and pushing for a reconcilation with him in Ep3 or maybe even earlier. Siri is generally very chill, it's not easy to push their buttons, and in Kotor 2 I'd say that they spend a lot of time listening to podcasts about psychology while tinkering, so if anyone could reconcile with Aeran without triggering a couple of red flags within me, it would be them. However, I just can't see Aeran and Siri as a romantic match. They strike me as ~platonic buddies~ only. It doesn't help that teenage's Siri crush was a cool guy a couple years their senior so generally quite a difference from a fellow classmate Aeran.

As for Juliander, we both know that he's a human magnet for familial connections and based on that, I'm pretty sure that Aeran is bound to become an instant brother figure to him. It doesn't help that Aeran's master is Varyn and Juliander's master is Cenric, and they're kind of together (on and off) so it's pretty much a family already (or at least they would be in Juliander's eyes - again, no judgement to any Cenric apprentices who fall for Aeran). I just can't see Juliander being attracted to Aeran romantically... which is a good thing because their relationship would be complicated enough already. I feel that Juliander would be quite hurt by Aeran's commitment to secrecy. While he's pretty much the most understanding and not-noisy person you can meet, he believes that relationships should be equal, with both sides showing vulnerability and being honest with each other, and it would hurt him how, despite all these moments where their relationship is almost the same as in the older days, there's this huge chasm between them and apparently Aeran isn't as... serious or committed to this relationship as Juliander is? At least that's roughly the way I understand him.

Bogumiła is just the funniest person to come with his question because she seems to match Aeran's type too well. She's fallen both for her childhood friend (Zori) and her adolescence friend (Red). In the very brief (scrapped) worldstate where Caine survived and she didn't spend Ch1 very mopey because of it, she's got a bit of crush on Trouble who, newsflash, was her first friend in the Shepherds. Her trend of falling for her first friends wherever is just too well established. She'll pine for you wordlessly, but since you're her friend, if you don't pick up on that AND you aren't receptive to that, she won't ~ruin your friendship~ (or embarrass herself for someone who'll obviously turn her down) by confessing. If she fell for you deep enough, her feelings will survive a decade apart and start flourishing wildly with every second you spend together from then on. She's 100% the type to confess her feelings to you during a shouting match after you get yourself seriously injured or otherwise push her buttons in a very specific way. If there's this one character of mine that statistically wouldn't have "Eww, platonic only" feelings towards Aeran, let's face it, it would be Bogumiła. It doesn't help that kid!Aeran just... seems like somebody that she could crush on. He's nice, he reminds me of Zori a little and Bogumiła responds well to braver, more adventurous types who'll push her out of her comfort zone. Obviously you can nitpick that Bogumiła's type skews towards kindness and nerdery, and not only Aeran is NOT much of a nerd, but also his dramatic backstory most likely goes back to his childhood, but I feel that the odds speak for themselves and she would fall for him anyway.

~Spoilers commence, please skip this bit if you haven't played Ep2~

Since she's a bit of a caretaking type, she would do her best to be understanding and considerate of Aeran's trauma, even though it was hurting her how he's been constantly pushing her away. However, if she got injured in late Ep1 and Aeran ended up confessing his feelings to her on the ship, only to keep ignoring the topic throughout the voyage... oof, it would sting. Again, Bogumiła would try to be understanding - he's got his baggage, he doesn't feel ready to start a relationship, he confessed to her only in the heat of the moment... but gosh, haven't they been having plenty... not-so-platonic moments together already? Why can't they just seal the deal and get properly together with her?! He's not ~choosing~ to fall in love with her, he's in love with her already, the choice is only to let himself act on his feelings! And then all the hot-and-cold moments throughout Ep2... they would definetely mess with her. I think that she would be able to connect the dots, see that Velantis has a bad impact on him, but still... she would feel bad for being seemingly left hanging after his confession (that's the moment where, ideally, they should be sharing a kiss by the sunset! enter a romantic relationship together!). She would try to push all the romantic drama away and be a supportive friend to him, though. Aeran's words during their fallout in Ep2 would hurt her badly. While he would be true in that she was depending on him a little too much (or at least Bogusia and I can both see his reasoning here), him calling her a pathetic Wayfarer who always needs to be rescued? That would be UNCALLED FOR. Saying that he regrets reuniting with her, that he regrets his confession? Well, personally I would call it unforgivable, though other people's mileage here may vary. While I don't think that Bogusia would be the type to end a relationship in the heat of the moment (starting-changing it, preferably with a makeout session, is fine, ending it... generally requires a calmer head, in her opinion), she WOULD storm off. She would hate being a nervous wreck at the gala - she's not the subtlest when it comes to masking her emotions and she doesn't need to be Varyn to know not to trust anyone there (which would only make the anger at Aeran leaving her like that stronger) - but she absolutely wouldn't return to their room quickly. Thankfully, she would find some solace with Melchior. While I don't think that she would sleep with him, he would give her a safe space to be mopey in and there are other questionable choices that you can make during an afterparty... like not sleeping well because you're tormented by the direction in which your life is going. She would spend early Ch3 giving Aeran a cold shoulder (an even colder one if, having heard that she attended Melchior's party, wanted to know whether she cheated on him... "Maybe I should have", she would tell him coldly, feeling a bit angry at herself for not having done just that, for not being the kind of person to do something like that), somewhat revelling in his asking for forgiveness OR very aloof if he ignores the matter and doesn't even go for a single sorry. If he doesn't try to apologize, their relationship is done for and it's non-negotiable. If he does apologize, then, whatever he says, Bogumiła can't forgive him just yet. If he wants to keep her in his life, despite believing her to be such a burden, he needs to work for it.

~No more major spoilers, feel free to resume reading~

As for Malve... neither I, nor Malve have the faintest idea. While they fell for Oisein who was also their friend, they don't know what specifically made them fall for them. They're very new to the concept of romantic or sexual feelings, they have never experienced them before. However, they're very curious about this newfound aspect of themselves. They want to know the answer and they would be willing to try! Thank you, Malve, your commitment to science is truly impressive. I guess I have a new Wayfarer MC now?

[sunshinemage]

Wayfarer Masters - Amali Sero 🗡️

(psssst go play @idrellegames’ Wayfarer, you won’t regret it!! also Episode 2 launches publicly on July 1st!!)

[zuulosdovah]

some prequel grandmaster sero for the soul ♥ @idrellegames

[ghostwise]

obsessed with his episode two lewk

[coldshrugs]

wayfarer mc picrew dump [1][2]

ephyra "effie" metaxas.

she/her. elven. child of the city. 5'4".

mentored by brissa varyn. prioritizes persuasion + perception.

diplomatic, sarcastic, bleeding heart.

auster "aus" keron.

he/him. human. child of the streets. 5'9".

mentored by rindan cenric. prioritizes strength + agility.

earnest, quiet, kind.

calypso "cal" delphi.

they/them. half-melusine. child of the seas. 6'3".

mentored by amali sero. prioritizes agility + persuasion.

jovial, direct, ambitious.

[mistrall-art]

It’s finished! ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ

Wayfarer!Avalon the final one (and the one I had most fun with hahah)!

I’ll probably add more under the ‘read more’ at a later date.

Avalon “Ava” Ó Braonáin, Elf (or Half-Melusine), Child of the Streets (or Seas), wielder of Daybreaker the Kingkiller, trained by Amali Sero.

Of all my characters so far Ava fits the mood the most, especially with all the sarcastic options. Was surprisingly polite during the Lethalis meeting 😮

I’m still playing with her race and background, but at least I’ve got her looks down. There are so many fic ideas in my head for her, but most fit better with the Child of the Seas BG 🤔 meh I’ll figure it out at some point hahah all my ocs have changed BGs at some point.

This is my only character with 95 friendship with Aeran :’)

Somehow had a nice teamwork balance going on with Aeran

Second character to find the Chalice...lost it to Rhodarth, who gave it to the count -sighs-

Got ko’ed during the Rona fallout

[exotic-inquiry]

just do as they do and you’ll be alright

[redwayfarers]

Wayfarer Week: Injury

Fandom: Wayfarer IF Ship: N/A Characters: Cassander Inteus (OC), Amali Sero, Aeran Kellis Rating: Gen (vague descriptions of an injury) Words: 702 As it says on the tin - prompt 3 for @wayfarer-week! Enjoy my boy being a dumbass lmao

Sero is cleaning their daggers when the news reaches them. It’s already been a shitty week, all things considered, and they do      not    need any more additional stressors. So here they are, secluded in their study, trying to process it all and just take a moment for themself when someone knocks on the door.

“Kellis,” they greet, lifting their eyes from the daggers. They shine brighter than jewels on the Emperor’s crown, but it doesn’t stop them from giving them a loving, thorough sweep once more. Sero takes a moment to look Aeran over - his hair’s messy and dirty, there are bags under his eyes and he smells of days on the road. There’s a patchy stubble he has yet to shave off. Worry’s etched into the lines of his face. “Kellis, what happened?”

“I came to give my report,” he says. “Cass would’ve come with me as well, but he’s with Sirin now. Bastard almost got killed by a beast.”

Sero’s heart drops to their heels. Their face hardens and they’re on their feet in moments. “Where’s the injury? What did Sirin say?” 

“On his back– I took him there as quickly as I could but–” Aeran is gripping the door tightly. His nails are scarily white. Sero places a firm hand on his shoulder and squeezes. 

“Calm down, kid,” they say, playing up the certainty of their voice. “He’s in capable hands. You go wash up. Any reports can wait until the morning.” 

“I–” Aeran looks down. “I will.” As soon as he’s out of sight, though, Sero all but flies down to the infirmary. Their heart beats wildly. Aeran’s reaction indicates this injury isn’t a mere scratch. Did it touch the spine? Stars and hellfire, not the spine. They move on instinct, trying to will themself not to freak out. 

Not him, not him, not him, Sero chants, opening the doors loudly. Their eyes fly over the infirmary, looking for the familiar sight of red hair. Before they spot Cassander, however, they spot Sirin, who’s washing her hands next to a nearby, empty cot. She nods at them and approaches, drying her hands. 

“Grandmaster?” her voice is measured and even.

“Cassander–” 

“Will live,” Sirin finishes, tipping her head in the direction of a certain cot. And sure enough, Sero sees Cass’ bright, red head and the tips of his ears. “But can you keep your voice down? He, like the rest of the people here, is sleeping.” 

Sero sighs deeply in relief and clears their throat. A part of them wants to offer an explanation - my son is injured and I wish to see him - but the admission doesn’t really sit right with them. Not like this. Not to Sirin before anyone else. The other part, the Grandmaster one, makes them straighten their back and nod. It’s that part that also says, “I apologize. Is the injury serious?”

“He’s very lucky that it missed the spine just so. As it is right now, it’s deep, but nothing life-threatening.” Sirin squints. “I do recommend he grow a pair of eyes behind his head, though. This kind of luck doesn’t happen twice.” 

Sero rubs their temples. So he’s been a dumbass, so innocently unaware of what his recklessness does to people around him. They recall Aeran’s worried face, the whites of his nails as he grips the door. The desire to throttle Cassander sometimes overpowers them, but Sero persists. “I hope he learned his lesson, for fuck’s sake,” they reply. 

“Me too. I’d hate to patch him up twice over the same mishap.” With that, she goes on her merry way and Sero makes a beeline for Cass’ cot. Their hands shake just slightly as they remove hair from his eyes and feel the steadiness of his breath against their fingers. His skin is warm, sharp with growing stubble, and alive.

“I’ll throttle you when you heal, I swear,” they whisper. “Don’t make us worried like this.” Not you, not you, not you. Not you, of all people. Their hand stays for a moment longer. But they should let him rest now, probably. 

There’s a time and a place for accusations of dumbassery, but for now, they’re just happy he’s alive.

[idrellegames]

Hi! i was curious about what the MC's relationship is with the other two wayfarer masters? Like, will we get to know what their relationship was before things went south? Would they still get mentioned even if they were not MC's mentor?

Professional and respectful, but not close. Other than that, it's free reign for headcanon.

The MC will know more things about their mentor than they will about the other two, so their perspective on them will shift a bit in the text when they come up. And they are still mentioned, even if your MC wasn't apprenticed to them!

[katetheworm]

Wayfarer OC

(by @idrellegames , read it bc it's incredible)

Name/Nickname: Sivana "Ana" Sero (Stormwind)

Gender and Pronouns: Female, she/her

Ancestry: Melusine

Origin: Child of the Sea

Mentor: Amali Sero

Sword Name and History: Soulrender, the Quester

Appearance: Teal, freckled skin with one red eye, one brown eye. Average height with long, coily, pink hair.

She has a scar of a claw slash on her back.

Tattoos include a sea dragon and the Wayfarer symbol

Personality: Sivana is more outspoken than some would like. She does not entirely care what others think of her, especially mages, but she is also not blatantly rude. Ana greatly dislikes hurting innocents and tries her best to minimize casualties. However that does not mean that she isn't ready for a fight when needed.

Strongest Skills: Agility, Persuasion, and Perception

Weakest Skills: Strength

Major Story Moments:

Ep I-

Refused Zenaida's offer

Found the chalice in Flotsam Grove

Left the chalice in the Grove and fought the Count

Made Zenaida double her offer

Ep II-

Refused to answer most of Quirinus' questions

Did not expose Mel to Phaedra

Did not forge a pact with Sophia Anaxas

Talked with only Aeran after the meeting

Talked to Mel and accepted his invitation

[galpalaven]

tell us about your wayfarer ocs 🔫. pls 💛

thank u anon lmfao

So, because I always have to be dramatic, let us begin with the fact that there are two Wayfarers in my canon. We have Keziah Briadis, my high-approval Aeran Wayfarer, and Saoirse Cathair, the low-approval snark machine I originally ran to just play the fun flirty and/or annoying options and who I ended up loving in the universe way more than I thought I would so she ended up staying.

Keziah and Saoirse are both half-melusine, though they come from very different backgrounds.

Keziah is a Child of the Seas, and had a relatively happy childhood before her parents were killed by pirates and she was left in the hands of her extended family. They were not kind to her, and she was often either forgotten about or actively abused depending on the person watching her that day and their mood. When Cenric came knocking, her family were all too eager to be rid of her.

Saoirse is a Child of the Fields, and though her childhood was calm and happy, she did grow up poor compared to Keziah. She was loved by her parents, and could have lived a happy life had her parents not decided that the Wayfarers would be better for her--and, though they were loathe to admit, they would be able to live much more company with one less mouth to feed. The parting was hard for baby Saoirse, who didn't really understand why she needed to leave and, though her parents tried to write to her after she left, she grew bitter over time, and eventually cut contact entirely.

Keziah was trained by Amali Sero after they saw something special in her, and Saoirse was trained by Brissa Varyn alongside of Aeran Kellis.

Saoirse and Aeran definitely had a sibling rivalry going during their youth, and Saoirse often still feels the Cain Instinct towards the man. Saoirse and Keziah also have a sibling-like bond, and Saoirse is very protective of Keziah.

Spoilers for Wayfarer Episode 1 below

Rona - Beginning of the Day

The day our story begins, Keziah and Aeran have both headed to the Docks early that morning to ask around for the Crimson Count's missing chalice. The two of them had split up there to cover more ground while looking for information, while Saoirse had woken up a little late and decided to take her time, strolling through town and listening idly to passing conversations. Saoirse is the one that encounters Luthais, the little street urchin who tries to swipe her purse to lure her to Rat Alley at the instructions of Two-Fingers Kane. She takes a shine to him, as he reminds her a lot of her when she was a kid. Gives him her cloak as they chat on the way to the alley. The fight with Kane is short, and she escapes up the tree, to where Keziah and Aeran are apparently waiting, though she is concerned about the fire that is left to ravage the alley because of Kane. Keziah shares this concern, and after a two to one vote (Keziah elbows Aeran while Saoirse smacks him on the back of the head when he says that the fire is someone else's problem lmao) they head for Deadwood. Keziah noticed the ship in the harbour, but became too concerned about Saoirse's lateness to investigate it further.

Deadwood - The Guild

They begin their "investigation" with the Guild to make sure that the fire in Rat Alley is taken care of before it gets out of hand, Aeran dragging his feet the whole way. While all three of them enter the Guild, Aeran ends up dipping out early while Saoirse is talking to Aegineta, and Keziah follows after him in concern. They have a chat about the history of their weapons while Saoirse is in the Guild. Saoirse returns with information to follow up on regarding Flotsam Grove and the Ebony Marquis, who has apparently been missing for a while now. With this knowledge under their belts, they head to The Cove to investigate the dodgy antique salesman Aeran got information on from the Docks. They are also accosted by Malsara after this, but refuse to hear her out.

The Cove

The Cove has been one of Saoirse's favorite places in Rona since they arrived, though they have had very little money to spend at any of the shops. She likes window shopping, and had built up a rapport with some of the shop owners that had kept their little trio supplied when times got rough. They don't end up learning much from Drakehand, though Keziah takes over to try for a more subtle approach compared to Aeran and Saoirse. She finds out a few more leads from him and they go on their merry ways, Saoirse nabbing his weird haunted baby doll idol on the way out. When her friends give her a Look, she just grins and says, "Souvenir." After that, they decide to stop by the shops (Saoirse manages to haggle for the Grappling Hook from the blacksmith), before heading to the South Isle to investigate the Viridian Lady--and follow up on whatever the hell Two-Fingers Kane thought he was doing.

The South Isle

The dreary day continues as they head towards the southern part of the city. By the time they reach the Viridian Lady's gate, both Keziah and Saoirse have no intention of doing anything more extravagant than just knocking on the door and asking to talk to her because fuck working harder when you can just ask politely. Aeran hates this plan and decides to take the grappling hook and climb up the cliffs, to which both girls just look at him blankly like, "Okay? Suit yourself? Don't die." He just rolled his eyes at both of them, clearly convinced he was going to figure it out well and truly before they did. "...think he's gonna fall off the cliff?" "Saoirse." "What? It's an honest questio--OW! Kez!" They are both laughing when the guard finally shows up at the gate, Saoirse having wrapped Keziah in a 'punishment hug' as she calls it. Saoirse takes the lead here, all smiles and confidence, shoulders back, hands in her pockets--the picture of arrogant ease that has made her a master of maneuvering the pitfalls of Rona in the past six months. After speaking with Hera, they all head down to meet the Lady (Aeran included after he crashed through the open window into Hera's office). It goes--fine? Anselma finds Saoirse amusing, though she gets the feeling its more in the way one might find a particularly ugly puppy amusing rather than anything good. They leave with no real leads other than another mention of the Ebony Marquis disappearing in the Grove, as well as a counter-offer from Hera for the chalice. Aeran doesn't know, but both Keziah and Saoirse are interested in the counter-offer rather than following through and giving the cup to the Count. From the South Isle, they finally head back up towards Edgewater to investigate the final set of rumors regarding a missing courier of the Count's.

Edgewater

Their last stop of their day to follow up on leads is the most uneventful. They speak with Madam Grey about Fisher, then with Fisher's sister to find out that he had indeed been transporting things for the Count, and that he was killed by Greendrifts from the Grove (allegedly). After this, the three discuss what they've learned through their investigation. The ultimate conclusion they come to is that there is the most evidence pointing towards Flotsam Grove, and they begrudgingly drag themselves through the muck to hopefully find this stupid cup in time to book the next ship out of here.

Flotsam Grove - The Chalice of Offering

Saoirse is the most unimpressed with the Grove once they really start getting into the swamp, groaning about the bugs and the humidity as they walk. A fog has settled onto the marsh as they approach, making it just that much worse to deal with as they hack their way through the trees and undergrowth. Aeran takes the lead with his elf eyes, both Keziah and Saoirse too done with all of this to put up any kind of argument. When they find the waterway leading into the Grove, the only one willing to actually get in the water to make this whole thing go faster is Saoirse, though Keziah tries to talk her out of it, because she rarely thinks splitting up is a good idea and she has a bad feeling in her gut tonight. Saoirse just shrugs her off, diving into the Grove to scout out for potential leads. This goes smoothly for a bit, until Keziah and Aeran are dragged into the centre of the town and Saoirse realizes that they've gone and got themselves captured. She enlists the help of Luthais, who she'd befriended at the Alley earlier that day and he takes her to where his mother is speaking with Keziah and Aeran. Though Aeran and Saoirse were both trained by Varyn, it's obvious that Saoirse picked up Varyn's silvertongue to a much higher degree than Aeran because, though she is obviously getting on Marea's last nerve, she manages to get the cup from her without a fight. Chalice in hand, they head out of the Grove--though not before Luthais can make a pathetic plea to Saoirse to take him with her. She feels awful, but she bends down and gives him--not a Crown, but a small, round coin of some kind. Tells him it's her lucky coin, that it was one of the only things she still had from when she was a child. One of her family members had given it to her before they'd died, before she'd been taken to join the Order. "Is it really lucky?" A shrug. "Dunno. Probably not real magic since I've been the one handling it for years, but... it got me out of Arsenia. Got me somewhere better. Hold onto it, work hard, and maybe it'll get you out of here someday, too." "...you really can't take me with you?" "'Fraid not, kiddo. Our work is way too dangerous to bring you along right now. But--you know, if you grow up big and strong, who knows? We might run into each other again." He's not really happy with that explanation, but he does close his fingers around the coin, holding it to his chest. He doesn't look at her as he whispers a quiet, dejected, "Okay." Saoirse nudges his chin with her fingers. "Chin up, Tough Guy. If I had to bet on any of these people to get out of Rona by their own hard work, it'd be you. Now, go back to your Ma. She's gonna need your help keeping this place running in the mean time." He nods, offering her one last shaky smile, before the Wayfarers continue on their way. The second she's turned away, Saoirse's face falls as she heaves a slow, deep breath. "I hate this city."

Flotsam Grove - Deal or No Deal

This is where things begin to fall apart. Saoirse is walking, considering the Chalice in her bag, when she says, "We're going to the South Isle next." Aeran rounds on her, obviously pissed, and Keziah sighs as he starts, "Saoirse, we are not--" "The Count's crazy and who knows what the hell he wants to do with this thing. At least with Hera it might do something good." "Since when is making some random fucking noble live forever something good?" Saoirse laughs. "Since when is that worse than whatever the fuck a gang leader with delusions of grandeur wants with something that can grant immortality?" Aeran growls under his breath, turning to Keziah who flinches at the look on his face, looking away from both of them as he gestures wildly at Saoirse. "Ziah, tell her she's being stupid." Keziah looks at him cautiously, and then over at Saoirse, and then-- "HAH! She agrees with me!" "What? She didn't say anything!" "Yeah, 'cuz you're acting like a lunatic." "I'm not--" "Aeran..." Both of them stop talking the second Keziah says something, looking over to find her standing with her arms crossed, gnawing at her lower lip. She shifts her weight anxiously, looking for the right words as recognition dawns on Aeran's face. He groans. Saoirse laughs. "Two to one, man. Majority rules." "Fine. If we die, though, I'm blaming you, Cici." "Oh, I think I can live with that."

The Count's Villa - Dead Man's Gamble

They are, of course, immediately accosted by mercenaries the second they exit the marsh that surrounds the Grove. Rhodarth of the Corsida Brightblades has come to escort them back to the Count's villa, apparently anticipating that they might try to run off with it. Aeran gives Saoirse a Look, to which Saoirse just calmly smiles back at him, and his stomach drops because he knows that look and he knows what's about to happen. It's not a surprise when Saoirse opens her mouth and informs Rho that they did not, in fact, find the chalice, making some quip about impossible timelines when Rho laughs in surprise. Aeran shares an apprehensive look with Keziah when they all start to walk, though she just shoots him a small smile, letting her fingers curl loosely around his when their arms brush for just a moment before pulling away again. It's enough to relax him just a bit as they get closer to the Villa--at least enough that he's willing to sit back and trust that Saoirse can get them out of this alive. Saoirse's silvertongue does them fairly well, as she smoothly lies to the Count about the chalice that is definitely sitting in her pack as they speak. He even seems vaguely impressed by her sheer nerve as she stares him down as he threatens her. For a moment, it almost seems like they're going to get out of this--until the Count asks for their permanent service. Saoirse, for what it's worth, has no outward reaction to this aside from a thoughtful tilt of her head. Her face is a perfectly trained mask of indifference, maybe a little curiosity--that was the one thing she'd gotten from Varyn's training that Aeran never had. The ability to play a part so well that even her closest allies wouldn't be able to tell when she's lying. It, in the end, doesn't matter. The Count deems them apparently useless when Saoirse asks that he either let her companions work with them or let them go. She's not worth the trouble - and he promptly dumps them into a trap door below their feet, sending them tumbling into some kind of pond or lake below the floor. And, of course, sets his pet basilisk on them. Rhodarth, to all of their surprises, helps them fight the thing. Unfortunately, Keziah manages to get herself bit at some point, and, though they manage to kill the thing together, she's not doing very well where she takes shelter on the nearby stairs. She's doing even worse when the Count strides down the stairs, sneering at her as he steps around her. He has no interest in fighting them further--apparently defeating his creature was enough to win them their freedom. Rhodarth, however, is still bound by a blood oath--and when he decides to try and kill the Count on the hope that it's been broken, it's not like any of them can stand around and watch him die. Keziah, injured as she is, makes an attempt to stab the Count from behind--but he hears her coming, and rounds on her. His sword goes through the upper part of her chest, coming out of her shoulder. She drops a moment later, out cold, and Saoirse curses under her breath as she rushes in. The Count sneers, moving to sidestep so that he can watch her cry over her friend. Unfortunately for him, that is exactly what she wanted him to do, eyes on Keziah until the very last moment, when she reaches out and wraps her arm around his neck, shoving his head down roughly to meet the sharp end of her blade which cuts through his neck with a sickening crunch. The Count is dead. Keziah is still not moving.

The Dareia - From the Frying Pan...

...and into the fire. Zenaida Anaxas and her little gang are a welcome sight, for once, as Aeran clutches a bleeding Keziah to his chest. There isn't much argument to be found from either Wayfarer. Rhodarth says his goodbyes quickly, still alive, and the rest of them head for Zenaida's ship. For a moment, they feel that they're maybe finally out of their run of bad luck, before they realize that they have a line of Aeda ready to open fire on them approaching the docks. Saoirse groans, rubbing her bloody hands on her face, before shoving Aeran towards the door to below deck, with a sharp command to stabilize Keziah until Saoirse can look after her properly. Saoirse is the one that steps in with the Viridian Lady, offering her the chalice in exchange for their safe departure from Rona. She thanks whatever gods may be listening that the power of love is enough to save their hides tonight, as the Lady lets them go without a fight. Zenaida starts to say something, but Saoirse is already rushing towards where Aeran had gone. Pardon, Your Grace, but my friend is bleeding out. It's a long few hours as Saoirse and one of the mages--Malsara, she said her name was?--work to bandage Keziah. The basilisk venom, though not as fatal to a Wayfarer as it would be to someone else, had still done a number on her. There was nothing to be done for it except to manage her fever and keep it from climbing too much, stopping the bleeding where they can until her body can properly clot again. By the time they've finally stabilized her, Saoirse is covered in blood and sweat, sticky all over and aching. When she steps out of the room, she finds Aeran sat on a crate nearby, rising to his feet with worry. She smiles at him, gestures to the door and says he can go in if he wants. Keziah will be okay with rest. He lets out a breath loud enough that its possible he'd been holding his breath that whole time, before a shadow passes over his face, and his jaw clenches. "You should go see what Her Majesty wants. I'm sure it's nothing good." "You haven't talked to her." "Did you want me to talk to her?" "I... well, no." "Right." Which... was fair. It's a good thing he doesn't go with Saoirse to talk to Zenaida, probably. Saoirse likes to be quite sweet with nobility to get the best possible deal out of them, whether or not she means most of it, and the ease with which she agrees to the whole thing is... well, he'd have been pissed. And he's already pissed at her as it is, so he didn't need any fuel for that fire. He is, as expected, annoyed when she eventually tells him the deal, though 9,000 Crowns is nothing to sneeze at and it's enough that he just sighs and mumbles something about hoping Keziah takes it okay. Which she does. When she wakes up a few days later, she's okay with it. She trusts Saoirse, and if Aeran seems okay with it as well, then it's probably fine. As long as they're out of Rona. She's equally as relieved when she finds out that Saoirse was the main person who fixed her up, though the random mage who helped doesn't make her feel gREAT. Everything feels topsy turvy, and she's so tired, but at least they are all still together. She and Aeran nearly kiss on the boat, before being interrupted. It's... it's a lot. Everything is a lot. And now they're heading for the Arathian Empire to steal an Astrial. At least they're together, is the opinion she eventually settles on, leaning into Aeran's side on the deck. Saoirse leans on the rail next to them, shooting Keziah a smirk that makes Keziah blush, but they say nothing. Now, the waiting game begins.

Velantis awaits.