After Mika had tried to piece together his team's findings, he unfortunately concluded nothing they didn't already know. The tracks were unidentifiable, except the single set that continued to the woods looked like a barefoot human had made them. No other clue to what the creatures that had attacked looked like. They'd just have to try hunting the woods and cliffside in hope of finding the fliers' nests.
As his team collected outside the gate, they double-checked they had everyone before returning into the city.
--
With the spirit gone, Valk returned to her initial business of wandering around in the gardens. She knew Lykos wouldn't be back from the archives until near dawn, so she stayed out fairly late into the night before returning to the manor. She'd left herself time to climb back up the building in the same way she'd gotten down and she slipped back in through the window like she'd never been gone, save for the outdoor-scent on her clothes and a few stray twigs in her hair.
(We can cut to the next day in game if you want. I'm assuming the hunter's expedition to the woods would be approved, and we can send Mika and Faen out to the market)
After Mika had tried to piece together his team's findings, he unfortunately concluded nothing they didn't already know. The tracks were unidentifiable, except the single set that continued to the woods looked like a barefoot human had made them. No other clue to what the creatures that had attacked looked like. They'd just have to try hunting the woods and cliffside in hope of finding the fliers' nests.
As his team collected outside the gate, they double-checked they had everyone before returning into the city.
--
With the spirit gone, Valk returned to her initial business of wandering around in the gardens. She knew Lykos wouldn't be back from the archives until near dawn, so she stayed out fairly late into the night before returning to the manor. She'd left herself time to climb back up the building in the same way she'd gotten down and she slipped back in through the window like she'd never been gone, save for the outdoor-scent on her clothes and a few stray twigs in her hair.
(We can cut to the next day in game if you want. I'm assuming the hunter's expedition to the woods would be approved, and we can send Mika and Faen out to the market)
Faen strolled through the market with an empty bag over her shoulder. She was in much plainer clothes today, just a simple, tan dress. She didn't have any performances scheduled until the evening, so she thought it would be a good time to do her shopping.
She decided to head closer to the docks than she normally would, because she was searching for fresh fish. She could have found it closer to the Art's District, but it always seemed to taste better the closer she bought it to the river. So she spent the better part of the morning traveling to a marketplace she knew.
While she was browsing, she overheard some Hunter Guards talking.
"Yeah, the Market just a couple of blocks west of here was almost totally demolished by those beasts last night."
"No, how'd they get in?"
"Flew right over the wall."
"No! How'd they get past the guard?"
"Group a centaurs attacked the mine, caused a distraction."
"No!"
Faen shook her head as she moved out of ear shot. The rumors of monster attacks were becoming more and more frequent these days. She was just thankful that they hadn't hit the area she'd been in last night. She shuddered at the thought. She'd never actually seen a monster in person (unless you counted the spirits she summoned) and she never wanted to.
She turned her attention back to the fish stall she'd found.
Brand and several other hunters stalked quietly through the woods. They'd followed the human-like foot prints to where the trees started, then lost trail. He stifled a yawn. He'd barely got any sleep last night, but he'd wanted to be part of this expedition. He saw last night's monster attack as a personal affront and wouldn't have felt right not joining this hunt.
((I didn't know if you wanted Lykos to report directly to Garrus, or if you wanted her to report to the whole Hegemony, so I'm holding off on bringing him in.))
Faen strolled through the market with an empty bag over her shoulder. She was in much plainer clothes today, just a simple, tan dress. She didn't have any performances scheduled until the evening, so she thought it would be a good time to do her shopping.
She decided to head closer to the docks than she normally would, because she was searching for fresh fish. She could have found it closer to the Art's District, but it always seemed to taste better the closer she bought it to the river. So she spent the better part of the morning traveling to a marketplace she knew.
While she was browsing, she overheard some Hunter Guards talking.
"Yeah, the Market just a couple of blocks west of here was almost totally demolished by those beasts last night."
"No, how'd they get in?"
"Flew right over the wall."
"No! How'd they get past the guard?"
"Group a centaurs attacked the mine, caused a distraction."
"No!"
Faen shook her head as she moved out of ear shot. The rumors of monster attacks were becoming more and more frequent these days. She was just thankful that they hadn't hit the area she'd been in last night. She shuddered at the thought. She'd never actually seen a monster in person (unless you counted the spirits she summoned) and she never wanted to.
She turned her attention back to the fish stall she'd found.
Brand and several other hunters stalked quietly through the woods. They'd followed the human-like foot prints to where the trees started, then lost trail. He stifled a yawn. He'd barely got any sleep last night, but he'd wanted to be part of this expedition. He saw last night's monster attack as a personal affront and wouldn't have felt right not joining this hunt.
((I didn't know if you wanted Lykos to report directly to Garrus, or if you wanted her to report to the whole Hegemony, so I'm holding off on bringing him in.))
(I'll send her to the Hegemony. Do you want to set them up?)
Having spent the morning moving heavy crates from the ships to the warehouse, Mika was able to spend the start of the afternoon loading crates from the warehouse to the carts to be taken to the merchants who'd traded them. With each cart, a few dock workers went along to help unload the crates at the stalls. Mika had been picked to go with for a cart carrying several bolts of cloth and textiles. As they went through the market place, they passed the destroyed stalls.
Mika couldn't help staring. The sturdy structures just smashed to pieces and clawed to splinters... Monsters had done that.... It wasn't the first damage that he'd seen the monsters had caused. What could they have wanted from a closed merchant's stall? What had they hoped to gain? He knew monsters weren't stupid. A vast majority of them could think and make plans on the same level as humans. So why just break things?
The cart passed the destroyed stalls and approached the textile's stall. Mika hopped down from the cart as it slowed to a stop and began to unload the crates, placing them behind the stall at the merchant's order.
--
Blair had managed to land a place on Brand's expedition to the woods, and he walked along with the group searching for tracks or any sort of trail that could give them a hint to where the walking creature had gone. He hadn't found anything yet, and apparently after they'd lost the trail at the edge of the forest, neither had anyone else.
--
The night before, Ira had settled into his chosen birch tree at the edge of the woods, though before the dawn had risen, he'd left to go a little deeper, seeking any sort of edible plant he could boost and sustain himself on. He'd managed to find a fair-sized blackberry bush, and with a little magic, he'd grown the plant to be taller and to push the berries to grow and ripen. It was a little early in the season for the berries to have formed, so he'd pulled as many as he could to stay inconspicuous.
He still planned on staying in the birch, but he wasn't heading back to the edge of the woods just yet. He still had a few of the blackberries in his hand, and he was hoping to find another food-bearing plant he could get food from. He preferred to collect the seeds of the plants and place them where he could get to them faster from the birch. He would have done the same in the orchard if it hadn't made his chosen tree stand out so badly.
(I'll send her to the Hegemony. Do you want to set them up?)
Having spent the morning moving heavy crates from the ships to the warehouse, Mika was able to spend the start of the afternoon loading crates from the warehouse to the carts to be taken to the merchants who'd traded them. With each cart, a few dock workers went along to help unload the crates at the stalls. Mika had been picked to go with for a cart carrying several bolts of cloth and textiles. As they went through the market place, they passed the destroyed stalls.
Mika couldn't help staring. The sturdy structures just smashed to pieces and clawed to splinters... Monsters had done that.... It wasn't the first damage that he'd seen the monsters had caused. What could they have wanted from a closed merchant's stall? What had they hoped to gain? He knew monsters weren't stupid. A vast majority of them could think and make plans on the same level as humans. So why just break things?
The cart passed the destroyed stalls and approached the textile's stall. Mika hopped down from the cart as it slowed to a stop and began to unload the crates, placing them behind the stall at the merchant's order.
--
Blair had managed to land a place on Brand's expedition to the woods, and he walked along with the group searching for tracks or any sort of trail that could give them a hint to where the walking creature had gone. He hadn't found anything yet, and apparently after they'd lost the trail at the edge of the forest, neither had anyone else.
--
The night before, Ira had settled into his chosen birch tree at the edge of the woods, though before the dawn had risen, he'd left to go a little deeper, seeking any sort of edible plant he could boost and sustain himself on. He'd managed to find a fair-sized blackberry bush, and with a little magic, he'd grown the plant to be taller and to push the berries to grow and ripen. It was a little early in the season for the berries to have formed, so he'd pulled as many as he could to stay inconspicuous.
He still planned on staying in the birch, but he wasn't heading back to the edge of the woods just yet. He still had a few of the blackberries in his hand, and he was hoping to find another food-bearing plant he could get food from. He preferred to collect the seeds of the plants and place them where he could get to them faster from the birch. He would have done the same in the orchard if it hadn't made his chosen tree stand out so badly.
((Sorry I didn't make it on yesterday - I got busier than I thought. Also, Fridays are my DnD days, so I won't be on at least part of this evening.))
There was a loud clattering noise and Faen turned to see a delivery cart roll into the market place. She'd just been about to finish her shopping and head home when she noticed that the cart had been carrying bolts of cloth. Her mother was a seamstress who crafted fine clothes for the Mages, so Faen had an interest in fabrics, even if she didn't have any skills with sewing.
She'd actually been thinking about asking her mother for a new performing dress. She'd been getting more and more requests to play at events and she felt it was time to add to her wardrobe. She might as well see what the textile merchant had just received. Maybe he'd be willing to make a deal on his old stock.
She edged closer to the stall, but decided to wait until the workmen left. She didn't want to get in their way or get run over.
As the Hunters traipsed through the woods, Brand felt more and more hopeless. The tracks from the one land-bound creature disappeared and fliers were virtually impossible to track. They were still moving in a westerly direction, the same as the tracks. But there was no guarantee the fliers had gone the same way.
"Qorra! Qorra wake up!" The harpy was startled awake by the gargoyle shaking her roughly.
"Huh, wha-, what's happening?" She asked groggily. How long had she been asleep?
"Hunters, in the woods," the gargoyle growled. "I think they're looking for us."
Qorra cursed. Her hip was throbbing which was making it hard to think. "Let's get going." She limped out to the main section of the cave where everyone was on alert. "Alright, my friends," she said. "You know the drill. Separate and head for home. Don't engage, we've had enough casualties for now. We'll regroup and strike again in a few days."
Everyone headed out in different directions. Qorra lingered for a moment longer, hoping the Ira had made it to safety. Then she took off and headed into the the distance.
Garrus sat at the end of a long table. He took his time selecting an exotic fruit from a platter in front of him. He found the perfect one and placed it on his plate that was already full of delicacies. All along the table, his fellow Hegemony members were doing the same. Many of them were focused on their lunch, but a few were holding whispered conversations.
Garrus could sense the tension in the room. There'd been yet another monster attack last night which was why this meeting had been called. Most of the Hegemony saw this as a problem to be solved. But Garrus, along with a few others, saw this as an opportunity. Maybe this was his chance to sway the other members to his way of thinking.
((Sorry I didn't make it on yesterday - I got busier than I thought. Also, Fridays are my DnD days, so I won't be on at least part of this evening.))
There was a loud clattering noise and Faen turned to see a delivery cart roll into the market place. She'd just been about to finish her shopping and head home when she noticed that the cart had been carrying bolts of cloth. Her mother was a seamstress who crafted fine clothes for the Mages, so Faen had an interest in fabrics, even if she didn't have any skills with sewing.
She'd actually been thinking about asking her mother for a new performing dress. She'd been getting more and more requests to play at events and she felt it was time to add to her wardrobe. She might as well see what the textile merchant had just received. Maybe he'd be willing to make a deal on his old stock.
She edged closer to the stall, but decided to wait until the workmen left. She didn't want to get in their way or get run over.
As the Hunters traipsed through the woods, Brand felt more and more hopeless. The tracks from the one land-bound creature disappeared and fliers were virtually impossible to track. They were still moving in a westerly direction, the same as the tracks. But there was no guarantee the fliers had gone the same way.
"Qorra! Qorra wake up!" The harpy was startled awake by the gargoyle shaking her roughly.
"Huh, wha-, what's happening?" She asked groggily. How long had she been asleep?
"Hunters, in the woods," the gargoyle growled. "I think they're looking for us."
Qorra cursed. Her hip was throbbing which was making it hard to think. "Let's get going." She limped out to the main section of the cave where everyone was on alert. "Alright, my friends," she said. "You know the drill. Separate and head for home. Don't engage, we've had enough casualties for now. We'll regroup and strike again in a few days."
Everyone headed out in different directions. Qorra lingered for a moment longer, hoping the Ira had made it to safety. Then she took off and headed into the the distance.
Garrus sat at the end of a long table. He took his time selecting an exotic fruit from a platter in front of him. He found the perfect one and placed it on his plate that was already full of delicacies. All along the table, his fellow Hegemony members were doing the same. Many of them were focused on their lunch, but a few were holding whispered conversations.
Garrus could sense the tension in the room. There'd been yet another monster attack last night which was why this meeting had been called. Most of the Hegemony saw this as a problem to be solved. But Garrus, along with a few others, saw this as an opportunity. Maybe this was his chance to sway the other members to his way of thinking.
(It's all good, I got a headache and fell asleep early last night)
Mika couldn't help wishing another dockworker had come along, because there were quite a few crates to be lifted. Even if he was used to this work after so long, his back still ached by the time he was halfway through the cart. Finally, he lifted the last crate out of the back of the cart and set it down with the others. The merchant gave his pay to the cart driver as Mika started walking back. He was about to climb up when he spotted a familiar face watching the stall.
If he wasn't wrong, that was the woman from the tavern. He stopped, wondering if it was a good idea to make the cart wait so he could talk to her. Then again, he probably wouldn't see her again. He couldn't walk to this marketplace in decent time from where he lived, and there was no guarantee she usually shopped here anyway considering there were better stalls further in the city. He still wanted to know more about her theory of magic. Making up his mind, he told the cart driver to just give him a minute or he'd walk back himself.
With that settled, he stepped back from the cart and gave Faen a wave to try to get her attention.
--
Ira had eaten a fair number of the blackberries he'd grown when he heard movement close to the south of him. He turned his head to see a group of figure moving through the forest. If he'd been paying more attention, maybe he'd have heard them sooner and had time to retreat. He wasn't actually near a tree large enough for him to hide in.
Dropping the remaining berries he'd been holding, Ira turned and retreated back a few paces until he reached an oak tree just big enough to merge with. In his hurry, he didn't make the effort to stay quiet. At least if they heard him, they'd still be looking for whatever had made the noise. They shouldn't have any reason to be looking for him inside of a tree.
--
Blair turned his head at a sudden noise, only just seeing the recoil of some smaller bushes as they swayed back and forth. He wasn't sure what had stirred them, and he looked between the hunters around him, then forward to Brand, wondering if they'd heard it too, or perhaps even seen what had made the noise. Even if they'd come out looking for monsters, it was equal chance they had startled a deer or some other wild animal.
--
Even though Lykos hadn't gotten to go home and sleep until the wee hours of the morning, she'd still been up at dawn preparing for this. She'd had several maids help her with her appearance, from braiding and weaving her hair down to the most delicate details of her make up, she never presented a report to the Hegemony without going all out. After all, this was a gathering of the most important and powerful people in the city all in one room, and she was supposed to be discussing the all-important on-goings of the hunters and of the monsters they encountered. She had to treat this with more importance than any event she'd been invited to.
No matter how many times she presented a report, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous. It wasn't easy to predict how they'd react, and the phrase 'don't kill the messenger' had to come from somewhere. After all, there was a reason for the job opening.
Lykos checked the scroll of parchment once more before she rolled it back up and gave a nod to the doorman. He knocked and after a second, he pushed the door open to let her in. She gave him a small dip of her head before she entered the room, offering a deep bow to the men at the table as she waited to be addressed.
(It's all good, I got a headache and fell asleep early last night)
Mika couldn't help wishing another dockworker had come along, because there were quite a few crates to be lifted. Even if he was used to this work after so long, his back still ached by the time he was halfway through the cart. Finally, he lifted the last crate out of the back of the cart and set it down with the others. The merchant gave his pay to the cart driver as Mika started walking back. He was about to climb up when he spotted a familiar face watching the stall.
If he wasn't wrong, that was the woman from the tavern. He stopped, wondering if it was a good idea to make the cart wait so he could talk to her. Then again, he probably wouldn't see her again. He couldn't walk to this marketplace in decent time from where he lived, and there was no guarantee she usually shopped here anyway considering there were better stalls further in the city. He still wanted to know more about her theory of magic. Making up his mind, he told the cart driver to just give him a minute or he'd walk back himself.
With that settled, he stepped back from the cart and gave Faen a wave to try to get her attention.
--
Ira had eaten a fair number of the blackberries he'd grown when he heard movement close to the south of him. He turned his head to see a group of figure moving through the forest. If he'd been paying more attention, maybe he'd have heard them sooner and had time to retreat. He wasn't actually near a tree large enough for him to hide in.
Dropping the remaining berries he'd been holding, Ira turned and retreated back a few paces until he reached an oak tree just big enough to merge with. In his hurry, he didn't make the effort to stay quiet. At least if they heard him, they'd still be looking for whatever had made the noise. They shouldn't have any reason to be looking for him inside of a tree.
--
Blair turned his head at a sudden noise, only just seeing the recoil of some smaller bushes as they swayed back and forth. He wasn't sure what had stirred them, and he looked between the hunters around him, then forward to Brand, wondering if they'd heard it too, or perhaps even seen what had made the noise. Even if they'd come out looking for monsters, it was equal chance they had startled a deer or some other wild animal.
--
Even though Lykos hadn't gotten to go home and sleep until the wee hours of the morning, she'd still been up at dawn preparing for this. She'd had several maids help her with her appearance, from braiding and weaving her hair down to the most delicate details of her make up, she never presented a report to the Hegemony without going all out. After all, this was a gathering of the most important and powerful people in the city all in one room, and she was supposed to be discussing the all-important on-goings of the hunters and of the monsters they encountered. She had to treat this with more importance than any event she'd been invited to.
No matter how many times she presented a report, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous. It wasn't easy to predict how they'd react, and the phrase 'don't kill the messenger' had to come from somewhere. After all, there was a reason for the job opening.
Lykos checked the scroll of parchment once more before she rolled it back up and gave a nod to the doorman. He knocked and after a second, he pushed the door open to let her in. She gave him a small dip of her head before she entered the room, offering a deep bow to the men at the table as she waited to be addressed.
The workmen finished unloading the crates so Faen stepped up to the stall. But before she could really start looking through the cloth, a movement caught her eye. One of the workmen seemed to be waving at her. She was confused at first, but then realized it was the young man who'd stood up for her in the tavern last night. What were the odds of running into him here?
Her first instinct was to run. But that was ridiculous. He'd helped her last night, so surely he wasn't hostile... Still, she didn't talk to men very often. But it would be rude, not to say anything.
She struggled with these thoughts for a moment and then stepped towards the young man, but still kept several paces between them. "Um, hello again," she said tentatively.
Brand had heard the sudden flurry of noise. He waved for the group to halt and then motioned toward the sound. Every hunter changed direction and slowly approached the area. Brand spotted a pile of blackberries on the ground - they were scattered, like someone had dropped them.
He was no farmer, but he didn't think blackberries should be in season just yet. He remembered the roots from last night and his suspicion that they were dealing with a dryad only increased. He picked up and had full of berries to show his men, wondering if any of them would catch the significance. If nothing else, it proved a sentient creature had been here. Dumb animals didn't pick a pile of berries before eating them.
Qorra circled over the forest near the hastily abandoned hideout. She was high enough that she doubted she'd be recognized as a harpy. And even if she was, the hunters wouldn't get a clear shot through the trees. All of her friends were long gone, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the dryad was in trouble. She wished he'd come to the hideout with them. Or that she'd stayed with him until he'd found shelter. As it was, he could be just about anywhere in this section of woods.
And she had yet to locate the party of hunters. Just as the trees shielded her from their view, so they were shielded from her.
Garrus had a wolfish smile on his face as Lykos entered the room. He'd always liked the younger woman. She took her work seriously and treated her reports to the Hegemony with the proper decorum. She knew her place, and yet he sensed much potential in her, which is why she'd been included in his little scheme.
So far the other members of the Hegemony hadn't caught on that her own demon had been a source of some of the destruction and unrest in the city. But he thought his little experiment had been going well. Today's meeting would reveal where the other members of the Hegemony stood and whether they could be swayed to his way of thinking.
The room's focused shifted to the oldest member of the Hegemony. Though there was no official leader of the group, the oldest among them usually had the most respect and tended to take the lead. Garrus thought this practice misguided. The older members tended to take fewer risks and be more set in their ways. The younger members (like himself) tended to be more daring, willing to take greater risks which could reap greater rewards. Or they would, if they stopped deferring to the elders.
The wizened old man addressed the archivist. "Ms. Lykos, you have a report for us?"
((Hope the stuff about Garrus and Lykos working together is okay - I can adjust if I need to. And please feel free to chime in as other members of the Hegemony if you want.))
The workmen finished unloading the crates so Faen stepped up to the stall. But before she could really start looking through the cloth, a movement caught her eye. One of the workmen seemed to be waving at her. She was confused at first, but then realized it was the young man who'd stood up for her in the tavern last night. What were the odds of running into him here?
Her first instinct was to run. But that was ridiculous. He'd helped her last night, so surely he wasn't hostile... Still, she didn't talk to men very often. But it would be rude, not to say anything.
She struggled with these thoughts for a moment and then stepped towards the young man, but still kept several paces between them. "Um, hello again," she said tentatively.
Brand had heard the sudden flurry of noise. He waved for the group to halt and then motioned toward the sound. Every hunter changed direction and slowly approached the area. Brand spotted a pile of blackberries on the ground - they were scattered, like someone had dropped them.
He was no farmer, but he didn't think blackberries should be in season just yet. He remembered the roots from last night and his suspicion that they were dealing with a dryad only increased. He picked up and had full of berries to show his men, wondering if any of them would catch the significance. If nothing else, it proved a sentient creature had been here. Dumb animals didn't pick a pile of berries before eating them.
Qorra circled over the forest near the hastily abandoned hideout. She was high enough that she doubted she'd be recognized as a harpy. And even if she was, the hunters wouldn't get a clear shot through the trees. All of her friends were long gone, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the dryad was in trouble. She wished he'd come to the hideout with them. Or that she'd stayed with him until he'd found shelter. As it was, he could be just about anywhere in this section of woods.
And she had yet to locate the party of hunters. Just as the trees shielded her from their view, so they were shielded from her.
Garrus had a wolfish smile on his face as Lykos entered the room. He'd always liked the younger woman. She took her work seriously and treated her reports to the Hegemony with the proper decorum. She knew her place, and yet he sensed much potential in her, which is why she'd been included in his little scheme.
So far the other members of the Hegemony hadn't caught on that her own demon had been a source of some of the destruction and unrest in the city. But he thought his little experiment had been going well. Today's meeting would reveal where the other members of the Hegemony stood and whether they could be swayed to his way of thinking.
The room's focused shifted to the oldest member of the Hegemony. Though there was no official leader of the group, the oldest among them usually had the most respect and tended to take the lead. Garrus thought this practice misguided. The older members tended to take fewer risks and be more set in their ways. The younger members (like himself) tended to be more daring, willing to take greater risks which could reap greater rewards. Or they would, if they stopped deferring to the elders.
The wizened old man addressed the archivist. "Ms. Lykos, you have a report for us?"
((Hope the stuff about Garrus and Lykos working together is okay - I can adjust if I need to. And please feel free to chime in as other members of the Hegemony if you want.))
Mika still offered Faen a smile, though he noticed the distance she kept. He didn’t want to upset her by getting closer, and he was pretty sure people would notice him talking to her if he did, the same way she’d been singled out so easily by the captain yesterday.
“Good morning.” He greeted. “I didn’t think I’d run into you again. But you said something yesterday and I wanted to know if there was any more you could tell.” He replied, trying to keep his voice from carrying too far in the market area. “I understand now probably isn’t a great time to be bothering you, and I won’t be able to stay here much longer, but if we could talk another time I’d appreciate it.”
—
Blair watched Brand inspect the blackberry bush a moment before making a small gesture with the dropped berries in his palm. He remembered what Brand had said yesterday about the dryad and wondered if he suspected this as the same trail.
With that in mind, he looked around to examine the woods near them. There were a fair number of trees a dryad could hide in, though not may near the blackberry bush itself, just a few little saplings and shrubs. Or maybe they could hide in those bushes too? He wasn’t sure. He’d only seen one before in the early years of his training and he’d only gotten to the fight as his mentor had cut it down.
So where was it now? Given where the noise had come from, and the direction it sounded like it had gone in, there were still a handful of trees that it could have retreated to.
—
Ira waited in silence within the tree’s core. He couldn’t hear anything, and in this state he couldn’t actually see the hunters. Were they gone? He hoped they’d gone to beyond where he’d be able to hear them. But that would have been too fast… he could hear for quite a distance, even if things sounded a bit strange from within the tree. He should have heard them leaving for at least a bit longer.
Even if he had been sure the hunters had left, he would have kept to the tree. There was no telling when they’d follow the same trail out of the woods to go home, and he didn’t want to be caught off guard again.
—
Lykos waited patiently for the table to finish the last of their conversations to avoid interrupting anyone before she nodded to the mage.
“Indeed, I do. Regarding the events reported by our hunters last night, there were two attacks on the city. The first was a ground assault on the mines by a herd of centaurs. Some minor injuries were reported, and our hunters lost one among their ranks, but their defense of the mines was successful. Mana production was not interrupted, and one of the centaurs was slain in their retreat.” Lykos said, projecting in a way that the table could hear her easily, but there was no echo or reverberation off of the stone walls. It had taken her some time to learn to speak this way.
“However, it appears the centaurs were merely a diversion to an attack by air. A group of flying beasts successfully cleared our walls and razed a section of a lower class market. By the time the hunters located the beasts, they’d had time to deal a large amount of damage to numerous stalls and retreat. We know two beasts were injured in their retreat, but no bodies were found. The hunters believe all of the flying beasts escaped alive. Additionally, one of our hunters reported monster activity in the orchards. However, he only reported signs of a monster, and no actual sightings of the beast. Until they know more, there's not much they can do besides remain vigilant. Currently, we have a small party of experienced hunters scouring the woods for any sign of last nights raiders.”
(Gotcha. This works fine and I'll try to pitch in where I can with the mages. Actually, I'll try to set up a leader too so I have a consistent play with you when Garrus shows)
Mika still offered Faen a smile, though he noticed the distance she kept. He didn’t want to upset her by getting closer, and he was pretty sure people would notice him talking to her if he did, the same way she’d been singled out so easily by the captain yesterday.
“Good morning.” He greeted. “I didn’t think I’d run into you again. But you said something yesterday and I wanted to know if there was any more you could tell.” He replied, trying to keep his voice from carrying too far in the market area. “I understand now probably isn’t a great time to be bothering you, and I won’t be able to stay here much longer, but if we could talk another time I’d appreciate it.”
—
Blair watched Brand inspect the blackberry bush a moment before making a small gesture with the dropped berries in his palm. He remembered what Brand had said yesterday about the dryad and wondered if he suspected this as the same trail.
With that in mind, he looked around to examine the woods near them. There were a fair number of trees a dryad could hide in, though not may near the blackberry bush itself, just a few little saplings and shrubs. Or maybe they could hide in those bushes too? He wasn’t sure. He’d only seen one before in the early years of his training and he’d only gotten to the fight as his mentor had cut it down.
So where was it now? Given where the noise had come from, and the direction it sounded like it had gone in, there were still a handful of trees that it could have retreated to.
—
Ira waited in silence within the tree’s core. He couldn’t hear anything, and in this state he couldn’t actually see the hunters. Were they gone? He hoped they’d gone to beyond where he’d be able to hear them. But that would have been too fast… he could hear for quite a distance, even if things sounded a bit strange from within the tree. He should have heard them leaving for at least a bit longer.
Even if he had been sure the hunters had left, he would have kept to the tree. There was no telling when they’d follow the same trail out of the woods to go home, and he didn’t want to be caught off guard again.
—
Lykos waited patiently for the table to finish the last of their conversations to avoid interrupting anyone before she nodded to the mage.
“Indeed, I do. Regarding the events reported by our hunters last night, there were two attacks on the city. The first was a ground assault on the mines by a herd of centaurs. Some minor injuries were reported, and our hunters lost one among their ranks, but their defense of the mines was successful. Mana production was not interrupted, and one of the centaurs was slain in their retreat.” Lykos said, projecting in a way that the table could hear her easily, but there was no echo or reverberation off of the stone walls. It had taken her some time to learn to speak this way.
“However, it appears the centaurs were merely a diversion to an attack by air. A group of flying beasts successfully cleared our walls and razed a section of a lower class market. By the time the hunters located the beasts, they’d had time to deal a large amount of damage to numerous stalls and retreat. We know two beasts were injured in their retreat, but no bodies were found. The hunters believe all of the flying beasts escaped alive. Additionally, one of our hunters reported monster activity in the orchards. However, he only reported signs of a monster, and no actual sightings of the beast. Until they know more, there's not much they can do besides remain vigilant. Currently, we have a small party of experienced hunters scouring the woods for any sign of last nights raiders.”
(Gotcha. This works fine and I'll try to pitch in where I can with the mages. Actually, I'll try to set up a leader too so I have a consistent play with you when Garrus shows)
It took Faen a moment to process what the young man was asking her. She looked around to make sure no one in the market was paying attention and she edged just a little closer. "Does that mean... you believe me... about..." she trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought where someone might hear.
She looked down at her hands and twiddled her fingers together nervously. She wasn't used to men asking her to meet them. Not that she thought he was trying to court her, or anything, but she was still out of her element. And she knew Bartholomew wouldn't be happy if he found out.
But even though this man was just one person, he could be the first step to spreading the word about magic. The more people who knew, the more likely things were to change. She looked up again and nodded resolutely. "Yeah, I can meet you tomorrow, anytime. I live in the Art's district, so could we meet somewhere near there?"
Brand looked around again. Dryad's were tricky. It could have fled further into the forest, or it could have merged with any of the nearby trees. There was just no way to know. He drew his sword in frustration and rammed it into the closest tree. Short of burning the forest, there was nothing much they could do. And those fliers were long gone too. This whole venture had been an exercise in futility.
"Trail's cold, men," he grunted. "Let's head back home."
If only they'd managed to track down one monster, even one that hadn't been involved in last night's attack, Brand would have felt like they'd accomplished something.
The Mages remained silent as Lykos gave the report. But as soon as she finished, the room broke out into angry mutterings. One member even brought his fist down on the table. "We have to do something about these monsters," he growled. There were murmurs of assent from most of the other members.
Garrus remained silent, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips. How short-sighted his fellow Mages were. Couldn't they see what an opportunity the beasts were affording them? With no effort on the Mage's part, the lower class was being targeted and oppressed. The stupid beasts didn't know the difference. All humans were enemies in their eyes.
Emotions were running high. It could be risky to introduce his plan now, but it was high time to take it to the next phase. The muttering started to die down, so he said, "Gentlemen, gentlemen. I think you're missing the bigger picture here. Can't you see the potential of our situation?" He paused to give them time to think.
((I'll let you decide if Brand hit the tree Ira's hiding in or not.))
It took Faen a moment to process what the young man was asking her. She looked around to make sure no one in the market was paying attention and she edged just a little closer. "Does that mean... you believe me... about..." she trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought where someone might hear.
She looked down at her hands and twiddled her fingers together nervously. She wasn't used to men asking her to meet them. Not that she thought he was trying to court her, or anything, but she was still out of her element. And she knew Bartholomew wouldn't be happy if he found out.
But even though this man was just one person, he could be the first step to spreading the word about magic. The more people who knew, the more likely things were to change. She looked up again and nodded resolutely. "Yeah, I can meet you tomorrow, anytime. I live in the Art's district, so could we meet somewhere near there?"
Brand looked around again. Dryad's were tricky. It could have fled further into the forest, or it could have merged with any of the nearby trees. There was just no way to know. He drew his sword in frustration and rammed it into the closest tree. Short of burning the forest, there was nothing much they could do. And those fliers were long gone too. This whole venture had been an exercise in futility.
"Trail's cold, men," he grunted. "Let's head back home."
If only they'd managed to track down one monster, even one that hadn't been involved in last night's attack, Brand would have felt like they'd accomplished something.
The Mages remained silent as Lykos gave the report. But as soon as she finished, the room broke out into angry mutterings. One member even brought his fist down on the table. "We have to do something about these monsters," he growled. There were murmurs of assent from most of the other members.
Garrus remained silent, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips. How short-sighted his fellow Mages were. Couldn't they see what an opportunity the beasts were affording them? With no effort on the Mage's part, the lower class was being targeted and oppressed. The stupid beasts didn't know the difference. All humans were enemies in their eyes.
Emotions were running high. It could be risky to introduce his plan now, but it was high time to take it to the next phase. The muttering started to die down, so he said, "Gentlemen, gentlemen. I think you're missing the bigger picture here. Can't you see the potential of our situation?" He paused to give them time to think.
((I'll let you decide if Brand hit the tree Ira's hiding in or not.))
Mika nodded at her question. Though it wasn't as much as him believing a stranger's word as it was him wanting it to be true. If anyone could use magic, it could completely change so many lives. He might even be able to use it himself and take his knowledge back home.
"I don't know get out of work until sunset. If that's okay, I can meet you there." He said quickly. The thought then dawned him that she'd seemed nervous enough about meeting him as it was, asking her to go wait for him at night didn't sound like it made things want easier on her. Then he remembered the man she'd been with. Even if he hadn't been very encouraging of her ideas, it was better than no one. "You don't have to meet me alone, bring whoever you trust." He gave a small dip of his head as the cart driver knocked his fist against the wooden board that served as his seat, a clear warning he was short on time.
"Sorry, I can't stay." He apologized quietly. "I have to get back to work." He started moving back toward the awaiting cart driver.
--
Unable to see where the humans were or what they were doing, the blade in the trunk of the tree took him completely by surprise. Horrible cold pain pierced his side and he reeled backward, desperate to make the feeling stop. He fell out of his merge with the tree and stumbled on to the forest floor. He clamped a hand over his side and the other over his mouth to stifle a pained wail. There was no blood, no wound under his hand. But he still felt it just the same as though he'd actually been run through. He'd never been on the receiving end of a blade before and he never wanted that again.
The pain was still fresh and strong, only slowly fading as he struggled to regain his footing. He'd managed to separate from the tree with it in between him and the hunters, but he could hardly keep himself upright. Still within arm's reach of the tree, he took his hand from his face and slammed his palm against the tree trunk, ready to respond to whatever actions the hunters tried to take.
--
Blair heard the noise behind the tree and turned back quickly. He'd been set to leave at Brand's words, but the sudden appearance of the tree-looking creature pulled his attention almost as soon as he'd heard him. He placed a hand on the hilt of his blade, watching it closely as he awaited Brand's action, ready to follow suit.
--
Lykos waited in silence, only taking a few small paces back to disengage herself from the council's debate. She only had to await dismissal, but she lingered and avoided drawing attention to her presence as she waited to hear how Garrus wanted to address the others. She wasn't entirely sure what his plan had started as, or how it had changed since she'd given Valk's contract to his cause.
Mika nodded at her question. Though it wasn't as much as him believing a stranger's word as it was him wanting it to be true. If anyone could use magic, it could completely change so many lives. He might even be able to use it himself and take his knowledge back home.
"I don't know get out of work until sunset. If that's okay, I can meet you there." He said quickly. The thought then dawned him that she'd seemed nervous enough about meeting him as it was, asking her to go wait for him at night didn't sound like it made things want easier on her. Then he remembered the man she'd been with. Even if he hadn't been very encouraging of her ideas, it was better than no one. "You don't have to meet me alone, bring whoever you trust." He gave a small dip of his head as the cart driver knocked his fist against the wooden board that served as his seat, a clear warning he was short on time.
"Sorry, I can't stay." He apologized quietly. "I have to get back to work." He started moving back toward the awaiting cart driver.
--
Unable to see where the humans were or what they were doing, the blade in the trunk of the tree took him completely by surprise. Horrible cold pain pierced his side and he reeled backward, desperate to make the feeling stop. He fell out of his merge with the tree and stumbled on to the forest floor. He clamped a hand over his side and the other over his mouth to stifle a pained wail. There was no blood, no wound under his hand. But he still felt it just the same as though he'd actually been run through. He'd never been on the receiving end of a blade before and he never wanted that again.
The pain was still fresh and strong, only slowly fading as he struggled to regain his footing. He'd managed to separate from the tree with it in between him and the hunters, but he could hardly keep himself upright. Still within arm's reach of the tree, he took his hand from his face and slammed his palm against the tree trunk, ready to respond to whatever actions the hunters tried to take.
--
Blair heard the noise behind the tree and turned back quickly. He'd been set to leave at Brand's words, but the sudden appearance of the tree-looking creature pulled his attention almost as soon as he'd heard him. He placed a hand on the hilt of his blade, watching it closely as he awaited Brand's action, ready to follow suit.
--
Lykos waited in silence, only taking a few small paces back to disengage herself from the council's debate. She only had to await dismissal, but she lingered and avoided drawing attention to her presence as she waited to hear how Garrus wanted to address the others. She wasn't entirely sure what his plan had started as, or how it had changed since she'd given Valk's contract to his cause.
Midnight!? That was a little later than she'd been bargaining on, but it was too late to back out now. "There's a tavern just outside the Art's District, the Dewy Rose. Meet me there," she called after him. She was afraid he'd feel uncomfortable actually coming to the Art's District - many of the lower class did, anyway. A lot of them saw the middle class as the Mage's lapdogs, or worse. But the Dewy Rose was still close enough to the District that it mostly attracted respectable clientele.
Faen shifted her bag on her shoulder and then remembered that it contained fresh fish. She'd better get it back home quickly, or her trip out this direction would be wasted. As she walked, she thought about what the man had said. Bring whoever you trust. Had he been referring to Bartholomew? She shook her head. That would be a terrible idea. She hoped Bartholomew never found out about this little meeting. No, she'd just have to make sure that Jax's summoning was ready to go and hope she didn't need to call on him.
After several minutes of walking, she realized that she'd never actually looked at the fabric stall. Oh well, they probably wouldn't have had anything fine enough for a performance dress all the way out here anyway.
Brand froze in a rare moment of surprise. Of all the trees in the forest, how had he managed to plunge his blade into the one in which the Dryad had taken refuge? He recovered quickly. "Surround it," he called to his men, all of whom had noticed the creature's ungainly exit from the tree. They moved into position, blades and bows all pointed at the outnumbered monster. Brand's first instinct was to run his blade through the creature and rid the world of one more monster. But he reigned in his emotions. Maybe they could get some information from it.
"Tell me, creature," he growled. "Were you involved in last night's raid? If you tell us where your friends went, I'll make sure you're death is swift." His lips curled in a savage grin.
Qorra had continued circling the section of forest between the hideout and the orchard. Though her head was telling her it was futile, that she should just get back home, she couldn't shake the feeling that Ira was in danger.
She risked flying lower, trusting the trees to shield her. A sudden gust of wind blew the sound of metal on metal to her ears. The sound of swords being drawn. She swooped even lower. There was a large tree standing higher than the others around it. She caught the scent of sweat, leather, and metal. Hunters! She glided silently down and landed on a branch. There was Ira, bracing himself against the trunk of the tall tree, surrounded by men.
She crouched, ready to spring to the Dryad's defense, even though they were both hopelessly outnumbered.
The Mage's remained silent, too scared or too dumb to see the situation for what it was. "Care to enlighten us, Foxblood?" one of the other Mages finally growled.
Garrus chuckled with mild condescension. "Fine, since no one else seems to see the opportunity here... We can use these monster attacks to our advantage." He paused again, letting the thought sink in. There was some muttering, but no angry outburst, so maybe that was a good sign. "Think about it," he continued. "We've all heard the rumors of unrest in the Outer District. They've grown restless in their slums. They've started to think that they're better than they are, that they should be able to rise above their current stations." There were troubled murmurs of agreement.
"But we can use these attacks to put them in their place." Garrus rose from his chair now, his passion taking over. "These attacks will remind them of how powerless they are. And when the Mages and the Hunters arrive to save the day, they will be reminded how much they need us. They will be reminded of their place. Their loyalty in us will be renewed."
He placed both hands on the table and gave each individual member a penetrating stare, trying to gauge their reactions.
Midnight!? That was a little later than she'd been bargaining on, but it was too late to back out now. "There's a tavern just outside the Art's District, the Dewy Rose. Meet me there," she called after him. She was afraid he'd feel uncomfortable actually coming to the Art's District - many of the lower class did, anyway. A lot of them saw the middle class as the Mage's lapdogs, or worse. But the Dewy Rose was still close enough to the District that it mostly attracted respectable clientele.
Faen shifted her bag on her shoulder and then remembered that it contained fresh fish. She'd better get it back home quickly, or her trip out this direction would be wasted. As she walked, she thought about what the man had said. Bring whoever you trust. Had he been referring to Bartholomew? She shook her head. That would be a terrible idea. She hoped Bartholomew never found out about this little meeting. No, she'd just have to make sure that Jax's summoning was ready to go and hope she didn't need to call on him.
After several minutes of walking, she realized that she'd never actually looked at the fabric stall. Oh well, they probably wouldn't have had anything fine enough for a performance dress all the way out here anyway.
Brand froze in a rare moment of surprise. Of all the trees in the forest, how had he managed to plunge his blade into the one in which the Dryad had taken refuge? He recovered quickly. "Surround it," he called to his men, all of whom had noticed the creature's ungainly exit from the tree. They moved into position, blades and bows all pointed at the outnumbered monster. Brand's first instinct was to run his blade through the creature and rid the world of one more monster. But he reigned in his emotions. Maybe they could get some information from it.
"Tell me, creature," he growled. "Were you involved in last night's raid? If you tell us where your friends went, I'll make sure you're death is swift." His lips curled in a savage grin.
Qorra had continued circling the section of forest between the hideout and the orchard. Though her head was telling her it was futile, that she should just get back home, she couldn't shake the feeling that Ira was in danger.
She risked flying lower, trusting the trees to shield her. A sudden gust of wind blew the sound of metal on metal to her ears. The sound of swords being drawn. She swooped even lower. There was a large tree standing higher than the others around it. She caught the scent of sweat, leather, and metal. Hunters! She glided silently down and landed on a branch. There was Ira, bracing himself against the trunk of the tall tree, surrounded by men.
She crouched, ready to spring to the Dryad's defense, even though they were both hopelessly outnumbered.
The Mage's remained silent, too scared or too dumb to see the situation for what it was. "Care to enlighten us, Foxblood?" one of the other Mages finally growled.
Garrus chuckled with mild condescension. "Fine, since no one else seems to see the opportunity here... We can use these monster attacks to our advantage." He paused again, letting the thought sink in. There was some muttering, but no angry outburst, so maybe that was a good sign. "Think about it," he continued. "We've all heard the rumors of unrest in the Outer District. They've grown restless in their slums. They've started to think that they're better than they are, that they should be able to rise above their current stations." There were troubled murmurs of agreement.
"But we can use these attacks to put them in their place." Garrus rose from his chair now, his passion taking over. "These attacks will remind them of how powerless they are. And when the Mages and the Hunters arrive to save the day, they will be reminded how much they need us. They will be reminded of their place. Their loyalty in us will be renewed."
He placed both hands on the table and gave each individual member a penetrating stare, trying to gauge their reactions.
