Return of the Emblem Chapter Seven: Reunion

[Phoenix]

Camp

Gabbie gave a somewhat depressed looking shrug. "It was about a year and a half before Weyland scooped me up ... back when I was doin' theeee ... less legit jobs. Western nobles are so murderous and voiolent, it's not even funny." she explained.

Tamina nodded to Bert. "It ... could get a little messy on your pillow if you toss and turn a lot, I'm afraid. Try to be careful, Norbert." she added.

Amon overheard Gytha's idea and cringed inside, while the only evidence on the outside was a grimace. The only reason I'm probably not in chains right now is because people probably just think I'm here to help protect Raquel. I am, but it's not JUST that ... urgh. I'm not sure I want to do this ... at all .... That didn't stop him from coming closer to the fire, but he didn't sit down in the forming circle. Instead he remained standing with his arms crossed to help retain the heat. He then noticed Veronika snoozing nearby. "Hmm ..." Wandering over, he lightly tapped her on the shoulder. "Uh, Veronika ... we got a fire started. Just thought you should know."

Urcenter

"Y-yes being caught by the armies would be-w-wait! He's alive?!"

"Oh no ... don't you dare run off and-" "I must reach him, quickly!" Simon cut Cecily off, already breaking into a sprint and running off toward the bar. "Blast it. Wow ... he's actually kind of fast when he's got a goal. Let's just go after him, then once he finishes his little ... interview or whatever, we can drag him out and go meet up with Cloe ... and drop him back off at his mother's place while we're at it ..." she said, tossing the running shaman in the distance an annoyed glance.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Phoenix

[-Cynthia-]

Nadya

"Eh sure, why not? Seems like I'm stuck with you people, at least for a bit," she said, sitting down by fire. "Y'all can ask me anything- though I won't guarantee an answer."

Connor

"Yeah, things are a bit funny out west from what I hear. Maybe he's an old contact or something? He sure didn't seem like a nobleman to me, all the ones I met are a lot less bloodthirsty and cackling," he said to Gabbie.

Veronika

"Hmm? Oh, I was just resting my eyes," she said to Amon, rubbing her eyes a bit to wake up. "A fire sounds good right about now," she said, walking over near the others.

Clara

"Agreed. I'd feel bad not leading him home, his mother does seem to like him even if he is a little...different. Hopefully we we get back to base the three of us won't have any more missions for a while- at least not dangerous ones. This organization seems to be losing members more often than usual, though at least they pay pretty well," she responded.

[Mercakete]

Her coment about the pillow was amusing, but when he smiled, the skin over his cheekbones and bridge of his nose complained, so his smile shrunk. "I've had sunburn before, but not this bad. Thanks, though." With that, Norbert stood, raised a hand in farewell and wandered back over towards the wagon, figuring he could just take some rations from there while he checked up on Valter. As he passed the campfire, he looked over momentarily. It seemed like people were gathering, probably due to the heat in the cold and were talking about something. He only took note of it before proceeding to the wagon and entering. He grabbed a couple biscuits and sat next to Valter -- who was still unconcious -- and began eating one of the biscuits. Pretty dry. Wish I had some water. I could use it; I'm pretty thirsty. Maybe they'll pass out water rations later. He didn't move yet, though. He wanted to take a turn at making sure his friend was alright.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A'right! Now we just need somethin' t' start it off! Hmm... I know! What sort o' food was yer favorite growin' up?" Gytha asked those collected, thinking it was a good one to start out with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maw was a thirsty cat and so, once she was done eating part of some form of meat, she padded over to the buckets, put her paws on the edge of one of them, stretched her neck down and began lapping up water.

[Phoenix]

Giving Chase

"Well I doubt they can pay enough for us to do anything particularly suicidal, but for now the work seems simple enough. Now then, let's go catch Simon before he trips over a pebble and wipes out or something." Cecily grabbed Proteus' reins but then decided to simply ride him. Catching up would be simple that way, and they could also escape more quickly should something unexpected happen ... save for Simon.

Making his way through the empty streets, Simon eventually caught site of the road he was looking for. As Cecily and Clara tailed him, Cecily looked around at the city itself. "This place is supposed to have so many thousands of people living here but it's practically empty. It's creepy ..." As much as she wanted to call out to Simon, she didn't want to draw any attention to them from any nearby patrols.

Giving Details

I guess I'm not the only one with things they would rather not have out in the open. Amon thought after hearing Nadya's little warning. "Oh, right. Gytha thinks we should ... get to know each other better, I guess, so people are going to talk around the fire." he explained to Veronika. Amon probably wasn't the best spokesman for the event, having no interest in the activity himself.

"Noble? Yeah I doubt it, too. Maybe I came from a guild of murderous assassins ... oooo that's way less boring than what I originally thought happened to me. Hmm." Gabbie paused, taking note of the gathering near the fire. "Now I wonder what they're up to ... and if there's any room for me to stuff Ringo in there. A wyvern bed is noice, but a warm wyvern bed is noicer still~"

"Favorite foods?" Right, this is Gytha ... why was I expecting an interrogation? Amon thought.

Edited December 24, 2011 by Phoenix

[-Cynthia-]

Clara

"Hopefully the people here saw the attack coming and were evacuated in time. It's hard to imagine thousands of people being wiped out..." she said rather sadly.

Campfire Chat

"I can't really imagine you as an assassin," Connor said to Gabbie. "But yeah we might as well use the fire now that have one," he said, walking over towards it.

"I like bacon. Not that I've had much of it, but it's pretty tasty," Nadya told the group.

Ah right, Weyland said there might be a mole in the group. You think they would have left before we entered that land of the dead though...we only got out by sheer luck it seems. Veronika thought to herself, still groggy and not participating at the moment.

[Mercakete]

"When I was growin' up, me favorite food was probabla th' bread bowl chowder me mother n' th' cook used ta make. Best item on th' menu! Since I lived thar, I got t' have it every once in a while fer free, but we usulla didn't even make it unless someone ordered it," Gytha put in, happilly recalling the memory.

[Snowy_One]

"Deer venison. Come to think of it, it was really the only food I liked." said Robin, trying to think back to the days when she had been a little girl. "I was like any other child when it came to vegetables and fruit... well... Hmmmm... I am going to change that. Apples. I like apples a lot more than I like meat. However, I was often away as I grew older and could not get my hands on them easily."

[Acacia Sgt]

''Well, I'd say mine was basically meat.'' John answered. ''Not exactly to 'favorite' levels, it's just what I got to eat more often than other things.'' He then took a brief pause. ''Well, not nowadays. Ever since I got on the road I have Gil to thank for that.'' He laughed.

''Mine were strawberries.'' Sophia said. ''They still are. Although it has been some time since I last ate one.''

[Phoenix]

Gabbie

"Can't imagine me as an assassin, huh? That's why you'd be a dead man~" Gabbie teased before getting up. She motioned for Ringo to follow along. The wyvern wasn't going to reject an opportunity to warm up. The cold wouldn't kill him, but it would certainly make him uncomfortable for the night. "What's this talk about food? We fantasoizing over here?"

"Favorite foods, Gabbie." Amon clarified. He was in the middle of wandering back to the fire since he had informed Veronika already.

"... oo tough call. Probably eggs, but paninis are a close second. No wait, paninis with scrambled egg in them, that's definitely it." Gabbie concluded. Once Ringo sat down, she sat down as well, leaning right up against him like before.

The Dark Angel

"Oh I'm sure they did." Cecily replied as they closed in on Simon. He quickly took a quick turn and ran into the Dark Angel. There was little chance of spotting the sign during their approach from that angle and so Cecily didn't see the turn coming and went galloping a short distance past the entrance before circling around. "Urgh."

Once she came back around, she stopped, dismounted, and looked for a place to hitch Proteus. Simon came bolting back out from the bar right about then yelling "Don't leave your horses here, mine was taken, remember?!"

"Maybe he just wandered off ... I notice this pole is broken ..."

"Well that's ... no horse is smart enough to figure something like that out ..."

Somewhere in Urcenter, a horse was roaming free.

[Snowy_One]

"I have a suggestion for a new question. What is our favorite tale?" asked Robin, trying to provide a new question to answer. "My favorite growing up was the story of the mountain people. Long ago, during the war of the avians, there was a race of people known as the Dvergr. The Dvergr were a solemn people made from the very earth that they walked upon. Their skin was stone and their bones cast of bronze. Mighty works they forged across the land and, when they died, they would remain standing as giant stone statues that would turn into giant standing stones. When the war of the avians broke out, they chose to retreat from the fight, digging deep into the earth. As they dug, they found new metals, new materials, from which they could forge enchanted weapons far stronger than that of any human smith. They hoped to use these metals to build stronger armor and barricades so they could protect themselves from the onslaught. However, as the tide turned in the favor of the Gods, those who rebelled sought a new edge, a desperate advantage that they could use to win. In their desperation, they turned to the Dvergr. They grouped up in the skies above before launching a sudden assault upon the Dvergr below. In the space of one night, many of the Dvergr were caught off guard, their bodies littering the ground, formed into statues.

Come the following morning, those Dvergr went out into the world to be greeted by a eerie silence. All about them, the shattered statues of their comrades, their faces frozen in terror, pain, and death, filling the land. The Dvergr king fell to his knees, crystalline tears forming as he wept over the bodies of his fallen brethren. He swore that he would fight the Fallen to the very end. That night, the Dvergr formed up in rank and file, armed with stone bows that shot giant boulders through the air, crossbows of thick metal, and armor as thick as a mans hand. Yet, as determined as they were, when the sun rose the following morning, only the King and his royal guard stood before a field littered with bodies and statues, the Fallen reforming to wipe out the last of the Dvergr. The king turned to his men, holding his crossbow close.

'once this world was a world of glittering hope, yet it is no longer the world we knew. We are the only glimmer of hope left upon this land. We are on our own in this world of statue. I had once believed that we would prevail, we were not alone, but this night I feel as if I have died more than a thousand times. Each of those thousand times now looks upon me with haunting eyes, and we will avenge them all! We will not survive, but together, we will win! May good fortune shine down upon us. Let our spirit never break, let us never run, we shall stand as one! Come forth my people, let us charge out into that world of stone where our enemy waits. This is our death, but it is our life as well'!"

Robin stopped as she finished that speech, her eyes rapt as if she had slipped into the tale herself. "My brother tells me that, whenever I see a stone the size of a man out in the fields, it is the body of a Dvergr. In his final stand, the king and his guard kept their word. Their will did not shatter and, though they died, they won the fight. I like this story because... The Dvergr were people who followed what they believed and, when confronted with their own demise, instead of cowering or fleeing, they stood their ground to the last man. It is a bards tale, pure fiction, but I love it just the same. What about you?"

Edited December 25, 2011 by Snowy_One

[Mercakete]

"That's a weird story. Guess th' Deverger in th' story were honorable, though. Think ye might have some facts wrong in thar, though," Gytha commented before humming a little as she recalled her favorite tale. "Growin' up, there were a lot o' stories I heard. Many o' them were made up 'r exagerated. Th' one I heard b'fore me first voyage was th' best one I'd ever heard, though..."

She trailed off, considering something, "Hmm most o' ye don't spend much time with many seafarers 'r on th' water yerselves, so maybe ye've never heard o' Captain Reese Thirdgem. But let me tell ye, he's th' best pirate o' this age." As she began her story, her eyes glinted in the firelight, gaining that look she did whenever she was about to go into an exciting tale she heard as a seafarer, "Reese Thirdgem, captain o' th' pirate ship Saltstraumen... Feared n' respected by pirate n' navy, fisherman n' merchant -- fierce in battle n' rich as any pirate o' this age can be n' more! N' yet, he's completely relaxed. Casually sailin' th' sea, waitin' fer someone t' attack. Well, one day, th' call went up that thar was a Neviskotian naval ship off in th' distance. His first mate called everyone t' beat t' quarters as th' navy ship sailed towards th' Saltstraumen. Th' navy ship sent out a few wyvern riders t' parly with Captain Thirdgem. He agreed t' meet with th' navy ship's captain, given neutral ground, so they put a plank between both ships.

"Th' captains n' their first mates met on th' plank. Both crews were nervous. A shot was fired, but First Mate Salvage was able t' keep th' peace aboard th' Saltstraumen. Then, th' captains attacked each other! Th' navy captain pulled out his sword n' Captain Thirdgem swung his lance, barely missin' th' navy captain! Both captains n' th' first mate o' th' other ship returned t' their vessels n' a thunder dragon flew up out o' th' water! Two more naval ships were on th' way, too. N' there was a water dragon beginnin' t' make a whirlpool t' destroy th' pirate ship! Th' fight lasted a while, but in th' end, though it suffered some damage, th' Saltstraumen n' 'er crew left those waters with destruction in their wake, bein' merciful enough t' let th' Neviskotians limp away while their dragons floated on th' water with terrible wounds. Captain Thirdgem took with 'im a token, too: th' captain o' th' first Neviskotian ship's watch, which caught on his lance when he swung it at th' start o' the fight. May be a pirate, but that's a captain t' respect. True story, too. Heard it from crewmembers o' th' Saltstraumen meself. They didn't have one death either. Onla real damage was t' Captain Thirdgem's cabin."

She concluded the story somewhat casually, almost proudly, as though she was bragging about the information she heard from the pirates first hand.

[Acacia Sgt]

''Stories huh.'' John said. ''Well, from all the travels I've done I got to hear a lot of them. However, one I could say caught my interest the most is one whose origins come from overseas, and it's as follows...

In a faraway land there exists a kingdom, a kingdom that for long has existed in a time of prosperity and peace. And yet, this time of bliss only came as a result of overcoming a period of warfare and strife. It all began a long time ago. The King had died of illness and left no heir. The resulting vacuum of power led war to break out between those who wanted to take it for themselves. The resulting civil war was filled with chaos, bloodshed, and suffering, with now clear sign of a winner.

In the end, the result was the fragmentation of the kingdom into several smaller nations. Wanting to rule all, each one of them ended up with less. After hostile attempts of taking over their new neighbors, the nations slowly went their separate ways. For centuries, the situation remained as such, but not without the lingering shadow of the kingdom that once was. Yet one day, the desire of reunification, dormant all this time, slowly began to wake up. The nations once more entered into a period of war.

It was then when these two figures showed up. The son of nobles, and a bond of friendship shared by past generations, they joined their country's army to fight. One proved himself on the battlefield; skilled with a blade, he showed a force like no other on the battlefield, but at the same time he was a true knight, not pursuing further bloodshed when it could be avoided. His friend, gifted with an intelligence of such level, found his calling as a strategist, paving the army a path to complete victory. These two slowly but surely rose through the ranks, and while their differences in ideals clashed at times, their friendship held strong.

After a long period of warfare, they finally were able to lead their nation to victory. Peace had finally returned, and the various kingdoms were one once more, led now by it's victors. For their key role in these events, they were praised as heroes. Although the time to recover would be long and full of hardships, but just like how the reunification was overcome, so would this new challenge as well. But that's a story for another time.''

He made a pause. ''Hearing this kind of stories is what fuels my desire to travel. And this one, from foreign lands outside of Sardius, does so more. Someday, I'll leave this continent and see the rest of the world with my own eyes. It'd certainly be quite a journey, but I guess it's my own personal ordeal to overcome.'' He shrugged.

[roymbrog]

When Gytha suggested getting to know each other better, Synthia thought the questions would be more... substantial. Asking favorite foods and stories did not exactly help people decide who to trust. Really, she shouldn’t have been surprised; this was Gytha, after all.

She sat hunched over, cheek resting on her palm, and listened to the others go on for a bit before offering her own answers. “Favorite food? I dunno, the pies my mother makes I guess. I’d rather go with most memorable story, I honestly don’t have a favorite. Anyway, I saw a play called Dusk when I was younger; it was about a Kigenese girl named Beya falling in love with the fallen, Edwin. I supposed it was meant to be a romance or something, but it played out like it was written by a five year old. It ended with her being eaten by her lover’s sister. It was the worst play I’ve ever seen in my life, but I supposed that’s what makes it humorous in hindsight,” she said and shuddered. Actually, that probably hadn’t been the best thing to bring up; thinking about it didn’t put her in the best of moods.

“These questions are ridiculous... I fail to see how discussing food and fairy tales helps us learn anything that actually matters. It would have been better to ask where we were from, why we were here, something about our personalities, or... or, I don’t know, something serious.” Perhaps her opinion would’ve carried more weight if she hadn’t actually answered the “ridiculous” questions, but the thought never reached her mind.

-----

Valter was still unconscious, no surprise there really. If one were observant, however, they may have noticed his hand twitch or his head turn slightly. He wasn’t awake, but he certainly wasn’t dead either.

Left by the wagon, Phyllis simply stood and rested. Though, it wasn’t long before she became bored. Spending more time around pegasi had made her more comfortable around Riz, but she still avoided them for the most part. Accordingly, she ignored the pegasus and instead tried to locate the humans she recognized. Synthia was by the fire, the man who rode Riz had disappeared somewhere, she didn’t really care where, but Phyllis hadn’t seen her rider all afternoon. Had he been left behind? Did he find another horse? This was distressing.

[Snowy_One]

"Alright then..." said Robin, taking a more droll tone. This was not likely going to end well but... "Gytha. You shot me. I am not going to say that was right or wrong, but... What caused you to do such a thing? I do not mean 'I threw arrows at your feet', but what about your upbringing made you willing to shoot a person who was on your own side."

Though the question was laden with accusation and negative flow, there was a hint of actual... non-hostility... within it. Though she hated the incident, Robin did actually want to know what in Gytha's life made it so that she could easily justify such a thing. Surely she knew how dangerous weapons could be, so what caused her to wield them so casually as if to use them for a strong backhanded slap?

[-Cynthia-]

Nadya

Nadya listened patiently to the other stories, though Synthia's had her bursting out in laughter. "I think that story had a good lesson Synthia, don't fall for somebody who will eat ya alive!" Robin seemed to have changed the subject to the incident of her being shot again. Nadya thought Robin was a bit hung up on the whole thing, though she figured if someone shot her she'd have a bit of a grudge too.

Veronika and Connor

Veronika smiled a bit at John's story, it reminded her of the stories her father used to tell, which caused a bit of a pang for homesickness. "You want to leave Sardius, John? That's an interesting notion, I don't know of anyone who has ever returned from beyond our borders. Hard to say what's out there really, if there's even anything other than us. We'd need to build bigger boats to get that far I think," she said to him with a small smile.

"Or maybe something flying. Right now we haven't even developed the technology to surpass a wyvern or pegasus in aerial prowess, but someday I think humans will invent something. I heard a story once, about how humans used to have inventions that were more wonderful than what we have now...but then it all got lost somehow," Connor said, shrugging.

Edited December 25, 2011 by -Cynthia-

[roymbrog]

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure that’s a lesson that’ll be real useful in life...” Synthia said in response to Nadya, and then glanced at the archer near her with a raised eyebrow. Did Robin really interpret her comment in that way? “Do you think that’s a good thing to discuss now?” she asked the archer. “From what I understand, every time you bring this up it causes trouble. I don’t want any of that, thanks. I don’t think you’re going to get a better answer out of her than I did, and mine was confusing enough.

"If Gytha wants to answer that's up to her, but don't press the issue. We have enough problems as it is." She gave the mariner a pointed look. Honestly, she was more worried for Robin's safety than Gytha's.

[Acacia Sgt]

''Well, I'm not giving up on it, no matter how long it may take.'' John answered. ''Even if it's just Gil and I flying over the ocean while towing a big raft to use as a resting spot.'' He laughed. ''I guess no matter which way, either through the northern mountains, this very desert or the unknown waters, it's not going to be easy. But then that's what inspires to journey into the unknown I guess.''

The atmosphere then shifted moods when Robin brought back the shooting issue. <Really now?> He thought. <Does it really needs to be brought up again? This could turn bad. hopefully it doesn't.>

Shot her!? Sophia thought. I guess this group isn't without it's problems as well. But did it really needed to be brought up now? Well, I don't know the details I guess.

[Phoenix]

Observations of a Rebel

Asad eventually wandered over to listen to some of the stories being told. Some were more interesting than others, but all were new to him, so each received the same level of interest. Lilith listened in as well, but didn't join the group near the campfire. She simply stood by with her arms crossed, staring off somewhere else. She had thoughts on the various stories, though.

Was this a war with the avians or with the fallen? If it's simply a tall tale, I suppose it doesn't matter ... ... except for the fallen. If they really are still around, something is terribly wrong here. Following Robin's story was Gytha's. A tale about a pirate, it seemed. So this woman associates with pirates, does she? Why would a country's naval forces meet with a pirate instead of simply shooting him down on sight? The pirates of this age may be quite different from the ones I knew of, but no brigand of the sea deserves respect. A fail trial, certainly, but not respect.

Amon had thoughts as well. So there's a pirate out there Gytha likes? I guess she wouldn't be up to fighting a pirate like that if we got into some trouble out on the water ... note to self, stay out of the water.

Then John relayed his story, one that got Lilith to turn enough to look directly at those gathered around the fire. This could potentially lead to some useful information, and sure enough, Veronika's input was a vital clue for her. Lilith's first thought was one of sheer surprise, however, as she was not expecting to hear that. Sardius is isolated?! I don't ... her head hung for a moment, shaking dejectedly. A segregation act could have been in place this entire time. It would only take Leviathan to guard from the sea, and perhaps another vasilus from the air ... ... no one could ever come or go. Has it been like this ever since the end of the war?

Connor's suggestion and following remarks got a humble tilt of the head from Lilith. 'Inventions more wonderful than we have now' ... she sighed with a sad smile. "All lost indeed ..." she uttered quietly, just out of earshot. Synthia's story about the lousy romance almost got a physical reaction from her. Interspecies relationships. Well ... I suppose after five thousand years the idea would have crossed some minds ...

Then the topic of the shooting came up, something Lilith was just as unfamiliar with as everything else she'd awakened to, so she listened to that as well, watching the group and their various reactions. Apparently Robin had been shot by the pirate admirer ... not entirely surprising after the pirate story and seeing that Robin was fine. This was clearly an age where gunshot wounds weren't necessarily a death sentence. Robin's lingering wounds were likely emotional ... not exactly Lilith's area of interest.

"If some shortsoighted idealist started chucking their junk at me, I'd break their arms, not waste a shot on them." Gabbie commented. She wasn't taking the gunshot seriously, either. Their focus was likely on the fact that Robin was healed, then. Emotional damage didn't seem to faze them, either. Forming her own opinion, Lilith thought If someone were to attack me outside of a sparring match, I would incapacitate them ... completely. Words aren't always enough to get the message across, unfortunately. But from the sound of things, she was merely throwing ... 'junk'? I'm not sure what type of attack that is ....

The Dark Angel

"Gabriel!" Simon called out as he came rushing back into the bar. After hitching Proteus, Cecily followed.

"Darksider ... how've ya been?" Gabriel replied casually.

"I'm so thrilled that you survived!"

Gabriel feigned shyness as he stroked the back of his neck. "Ah, well ... it's easy enough when no one's trying to kill you."

"This is the 'prototype'? He's just a happy-go-lucky swordsman ... though ..." He looks an awful lot like Layla ... he's probably pretty dangerous.

[Mercakete]

"I prefer someone who'll definiately kill us dead," Gytha coolly answered, "Ye seemed t' have a problem with that n' that woulda been fine if ye hadn't thrown those arrowheads at me. Ye need t' control yer temper more. Showin' hostility towards someone who could kill ye isn't very smart n' I don't take kindly to malicious actions against me. But that's not exactla what ye were askin', I know. Eh, might as well tell ye."

The mariner shrugged before adressing those gathered, "Apparentla, th' question t' answer now is 'what sort o' upbringin' did ye have?' Well, let's see. Me father's a sailor so me mother's th' one who raised me, mostla. She runs an inn n' we usualla get th' rougher sort o' folk comin' inta th' place. So," Gytha twirled her pistol out of its holster and cocked it, pointing it liesurely into the air, "me mother taught me how t' use a gun when I was big enough t' hold one. I wasn't th' onla one, though. Everyone who worked there could use a weapon o' some sort t' use in self-defense...or t' shoot th' guy who couldn't pay his tab." She shrugged before continuing as she uncocked the gun and put it back in its place on her belt. "Me mother's th' most dangerous one there, though. Shoots casualla, has an entire arsenal o' weapons t' choose from under th' counter, is fairla strict, n' doesn't miss. Even me father has a healthy fear o' her. Well, respect is held in th' inn even by th' most crooked o' scallywags. All th' ones who dared threaten somethin' was shot on th' spot. Reason why I shot ye? People like me mother. They're out there n' ye'd best learn t' keep yer respect about ye in th' presense o' soemone who can and will do ye some harm."

Her mood shifted along with her serious, stony, reflective expression to a more relaxed, mildly cheerful one. "So, who's next?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, he's alive. That's good. Norbert thought as he watched his friend dwaddle in unconciousness. "You don't look so good," he muttered to his out-cold friend, "Phyllis is doing well, though. She's a good horse, though a bit timid. Maybe she's just worried about you, though." Valter wasn't making very good conversation, but the pegasus rider didn't mind so much.

[roymbrog]

Not having heard the entirety of Gytha’s story earlier, Synthia listened to the full explanation now. The mariner’s actions made a little more sense afterward. However, she still thought the incident could’ve been solved with something less violent than a gunshot. One thing was for sure though, Synthia never wanted to meet Gytha’s mother.

No one volunteered a story or comment immediately, so she thought it wouldn’t hurt to add another question. “Well, since Robin and Gytha brought up origins, anyone else wanna tell about where they’re from?” she asked. It crossed her mind that this may not get as many answers as the last two, but if someone refused to discuss it at least she’d know they were hiding something. In any case, since she asked it’d only be fair if she went first. “I spent most of my life in Ursaea. It’s not really anything special; it’s the same as any other city in Ursium. We actually passed through it a few weeks ago, but I guess not all of you were with us then... I had what most would consider a normal upbringing. My mother was not as scary as Gytha’s.”

[Mercakete]

"Harr, me mother's not one t' be crossed, aye, but make no mistake, she's a good mother," Gytha cheerilly clarified, "She doesn't take nonsense well, but she's reasonably protective. She doesn't let people take any sort of advantage of her, her things 'r people she's protectin'. Good person t' have on yer side."

[Phoenix]

Sancturan Runner

"I ... grew up in Sanctuary." Amon quietly noted, hoping not to have to go any further than that. Unfortunately for him ...

"A Sancturan in our midsts?!" Asad had apparently heard. "We just assumed you were a nomad, friend, but you are actually from the Sanctuary? Please, tell us about it."

Ohhh darn it ... "I'm ... I'm not actually from Sanctuary, I just ended up there when I was little. Just a street urchin, taking any job he could get, really. Sometimes I could even hold stable jobs delivering messages through the city. That ended when the maidens brought me in. I wasn't the only one. They prefer 'talented' people to work for them directly, so me and some others ended up living and working at the palace. I even got some training from the military in the combat style of my choice." he explained.

"Ah I see, I see, so the Sancturans appreciate good fighters, yes?"

"Well, I'm just a runner. Scout, deliver messages, things like that. If people with my kind of job didn't have to know how to defend themselves, they could just use anyone." he explained, shrugging.

[Acacia Sgt]

<Where we are from huh.> John thought. <Not something I'd like to answer. Meh, I'll just keep quiet or go the generic route if it comes to it.> He shrugged.

''Well, I am from Ursentius.'' Sophia said. ''My family has lived there for years, and I was no exception. Although, I haven't been back there for quite a while.''

[Snowy_One]

"I grew up in a quiet backwater town in Neviskotia called 'Ohka'. My father is a retired wyvern rider and my mother was a herbalist. Dad tried to bring my brother and I to be self-reliant and to live off the land. I took to his training, my brother... did not. He hated Ohka and Neviskotia and fled out into the world when he was fifteen. I have not heard of him since. I know what he would say about me though 'as dumb as the rocks she carves'. There is not much else too me. I grew up in a town where I had to pull my own weight, and I did so. I left Ohka though hoping that I could score some deep moral victory against Ursium, got conned by a thief named Bron into trying to steal a sword, got caught, put into slavery, and Raquel freed me from it. I owe her my life."

[Phoenix]

Campfire

"Slavery is outlawed in Ursium, just so ya know. ... that asoide, why the hell did you try to steal a sword ... from another country? I'm sure Neviskotia's got plenty of noice blades, just sayin'." Gabbie chimed in.