RPGWW

by **Visavis** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 4:23 am

Rasmus stares at Oleai for a moment, his mouth just slightly agape. If his expression is any indication, he's not quite sure what to make of her. Then, he remembers himself, closes his mouth, and nods. One more glance is cast in Kyrie's direction. One that, oddly enough, seems almost apologetic. Then his focus is back on Oleai.

"Yes, please."

His hands go in his pockets, and eyes to the ground.

by **Kelne** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:30 pm

"Are you sure, Rasmus?" Triya asked seriously, "Any trouble swirling about Null will strike us like a lightning rod. This isn't a game, and you could easily come to harm."

She wasn't particularly impressed with Oleai's blithe invitation to Rasmus to come along. She might at least have run it by somebody first. Then again, the time to gently dissuade him had probably been before they'd accepted his services as a guide.

by **Visavis** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:17 am

A slight role of his eyes accompanied a little sigh. Goodness, he's much the teenager for being sixty-seven.

"We're only going to the cabin."

by **Idran1701** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:37 am

Breaking her glare, Kyrie looks again to Aleen, giving him a sharp nod. "Thank you for the information, Aleen. I only hope it'll give us something to go on."

In a single fluid motion, with a quick sidestep and a sudden nudge to the small of Oleai's back, she maneuvers her in front of herself, putting her directly before Aleen as she slips behind. "You ought to thank him too, don't you think, Oleai? It's only polite."

by **Oleai** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:44 am

It's a good thing Oleai can't read minds! Her head was too full of magic and carrots, or something. Her smile kept on as Rasmus... kinda sortof agreed to come along? She gave a shrug, and was of course completely caught off guard as Kyrie slipped around behind and pushed her toward the large Elf, Aleen.

Her ears stood right on end, eyes going wide as can be as she stared right at the imposing person before her.

"You ought to thank him too, don't you think, Oleai? It's only polite."

Oleai's voice gave a tiny squeak, "You'rerightthankyouverymuchsirwe'llbeonourwaynowbye" A small breeze swirled about her, ambient conjured wind from the sudden adrenaline. Turned on heel, she sprinted out of the room - Which, for a Plainsrunner? Meant the others might not have even SEEN her dashing out.

At least, if they have to run away? Oleai will make it.

by **Idran1701** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:48 am

With a rare full grin at Oleai's reaction (and a grudging internal admission of impressiveness at her burst of speed), Kyrie gives a small bow to Aleen, and heads out in Oleai's wake as she speaks to the rest of the group. "Let's be on our way, then. We ought not let this lead get any colder than it is!"

by **Visavis** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:04 am

Rasmus does a quick double-take on Oleai's sudden disappearance and takes a moment to look around the room in a slightly bewildered fashion, as though suspecting that she was clinging to the ceiling or something strange instead. Once convinced that she had, indeed, run out of the room without him even seeing it, he looked to Aleen and said his farewell in Elvish before heading for the door. He moves to take a position near the front, or at least the front of the group that doesn't run at the speed of the wind, before seeming to reconsider and falling back a little. His attention turns to Guy, one of the only people who hasn't seemed suspicious of him.

"Hey, uhm.. guy. Yeah, sorry, I don't remember your name. What's your name? ..And where did you all say your group is traveling from?"

Spoiler:

by **Besyanteo** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:02 am

Guy gaped briefly at Oleai's amazing burst of speed. She was very multi-talented apparently. When he recovered he offered Aleen a smile and a nod as he began to follow the others out. He looked up evenly when Rasmus addressed him a moment after. Though he honestly had his own misgivings about Rasmus, he hadn't felt the need to be so overt about it as they'd just witnessed. Whatever concerns he might have, they did not extend to keeping the origins of their group secret.

"Actually, my name is Guy. I had strange old parents, heh. Anyway, we're kind of from all over, but we met and came together as a group in Cantiga. This is actually our first stop since we left there."

by **Idran1701** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 4:10 am

Meanwhile, Kyrie gives a quick look about to Oleai as the group starts off towards the cabin, waving her down. "Don't get too far away, eh? Don't want to get lost!"

Once she looks sorted and rejoins the pack (however long it takes) Kyrie heads over to her, most of that first hit of irritation having faded. She speaks up in a quiet voice as they walk along, hopefully low enough that it doesn't catch the ears of the rest of the group. She's not outright trying to embarass her this time, after all. "I know you meant well. And he seems harmless enough. But you can't just invite anyone along when we don't even know what Null looks like here, Oleai. At least bring it up as a question first before you make the decision for us, eh?"

by **Visavis** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:04 am

Rasmus' eyebrows climb his forehead an inch at Guy's mention of Cantiga. The name certainly seems to mean something to him.

"You came here from Cantiga? Are you from there?" His eyes do a quick once-over on Guy before he follows up with, "And you were meeting there because of.. Null?" A slight, thoughtful frown tugs at one corner of his mouth.

by **Besyanteo** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:24 am

Guy looked amused at what he perceived as bemusement on Rasmus' part. He was quick to answer:

"Yes, no, and yes. I'm originally from Savortia, if you were curious."

by **Shinigori V2** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:04 am

The group leaves Aleen's place, and with the remaining daylight left, they can probably get to the Null agent's cabin, look around, and hopefully get back before it gets too cold. Unfortunately for them, Garpaath isn't known for it's lovely weather- As soon as they leave town, the bitter cold and biting wind returns, with snow continuing to fall from above and getting kicked up from below. Bundling up again, it's still chilly, but bearable- One would hope the inns in Frostbyte have big fires and heavy blankets when they return.

On the road out of town, Oleai and Kyrie have their conversation, and Rasmus and Guy have theirs. Eventually, even among the frozen hills of Garpaath, a lump in the landscape stands out a bit- A stone fireplace pokes out of a hill, and a heavy wooden door can be seen after a moment's inspection. A small tuft of smoke wafts up from the chimney, but as the group approaches, it becomes obvious that the cabin, dug out of a hill, has been hastily and recently abandoned.

Inside, it's very warm thanks to a still burning fire though it doesn't seem like it'll last too much longer. The simple cabin has been torn apart, with belongings scattered here and there. The wooden furniture has been smashed to bits, and books have been strewn throughout the room. The bedding's shredded, and some of it's been tossed into the fire.

Oddly enough, though...There's no signs of a struggle at all.

by **Visavis** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:23 am

On entering the cabin, Rasmus pauses, leaving just enough room for the others to squeeze past. His brow furrows as he looks around, his eyes eventually falling to an open book resting near by his foot, which he nudges with one bare toe before turning to look at the others.

"Is.. someone else looking for Null?"

Between what he learned from his conversation with Guy and the damage there in the cabin, it seems that the implications are not lost on him.

by **Kelne** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:28 am

"That or Null packed and left in a frantic rush," Triya observed, tracking down some wood to build up the fire with. The cold was clearly influencing her sense of priorities, desert-bred as she was. Still, before building up the fire, she took the time to see if anything important had been flung in to burn. Not that she'd know, unless some unburnt fragments remained. Still, you never knew, there just might be something.

by **Oleai** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 3:01 am

Oleai, embarrassed and frightened off by the little prank - She only meant well! Didn't wander too far off, even spooked as she was. Hovering around the building and the party as they made their decision to head to the cabin, and began their trek.

As Kyrie approaching, she seems to bundle up tighter. Hands in pockets and ears folding down.

Kyrie spoke her piece, and Oleai responded after a bit of thought, "I know. But why would Null be helping us catch her? Could have easily just stayed out of it entirely, right? It seemed a solid enough bet.. But you're right, we're a team and we should make decisions together." She smiles slightly, though her teeth chatter from the sudden snowstorm and encroaching cold, "I really hope that fire is still going..."

They wander inside, and Oleai is as surprised as the rest of the group to find it in shambles. She would help build up the fire, "We could go out and search? Whoever left can't have gone far in this weather. I could.. " She seems to hesitate a bit, "I could try some magic to keep the worst of it off us as we search?"

by **Idran1701** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:48 am

As Oleai responds, Kyrie gives her a small nod, feeling the slightest bit abashed (but only the slightest) at how downcast she looks. "That...is a good point, Oleai. I suppose she wouldn't have much reason to. But you should bring those points up next time!" With a tiny smile, she keeps alongside Oleai until the group reaches the cabin. Entering, she can't help but to gape at the disastrous conditions inside, and at the sight she immediately begins trying to piece together not just what might have done this, but why. Rasmus's suggestion is the first that occurs to her as well, and she scowls at the thought that one of the other teams might've beaten them to her, though she can't imagine how; as far as she saw, no other team was heading anywhere near Garpaath, but perhaps she just wasn't aware enough. Still, this much carnage hardly seems necessary for getting one person, however clever that person might be.

She absently nods to Oleai's suggestion as she looks over the wreckage in the cabin, looking for any signs of something left behind by people (either the attackers or Null herself) in a hurry. "That's a good idea, Oleai. But some of us should probably look through the cabin itself too." Turning over an upended and shattered table, she sifts through the remains before glancing up, closing her eyes and trying to see if she can catch the remnants of any recent scents through here. Perhaps get a clue of who or what exactly they should be searching for.

by **Shinigori V2** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:22 pm

Triya, before throwing some splintered chair pieces into the fire, notices something that seems to have been burning previously, but has been blown out of the fire and put out. A scrap of paper with three square sides and one torn- A piece of a much larger whole. Written on it are a series of letters:

Yo
Be
Lov

Flipping it over, Triya notices that it bears the image of a Lagomora Plainsrunner man, with black fur. He has lop ears and is wearing a long white coat, but other than that, nothing particularly stands out about him. The image, though, is some of the best quality she's ever seen- Even the Djinn of her homeland would struggle to create something like this. The shiney sheen on the image is odd, too- She's never seen anything like it.

As for scent, Kyrie doesn't get anything other than a nose full of odd smelling smoke.

Kyrie:

Spoiler:

by **Idran1701** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:45 pm

Trying to track the scents left behind gives Kyrie a brief sneezing fit from the smoke still drifting about the cabin, and she takes a bit to steady herself against the wall, recomposing herself. Wiping her eyes, she notices the bit of paper Triya holds, eyes widening at the sight. "Is that a Pixogram? My mother had one made of the family when I was younger, those aren't very common. Or cheap. Especially not this far from Kokoniel, I think."

by **Besyanteo** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:37 am

For his part of things, Guy surveys the interior of the hut only briefly before going back out and looking for tracks that didn't belong to their group. He wanted to distinguish which tracks were leaving and what direction they headed in early.

by **Shinigori V2** » Sat Jan 05, 2013 5:47 pm

Guy checks the tracks- There are at least three different sets leaving, with two heading north, deeper into Garpaath, and one heading East.

Those searching the house see one other scrap of paper left somewhat intact- It's edges are singed from the fire, but there's a few legible passages left.

extremely adaptable to all conditions, even more than it looked...
traces in other species, including Nekana...
even in death...
have mercy on my soul

by **Oleai** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:48 pm

Oleai glances about the hut for a moment, all of the (probably much more) suited investigators checking around the wreckage. If only she could magic some way to look into the past...

Oh well! A shrug, and she turned on heel to follow Guy outside and it was only a Plainsrunner stride or two before she was beside the man.

"Care for a little help?" She tried to smile, but it was mostly fake. It was cold, uncomfortable, she'd made a bit of a fool of herself recently and their quarry could verywell be watching right now. Not to mention the army of Revenants further north. Oleai exhaled slowly, bringing her hands skyward. Eyes closed, mind focused, she reached out to take hold of the wind; to direct it around herself and Guy. As the wind and snow came down, Oleai sent it right back up, careful to preserve the ground and any snowtracks that might be left by their quarry. The air around them, about thirty feet in every direction, became clear of new-falling snow and wind. The chill was reduced, and it was much easier to see.

Oleai spoke, and with the removal of the immediate wind her whisper could be heard easily enough, "I'll just.. concentrate on this." Hands held aloft, making gentle swaying motions to direct the wind as she needed to. A bit of a handicap, really. Better Windspeakers could direct the flow of air without the aid of somatics. She made a small mental note to practice more whenever they got back on the road, which for an instant made the wind nearly break through before she re-focused herself with a furrowed brow.

by **Idran1701** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 1:33 am

While speaking to Triya, another scrap of paper catches Kyrie's eye, slightly wedged between a bit of rubble and the wall. Pulling it out, she glances it over, frowning at what little of the words remains. Unnerved by the last lines, she hands it to Triya as well. "I found another scrap, it must've blown out. Whatever was happening here, it can't have been good. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but it sounds like some insane Alchemist's lab notes or the like. What do you think?"

by **Kelne** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:38 am

"It does look that way," Triya said, frowning, "Definitely not a personal item like the picture. I can see somebody burning it and anything related to it in an effort to keep others from recreating their work."

"Neither, unfortunately, helps us find Null. Rasmus?" she asked, "If you wanted to get elude pursuit, but didn't want to risk bringing trouble down on any of the locals, where would you go? Are there any likely hidey-holes nearby?"

by **Visavis** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:07 am

Rasmus, who had been watching the others with his hands in his pockets and looking at the room with a vaguely thoughtful expression, looked to Triya as he was addressed. Investigation, it would seem, is not his strong suit.

"If I wanted to hide I'd probably just go up the mountain or something. Anyone following me'd just freeze if they tried to follow me up," he said with a nod. Then his mouth tugged downward and he got that thoughtful expression again. "But.. if it were other Frostborne I couldn't hide from them there. Or if I wasn't a Frostborne," the horror, "I'd probably go to.. uh.. I don't know. There are a lot of nooks and crannies in the foothills. I can't even think of all the places I could go."

He shrugged. "Sorry. I know that doesn't help a lot."

by **Idran1701** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:06 am

"At least it's something for us to keep in mind, Rasmus. It's better than nothing at all." With a slight frown, Kyrie gives the cabin one last look across before looking to Triya. "Can I see that pixogram? I think it's our best clue right now. There aren't many places someone could get something like that, after all."

by **Shinigori V2** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:15 am

As Kyrie searches the room, she finds one last thing, tucked under the bed- An odd scrap of dull yellow fabric, a square patch a little over an inch in size. The stuff feels like nothing Kyrie's ever felt before, even within the textile shops back in Nekana.

by **Idran1701** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:40 pm

Before Triya can respond, something else catches her eye, just poking out from beneath the bedframe. Snatching it up absently, she rubs it between her fingers, turning it about. "Even stranger...what in the world is this?"

by **Besyanteo** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:38 pm

Guy smiled in a way that he hoped looked warm, in spite of the cold. If he was judgemental about Oleai's decision to invite Rasmus to the group he didn't show it. He started to reply to her offer of help: "Sure, thanks-" However he stopped short as Oleai worked her will on the wind and the snow. He didn't have much to go on, but it looked like it required a lot more effort on her part than her antics with snow in town had. "Oh, wow. That's great."

He crouched down to inspect the tracks more closely. With any luck they'd be recent and would have some meaningful details.

by **Visavis** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:17 am

Rasmus continued to be useless. At least, until he saw Guy leaving the cabin. It was about that time that something clicked, and he realized maybe he could be useful. There would be tracks. Tracks in the snow. Snow, which he knew how to use to track things. Why had that thought not occurred to him before the others went outside?

He went outside.

The wind and snow whipping about above Oleai made him gape. It was his first time, at least so far as he could remember, of seeing a Plainsrunner do such a thing. He was about to remark upon it, but upon catching a glimpse of her look of concentration, thought better of it. Instead, he looked to Guy.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that earlier," he said, motioning to the tracks in the snow. "Did you find anything?"

by **Besyanteo** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:56 pm

Guy didn't look up as he examined the prints, looking for boot marks or similar that might give him a hint as to what sort of person they might belong to.

"Prints. Just looking closer now."

by **Idran1701** » Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:03 pm

Kyrie follows close behind Rasmus, equally as impressed with Oleai's showing; as goofy as she can be, Kyrie had no clue how skilled she actually was. After a moment to get her thoughts in order, though, she clears her throat, holding the evidence she found inside. "If you don't turn up anything from that, I think I've got a lead. But it'll be another long trip. Triya found the last remnants of a Pixogram inside there, a picture of some black-furred Lagomora; unless this Null is extraordinarily rich, those could only come from somewhere in Kokoniel. There was also a scrap of...some kind of notes?" She hands them over to the first one outside to take them, frowning. "Whatever they're about, I don't like the sound of them. But I don't know what they might mean."

"It's a very slim lead, but if we turn up with a dead end here, it's something, at least. What do you all think?"

by **Shinigori V2** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:15 am

With the assistance of Oleai to lift the fallen snow, it becomes a bit more obvious what's happening with the tracks- The single set traveling east, towards Kokoniel, is much older, a few hours more than the other set heading deeper into Garpaath, and made at least a half day before the group arrived. The pair is about half as old as that, with the pair of individuals leaving six hours before the group's arrival.

Oleai:

Spoiler:

by **Oleai** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:34 am

Oleai strained to maintain her spell; trying as best she could to keep the tracks mostly clear for Guy's inspection. The odd quiet that surrounded them both was soon broken - by a gasp, and a twitch of her long ear.

Her large blue eyes went wide; watering ever so slightly from the cold that still permeated the air. The investigation was over, her spell's concentration broke and both herself and Guy would be flooded with the return of the natural-born freezing wind. A moment of panic, of hesitation, before Oleai Canyonsunder realized she wasn't moving.

Oleai shot her arm forward, channeling wind to her back. She was fast, but every second counted now. First: Guy - She zipped over to the man likely already turning to see why the spell had been canceled.

She was panting from the strain of the spell and the fear closing its grip, "T-They're coming! Revanents! Re.. Those undead things!" Tugging shortly on Guy's clothing before releasing and sprinting a path through the stacking snow toward the cabin -

Crash! The door flying open with the winded Plainsrunner standing in the frame; she shouted to all those still inside: "We have incoming!"

The tall Lagomora woman turned her back to the ground; peddling inside the warmer and, relatively, safer cabin. Her legs were shaking, but she did her best to hide it. "What do we do?!"

by **Idran1701** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:09 pm

"...w...what?" Kyrie barely has time to process what Oleai said before she runs off into the cabin; Kyrie's close behind her, though, darting in just behind her. "What do you mean Revenants are coming? Oleai, what are you talking about?" She puts on her best facade of calm, but her tail twitches rapidly, and she can't help but clench her fists at the thought of what might be heading at them this very second. "Did you see them? Where are they?"

by **Oleai** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:13 pm

Oleai was startled by Kyria's coming up behind her; whirling about she reached out to take Kyrie by the shoulders. Her eyes wavered and she took a breath.

"I.. Didn't see them. I heard them. A few men, presumably. A few monsters! I heard them walking, but they weren't -breathing-, Kyrie. They weren't breathing." She looks around to the other, "U.. Undead, right?" Gulp. She'd answered the questions, her hands dropping to oneside as she stood up straight again. One of the, if not the, tallest person in the room; and yet Oleai wanted nothing more than to shrink into the size of a mouse and hide.

Oleai shook her head, and tried to steel herself. Surely someone had a plan..? Anyone? As the seconds tick by, she nervously chews on her lip.

by **Idran1701** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:38 am

"...we need to...Oleai, how close were they? Can we still run?" Glancing to Triya and whoever else might've followed her inside, she starts to pace. "We can't...I don't think we can face them, we'll have to either run or...or I don't know what else. How fast were they moving?" Her facade's quickly crumbling, and while she might be putting up a firmer stance than Oleai for now, it's not looking like that'll last long.

by **Oleai** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:51 am

Oleai stamps her foot, fear turning quickly into frustration - "I don't know! I just heard their shuffling this way on the wind! We need to run now!"

She entered a sort of odd clarity then, sliding past Kyria back into the wind and the cold; focusing closely in the direction she had heard the Revanents coming.

Hands raised slowly, she could feel her legs shaking; the desire to sprint away at top speed was a hard one to ignore - but if they were running, or staying - Oleai had promised to help these people, and she would not be losing another family.

Fight or run, Oleai is ready to aid with her magic~

by **Visavis** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:23 am

That was something.

Rasmus stood staring at the spot where Oleai had been a moment before, until her freakout over Revenants and subsequent disappearance. At least he knew where she'd run off to, and why. So he followed, albeit at his own much slower running pace. Still, it didn't take him too long to arrive back at the cabin. About the span of Oleai's conversation with the others there, in fact.

Standing in the doorway, hair slightly mussed up from the wind, with a furrowed brow and a slight frown, Rasmus looked to Oleai and asked, "What is the big deal?"

by **Oleai** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:54 pm

Oleai just stood, staring toward the source of the sounds, "I heard people approaching. People who aren't breathing. Shuffling. What does that tell you?"

by **Visavis** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 1:25 am

"I was right near you outside. I heard what you said. They come down from the Kokoniel range sometimes. And.. it's only a few, right? No way an army could have snuck its way here. If I had my sword I could probably handle them myself."

A slight look of doubt crept into his expression.

"..Probably."

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