March Event Log A

[usirmods]

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🜙 Mod Note
	The Einjar Excursion is going up as a separate log due to the size of the excursion log.
🜙 The Thaw
	Thaw is well underway and the evidence of it is everywhere. Snowmelt floods the rivers, strengthening the currents and broadening the width and depth of major and minor rivers alike. Patches of fresh greens are appearing across the land, and the wildlife has begun to emerge in greater and greater numbers. With the thaw comes the emergence of new threats. Dire beasts, coyotes, ogres, trolls, cave spiders, manticores and cave spindles begin to emerge from the deep mountains and forests in search of food, the risk of mudslides increase in the mountains, and the cliff hawks take to the warming skies. Farmers in the area around the City of the Free Peoples hire guards to protect their farm animals, and Krimnos and Didymos hold competitions to find new knights to add to their ranks. Despite their awareness of the mess of conflict consuming the City of the Free Peoples, neither Queen Adira nor King Sitka seem willing to get involved in solving the issues present there. Their focus is primarily on their own people. Krimnos and Didymos have both finished repairs to their cities following the events of the past two months, but the people are still frightened and confused. Rumors from Didymos about a dragon emerging from the sea have spread and Krimnos must now deal with the emerging threats of hungry cave creatures and potential mudslides on top of their usual worries.
🜙 Beyond the Reef: Didymos, March 8th
	In Didymos several ships remain out on the bay day and night as Queen Adira's knights search for any signs or clues as to what caused the draining of the bay and the sudden stark absence of sea life from Logistykon's Reef and the majority of the bay. Fishing nets continue to come up with little more than drifting kelp and have to venture further and further out into the Glass Sea to bring back any worthwhile catch. The last of the debris from the ocean flooding back into the bay is still washing onto the shore and the waters have regained their clarity, with no sign of the sunken ships, sun-bleached skeletons, or the pit. The waves seem to have washed everything back to sea. Only Logistykon's Reef remains. The docks are constantly in search of people willing to risk the voyage out beyond the reef to find waters that still hold enough life to sustain the city, or at least find the source of the scarcity within the bay. Out there the ships risk attack from sea carnos, war sharks, and flying fish that hunt the deeper waters of the Glass Sea. Those looking to join the Didymos Knights can take part in a variety of competitions throughout the month that focus on testing swordsmanship, sailing skills, charting stars, and magic-focused battles against clay and elemental golems created to fight would-be knights and test their skill. The demand to increase their forces has increased since the attacks and disappearances in February.
🜙 A City Divided: Didymos & the City of the Free Peoples, March 8th
	King Ardis, in a moment of rash determination, sets out on horseback for the City of the Free Peoples with a small number of trusted knights, intent on setting things right before the chaos threatening to fully consume the less stable city causes it to collapse on itself. It is rumored he has other motives as well, regarding a search for answers to the origin of the masked cult that attacked all three cities in January. It's possible his company would be willing to accept the aid of others in these pursuits. In the City of the Free Peoples, the disappearance of Captain Lykos remains a source of confusion and contention and the militant force of the Defenders are still attempting to take control of the city by force. The rebels continue to run up against the issue of numbers, with the force and resources of the Defenders far too great and far-reaching in the city. Rebel numbers decline as uneasy and conflicted citizens in the city turn their neighbors and friends in because they are frightened of the mounting confusion in the world around them and fearful of losing the protective guard that defends the city, especially at a point in the year when they will be most needed. The Defenders themselves have grown uneasy under acting Captain Koroc's leadership, but most continue to remain steadfast, their loyalty cemented with the perceived truth that the rebels have either killed Captain Lykos or taken him hostage. The red orc captain acting as commander in his absence has grown increasingly aggressive and erratic. His right arm is often hidden and severely scarred. According to his claims, an attack from a rebel assassin in early January was the cause. Both the Defenders and the Rebels seem to be interested in recruiting new members to bolster their numbers. Meanwhile, farmers in the outskirts continue to spread tales of the drastic rise in werewolf attacks and destruction during February's full moon, and look for guards to hire to protect their farms from the increasing predatory threats.
🜙 On the Precipice: Krimnos, March 8th
	With the thaw, the airship Zenith begins its route once more, ferrying people from Krimnos to the Northern outpost of Preciposte in the mountains. The two hour flight to Preciposte is a dangerous one. An armed escort of archers is always present to protect the airship from attack by the many aerial threats living in the mountains. The Northern outpost between Krimnos and Einjar serves as a resting point for travelers between the ancient dwarven city and the cliff city. Preciposte is a small outpost rich in metal and gem trade as well as a popular residence for more reckless and fearless hunters of the dangerous creatures of the mountains. The altitude of Preciposte causes many unacclimated to suffer loss of breath, lightheadedness, and a somewhat giddy recklessness. The outpost is built near a natural hot spring and the hot springs are a favored escape for those willing to take the risky trip to get to them. With the route to Preciposte both on foot and by air open once more concerning news reaches Krimnos. Communication with the remaining residents of Einjar has been silent for months, since late December. The population of Preciposte, predominately tiefling and dwarf residents, are preparing for a major excursion on foot through the mountains to Einjar. The trip is far too dangerous in both altitude, creature threats, and proximity of the craggy cliffs to make via airship so the four-six day trek will be a difficult and harrowing journey.

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[fuga]

I. BEYOND THE REEF

Lauralae does not spend too much time along the coast of Didymos; she has spent much of her time in the forests outside of the city, making a place for herself, trying to bury herself in that strange yet familiar world, but… She has to dip into the city itself to learn more, to adjust to what has been happening to her, to check with Daenerys about the nature of their eggs. She is also curious about the place she had died for a third time - the pit that had disappeared, even when Lauralae stands at the edge of the shore.

There is no sign of it, even when she sends her raven on trips, backwards and forwards, to investigate. There’s an urge to get into the water and sink down to where the skeleton is, but she does not dare sink so deep into the water, afraid of what might happen if she dared go, what might happen to the egg she keeps so close to herself at all times.

Eventually, she does little more than sit on the shoreline, dragging her bag onto her lap as she gazes out at the sea, her eyes narrowed, watching, as if the pit might just appear out of nowhere and suck her into the depths again.

II. ON THE PRECIPICE

Krimnos is not where Lauralae would like to be right now (too close to Alucard, to bruised feelings, to the shock of an egg sitting heavy on her shoulders) and so she clambers onto the nearest airship, not entirely concerned about where she goes. As long as her bag is close and no one tries to stop her she is content, slipping out into the world, curious as ever. She wants to return to her forest, but there is much for her to discover, and she has spent days there so far, waiting for any sign of her egg emerging, hatching, coming to life.

Anything to prove that what she said to Daenerys was correct - that she loved it, and it will grow to reflect that love.

Immediately, as she walks around Preciposte, it’s clear that she is not accustomed to such high altitudes. She breathes a little deeper, walks with a slight shake in her step, but ignores anyone that might look at her. Instead, she goes to the hot springs, her leather bag pressed against her side and her eyes narrowed, glancing here and there. When she gets into the springs she does not strip down entirely; instead, she wears what seems like bandages across her chest, tight and compact, and some cloth for underwear. She’s incredibly pale, her eyes the brightest part of her, and she settles, Rav’ahm resting quietly on her leather bag to keep guard.

She is silent, for a long time, burrowed in the water, quiet as she relaxes and allows herself to have that warmth, her thoughts drifting so much she might not notice someone coming to join her.

III. WILDCARD

( Feel free to find Lauralae in Didymos / wandering around near the forests, or PM me for something personal! )

I

[reyquest]

Rey couldn't honestly say she was happy about the conditions that had finally brought her to Thalassa, now Didymos. She had always wanted to see it and the glass sea that bordered its coast but had never had the chance to leave the mountains or see anything but small, far-distant glimpses of the blinding waters on the edges of the horizon. Now that she is here, she is finding it hard to leave. There are too many mysteries both in and around the city and evidently beneath it as well.

She also is hesitant to venture far from the rescued egg. There were wards protecting it and keeping it hidden, but the urge to check on it came over her so frequently that she always ended up lingering on or near the shore, close enough to keep an eye on it without giving away the small, hidden cave or the crate full of sand within it. As she walks the shore now, a small armadillo lizard scurries along behind her, chasing small insects and burrowing in and out of the sand.

She spots another figure on the shore and hesitates a moment, considering turning around, before deciding to approach. She hasn't met many people since her return from death, and she has been avoiding the city itself. With the one person she knows still missing, she takes the opportunity to approach a stranger, sitting down nearby but not too close, dropping a hand for Thorn to crawl onto so she can put him back on her shoulder where she knows no predators will get him.

The waters of the bay are peaceful again, clear with gently rolling waves, but she remembers stumbling across the mud flats and the turbulent waters that had rushed in afterward. The young elf dhampir rests her staff across her lap and looks out over the bay. She isn't well experienced in starting conversations, not nearly as adept as she is at listening in on them.

"The way the water looks now, it almost feels like everything that happened before was just a horrible dream."

[fuga]

Lauralae is not accustomed to being approached by people; there's an edge of something dangerous about her, something that she doesn't quite realise - wrapped in dark, a raven hovering around her, leather bag tucked at her side. She's small but seems almost feral, a little bit, pale skin and dark eyes flickering as the light presses across her face and under her hood. She's not sure what to do with herself, fingers flexing in and out before she's disturbed.

It seems as though she is going to have to get used to the fact that people are going to talk to her. The last time someone had come close and spoken to her she had been forced to threaten his life, so she is wary and careful all at once. She doesn't want to do anything to get herself in trouble with the guard, not with the egg she keeps so safe tucked against her, but she will not allow herself to be smothered.

Turning her head, slowly, she hesitates before she manages to find the words to speak.

"Many would forget it as such. In ten, twenty years this will be remembered as a nightmare, just as the war was." There's a frown on her face, eyes turning back to stare out at the ocean, narrowing a little. "The bloodshed will be ignored and forgotten and we will continue or we will die, as we had done before."

But that is rather a morbid idea - not something unusual for Lauralae, but -

"You were there?"

[reyquest]

Rey isn't used to approaching people directly, but there's a part of her that has always felt a desperate need to be seen or known by them. She wanted to be part of a world that wanted her in it, she just hadn't found the right places or people yet. She thought she had once, but then it had turned out the old priest just wanted to exploit that and her untrained skills, now he was dead and she isn't sure she even wants to go back to Krimnos to see if anything she knew was still there.

Not when she had finally escaped to the southern parts of Idan she had always wanted so badly to see.

"People find it easier forgetting." There is a small edge of bitterness in her voice. She was young and naive, inexperienced in the world beyond the small microcosms of it she had lived in, but she had experienced enough to believe that much. The world as a general rule was a violent place that demanded a constant fight for survival. Rey just happened to have added a second fight to her life, the fight to find beauty in or beyond the savagery and violence.

"I was. There were so many people down there." More than she often saw in one place in her entire life. "I still don't understand how or why I got out." She had watched her- ally? friend? mentor? She didn't even know what to call him- die trying to reach the top of the pit. So many people hadn't made it out.

Thorn hadn't even been with her yet, then. It's almost difficult to think of life before the lizard was part of it, despite how brief their time together has been. She can hear his thoughts sometimes, when he decides he has something to say. The rest of the time it's just a stream of emotions pushing up against her own.

"I didn't know them but they didn't deserve whatever happened down there." She had wanted to stay, explore the city in the dark, maybe memorize a few faces or check to see if any of the people in the pile were still alive, but she still didn't understand her own magic well enough to fight off the monsters that were down there with them alone, and she didn't want to die again.

"There isn't even a hole out there anymore." She had snuck onto one of the ships to double check for herself. "Makes it seem like it never happened, even though the memories are there." She still feels drawn to the pit that isn't there, curiosity and the pull of unanswered questions eating away at her.

[exaomori]

city of the free peoples

On the one hand, they figured out how to get Lykos to change back to his original form. On the other hand, that really only solved so much! For the time being, though, there are plenty of people to switch shifts with, so Shura has the chance to go out and pretend to be a dutiful knight, or at least earn some gold guarding some livestock.

Sheep are smelly, and they crap everywhere. It's a job, and Shura's had worse, but this definitely is not the kind of thing she enjoys doing. Especially not chasing down rogue lambs that are stupid enough to wander from their mother and the rest of the herd. Whoever's on guard duty with her or just happens to run into her while she's wandering is going to be treated to Shura's foul mood.

"It ain't even a full moon, why are they panicking so much? Ugh!"

The answers is because this is their livelihood and they are paying Shura to help wrangle the little bastards, but that's not going to soothe her temper.

exploring

But it isn't yet the full moon, which means there's still time to investigate the werewolf attacks. Following the report of one farmer, Shura makes her way into the woods nearby a small farm, searching for any sign of a large predator. Or just anything that sticks out. Unfortunately, it's probably been too long to properly track whatever came through last, at least in this area. A scratched up tree could be a lot of things, especially with animals coming out in the thaw.

Running into her won't be hard; she's not trying to blend in. Having a lion tagging along at your heels makes the entire blending in thing a bit more difficult. A familiar face will get a brief greeting, an new one will get a vaguely wary glance, and if either stops for more than a second, Shura will turn her attention from the tree she's looking at long enough to ask.

"You lookin' for something?"

wildcard!
anything else, hmu!!

{ city of free peoples }

[aceso]

Christine hasn't taken on a job to guard anyone's sheep, but she does happen to be in the area when Shura makes her declaration and without the context to go along with it, the healer is left a little puzzled.

"Pardon?" she asks, hoping for some explanation. Clearly Shura is stressed and Christine wonders if she can be of assistance.

Re: { city of free peoples }

[exaomori]

Shura does not recognize Christine's voice from the network offhand, though there something familiar. But she isn't going to go down that route, not unless she has some other way to connect the dots. She will, however, explain herself, though she doesn't seem any happier as she grumbles.

"The sheep! Agh, werewolves ain't gonna come after livestock when there are so many rumors flyin' around." Tracking a little lamb wasn't exactly what she was trained to do, but if she's reading the signs right... it probably climbed up that hill? Hopefully. Hopefully it was on the other side of the hill, happily jumping around or doing whatever it was little lambs did. Shura won't ask Christine what she's doing here, but barks out a quick command, motioning for Christine to follow her.

"C'mon, I think he went over this way."

[aceso]

"It does sound like you need an extra pair of eyes," she muses, falling into step beside her. "I'm Christine." It isn't always easy to match a face to a voice, and she's unsure if they've met before.

"Do you think that if there are werewolves around that they're sticking to the woods instead?"

city

[redwhaling]

Being generally on the same wavelength as Shura, with scared people willing to pay for someone else to be outside with werewolves, Bille has tagged along. It was either that or spend another few hours staying back at the captain. Not that she would call being around sheep akin to 'getting some fresh air'.

She isn't up and chasing lambs, though, instead having taken up a seat on the fence where she's gotten a grand view of Shura doing all running around and yelling. It's only when she finally makes her way over to where that is that Billie will do much more than sit and watch the rest of the milling sheep down at the bottom of the hill.

"Farmers panic at the thought of normal wolves. Did you really think this would be an improvement?"

[exaomori]

"You'd think they'd be lookin' into wards or silver-tipped pitchforks or somethin'." Sure, it was an investment, but they could reuse the silver for something else later on! It was expecting a lot of a bunch of farmers, though, and Shura lets out a sigh, hopping up on the fence beside Billie. It's break time.

"But at this rate, we're the ones who oughta be looking into silver-tipped pitchforks." Sure, they had Lykos back to his normal form, but what next? Scout the woods to find all the naked morons who were probably still in hiding after their transformation?

[redwhaling]

"Wards are always a good investment but the folks they could get them from are jacking up the prices now that there's real danger. Same thing with silver," Billie says, wrinkling her nose in disgust as she says as much. She can't really approve of profiteering like that, even if her own hands are far from clean.

She turns some to glance back towards the trees in the distance, though, just trying to imagine the image Shura's put out there. In theory, she could track them through the woods like that, but would she want to?

"Cheapest option right now is wolfsbane. I do have some of that but you have to get close to them to use it."

[drizzle]

☙ The Thaw, Krimnos Wilderness (before March 8, the excursion)

[There was a lot to catch up on after having been dead for so long; a though she was still wrapping her mind on. What was the best way to gain new information? Most sensible people would head to the nearest library, communicate with others, or even explore the cities and nearby villages for info. In Nike's case, she wasn't the most sensible tiefling, and has always found asking the spirits for information to be far more valuable. Of course, she does have her moments of talking to anyone willing to have her join the conversation or overhearing from afar, but there was so little info she could gain out of it.

For one, she was more interested in the state of the land, the cycle of nature, and the flow of life. The voices back at the city were a little difficult to discern due to the sheer size of it, but the feelings were almost mutual -- traces of exhaustion, anxiety, and some apprehensive were mixed with the usual content disposition of the people. The King was doing a good job in offering his people a comfortable life. It felt that way to her, anyway.

Running through the wilderness was the best way to go about it as Caelum, the pure white wolf pup was chasing behind, as it would seem the two were in a race of sorts. Nike was clearly in the lead while looking all over the place. The beautiful view of melting snow, increasing greenery, and telltale signs of the wild life reviving was more than enough to have her cheering loudly.

Finding a nice, open spot in the middle of the dense wilderness is where Nike and Caelum will stop their race. The wolf pup will be circling the space for a bit, almost as if it was observing for any signs of movement, while Nike, on the other hand, will be in a random corner as she finds...]

Flos gram! [She had found the beautiful, droopy snowdrop flower. A kind smile will appear on her lips, realizing.] Spring is just around the corner, huh?

[Which means...all kinds of wildlife should be close by to hunt and sell. It was a good thing her weapons were close by after awakening. Just like her original outfit and limiter stones. After tying her hair into a long braid and checking for her weapons, she'll turn to Caelum, finding he was close by, she will take a deep breath and begin to sing a song with an almost echoing tone, spreading all through the dense trees in a difficult to decipher language, but whoever listens to it will feel a light tug in wanting to follow. It was clear she was acting as bait to whatever native creature she could find, hoping to use her other powers and weapons to fight against.]

☙ Wildcard
(Anything goes! Nike is in the Krimnos area, trying to get a sense of her new surroundings and finding ways to survive. She isn't shy in the slightest! Hit me up through PMs or Plurk's PP if you wanna plot for anything in particular.)

Thaw

[apilot]

[ The bait is taken, but not by a deer or other native creature. A floppy eared beagle comes bounding out of the underbrush excitedly, following the pleasant sound in search of its source. He barks cheerfully in greeting and then tries to howl along in tune, the sound of something else following him through the thawing snow not far behind, along with a shout.

Poe would have followed Bey even without the music pulling him along, but when he spots his animas dancing about around Nike his head tilts slightly to one side. The somewhat shorter than usual half-elf wears Krimnos' colors, though not the official clothes of a knight. He hadn't yet found his way back to his old position though he was working on it.

He doesn't interrupt her song, brushing snow off a nearby boulder and taking a seat, his bow slung over his back. He doesn't seem concerned, a small grin tugging at one corner of his lip at Bey's cheerful antics. ]

[drizzle]

[The sudden sounds of something incoming will have Caelum's full and undivided attention as the young wolf pup will head closer to that particular direction; preparing to ambush whatever got close which was enough of a cue for the singing tiefling to prepare her own bow and arrow to hit whatever it was if it was bigger than a deer in size, knowing Caelum was too small to attack anything bigger on his own.

But once the floppy dog made its excitable appearance -- it was more than enough for Nike to mentally relax while Caelum attempted to leap onto the other dog only to miss. It was hard not to laugh as she wanted to continue to sing. She found the dog to be absolutely adorable and will only motivate her further to sing with her new duet partner, lowing the hypnosis effects to avoid any interruptions.

Caelum will be left curious by the show between his master and the other dog. It was something he hasn't seen before. His curiosity will grow until the dog's partner appears. The wolf pup's deep blue eyes will watch the other man while hiding in the bush it had jumped into; realizing he meant no harm neither, Caelum will leave the safety of the bush and begin to circle the man, trying to sneak in a sniff to determine if he was with the other dog.

Nike won't mind the other guest, realizing he may be the dog's owner. So all she will do will move closer to the beagle, reaching for the left over snow on the ground and toss it above her head as she changes the song she was singing to another one just to summon the wind. A gust of wind will be felt, almost as thought it was being used to separate the large chunks of snow by spreading them around their area; creating the illusion of transforming them into its original fluffy version and falling slowly over them. Nike made absolutely certain to allow the final verse sound as incredible as she could to allow the remain air molecules to reflect the light of the sun to add a floating glitter effect alongside the falling snow.]

And that is how I view my very enthusiastic duet partner -- sparkling snowfall! [Leaning down as she extends her hand towards the beagle.] What's his name? [Asking loud enough for the other man to hear.] Are you two hunting partners?

[apilot]

[ Poe fishes a few morsels of dried meat from his coat, offering one open palmed out to the little wolf pup, unconcerned and unthreatened. His entire demeanor is relaxed and amused and his scent is a mix of Bey's, his own, and the scents being carried on the currents high above the tree tops. If Caelum doesn't take the meat, Poe tosses it, using a small gust of wind magic to land it on top of a flat rock nearby.

He listens to the baying howls of Bey trying to join into the song and the stranger's own melodic voice, and waits for her to stop and speak to him before trying to speak, his eyes dark in color but bright in cheerful demeanor. There's a heavy weight in his quiver, the hidden egg stored away while Bey is with him rather than safely stashed in its cavern hiding place. ]

His name is Bey, and he is working on that. I think he would rather be playing than hunting, but he has a great sense of smell. [ Despite the comical size of Bey's ears the beagle couldn't hear as well as other dogs due to the way they hung down, but his nose almost never failed. ] When he isn't too busy chasing his whims. [ What did it say about Poe, that his animas was so quick to dash off after whatever interested him at a moment's notice? He didn't think too hard on it. ]

That was a beautiful song, I'm almost sorry he interrupted you. [ Only almost, because it was a nice change of pace from his less cheerful search for clues about the undead knights that had attacked Krimnos not so long ago. Bey continues chasing snowflakes while they talk before enthusiastically bounding around the wolf pup, tail up and wagging wildly. ]

Is that what you two are doing out here? [ The fact that the wolf pup approached him at all made him certain it was with her and not a wild lost pup. ]

Daud | ota; pre-einjar expedition

[forswore]

[ a. city of the free peoples ]

The city is restless, but Daud is good at being quiet. Mostly, he can be found in the marketplace, listening in on uneasy conversations quietly. The topics vary -- the attacks during the full moon get discussed, as well as preventative measures to take against it. He keeps a warier berth of the Defenders when he sees them clustered together, but listens as they mutter amongst themselves.

Should he catch the eye of another of the awakened, or someone who seems to be simply staring at him too long, the tiefling will meet their gaze directly, expression implacable as ever, holding it for a few moments before inclining his head slightly in acknowledgement. But that's all.

[ b. didymos ]

With the waters having returned to their proper place, Daud is in Didymos to conduct some reconnaissance of his own, attempting to get a sense of the rumors that have coalesced around the area. The pit is nowhere to be found, but the bay is back in its rightful place, as disconcerting as that is.

The tiefling can be found on the shoreline, staring out at the water, his osprey animas wheeling in the sky overhead. His twenty-sided courier is cradled loosely in his hand, and he holds it up from time to time as though he might be using it or contemplating doing so, before lowering it again.

[ c. preciposte ]

The air here is thin, but Daud doesn't seem to have trouble breathing. He takes the airship to Preciposte, quiet and unassuming as ever, and spends some time lingering in the outpost, listening to conversations among the residents as well while browsing what any merchants have to offer, and the boasting of hunters.

He has little interest in the hot springs himself, so he ends up listening in on conversations here, as well -- and it's the talk of an expedition that catches his interest.

"How might one join such an expedition?" he asks, interrupting one of Preciposte's dwarves mid-chatter.

[ ooc: wildcard options are always open; just hmu if none of these work for you. i'm looking to get a spoils of the sea reward with the didymos prompt but i'm happy to help others work towards other thread rewards of their own! ]

B

[moretooffer]

Tony always liked Thalassa second best of the 3 major cities. The ocean breeze was undeniably refreshing even though the mountain air was trying to call him back to his most-times home. He had lingered after emerging from the pit, his lanky animas following everywhere he went like a second shadow, overly talkative in her animal voice, crying and whining at him any time there was something she didn't like.

Their walks along the shore seemed to calm Friday, giving her the chance to run around and stretch her legs, sniff at the sand, dig, and search for smaller creatures to chase and harass. She never seemed to hunt or try to eat any of them, but she was enough of a curious jerk to bowl crabs over onto their backs or chase away shorebirds with her high-pitched yipping barks.

At least she wasn't as uneasy as she had been when they first met and she had refused to move more than a quarter of an inch from his leg. They were both already ridiculously codependent.

He catches sight of the sky bird before he notices the tiefling, his eyes on the sky in search of the hunting gulls and pelicans that seem to be missing from the usual skyscape of the coastal city, and he watches it wheel about for a while before Friday alerts him to a stranger by reattaching herself to his leg and growling.

Turning his attention to the direction she's pointed at, he spots the dark tiefling against the blinding blue of the bay and offers a cheerful wave, his mind pointedly anywhere but the pit.

"Kind of eerily quiet out here, isn't it?" It's meant as a nice, neutral introduction as he catches Friday by her scruff. She has yet to attack anyone but she's a wild animal and Tony has no idea if that might suddenly change. He's never had a pet before.

[forswore]

The tiefling glances up from scanning the waters at the greeting, assessing the new arrivals even as he smoothly slips the courier back into a pocket. His hooves don’t find easy purchase in the sand beneath them, but he seems unworried by it. He doesn’t greet the new arrivals nearly as cheerfully, but he doesn’t ignore them either, inclining his head in easy acknowledgement.

What he doesn’t say is, ‘I know you from the Courier. I know what you are, just like me.’

“Less eerie than a whole bay emptying itself,” he answers mildly. “Can’t blame anything for staying away.” He raises a hand and makes a sharp, short series of calls, and the osprey lazily wings her way down. Perched on his hand, she ruffles her feathers and runs through them with her beak.

“She’s not had much luck with fish.”

[apilot]

I. On the Shoreline
[ Poe had followed the broken trail of clues he could piece together from Krimnos back to the shoreline of Didymos. The attacks on Krimnos and the City of the Free Peoples had both stopped after the events of the pit, and there were too many unusual coincidences not to at least explore the possibility the events were connected.

He had made plans with a man on the docks to ride out with one of the ships through the bay and then beyond it and past the reefs in the following weeks, offering his services to help keep the ship and those aboard it safe, but he had his own reasons as well.

A few flights around the bay, even now that the waters were clear, hadn't shown him any signs of the pit, and the bay itself was too quiet and empty, no obvious schools of fish or hungry predators swimming about, no more skeletons and sunken ships, just a bay of crystal clear waters that were almost blinding in the light of the sun. Another mystery stacked upon mysteries.

For now he busied himself patrolling the shoreline, killing time until night fall by helping to clear up the remnants of the debris. No cheerful canine following at his heels or rolling around in the sand ahead of him to keep him from sinking deeper into concerning thoughts about what it all meant.

He had left Bey in charge of the egg, leaving both in the mountains near Krimnos with wards up to keep creatures and nosy individuals from looking into the tiny cave. There was a stream and plenty of food for Bey, and even though they were far apart he could still feel his animas, content and proudly protective.

His current path is leading him toward a collection of seaweed and overturned broken crates at a leisurely pace. It's only when he hears the shifting of pebbles and sand under foot that he is drawn from his wandering thoughts to look up again, but it isn't another person he sees on the shore, but a much smaller and no less aggressive armored crab, snapping its claws menacingly at him from its perch atop the crates, its eyes wobbling in what he can only assume is anger at being disturbed. ]

What are you going to do with a bunch of old boxes? [ Poe's tone is tired and faintly amused as he watches the creature continue to try to make itself look bigger, raising up onto four legs to put its body at an upward angle. Several more emerge from small tide pools nearby, and Poe's amusement lessens as more continue to join the first few. ]

I see you brought friends. [ Poe didn't really have any ill will toward the crabs, but with the shortage of food in the city, those crustaceans would fetch a lot of money. ] Don't take this personally, but you're all going into one of those crates if you don't scurry back where you came from.

[ A few of the crates looked big enough to at least drop a couple dozen crabs into. They might not have as much meat as the big fish normally found in the bay, but they would probably make a delicious soup or at least a few worthwhile meals for hungry families. ]

II. Beyond the Reef

The half-elf shiftling keeps his bow in hand for the entirety of the journey. Several passes back and forth across the bay had only confirmed what his aerial sweep had already told him. There was no sign of the pit anywhere in the bay despite his surety that he had emerged from it to stumble back to shore last month.

Now as they sail around and past Logistykon's skeleton, wavering in the depths below, the lack of sea-life and the oncoming threats of the deep ocean become a greater priority. Poe stands near the bow of the ship, bow in hand. His eyes aren't on the horizon but searching the waters ahead of and to the side of the fishing ship. Several times now he thought he saw a large shadow, but couldn't confirm if it was a cloud passing by ahead or something following alongside the ship itself.

The glass sea's waters were clear but here where the depths were too great for the light to reach the bottom, the darkness of the deep ocean made it difficult to see threats before they were right on the ship unless they chose to give themselves away.

He isn't worried for his own safety. If things got too desperate he could shift and wing it back to the city, sacrifice secrecy for the sake of trying to save the rest of the crew, but that was a last resort. He had no desire to abandon these people he had promised to protect if he could stop the threats they faced before it got to the point of losing the ship.

He notches an arrow into his bow, focusing intently on the water's surface and searching for any other signs of a shadow or something breaking the surface.

I. shoreline

[forswore]

[ Poe hasn't seen much of his former roommate -- once he began working for the Defenders in earnest, the tiefling had quietly melted away without much beyond their brief introductions. But he'd heard him over the Couriers, and Daud wasn't one to forget a face. When he spots Poe along the distance, seemingly talking to himself, the tiefling pauses, considering if he wants to advertise his presence or not.

In the end, though, it's the crates that drive him forward, stepping up to Poe with a neutral expression. ]

I'd recommend against it. All sorts of things have washed up on this shore -- you might have the bad luck to lock them in a crate with something cursed.

[apilot]

[ Poe looks up at the sound of a familiar voice, and he makes a sound , only partially glancing away to check that it is the tiefling he knows and not a stranger. ]

Fair enough point, though if it's already open there can't be too much harm in it, can there? People in the city are starting to get desperate. [ He can't imagine their stores are too low, but then again between the draining of the bay and now has been a considerable amount of time for the fishing boats to be pulling up scarce to empty nets or stranded entirely. For a city as reliant on the ocean as Didymos that wasn't great news. ]

A crate full of crabs might not be equivalent to a boat full of fish, but they would make a good enough soup to feed a few hungry mouths. I guess I could see if any of the ships have some enchanted nets that won't be too easily snipped.

[ As if aware of his intentions the crabs all start snapping their larger pincers in a menacing fashion and Poe just tosses a dangerous grin in their direction, a sharp edge to his eyes. ] I owe their larger cousins some payback, but I can't seem to find those particular monsters.

[reyquest]

I. Scavenger
[Rey hasn't left the area around Didymos since emerging from the pit, spending each day on the shore hopeful she would find some sign of any of the others who had died down in the dark depths. Others had washed up on the shore in the days following the return of the water and she wasn't giving up on the possibility still more might, and would possibly be in need of some help getting back to the city.

As she walks the shore with Thorn sleeping in her pocket, she occasionally distracts herself practicing with her staff, going through the motions of a wild style of staff fighting that lacked discipline in the traditional sense, her attacks and movements raw and wild. She uses one of the large boulders on the shore for target practice, stopping her staff just before it makes contact with every swing.

The rest of the time she can be seen searching washed up debris for anything of value that she could add to the satchel at her hip to take into the city later and trade for something to eat.]

II: Rescue, Closed to Ben/Kylo Ren

[The commotion from further along the shore catches Rey's attention later in the evening. As she is securing the satchel at her hip, following the line of the shore, she freezes at the sound of a low, angry hiss not far from her.

Looking up she spots the large lizard and before she can stop him Thorn drops from her shoulder, standing before her and hissing back. The tiny lizard is barely a bite-sized morsel in front of the threatening monitor.

Rey lunges forward, trying to scoop her animas back up, but the quick lizard races across the sand, launching himself onto the monitors back and biting at its thick skin, having little impact but relentless annoying the creature.

Rey hadn't intended to stay and try to fight the creature but it seemed like Thorn wasn't going to let her have that choice.]

[warfares]

( ships dot the bay: more than just the usual small fishing skiffs and coracles, larger vessels can be seen cutting across the glassy water in search of any signs of the pit.

he'd gone down to the docks, first thing that morning, volunteering his services to one of the smaller skiffs. had heard the fearful whispers of the empty waters, the fear of what this might mean in the coming weeks.

a better man would have offered words of comfort. but he'd never been especially good.

late evening finds him wondering the shore, picking over any debris he comes across. shards of rotten wood and bleached bone. he's crouched over something promising, when he hears the first shout. soft, female. familiar.

he's on his feet, then. rushing toward the noise, hand already reaching for the weapon at his side. )

[reyquest]

[Rey has her staff at the ready but she is too busy trying to smack the monitor's mouth away from thorn and the egg in the creature's clutches in equal parts.

The monster is fast and she can't find a way to get Thorn or the damaged egg free without hurting one or both of them.

She doesn't do more than risk a quick glance toward the approaching footsteps before shouting.]

No fire! It has one of the eggs and Thorn is on its back!

[moretooffer]

[The box Tony found on the shore had not contained something he ever would have expected to find, let alone in a small, fancy chest. Now with it tucked away he searches the shore for valuables he would actually be willing to part with, combing his way through the crates and debris until he finds one that is still sealed.]

Hey, that staff of yours. [He calls out to the woman practicing down the shore.] Can it open crates?