Glad that they figured out how to restart it, Aramyros aknowledged Blaze's idea. "One step at a time. Let's first see its handywork. I'll retry my original plan."
The automaton follows Aramyros. Once you give the instructions it fidgits a bit, then goes to the firewood collecting an armful. It takes them to the location. Putting the sticks and firewood vertically to make a makeshift barrier. It does this until it used all the firewood. Then it enters the forest.
Aramyros followed the automation into the forest, because he was a) interested in what it was doing and b) didn't have anything better to do than pretend to help in the palisade-building.
He watched it from a save distance in orer not to distract it. "Holy cow!" he shouted, when the vine started to grapple the automation.
In a leaping charge, he drew his scythe, roared in an abyssal language and cut at it.
Blaze was curious about the construct's capabilities, plus she still wished to know the answer to her question, so she followed as well. As it began to head deeper into the forest, she paused at the treeline and glanced back to where the others were still preparing the pyre. She raised her hand briefly before she turned to follow Aramyros and the Automaton.
She hurried forward when she saw the construct come under threat and blinked in surprise as Aramyros leaped and roared like a demon as he charged in. She continued to close the distance, and raised her hand to the canopy above. She knew not what they faced, but felt sure they would handle it better as a team. Her eyes filled with flames as she called forth her Inner Fire. The trees were tall here, if the others were to see her flare, she must channel more than was truly safe without time to gather her power.
Her Inner Fire burst forth, surrounding the Tiefling in a nimbus of red-gold flames. She hissed, sucking the air through clenched white teeth and tendrils of smoke rose above her as she burned from within. She aimed her hand at a wide gap in the canopy of foliage above them and a gout of flame shot from her fingertips high into the air.
"Let's go...," she will nod toward the direction of the camp Thorn. Even still, as she walks slowly, she seems to blend into the background. Clearly there is something at play here, but no magic is detected on her body if one would try. She will walk in such a way as to keep an eye on their new ally.
She nodded eagerly, latching on to a subject in which she felt more confidence. "Yes, the 'gifts'. Much gold spent. It is beautiful blade," she said admiringly. "My Pater, who take me in, was Bladesmith. I help to work forge many years. He would call that blade... a master's piece." She smiled, pleased to have worked out the words in Taldane.
"It will be good to have someone familiar with the forge when it comes to maintaining our equipment. It seems we were both taken in by remarkable people. Perhaps one day we will get to show it to him." he says thinking about his own mother back in Osirian, she was no blade smith but he loved her the same and she could appreciate quality equipment.
He let silence fall between them as he enjoyed the night.
With Blaze heading off to assist Aramyros, Baahir looked around and spotted Andrei tending the fire...and looking into the woods.
"We finished building the pyre but it was mostly Blaze, she is quite skilled. Is something bothering you? I have yet to journey into those woods." he asks the Varisian man.
"We finished building the pyre but it was mostly Blaze, she is quite skilled. Is something bothering you? I have yet to journey into those woods." he asks the Varisian man.
"Âye hope ît îz noțhîng. Câllîe ănd Ţhorn hăve been hunţîng for breăkfășț for â whîle now", Andrei explains. "Jușț overly concerned."
"Câllîe îz very câpâble woman. Ând Ţhorn...", the varisian stops, "hopefully he wîll noț be ă.. dețermenț."
Aramyros cuts the vine and what is left of it quickly retreats. The automaton discards the vine which could be good rope substitute and continues to collect firewood. It goes into one of the thorny steel leaf plants and soon comes out with more firewood and appears to be fine.
Once she sees Blaze and Aramyros she dead stops and goes to stealth.
Those at the camp see a blast of fire go into the sky, you should be worried.
"CÂYDEN! Wât dâ Hell wâş dâţ?!!" The cleric said as he looked up into the sky.
They finally come in sight of the tower in the distance when a flame leaps up. The others take to moving swiftly forward and she does too. Seeing Alia go stealthy, she says to her, "These are our allies."
The varisian is completely taken by the suddenly fire flash, Andrei does not notice any hunting expedition returning to camp (or newcomers).
Thorn remains silent as he follows both Lilianne and Alia back to their camp. Unusually so.
Their day's hunt slung over his shoulder, he follows in their footsteps, all semblance of a bumbling fat man gone. Instead behind them walks a somber yet silent man attempting to deal with the day's revelations.
Her voice had hit him with the force of a thousand hammers spitting his head wide open but yet the pain that should have driven him to his knees was overcome with something greater.
A pain yet longing like no other washing over his heart as his memories reveals themselves with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Alia.
His Alia. The greatest time he had ever experienced in his life but it was not now.
The pain in his heart was threatening to overwhelm him but he knew with all the knowledge of his fate and his cursing against it would be of no avail.
Would he be able to spare her the pain that he knows must come? It was within his abilities wasn't it? Or would he be slave to the fates again.
For her. For his dearest sweet Alia, it would be worth it he knew.
His gazes at her were snatched at instances where he was sure nobody would have caught on but he managed to school his features so as not to appear as a forlorn abandoned youth chasing after unrequited love.
All thoughts are discarded as everyone seems to be wary of something...
Him? Hope not.
"By Sarenrae...I have no idea! We need to find out though." Baahir replies, looking into the direction of the fire.
"That could be Blaze or enemies or both...but I am heading that direction regardless." he says as he starts to run towards the signal.
No I know, why her name is Blaze. "Thanks for the help. Couldn't know, what kind of monster hides at the end of then vines..." Aramyros says to Blaze after lowering his weapon and while trying to breath steadily. He seemed fatigues, even after only one sprint and slash.
"And I haven't forgotten your request. I'll ask it, once we're back. Just wanted to get productive first, you know," he continues, before following the construct.
For ten minutes, Lilianne may not even notice Thorn. So deep her focus is. The moment she pushes through the barrier of this realm into that of the astral and can perceive what few others can, she sees a good sign and will exit her sight. It is at that moment that she will look to her companion.
He seems to be walking more gracefully, but other than that, she has no indication that he is forlorn. Perhaps it is the flabby looking outer flesh of his disguise that obscures her from seeing his true feelings, but whatever it is, she seems unbothered by him, nor does she seem to be concealing something. In fact, Thorn himself may even perceive of her that since seeing the two together, she has been on guard, but now she walks with the same carelessness next to Alia as she did earlier next to Thorn. It is as though she now considers the girl a complete ally.
"Come, Thorn! Did you not see the flame spout?" "Hopefully with it being day, our quarry very far off and possibly drunk right now did not either. If this was night, surely they would question what is going on over here."
"Lo'!" she calls out to warn the others of their approach. As though she were a mage, silent, but visible swirls of flame rise from her feet, twirl once in the air and dissipate. It, however, is a prestidigitation effect and not actual flame. It is meant to catch the eye of those she intends to see her.
No I know, why her name is Blaze. "Thanks for the help. Couldn't know, what kind of monster hides at the end of then vines..." Aramyros says to Blaze after lowering his weapon and while trying to breath steadily. He seemed fatigues, even after only one sprint and slash.
"And I haven't forgotten your request. I'll ask it, once we're back. Just wanted to get productive first, you know," he continues, before following the construct.
Still surrounded by an aura of red-gold flames, Blaze looked around in alarm for whatever Aramyros had attacked. When she saw no sign of it, she sighed and shook her head, her shoulders slumped in shame. "I... react-over, mebbe... At least nothing on fire." Looking down at herself, she shrugged. "Well... nothing else."
But then she tilts her head to the side as she considers Aramyros. When next she opened her mouth, it was not the broken, hesitant speech of one unused to speaking more than a few sentences of common, but the fluent tones of Abyssal, like the crashing of ocean waves and the buzzing of a swarm of angry hornets combined.
When the others arrived to see what the trouble is, she warned them to keep back from her inflamed form as she apologized.
"Sorry, some green thing grab machine. Wanted to warn of trouble. Must pull flames back in." It took effort on her part to suppress her overflow, but she wanted to be sure the threat had truly passed before she did so.
She is 40 feet away in thick forest... most won't see her.
You can see the other end of the vine slithering away.
Aramyros answers in common, but makes it clear that he understood Blaze perfectly well. "You're right, I do have angelic blood. It's actually extremely strong in me. Much stronger than usual for your average Aasimar. Look at my skin, it's so shiny. I'm glad, I didn't scare you with my demonic tongue. I can't control it. I carry a demonic imprint that overwhelms me sometimes."
On hearing what Blaze had to say.
"Green grabby thing? That vine?"
"Demonic Imprint?" he repeats as the bumbling fat man returns. Looking around he sighs as he finds that Alia has disappeared from his senses once more.
Glancing from Lilianne and Blaze, he holds up the day's hunt.
"I'm sure we have more then enough flames to cook for this round. I could use some help in dressing these or I could head back out and explore more or even better someone find our new neighbor and ask about our surroundings." he pauses.
"Perhaps back at camp?" he offers.
She keeps her eye occasionally on Alia as she sneaks toward their group, but Lilianne is blatantly obvious and will even whistle to make sure people know she's coming in.
The half-elf can see the vine slithering away and wonders where exactly it's heading to. The reach of the plant creature seems extensive, and so dealing with it may be prudent if they are going to continue in this area.
"We can deal with the fruits of our hunt later, Thorn. There are more pressing points I'd like to address first. Everyone, we have company." She will give a special wink to Andrei and then will gesture to the forest nearby. Alia might be mortified that she gestures right to her. In all her perfected stealth, the half-elf can see her.
"This is Alia, Alia, this is Andrei, Aramyros, Blaze, and Thorn." she then gestures to each as she introduces them, and then will finally gesture toward the slithering vine. "And this...vine creature, I think we should probably deal with right this moment while it is in sight. Maybe trace it back to its source? I am not fond of being snagged in the middle of the night by this or it being so close to camp."
Andrei jogs over to where Callie and Thorn emerge from the woods, smiling to see the half-elf alright. Looking out into the forest, the confused varisian asks, "Câllîe..dîd you fînd ouț dă foreșț îz câlled.. Âlîâ?" The newcomer is still hidden from the caydenite, but he notices the intelligent plant.
Having ended up, presumably, with the others by following the flash.
"And Baahir but who are we introducing ourselves to?" he says adding to the introductions but is more concerned with everyone's health.
"Is everything alright? We came running after seeing the fire shoot up...did this creature harm any of you? Blaze?" he quickly talks, anxious for answers. Hearing about a creature, he quickly takes his scimitar in his hand.
At first you notice a feminine form clothed in shadows, 30 feet away, beside a tree holding a long handled blade of some sort.
Then she comes forward slowly watching your moves. You think it is an elf. You see the longer ears that taper to points as she lowers her hood. The thin build. Light armor that seems to almost be made of leaves.
Then she speaks in common, still a bit hesitant, "Hello, it is weird with you all looking at me. I am Alia Silverleaf. This forest is my home. I will continue to hunt goblins with or without you. The dragons sleep." With that said she nods her head and stands next to the closest tree. She seems to take comfort from the contact.
The varisian male jumps slightly as the elf appears out of the forest.
"Greețîngș ănd well meţ, Âlîa. Ănd we ăre șorry for înțrudîng on your foreșț home", the human said with a small bow. "Âye em Ândreî Fîdecupe, â clerîc of Câyden Câîleân, god of heroeş." Andrei stood back up with a note of concern in his heavily-accented voice. "Dîd you șăy 'drâgon'?"
"Yes, the dragons sleep. They moved in a few decades ago. Well except for... oh nothing." She says happily until she grumps. A bit upset she states, "Why is it that honeyed words always loosing others tongues?"
Aramyros offers a handshake, but only briefly, if she doesn't aknowledge it. Customs may very well be different here.
"Well, we're here for the goblins, too. I'm sure you appreciate any help. There was nothing about any dragons in our assignment, so we will keep our distance from them, unless attacked, of course."
The caydenite smirks to himself about what his tongue can loosen, but tries a different tact. "Îț wâș noț my 'honeyed wordş' you heârd, buț our genuîne deșîre for âny forthcomîng knowledge of dâ currenț şîtuâţîon and țo mâke new frîendş în țhîș dîffîculţ ţîme. We âpprecîâțe your forțhrîghț cândor, Lâdy Âlîâ, ănd thănk you."
Andrei gambled to hold his hand out to the forest elf as a gesture of friendship.
To Andrei, she will chuckle slightly at his question. Now that Alia has revealed herself, Lilianne watches Andrei speak to the newcomer in his typical way. Her slip-up is interesting to Lilianne, but she doesn't dwell on it too long.
"Perhaps there is a dragon nearby still?"
Lilianne will let the others greet Alia, but simply scans the forest while they do. Ultimately she will move to settle nearby Andrei. The half-elf doesn't particularly feel like going near the tree just yet. She isn't the best with nature and knowing what plants are what, but perhaps her new allies will know what it is?
"Does anyone know what this vine is here? It seems to wind up into this tree and then seems to be over there on that one and so on and so forth..." She will point to each tree that has the vine; which seems to be every 3rd or 4th one.
She listens to Aramyros and by the time he gets to her she looks at you a bit strangely with a scrunched up nose, a little rude she says, "You poke sleeping dragons?!"
Her face quickly changes at Andrei's words for the better. She smiles and walks over to shake your hand. Nodding at your words but choosing to stay quiet.
She takes point to explain her home to the group, "Don't try cutting those trees down their vines will try to strangle you. If they grow long enough the vines can move like a snake and look for food. Normally just small creatures. If surrounded one stand still and they will unwrap you soon enough. There are many obstacles in this forest including steel leaf shrubs, poison ivy, maddening nettles, wolfsbane, quicksand, razor grass, and slicing ferns. Unless you have a good survival skill bonus you should not go in the wilderness."
"Well, dâmn!" Andrei cursed, taking his hand in Lilianne's. "Fâţ loţ of help ăye em goîng țo be!" The cleric inadvertently looked at Thorn. In a downcast expression, Andrei said under his breath, "No offenșe".
The fat man now chooses a time to speak up.
Common, Taldane
"You mentioned that there were sleeping dragons. How long have they being asleep. Ethos only mentioned Goblins and not dragons. As for these vines, should we clear them? You would know the land better then us so let us get to know you- I mean the land better." Thorn slips up but swiftly amends his words hoping that the rest did not catch on. He never was good as this he thinks...or was he?
"Especially the numbers of the goblins, where they range and how they hunt." he quickly adds on.
"Maybe head back to camp if we aren't doing anything about these vines? They have a taste for goblins then...." he asks. A abit hopefully.
"Is everything alright? We came running after seeing the fire shoot up...did this creature harm any of you? Blaze?" he quickly talks, anxious for answers. Hearing about a creature, he quickly takes his scimitar in his hand.
"I am fine." Blaze answered, looking at them all through a red-gold haze of ethereal flames. "This..." she indicated the flickering fiery nimbus that surrounded her. "Er... happens." She finished dumbly, her words failing her in front of so many eyes, especially the new ones, standing there for all to see... essentially on fire.
"A moment." She said, as she turned around, placing her back to the wondering eyes. 'Might as well get on with it.' She thought to herself as she focused for a moment on her shield. She was not accustomed to it yet and felt it inhibiting her ability to gather power. She closed her eyes, focusing on the fire within. Something must be altered to reach proper resonance, but the shield could not change now. So then must Blaze.
She heard Pater's voice in her memory, working at the forge. Heating the metal to burn away the impurities. Her flames flared up, brighter and hotter and smoke rose above her. A muffled cry of pain escapes her as she burned again, from the inside out, attuning herself to resonate with the shield. Then after another moment, her flames lessened gradually, until she had pulled them back in.
When she turned back, she was her more inert self again. She rummaged through her pack to find her pathfinder kit and pulled out the included maps of Golarion. She brought them to Alia and asked, "This is your home? Can you tell where we are? Show on map? ...Please?" Perhaps it did not matter so much in the grand scheme of things, but she would feel better knowing the name of the land they had landed in. And in what direction Irrisen lie.
"Well then, I suppose there is nothing to fret over then," she replies to Alia's words and will have to keep an eye out for these particular vines when walking. "Everything is okay right now, Baahir," she will wave a hand as if to communicate to lower his sword. "If you didn't hear, this is Aria, a local. An enemy to the goblins and a good woman." She seems sure of these words. In regards to Baahir, she could see his rush over and obvious initial concern for Blaze. Lilianne, therefore, wants to make sure he has been properly introduced if he has not fully heard her.
Andrei's words toward Thorn are met with an internal laugh and she will simply grin. "Idiot..." she thinks playfully.
With their threat gone, she looks to Blaze and her outward flaming aura. Memories of the woman seem to rekindle from their shared time being together. Lilianne doesn't even know if the girl remembers all her pain and torment in those days or what she ignited in those days when out of control.
Being Blaze's caretaker for some time, she doesn't like the painful cries that come from her. Those around Lilianne will actively see her disturbed greatly by them, much like a mother would to her hurt child, but Lilianne holds her ground and waits. A warm smile grows on her face when Blaze's flame is restrained into control. "Impressive...yes...you seem to have great control..."
As Blaze comes over closer, Lilianne will brush her hands over the girl's shoulder in a bit of empathy for her inner pain she must still be struggling with in secret. Her elven eyes fall to Baahir for a moment, wondering if he too struggles the same or knows how Blaze may feel.
Thorn speaks up and she wonders at him on his slip-up.
"I think that's a great idea," she will respond about heading back to camp.
She will linger near Aramyros for a moment as the group proceeds forward and will catch his attention. In a quiet voice, she will state the obvious, "Clearly she's a bit protective of these dragons..." There is a bit of sympathy there for him there at being almost snapped at. Lilianne will give him a little wink and then will frolic back to Andrei's side and loop her arm through his.
"Is everything alright? We came running after seeing the fire shoot up...did this creature harm any of you? Blaze?" he quickly talks, anxious for answers. Hearing about a creature, he quickly takes his scimitar in his hand."I am fine." Blaze answered, looking at them all through a red-gold haze of ethereal flames. "This..." she indicated the flickering fiery nimbus that surrounded her. "Er... happens." She finished dumbly, her words failing her in front of so many eyes, especially the new ones, standing there for all to see... essentially on fire.
"That is a great relief!" he says watching her control her powers, reaching out for a moment when she cries out. He pulls back when he realizes everyone else is around.
---
Baahir was for a time, stupefied but the conversation taking place. Whether it was another newcomer or the rush of activity, but he was off balance. The words of Lilianna broke through and he lowered his weapon.
"Ah, Aria, good to find another ally in a foreign land."
Witchs, absolutely. Goblins, easy enough. Dragons, what have we been tossed into.
He listened to the others opinions before chiming in, nearly exclaiming interruptions at the nonchalant questions on the dragons.
"I have heard tales of dragons. Some are aloof but others are dangerous. Is there more information about these dragons? Let them sleep but if they awake we could be in over our heads. Is the situation related to the local goblin menace?" he worries aloud as they return to camp, he allows himself to fall to the back of the procession, still wary of the newcomer.
"I have heard tales of dragons. Some are aloof but others are dangerous. Is there more information about these dragons? Let them sleep but if they awake we could be in over our heads. Is the situation related to the local goblin menace?"
"Âhh!" Andrei said startled. "Dâ Goblînş! Âye wîll go check on dem!" With a quick kiss of Callie's hand, the caydenite runs back to the tower, up it's steps and into the spyglass to see if the fireball was noticed.
The fat man shrugs at Andrei's words.
In Common, Taldane
"None taken. I do resemble that after all."
Everybody is related to fire aren't they? he thinks as he observes Blaze's control over her own flames..
"Beautiful Flames. Sort of the ones that once healed me or burned me though I think it's the former. Flames that brought me back from near death though i can't remember who."
"I would like to know more about these dragons and more importantly why did the fey leave? Please Alia?" he directs this question to Alia. His voice trembles abit as memories assault him trying to make him say more........
A blush will spread over her cheeks as Andrei kisses her hand and rushes off. She will begin to usher the group back to camp by walking that way herself.
"He acts so strangely around this woman. I wonder why?" she thinks to Thorn and his antics. Everyone seems intent on knowing the dragons and what their purpose is. She's just here to hunt goblins. Big picture stuff is typically for higher-ups in spy organizations, so she's not out of place with limited information. Knowing now that there are dragons, it just gives her a bit more of a parameter to not screw up. She doesn't need to know much more about them though.
She will make her way into camp and eventually climb up the ladder toward Andrei.
"What are they doing? Have any of them noticed?"
"The older dragons have been asleep for a few years. Those that are younger sleep less. I protect them more than I protect my home. The vines are harmless if you know what to do. Plus there is a lot of them. The closest goblin den is about 40 and they hunt at night. Their strongest ranger has a black scar over his face." She says responding to Thorn's questions.
She hears Baahir's question and addresses it directly, "The goblins are new to the forest. They moved in a month ago fully. The dragons should not be your concern, nor finding them. They don't like being disturbed and you would be a tasty snack. If they awoke the goblins would not be a problem."
Then she hesitantly responds to Thorn, "After the animals were eaten, then the fey became food. Dragons have great appetites."
Alia would go with the group staying to the back and keeping a wary eye on all of you.
At the camp she looks at the maps with Blaze and figures out where the group is roughly. In some wild forest within Irrisen.
"Well, that is a relief and I am no dragon slayer. We can eradicate the goblins and quickly leave before they get curious. If they hunt at night perhaps our scouting and any attacks should be during the day." Baahir thinks as they return.
At Thorns comments he looks over, curiosity peaked.
"It may be worth our time to speak of our abilities and backgrounds around the campfire. I am curious of your memories, Thorn, and the healing flames you speak of." he suggests, hoping to probe more out of the most curious of the parties members.
A beautiful woman with power over flame, another with the ability to change forms who is involved with the Varisian, the golden skinned warrior, the amnesiac, and this newcomer from the woods.
As he speaks Baahir thinks deeply on all those around him.
"My time is my own. I hunt goblins during the day for they are active at night. I am a ranger of the bow. Though in small numbers I like to use my elven scythe. From others before you I have heard them call it a falcion. I also speak to the woods and they speak back." She relays around the camp fire a bit lost to her own thoughts.
After wolfing down a big piece of meat, Aramyros goes after Alia. "I was about to say, good idea, Baahir, let me go first, but Alia was faster." he said with a laughter and still some food in his mouth.
Eventually he continued. "No offense to you, Ranger, but I carry what is commonly known as a real battle scythe. I don't remember why I chose it as my weapon of choice, but I fought many battles with it. And a soldier usually grows to a specific weapon at one time or another.
To my past, yes I am a warrior, maybe a soldier... I'm not so sure about the last thing these days. I'm an orphan from Taldor raised by paladins to fight in the name of Iomedae. But how does one know, if he is truely doing his god's work? I don't. I'm not a religious man, like Baahir or Andrei. At best, I'm a tool in a neverending effort to repair this world."
He stared into the fire in their midst and was silent for a moment. then he awoke from his thoughts. "Oh, and my angelic skin makes me resistant to fire, see." He pulled back his sleeve and hold his hand into the flames.
"Well, I am glad to have you joining us Alia, if you plan on staying while we deal with the goblin threat." Baahir says with a nod to her.
Baahir seems more at ease as Aramyros opens up. "That resistance will be extremely useful when working with Blaze...and myself. I too have a connection with fire, by birth and the touch of divinity." he says while taking off his gauntlets and scarf, revealing the extent of the scars on his face and chest. He also extends his hands, to show his black razor-sharp claws.
"I am the rare surviving son of a hag, not that it didn't try to kill me by burning down my home...I suppose that makes a few of us here orphans. I survived but my father was not so lucky. Somehow I absorbed the flames that threatened me but now they dwell inside me. They constantly threatened to consume me but a follower of Sarenrae saved me and tempered the flames. Now, I can use them to cauterize wounds rather than just incinerate wicked practitioners of witchcraft. So you will often find me behind the front-line but you needn't worry if a goblin slips by, my order trained me in combat with a scimitar." he says drawing attention to the ankh shaped scar on his chest. He shares freely and smiles, glad to shed the weight of covering his scars.
While the others return, her and Andrei finish spying out the goblins. Fortunately, they are all fatted by their hunt last night and drunk beyond reason. None of them saw the spout of flame from the distance, let alone were looking.
"Come, love," she will whisper in Varisian before descending the ladder once more. Her companions have settled around the campfire and seem to be telling what their capabilities are. She is more interested in getting the automaton working. Still, she settles in, listening to each before her turn.
As she leans up against Andrei, Lilianne fills her mind with emotion and deep thought to cast an unseen servant spell and will gift it undetectability, however, nothing of the action is seen. Not even Andrei would notice anything from her. What is seen is that she will lean over, as if speaking to someone who is not there privately so as not to interrupt Aramyros and Baahir. She whispers something to the empty air.
On her turn, she will speak up louder so all can hear her:
"You all have such amazing histories, and it's been a pleasure to meet each of you. I am from Taldan, and I suppose I've been picked for my sword-fighting ability, or perhaps for disarming a gang. I can't be sure. Perhaps I was referred by someone I don't know. I can't say. In any case, I don't claim to be much. I am decent with a blade and a crossbow. I can sneak when I have to. I can unlock and disarm traps if and when I'm needed...umm...I'm normal...so the fire will burn me. Please don't do that if at all possible..." she grins at her joke, trying to make the conversation more friendly, "I also have some negligible magical ability, although nothing like the capabilities of a wizard."
That's all she will volunteer. The others shortly after will see that the unseen servant, which is completely invisible, brings her a floating bottle of wine and will present it before her. She will take it and hand it to Andrei. For those who wish to detect magic, you will not find an aura upon her or an aura representing the unseen servant.
While the others return, her and Andrei finish spying out the goblins. Fortunately, they are all fatted by their hunt last night and drunk beyond reason. None of them saw the spout of flame from the distance, let alone were looking.
Closely watching the goblins, Andrei smiles and grasps his silver holy symbol hanging from his neck. "Ţhânk you once more wîth your gențle mercîeş, Câyden."
The others shortly after will see that the unseen servant, which is completely invisible, brings her a floating bottle of wine and will present it before her. She will take it and hand it to Andrei. For those who wish to detect magic, you will not find an aura upon her or an aura representing the unseen servant.
Listening to Callie tell a abbreviated version of herself to the others, Andrei was initially startled by the floating wine bottle coming toward the campfire, but realized there was only one other person who knew where the bottle was, and smiled. The cleric took the offered bottle from his beloved. "Dât'ş ă new trîck. Ând hândy", the caydenite grinned.
Andrei took a few moments to bless the bottle of wine with a caydenite prayer and began filling offered cups, first Callie, then the others."Well, ăz ăye em șure ît îz no șurprîșe țo ânyone, ăye em full-blooded vârîșîân. Noț Șczărnî", Andrei began. "Ănd ăye hăve șpenț my lîfe en Vârîşîâ. Trâvelîng țo Âbsâlom wăș dă furțhereșț ăye hăve been âwây from home." A small shadow of a frown darkened the varisian's cheek before disappearing. "Âlong wîth beîng ă trâvelîng cleric ănd bârţender, ăye hăve măde ă meăger lîvîng ăz ă heăler ăz well. Ăye hăve ă knâck for şţoryţellîng pășțed on by my Bâbâ Ânţonîâ. Âye em âlşo very pleâșed țo be workîng ălong șîde şo mâny Sârenîţeş. Beţween uş, ăye hope țo keep everyone heâlţhy ănd hâppy!"
The automaton is working. Collecting sticks and firewood, then putting them into a farce of a fence. Once it finishes with it, it brings wood over for the fire. By morning it has frozen again near the fire wood.
In a calm measured voice she says, To be honest I don't know if I will be joining your camp, thank you for the offer. I am here at your request. I will aid your hunt of the goblins. As your first watch begins I will go about my duties. Don't go out at night unless it is an emergency."
As Blaze comes over closer, Lilianne will brush her hands over the girl's shoulder in a bit of empathy for her inner pain she must still be struggling with in secret. Her elven eyes fall to Baahir for a moment, wondering if he too struggles the same or knows how Blaze may feel.
Blaze smiled over her shoulder at Lilianne, recognizing the comforting gesture.
"Beautiful Flames. Sort of the ones that once healed me or burned me though I think it's the former. Flames that brought me back from near death though i can't remember who."
She nodded in agreement. If there was anything Blaze would never doubt, it was the beauty of Flame. "Healing Flames again..." she said with quiet wonder. Would her own Flames ever heal her? Perhaps only once her impurities were fully burned away.
Baahir seems more at ease as Aramyros opens up. "That resistance will be extremely useful when working with Blaze...and myself. I too have a connection with fire, by birth and the touch of divinity." he says while taking off his gauntlets and scarf, revealing the extent of the scars on his face and chest. He also extends his hands, to show his black razor-sharp claws.
"I am the rare surviving son of a hag, not that it didn't try to kill me by burning down my home...I suppose that makes a few of us here orphans. I survived but my father was not so lucky. Somehow I absorbed the flames that threatened me but now they dwell inside me. They constantly threatened to consume me but a follower of Sarenrae saved me and tempered the flames. Now, I can use them to cauterize wounds rather than just incinerate wicked practitioners of witchcraft. So you will often find me behind the front-line but you needn't worry if a goblin slips by, my order trained me in combat with a scimitar." he says drawing attention to the ankh shaped scar on his chest. He shares freely and smiles, glad to shed the weight of covering his scars.
Blaze nodded her agreement as Baahir spoke. She accepted a piece of the roasted hare being passed around. She sat down near Baahir and took a bite while he began his story. But soon her hands had dropped to her lap, the fresh meal in her hands forgotten. She sat up straighter, leaning toward him as he removed his draped coverings. Her eyes glowed brighter as her gaze traced every line and curve of his revealed face and flesh, her lips parted and still glistening with the juice from the rabbit. When her eyes rose again to his face and found him looking right back at her after tracing slowly down his torso to his clawed hands and back up, her mouth closed with an audible click and she blushed again. But she smiled, and quickly took another bite of meat to cover her embarrassment. Eating swiftly, she then spoke a little of her own abilities.
"My Flames shape to my will." She explained, opening her hand to reveal the torch flame burning above her hand. "For light and warmth," then she closed the hand and snapped her fingers and a spark flew into the campfire, causing it to burn brighter for a moment. "For to kindle. Can also make bright flash." She didn't demonstrate this one since it could be painful to behold. "Can throw fire," she pointed upward, toward where she had thrown up her signal. "Or fight with Flame Blade, things I strike I can put on fire too." There was a bit more to her powers than she could explain easily, especially in common. But this seemed enough to give her companions an idea of her abilities.
She rose, licking her fingers of free of grease before she returned to Alia to reconsider the map.