Open Chronicles The Shades of Gods

[Caliane Ruinë]

Jorinn, Trading Village on the edge of the Eldyr Forest
​

"I be tellin' yer -- it were no normal fuckin' moose!"

The man's incredulous voice only brought more laughter from the townsfolk who had stopped to hear the ragged traders tales. When he had first rolled into town with his brightly painted wagon gorged and tilting alarmingly to one side as it scraped along on only three wheels, the people of Jarinn had naturally been concerned. There was no denying only something monstrous could have caused that much damaged and a threat to one trader was a threat to them all. The town relied on it to survive with the fields around it harsh and mostly barren. However, a curious thing had happened when a man in an offensive combination of brightly clashing silks had emerged from inside. The concern disappeared. People turned away and those that stayed made jibes about what peddlar's wouldn't do in order to con good people out of money. The man's story of a moose with a coat as dark as night and horns twice the size of a the biggest bulls had not done him any favours either.

"Go back were ye came from!"

"We don' wan' yer lies 'ere Peddlar - off with ye!"

The mayor of the town was a large man in both height and width but despite the grey hairs at his temple he managed to pull the man off the log he had been standing on to preech his tale of warning. There were jeers as he was rudely shown back to his shambolic wagon.

"I be tellin' the truth I do!" he turned and pointed with an accusatory finger towards the townsfolk. "Ye be sorry when it gets one of you!"

Nobody had thought anything more of it when he had climbed back into his cart and swore at his horse until the poor thing had dragged his cart back out the way he had come in. Not even when his body was found by another trader the next day.

* * *​

"...After all, who would believe a Peddlar, ma'am?" the Mayor wrung his straw hat between his hands as Caliane passed down another basket of goods to Nevath who busied himself with setting up his stall. Since Thyasari had opened its doors, Nevath had wasted no time in extending his trade of ambrosia beyond its walls, though his nervousness of Groundlings had led him to ask Caliane to accompany him as a "Guide" more than once. She suspected it was also her fame amongst them which drew them to his stall which he also liked.

Being approached within the first minute of arrival had been a first though.

"But now you believe the Peddlar?" Caliane prompted, pushing a fiery lock of hair behind her pointed ear with a sigh. The Major jumped and tore his eyes from her wings.

"Y-yes ma'am, ye see... we've now 'ad five traders disappear or get attacked in the forest, ma'am. Ans I thought... what with the stories of you... you might be able tae... tae help aye?" Caliane passed another basket down.

"You have no Hunters of your own? This close to the Eldyr Tree?" Nevath hadn't quite learnt how to handle humans yet and his incredulous tone earnt a sharp look from the Mayor.

"There been no problems from tha' thing for centuries! Why would we? It be a peaceful place 'ere it be."

Caliane didn't bother to point out that Nevath's last visit to these lands had been when the fields had been bountiful and stalked by creatures the mayor would only consider myth. She put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from saying something further that would cause him problems in moving his wine.

"I can take a look," she soothed and the Mayor wiped at his sweaty brow with relief.

"Oh thank you, thank you Ma'am! There be others - volunteers - at the inn, come I'll show ye."

 

[Torie]

Torie had volunteered, mostly because she found it hard to say no to people in need.

She found it hard to say no to food as well, as the innkeeper and his wife brought out another cauldron of offal, grinning up at them grogilly before leaning forward and slurping up the mess within. It didn't matter that it was barely cooked; it was food. Her large head barely fit into the cauldron's mouth and she slurped noisily.
The locals mostly looked at her with a mix of awe and disgust. Awe at what she was - an enormous, albeit very roly-poly (to put it mildly) tiger, and disgust at just how much she could eat. The innkeeper's children were more easily impressed though. The willowy girl loved brushing out her fur, and Torie loved it just as much. The youngest loved tugging her tail (she didn't love that very much), and the eldest boy was very impressed with her teeth and claws.

The door opened and Torie recognised the smell of the Mayor - she had a very keen sense of smell. He smelled stressed, though as she raised her head she realised he wasn't alone.

"Oh, lovely wings," Torie said, mostly to herself, though with her rumbling tiger's voice it projected well across the inside of the inn. Others looked over too. Torie sat herself up on the hay bale she had placed herself, not quite as tall as a person when sitting, coming up to the newcomer's nose.

"Are you joining the hunt?" she said, grinning, her whiskers folded back and just the tips of great canines protruding from her mouth. "I'm Torie. A druid. Human, I think." She cocked her head. "You're an elf, right? But with wings!"

 

[Gil'Tyrnin Solcrest]

The door swung open a tall figure ducked under the doorway to the in lightning struck as the imposing figure stood up his head nearing the rafters water dripping from his cloak pooling below him. A massive sword was carried on his back, he stood 7foot tall the sword behind him had to be at least 6foot long from pommel to tip. At his left hip a shorter sword about 2 and a half feet. He pulled his hood down and his white hair flowed down to the shoulders of his black armor that was highlighted with gold gilding. His eyes were a piercing blue.

He made his way to the bar, he had caught glimpse of a human who had claimed herself a druid, and another winged creature. He had come to deliver this town from its plight and show the wonders of The All Father to all the non believers.

"I'm here about the missing traders", he said to the inkeeper from behind the bar.
The innkeeper pointed to the mayor.

He made his way dodging the occasional rafter support. He stood next to druid and looked to the woman's wings his pointed ear now poking through his hair.

I guess it is better to have help then hunt alone... he thought to himself.

 

[Sir]

It had been sunny when he arrived in Jorinn. So sunny, in fact, that his simple steel armor would have been blindingly reflective, had it not been dusted in dirt and scrapes from his long walk through the forest. It was warm... maybe. His sense of temperature was very muted, but he remembered bright sunlight coupled with discomfort beneath the armor and... sweat. Yes, that was it. Sticky, uncomfortable sweat.

It was like trying to remember a dream, but bits and pieces of his lost life had been coming back slowly. Nothing but dry bones lay beneath the armor now, but with his helmet firmly affixed no one was any the wiser. He preferred it that way, he did not like the screaming.

"E-excuse me! Are you a knight?"

The skeleton stopped as a man as tall as himself blocked his back with a look of nervous hope. He paused before offering a slow reply of "Maybe." Had he been a knight? It felt... somewhat fitting, but the title did not immediately bring familiarity.

Undaunted, the Mayor continued, explaining the town's predicament and its need for capable hunters and warriors and that perhaps modest compensation could be offered. Wealth offered little incentive to one with no flesh to feed... but something in the man's eyes moved the skeleton to accept. It felt right to help. That sense had been left intact through whatever ordeal destroyed and rebuilt him.

He remained in the inn for hours. Unmoving, uneating, unbreathing. He simply remained. The appearance of a tiger did turn his head with a quiet metallic noise, but as the innkeepers did not seem concerned he did not think too much of it. Perhaps he had also forgotten that tigers enjoyed pubs?

It was not until the angel came through the door (was that the right word? It had appeared in his mind quite on its own) and the tiger spoke that he stirred even more. Tigers were not supposed to speak, he was reasonably sure of that.

Druid... no, the word was not familiar to him, but it must have something to do with the speaking. A hunt... perhaps others on the same course?

He stood with steel creaks and approached the tiger and angel slowly, his steps not as heavy as one would expect given his armor. He was beaten to the group by a very tall man. He had a desire to speak to these people, to band together and work towards common cause. It would make him... happy? No. Satisfied.

"Hello," his voice was dry and hollow behind the steel helmet, perhaps overly quiet. "I am also here for the... hunt," he parroted the druid's description.

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane had to step sideways through the door to avoid clipping her wings and brushed off the Mayor's apologies with polite words and a kind smile; the Avariel had left the world centuries ago, it would be rude of her to assume they would still make their homes with them in mind even this close to Thyasari. When the Mayor had said the group they had gathered to go hunting in the Eldyr Woods was a 'strange sort', Caliane had been expecting perhaps an elf or a dwarf. Maybe even an orc or giant this close to the spine. What she hadn't expected at all was a tiger. Green eyes the colour of summer grass blinked twice as it spoke before managing to find her own tongue.

"An Avariel," her lips twitched into a shy half-smile before pulling her red-tipped wings closer against her back to avoid a passer-by touching them. "I did not know humans could take this shape," her head listed to one side curiously as she took in the feline. Groundlings truly had progressed whilst her people had hid. She was about to ask another question when they were joined by a willow figure a head and shoulders above her, and a ... knight. The Soulfire stirred and brushed against her mind, sending her a questioning image of Lazule. But whilst the knight gave off the feeling of abnormality it wasn't something akin to their friend and the fire sullenly slunk back into the recesses of her mind.

"Well met, cousin," she offered a smile to Gil then glanced to the knight. "Sir," she bowed her head then glanced about the room. It seemed no others were eager to go with them into the forests beyond. "I suppose it would be best to get going before dark. I'm Caliane -- shall we depart?" she held the door open.

 

[Gil'Tyrnin Solcrest]

Gil nodded to the woman she had mentioned that she was an Avariel, he had heard tales of them but thought they had been long extinct.

As the other had joined them he nodded to the man, he was glad to see he was not the only other warrior.

Ad the Avariel spoke to him referring to him as cousin he noded to her as well offering her the greeting of his faith to the light God Sol'Nityr

"May the light of the All Father shine upon you"

Gil was a Paladin, a Divine warrior who was trained in combat and in the divine Magic of his faith since he was young. This was part of what brought him here he couldn't just stand by his faith demanded he act...

 

[Torie]

Torie looked thoughtful for a moment, mouthing the words “Avariel” to herself, as if tasting it like she tasted her meal. “Sounds flighty,” she said, smiling, before turning to face the two others.

“Hello! I’m Torie. A human druid, not really a tiger,” she said to both the tall warrior and the armoured enigma. She was hoping to get to know them further when the avariel spoke again:

"I suppose it would be best to get going before dark. I'm Caliane -- shall we depart?" she held the door open.

“Nice to meet you," Torie said, nodding respectfully. "Yes, let’s depart. Wait! Let me finish my food.” With that, she turned awkwardly and shuffled back to her cauldron as fast as her girth would allow. It didn’t take her long to slurp down the rest of her offal though. When she turned around again she looked a little uncomfortable, but really, her belly was already large enough that adding another cauldron’s volume of meal made little difference. She passed the others, nodded her thanks to Caliane, and then squeezed awkwardly through the frame to outside.

“So, what are your names?” she said, speaking rapidly, her voice deep and purring like a muffled tiger’s roar, though her face was lit up with youthful excitement at the prospect of making new acquaintances. “And what brings you here? If we’re going to travel together we should get to know one another!”

 

[Sir]

He didn’t say too much else, but he returned a nod to Caliane and the tall man at their greetings. He was still unsure how to react to the tiger.

The rotund feline seemed inclined to move along quickly. She moved with surprising grace despite her minor difficulty with the door, and the knights found himself wondering more and more about just what she truly was.

“So, what are your names? And what brings you here?”

A name. ”I... do not remember. I had one once.” He was sure of that. Frustratingly, it was one of many details that had not followed him through the fog of undeath. ”I am to help people. This place needed help.” It was a bland and simple explanation, but he lacked the creativity to put a general sense of duty into words.

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane's brows creased briefly at the odd greeting from the wingless elf. It wasn't anything she had ever heard before but that meant little considering she had only been beyond her city walls for a year. She had met many fascinating people and learnt much but it was barely a drop in the ocean. Eren'thiel Xyrdithas had never mentioned the elves having different religions though. How peculiar.

She cast that little curiosity from her mind as the tigress hurriedly finished her bowl before leaping to join them once more. The ragtag group eventually made it out of the door and into the afternoon sunshine. People glanced their way with a mix of curiosity and apphrension; no doubt they had heard what it was they were leaving to try and do.

"Name's are important," Caliane said sympathetically to the knight and briefly laid a hand against his shoulder. "I hope you find yours." As they passed back through the town the Avariel waved to the trader she had accompanied here. Nevath barely glanced at her. He was already arguing with someone over the price of his ambrosia, his turquoise wings splattered with a luscious green fluffing up in his anger.

"As for why I was here, it was for trade. The Mayor asked if I could be of help with the problem in the forest when he found out who I was."

 

[Gil'Tyrnin Solcrest]

Gil nodded to the man, how he must have felt and he introduced himself to them.

"I am Paladin Gil'Tyrnin of High House Solcrest, as part of my calling I am to help those in need and I too had heard rumors of happenings in the forest"

He smiled at the winged elves gesture to the man, he could not imagine what it would be like to not know who you are, even though his city had been destroyed and his people may have been wiped out, he still had his name, his purpose...his faith.


He seemed a bit off put by the tiger, it was not often druids stayed in animal form, sometimes if they stayed to long he had heard tales of them becoming feral no longer being able to shift back.

 

[Torie]

Torie’s eyes widened like saucers.

“You don’t know your own name?” She sniffed subtly; there was definitely something odd about this one. He smelled like the bones around High Priestess Tarran’s neck, but that wasn’t right. Surely not.

“We should give you a name!” she suggested. “How about… Whisper? Because you whisper when you speak… no no. That’s an awful name for a warrior.” She was silent for a moment as she waddled along, her enormous belly jiggling like pudding. “Or how about… Steel? Because you’re armour’s made of… no, never mind.” She looked to the others.

“Any suggestions?”

"As for why I was here, it was for trade. The Mayor asked if I could be of help with the problem in the forest when he found out who I was."

Torie looked over to Caliane, the issue of the name suddenly forgotten.

“What were you here to trade? Were you buying, or selling? You don’t look much like a trader. I don’t imagine you would be able to carry much stock, flying around on those beautiful wings.”

"I am Paladin Gil'Tyrnin of High House Solcrest, as part of my calling I am to help those in need

“And I’m pleased to meet you!” Torie said, eyes bright with excitement. “I haven’t heard of your house, but I know paladin is a noble profession. I’m honoured to be working with one.”

 

[Sir]

His armored head moved slowly at each of their words. He had not had this much interaction at one time in a while and it took effort enough just to keep up. Caliane's hand on his shoulder prompted a quicker movement. Even through steel and leather the simple intimacy of physical touch was novel. He decided he did not mind it, and felt a certain softness towards the avariel.

The tiger's boisterous efforts to help were equally unanticipated, although he was not certain how he felt about the names she suggested. "I... should like to be called something." Though perhaps not something quite so on-the-nose.

Gil'Tyrnin was almost as taciturn as the skeleton, but he spoke proudly of his profession. His purpose was perhaps closest in nature. Yet the term "paladin" rang with an odd nervousness in his hollow skull. The man he was would have been glad to work with one so pious and noble... but how would Gil react should he discover what lay beneath the armor? Faith could be blinding as much as inspiring.

He resolved to keep his armor and helmet firmly in place for as long as possible. Paladin or no, he did not want to risk losing these new companions. They were all so very interesting, and so very different from those around them.

His curiosity broke with a sudden statement. "How do you speak?" he asked of the tiger, making an effort to be a bit louder due to her whisper comment.

 

[Gil'Tyrnin Solcrest]

Gil nodded to the Druid. He indeed was a man of few words, after all, it was the priests that did the talking. They were the ones that did the spreading of the word. He, he was a sword wielded by the light, to serve as a warning to all who would appose it.

He looked to the man in plate his smile fading as he moved on to the man, his motivations could not be all bad after all. However, something did seem off about him. He couldn't make out what it was. The air about him, the way he moved so deliberately. He would have just chalked it up to the man being a warrior, he too was very calculated. All the same, something pulled at him. Still, he was here to help, so he would let it pass for now.

The smile snapped back to his face...

"Sir..."

He trailed for a few stray moments before continuing, realizing he did not know his own name. The force of habit in which the delicacies of communicating with others strung his thoughts along.

"I think, Sir, shall do for now?"

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

It was hard not to smile at the tiger brimming with boundless energy it seemed. Caliane could appreciate the joy at finding a new group and uncovering their secrets. Some of the people she would now class as her closest friends she had met in escapades such as this and bonded through often near-death experiences. She just hoped this one didn't go that way; Nevath would be most aggrieved if he had to cart home whatever goods were left on his own and break the news to her parents.

"It is said the Eldyr Tree which is at the heart of these forests can cure any ailment, grant a man his deepest wish, and give the seekers untold powers. Perhaps, it will give you your name once we reach it," she smiled to 'Sir' over her shoulder briefly as she guided the group out of town and towards the looming forest she had been speaking of. Despite the early afternoons warm sunshine the approaching trees seemed to cast an odd chill over those who passed under their shadows.

"I was trading Ambrosia, with my friend," Caliane said more of a distraction from what they were walking towards than anything else. "It is like what you Groundlings call wine, but is made from special creatures who live in our city called Rumbles."

 

[Torie]

"How do you speak?"

"With... my... mouth?" Torie said, slowly, as if the question might be a trap. But then she snorted and broke out in a smile. "I'm a human in animal form, and my animal form isn't just a copy of a natural tiger."
That much was obvious. Even walking on all fours Torie was as tall as a short-statured human, and no natural tiger would have become so big and round without serious impediments to health and movement (though, if any of the party were paying close attention they would have noticed Torie was breathing quite heavily for a leisurely stroll).
"So, when I got my tiger form, my first task was to add a separate, more human voice box. Then I made the skeleton bigger to... erm... improve my abilities in combat." The last statement she made incredibly awkwardly. "I've made a whole bunch of changes. Better hearing, louder roar, stronger heart and lungs..." Bigger stomach.

"I think, Sir, shall do for now?"

Torie thought about this for a moment.
"It's a little short, don't you think? I think perhaps Kind Sir is better, but I suppose the choice is up to you...?" She looked to Sir pointedly.

"It is said the Eldyr Tree which is at the heart of these forests can cure any ailment, grant a man his deepest wish, and give the seekers untold powers. Perhaps, it will give you your name once we reach it,"

"Oh... it can?" Torie looked excited again, her whiskers trembling and tail flicking. "Is that where we're going? I thought we were just hunting monsters. I'd better think of a wish!"

"I was trading Ambrosia, with my friend," Caliane said more of a distraction from what they were walking towards than anything else. "It is like what you Groundlings call wine, but is made from special creatures who live in our city called Rumbles."

"Ha. Groundling. That's a first. Does that mean we can call you Airhead?" Torie grinned playfully, though just in case she added, "I'm kidding, of course! But how do you carry your merchandise? You don't have a flying horse and cart, do you?
"Anyway, as the only four-legged member of this party, I think it's fair the party should acknowledge me as head of the groundlings." Torie raised her head and strutted importantly, though her big belly still made her strut more of a waddle.

 

[Sir]

Torie's answer both made perfect sense and confused him even more, but he accepted that he could not understand all things. He was the last one to be asking questions, as the manner of his own speech was entirely beyond his comprehension. It *felt* normal enough to him, but even he could feel the crackle of dark magic through his dry bones when the sound was produced.

"It is said the Eldyr Tree which is at the heart of these forests can cure any ailment, grant a man his deepest wish, and give the seekers untold powers. Perhaps, it will give you your name once we reach it,

"I should like that," he replied in his dry, hollow voice. He did not know of this Eldyr Tree beyond what the village leader had told him this morning. Whatever memories he had once held of it were firmly erased.

"It's a little short, don't you think? I think perhaps Kind Sir is better, but I suppose the choice is up to you...?"

He considered, dipping his steel-clad head to stare at the ground in thought as he walked. He was careful to avoid crushing the small sprouts that had sprung along the pathway, and saw that the footprints of the group were very interesting to say the least. His heavy, Torie's feline, Gil's massive, and Caliane's oddly light.

"It... will do for now." It was nice that they were all taking the time to consider his nomenclature problem, and he wasn't entirely sure how to handle it. He hoped he could live up to the 'kind' title... but he did not think he entirely qualified. Although he tried his best to spare the leaves and flowers as he walked, he knew what his armor was for.

The forest felt different from others he had traversed. The further they went, the heavier the canopy seemed to feel. The air felt thicker, not simply with leaf scent and moisture, but with a sort of presence. Whatever dark magic had reanimated him felt even more out of place here.

 

[Gil'Tyrnin Solcrest]

As they moved through the forest, he began to get an uneasy feeling, he slowed his pace a bit as his stride was much longer than that of his companions. As he slowed he matched speed with Sir who had been at the back of the pack observing the company.

He waited for the man to notice as to not raise alarm amongst the others, once he had the attention he noted back over his shoulder to his left his eyes following.

Had Sir looked he would have seen a shadow quickly moving through the trees a distance a way, it moved quickly without a sound and then stopped, hopping between trees trying to remain unnoticed.

What ever it was, it was smart, it stayed down wind from them as to not give itself away due to smell. He did not wish to arise suspicions from whatever had been stalking them either, should the group try to pursue it now it would most likely flee.

Gil felt better now knowing it was there, whatever "It" was. For he atleast knew it's position, for now.

He nodded to the warrior and placed a gauntleted finger over his lips. He then continued to match pace with Sir. He would wait until nightfall when they camped to tell the others.

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

Caliane took the tiger-druid's teasing with the good grace of a person who didn't entirely understand the joke. Mocking a word like Groundlings to her was like mocking the word sky to a human, but it seemed to make the druid laugh and so the Avariel just gave a bemused smile and stayed quiet. Perhaps the other Groundlings would also find it funny.

Unlike some of her companions the forest did not weigh down on her despite the fact the canopy blocked out every piece of blue sky and barred all but the faintest trickles of sunlight from entering the glade. This place felt old. It was a comforting feeling much like she got from the ancient temples that remained within Thyasari. Yet there was a taint to it too that tempered the wonderment and sense of healing it felt like she should have been enjoying.

"It is said," she spoke into the odd silence which had grown. "That when the Gods once walked Arethil it was these forests which they called home. Jealous of their gifts, humans, elves, dwarfs and others came to claim a piece of what they thought gave them such powers. A horrendous battle waged between them; Gods against Mortals. And then the Gods simply... disappeared. Some scholars believe they returned to wherever they had come from but others think they still live here... in these forests."

 

[Torie]

"The gods disappeared?" Torie said, incredulous, as if Caliane had said the sky was green and not blue. For a while she was quiet, then said, "Not the gods of my homeland, sadly. There's one that lives with our tribe. Brektha the god of moss. She's old and rude and snaps at everyone. I had to serve her for a year. It was the most horrid year of my life."

She breathed in the fresh air, but being a druid, Torie could also sense something was off. She looked over to Gil and recognised an expression that mirrored how she felt. "This forest tastes like fresh mouldy bread. It should be delicious! But there's something here that offsets the flavour..."

 

[Sir]

“I have seen no gods that walk the ground.” He almost surprised himself with the conviction in his own voice, but he was certain, certain, that it was true, in this life or the last.

His armor bore no sigils, no holy symbols or inscriptions, so he had not been a paladin or holy warrior. He did have some sort of devotion, though, some conviction to a deity or force that he had forgotten. Perhaps that is what left his lingering sense to duty to... something.

“If they have somewhere to escape to, why should they remain?” This world had shown him horrible cruelty, but there was also beauty. It was a frustrating duality.

Gil caught his attention, and the nameless knight did indeed turn his heavy helmet to look behind. Whatever power granted those hollow sockets vision revealed nothing more that flickering shadows amongst the branches. Gil bade him keep silent. Why? The knight obeyed. The gigantic elf must know something.

Whatever the threat was did not seem to be getting closer, but neither did it fall behind. It stayed precisely at the same point behind the party.

Torie the tiger continued to bemuse. Taste was something that had not been returned to him, and it was like trying to remember a dream to think about food. He didn’t remember tasting forests, though. “Moss is nice... it is soft.”

And that was all he said on the matter.

 

[Gil'Tyrnin Solcrest]

As what little light that pierced the canopy began to fade, he stretched out his long arms chain and plate clanking as they collapsed back at his side. His eyes adjusted slowly to the dying light, unlike other elves, the High Elves had moved from the forest into cities, their ability to see in the darkness of the woods had been hampered by the fact that they had abandoned the forest in pursuit of the Light that the All Father had brought to the world.

He held out his hand and said a prayer, it as low at first, much like the light of a fire fly, but the orb of light that had appeared in his hand grew in brightness to help illuminate the path.

"The All Father comes and goes as he pleases. In the teachings of his glory, we are taught that he was he was enslaved by the Void and the Dark God's, but that he beat back the Void and cast down the false Gods and brought his light to the world. If it is as you would say, then they were not God's at all, but pretenders. The Lord of Light is the only True God, he would not have been driven off by the elves, yet alone the child races. The All Father resides in the Heavens to shine his light upon us, as he does now through me."

He nodded to the orb of light in his hand.

He had no idea how long they had been walking, the forest can do tricky things to the mind of some of the other races.

"Shall we make camp?"

He looked to his companions to see if they would agree.

He was not tired. However, he was still aware that they were being followed. He wanted to make the rest of his companions aware.

 

[Caliane Ruinë]

The Avariel merely smiled.

Everyone had a belief when it came to the Gods, even if their belief was that there were none. She had met some who believed everyone was made up of odd gasses and starlight, and others who had worshipped dragons to the point of madness. Some believed their Gods lived with them, others that they were all around them every day yet invisible to the naked eye. Caliane was young and hadn't made up her own mind quite yet. It was hard not to believe in something when the essence of an element inhabited your body but exactly what it was she believed she could not yet say.

"Camp is a good idea, from what the Mayor said these people were attacked two days journey out from the town. Perhaps we will run into this problem tomorrow," and not tonight in the shadows. Her eyes flickered over the trees and in between at the shadows they cast. "I can hear water not far away," it was always handy to camp near a good drinking source. Idly she weaved the way off the road in a seemingly random direction. Sure enough, after another half an hour of walking they came across the bubbling brook she had spoken of.

 

[Torie]

Torie sighed pleasantly at the sight of water. She looked up to the others.

"Nobody minds if I take a swim, do they?"

Without waiting for a reply, she took a few jogging steps forward, massive belly bouncing, then made a feeble jump into the water's edge. For a little while she was submerged, but then floated lazily to the surface, then rolled over, her enormous belly making a rather large dome-shaped island between her four limbs. In her large, sharp claws she held a rather large catfish, at least thirty inches long. "I caught dinner!" she said, and tossed it ashore - straight at Gil!

 

[Sir]

The darkness gave little change to his perception of the forest. Colors were dimmed by his empty sockets, lacking the vibrancy they'd held during life, and the fading glow of the daytime sun only served to reduce them further.

Yet he could hear changes. As the sun made its way towards the horizon the evening chorus of birds made itself known. The insects, too, that had avoided the midday heat had awoken. From evening gold to twilight purple, these sounds would not fade, not until the stars came out in their full brightness.

He didn't remember what fatigue felt like, and it seemed odd that a person would simply need to stop... doing. Nevertheless he acquiesced, and made himself useful in the chosen campsite. A few logs were arranged for sitting, and he remembered enough common sense to look for wood, as his new friends would probably want to build a fire.

Torie's revelry in the water was entertaining to him, and if he'd had a face to do it with he would have smiled at her. She distracted him though, and when he looked down he saw that he had mistakenly trampled a small, white wildflower.

"Oh!" he knelt down, reaching with metal hands as if he wished to fix it, but was afraid to touch it further. "Oh... oh no," a quiet, whispering whimper of guilt.

 

[Gil'Tyrnin Solcrest]

As they made camp he smiled to himself watching the Druid play in the water, his faith did not offer much in the way of leisure, the All Father's work is never done, he could hear his father's voice saying it now, his father was the Grand Paladin, only one was chosen, the best of the best. His childhood was not like others, he has been trained even as a youngling by his father who wanted him to be his successor he snapped out of his daydreaming long enough to see a fish coming his way his hand snapped up with incredible speed to catch the fish, as he looked back to the tiger he seemed unammused.

He looked to the warrior who had been paying special attention to a trampled flower, this was curious to him. He did not himself seek to trample flora, but he also did not make attempt to avoid doing so. He respected life, but his faith did not expressly name the earth and plants a living things, this was a stark contrast to other Elf Races which were at one with nature, the High Elves were different however perhaps the Druid could aid him.

"Is everything alright, Sir?"

As they settled in to camp and the fire had been lit, he pulled out his drinking bag and brought it to his lips taking a big gulp of it, he let out a satisfied gasp and returned the top to it. He then removed a rolled from behind him and unrolled it from it he pulled out dried smoked meat and bit off a piece and chewing it before looking up to address the party.

"We are being followed, Sir can confirm it. I do not know who or what it is, but it is quick and it is smart"