The Dragonslayer's Legacy IC

[Ridai]

Eshalyn and Rohaleen

Celas doesn't bat an eye at the suggestion, instead reciprocating with a smile. "Then you are about to dissscover sssomething wonderful, I love to go there to relieve ssstresss. And you know how much we Nysssiansss love warmth." While the last part is clearly a double entendre, Nyssians actually do prefer warm places, ill equipped to withstand very cold temperatures. Celas looks to Eshalyn and Rohaleen. "Shhhall we?"

[MikelaC1]

Eshalyn has a wicked smirk on her face as she agrees to head to the baths.

[Talore]

As the scene fades to black, diplomatic relations are greatly improved.

The next morning, Rohaleen sits in one of the windows overlooking the training courtyard, physically and mentally refreshed.

[El'the Ellie]

Calliope studies the halfling carefully before responding.
"Should I be? There is little I fear about a journey into the unknown. It sounds simple enough. How much do you know that the queen hasn't mentioned?"

[Ridai]

Meera gives a playful pouty look. "Come on now, we care about you, we wouldn't hide information from you. This isn't Mordain's court." The halfling shakes her head, the familiar pretty smile returning quickly. "No no, I am just glad you are doing fine, since you were so worried during the meeting. It'll be a big adventure, I'm sure, and while it's important, there's no reason not to have fun while it lasts. And on that note, adventures are more fun when the pretty redhead doesn't have deep dark circles under her eyes."

[whoiam]

"....Well, there goes the element of surprise. Or one element of surprise, anyway."

Without a chance to surprise the recruits with her arrival anymore there's no point in being stealthy. Just rush in and get right up into their faces before they've had a chance to properly register the shock...

Psionically-focused-bear-Balein is fast enough to be out of the doorway and across the courtyard in just a couple of seconds. The only thing she needs is for the sergeant waiting with her to open the door for her. Which happened... now.

Two seconds later, there's an adult grizzly bear staring the recruits down from 15' away... and making a deep growling noise as she does so...

True, Balein's not actually staring them down, as such. She's watching their reactions. Because unless one of them tries to stop her, her next action is going to be going after one of the weaker ones...

[Ridai]

All recruits are acutely aware of the sudden uptick of bear in the courtyard. Most exchange nervous looks, frozen in place, what bit of courage they had taking a spontaneous vacation. Madoc can see that the two most promising recruits seem to keep their cool for the most part (which is not very easy when one is in the first row and not very far from a live and angry bear), but before they can do anything, the most overconfident of the bunch, the son of a famed warrior, pushes both of them aside as he struts to the front, clearly thinking the bear is completely tame and wouldn't harm anyone. "Out of my way, peasants, I'll show you scaredy-cats how it's done!" he proclaims, fanfares sounding and banners with his name flying in his head as he runs towards the bear with what he thinks is an awe-inspiring battle cry, displaying his swordmastery (read: wildly flailing his training sword). From the side, Madoc and Balein can hear "Yup, he's toast" from Melissa as the boy is about the deliver a bonecrushing blo-

And he more or less knocks himself out on Bearlein's lazily raised paw. To his credit, the resulting pirouette is pretty flawless before he faceplants.

After a moment of silence, the next growl sends the majority of the recruits into blind panic, running everywhere and nowhere, just as long as the destination has less bear per capita, making it very hard for the more capable recruits to do anything in the flailing, screaming mob.

[whoiam]

...The confusion, of course, also makes things difficult for Balein. Unless she really wants to chase and eat one of the recruits, and she honestly hadn't been in bear form long enough to make that sound appealing. Actually, what she wants to do is give them a few moments - to either calm down, or for the crowd to thin out enough in their search for hiding places that the braver ones could come after her.

Hmm... how to speed up the process. Well, two options she could spot. Number one: Back off so the crowd aren't as panicked by her proximity. Number two: Give them a reason to chase her.

Well, they went together easily enough. With a series of annoyed grunts, the bear slowly backs off towards the center of the courtyard, dragging the overconfident one along in front of her.

In her mind, the inescapable thought is: "If I'm going to make a habit of this, gotta have a discussion with Valessa about her guards' uniforms. Gotta wash them in something tastier... Or possibly just wash them." Because if you had a guard's sleeve in your mouth, the taste would probably be high on the list of things you were thinking about, too...

[Ridai]

Once the panic crowd thins (a few of them hiding ineffectually in corners or behind objects smaller than themselves, one attempting to get through the window Melissa is in only to get unceremoniously pushed back into the courtyard by boot), Balein is torn from her thoughts by something hitting her backside. Turning to see what that is, she sees one of the two recruits who seemed to have their stuff together (in this case, the girl). She stays moving (Madoc sees she always keeps at least one foot on the ground, allowing her to be able to dodge at any time), grabbing her attention along with two other recruits, shouting at the bear from time to time, sometimes directing the others with gestures or a quick word. Balein notices something else, namely that meanwhile, a small group directed by the boy is getting the unconscious boy away from the bear and towards relative safety. Another recruit even jumps into the bear's back, though he will likely soon question his life choices.

From Madoc's perspective, it's heartening to see that this bunch of recruits does seem to have some quality people in it, surrounding the bear as directed by the two "leaders", the girl drawing most of the attention, the boy readying ropes. The few attacks that more or less connect don't really manage to hurt Balein, as the weapons are neither sharp nor that heavy, the recruits clearly going for distraction, knowing that trying to beat the bear into submission is a fool's game.

[MikelaC1]

The next morning, Eshalyn joins Rohaleen at window, staring out into the courtyard.

[El'the Ellie]

In a stark dichotomy to the rampaging bear outside, a moment of silence passes deep in the castle. She regards Meera warily, sure now after the halfling's comment that she was having a bit of fun at Calliope's expense. She replies not rudely, but businesslike.
"The Queen didn't task us to have fun. She charged us with securing an ancient, potentially very dangerous artifact, that could very well end up saving thousands of lives. I'm afraid that doesn't leave much time for 'fun'."
If Meera is observant, she might pick up on the fact that despite her confidant tone, she quite nervous about the opposition they might face.

[Ridai]

Calliope

(The scene is happening during the night after the meeting, not during the morning of the bear incident)

Meera sighs, tilting her head to one side, letting her mirth go for a moment. Suddenly, Calliope has the feeling that Meera can see right into her, but not viciously, rather with understanding. "I know very well that this is serious. And neither am I making fun of you. You will be spending a lot of time with the others coming tomorrow, perhaps you might even risk your life together. That makes the moments of respite all the more important. They are precious and to let them just go by is an easy way to burn yourself out and worry yourself to death. And none of us want that. We have lost good people this way." The halfling speaks with experience, so unlike what Calliope expects from a mere aide. Suddenly, she is seated on the table, now at eye level. "The others are there for you. They care about you and they will protect you. If things get bad, they will have your back, you will always have them. Valessa, Karvyn, and I know you all can do this. We know you can do this. And if things become too much, you all can always return home." Meera likes a warm smile creep back onto her face again. "Just remember that you can talk to them. You do not need to retreat into yourself. You do not need to fix everything and solve every issue on your own."

Having said that, she takes a deep breath. "Well then. What I actually wanted to get at is that you should go to bed because you are ignoring your need for sleep again. But I know how difficult it is for you to let that beautiful mind of yours rest, so if you want someone to talk, I am there for you." A short pause. "Well, at your bedside, that is, because I am not letting you doze off on a stack of tomes again." The halfling chuckles. "I might even sing you to sleep."

[Talore]

As Eshalyn joins Rohaleen, the ranger's heart is uplifted. She certainly had a new appreciation for the beauty of Valessa's daughter. Rohaleen goes for a kiss, but is stricken by awkward nerves. She catches herself by attempting to kiss Eshalyn's hand, but the Princess pulls her head back into a proper kiss. Rohaleen then turns back to the courtyard with a frustrated blush.

Always acting the fool, aren't I?

The roaring of the druid and screaming of the recruits snaps Rohaleen out of her momentary self-deprecating attitude. She laughs and smiles, as Balein never fails to put on a good show.

Rohaleen's fingers find the odd little trinket that the Nyssian ambassador gave her, and she fiddles with it as she reflects on what she remembers of the previous night's events.

The strange feeling of being treated as an equal among such company was unshakable. Rohaleen was wholly unused to someone as open as Celas, and was the last thing she expected from an ambassador of all people. To receive a token of trust for anything other than risking her life was foreign to her.

Still lost in her contemplative mood, Rohaleen's thoughts turned to the imminent quest with Eshalyn and the others. For what little time they've had together in the castle, it's been a fun new experience. She wonders how the trials ahead will affect them, and if anything greater could come of her companionship with the Princess.

Always the fool...

[gremlin-pult]

Although he dearly wanted to laugh himself silly at the sight of the bear bowling around amidst the frantic recruits, he stoically kept his face serious and watched how they acted. Most of them had been as frightened as he'd expected, but the two who took the lead in fending of the bear left him pleasantly surprised. They both showed promise as warriors, and now they showed leadership skill as well. They where willing to take charge when the situation called for it, and where capable of organisin the others somewhat. Nodding in satisfaction, Madoc leaned back against the wall and contented himself with watching. Balein would stop the show when she felt like it.
"Seems we will have another round of good boot camp stories to tell around the barracks." He noted in a low voice to the nearest of his sergeants. That one had been the butt of this sort of thing himself, although that time Balein had been an angry buffalo instead of a bear.

[El'the Ellie]

Calliope is quiet for a long minute while Meera speaks, and then for some time after. Eventually she lets out a long, defeated sigh. "Perhaps you're right. My preparation time might be better spent being well rested for the journey." Meera would realize this is a bit more than she expected Calliope to relent.
She rises and locks her fingers, raising them above her head. She wiggles each leg, completing an adorable stretch and yawn. Calliope slides a small stack of books off the table into her arms and moves sleepily to shelve them.
She turns back around and gives the halfling a tired smile. "You win Meera. Bed time."

[Ridai]

Calliope

Meera exhales. Best result she could get. "There's that pretty smile of yours." The halfling helps with cleaning up and extinguishing the candles, then leads Caliope back to the archivist's room by the hand.

After Calliope slipped into her nightgown (or whatever else she sleeps in, or lack thereof), Meera asks "When was the last time you let someone take care of you?" Having a pretty good guess at the answer, the halfling guides Calliope onto her bed, providing a long overdue massage for her aching and stiff neck muscles, her scalp and finally her face, all while softly humming. Slowly, Calliope drifts into a most comfortable, peaceful sleep, just barely feeling Meera kiss her on the forehead and whispering "Sleep well." before she is out like a light.

When the redhead awakes, she has rarely felt so relaxed, having made up for a few hours of lost sleep during the weeks before. Meera's mention of enjoying life when she can pops back into her mind. The human is hardly a party animal. But massage could be a nice, quiet alternative.

[MikelaC1]

Eshalyn catches Rohaleen as she attempts to kiss her hand, turning her instead to kiss her face. After she pulls back, she whispers something softly to her.

[Talore]

The half-elf gives a serious nod in response to Eshalyn. She returns her new trinket to her haversack, reassured. Crossing her arms under her breasts, Rohaleen turns to pay closer attention to the chaos in the courtyard.

[whoiam]

Calliope's Room
"Ahh... you're awake.

You know, I've been thinking - about your discussion with Meera last night - and I think I should let you in on a little secret. You know me. Joking around, enjoying myself. It's not because I don't understand how important this is. I do - probably more than most people. I've still got living relatives who fought the Dragons last time, after all. And I've been to a lot of dark places in this world. Some of'em even darker than where we found you. Thing is... they change you. Spend too much time in the darkness, and it claims you. Little by little, it strips your soul away. Then a decade from now, while there might be a powerful seeress by the name of Calliope striding across the world like a Titan... the girl we pulled out of that field a dozen years ago will be long gone.

Sooner or later, everyone has to find something to keep them from going away. Some... tie... back to normal lives. People like Valessa and Madoc here, or my family back home, are mine. Because a Druid who doesn't have them ends up a cranky old hermit who exists only to kill anyone who so much as looks at an oak tree funny.

...Look, what I'm trying to say is that play is important. A lot more than you realise. You need to seize the chances for fun when they come up. Don't lose sight of your mission - I don't - but never let it consume you, either. One of these decades I want a chance to play with your kids, too...


....Now, hurry up and get out of bed. I can't open your stupid door by myself...."

Spoiler

Show

For those who didn't guess, that's Balein's Psicrystal (which Balein didn't take back the night before) lecturing Calliope when she wakes up.

Courtyard
...Well, this was probably far enough. She'd achieved her objective - seeing which of the recruits had potential, and which did not - and had no desire to fight on when most of her options at this point were either a) cover blowing or b) probably fatal. Concentrating a moment, her right foreclaw summons a glob of ectoplasm that she throws at the recruit on her back. (Entangling Ectoplasm. 30 seconds entangled, no damage.) Before the others can wonder too much about what just happened, Balein slides out from under the entangled person and reverts to an elf. She then begins clapping.

"That went surprisingly well, " she notes, grinning broadly at the recruits. "I'm sure Madoc is proud of you... well, you that came after me, anyway. I'm sure his words for the yellow trousers brigade, " waving off to the corners of the courtyard where the remaining recruits had been cowering, " will be a little less positive. But you lot? You charged into danger to recover an ally. Even if he was a bit of an ass. And you weren't stupid about how you did it, either. That's definitely promising..."

[gremlin-pult]

"Couldn't agree more, Lady Balein. Thank you for this little lesson." Madoc said, moving away from the wall and striding out to stand beside her in the middle of the courtyard. "You have all shown differing reactions to the sudden appearance of a large wild beast. But let me make one thing clear!" He continued, raising a finger to underscore his point.

"Those of you who attacked the bear, whether you did it headlessly or with some thought, do not think yourself better than those who did not. And those of you who fled the bear, do not think less of yourself. Had Lady Balein given her all, each oen of you would be dead on the ground right now, do not doubt that. Retreating from an obviously superior enemy is not shameful. It is natural. What you have each shown today I will take to heart. It has given me an idea of how you should be trained. None of you have failed or succeeded in proving your worth. Not yet." He looked each recruit in the eye for a moment, making sure they heard and understood what he said.

"I also expect that this will make you a bit more upbeat and enthusiastic when taking roll call in the future. Seeing you so unenergetic makes this old man very sad." He added with a grin. "Now, I have an announcement for you all. My duties require me to be away from the castle for a while, so I will not be here to train you from tomorrow on. Your training will continue unchanged under the command of Sergeant Raez until I return. I expect you to heed his commands as if they where my own, and that you have made great progress when I return. Carry on recruits."

With his message delivered Madoc turned to Baelin, smiling. "Thank you again, my lady. I suppose there is no reason to keep the others waiting. Shall we?" He said, offering her his arm with a gentlemanly gesture and a teasing glint in his eyes. He knew how she hated when he got too formal.

[El'the Ellie]

Meera's massage had at first been met with considerable opposition. That is, until the halfling worked out a knot in her shoulder she didn't know existed, at which point she flopped face first on the bed and for the first time in a while let off some tension. I should learn how to do this. she thought idly in the middle. The theory is simple enough, and there's any number of military reports that claim it's benef-eep! Meera stretched out her back with a semi-painful crack, and Calliope's brain finally shut off. When Meera announced she was leaving, Calliope muttered a "anph eh." which must have been a tired and muffled 'thank you' into the mattress. Not willing to move from her comfy position, Calliopewas asleep before Meera closed the door.

Calliope awoke refreshed, and in a considerably more cheery mood than usual. The sun is bright, I'm going on a journey with friends. Today is going to be a good day, she decided.
And she found herself humming a bit as she dressed and prayed, preparing for the journey.
And she took the words of the Psicrystal more favorable than she might otherwise have. What is my tie back tony normal life..? A question she couldn't answer yet.
And she visited the training grounds, an event so novel she actually had to ask a squire for directions. She watched the bear-related chaos from the corner of the courtyard. The sight of Bearlein dowsing the foolish boy on her back with ectoplasm makes her laugh: short lived, to be sure, but the ridiculous sight painted a gleeful grin on her face.

[Talore]

As the bear turns back to her deadlier humanoid form, Rohaleen rises, clapping for the end of Balein's performance.

A few idle seconds pass as Rohaleen works herself up for departure. She leans in and kisses Eshalyn, without faltering. Bowing, Rohaleen says, "My Princess, I'll be leaving now." With a wink, she adds, "I have a feeling that we'll be seeing each other very soon."

With that, Rohaleen departs, heading straight towards the borderlands as she normally would. Once she is clear of the city, she circles back through the brush to the meeting point, scouting it out early.

[Ridai]

The spectators laugh and cheer, creating a good-natured, fun atmosphere as the recruits reassemble (and some try to pull the ectoplasmed one out of the goop only to get themselves entangled before it disappears), everyone of them taking Balein's and Madoc's words to heart in their own way. When Madoc ends his speech, the recruits respond with a loud and clear "Yes, sir!", whether they do not want a repeat of the Bear Incident, actually had their eyes opened, or already were disciplined enough.

Madoc feels a playful slap on his rear once the recruits return to training. "Nice going, Madoc," Melissa comments with a grin. "That oughta stick in their heads. Sure worked with you back then." She laughs heartily. "Now you take care of yourself, you won't have me 'round to patch you up." Knuckling his upper arm, the healer heads to the recruits, gathering those who have hurt themselves in the chaos.

-----------

At dusk, the group slowly gathers in the spot they agreed upon, close to the local forest. Soon, two cloaked figures also arrive. One of them is Queen Valessa. "Good, everyone is here. We will be going soon." Then the other reveals himself: King Karvyn. "Good evening. Funny who I meet during a little walk." He smiles. "Though Valessa handles this operation, it would be quite rude of me not to meet you before you embark on this adventure. All of you good, brave souls, and you have my thanks for doing this not just for us, but for all of Alevia." He looks to his daughter. "Eshalyn, you're probably expecting a litany of cautioning and warnings and questions whether you are sure about this, but you won't be hearing them from me. I think I already said enough of that to last you a lifetime." Karvyn chuckles to himself. "My little girl grew up before I knew it, and now she is heading out to protect her homeland. I couldn't be more proud."

He draws Eshalyn into an embrace for a moment. "Make it an adventure to remember."

Turning to Madoc, they grasp each other's forearm with a tight grip. "Madoc, old friend. I wish I could head out on an adventure like in the old days, but fate has other things in mind for me, it seems. I'd tell you to bring everyone home safe and sound, but I'd be preaching to the choir."

With that, Valessa chimes in. "It's about time." She shares a kiss with her husband, saying "I'll be back soon." Then leads the group into the forest.

"Eshalyn, take the leaf into your hand and open your mind to your surroundings. I know you have felt wanderlust in the past, that pull of the distance. You are looking for something like that, with a hint of music in it. Don't rush it, just listen and feel." It takes Eshalyn a bit at first, hearing only the faint sounds of the forest at first, until she could swear she heard a faint laugh just at the edge of perception. Looking around, she spots no one, but eventually, she catches sight of a path. It's not anything special or hidden in itself, but she feels the telltale draw, feels the direction, feels the distance, feeling the sensations of music and travel in her own body through the leaf. For ten minutes, Eshalyn leads the group through the forest, just knowing the way, until they step onto a small clearing, yet it is under a roof of leaves, and are greeted by a mysterious sight.

They spot several waggons, each of different design, yet all belonging together without a doubt. Colorful lamps illuminate the scene and faint music and laughter fill the air, as if they all stepped into a fairy tale. Many cloths and designs decorate the scene, from radiant banners, to the elegant figures of dancers, a laughing dragon head, the scene of celebrations, the portrait of a magical night. The people there remind the group of gypsies and travelling folk, dressed colorfully, but with a magical, unique quality to them, all of them looking different, coming seemingly from all races and places, but belonging together, many handsome or beautiful, all of them intriguing. There is a sense of freedom unlike they have ever felt, like they could go everywhere.

"This, my dears, is the Caravan."

[Talore]

In stark contrast to her time in the castle, Rohaleen's expression did not budge an inch when royalty arrived. She was back in her element, and singularly focused on the task at hand.

The sight of the Caravan, however, provokes an uneasy wonder. In her softest tone, Rohaleen asks, "We're not in Alevia anymore, are we?"

[gremlin-pult]

As he took in the sight of the caravan, Madoc raised one eyebrow. "Hmm. If this caravan truly travels as swiftly as you say, your grace, I suppose I finally have my answer to how you managed to travel across the country and rescue his grace and I from that band of ogres just in time..." He said ofhandedly. He had wondered more than once over the years how the queen somehow always managed to show up in the nick of time wherever she went.

[El'the Ellie]

Back at the training grounds, Eshalyn and Rohaleen's kiss get's a raised eyebrow from Calliope. So that's what they meant, apparently. That was quick.

---------

Once dusk has fallen, Calliope makes her way to the agreed-upon area, though chances are the others don't recognize her. Instead, the woman who steps out of the bushes is taller than Calliope by an inch or two. Her short, straight black hair comes to jaw-height, and her light skin and freckled face are replaced by an olive toned skin. In fact, just about the only familiar features are the pair of silvery glasses and the square-shaped emerald on her shoulder that is Catastrophe. Upon seeing the others she waves and flips the coin over, reverting to her normal appearance. When they find the Caravan, Calliope approaches with a sense of wonder and reverent appreciation. She extends a cautious hand against the wooden carts, that have known countless journeys across every part of the world. She is wordlessly grateful to be part of the small group that is their passengers.
At Rohaleen's comment, Calliope can't help but wonder the same. Releasing a familiar trickle of psionic energy, her mind searches out for exactly where they were: she suspected Rohaleen was right that this was not Alevia. Perhaps a pocket dimension of some kind? Her eyes glisten emerald as the psionic energy flows through her.

Spoiler

Show

Manifesting Know Direction and Location.

[MikelaC1]

As the holder of the leaf, it falls to Eshalyn to make the introductions, and the request.

Good people of the Caravan, you know me asss Essshalyn, daughter of Queen Valesssssa She doubts very much that her disguise fools these people, but she knows that she now has to stay in character for the sake of the mission. My comrades and I require your unique brand of travelling asssssissstance. We ssseek to head to the Mordainian small city of Feron, asss clossse asss you can while ssstill remaining inconssspicoussss

Spoiler: Diplomacy

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(1d20+20)[26]

[Ridai]

Calliope reaches out with her psionic senses and finds herself still very much within Alevia... yet going into all directions at once.

"Oh, we are still in Alevia, but not in the usual way," Queen Valessa responds to Rohaleen, before turning to Madoc. "That, my sources, and my intuition. The Caravan is fast, but hardly instantaneous. After all, there must be a journey before every destination. And please, we aren't at court, Valessa will do just fine."

Eshalyn's voice grabs the attention of the Caravaneers, flocking to the new arrivals. Several call for the others, telling them that Valessa is back and that her daughter is here as well. The group is welcomed wholeheartedly, like they are becoming part of a celebration. Valessa recognizes many of them and greets them like friends she hasn't seen in a long time. The travelling folk seem to be endlessly curious about Eshalyn, adoring her and inviting her to a great many fun activities. Balein and Madoc find themselves recognized, having heard so much about them from Valessa, with Calliope and Rohaleen being sort of wildcards, not known to the Caravan, but that makes them intriguing in their own way. The way the Caravaneers and Valessa talk, it seems like these people have hardly aged a day since the last time they saw the former adventuress. Needless to say, they are on the group's side.

"We should meet Lysika, the Mistress of the Caravan, and introduce you. She is someone you can trust, she has helped our family for a long time." Valessa and the travelling folk guide the group to one waggon in particular, lavishly decorated with silks and veils. Inside, it is dark, though they have no trouble knowing where everything is. There is a wonderful faint sweet scent in the air, a sense of near infinite comfort and mystery. There are a great many trinkets and objects on shelves lining the walls, the group getting a sense that the inside of this vehicle might be bigger than it should be, but they cannot tell for sure. They all walk to a bed of pillows towards the middle.

"Welcome back, Valessa," a musical voice emerges from the dark back, as lovely to hear as it is to feel. "I see the years have been kind to you in a great many ways. Please, all of you, have a seat."

Valessa smiles, seating herself on the pillows along with the others. "It is good to be back. A lot has happened. I am a married woman and queen now, I am surrounded by wonderful people. And it is time I pass the torch to my daughter Eshalyn."

"Once again, a young Dawnbreaker finds herself swept up by the call of adventure. But given the many friends you have brought, I figure it is not just for the sake of joy and thrills." There is a subtle shift in the light, revealing just enough for them to recognize the shape of a woman seemingly Valessa's equal in beauty, half-lying on several pillows of her own, garbed in an exotic dress unafraid of showing skin, her hair flowing like water past her shoulders, black as night. A veil of evershifting colors covers much of her head and the upper part of her face, making it almost blend into the surrounding dark, but her lips are more than expressive enough on their own, forming an inviting smile. "You are now the owner of the leaf, Eshalyn, the symbol of the friendship between us and your family. We will gladly accompany you on your journeys, just as we hope that you will partake in our joys. As long as your are with the Caravan, you shall know safety and happiness."

The group gets the impression that Lysika is looking at all of them. "Your minds must be filled with questions. Feel free to ask them, if you let me know your names in return."

[El'the Ellie]

"You might as well be right, Rohaleen. Technically we are still in Alevia, but it feels like we're... wherever compasses point to."

Calliope looked very much like a child in a sweet shop as their group stepped into the wagon. She can't help but curiously inspect each trinket and bauble on the wall, jumping as tiny sparks jump off a glass ball at her touch. It's clear she's very swept up in the sense of wonder, journey, and the exotic. As one might expect, she's the first to speak up, albeit in a start-and-stop manner.

"What is... How- Sorry, wait. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lysika. I'm Calliope Fareyes, a daughter of Fahrlahnghn." She struggles for a moment to think of a question or, more accurately, to think of the one that will make the most sense to ask first. "How..? I mean, I've heard about magic able to transport people from one destination to another. I'm even capable of such myself." It's not so much a boast as it is clear Calliope cares about this woman's first impression of her, as a student might to her teacher. "But to transport so many people? And so much mass? And so reliably, if what I've heard is to be believed! Do you move through the Astral Sea or..?" She suddenly grows quiet and takes a step back, aware she's about to start rambling.

[MikelaC1]

When Eshalyn first got the leaf, she felt a sense of honor and pride at being chosen to be the new bearer. But now that she is actually inside of the Caravan, its replaced with a sense of wonder and discovery. The smallest logical part of her mind tells her that she should be like Calliope and figure out how the whole idea works, but all of her magic, arcane and divine, has always been happenstance and just taking things as they come. She's ready to partake in the joys that Lysika speaks of, but even though her mother names them friends, she has to guard her tongue as she doesnt know whether her mother wants this knowledge of the exact nature of the quest spread.