Academy Living IC: (Chapter 1) Group A

[heretic]

Master Ahasshu’s Chambers

A curl of smoke rises from a herbal taper sitting in a dish on Master Ahasshu’s huge, oaken desk. Her chambers are spacious, containing the sprawling desk, five chairs for guests, a full-length mirror polished to a sheen, shelves full of clay pots, glass vials, candles, small finger-sacks, and other miscellany. The windows behind her desk are currently obscured by heavy curtains despite the feverish summer night.

“Welcome.” The Master of Divination herself is deeply reclined in a cushioned armchair, her many-buckled boots up on the desk. Ahasshu is the youngest of the school’s masters, and considered the coolest by far. Where Master Eldan or Master Amlothien are prone to wearing heavy-sleeved robes in the elven style, Ahasshu dresses like a flashy outlaw crashing a wedding. Today, it’s a scarlet blouse—loosely flowing at the top and tightened by a side-knot at her waist—immaculate white breeches, and knee-high black boots shining with buckles. Her head is smoothly shaven, her skin brown.

“You four have been entrusted with a task of no small importance. Thirty miles southwest of here lie the ancestral lands of once-great noble house. A royal house, even.” Her voice betrays only a slight Maradian accent. “One of the kings interred there was also a sorcerer of some regard, if histories are to be believed. The Academy has sought entry to his tomb for years. In particular, we have an interest in his spell component pouch, which he should have taken to the grave.” She pauses and brushes her lips, red to match her shirt.

“Some of you may be familiar with Professor Undalfas’s theory regarding spell components. To simplify it, he thinks that one of the ‘seams’ in the Weave—areas of overlap between wizardry and song magic—lies in the material fuel we all use for spells.” She flicks her hand, ending her explanation there. “In any case, the study of ancient spell components is usually confined to the library, but the burial practices of the Sindarean nobility have conspired in our favor. Not long ago, we secured the rights to enter King Anglad’s tomb and retrieve his spell components. Or whatever is left of them. This is your task. But of course, you will have questions . . . ” Realizing that perhaps Mardu didn’t follow everything she said, she switches to their shared native tongue and quickly repeats everything while the others digest her words.

Rosa

The name King Anglad Teleri is familiar to you—from your studies in Sindarean history, you know that he was the king who surrendered the crown to the first King Galadruil, thereby returning the Sindarean throne to his own great-ancestor and establishing elven rule in the kingdom. Some call him the Last Man-King of Sindare, or the Young King. His own children died before leaving heirs, and scholars have struggled to trace the lineage of his nieces and nephews. The modern (human) House of Teleri traces their lineage back to even more peripheral figures, such as step-parents who married into the house, or illegitimate offspring. They have accomplished little of note, although apparently they still hold the ancient tombs of the First Teleri Dynasty.

Vasco

You’ve read a bit about the “Seam” theory of the Weave. It’s a relatively widely-held universalist theory of arcane magic postulating that song-magic is actually a part of the Weave that wizards haven’t figured out how to access yet. There is less agreement on what counts as a “seam.” Aside from spell components, other candidates you’ve heard of include certain somatic gesticulations, glyphs of magic used on scrolls (which sorcerers are known to create at times), and planar destinations. Professor Undalfas is the principal advocate for Component-Seam Theory. His detractors refer to it as “Bat’s Ass Theory,” on account of his choice of bat guano as case study.

Spoiler: OOC (All)

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This post reflects a Knowledge (History) check for Rosa, as well as Knowledge (Arcana) checks for all four of you. Generally speaking, you are free to proactively make such rolls, but other times I will do so as an incident to narration.

[Schismatic]

"Get in. Get Pouch. Bring back to Mistress Ahasshu." She noted with self-deprecating simplicity in Sindarean herself, with a tone that had a curious mix of giving thanks for the translation but noting that she could keep a moderate pace absent mission-critical techicality.

Mardu was dressed for the occasion, as if anticipating the nature of her summons. She shuffled a little uncomfortable in her gear. She had gotten used to a more eclectic mix of civilian clothes. Usually silk and linen human garments, as well as her red desert cowl wrapped about her shoulders. An airy pair of calf length slacks and tunic, and a pair of sandals. The only thing reminiscent of her usual clothes was that weathered cowl worn more like a bulky scarf. Such personble daily wear was absent, however in favour of a military chic for a foreign country far away.

She shifted her weight onto her left foot, resting her right hand on the pommel of her sheathed blade.

"That's about a day's travel from here. What if-how do you say-'less reputable' souls haven't already disturbed the site?" She said in an off-pace Sindarean that seemed like it took minor effort to bring the sentence together.

[El'the Ellie]

Rossantil's excitement was palpable. She had heard small bits about the Seam theory: enough that it was suppose to unify song magic and Wizardry. Ever since being admitted to the academy, finding some link between her natural magic and the training of her father had been a personal goal. Now here was a plain-as-day way to advance the idea that did just that. In recent weeks she had fallen into the day-to-day life and woes of the academy, but this had reignited all of the drive that had brought her across the world in the first place. She was almost giddy, so eager to get moving, and it was visible from the way that she bounced lightly on the balls of her feet. Even Kelroas, the ball python sniffing the air quietly from her own component pouch, seems more energetic than usual. Or perhaps just less lethargic: he is cold blooded, after all.

She was dressed for travel, as well: A bright pink blouse that seems warm and clearly loved, tucked into light blue travelling pants. Her dark red hair is down but braided on the sides to pull out of her face, and her smile at their adventure betrays any attempt to seem nonchalant.

"Do we have some kind of official paper noting the right to enter the Young King's tomb? If some of the Teleri members question what we're doing, it would be nice to be able to prove we're supposed to be there."

[JBarca]

Galion listened with only partially concealed interest. He found himself nodding when terms he recognized were mentioned - the Weave, for instance - but also missed a bit of the context. As he listens, his fingers are idly playing with a playing card, which he spins and moves in a simple pattern before inserting it back into the deck and drawing another.

When the master stops speaking and offers time for questions, he opens his mouth, only to close it again when the others speak up first. He nods with Rosa's question, and again with Mardu's.

"Yeah, that's a good one. What sorta place are we going to? A cemetery? A, uh..." a moment of concentration crosses the Half-Elf's face.

"Building for the dead? Mausoleum? Yeah. What sort of leeway are you givin' us to work with? If we have permission to be there-" He inclines his head toward Rosa "-will we be causing a fuss if we run into problems?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Vasco has to suppress a smile as Professor Ahasshu describes their mission. You know, for all that the more conservative faculty claim to dislike necromancy and go on and on about leaving the dead in peace, arcane research seems to involve plundering a lot of tombs, he thinks wryly. He vividly recalls his own first exploration of the necromantic arts--which he of course hadn't mentioned to anyone at the Academy, lest it get back to the Dalshen authorities back home that he'd done something mildly sacrilegious and very illegal by breaking into that sorceress's mausoleum--and he'd read about several tomb, er, "excavations" of dubious legality in his classes that had each advanced the state of arcane theory in leaps and bounds based on the tomes and relics discovered therein.

At first he was confused as to why a spell component pouch, of all things, would be worth the effort; arcanists of all traditions bough the same spell components from the same vendors and used them in basically the same way, after all, so it's not as if comparing a sorcerer's components to a wizard's would reveal some hitherto-unknown secrets of the Weave. But after a moment he remembers learning that the use of black onyx in reanimation spells was only developed during the Dragonwar and before that arcanists had used more expensive and much less efficient obsidian shards instead, and there had been other advances in gemstone matrix theory, material-energy conversion efficiency, and so forth in the past few centuries, so he supposes it's possible that they might find some obscure mystical substances that might shed some light on some new (or forgotten) arcane principles.

(Plus there was that one session of Professor Tulien's Foundations of Enchantment lecture course where he talked about how using rare and specially-prepared material components could enhance a spell far beyond its base effects...but honestly, Vasco was only taking that course because the Foundations series was required for new students, and he mostly spent that time studying for other classes, so he didn't remember much about the topic.)

He'd intended to ask the professor about the legality and permissions surrounding their expedition, given his own forays into amateur tomb-raiding, but his classmates beat him to it, so he quickly tries to think of something else. They never like it if you don't have a question ready, it means they think you weren't sufficiently prepared for the class. Hmm.... "If the Academy has been trying to access Anglad's tomb for a long time, is there something about him or his methods in particular that makes his components worth retrieving for study? Or is it just that his is the only one that's old enough, hasn't been broken into already, and stuff like that?"

[heretic]

Master Ahasshu listens patiently to your questions. “Those are all good things to be asking. We do indeed have written permission to enter.” Her Maradian accent comes out stronger as she breezily casts a familiar cantrip. A scroll resting on a shelf begins floating toward her outstretched hand. “The tomb is underground, as I understand it. They’ve included directions and an illustration of the entrance.”

The scroll comes to rest in her hand and she begins untying the ribbon that holds it fast. “To your question, Mardu, they unsealed—opened—the tomb for us just a few days ago, so probably no ‘less-reputable’ souls disturbing the site. But you never know. We find weird stuff in tombs all the time.” She points to Vasco, acknowledging his area of interest. “Undead and so forth.”

She unfurls the scroll, revealing a couple paragraphs of text, an official-looking wax seal, and a hand-sketch of a big boulder rolled aside from a doorframe sunken into a hillside. “As for leeway, you’re the only ones with the right to be inside the tomb. I say you’re within your rights to fry anything that moves, provided it’s not a Teleri guide sent to meet you. Or an elf.” She looks at the ceiling, pondering. “Or another wizard, I suppose. Basically, use your discretion. Under the circumstances, I think you have every right to take charge of the tomb itself, but of course don’t do anything to embarrass the Academy. I wouldn’t mention the mission to others on the road, for instance. We don’t want to bring grave-robbers in your wake.”

Her fingers snap. “That brings me to my next point: don’t take anything from the tomb except the spell component pouch. We’re not to disturb the remains or their burial-accoutrements. If squatters have left things, that’s different.”

She pauses a moment before remembering Vasco’s question. “The spell component pouch may be among the oldest preserved specimens. We want it for its age, not for its owner.”

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Vasco takes a step closer and leans in to get a better look at the scroll. He'd never seen an official license to slightly and temporarily plunder a tomb before, or even known that they handed out licenses for that sort of thing, so that was pretty interesting on its own. And if knowing what one of them looks like means I can someday figure out how to forge those, well... he muses, thinking of all kinds of potential benefits to his personal research projects which that might entail.

"Good to know," he says, stepping back and nodding. "Do you know if there's supposed to be anything else interesting in the tomb we might want to take a look at while we're there? Are we allowed to do some non-invasive investigation as long as we don't disturb any remains, like scanning for auras or taking rubbings of inscriptions?" He gives his best charming-teacher's-pet smile and adds, "And is there any chance any of that might be worth some extra credit in the relevant classes?"

[El'the Ellie]

Rossantil excitedly nods in some understanding. "It's like... a fossil record, of sorts, right? If we can see how components changed over time, we can use the similarities between what is used now to understand what the Essential Aspects of certain spells are."

She accepts the scroll if its offered. "Oh, I wonder if the King had a proclivity for certain schools. I mean, he lived before the more rote specialization of wizards. But sometimes sorcerers will lean towards certain schools anyway, right?" She looks with a raised eyebrow to Galion.

[JBarca]

Galion nods along with the answers, but frowns slightly at the extremely limited nature of their permission to retrieve goods from the site.

As he contemplates the worth of slowing down the expedition so as to allow more time for "squatters" to get involved, he registers the question directed at him.

"Oh, yeah of course. Specializing due to preference is prob- I mean is common, yeah. Master, will we be given any tools for this trip or is it expected to be as simple as strolling in an open door and grabbing a container?"

[Schismatic]

"Undead, huh? Well I suppose I can always beat down skeletons with my shield." She murmured a moment. "So, no disturbing remains. Retrieve only the pouch." She reiterated before shifting her weight to her right foot now.

"Beats going to my Planar Metaphysics seminar..." She said dryly. "When do we meet your guide?"

[heretic]

After Vasco poses his question, Ahasshu squints and thinks for a bit. She picks up a small hand-mirror and idly examines herself, before placing it back on her desk. “I think that’s probably fine as long as nothing is disturbed. Of course, I can’t guarantee any extra credit in another professor’s class.”

Noticing Rossantil’s desire to examine the scroll, Ahasshu kicks her boots up and lets the graceful drop of her legs propel up from her seat. She hands over the scroll. “Yes, if the components have changed, then maybe the Weave itself has changed. Maybe the Seams aren’t as straight as we thought.” A smile creeps across her lips. While Rossantil and Galion discuss sorcerer specialization, the dark-skinned master turns to Mardu and shifts to her mother tongue. “That’s right. As far as I know, your only guide is him.” She nods toward Galion. “The Teleris may send someone to meet you at the tomb, but the letter doesn’t promise that.” She sits down again.

When Galion asks his question, she switches back to Sindarean. “We usually only provide tools if we know to expect a specific challenge. In this case, we don’t know what to expect. It could be nothing or it could be something. Preparing for this trip will fall to the four of you, although traditionally the mageskarl takes on the role of quartermaster and guide.”

Spoiler: The Letter (assume it gets passed around for all to read)

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This letter memorializes the agreement between Lord Belfred Teleri and Headmaster Jon Dringlam Sr. for agents of Mithdiran Academy to enter the tomb of King Angmar Teleri and remove any burial items intended for use as spell-fuel. Such agents are not to disturb any remains or other items. Lord Teleri’s men will unseal the tomb on the 16th day of the Leo, and reseal it on 26 Leo, leaving ten days for entry and removal. This letter serves as a bill of passage for these agents to travel on Teleri lands and enter the aforementioned tomb.

No later than 10 Virgo, the Academy will furnish a detailed bill of receipt cataloguing the removed items. Lord Teleri reserves the right to contest the removal of any item he deems to be an item other than spell-fuel, and if he does so, HM. Dringlam may reduce the price by a fair and equitable amount.

Signed,

Lord Belfred Teleri, Master of Telerias, Steward of the Valley of Kings, Keeper of the Lost Flame

Headmaster Jon Dringlam Sr., Mithdiran Academy

OOC: As a side-note, the current date is the 18th of Leo.

[JBarca]

Galion makes a comically-pained grimace at the notion that he be put in charge of supplies and trailmaking, but soon nods and smiles.

"Sure, sure. Bring food and rope and such, walk southwest for a couple of days, no problem. I think that can be done."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Don't worry, Galion, we have complete faith in you. Just remember, it'll be your fault if we get lost or anyone forgets anything, no pressure," Vasco says with a teasing grin as he takes the scroll and quickly reads it over.

When he's done, he frowns and looks back up at the dates. "Hmm. Looks like we only have eight days before it's sealed back up, and that includes travel time. Thirty miles on a major road would be, what, three or four days, right?" he asks the group, having absolutely no frame of reference for long-distance travel times if there's not a ship involved. "I don't suppose we'd be able to borrow some horses and wagons to get there faster, would we?"

[Schismatic]

She nodded to Mistress Ahasshu, affirming she understood what she said before looking over to Vasco.

"Well, given shortness of trip and merely pouch. Wagons don't take time off trip. Wagons good for long trip where you need extended logistics... Wagon may make one day trp-two day trip. Though if taking horses, I have my Sardun. She would enjoy trip." She noted in her broken Sindarean, though the words 'extended logistics' curiously spoken specifically in trade tongue.

She looked towards Gallion and smiled.

"Well, you don't have to worry about me... I have some cured goat and dry fruits and nuts from last trip. Decent meal at gateside tavern before we leave would keep me for trip there. Not like going to starve. Though, hrm --shelter?-- Shelter would be nice. No want to sleep in tomb." She said to Gallion in Sindarean, chuckling to herself as she leaned over slightly to look him square in the eyes. "When plan to go?"

[El'the Ellie]

Rossantil pats Galion on the shoulder and passes the note around to people that want to see it. "Yeah Mageskarl, what's the plan?" She says a bit jokingly. She shrugs at Vasco. "Nah, we can make thirty miles in a day if we start early. Maybe a day and a half if we go slow and stop a fair bit: I don't know how used you all are to long walks. With horses we could get there in, what, eight hours? Maybe less. But eight hours in the saddle can be rough if you're not used to it. And then we have to bring food for them. And we should probably have someone watch them when we go into the Tomb in case of thieves or predators or something."

Eh," she shrugs and gives Galion a more genuine smile. "I don't really think horses are worth it, but I'll trust our Mageskarl."

[JBarca]

Galion laughs lightly for a moment, then adopts a thoughtful expression.

"Right. Well... We'll leave first thing tomorrow, I think. That'll give you all a chance to get your personal supplies together and give us a full day of travel time. And unless anyone is scared of some walking," he says with a wink, "we won't be using mounts."

Galion looks to Master Ahasshu. "Is there a formal way to request the basic supplies, such as food and water? I can acquire that myself, if I need to. But I don't want the Academy to think I'm... eh, ignoring their rules. Otherwise, I'll leave it to my friends here to ask any questions they have left?"

Galion leans back in his seat, content to wait for the others.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Ugh. I'm not afraid of walking, but eight hours, non-stop?" Vasco grumbles good-naturedly. "I'll take a good coracle over that any day, and I hate coracles." He smiles to show he's joking. Mostly. "I'll survive, though. No other questions from me, Professor."

[heretic]

The master grins as the group teases Galion. After everyone has had a chance to land a jab, she rises from her seat.

“As I said, the mageskarl is the quartermaster. We’re an academy, not a granary. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.” She nods toward the door to her office, signaling that it's time to go.

Spoiler: OOC

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Feel free to continue the intra-party discussion outside. Once everyone's had their say and people have noted their OOC shopping, we can cut-scene to the next morning, which I presume will be a day of travel.

In addition, you can assume a terrain movement modifier of x3/4, which represents a combination of road through plains or forest, plus some trackless plains and forest. If you proceed directly there, it's 30 miles. If you were to approach it in a less direct manner (e.g. sticking more to the road and circling under it, circling to the northwest to minimize time spent on Teleri land) then the journey would extend by another 20-30 miles or so and avoid the forest. Since you have the letter, I'm not sure why that would be necessary. There is some banditry going on, but nothing out of the ordinary.

[El'the Ellie]

Rossantil nods, still doing a poor job containing her excitement. "You can count on us, Master Assashu!" She gives a small bow, and leaves the master's office. Outside, she turns to the others.

"Great, I can't wait to get started! Let's meet at the Academy gates at, say seven tomorrow? I have to pick up some food for the trip. Probably a couple days in case, you know, anything happens."

After, she'll head to the market and pick up a few days worth of food for the trip.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"That sounds good to me," Vasco agrees. "I actually have all the supplies I'll need already--I travel fairly light--so unless anyone wants help packing or carrying things back from the market, I'm going to head home and finish off a few papers before we go."

[JBarca]

As they head out of the office, Galion offers a polite nod to the master.

In the hallway, Galion laughs at Vasco's complain. "A coracle? Friend, walking is good for you. Stretches the legs, doesn't reek of fish."

Looking to the rest of the group, Galion shrugs. "I can go buy trail food for you if you'd like. Let me know if you have any special orders, my companions."

Spoiler: OoC

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I'm good to scene-skip when y'all are. If everyone wants to just buy the rations they want for the trip, we can assume Galion took money and orders and bought all the stuff, if everyone is cool with that?

[Schismatic]

"At dawn's light." She paused to consider her assignment as she walked outside, looking over her shoulder.

"Well, early night. We should come up with name for group. Make story easier to tell." She smiled, as she lifted her hand and parted ways taking a right down the corridor.

[heretic]

Leo 19

Dawn breaks over the ocean, painting bright the tips of Mithdiran Academy’s seven conical towers. The tiled roofs of the city wait below, greyish in the dark despite their rich coloring. A great crush of them sit cramped on the island in the lagoon, while the buildings on the northern bank remain shrouded in morning mist. By midday, the glass-furnaces on the island will be churning out white and black smoke, and the fishermen will be calling out the catch of the day. Now, it is quiet and the air smells crisp.

Somewhere in the city, a rooster erupts in deep crow, rending the still air. The pitch and volume decay to a ragged warble as his birdbrained pride refuses to allow his throat to surrender. Finally, he can go on no longer and the air is still again. At this hour, there is hardly a soul to be seen on the streets, much less the Academy grounds. Shops are shuttered, merchant-booths battened down with rope and canvas.

The south wall is only fifteen feet high, though it is topped with a dangerous array of broken glass. A weak-chinned guard sits on a step beside the gate, swallowed by his iron collar and woolen cloak. An eight-foot spear rests against the door—ten feet of reinforced oak, hinged to swing inward and tall as the wall itself. It’s open for the day, offering free passage to the south.

Spoiler: OOC

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I’m assuming that those of you with medium loads are placing some extra stuff on Mardu’s mount, allowing the group to travel at 30 foot speed (24 miles/day x ¾ terrain modifier = 18 miles).

Once you’ve traveled those 18 miles and taken stock of the surroundings, you can decide whether or not to do a forced march for more miles. The forced march would deal lethal damage, as there is no nonlethal in the vitality/wound variant rules.

Getting to 30 miles in a single day would require just over 5 hours of forced marching (3 miles/hour x ¾ terrain modifier = 2.25 miles/hour, 5 x 2.25 = 11.25 extra miles), which would certainly be interesting. Anyway, you don't have to decide now, but maybe you could discuss it OOC?

Also excited to hear what you guys come up with for a group name, per Mardu's suggestion.

[Schismatic]

Mardu would be there, waiting, wrapped up in her cowl and capped with a felt wide-brimmed hat. Deserts got colder than this, so she wasn't complaining, but what she couldn't get used to was those early dews. She ran a brush through Sardun's white coat and long mane as she did every morning, only extra dilligently this time. Sardun was munching on a bucket of oats and shredded lucerne with a little heated molasses as reward for accepting the saddle cloth and bags and to provide some easy calories for their trip.

Days were slow in Sindare. No raiders to chase, no caravans to protect, no roads to patrol, no city parades to dressage down for the public to feel safe and secure by their example. She felt alienated by the slow, steady pace and she was certain Sardun was feeling a bit stir-crazy. Or was that just projection?

Grooming Sardun reinforced a bond that otherwise was born by days of travelling and experiencing new sights and sounds together. So many nobles of other lands relegating such duties to stablehands without realizing that one day that horse will bear them in strife, it was absurd to her. Plus it helped reinforce discipline and trust... Plain to see as she tapped the back of the horse's right foreleg and dilligently Sardun lifted it. Mardu place her right knee under its phalanx to give the war horse support and began cleaning her hooves with a blunt knife.

[JBarca]

Galion, nervous about doing his job well, tries to arrive early at the appointed meeting site, only to find Mardu waiting. Seeing the woman tending to her beast, the Sorcerer keeps his distance, only throwing a brief wave her way so she knows she not alone.

Galion takes a moment to enjoy the morning air. The rotting fish are far enough away that the breeze feels clean and fresh. The streets, empty as they are, are tranquil. Galion moves to a nearby bench and sits, setting his pack beside him. The clothes he wears are similar to those he wore during the briefing - dark colored trousers over practical boots with a white shirt designed to accentuate his torso rather than hide it. A heavier traveling cloak of muted blue covers much of the outfit, though, and his boots are heavier than they were yesterday. A knife hangs at his hip, though he seems uncomfortable with its presence, constantly adjusting or fidgeting with it.

Galion leans back, content to enjoy the morning while he awaits the others.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Sorry I'm a little late, everyone," Vasco says as he approaches the others, his customary loose and flowing cloak buttoned up tight against the early morning chill. "I wasn't looking forward to eating trail rations today, so I decided to get a second helping of breakfast, but there was a long line in the cafeteria, so...." he shrugs apologetically.

He strides to Galion's bench and takes a seat beside his fellow student, giving him a friendly nod. Vasco's outfit is similar to Galion's in broad strokes, colors aside, but the cut and length of his cloak are different enough that another native of the Sweetsea could tell the two were purchased on very different islands--clothing fashions travel the sea like waves, rippling out from one island in the springtime when the first trading voyages of the new year set out, collecting tweaks and changes as designs flow through other islands, and then returning to the first island in a very different form. Vasco doesn't consider himself fashion-conscious, exactly, but he does always like to make a good impression.

"So, Mardu, I was thinking about what you said yesterday, about a group name," he says as he plunks his backpack down on the ground. "I tried to come up with a few suggestions, but they all ended up just being puns in Tagalake, and that doesn't work if you have to explain the name to everyone. And then I thought, if we want a name to make the story of our trip better, wouldn't it make more sense to come up with a name afterward? I mean, Captain So-and-so the Dragonslayer wouldn't come up with their name before they killed a dragon, right?"

[Schismatic]

She paused for a moment as she finished with Sardun's right foreleg. Leaning back, as Sardun feeling nothing slowly removed her phalanx off her knee and leg, though didn't break from eating feed from her wooden bucket.

"Considering our services, how about 'the Mithdiran Myrmidons'? Or simply 'the Myrmidons'?" She peeried, while looking over to them.

"Oh! I'm finished here. Just waiting for Rosa, right?" As she slipped the hoof cleaning tool into a pouch on her bag.

[JBarca]

Galion nods sympathetically. "I don't blame you for the breakfast at all, friend. Nothing quite like starting a journey out on an empty stomach."

He smiles at the suggestion for the name

"The Myrmidons? That is both suitably dramatic and appropriate for our group, I'd say. That said, Vasco is right. Perhaps we wait until we've... done something?

But yeah, we're just waiting on Rosa. She'll be here soon I'd wager."

[El'the Ellie]

"Homegrown alligator, see you later
Gotta hit the road, gotta hit the road
The sun it changed in the atmosphere
Architecture unfamiliar
I can get used to this

Time flies by in the yellow and green
Stick around and you'll see what I mean
There's a mountaintop that I'm dreaming of
If you need me you know were I'll be..."

Rossantil is heard before she's seen. Although she's a bit later than the others, it's not by much. From a ways off, she can be heard singing a travelling song in chipper spirits, despite the early morning. In fact, given her light yellow shirt and brown travelling pants, she almost looks like a literal ray of sunshine. When she sees the group gathered at the gates, she seems to realize that she's the last one and picks up the pace.

"Morning! Looks like I'm the last one here; thanks for waiting. We all ready to head on out?"

[JBarca]

Galion waves as Rosa approaches. "Morning! Not a problem, we probably won't get there today anyway."

The Sorcerer takes a moment to make sure everyone is ready to go, then starts walking south.

"Rosa, just like old times, eh? Walking through the countryside, looking for something bigger and better. By the way, did you put any thought into a name? Mardu mentioned the 'Myrmidons,' which I'm partial to. On the other hand, Vasco wisely suggested we wait until we do something as a group to earn a name. Care to weigh in?"

Spoiler: OoC

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If anyone has any last minute stuff to do, that's fine. Just making my "we're leaving" post now so no one has to wait on me :)