Wroth of the Forgotten [IC]

[BelGareth]

It all happened so fast, one day you were feasting with your foster parents, they had aged remarkably, maybe it was the blessing of adopting a brood of dragons, but the human parents who had cared for you, had aged well beyond their years, and were old.

You awoke, much like any other morning, to find them all dead.

The mountainside cottage, that had been bored out the side of the cliff with magic of some kind, was quaint, and resembled an Eyrie, except for the interior, which resembled a classic village cottage, where you all had lived for since you could recall.

You know near you is a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom, but you have been told never to go outside, on pain of death, your kind was hunted, and murdered, you very well could be the last of your kind.

[Deadguy]

Vasrei'nola stood silently. The staff, which was her companion since recovering it from hiding, supported her weakened legs now. There was a sense of profound loss. Not entirely unexpected, even if her adoptive father had always made it a point to impart the fact that she would outlive any and all companions of other races. Still, the suddenness was almost unbearable. All of them... The loss of each and every one of the parents that had taken her ad hoc clutch mates in. Natural death did not come like this.

She took a shaky breath to steady herself. Air. I need air. Leaving the body of her father resting in his bed, she headed to the front, stepping out onto the ledge of the eyrie. Eyes closed, she simply allowed herself to feel the wind against her skin and through her hair.

Opening her eyes, she looked out over the expanse before her. What now? The elven form she had chosen had been introduced to Romen's social circles as his adopted child. She had attended a tutor under the guise of honing her magical abilities. These were to give her some understanding of the world of men and how to move in it. But alone? The idea of doing so was completely overwhelming. Even in her small interactions, she had seen how callous and petty and power-hungry they could be. Romen had made the analogy of a torch compared to the Sun. To be burned by a torch, you only need to be close for an instant. It's heat is extreme, but short lived. The Sun's heat was slow and steady, but still able to burn skin if exposed for too long.

Reia. The name Romen had helped her pick. He had given her so much. It was enough. She was ready. The only unknown factor would be what her clutch mates would do. She turned and moved back into the eyrie. Finding a seat at the dining room table, she waited. The others would have to grieve, come to terms, formulate their plans. After that, the funeral rites would come.

Spoiler: OOC: Checks

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✥ No actions

Spoiler: Character Details

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Vasrei'nola Sheet Tome Dragon | Sorcerer Player: Deadguy DEFENSE ⛨ HP 63/63 ⛨ AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 19 Fort 9, Ref 9, Will 12 Speed 30 | Init +8 OFFENCE Base Attack Bonus 6 RANGED ⯎ Runestaff, elvencraft +9 (1d8+1, x3) STATISTICS Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 21 Condition ✥ Auras (60 ft) - motivate intelligence (+5 to intelligence skills / checks) - resilient troops (+1 saves) ✥ Active Spells - cloak of khyber (extended; 12 days) - mage armor (extended; 12 hr) - nondetection (extended; 12 hr)

[DeTess]

Isandra made her way from bed to bed, checking on each of her uncles and aunts. Their deaths hadn't exactly come as a surprise to her. Unlike most of the other younglings, she'd live among humans before... well, before, and she knew how frail and transient they could be. Still, to lose all of them at once hurt. Or would hurt, at any rate. Right now, she mostly felt numb.

With a sigh she went to the tool cabinet and retrieved a shovel. There was an old oak tree not that far from the cottage, and someone sitting below it had a majestic view of the valley. It'd be a good place to dig the graves. She considered for a moment to ask the others for help, but then decided against it. They'd each have to find out how to deal with this on their own. If any decided to help , she'd welcome it. If none did, well, she reckoned she'd be done by dusk on her own, and that'd be as good a time to hold the actual burial as any.

And after that? Well, she'd started to chafe at her prolonged stay in the cottage anyway. She knew it was for her own good, that the world had changed since last she'd walked among humanity proper, but that didn't change the fact that she longed for the bustle of cities, the exotic smells and sounds of a metropolitan market, and the cheers and applause of an adoring crowd. And one way or another, she'd take all that back for herself.

[Togo]

The rattle of a few stones reveals Sirian, perched higher up the slope. He crouches, perched in the cover of rocks, scanning the horizon with steady eyes. Curling around the full length of his body and then some, the familiar curve of his bow. The greatbow, a full two feet taller than his own slight form, has long been the source of some derision in the past, but today, no one is laughing.

He turns his head, his long dyed hair suddenly the most visible part of him, as if the drab hillside had suddenly vomited forth dour children. His gaze finds Isandra, and then he moves, slithering quietly down the slope. The rocks are sharp, but none of the children are vulnerable in the way a human might be. Not to small hurts.

He passes her, and pauses, looking up at her. Seeking something in her eyes. Then he closes his, and moves on, tracing her steps, back to darkness of home, where the dead lay.

He pauses by each of their former keepers, touching a wrist, an arm, a shoulder. Eyes roving, searching, for some kind of understanding.

Spoiler: Actions

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Can Sirian tell why they all died at the same time? It seems like an odd coincidence...
Heal (1d20+13)[16]

[BelGareth]

Spoiler: Heal check

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DC 15
This was definitely not natural, nothing, kills like this, at the same time. But some kind of disease or pox caused these deaths.

DC 20
You can tell this is some kind of magical pox, specifically targeting humans.

[samduke]

Venus awakening this morning much like many in the past. Wandering out finding those she had feelings for all dead. No obvious clue as to whom may have done this deed, But she figured it was something very powerful and needed to know. She set out looking around for clues, tracks anything that could point to what was the cause.

Spoiler: rolls

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search (1d20+11)[16]

[Deadguy]

Reia looked up from her place at the table as Isandra came in and retrieved a shovel. Reia gave a silent nod and stood, immediately understanding her intent. "I'll help."

As they walked out and passed Sirian going back inside, the interaction was just too much. It may have been seen as too human. The others had probably even stated such to her several time during their stay in the cottage, but she could not help it. These two had been the closest, understood her the best. Desired a life with the 'lesser' races the most. Despite the misgivings, she reached out to embrace Sirian. Not to hold him tightly or prevent him from doing what he wish, but an embrace of comfort none the less.

No matter the reaction, she would give a small smile before continuing to follow Isandra to the spot she thought best for a final resting place.

Spoiler: OOC: Checks

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✥ No actions

Spoiler: Character Details

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Vasrei'nola Sheet Tome Dragon | Sorcerer Player: Deadguy DEFENSE ⛨ HP 63/63 ⛨ AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 19 Fort 9, Ref 9, Will 12 Speed 30 | Init +8 OFFENCE Base Attack Bonus 6 RANGED ⯎ Runestaff, elvencraft +9 (1d8+1, x3) STATISTICS Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 21 Condition ✥ Auras (60 ft) - motivate intelligence (+5 to intelligence skills / checks) - resilient troops (+1 saves) ✥ Active Spells - cloak of khyber (extended; 12 days) - mage armor (extended; 12 hr) - nondetection (extended; 12 hr)

[niw18]

Dreq awoke to find the human that raised him dead and mourned him but he did not have that great of a time as Kaizo was a great caregiver but he was an evil and ruthless trainer that taught him his art before he died. He would look to the man and swear he find those responsible for those who did this to him and get revenge for him and went to see how others are. he would look about as he went to check on the others and to see how their human parents are. Dreq found to his dismay that all the human parents that raised us since we hatched as a clutch are dead. He would swear to each of his clutch brethren that he find and get revenge for their deaths. He would find Isandra and look to her her "let me get a shovel I help you and I swear to you I will find get the ones that did this as I still required our human parents"

[DeTess]

Isandra nodded her thanks as Reia promised her help. She welcomed Dreq's help too, though his fury unnerved her somewhat. Though the simultaneous deaths looked odd, she had a hard time coming up with a reason why someone would intentionally cause them, and swearing to revenge when it wasn't even clear anything other than time or a failing longevity enchantment was to blame seemed too much to her. Still, she kept her peace. Speaking up now would only create unnecessary conflict in this time of mourning.

It was a short walk to the old oak, but the fresh air didn't do much to thaw the numbness that she felt, though it was now also tinged by a feeling of melancholy. I'll likely never return here when I leave... the thought came to her unbidden as she put her shovel to the earth. That thought, in turn, sparked another memory of long ago, of dwarves working in a quarry and singing a work-song. The song had stopped her in her tracks at the time, because despite its rhythm perfectly matching the pace of work, the song itself had been a requiem of sorts for a lost dwarf hold, and its sadness had been apparent even when she didn't yet understand the words.

With no reason not to, she launched into the song as she dug, letting its rhythm carry her through the work, while its sad tone wove itself into her numbness like the roots of an ancient tree, and slowly broke away the emotional armor she hadn't even realized she'd raised.

Spoiler: Perform(sing) check

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(1d20+14)[16]

[Togo]

At first, Sirian's stiff form did not react to the hug, the same tension keeping him upright also keeping him unbending. But then he melted into the embrace. He shook once, twice, then released. His eyes shining, he returned half a smile. Then moved inside to prepare the dead.

The song drifted inside as he worked, and he recognised the voice of Isandra. Of course she would see to the proprietaries, as she always did. Yet even her song was shaken... His train of thought ground to a halt, as he examined the bodies more closely.

Several minutes later he was scrubbing at his hands and arms with the wire brush. The children's brush, that the adults never used because of what it did to their tender skin. He was careful, and methodical, and thorough, his hands going through practiced motions while the implications of what he had found swooped and dove within his mind.

Then he followed the song to the old oak. There he saw Isandra, wielding a shovel as she sang. Dreq digging as if the ground was some foe to be felled. He would be all the angrier, Sirian realised, with no focus for his wrath. Reia using the only remaining digging tool, a trowel, to weaken and loosen the dirt. Nearby, Venus carefully quartering the perimeter, looking for something out of place. Someone to blame?

He stood for a moment, staring at them, feeling the ground beneath him slipping away, as if standing on the start of a landslide that would carry them far from here, that they might not all expect to survive.

We have a problem. He didn't blink. They died of a disease, yes, but not a natural one. Their deaths were not an accident.

[Deadguy]

Reia breathed heavily. The fact that Isandra could move earth with a shovel and carry a tune at all was a testament to her abilities. Reia was not built for such physical labor. Still this was no time to complain. The toil of digging graves shouldn't be trivialized with magic either.

She paused and arched her back, it had started to ache from hunching over to break ground with the trowel. Upon Sirian's coming up and making such a statement, she leaned the tool against the oak tree. "What are you saying?"

She had preferred to not see the bodies again, hoping that the funeral shrouds and filled graves would be easier than cold, lifeless skin. Starting back up the hill to the cabin, her eyes began to glow a fierce crimson. She called upon her inherent ability to see the workings of magic as she went back to examine the bodies more closely than she cared to.

As she went from body to body, her mind raced. Had someone discovered the cottage? Why target only their adopted parents? If they were hunting dragons, wouldn't they attack now that the clutch was relatively defenseless? There were a dizzying amount of questions rising up like the flood waters of a river after a heavy rain.

Spoiler: OOC: Checks

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✥ Activate Arcane Sight
✥ Spellcraft vs residual magic (1d20+31)[43]
✥ Knowledge (Arcana) vs possible methods (1d20+20)[37]

Spoiler: Character Details

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Vasrei'nola Sheet Tome Dragon | Sorcerer Player: Deadguy DEFENSE ⛨ HP 63/63 ⛨ AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 19 Fort 9, Ref 9, Will 12 Speed 30 | Init +8 OFFENCE Base Attack Bonus 6 RANGED ⯎ Runestaff, elvencraft +9 (1d8+1, x3) STATISTICS Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 21 Condition ✥ Auras (60 ft) - motivate intelligence (+5 to intelligence skills / checks) - resilient troops (+1 saves) ✥ Active Spells - cloak of khyber (extended; 12 days) - mage armor (extended; 12 hr) - nondetection (extended; 12 hr) - arcane sight (6 min)

[DeTess]

Isandra let out a sigh at Sirian's proclamation. She'd hoped things wouldn't get complicated like this quite this early. "Thanks for telling me." She considered adding more, but then let it go. This wasn't the time for wild speculation, nor was it the time to go running off. She accompanied Reia back to the cottage, not because she believed that she could do anything to help her find out more, but because there where some things she wanted to have close to hand before resuming her self-imposed tasks of digging the graves.

In the cottage she retrieved two packages from her resting place, one a formless shape wrapped in cloth, that let out a high noise of metal moving over metal as she threw at across one shoulder, and the other a massive greatsword in an old but well maintained leather scabbard. She'd been gifted both by one of her uncles years ago, and had practiced plenty with the blade, having become familiar with all its little quirks.

Blade and armor retrieved, she headed back to the tree and placed them against the trunk, out of the way of ehr work, but within easy reach. She then continued with her digging, but now in silence, with plenty of short breaks to look down the slope to watch for anyone approaching the cottage.

Spoiler: Spot check

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(1d20+14)[16]

[Cavir]

Mengksgovarth had spent most of the night as he normally did, flying, hunting, and patrolling among the mountain range their eyrie bordered on. He didn't need to eat, the magic ring he wore took care of his food needs, but he had no interest in sitting in a virtual cave for hundreds of years. The same ring helped with his night long excursions. He only needed a couple of hours of sleep to be refreshed. He returned as usual shortly before first light and slept.

The young purple dragon woke to the distant sound of Isandra singing. He got up and headed for the door. He was surprised the caretakers were still in their beds. Then he noticed why. He stood there on all fours in his natural form, silent. After several minutes his tail slammed to the floor, shaking anything loose nearby. Mengksgovarth turned and went out side following the sound of the song. The others were all older

He found the others digging graves. "No one thought to wake me? What happened?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Heal check (1d20+5)[14]

[BelGareth]

Venus: You find only the tracks you would normally find in the cottage, nothing pops out as unusual.

Isandra: Your sad dirge begins strong, but begins to shake, as your emotions begin tot get the better of you, was it human like, sure, but even dragons have human like emotions, and you were raised by them, there was no shame in such a showing of feelings, and your sang echoed of the trees and mountain side like a final farewell tribute.

Reia: You activate your innate ability to call upon magics far beyond your ken, and see a startling discovery, the fading of an extremely powerful spells, only the whisps of it still remained, but it was there, incredibly strong necromantic energies still whirled in an eddy of arcane currents, something had indeed targeted your adopted guardians.

Isandra: you keep an eye out, but see nothing, coming up the slopes that were accessible was folly, and everything knew it, the easiest way to and from the cottage was flying, so the sheer cliff that the windows looked out of offered no easy route for intruders, still though, nothing moved towards the abode.

[Deadguy]

"You were right Sirian. Even now there's traces of strong necromancy lingering." The word necromancy was spoken with a venomous distaste that most had not heard from Reia.

She rested heavily on her staff as she pondered who could have come after their adopted parents. Each had such a vastly different background, the only connecting factor was the dragons. That meant someone had uncovered their secret.

"The fact that they did not outright attack us leads me to believe whoever did this is no dragonslayer. They would not allow us time to organize and possibly scatter to the winds..."

Spoiler: OOC: Checks

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✥ Knowledge (local / history) vs people / organizations capable (1d20+12)[31]

Spoiler: Character Details

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Vasrei'nola Sheet Tome Dragon | Sorcerer Player: Deadguy DEFENSE ⛨ HP 63/63 ⛨ AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 19 Fort 9, Ref 9, Will 12 Speed 30 | Init +8 OFFENCE Base Attack Bonus 6 RANGED ⯎ Runestaff, elvencraft +9 (1d8+1, x3) STATISTICS Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 21 Condition ✥ Auras (60 ft) - motivate intelligence (+5 to intelligence skills / checks) - resilient troops (+1 saves) ✥ Active Spells - arcane sight (continuous) - cloak of khyber (extended; 12 days) - mage armor (extended; 12 hr) - nondetection (extended; 12 hr)

[DeTess]

Isandra looked up as Meng approached. You've seen what happened to our guardians? A quick look at his eyes confirmed that he had. "I don't know what exactly did this to them. Sirian and Reia are looking into it. They're a lot better equipped for that sort of thing than I am."

Isandra gestures at the broken earth around her. "I'm just..." her composure and voice cracked then, for just a second, before she could master herself again. With everything that was happening she felt like falling apart, but she didn't want to do so in front of the others, especially the younger ones. "I'm just doing what I can to prepare a final resting place for our caretakers."

[Cavir]

With the mention of enemy magic Mengksgovarth's senses go on high alert. "Where does the magic appear? Just inside? Out here too? Across the whole area? A spell cast while inside means something vastly different than a spell that affected the whole region. Perhaps the spell only affected humanoids, saving us? If the spell is just around here then they had to come close meaning maybe they left signs of their passage and may even be nearby still. Dammit, my flights took me into the mountains last night, not around here. How did they get past our blindsense?"

Mengs looked to Isandra. "If it will help, choose where you want them laid out and I will clear out the spots."

Spoiler: OOC

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Spot [roll]1d20+12[/roll]
From OOC: Spot (1d20+12)[29]

[DeTess]

Isandra shook her head at Meng's barrage of questions. "I don't know. Though if whatever happened was a risk to us as well, Reia or Sirian should have told us by now."

For a moment, she considered refusing his offer of help. It wasn't that she didn't want it, but she knew how quickly he'd be able to get the job done, and part of her wanted to take her time and 'do it properly', whatever that might mean. However, circumstances being as they where they couldn't afford the sentimentality. Given what Sirian had discovered, they'd better leave as soon as possible, and that meant getting the graves dug as quickly as possible as well.

"Could you dig, here, here, here and... here?" She marked each location with her shovel. "Just focus on making them about 6 foot deep and long, I'll smoothen out the edges after you're done with the rough work."

[Togo]

Sirian looked up from the hole. After hearing Mengksgovarth's offer, he nodded and carefully set his trowel to one side.

As Issy said, leave the sides for us to straighten. We want the edges to be spadework, with no trace of claws. And maybe a shade over seven feet if you can manage it. Those rock lizards who plagued the garden last year will be back in few months, and they like to dig up... things.

He straightens, unconsciously trying to make himself taller as the shadow of his foster sibling falls on him.

We should be safe. They died of some kind of plague, but no natural disease takes people that quickly, and certainly not all at the same time. Reia said necromancy, which suggests some kind of spell or curse. We're not dead now, so it probably only hits humans. They... they were always frailer than us, despite their experience. Still, tell me if you notice any of us getting ill, and I can deal with it.

He glanced out over the mountainside, probably to avoid looking people in the eye for a few moments. As he continued, his tone became increasingly clipped and formal.

Venus is checking to see if anyone got in, but as Reia said, we need to understand why whoever did this went for them and not us. I'm thinking it's more likely that they could be harmed because they left here and went out. To get supplies, tools... toys. That made them vulnerable. And if they'd left skin, or hair behind, or maybe just their names, someone could have used that to target them. Or maybe all humans on this mountain are dead, just to make us more visible.

He took a deep breath, and blotted his eyes with one sleeve.

Either way, I do not trust the coincidence, that the people hiding a secret from powerful enemies all suddenly died from powerful magic. I think we need to assume this happened because of... because of us. That we were the reason that... If you will excuse me, I have got something in my eye. Dust from the digging. I will be back after a short interval.

He walked stiffly back to the house, head steady, looking straight ahead, not meeting anyone's gaze.

[Cavir]

"When we do find who did this, no torture will be too cruel for them. We may be the last of our kind, we are what matters." Mengksgovarth makes short work of making the holes as requested. He hoped giving Isandra something, even simple, to focus on helped her.

Once his earth moving task was done Mengks started moving their former guardians graveside. "Reia, did the spell only cover the cottage or did it extend much further out?"

[niw18]

he was digging and heard isandra break into song which ripped into his heart they closet things they had to parents so he put head down as song hitting him hard yes he was evil bastard but he made sure he had everything he needed. he noticed Sirian walking over to them and when he heard what he had to say he would hiss and grip the shovel as a swirl of anger over how weak people must be not to give them a chance fight back. he heard reia questioning what siran said but would stayied quiet as he was very pissed of at the moment. afterwards he would go spend time in dragon form attacking training dummies working out hisanger towards who ever did this to one raised them. he did not care if it was raining as he was so going to find ones did this and make thier life a living nightmare by ripping them to pieces.

[samduke]

Walking back in side, Well there is no signs of anything odd. I suggest that once we are done here we find another place to be. As whom ever did this may come back.

[Deadguy]

At Meng's request, Reia directed the focus of her divination to outside the cottage. She looked for traces of the necromantic magics, as well as anything else that might be out of the ordinary. Despite her activity, her mind was still elsewhere. Running through the gamut of people that might have a connection to Romen that would wish him ill.

Could it be a coincidence that they all fell victim to the disease, if it was meant for a single one of them. A disease made for a convenient cover of murder, if the user had assumed their target would be within the confines of normal human civilized life.

All of those things were possible, but it didn't explain the sudden onset and deadliness of the disease. Everything she had ever read about them suggested they moved fairly slowly, weakening the infected until they eventually succumbed. After all, if a disease killed the host too quickly, it couldn't spread.

Spoiler: OOC: Checks

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✥ Spellcraft vs outside auras (1d20+31)[35]
✥ Heal vs fast-acting diseases (1d20+4)[16]

Spoiler: Character Details

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Vasrei'nola Sheet Tome Dragon | Sorcerer Player: Deadguy DEFENSE ⛨ HP 63/63 ⛨ AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 19 Fort 9, Ref 9, Will 12 Speed 30 | Init +8 OFFENCE Base Attack Bonus 6 RANGED ⯎ Runestaff, elvencraft +9 (1d8+1, x3) STATISTICS Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 21 Condition ✥ Auras (60 ft) - motivate intelligence (+5 to intelligence skills / checks) - resilient troops (+1 saves) ✥ Active Spells - arcane sight (continuous) - cloak of khyber (extended; 12 days) - mage armor (extended; 12 hr) - nondetection (extended; 12 hr)

[DeTess]

"Don't let them turn us into the monsters they say we are." Isandra replied to Mengs vehement outburst, though there was little energy behind the admonishment. She'd been afraid of exactly this response since Sirian's news. "If someone's coming after us I'll help deal with them, but revenge at any cost..." She knew enough histories, sagas and folk stories to know that that wouldn't lead to a place she'd want to be. "It's not what our guardians would want either. They didn't keep us safe here for us to throw it all away chasing vengeance."

She sighed. She really didn't want to have this discussion right now, and was already regretting speaking up this soon. "If the opportunity presents itself, I wouldn't mind dealing with whoever did this in a permanent way, but I don't want this to consume who I am."

[Togo]

Sirian reappeared at the entrance. Now he was wearing his armour, something he had always hated. His backpack bulged. He looked all packed up and ready to... travel.

He was also talking to his invisible friend. For some reason he'd never grown out of doing that.

... get your feathers in a twist, just want to make sure, that's all.... Thanks!

He pauses at the door as Venus enters.

Go? Agreed. I don't think we're ready to leave but I don't see we have a choice. I've got my clothes, weapons, tools, toys. I doubt we'll be coming back. I suggest we get Isandra to carry the food, while Meng sticks with carrying water. You know what his appetite is like. I'd like to take the tools, but... we don't need them, and they'll be heavy.

He glanced over at the others by the graveside.

I think the others will want to go. Reia's already mentioned it. Issy was never happy staying put anyway. Dreq and Meng are pissed, and they can't rend the enemy limb from limb while staying here.

Then he approached the others cautiously

Consume Isandra? he said, with forced cheer. Meng's got far more meat on him. Besides, we don't know where she's been...

He reached the hole, crouched down and peered in.

Looking good. How about I finish up while you... He takes a deep breath. ...go and pack?

Sirian sat back on his heels. Unless anyone thinks we can stay here? His voice is soft and tense. Now that we know this was deliberate?

We can finish the burial. I can say a few words over the grave, if everyone would like me to. We need to discuss what form we travel in, and where we head for. But first we need to be ready to leave, in an instant, in case whoever did this sends something up that path.

Spoiler: Action

Show

Activate detect spirits (sp) while in the cottage, and keep it on while scanning the immediate area.

[DeTess]

Sirian's joke, poor as it was, caused a small twitch at the corners of Isandra's lips.Gods, but I could do with leaving all this heavy stuff behind me. She hopped out of the grave and put her shovel in the ground, leaving it within easy reach for Sirian if he decided he'd need it.

"If this was as deliberate as it seems, we can't stay here." She shook her head at Sirian's question. "I know some songs to sing at the burial too. And there's another thing... If someone has time for one more small errand, could they try finding a decent size rock? We don't have the time for any sort of proper grave marker, but we should leave something at least."

After that she hurried back tot he cottage, carrying her sword and armor with her. She didn't have all that much more to pack than that, but the few other things she had where quite precious to her. Inside, she first shrugged off the comfortable travelling coat she'd been wearing,a dn then quickly pulled on her chainmail armor. If there was going to be trouble, it'd be soon, and she'd preferred to be prepared. After that, she gathered together her remaining possessions. Most important where the beautiful and well tailored clothes she'd worn as a performer. There was also case with a number of old maps she'd gotten long ago. They weren't all that accurate, and hopelessly out of date even before her exile, but she still enjoyed looking over them and imagining the possibilities lying beyond the horizon. She packed these away together with a bedroll and some provisions in a handy backpack that had special straps that allowed her to easily carry it both in her human form and in her draconic form. Within a couple of minutes she was ready to leave.

[Cavir]

"Don't let them turn us into the monsters they say we are." Isandra replied to Mengks vehement outburst, though there was little energy behind the admonishment.

Mengksgovarth raised a draconic eyebrow. "You know I won't blindly go on a massive human killing spree. Any one of us could easily wipe out the nearby village but that would attract too much trouble, eventually. Just don't expect mercy from me when we find that enemy."

"I'm in no hurry to leave. We were complacent. We just need to have someone on watch at all times for when they return. It's our home. Our advantage. Six of us. They should fear us. Running away will empower them. Heading into human lands isn't going to help us. If you want to leave we can go further into the mountains where they can't get in and out so easily. There are caves we can improve on to make new lairs. Keep to our birth forms, otherwise why be one of the most powerful creatures that exist?"

"I can find us a rock. Pack what you want to keep if you insist on leaving, but have a plan for where we are going. Weight isn't an issue for me."

[samduke]

Venus walking over packing all her things. Staying and waiting for the unknown to come at us is not the best of ideas, finding those whom did this should be our priority as I feel something greater at work is involved in all of this.

[Deadguy]

Reia scoffed at Meng's assessment of the situation. Nearly snorting at the assumption of being the most powerful creatures.

"Those much older and stronger than us fell. Doing that very thing. There is no place difficult to reach when they employ magic, which they obviously do... because this happened."

She motioned toward the dug graves as emphasis.

"The real equalizer in this our ability to blend in with the other races. It is easy to release a human-killing plague if you know all of the humans in an area are your enemy, but when it's unaligned and unsuspecting people... I think the larger cities are the safest, based on the sheer amount of resources required to locate specific individuals, as well as the economic ramifications of releasing such an attack again."

She paused in consideration.

"However, the larger the city, the more likely a random event involving discovery might occur. A mage with an active spell, or adventurer with an active item of true sight could easily uncover a dragon's form... luckily, I have a way around that."

Spoiler: OOC: Checks

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Spoiler: Character Details

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Vasrei'nola Sheet Tome Dragon | Sorcerer Player: Deadguy DEFENSE ⛨ HP 63/63 ⛨ AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 19 Fort 9, Ref 9, Will 12 Speed 30 | Init +8 OFFENCE Base Attack Bonus 6 RANGED ⯎ Runestaff, elvencraft +9 (1d8+1, x3) STATISTICS Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 21 Condition ✥ Auras (60 ft) - motivate intelligence (+5 to intelligence skills / checks) - resilient troops (+1 saves) ✥ Active Spells - arcane sight (continuous) - cloak of khyber (extended; 12 days) - mage armor (extended; 12 hr) - nondetection (extended; 12 hr)

[Togo]

Sirian leans on the spade. The hole is not much bigger, but it looks sharper, neater, as if dug by humans rather than the claws of a dragon.

I think we need cover. That means people, the more the better. And we need information, which also means people. And we need a place where strangers won't be remarked on. That means city, I think. Although we'll need to leave every so often if we ever want to fly again.

He started to dig again.

But then what do we do once we're there? While we can assume human form, we're stronger, tougher. We'll stand out. Unless we hang around people who are also tough. But that's dangerous if they turn against us, so a group that takes orders from above, like an army, or a church, is probably out. Something involving people who are tough, varied backgrounds so we don't stand out. And basically stubborn, people who won't sell out one of their own. That means no criminals, no political posts, ideally something with a guild. Something where we can stick together.... Hmm.

He leaned over to dig around a protruding root.

Thing is, I've never really been to a city. What we need is some kind of profession full of very tough people who value fighting skills, who come from a great variety of backgrounds, who regularly go around in armed groups, have some sort of guild in a big city. Oh, and are at least fairly well paid. Hmm...

Sirian suddenly straightened.

Isandra, there was something like that in one of your stories of heroism and adventure, wasn't there? Those people in cloaks, dangerous lifestyle, everyone always happy to see them. Get paid a lot. We could be some of them? What were they called... Courtesans!

His brow furrowed.

You always kinda skated over what they actually did for a living though. Do you reckon that's a career that we could do? It would be better if we can stay working as a team.