Pieces and Places (Hafnium)

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

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: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 44, Status = Fine

Times hadn't exactly been hard of late for Tala, for there was always something to do among the ranks of the sellswords working along the Amazonia-Badaria border. The going was certainly far easier than it had been in the depths of the Pfitheran jungle, the land that her tribe called home. She could fight when she wanted, where she wanted, and be paid for it in simple coin that could be exchanged for whatever she wanted in the moment. There were fewer rules, and even if she was less interested in it than she had been back home, plenty of loose women and eager men to take to bed among the various settlements across which she had wandered. Hedhonism would be an easy lifestyle to fall into in that environment, and certainly many of her contemporaries had fallen into such mindsets around her, flitting away their wages and brothels and pleasure houses rather than putting it to any sort of long-term purpose. Not all were so cavalier with their funds, however; some were more ambitious with their funds, investing in ventures to perhaps earn some coin back, and others simply sent a portion of their wages back to some family that many of them hadn't seen in years.

Her wide ranging tactics had earned Tala a number of special contracts over time, particularly where spellcasters or other supernatural elements were expected, but the majority of her work had undoubtedly been mundane. Bodyguard work, town watch in dangerous parts of the year, enlistment in petty conflict between one person with the wealth to muster a force against another, courier work, caravan guard work along or even across the border, and tracking down wanted criminals for bounty money had all been sources of quick wealth when she wanted or needed it.

This time of year, in early Autumn by the Badarian calendar and the end of the monsoon season by the jungle's accounting, offered a number of options for seeking contract work. The breeding season of a dangerous breed of creature that lived within the jungle but sometimes spread out into Badaria had just begun, and the call had gone out for people to engage in the extermination of nests and elimination of breeding males so as to keep them from trying to claim too much territory. That would take her into the jungle, however, and while necessary, it also didn't pay all that well unless she also scavenged the hides, meat, and assorted other body parts of the creatures efficiently. An even less glamorous but far more civilized offer of work had come for another of the minor conflicts between lords, taking place some ways up North. That would mean traveling a ways, low pay, low quality food, and fighting alongside a number of other mercenaries and maybe a smattering of hapless militia for a cause that probably didn't matter and that she almost certainly wouldn't care about, but it would mean steady pay and, potentially looting if they got to sack a town or estate. It might also mean that she would be shot at, however, which generally wasn't a pleasant experience. Finally, for more adventurous work, a rumor was going around that a local noblewoman was putting out a call for someone to go into the jungle to find and retrieve the treasure from a long lost temple of some sort. Such things could pay well, particularly if the place turned out to actually exist and have not been pillaged yet, but also came with a far greater risk and would, naturally, necessitate going back East into the ever-dangerous Pfitherian jungle.

 

[Hafnium]

Violence was a popular skill-set. It was as true in the 'civilized' lands of the fractured kingdom of Badaria as it had been in Tala's 'uncivilized' home in the dense jungles of Amazonia. Some, especially in 'civilized' territory, might say that true civilization was beyond this disgusting thing called violence, that it was a relic of backwoods tribes the likes of which Tala hailed from. They would say this up until they decided that they had a right to something which was not currently in their possession. Usually this was a right to great wealth or something that would gain them said wealth, and it was a right given to them by their gods, a piece of paper, or a particular pair of ancestors having mated 300 years prior, none of whom could be reached for further comment on whether or not that right extended to visiting violence on the people currently tending that wealth. That was when they would inevitably realize that to commit violence for a cause was noble and just and downright heroic even in the most civilized of society, so long as it was for the winner.

Tala, for her part, was not a philosopher. She had left that role to her elder sister long ago. She did not know if violence was truly necessary in this world or if utopia was just around the corner, waiting for people like her to stop swinging their swords for long enough to find it. The ursine warrior had lost the taste for violence that she'd held in her youth, largely because she'd realized it was as dangerous for her as it was for everybody else involved. Indeed, violence had been the great equalizer when she had arrived to the notoriously xenophobic Badaria. Wilderheart or human, mercenary or knight, the feuding lords of Badaria were happy to shove them all into the meatgrinder together in order to claim their 'rightful' lands, and they paid lavishly to ensure those same remnants would return for a second pass the next time the lord or lady's 'rights' were infringed upon. With few other marketable skills and little acceptance from Badarians in more 'civilized' facets of life, the tribal exile had no choice but to enter into the lucrative industry. And now all she could do was scrimp in the hopes of winning a peaceful retirement before a stray bullet or an errant thrust granted her a different type of peace.

Her viewpoint and past in mind, she did not so much enthusiastically pick one of the three jobs she could pursue next as she whittled it down to the option she disliked the least. The contract to slay the jungle creatures was discarded outright, as Tala had no desire to go hunting wildlife in Amazonia ever again. Badarians simply didn't understand the massive boost in quality of life that came with not having to check a bedroll for snakes, parasites, or giant wasps before lying down for the night. The jungle temple was more tempting, but a large risk monetarily in addition to the other nuisances of trekking through the jungle. If the temple didn't exist or had already been pilfered, there was a chance that her patron wouldn't pay up and that she'd be in the negative for having taken the job. That left the more typical mercenary work to the north. It would be cold, it would be grueling, and if there were orcs and Badarians involved then there would be a lot of opposing guns. Still, the pay was steady and she'd be away from giant insects, so she supposed she should pick up her cold weather clothing and start prepping for the trip north.

Spoiler

Tala will be taking the northern work.

 

[Tassadar]

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: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 44, Status = Fine

The roads along the border were rarely as safe or well maintained as the nobles that were profiting off of them advertised. The highways of the Badarian Empire had long since fallen into disrepair outside of the more populated heartland, the state-sponsored engineers who had built it being a long distant memory, and local powers rarely put as much effort into their infrastructure when pillaging their neighbors and lavish lifestyles were so much more expensive and appealing. Brigands, corrupt local constables happy to abuse their power to try to wring coin from travelers, and the occasional monster wandering out of the basin of the jungle were all too happy to victimize whoever seemed like they might be easy prey.

Rolls

Spoiler

Navigation: 3 successes.
Perception: 2 successes.
Stealth: 6 successes. +__+

Heading North towards the ongoing violence offered a number of routes. The dilapidated highway going that way was still in use, but the towns along it were infamously poor and unfriendly to outsiders these days, having little of value to trade and thus benefiting little from the caravans that went along that route. Taking a route deeper into Badaria would take a little bit longer, but the towns tended to be friendlier and better off, being largely self sufficient. Previous travels in the region also caused her to remember a river ferry that might cut off a bit of time if she was willing to spend a few coins on it, making it roughly the same time as the highway assuming that she didn't make any prolonged stops. The straightest and therefore the fastest route, however, would be to take a branching road off into the jungle, a road that descended into a low basin nearby; it would get her to the right place in the shortest amount of time, even if she'd be roughing it a couple of nights.

Any of those three directions necessitated that she went North a short ways along the highway, however, and as she exited the town that she'd been staying in upon the end of her last job, so that was what she did. A short ways down the road, she would come upon a person resting on a fallen log on the side of the road, poking at a fire while some sausages and something in a pot cooked over it. The figure turned out to be a young man with a curtain of shiny black hair, some of which was tied back into a top-knot more commonly seen in far Eastern Amazonia, on the steppe or even among the mountainous or oceanic cities, than it was in jungle Amazonia. He was young, clad in a traveler's clothes and seemingly unarmored, though he had a rifle resting against the log and close to hand.

As Tala came into view, he looked up from his disinterested work on his food and burst into a friendly, boyish smile. "Hello, fellow traveler! Care to sit a spell and have some lunch, maybe trade some stories or songs? I was lucky with my foraging today, and I happen to have plenty of extra food!" He called, waving with the hand not holding the stick that he was using as a poker.

 

[Hafnium]

The sight of someone resting by the path immediately struck Tala as suspicious. Even so close to civilization, a lone traveler eating lunch would be a beacon to bandits and other such lawless types along the largely patrol-less roads in the remnants of Badaria. And then he proceeded to bring even more attention to himself by waving her over and inviting her to share food with him. Was the youth inexperienced, altruistic, scheming, thinking with the wrong head, or some combination of the four?

Tala would simply stand and analyze him for a few moments before eventually deciding that it was probably best to find out the man's motivations by accepting his invitation. If the whole thing was part of some sort of plot or ambush, it was probably best to be within sword's length of him and his gun. And who knew, perhaps she'd be pleasantly surprised and he'd have no ulterior motives to him, though years of mercenary work led her to rank that at the absolute bottom of her list of possibilities.

"A rest wouldn't hurt my feelings," the scarred warrior replied before moving to take a seat across from the man, even if it necessitated sitting on the ground. "I'm Tala, of a small tribe living in the jungle to the east. It's unusual to see camps so close to the path here in Badaria. Are you a recent arrival too?"

Spoiler

Spend 2 EP for a free action Analysis on the mysterious traveler. Specifically looking to get an idea of how experienced he is as a warrior.

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

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: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 42/44, Status = Fine

Tala's analysis, focused on his physical attributes, would find that the young man was very slightly magical, being not entirely human but also not sporting any overtly demonic taint to his lineage. There were hints of faerie influence, but if he was the descendant of one of the sidhe it hadn't manifested strongly as of yet. There were no hints that he was a spellcaster or capable of exerting any particularly strong spiritual power, though the amount of energy for that which he carried was a bit more than could be expected. His body, likewise, was not particularly dangerous. He had muscle on his relatively lanky frame, toned muscle, but it was more what she might expect from someone who worked at manual labor for a living. He did seem to have some impressive manual dexterity, but overall, the young man was less than threatening. Whether or not that gave Tala an inclination to decide on the man's motivations for being so friendly was up to her, however.

"I'm Theodore! Nice to meet you, Tala!" He replied brightly. There was just the fallen log in terms of seating near the fire, and Theodore would siddle over to give Tala space to sit beside him, but she was still free to take a seat on the ground, at a safe distance across the fire, as she had planned. He wouldn't seem too bothered regardless of her choice of position.

"Somewhere in the jungle, huh? You mean the, uhhh... Pi-therion one? That place is pretty dangerous if you get deep in, do your people live around here?" He asked innocently, poking at the fire and rotating the spit with the sausages speared over it in a half-turn. "Yeah, sort of a new arrival. I've been wandering around for about a week, doing odd jobs for people, following the work. My daddy passed, and my older brother inherited the family plot. He and I never really saw eye to eye on things, but he was decent enough to give me a few days to get myself together before I had to get out of the house."

Just then, some bushes off of the road would rustle, and Theodore would reach briefly for his rifle before a figure emerged, and he relaxed and smile. It was an alraune, with fair green skin and stringy violet "hair" that came halfway down to their waist, and a curvy figure. More oddly, they were clad in a thick, traditional Badarian style dress, a garment that was fairly impractical for long term traveling given its flared out skirt and, despite the plant-woman's matronly figure, left much of the contours of her body to the imagination. "Hey Belle! Find your local kinfolk?" Theodore called, to which the alraune nodded and smiled faintly.

"Yesseh, I communed with them for a spell. They shan't bother us, s'long as I keep meself from siring or havin' sired any seedlings while I'm about in the region. We won't have to worry too much, least where they're concerned, and if they notice somethin' that ain't too friendly comin' our way, we'll have some warning!" She replied, before turning to Tala and giving a curtsy, a greeting that likely did not exist in Tala's culture, though living on the border may have exposed her to it. "I'm Belladonna, but Belle for short. Don't mind the name, 'sides the accent that some people take issue with, I'm sweet as can be! Promise! What's your name?" Assuming that Tala repeated her introduction, Belle would respond similarly, leaving it open for the bear to offer continued small talk or questions if she liked.

 

[Hafnium]

Tala would rather stubbornly choose to sit on the ground, despite the existence of the log. She didn't yet trust her conversational partner enough to settle herself in a place where she couldn't look him in the eyes.

Though some of her distrust faded once her 'host' introduced himself and truly began sharing with her. Tala quickly came to an understanding regarding the young man. From his words alone she felt she could safely classify him as young, naive, and inexperienced. At least it was a refreshing change of pace to old, jaded, and scheming, she supposed.

She wouldn't interrupt the man other than to shake her head at his question about the home of her people. "They live in the deepest parts of the Pfthirian jungle. To keep demons at bay." Inwardly she wondered how much time he had left, doing things like sharing meals with strangers and odd jobs while being so naively altruistic that he saw his own exile as a kindness. He'd be someone's fall guy or a nameless soldier in the first wave of a suicide attack soon, she had no doubt.

Still, it wasn't her place to intrude on his life with pointless advice from a stranger. And even if she'd been of a mind to do so, she'd be roused from her thoughts before she could at the arrival of the alraune, whose odd clothing came off as even odder to Tala who'd never known an alraune to wear clothes at all. Her hand would move to the hilt of her own sword, and linger there for several seconds even after Theodore called out to the possible invader. Tala was very familiar with alraunes, if not in the same way as her studied little sister. She had killed many in the defense of her tribe and its people. The pollen and their tentacles made them a serious threat and left no room for a warrior to relax his or her guard, leaving her very reluctant to relax in the presence of the unknown plant woman. Tala ended up having to force herself to take her hand away from her sword and return to a resting position, as it became crystal clear that the alraune could be nothing other than friends with her 'host.'

"Belle," she said the name almost experimentally, trying to determine why she should take issue with it. Tala knew belladonna to be a plant, but unlike her healer younger sister was not aware of its nicknames or any of its properties. Maybe she'd ask an alchemist later, if she remembered. "I'm Tala," she repeated in greeting. "Formerly from a small tribe in the jungle, but I'm a sword for hire now."

"Where are you two headed?" She would ask after coming to the conscious decision to try and make some small talk. "I'm on my way to a conflict in the north. A lord up there needs extra swords for some petty squabble or another."

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

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: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 42/44, Status = Fine

"Oh... you're a little far from home then, ain'tcha?" Theodore asked, before the arrival of Belle briefly interrupted their conversation. Thankfully, neither seemed to notice the prolonged presence of Tala's hand on her weapon, ensuring that her heightened caution around the plant woman wouldn't produce any potential awkwardness.

"Oh, nowhere in particulars," Belle replied breezily, and Theodore nodded and sighed. "I'm just lookin' fer someplace to call my own, maybe start a family of my own. Belle's helping me with that, says she'll help me get somma them shorn weeds cultivated, which oughta be an easy source of early income when they're grown, once we find a decent spot. A lot of land out here is sort of unclaimed still, but finding a spot that's fertile, and that's not too close to the jungle, but is near enough to a town for it to be worth settling on is... Well, a fair bit harder than I thought."

Belle, after nodding along to Theodore's explanation, would then ask; "You're a sellsword by trade then? I guess that makes sense, with how you're equipped... I could never stomach that, killing folks for money like that. Not that I'm judging, just... Well, I can't even stomach eating meat." The alraune shrugged, her tone devoid of any signs that she was being judgemental about Tala's choice of profession. "We were thinking of heading Northwards, and well... Travel isn't always safe around these parts. We could travel together for safety... If you're willing to put up with us," she continued, shrugging.

It was about then that Theodore took up the spit and began moving the sausages from it onto a tin plate. "These are done, stew should be good to go as well. Errr, have you got a bowl and cutlery of your own? I... Don't exactly have any extra," he said, offering Tala a portion of the sausages he'd cooked. There were six of the small hunks of meat, and they looked to have been prepared originally with spices to add to their flavor, though it was up to Tala how many of them she wanted to eat. The stew was a vegetable mix, primarily of potato and other root vegetables, but fishing about in it would reveal hunks of carrot and some mushrooms in it as well.

"So, what makes you want to participate in those battles? If you don't mind me asking... I mean, there has to be an easier way to make a living, right? Them sorts of fights always seemed really pointless to me. Folks what never went and did it would go on about glory, but everyone that I ever talked to that had actually fought in 'em just talked about how their friends died bad, the filthy places they had to stay in, the bad food, and how underpaid they always were..."

 

[Hafnium]

Naive, altruistic, and... introspective? Tala updated her appraisal of the man and his companion as the duo spoke.

Her initial guess, specifically that the two were partners in more than one way, seemed to be confirmed by Theodore's remark about settling down to farm shorn weeds. Unless he just didn't understand how shorn weeds were cultivated, anyway. The more she thought about it, the more likely the possibility seemed. Still, it would've been rude to pry no matter how curious she was, so she kept her lips shut. Likewise, she reacted neither positively or negatively to Belle's apparent distaste for her chosen work. It wasn't like she'd disagree with the alraune.

Belle's offer, on the other hand, would relax much of the tension the ursine warrior had been experiencing since sitting down. "I will travel with you," she agreed. "Until our paths part, I'll do what I can to keep you both safe on the road. I'll consider this meal payment for at least that much," she added the last part, intensely glad that she no longer needed to feel guilty eating for free.

When it came time to eat, Tala would silently answer her 'host's' query by gingerly taking two sausages from the plate. They were still sizzling hot, but her gloved hand and the runed tattoos hidden beneath her clothing would protect her from the heat and allowed her to simply hold onto her claimed snacks until they cooled enough for her to bite into them. She would politely wave off the soup.

Theodore's question, as the group prepared to eat, earned an initial shrug from Tala. "I have few valuable skills," she admitted. "When I was younger, I fought the dangers of the jungle every day to protect my people. It was all I'd ever known. But protecting them is no longer my duty, so now I'm just looking to make enough gold to retire as quickly as I can. The fighting... and the killing, they're both chores like any other. There's no glory or honor to be gained from chores. I just want to live in a city and own a clean bed, away from the dangerous, lawless roads. But it's not cheap, so I have no other choice but to sell my violence to try and pay for my eventual peace."

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

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: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 43/44, Status = Fine

Theodore looked a little surprised at the formality with which Tala offered to travel with them, and seemed momentarily at a loss for words. Belle, however, would nod and smile sweetly. "Thank you, hopefully we won't have to ask anything of you that's more strenuous than the making of the food was," she murmured, though her tone suggested that she realized that that might be an optimistic belief.

Later, as they were partaking of the food, Tala with a pair of sausages, Theodore with a small bowl of stew and the other four, and Belle with the rest of the stew, Tala's explanation while she waited for her sausages to cool enough to bite into would earn a pensive look from the other two. "That's a fair way of putting it, I 'spose," Theodore said, nodding. "What caused you to leave your village? They weren't overwhelmed by the jungle, were they?" Belle added, a fearful and sympathetic look crossing her features. It would ease with any sort of negative answer, though it might change anew depending on what Tala continued with.

"I'm sort of looking for the same thing, really," Theodore would add as he was about half finished with his meal. "Not in the city though... I've been a country boy all my life. I mean, I guess it'd be easier to find work if we just went all the way to Lockacre, but... My papa always said that that kind of thing was serf work. The sort of stuff that people did to live in a state barely better than a slave... Uck, I dunno, I guess that came out meaner than I meant it to sound, I'm sure most city folk are just decent people, like any other!" He would return to eating, and if Tala wanted any more of the sausages - which had turned out to be fairly good - he would offer her the plate with the last two on it before eating them himself.

After a few more minutes, and whatever conversation might take place in them, Theodore would rise from his position, and Belle would shortly thereafter do the same. "We should get movin' on, there's still plenty of daylight left!" He tossed his pack back over his shoulders, shifting until the straps had adjusted into a comfortable position, and then grabbed the rifle that he'd carried. Belle, with naught to carry herself besides a couple of waterskins, was already prepared.

 

[Hafnium]

Tala shook her head at Belle's question about the fate of her tribe. She didn't want to share any more than that, however, so she instead took a bite of one of the sausages in order to ward off any further questions about it. There were too many reasons to avoid talking about her past. For one, to speak too openly about it might put her former tribe at risk of being found by some opportunist or another. Secondly, Tala's failure to carry out her duty to the tribe and her self-imposed exile still weighed heavily upon her. Her only solace was in hoping that the price she had paid had at least bought the children she'd spared a happier future.

Theodore's remarks would, yet again, be met with neither approval nor disapproval from Tala. She just silently finished her sausage as he spoke of serf work and freedom. He had not learned yet, she supposed. There was no freedom in this world, everyone was shackled to something. The ursine warrior's chains could be traced all the way to the jungle, to her old village, and even now her choices were harshly limited by the things she had been and and things she had done a decade prior. Theodore was trapped by his dead father's beliefs about what it meant to be free and live proper, and if Tala had been the type to really appreciate dark humor then she might've chuckled. But the former tribal champion was the type to appreciate good food instead, so she would quickly finish the surprisingly tasty sausages before responding.

"With the exception of the lords who sit in their high towers surveying us and the wizards blessed with the magic of foresight, we are all slaves to something. I just want to be as comfortable as I can in my slavery, And to eat as much delicious food as I can, like this," she would add with the barest hint of a smile in an attempt to offer some levity to the conversation following her dour retort. Tala proved to be quite serious when he offered her the plate, however, and would greedily snatch up one of the two remaining sausages and immediately take a bite out of it. She would've liked the fourth as well, but three out of six seemed fair since Belle wasn't partaking.

Tala would gladly bask in the afterglow of the delicious meal without putting in any effort to create conversation. But once Theodore declared that he was ready to continue on the road, the mercenary would simply nod and stand up from her seated position on the ground. The ursine woman preferred to travel light and take what she needed from her surroundings, as she had during her days as one of the tribe's defenders. Because of her preferences, she kept the vast majority of her own belongings immediately on her person, typically stashed away in an interior pocket of her coat or tied to her hip in some way, leaving her to wait for the others to finish preparing and then walk alongside the duo as they returned to the road.

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

You must be registered to see the links

: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 43/44, Status = Fine

Theodore: Hapless young faerie influenced lad, 4d10 perc
Belladonna/Belle: Alraune thicc thot in conservative dress, 3d10 perc

Neither Theodore nor Belle would push the matter when Tala merely shook her head in response to the query about the fate of her tribe, though the former would pale and look down and away from her, and the latter would give her a sympathetic look. The more philosophical conversation that eventually followed, after Tala proclaimed that she would rather make of herself a comfortable gourmet, Theodore would give a light chuckle and raise a toast of sorts with his waterskin, while Belle would smile thoughtfully at her.

Soon enough, however, it would be time to move on, and with nothing to re-pack on Tala's end, they would be off in short order. Theodore would travel with his rifle held carefully in his hands, clearly treating the weapon with some degree of practiced care, and his gaze darted around carefully as they traveled. Belle, in contrast, seemed entirely serene as she traveled along, and kept her eyes focused solely on the road as far as Tala would be able to tell. The former proved a fairly terse traveling companion when they were actually on the road, in contrast to how comfortably loquacious he had been when they were sitting and eating, while the latter would hum quietly and occasional burst out into quiet, wordless chanting that was passably pleasant to the ear, though Tala would be unable to properly place the melody.

Their travels would be uneventful for the first few hours, though they would pass by numerous farmsteads, workyards, and villages that were visible in the distance from the road. About as many as were apparently ruined as were populated, and those that were populated had their occupants reach for rifles at the first sight of them and hold to them until long after the odd threesome would pass them by. Theodore would look over some of them, but seemed to discount the idea of simply settling at any of the ruins and ending his journey so simply and easily.

The alraune's quiet musical addition to their travels wouldn't serious impede Tala's ability to detect potential threats, however. While Theodore and Belle were seemingly oblivious to it, the sound of beating wings - large ones - would tip the wilderhearted warrior off to something approaching from the air. It wasn't a particularly cloudy day, and the sound of wings were coming from the direction that they were heading but also off to the right, essentially to the Northeast. A few moments later and the figure of a harpy approaching from the sky came into view, her arms spread wide for stability while her wings beat regularly to keep her and the leather sack clutched in her talons aloft. They were clad in a bright red dress that left a minimum to the imagination, offering ample cleavage and barely managing to conceal her thighs, though much of her legs were also covered in silk stockings of the same color as her dress, both of them having bands and trim of a silvery substance. Their carefully arranged hair was a light teal color, with a crest of scaling from pale green to dark blue across a dozen feather-like shifts, a pattern matched by the feathers on her wings, with the darker colors appearing on their exterior while the lighter ones were gathered closer to her body, green on the lower portions of her wings and blue on the upper ones. Her feathery tail was arranged similarly to her wings.

Theodore and Belle, despite the harpy's fairly colorful appearance, had not noticed her continued approach. She had clearly seen them, given their exposed position on the road, and turned to intercept them. As she drew nearer, Tala would be able to see the evidently friendly smile on her face, but how the bear-woman might want to react to the oncoming winged one was up to her.

 

[Hafnium]

Tala would simply fold her hands behind her head and walk alongside the other two, scanning their surroundings as they walked. They were nowhere near impervious to ambushes and brigands with a mere three people, so she couldn't fully drop her guard, but they were less of a target than a lone traveler at least. And for as lawless as the lands around them were, it'd take a pretty desperate group of bandits to attack a group on the main road in the middle of the day.

Given the other factors, the ursine warrior, for her part, gave no consideration at all to resting at any of the ruins or places they passed. There was much ground to cover and much light left to do so in. Beyond that, she hadn't brought any coin with her, so the occupied places were right out of the question for camping. Plus, she knew she couldn't expect a warm welcome from anybody in Badaria who wasn't paying her to fight. She frequently and usually successfully gambled on finding deteriorating farmhouses whose occupants had been run out or worse during the invasion that had broken the country, and most of the world, apart so many years prior.

She didn't really have anything to contribute to their lack of traveling conversation either, and so she didn't complain when the alraune gave the group some traveling music with her humming. She simply maintained her vigil until the monotony of travel was suddenly broken by the sound and - after Tala looked up to search for it - the sight of an unusually dressed and extremely colorful harpy in the sky. While a harpy was certainly an unusual sight in Badaria, normally the aerial woman would've only garnered some of Tala's attention and less thought as she passed. When the harpy turned, however, Tala knew that she needed to prepare for the possibility that she'd need to make good on her earlier oath of protection to the two.

"Hold," she would tell the others in a voice that was well practiced at giving commands as she herself stopped on the path. "Company," she would avoid pointing at the harpy, instead allowing the two to follow her gaze in order to see the winged woman approaching them. While she highly doubted the harpy was dangerous, given that she appeared to be giving up the advantage she'd have from being in the air and was openly approaching them with a visible smile, Tala couldn't break old habits and rested her left hand on the pommel of the sword hanging from the same side of her hip as she waited for the harpy to come closer. "I don't suppose she's another of your friends? Or do you think we've a traveling saleswoman on our hands?" As she asked the latter question, Tala eyed the sack in the flying woman's talons.

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

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: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 43/44, Status = Fine

Theodore: Hapless young faerie influenced lad, 4d10 perc
Belladonna/Belle: Alraune thicc thot in conservative dress, 3d10 perc
The GREAT Galofina: Behold my evil and despair ye plebah

"Hmmm?" Theodore paused and took a look around, eventually spotting the oncoming harpy. Belle was a little slower on the uptake, taking a few steps further than Tala or Theodore before she stopped, looking up curiously at the approaching woman. "Never seen the like of her before," Theodore said grimly, and while he didn't quite raise the gun he was carrying to aim at her, he did bring it to his shoulder and slip his finger into the trigger guard. Only Belle seemed perfectly calm. "Oooh, maybe she's selling something fun! Like candy!"

They wouldn't have to wait long before the woman landed in front of them, dropping the sack and then touching down in front of it with a flourish. "Greetings!" She called perhaps a little louder than she needed to, given that she was only maybe fifteen paces away. The woman spread her hands out wide, crossed her legs, and bowed low, to the point that her breasts very nearly spilled out of her dress. She straightened after a moment, smirking, and continued; "I!!! Am the GREAT Galofina! Adventurer! Master saleswoman! Gambler extraordinaire! Caller of all spirits! Commander of grand magics unknowable to the plebeians of the mortal realms! Breaker of beds! Tamer of daemons foul!"

Tala's traveling companions would, at the string of titles announced in so pretentious a manner, grow increasingly dumbfounded, though if Tala herself had become likewise tongue-tied Belle would, after a moment, reply; "What?" Galofina had planted both fists on her hips, standing with her feet planted widely apart, and stared at them with a wide smirk and a twinkle in her eye. "You are fortunate this day, good travelers, to stand in the presence of one so generous, kindly, and wise a heroine as myself! I have come upon you by chance, and must warn you of GREAT DANGER that lies in your path! But first, I have introduced myself, it would be polite on your parts to do the same, yes?"

 

[Hafnium]

Their harpy visitor turned out to be a traveling lunatic. Slightly better than a traveling salesman, at least.

But Tala was well accustomed to eccentrics due to the company she kept as a sellsword, as it was almost a prerequisite for being an adventurer or mercenary. As such, the ursine woman was able to maintain a straight, impassive face despite all odds being against it. She only came close to cracking at the harpy's comment about being a breaker of beds, which drew a small smirk from the former tribal champion largely because it was about the only of Galofina's claims to that point that she actually believed given the woman's choice of garb. Perhaps if she'd still been young and full of boundless libido herself, she'd have challenged the stranger on her title.

The ursine woman was older and more boring, however, so instead she would let it pass and allow the seemingly deranged harpy to babble on about her own heroism and wisdom and danger for the time being, instead taking the opportunity to analyze the seemingly self-absorbed harpy more deeply. After all, she supposed she ought to try and figure out if this woman really was a spirit caller and mage in the unlikely event that things came to blows.

When it finally came time to reciprocate and introduce herself she would give a flat reply. "I'm Tala. A mercenary... though I can't claim to be extraordinaire," she added and then paused for the other two to introduce themselves. Once they had or had chosen not to, however, she would seize the initiative and attempt to focus the conversation on the part she was most interested in. "Danger, huh? Like bandits? A pack of raptors strayed from the jungle? Did you see the numbers?"

Spoiler

Analyze the harpy who I'm pretty sure is still actually a traveling salesman. 2 EP free action variant again.

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

You must be registered to see the links

: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 41/44, Status = Fine

Theodore: Hapless young faerie influenced lad, 4d10 perc
Belladonna/Belle: Alraune thicc thot in conservative dress, 3d10 perc
The GREAT Galofina: Behold my evil and despair ye plebah

Tala's analysis turned out to reveal a number of odd, interesting things about their surprise visitor. All harpies were able to control the wind with an innate mastery of that variety of magic, but the woman clearly had the skill to control several other elements, intense spiritual power, at least a modicum of physical aptitude, and most distinctly, the skill to use and control it. Her body was as magical as any other member of her race, akin to the high sidhe, ensuring that they would be more resistant to the touch of demons than most. Before Tala could get a perfect understanding of her aptitudes, however, she felt her scanning magics be cancelled out. A heartbeat later and without missing a beat in her iteration of titles, the woman fixed Tala specifically with a grin and winked, a gesture that Belle and Theodore would seemingly either miss or elect not comment on.

The woman named Galofina gave a gracious nod of her head in acknowledgement, "Well met, Tala! Don't be so modest~ I am sure that your greatness still lies within, just waiting to be let out!" She then turned expectantly towards the other two, who were still somewhat dumbfounded by the woman's odd appearance and mannerisms. "Ahem, I'm Belladonna, but you can call me Belle!" The alraune supplied, clearing her throat as if to recover from the woman's strangeness. Theodore kept silent a moment longer, just gaping at the harpy, which prompted Belle to turn and glare at him over her shoulder. "Errr. right. I'm Theodore..."

With introductions out of the way, Tala would have ample time to seize the initiative and issue her questions. In response, Galofina would grin widely, showing off her canines, and spread her arms. "Ahhh, to the point~ Good! But you must understanding, you haven't entered MY storefront! My parlor! My gambling hall!" She spread her arms out wider, causing Belle and Theodore to look around in utter confusion. "It's the world! Everywhere is where I do my business, for my business is everywhere!" she supplied in an amused tone, "I could, of course, answer all of these things that you ask! I know the where, the what, the how many and how they would offer you goodly people harm! And I will... In exchange-" Theodore murmured; "Oh here it comes," in a resigned manner, earning an elbow in the ribs from Belle. Galofina continued on as if he hadn't spoken; "For anything you might think might strike my fancy! So, what'll it be? I am open to barter, if you should have something that you think might interest me. Of course, I also have wares, if you've got some coin and would like to just take a look! I'd be happy to gamble for the information too, if you'd prefer to wager a few things~ Or let you test some of my other titles... If you think that you can!" Her grin widened, becoming almost manic for a moment, before her arms moved to fold behind her back and she leaned forward and to the side, smirking expectantly.

 

[Hafnium]

Oh joy, the deranged bird was likely as skilled a mage as she made herself out to be, based on how quickly and silently she'd been able to block the attempt to analyze her. And Tala knew from experience that the only thing worse than an eccentric adventurer was one who also had control over reality-warping, logic-defying powers. If this meeting came to blows it was going to get extremely messy and in a hurry, even with years of experience in fighting elf cultists imbued with demonic magic. She was almost looking forward to being shot at by comparison.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Tala wasn't flattered by Galofina's assessment and kept a neutral expression throughout. She really did not care what greatness might lie within her. She had killed more people and beasts than she could ever hope to count. Her earlier words to Theodore and Belle had been the raw truth, what she wanted now was to be the opposite of great, a boring retired mercenary who spent the majority of her time eating, sleeping, and lazing around a comfortable room. Were she the type for self-pity, she would've certainly felt woe at the fact that instead she was stuck here trying to interrogate what may have been an all-powerful birdbrain for valuable information.

And perhaps more woe still at Galofina's response to her attempt to rapidly gather information. She had expected it, of course, despite her attempt to get around it. Nobody who described themselves as kindly, wise, or generous actually matched up to any of the three virtues. It was only natural that she wanted coin or some other boon in exchange for what she was advertising as valuable information. Tala herself had no desire to accept any of the potential payment options. She had brought no coin, gambling with a mage was the mark of an absolute fool, and she was still too old and boring to 'test' any of Galofina's titles. Though, on that latter point perhaps the harpy would accept Theodore? It might be a good opportunity for him to lose some of his inexperience. If she was skilled as she claimed, Tala doubted that the young man would dislike it. Belle might be interested but the agreement she made with the other alraune was in the way....

On second thought, she decided that she probably shouldn't make a habit of selling the bodies of her 'clients' for safety, so she reiterated her thought process aloud for the harpy. "I'm afraid I've no coin on me, I have no interest in gambling with a mage, extraordinaire or otherwise,, and I'm too boring in my old age to challenge you on any of your titles. And you're definitely about ten years too late for me to go about breaking any beds with you,," she added with a wry smile. "As such, it seems that I may have to gamble on being more dangerous to whatever danger awaits us than it is to me. Of course, I'm in no position to stop my traveling companions here from taking you up on any of those offers so long as they're not endangered."

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

You must be registered to see the links

: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 41/44, Status = Fine

Theodore: Hapless young faerie influenced lad, 4d10 perc
Belladonna/Belle: Alraune thicc thot in conservative dress, 3d10 perc
The GREAT Galofina: Trolling elsehwere right now, lots o magic

Tala's pronouncement that she didn't intend to play any of the harpy's gains would see the woman giving her a smirk and a nod. If she was disappointed by the bear warrior's refusal to participate in any of her suggested contests, she didn't show it, and instead turned her attention towards the other two as Tala had suggested. "What about you two? Shall you test the Great Galofina!? Or would a game of chance be more to your preference?" Galofina asked, giving another toothy smile.

"No thank you," Theodore replied sternly, "I don't much care for gambling, seen that destroy too many good families. I don't much appreciate the whole "gracious and generous" schtick when it's followed up with you trying to grift us either. I'll be happy to keep you out of my pants, thank you, and I haven't got the spare coin to be throwing it away on gambling. How do we even know that you're telling the truth about this danger you mentioned? You haven't told us anything about it." The harpy, in response, grinned; "The Great Galofina does not tell lies! My dealings are always on the up and up, I assure you." She gave a slight bow again, her head dipping to expose just a little bit more cleavage momentarily. "You are unwise to doubt my skills~ Many a partner have I left satisfied beyond their wildest dreams! Why, I would wager that I could satiate all three of you at once, if it came to it~"

Theodore glared dubiously at her, and Belle gave a snort, her head cocked and a hand now planted on her hip. "I'm afraid that you're out of luck. Your boasts were a little too grandiose for us, Galofina. I don't suppose that your generosity would allow you to offer us a hint or something in regards to what lies ahead of us on the road?" To that, Galofina grinned and replied; "It will be a truly enlightening experience for you all~"

As unhelpful as that was, it was unlikely that the harpy would offer more of use without any of them opting to play things her way, and unless Tala opted to change her mind on that the harpy mage would ultimately be led to give a gracious bow. "Very well! The Great Galofina understands that not all who walk the world as she does are up to the same challenges! I shall take my leave! Until we should meet again, good fortunes and safe travels upon you all!" With that, her wings took her a foot or so off of the ground with one beat, backwards with the second that allowed her to grab her sack of goods, and two more took her back up into the air, at which point she began heading in a generally Southwesterly direction.

 

[Hafnium]

The ensuing display from Galofina and her own traveling companions would get nothing more than Tala's trademark look of neutrality. A shame that Theodore and Belle weren't interested in trying their hand at the thirsty bird, as it might've made the trip simpler, but she couldn't blame them. Even if the ursine warrior herself had been interested, it was almost certainly a coupling that would leave the harpy's partner tainted with magical corruption. As a wilderheart, it wasn't something she could afford and for those traveling in Badaria it would eventually leave them subject to the same discrimination to which she had become accustomed.

The harpy's ensuing departure would be met with an audible sigh from the scarred warrior. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Galofina had been coming from the northeast, so there was no doubt that she'd likely seen the path ahead. And even though she seemed like a complete birdbrain, her level of skill led Tala to believe that she probably wouldn't have incorrectly classified anything she saw in terms of danger. She didn't seem to have come into conflict with whatever she had seen though, and her garb and size made her anything but stealthy, so whatever awaited them on the road seemed likely to either be blind or without firearms. Above all else, Tala sincerely doubted that such a conceited woman would allow someone to shoot at or otherwise attack her personally and not respond by blowing them away with wind magic.

"Whether the Great Galofina was lying or not," she finally continued aloud, opening her eyes to face Theodore and Belle, "we might as well take the next leg of the trip carefully. I can take the forward position. I'm used to watching for ambushes in the jungle. Though if I get shot at then I want more of the sausage you cooked earlier for dinner," Tala would add, with a completely serious look toward Theodore.

Assuming there were no complaints or alternative suggestions, she would draw her sword with her right hand, granting the duo their first look at what could only be described as a butcher's implement, and rested the blunt edge on her shoulder as she started down the road in direction of Galofina's promised danger, maintaining a particularly watchful vigil as she did so. As much as she wanted to believe that the harpy was lying, she highly doubted it. She guessed she'd have to earn her meals sooner rather than later.

Spoiler

Skirmisher immediately comes in handy, hurray.

First, draw her sword so that it's in hand. She's literally the only warrior I haven't given quick draw to so that's actually relatively important.

Afterward, take point and use Full Defense while going down the road. Skirmisher allows her to move at her speed (35) while using Full Defense, so hoping that works here.

Stuff with full defense:
Dodge = 23d10 + 2 (+1d10 if she's moved 10 feet, +1d10 against characters with melee weapons)
Perception = 10d10
Reflexes = 25 (+12 for defensive resistance checks from full defense, she has Sturdy & Strong Willed for an additional +12 against things those would effect)
Focus = 11 (+12 for defensive resistance checks from full defense, she has Sturdy & Strong Willed for an additional +12 against things those would effect)
Willpower = 13 (+12 for defensive resistance checks from full defense, she has Sturdy & Strong Willed for an additional +12 against things those would effect)

 

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

You must be registered to see the links

: HP = 82, PP = 42, EP = 42/44, Status = Fine

Theodore: Hapless young faerie influenced lad, 4d10 perc
Belladonna/Belle: Alraune thicc thot in conservative dress, 3d10 perc
The GREAT Galofina: Somewhere on the horizon, lots o magic

Once their strange new acquaintance had left for parts unknown, Theodore would snort dismissively to Tala's concerns, but then give a light sigh. "That's unfortunate, since those were my last ones," he replied, "you can have a double helping of something else next meal though.... Assuming we actually run into something, and that lady wasn't feeding us a pile of bullshit!" Belle would pat him reproachfully on the shoulder, "Now now Theodore! You shouldn't make assumptions about folk like that, she was just little eccentric is all. I think Tala's right anyway, we'd best be careful. I don't mind saying that I appreciate you offering to take the front like this, dearie. I'll be sure to repay you later somehow, alright?"

Rolls

Spoiler

Perception: 6 successes for Tala, 2 for Theodore, 2 fpr Belle.
Resistance: A number including a roll of 12 vs 26 on a nat 1, faaaaailure. Vs Rolls of 11 and 14 for Theodore and Belle, who also fail.
Stealth: 4, 4, 4 successes.
Stealth: 7, 2, 2 successes.
Stealth: 5 successes.

However she might have reacted to Belle's offer, Tala would have to make the next portion of their trip together on high alert. She had her weapon to hand, and while the cautious advancement might be exhausting - particularly as it passed over miles and miles - it would at least leave her prepared to defend herself in the event that they were ambushed. They passed over a steep hill lined by scraggly trees, through a wood of sturdy oaks that had spread their boughs over the roadway to leave it shadowy and disconcerting, across a crumbling stone bridge over a wide but slow trickling stream. Every one had a score of potential ambush sites to it, and every one was empty, though Tala's sharp attentiveness would allow her to stop a number of relatively harmless things. There were a few hidden shorn weeds among the scraggly trees on the hill, clustered around berry bushes that she saw and no doubt lying in wait for anything that appealed to their particular reproductive cycle. Falcons and ravens had nested practically en masse among the oaks, and while by no means a threat to Tala or her two companions, they did likely make the area beneath their home suitably terrifying for any small prey species unfortunate enough to end up there. The bridge looked to have once been occupied, with signs of a camp built beneath it, but whoever had once dwelt there was long gone, leaving behind only a half-washed away fire pit, a few crude carvings on the stone, and a couple of bones half buried in sand and silt.

Tala would could across little of note for a bit, until they rounded a corner on the road, which had become a curving downward slope, and came across an overturned cart. Bits of torn canvas and splintered wood were scattered about, and the wreck had a few bullet marks on it. On the right side of the road was a section of flat ground for a good ways before that gave way to some trees, and on the left was a stand of trees leading uphill back towards another section of the road that they had just departed. The wreck only blocked about half of the road, but the curve of the road meant that Tala - the vanguard of their trio - was only thirty or so feet from it when it came into view. The bear-warrior's sharp ears and well honed sense for danger left her well attuned to the presence of others, and some part of her could tell that there were people behind the wagon. At least three, by her estimation, and likely more over in the cover on their left.

As if on cue, on of the people behind the wagon stood up and strode out into view, flowing a slightly tattered red cape out behind them to billow dramatically. The slim male figure beneath was clearly armored in lamellar overlain with layers of more bullet resistant material, but their arms were left bare, showing off toned muscle, scars, tanned skin, and a couple of tattoos. Besides their armor and stylish cape, they wore a black cap with brass detailing, which had likely belonged to an officer in some branch of some land's military at some point, and part of their cape wrapped across them from collar to hip and displayed a number of badges and pins of varying designs, though Tala wouldn't be able to pick any in particular out as recognizable. Tall, muscular, and with a mostly shaved, rounded head, the human by her estimation strode out and turned towards Tala with a smile, an axe with a spike on the tip resting as comfortably on his shoulder as Tala's sword did on her own. He took three steps out from the wagon, coming into view but not coming closer, and fixed Tala with a beaming smirk.

"Hey there, cute thing!" The man said, "You're either the luckiest girl in the world, or the unluckiest! Some of that's up to you though. Lay down the sword on the ground, real careful like, and kick it towards me. Don't worry, I'll pass it back. I may be a bandit, but I wouldn't want to leave a girl unable to defend herself out here!"

 

[Hafnium]

"Hm.... Deal," the ursine warrior agreed to Theodore's compromise. She offered no such response to Belle's promise, however. The alraune seemed like a decent enough sort but the surprisingly carnivorous plantgirls typically had some peculiar ideas of what to offer when it came to repaying debts. Tala knew where the jugs of blue syrup they frequently offered really came from, the truth having come at the cost of ruining pancakes for the bear wilderheart for the rest of her life, and wasn't in a hurry to receive any as thanks, in any manner. But she supposed she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

The trip would resume uneventfully shortly afterward, even if Tala wouldn't be able to enjoy it as much now that she knew she needed to be on high alert. This was why solo or small group traveling was the worst. Not only did she have to move at a snail's pace and visually inspecting every nook and cranny of the horizon, there was no end to her shift. She didn't just have to keep it up for a few hours before taking a seat in the caravan wagon for a quick break to clear the dullness of it all from her mind. Still, she was from a harsh place where lapses in discipline and awareness were quite literally life and death, so she powered on.

Though when she got to the sight of the actual danger Galofina had warned them about, all the effort Tala had put in made her feel stupid. What laid before her was about the most blatant ambush scene she'd witnessed in her time as a mercenary. The overturned cart, the dip in the road, and the trees.... Bandits flocked to those sorts of positions like mice to pastries left on a counter overnight. It would've come as more of a shock if the group had been able to pass the collection of props completely unmolested.

And the man who emerged from behind the wagon confirmed that this was, indeed, an ambush, not that Tala needed it. She was already trying to figure out what the inevitable fight was going to look like. There were visible bullet holes, so probably at least a few guns pointed at her right now. If she was a betting woman she'd put her denarii on those guns being on both sides as well, as a means of cutting down unsuspecting victims in crossfire. She'd have to signal Theodore and Belle to take cover and close with the one in front of her quickly in order to limit their firing options. And speaking of the one in front of her, she didn't really have time to analyze him but she ventured a guess that he was the leader of the ambushers and probably pretty tough. Bandits typically rallied around the strongest of them, after all, and this one had trophies from professional soldiers. Had to hope her own experience and strength was better than his, but she guessed she'd find out soon enough.

She would stand motionlessly as he delivered his thinly veiled threat, but once he had finished talking she would sigh and ask "really?" But if he was mistaken into believing that the question was addressed to him, Tala would clear up his confusion as she followed up. "That horny pigeon warns me about 'enlightening' danger, but all I find is more of the same normal, shitty bandits that infest every other road in Badaria? Ridiculous."

"Look," she would say, finally turning her attention to him conversationally. "I'm not some greenhorn. I know how your kind works. I don't see a reason to make it easy for you. And unless your lot is smart enough to get out of my way, I'm about to cut that smirk off your face," she brought her sword down from her shoulder at that and pointed it at him, though she didn't advance just yet and instead called to the group of bandits who presumably assumed themselves to still be hidden from her. "And just so you know, the first one of you two hiding groups of roaches who shoots at me is getting a lead creampie from your own gun," the shout, while completely honest, was also intended to warn Belle and Theodore of the danger as a side benefit.

"Right then. Let's do this," she stated, assuming the man didn't stand down or otherwise attempt to deescalate the situation. "Gonna break you all," with that, she would waste no time in charging at the lead bandit, not intending to give his people any time to adjust or maneuver in a way that would give them a further advantage over her group.

Spoiler

Seize the initiative. Move at the lead bandit and give him the ol' one-two (and three). Using Lightning Strikes. Also, side note, Tala appears to have regained 2 EP. Not sure if that's intentional or not.

Attacks: 3d10 + 14d10 - 1 (14d10 base, +1d10 for skirmisher's 10 feet movement, +1d10 for facing a character with a melee weapon, -2d10 for lightning strikes).
Damage: 1d12 + 33 (35 base, -5 for lightning strikes, +3 for Fenceer bonus).
Has Fencer's +5 bonus to parry DCs and Reflex checks too.
Regains up to 4 HP per hit.

Dodge: 19d10 + 2 (15d10 + 2 base, +2d10 from Duelist, +1d10 from Fencer, +1d10 from moving 10 feet for Skirmisher). Has evasion and spell resistance, so she can dodge AoEs and undodgeable spells.
Armor: 44 (14 natural which is strong vs slashing and weak vs blunt, 20 is magic, 10 is worn). Has 4/5 DR as well.
Reflexes: 25
Focus: 11
Willpower: 13
Gains +12 from Sturdy/Willpower against various effects.