[center][hr][img]https://i.imgur.com/TZHEZwH.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/AiSf7e5.png[/img][hr] [img]https://i.imgur.com/xsDWJUf.png[/img] [/center] Every day in Deadwood was the same to Nakala. The sun rose, people died, and then it fell, and with it, more people fell to the horrors of this wretched land. To her, it was just the way Deadwood was, sad to say. The massive and proud woman marched through the land with a faded-green poncho on made for some Kaimerian or something. Well, that Kaimerian wouldn't need it where he was going. The hood was up, and nobody could see Nakala's face as she walked on the beaten path all by her lonesome. She felt and heard the whistling of the wind, kicking up dust with each step that she took. She stopped herself for just one second, as she swore she heard the wind whisper [i]something[/i] into her ear. Maybe it was just her imagination. She looked to the left, then to the right. The coast was close for the lonesome traveler, but she knew that danger lurked around every corner, and over every hill. Most likely the one that she was ascending as she monologued to herself. Once again, the Bone Sea lived up to its name - a ribcage lay half-buried near the plateau of the slope, while the upper half of some horned wildebeest's skull lay unceremoniously overturned just a few paces ahead. Whether it was a few years old or a few centuries, it made no difference - the creature had long since lost its way and whatever remained had been picked clean by the carrion eaters and time itself. Yet as she ascended the next incline, the rocky expanse gave way to what seemed like an endless, blue horizon. The Bonewater was the largest body of water in Deadwood - perhaps in all the world since the Cataclysm - fed by the Orthosi mountains hundreds of miles to the northwest, which served as the only landmark of which there could be no mistaking it in the Bone Sea. Though salty, the Bonewater's importance was no less diminished, for the closest thing to 'road' stretched about its shores, a well-trodden trail that was nonetheless littered with the bones of countless travelers and beasts that had met an untimely end in their journeys at one point another. Today, a loose caravan of assorted travelers seem to stand out as dark silhouettes on the trail, with the outlines of spears, clubs, axes, even swords denoting that some of their numbers were armed. It was the way of things, for raiders and clansmen stalked the land while few could trust one another to rely on their fellows for protection. Some walked afoot, others with a horse or a pack mule trailing behind them - it seemed the pilgrims were moving in the same direction as the half-giantess - south. Further along, the horizon elevated far above the water, a monolithic presence loomed in defiance of the unforgiving landscape which surrounded it. Exusia. It seemed that not even superstition and centuries of taboo had been enough to warn others away from the enigmatic realm, the fabled floating city protected from interlopers and the elements by the very magic it provided sanctuary to. The very heat made it seem to shimmer in the sky as though it were a mirage, magnifying its already surreal presence. She paused for a second as she stopped at the top of the hill to gaze upon the magnificent city. One day she dreamed of living here with Joko... Joko. A salty tear went down her face, she resisted the urge to whip the tear from her face. Merely out of fear of getting any of this dust or sand in her eye. As wondrous as the sight of Exusia was... she had to remain focus on the task at hand. She grabbed the side of her hood and yanked it into the way to shield her face from the upcoming dust storm. On the horizon, almost underneath the floating city was an encampment. It was a large camp surrounded by a wooden fence with sharp wooden spikes protruding outwards. Inside the walls were many different colored tents, and had many people moving around. For a moment, Nakala thought that it was a bandit camp, but she knew it was exactly where she needed to go. She looked at the flier (perhaps it was more of an invitation) that she pulled off the walls of Darington. She gave it a good look as she crossed a sign for the little town. It was named... Hope Passage. Nakala marched down the old beaten pathway much like the other travelers... when she approached the gate, two Exusia soldiers wielding spears dropped into a defensive stance. She pulled out the invitation from the bag on her hip and then showed it to them and without a word they lowered their weapons. "Head to the large tent in the center of Hope Passage." One guard said as he stepped to the side. "The delegate will speak with you." Nakala nodded her head and pushed her way through the guards and marched through this military-style encampment. There were soldiers left and right and then some were side-eyeing her as she walked into the center of the camp. A sigh escaped her lips as she stepped inside, pulling her hood down from the back as she looked at the [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/84/8e/de/848ede8d2da56f49c52362ec9ed843c5.jpg] woman[/url] in the center of the room. She was standing over a table with a map on top of it, and she was quite attractive. "Why hello there," the woman greeted her, "Let's wait for some of the others to arrive, and then we'll get started, okay?" Nakala nodded her head as she found her own little spot in the room as she watched everyone pour in. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/xsDWJUf.png[/img][/center]