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[color=EFD7AD][i][b]Location[/b] [color=bdbdbd]⋗[/color] [/i][/color] The Patch ⋗ The Forest
[color=EFD7AD][i][b]Interactions[/b] [color=bdbdbd]⋗[/color] [/i][/color] Simon [@Prosaic], Manon [@PatientBean], Phalko [@CasLink]
[color=EFD7AD][i][b]School of Magic[/b] [color=bdbdbd]⋗[/color] [/i][/color] Necromancy, Illusion & Divination
[color=EFD7AD][i][b]Items[/b] [color=bdbdbd]⋗[/color] [/i][/color] 1 Dagger, small component pouch (empty)
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	"[color=EFD7AD]You're not from here, are you?[/color]", Zhalia asked the blonde girl as she noticed the accent. "[color=EFD7AD]I'm sorry. That sounded rude. I'm from Europe, too.[/color]" She offered Manon a hand to shake and a warm, genuine smile. "[color=EFD7AD]It's nice to meet you. I only just arrived a few days ago, still getting to know everyone and finding my footing here.[/color]"

	Her eyes trailed over the facial features of the woman. She was beautiful and the way she held herself gave Zhalia the feeling that she knew how to handle herself and would not back down from a fight. Zhalia wasn't so sure if she could anticipate the same from Simon. He seemed like a soft soul, a kind heart. He was probably more capable than she could tell in the short time she had spent with him and she knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Curiosity poked at her heart as she wondered what school of magic these people she just met would encompass. Had she to take a wild guess, she'd likely put Manon to Evocation and Simon to Abjuration. But her guessing work had never been the best. She would have to take a peek if she truly wanted to know. But using her magic always came with the possibility that someone could detect it. There weren't too many people who could tell when she read their auras but it would be unfortunate luck if exactly the first two people she met here would have that ability. So Zhalia would keep her curiosity at bay for the time being. Knowing their schools wasn't beneficial right now, it was only curiosity and that was not good enough a reason to risk them growing suspicious of her.

	"[color=EFD7AD]Have you been here long?[/color]", she began to strike up a conversation with Manon. "[color=EFD7AD]Maybe you two can tell me a little about the people? Is everyone here as kind as Simon?[/color]" The brunette lifted her mug to her lips. The mug was beginning to empty quickly and once the tea had been fnished, Zhalia put the mug down onto the ground and rose from her seat. "[color=EFD7AD]I'll second Simon's invitation. We were getting herbs for Ostara. I'd like to check out the nearby forest and see what I can find. It's tradition to pick them yourself where I'm from.[/color]"

	A tingling feeling crept up to the back of her neck and Zhalia's head spun around to find the eyes of a person on their little group of three. It was a seemingly Asian person with dark long hair and clear skin. Her first instinct was to steel herself. Her body tensed and her fingers twitched ever so slightly but there was no need. Zhalia forced her muscles to relax, her stance to slack a little and her lips to turn into a soft smile. "[color=EFD7AD]We were just heading to the woods if you wanna accompany us.[/color]" She wasn't sure why she threw the offer in the air. Getting to know two people at once seemed more than enough. Maybe it was because she didn't suspect this person to be a problem. Their body language didn't threaten Zhalia, though that could be misleading. [color=EFD7AD][i]What are you thinking? Stop. You are not in danger, this is not a war.[/i][/color]

	Maybe meeting more people at once would lead to quicker acclimation? She could only hope so. This feeling of not belonging was eating at her. All her life she had belonged somewhere, had belonged with people. Though Zhalia had spent some years craving solitude and loneliness, mostly out of shame and guilt, she could no longer bear it. She grew up in a society and she was seeking to find that community again. People who knew her, who joked with her and who would fight with her. [i][color=EFD7AD]No, not fight. No more fighting.[/color][/i] Old habits die hard.

	With her newfound companions in tow, Zhalia began to head away from the Patch, leading them towards the Covenstead instead. As they made their way, they chatted carelessly. It felt good to have people with her for once. They went around the big house and towards the backside heading for the wall. No one asked her where she was going and so Zhalia figured they knew about the hole in the wall. If she had found it in her three days of being here, it was no surprise others knew of it as well. It was a solid space to pass through if you lifted a leg through and followed up by pulling your head down and through the wall next. Signs of half-hearted attempts of closing up the hole assured Zhalia that they were not supposed to go through here but apparently no one cared enough to actually close it up with stones or something harder to cut and pry open than this wired fencing they'd placed to cover it up. It had since been cut open by someone else.

	Once she had stepped through, Zhalia's eyes landed on the forest. It was her first time standing in front of it and it was quite a sight. The trees grew tall and thick. Even though she was only a few feet away from the forest, she could not see further than three or four rows of trees. She turned around to face the others. "[color=EFD7AD]We should step a bit into the forest. You probably know the herbs needed? Nettle, garlic, dandelion...[/color]" She trailed off. They would know what herbs to look for if they wanted to help her find them. And if not, she would do it alone.

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[sup][color=426f76][b]█  [sup]   [/sup]location: the forest     [url=https://open.spotify.com/track/06VpK4CHELWBGR7QYdH9I2?si=5e33ac7ef2704f64][color=426f76]♫[/color][/url] [/b][/color][/sup][indent][sup][color=gray]Players may enter the forest at their own risk. The forest is said to be haunted but it is all surely just an old telltale.
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	[color=2e2c2c]Into The Forest by Oscar Wilde[/color]
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	To the north of the little place that was Shipden Peak stood a forest. One may walk fifteen feet into the lush green and be swallowed whole. Fog might dance around the ankles though it has no purpose being there but to spook you with a warning: do not treat. It would be unwise to walk into it thinking you would come out the same. Many times the wall that surrounds Shipden was mended, for foolish youth would open up the makeshift passageway behind the Covenstead that led straight into the woods. Treating into the forest was forbidden a long time ago, though modern times make ancient minds grow forgetful. And so you may enter these woods tonight. At your own risk...

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[color=steelblue]F O R  M A N O N[/color]
[i]All information below is at your disposal. You may base your character's reaction and decision on how much of this info they possess. You may ignore this information if you like.

[color=steelblue]˃[/color] Your [/i]Danger Sense[i] is activated. Manon can feel that danger is near. It is likely to have to do with the forest. She does not know how dangerous the threat is and seemingly can't detect what could be causing this sense of danger. You would need to further investigate to gain more information.
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[color=steelblue]F O R  S I M O N[/color]
[i]All information below is at your disposal. You may base your character's reaction and decision on how much of this info they possess. You may ignore this information if you like.

[color=steelblue]˃[/color] Through your [/i]Intuition[i], you could notice that Zhalia's aura if feeling a little "sketchy". Simon may get a sense that her intentions are unclear or maybe obscured. This could be her hiding something, not being truthful, using magic to obscure her aura or just her being nervous, confused or unsure about her own intentions/actions. Simon could use his magic (lean into his Intuition) to gain more information. He is not receiving any other funky intuition about any other person present as of right now.
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