[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/n4KlO0T.png[/img][hr][hr] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMyVrR8oQ0s]♫[/url][hr][hr][sub]Silas Rieger[@Tackytaff], Yuliya Ilyanovich Vasilieva [@Suicharte], Nazih Iqbal[@Ziegenkonig], Esmi’nesta’tawaar[@BlackRoseSiren], Yvain de Berbignon[@jasbraq], Penelope 'Penny' Pellegrin[@Force and Fury], Sven Bjørnsson[/sub][/center] The Biro’s departure was as prompt and informal as their arrival had been. Except this time, rather than the rapid and novel transport of interdimensional magics, they were lent a more archaic means of movement. A breakfast was provided: thick porridge of boiled grain, mixed with mushrooms and an unfamiliar purple ingredient reminiscent of a root vegetable, though much saltier and toothsome. It was offered to them in mugs, ladled from a large cauldron that was clearly meant to feed the entire bunkhouse. However meager and unceremonious, the first steaming fresh helpings were graciously offered to the foreign visitors before being brought to the usual residents. Chorily awaited them in the stables, her partner from the day before nowhere to be seen. She gave them a brief guide to Marguhk care. Brief, for there was little too it apparently; it was a familiar route for the creatures, and they’d follow it without guidance. They’d fair much better foraging for food in the mountains than any of the group could hope to provide from their own lean rations demanded by the journey, and most importantly they would manage to guide themselves home without aid or obvious magic. No mention at all was made of the occurrence in the stables the day before, and Chorily gave the students no time to question it before hurrying to see them off at the city gates. [hr] It took them three days time in total to move from the colossal mountains of central Callanast to the rocky plateau of Kyrguz. In their quiet wisdom, the Marguhk had led a path around the worst of the terrain so that their journey was far from perilous, if not a bit more uncomfortable. Unfamiliar fauna and flora for the Constanian natives passed them on the journey, sparse though they were at high altitudes. Thin and twisting trees of grey bark with the occasional bunch of wide leaves broke through the stone along the way. The flora had no apparent regard for verticality, fertile soil, or keeping their roots hidden underground. Birds were plentiful, flying from the south to make nests within the mountain caves for the warmer months. During their second day, a herd of wild Marguhk was spotted some distance off, scaling a sheer cliff to feast on the leaves of one of the twisted trees. The last morning of their journey rudely awakened them with theft; burglary by one of the mountain's most infamous inhabitants, rock rats. The short-tailed rodents chewed into their packs and ate most of their rations in the night. It was a long and ill-tempered last day of travel as they descended from the last of the rocky hills into misty harbour of Tagayungri. [hr] If they were expecting a warmer welcome in the human lands than the Hegelan city, they were left sorely disappointed. A boat awaited them along with two armed guards and a man in black robes. Their conversation in the local foreign language stopped as soon as the Biro’s were in view. [colour=3BFFB7]“Welcome friends,”[/colour] Began the robed man in Avincian, accented but not nearly as halting as the Hegelans’. [colour=3BFFB7] “My apologies for the inconvenience, but the Elder Ozodbek has granted you an audience; before your departure, if you may.”[/colour] His smile was wide, but his eyes wandered and hands wrung themselves nervously; a silver ring could be seen flashing between his fingers every few seconds. The two men behind him snickered, and whispered something in Vissoriyan that made the mage flush. [colour=3BFFB7]“I am Nikolai Kozlov, graduate of St. Yuri’s and steward of Tagayungri. If you’ll follow me...”[/colour] He didn’t lead them far. The village leader’s residence was a house, differing from the others only in size; the walls high enough to accommodate a full loft above the main room. A rather wasteful display, given its owner. Elder Ozodbek sat upon a large wooden chair in the centre of the lower floor. True to his title, the man appeared to be at least eighty, withered and barely moving, saved for the shaking tremble that came with each breath. His eyes were closed while he spoke, giving the impression of blindness in addition to his naturally perceived feebleness. He was speaking with a man; a local farmer named Dastan, they would later learn. Out of the members in the party, only Yuliya could follow the argument being spoken in their native tounge. [colour=FF9159]“You and yours survived the cold and more, our people have withstood worse.”[/colour] [colour=FFD64F]“Survival?”[/colour] There wasn’t the respect you’d expect to see from a subject to their sovereign in the farmer’s tone. The man was angry, and shaken. [colour=FFD64F]“Five have died! More will follow - and our fields, our tools, the livestock - how are we meant to produce!?”[/colour] [colour=FF9159]“I offered you aid before without request before. I know my role well enough, remember yours.”[/colour] [colour=FFD64F]“Three weeks and we have heard nothing. There will not be enough harvest to prepare for another year at this rate, we need -”[/colour] [colour=FF9159]“Argue with me no more Dastan, help has arrived. Go home to your family and wait for the problem to be solved.”[/colour] With one hand, the old man waved the other away, all while beckoning the group of Biro’s closer with the other. His eyes remained closed. [colour=FF9159]“Closer!” [/colour]He shouted out in Vissoriyan towards the group of newcomers. Nikolai flinched, but moved past the farmer to stand in front of the elder. [colour=3BFFB7]“The mages we were told of have arrived,”[/colour] He confirmed to his master, [colour=3BFFB7]“Come far from the twin continents where Avincian-”[/colour] The elder brushed his councilor's explanation aside, before returning to his native tongue. [colour=FF9159]“The world has gotten too large for me to follow. You will translate for me, Nikolai, so these strangers might understand.”[/colour] Kozlov nodded obediently, and explained as much to the group. [colour=FF9159]“We had a late storm three weeks ago,”[/colour] The elder began, his words repeated by their guide. [colour=3BFFB7]“Cold enough to freeze the harbour over again for three days. Bad omens to start a new year.”[/colour] There was a solemnity to the elder’s voice that was not carried through by Nikolai, who seemed hesitant to even repeat the superstitions. [colour=3BFFB7]“Whatever southern curse has come and reached us - the storm was the first thing. Next, came the beast.” “A Begemot was spotted two days later, it tore through a farm not long after. There have been four rampages so far. Five people killed, and the year's crops will have to be resown - if there is even time after rebuilding from the monster’s destruction.” “I will pay you to take care of this problem for me.”[/colour] [colour=FF9159]“Nikolai!”[/colour] Their interpreter jumped at the sudden acknowledgement of his existence again. [colour=FF9159]“Answer their questions and see to it that they’re taken care of for the night.”[/colour] The ancient man made no motion to move or dismiss, but none was required to know the audience was over. Nioklai urged them back out the way they came until the smell of fish and boats from the docks surrounded them once more. [colour=3BFFB7]“You’ll excuse the elder, this place is… remote.” [/colour] His hands twisted again, spinning the ring on his middle finger. [colour=3BFFB7]“But the Begemot is a problem, curse or not, and I will aid you however I can in defeating it, so please, ask me anything.”[/colour] [hider=Action Opportunities:] Please keep an eye on the discord! There will be two mini-events in discord this cycle: > one takes place during the mountain journey to the harbour town > for the other, your group must decide how to proceed with the Begemot [u][b]Action Opportunities:[/b][/u] (Pick any number of actions) - Interact with each other or your environment on the journey - Ask Nikolai any questions you may have. Feel free to search for answers from other residents, though none are likely to speak a language anyone other than Yuliya or [i]maybe[/i] Marz can understand. - Determine your character’s personal plan for what to do about the Begemot, if anything - Your characters haven’t eaten all day and are hungry, should probably take care of that [/hider]