---

The Barn

---

Since her mention of not serving the prince, a perplexed look had sat on his face, as though he had been presented with the most peculiar of riddles. It lingered there until she finally gave her name.

It suddenly all made sense. That gnawing familiarity in those soft, feminine features—she was more than just another Aurelian.
"Ah ha! Thalia Evercrest!" he exclaimed, slapping his pant leg with his free hand. Excitement broke through as the mystery unraveled before him. He knew he recognized that face from somewhere. And there it was, the striking juxtaposition of noble elegance, veiled beneath the rough disguise of a stablehand’s garb.

"Ah, yes. Evercrest," he said with a reminiscent air. "Your family reared horses, didn’t they? What became of them? I remember the great estate from my younger days. Every lad wanted to ride an Evercrest." He smiled distantly, lost in memory. "How is your mother, by the way?"

A gradual, childish smirk crept across his face. The not-so-subtle innuendo added a cheeky youthfulness to his features, carrying with it fond memories of old times. He grinned foolishly, as if he alone held a private secret, or a rather clever dirty joke.
Thalia would be able to see the path of his thoughts, the road of memories quickly darkening. His features shifted, telling a silent story as youthful joy faded to a sorrowful sigh, morphing into a hybrid of regret and grief. Cutting the journey short, fleeing the ghosts waiting at its end, he cleared his throat and pulled himself back to the present, his gaze returning to her. Thalia Evercrest.

"Yes, my brothers used to say…" he began enthusiastically, clinging to a spark of joy, but his words faltered as his eyes settled on her. He stopped abruptly, as though remembering who it was he was truly speaking to.
"Ah well, we used to say many things. Nothing of importance though. Forgive my rambling. I’ve spoken with too few of late, and it can be difficult to let go of brighter days gone. I... well, I suppose I don’t need to explain that to you."

He looked her over once again, sympathy in his eyes, a false smile on his lips. His gaze seemed to notice every smudge of dirt, drop of dung, and clump of straw. He did not see the confident, spirited woman beneath only the simple farmhand before him. A noble reduced to a servant, something he could not reconcile. They were two entirely different things, after all. How was he to treat her now? It was a perplexing moral conundrum.

"If I recall... were you not nearly engaged to the prince himself?" were the words he spoke. Yet beneath them lingered the unspoken question: 'What foul misfortune has befallen you?'
There was a hint of concern in his voice. If it could happen to her, it could happen to any of them, right.
'Was it because of this place? Might it happen to me as well?'

So unsure of what to do with this revelation, so uncertain, he looked as though he might be on the brink of offering her coin out of sheer sympathy.

Lord and Lady Coswain

The Eye

Lord Coswain took a deep drink from his ale, dark Lunarian even if it was a little basic and not exactly the finest of creations. But it was an ale and he could hardly expect the drinks from the Capital and Dunnatal that they had got used to. This was the frontier and the frontier had rather more different rules.

The sell sword was pretty decent for a sell sword, he had dealt with far worse and also worked with those who were a mix from barely above criminals, elite warrior clans organised like military brigades, barely equipped desperate peasants and more besides. Some had been former soldiers of the Royal armies and forces, others had come into that life for other reasons. So many variations, so many differences.

“Man of the sword, that's a polite way for people to think of a Royal Guard. My wife has a excellent collection she hered." He joined the laughter and the sellsword. He might as well get the measure of the man and it was not all that bad really! He could have been far worse, far far worse.

“To not making the last mistake then.” He raised his ale and placed the letter safely into his leather pouch to deliver later, rolling it up tightly once the ink was fully dry. Everything was normal as Dawnhaven allowed and you just had to roll with the crazy.

Oh and the sell swords huge mistake, he could walk onto this one and just take the hit. He had been here for over a week and knew Sya had no Tavern wrenches and such at this place. Sya was a huge flirt though she was not that kind of Inn Keeper, he never had seen her up to that kind of thing and whatever she did in private was her own business. He really did have more problems than what the strange serpentine inn keeper was up to.

“Cannot wait for some entertainment…” He said to himself into the ale, after this he would have to drop the document off and they could decide to run this off to the Prince if they chose to forward the contract to employ a mercenary to give them a difference in thinking and tactics? Perhaps they had failed because they used one method, it did not mean they could not approach the challenge with different strategies.

“Try that with Sya, that would be funny… for us.” He said with a grin and looked about not seeing the Lamia slithering about though the lime green eyed blight born he had come to know as the second was about, he had to get used to them being about, Dawn Haven was an alien world.

He was close to finishing his ale, he would have to head out and leave this poor soul to his fate. Alas you could not save some people.

"Try to leave some of him miss." Lord Coswain said as he checked his pockets and also made sure he had signed the tab to add the ale to the list, they had a bill and well... ? Umm did debts matter when the world might end?

@TimelessParagon@Echotech71

Sparing Daphne, Dyna and Ranni the small details, Flynn kept his explanation brief, pared down to what mattered most: Aliseth was a threat. A possible blight-born. Using blood and/or psychic magic. He was to be apprehended and approached with the utmost caution. If it could be avoided, they did not want more deaths added to the growing tally.

As he finished, one of the knights stepped forward, urging him and Amaya to leave the area immediately—that their safety was the highest priority. Flynn had just turned to Amaya, words half formed on his lips as he caught a flash of something in her eyes, when the jail door opened.

His head snapped toward the doorway, hand instinctively moving to the hilt at his side. A guard beside the door went flying, armor clattering as he landed in a nearby snowdrift.

As the guard clumsily tried to get back on his feet, Flynn’s eyes shifted back to the door. Amused ghostly eyes stared back at him, framed by blond hair. Flynn’s gaze narrowed, the grip on his sword tightening. Though he hadn’t fully drawn his blade, the remaining knights had.

Flynn shifted, taking another small but deliberate step in front of Amaya. Every muscle braced as the prisoner’s smug, taunting words rolled out. Every syllable pure mockery.

When Gadez pointed Ranni out with a thinly veiled threat, Flynn’s gaze flicked to Dyna, gauging her reaction—or lack thereof. Like him, she stood as a shield between the jail and a person she couldn’t afford to lose.

Drawing in a quiet breath to steady his pounding heart, Flynn slid his attention back to Gadez. Nerves eased, replaced by a rising tide of disdain as the man put on yet another show—theatrical movements, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. As if this were all just a game.

"The wolf howled it's warning cry, and asked me to pass it to you. That he is coming for you. That he will learn the truth."

Flynn’s mind raced. Had Gadez been working with Aliseth? For how long? If not, why had Aliseth let him walk free? And what was Aliseth doing inside the jail now? What truth did he seek?

Behind him, Amaya watched it all with frozen muscles and quick eyes. Her fingers twitched at her side, desperate to reach for Flynn, to pull him back from Gadez’s taunting words and flashing gaze — or to secure herself more surely to him, and hide beneath his shadow.

She flicked her gaze to Daphne. When the squire had emerged, fear had wrapped itself around Amaya’s heart. Daphne had been alone, vulnerable and magicless, in the jail with a murderous blight-born who could change his face and alter the minds of others. What better opportunity would there have been to strike? To feed? Amaya thought of the second corpse in the Moon Temple, his face made unrecognizable only to be donned by his killer.

Who was to say that this was Daphne at all?

But Gadez’s reveal had doused that fear so thoroughly that it nearly drowned her. If the blight-born had killed her, then surely he wouldn’t have left the prisoner alive — let alone freed him. She doubted he’d choose to impersonate a prisoner either, before going on to make such a spectacle of himself.

The force of Amaya’s relief nearly set her off balance. Soft words, an open gaze, the simple offering of shared food… Amaya had already begun to mourn their loss without realizing it.

Tearing her gaze away from Daphne, Amaya forced her attention back on the scene playing out — the danger hadn’t yet passed. The prisoner talked and talked, as ice blue eyes catalogued the souls and ice around them.

If Daphne and Gadez were alive and whole… what of the blight-born?

Flynn’s jaw clenched as Gadez addressed Amaya, though he didn’t dare look back at her — the growing chill at his back was unmistakable. His eyes never left Gadez, listening as he offered suggestions on how to deal with the blight-born. Speaking as if he were some omniscient being.

Everything in Flynn’s body coiled as a chuckle escaped Gadez’s mouth. Disgust reflected plainly in his expression, losing grip on what was left of calculated control.

“Why did he let you free?” The question was curt. His voice low, edged with heated skepticism.

---

_{Interactions: Dyna, Ranni @Queen Arya, Daphne @PrinceAlexus, Gadez @Dezuel}

---

Location Eye of the Beholder.

---

After her encounter with the Blight-borns and the white haired female, Evelyn continued her journey, those bright eyes that bore into her, she couldn't help but keep focusing on them, as if those very eyes imprinted themselves onto the confines of Evelyn's mind.

A wave of boldness washed over her, and she gently pushed the tavern door; she had never set foot in this place. The wave of new senses that washed over her, along with the heat of the roaring hearth, as if inviting her in. She knew that the owner was a Blight-born, a sort of Snake woman. In the old bedtime tales that Evelyn was told as a babe. Snakes, more magical ones, possessed the ability of hypnosis, luring people in; the inn was giving off that same aura. Evelyn scoffed at the thought, a small smile tugged on her lips as she remembered those bedtime stories, mostly her father playing the parts of some beast, or a prince.

Shouting and merriment were everywhere in the tavern. She undid the hood from her cloak, her red hair flowed down her back, and she even caught the eye of a couple of the other patrons as one wolf whistled her. Evelyn flushed at this gesture. No doubt the man, or was it a woman, was clearly drunk. Her money was secure in a secret pocket hidden in her dress; she never really had to carry a weapon on her person, as she could just use magic to defend herself. She wasn't taking any chances. Her teacher, Ms Wicke was a little scrappy in her youthful days. She sat down flattening her dress under herself unsure what to order for a drink, it wasn't until then that she heard a booming across in her direction.

A man dressed in purple was standing there eyeing her. Evelyn's shadow moved from the floor crawling back to her person, until it was completely engulfed in her dress. She kept her composure as she processed what he said. She couldn't say anything, her brain couldn't process what was happening, it was all happening so fast. When he leaned in, her entire body went tense. Her shadow now felt like a second skin.

“Ex- Excuse me!?” she squawked, barely able to get the words out as she moved her head away, in shock that what this stranger just asked

What price? Does this man think I'm some sort of harlot? her thoughts rang.

“I do not offer those sorts of services.” she squeaked with a hint of anger. Her heart hammered in her chest, the audacity of some people.

”Does your payment of a drink not include manners.” she asked, but then she gestured to the seat opposite her. ”Sit, I'll give you another chance to introduce yourself.”

On the outside she held his stare, trying her best to contain her composure, she looked to the barmaid who was watching this unfold. ”Wine please, red.” she says. The barmaid nods and immediately goes for a bottle.

---

Interactions: @TimelessParagon

Temple of Ayel Aelios

The nobleman had felt a surge of satisfaction of seeing Valthyr get dragged off by Ivor. Now that was an uneducated, reeking, thickheaded and otherwise awful barbarian brute he could make some use of.

Perhaps with sufficient perfume, clothing and training perhaps even that lumbering oaf could become a servant, that was at least two stages above being a barbarian. The nobleman felt inclined to berate the overgrown barbarian for having him, a man of a clearly higher class even waste thoughts on him. But good servants, even good-for-nothing servants were hard to come by. That blonde girl whose twin image was related to some form of goat was another potential subject.

He did like that word. Subject. It made him feel royal. While he knew his family had no royal lineage in the last threehundred years, he was confident that he was descended from an old ancient royal line. How else would he have gotten the perfect jawline? Those articulate cheekbones and natural charm. Charm which made him a natural leader of those who were clearly unable to think for themselves. But he didn't want to attribute all his greatness to his charms alone, his intellect had no doubt played a great part too. In fact, if Flynn and his siblings would all die, then if Flynn has some child, goddess forbid not with that barbarian hag-witch, then a regent would have to be picked until said child would be old enough to make rational and wise decisions. Ayel momentarily forgot where he were as he mused in his own head that he was indeed not only the best choice, which he were. He was the perfect choice.

His precious, if not even blissful thoughts about himself was then interupted by Persephone.

"What?" He said aloud, trying to retrace what the woman had just said to him.

"Lady? A barbarian cannot be a lady. Pfah! Poppycock. As for insults to her character, how could someone possibly blame me? There's a caravan load of things to make notice of that is obviously wrong." He raised an arrogant eyebrow, and gave a smug smile, which gradually faded as Sya had began speaking her vile snake-speech, border-region gibberish!

The nobleman squinted as if he were trying to descipher some olden text or phrasing. What in the world was that cursed creature sprouting about his mother? She did mention proud aurelian bloodline. This creature?! The nobleman shook his head in clear disapproval. The pitiful creature were trying to elevate itself off the ground by trying to steal -his- people's right to bear that noble title. Aurelian.

Lunaris on the other hand. It had to somehow be connected to the word lunatics. He was certain of it.

While he was once again pondering on a refined reprimand of the two ungrateful gibberish-speaking she-beasts, he realized he was all alone in the bath now. They had left. That or they were eluding his gaze. Like sneaky underhanded shadowy servants of the moon-bitch would. But were that even possible in Aelios holy place? Not on his watch! He stood up and looked up at the dark sky.

"Victory! I drove the pests away from your domain! Hah hah! Aha! Hoho! Ohohoho!" He laughed but then felt a chill as he realized he was still not wearing anything. But then again. He knew he always wore a mantle of victory, albeit unseen to the common people. He was warded from harm from Aelios herself, but the chill in the wind was a sign from her to sit down and embrace the heated water.

The nobleman nodded to himself, as there were none else present who deserved it. Like most other days. But he couldn't allow himself to be spoiled in Aelios warding water, he had to step out and help Flynn to clean up the town. He had to write a very strongly, but elegantly worded letter to him about the unsightliness that had befallen him in Aelios temple. A sign saying that barbarians were forbidden wouldn't work. They were too dumb to read. It had to be a painting. Perhaps he could use that lumbering bouncer of an ape as a good example how a barbarian looks like.

Perhaps he could speak with Eris about creating a solution to all their issues by spreading a barbarian plague in town. Give fate a gentle little push in the right direction. Then Flynn would have no choice but to separate the good people from the lousy, underhanded and filthy ape-folks! Goddess. He was brilliant. Like a star himself. Perhaps he could tell Eris as he would hand over his letter of permitting her to marry him, despite there being a clear distinguishing even between noble houses, these were dark troubled times that warranted compromisations. How he hated that word. Compromise. He felt a shiver up his spine. Perhaps it was just the cold wind, that wretched ice goddess with her mockery.

He stood up again, determined about what he needed to do. But first he had to find some clothes. And he knew right where!

The nobleman moved in his exposed situation out from the bathing area and into the main hall. That male guardsman surely were still around somewhere. Nodding off as they were typically good-for-nothings anyways. He scoffed as he made his way towards Tia's chambers. That place would hold everything he needed. None around to spot him, none to judge him but Aelios herself. And she was clearly in favor of him. He was her chosen after all. He gave a tug at the door. Locked. Of course it was locked. It were to keep those ill-mannered idiots from strolling into the place looking for food or something to poke their noses with.

Thank the goddess he was no idiot. While the door was indeed locked, he realized that he had carried the key with him the entire time. Aelios light! It was the key.

Ayel discreetly moved his both hands down to the keyhole and handle, making sure not to touch it. Who knew who would have put their unclean paws on it before. He then made a few lousy attempts at coughing, he had to admit he was not a master at coughing, but this wasn't due to skill. But because caughing were for the sick and peasants in general. He tried his best to mask his magical attack at the keyhole and handle, blowing a hole through the door with his light magic.

He tightened his hands into fists shortly after, looking into the hole itself. Success!

'You are brilliant Ayel. Aelios light is the key. Another test completed my dear consort. Huhu.' He thought to himself as he moved the door open and looked around him quickly, then snuck inside. How hard would it be to find a priest attire in here?

The nobleman began to open the dressers and cabinets. He needed a robe, boots, pants, a corset… That blonde woman better had something his size!

Lord and Lady Coswain

The Eye

Lady Coswain left the post office turning on her health and pulled her cloak tight, Lunarian or not she was not immune to the cold. She moved through her sword clinked against the door and pulled her gloves tight. The dagger she checked out of sheer reflex as walking out to find her mount glaring at a man. Shaking her head she rapped the horse on its nose and rubbed its neck walking the warhorse back to the stables. “Come on Agmar, ya big lump!” She said giving those who obeyed the woman's gentle pull at its straps. For anyone else it might be like moving a wall, she was one who earned this one's loyalty.

“I know..” she tossed an apple that was caught out the air as Persephone put to work to remove the saddle and such with practised ease before she departed the stables with an easy gait and a calm. The act of the standard action was a comforting thing. Looking back she returned and tossed Agmar a second apple and she just smiled, sure she was put by a horse that looked sad at her but Agmar loved apples, even a preserved one.

Across the busy town square Persephone strode and made a bee line for the Inn, its warm fires and hot drink would warm her body, the place would also let her think and write the letters she needed to send, home and official needed to be sent.

Light shone from its smaller windows and the half closed shutters against the harsh weather that had hit the town itself, the sign swung gently in a low wind. That thought aside Persephone just pushed the heavy door open swinging on newly nailed hinges and the sighs of someone marking the door for further works, whatever the serpentine keeper had planned.

As she entered she saw a rather interesting scene, her husband was sitting with a man in purple being told off by a red headed woman by the bar. Pausing she removed her gloves and loosened her furs taking warmth from the fire that was ever burning and took heart from it, the thing was a small one but everyone could least be warm in the eye if nothing else.

“My dear husband, trouble? Or you causing it Tea please, something hot, dark blend if you have one.” Persephone said as she walked up to the bar area, she came up from behind and brushed the darker red hair streaked with grey that had dropped over her eye and turned to see the others resting a hand on her husbands and interlacing their fingers. There was a hint of playfulness and also that they had been together for quite a few years.

“Don t give the Inn keeper ideas, she is quite spirited.” Persephone said with a light remark and stayed nearer the fire warming her body and getting her mind back on track. Her plans for today had been so messed up by the ingrate lord. But she would tell her partner later, she did not need him killing the peacock before she let the Prince have his fun.. or show his true colours as an ass amongst him. A little test of his nature.

“Trouble…you know, its how we met Persephone.” Lord Coswain said as they shared a glance that was more a conversation than a look, no real need for words or actions. “A man after a bounty Cull Farrion, and a proposed contract of service to deliver. And he misread the room.” He chose a much more polite way of saying it, nodding to the barmaid who took the order of tea with a nod barely needing to see their matching signs of the Lord and Ladies house markings.

“Intresting, diffrent approaches cannot hurt, we need every advantage.” Persephone said thoughtfully before turning to the well dressed red headed lady who needed wine. Persephone just nudged her partner and said something with a glance, she did not need to be vocal about it. They could talk later and decide things, difficult things and they had difficult decisions to make. However that was private, that was for them. Publicly she presented as the comfortable lord and lady together. Appearances matter.

“My better half is Persephone Coswain, and im Addonis.” He said more comfortably and the two took things more lightly. They had chosen to be more casual and take this less formally. It was a bar.. Inn… Sya did not exactly have a big thing for enforcing exact social rules and this inn was a place for almost everyone in Dawn Haven from Nobles workers, guards with the whole lack of alternatives. “Sya is an interesting host, but I am afraid to give her ideas.” Adonis could not lie, he had not seen this lady here lately and it never hurt to know more, know more people and get more angles on the challenges.

“What is your trade? Though my partner might have to depart on a duty, I have plenty of time, your not holding me up, i very much would rather not run into a certain Lord, least not before my latter arrives.” Persephone said easily, she could tell body language very well and subtle communication among other things was her speciality. She was in uniform but Persephone could still be disarming and was not a Throne Agent for no reason.

Mentions
@Echotech71
@TimelessParagon

Daphne

Jail

Jail Jam jamboree with the Spicey Squire.

Daphne waited and stood hearing the explanation as her face dropped, she managed to not scream in despair at being caught up in everything and turned her head to hear the various information and also the fact a blight born had somehow become a guard? Infiltrated the jail and somehow Daphne had avoided being caught up in the middle of a murder after walking into a murder a day before.

She paced with an increasingly heavy pace and lunarian boots crushed the ice that scattered about. For the goddess' sake. Could Daphne get a day free of chaos?

The moment Gadez left the jail? Was that even the man, a blight born, a magic…but magic was like…suppressed inside the runes? How by all and the goddess did that happen? And how did he get out of a locked cage!

It was still an effort as her abilities felt sluggish still but she moved fast, one showed a sword drawn forward pointing at his throat and her second was resting in a guard position. Moving to the side of the princess in a step and draw that was unnaturally fast and why she had been chosen as a Squire. One purple eye glanced at the Prince. “You need a better jail.” Before a more concerned one turned to Amaya, he was a Prince but Amaya was a Lunarian and she was her priority plus he probably had combat training if Auralia taught royals them worth a damn. “Stay behind me, and run if you have to. I'll buy you time.” Daphne said to the Princess before she turned to fully face the escapee.

Daphne's voice went cold as a Lunaran mountain peak as she moved, tracking the man, blades ready and eyes hard with her training kicking in. “Sword. Down. Back inside. And do not even take a step to the Princess.

Or il take your skull and give it to my girlfriend as a bloody ale mug.”

Daphne had officially had way too much shit and too little chance to kiss a priestess. A woman could only take so much being the centre of events. The blade in her extended hand did not shake as much an inch as she stared him down. She did not know what the other intended but she had enough, the jail was her job and he was meant to be inside.

Where was Asileth? Was he a blight born, was he knocked out dead? Turned or controlled? That was a question that had no answer until they pushed through the door and past Gadez. They had to take this one problem at a time, she hoped he was alive and only knocked out so she could tease him later. The good sign. No blood on the blade.

“Champion, if it fails, please do make good my word. I'd hate to break it. Tell the moon priestess to follow the Cadian rites.” Daphne said with a surprising light tone entirely at odds with the situation as she switched between guard Daphne and Daphne the person. Even if that was her final wishes and angenging her death.

MENTIONS
@Dezuel
@c3p-0h

---

_{Interactions: Dyna, Ranni @Queen Arya, Daphne @PrinceAlexus, Gadez @Dezuel}

---

• Location: Bath House
• Mentions: @PrinceAlexus

---

Well, rotten was probably a more accurate word, but something was amiss about where the stench originated from.

Anastasia had only recently returned to town. While she was out, scouring the landscape for corpses to decompose, an intense blizzard locked her in place for quite some time. It was all she could do but turtle down next to a tree and connect with the interwoven fungal network beneath the forest to sustain herself until it blew over. When she could finally see and move around again she quickly came to the realization she'd lost her path back to Dawnhaven. One adventure led to another, but eventually she found herself back in the place she called home.

It was only then that it hit her. Not another realization, but the stink of something that smelled suspiciously dead. A heavy stone nestled itself deep within her stomach as she followed the smell all the way back to the local bath house. As grim as it would be for someone to have died in there, and as much as she didn't want to discover a broiling body or acquaint herself with the heat of the establishment, she felt that she had to investigate. At the very least if she was the one to discover something morbid she might save someone else from a traumatizing experience. Anastasia was good friends with the dead by this point after all, so it wouldn't scar her nearly as bad.

When she walked inside she nearly choked on the warm air. It filled her lungs and disrupted the spores that resided there. They liked the cold better. She balled her hand into a fist and brought it to her mouth, muffling a throaty cough. With a wheeze and a prayer she tentatively pushed forwards and inspected each room, examined the spring waters, looked under furnishings and such all in an attempt to find the body. It was lost on her that it might be a bizarre sight— a wheezing, sickly looking woman with half a body of fungus looking for something in a place she'd never been to before.

The scent had faded. Anastasia had checked just about everywhere she could think of and she was about to decide to just call it quits. There was one place she hadn't looked yet though, and if that was where the body lied then she wouldn't forgive herself if someone less suspecting discovered it when she'd already come here to look. So, she wandered into the deepest area she could— where the heat was at its most intense and the water was assuredly its warmest. It was then that her eyes caught sight of what had to be a giant sea serpent, but on closer inspection it was just a woman.

Anastasia only knew her as the “innkeeper.” The serpentine cyclopean woman had a memorable appearance, but then again most blight-born did. Despite living here for so long, she’d never taken the opportunity to talk to her. Perhaps they’d seen each other in passing occasionally, but that would be the extent of their interactions for the most part.

”Sorry to intrude and this may seem like an odd question, but…” she pursed her lips, wondering if a good way to phrase this question even existed. ”..have you happened upon a dead body here, just… laying about?”

This was truly the last place Anastasia could think to look. If the innkeeper hadn’t seen anything, then… maybe she just imagined the smell? Her nose had become more attuned ever since she changed so she didn’t think she was mistaken, but it wasn’t impossible that she misplaced the scent. She’d feel a little foolish though if she went out of her way to make herself so uncomfortable in this heat for nothing.

---

---

_{Location: Alchemy Chambers > Aelios Temple}

---

---

Slipping back into the entrance chamber, the warm glow of the hearth radiated around Nesna, forming a pointed silhouette—the tips of her wings, her elongated ears, the short horns twisting atop cascading silvery hair. Eris’ heart skipped a beat in her chest. An unbidden flash of fear caught in her throat.

She tried to recall the silhouette she’d seen lurking at her bedside. Tried to decide if Nesna had been the one who would now haunt her nightmares and the shadowed corners of her room for nights to come. Everything had been so dark. She hadn’t been prepared to analyze it at the time… but she couldn’t recall any pointed edges.

Nesna simply stood there, quietly clasping her hands together, still as stone. Despite the appearance, Eris didn’t get the sense that Nesna was a hardened criminal. It didn’t appear that she’d even moved an inch in the minutes they’d left her alone. She’d had every opportunity to rifle through cabinets and drawers, yet everything appeared in its proper place.

Then again, Eris had never been good at seeing the bad in people. She could almost hear her brother's skeptical huff of disapproval. She’d seen enough to know that the blight could change the core of who people were. Or perhaps Nesna was just very skilled in subterfuge. Just as Aurelians had always accused the Lunarians of being.

“Thank you for your patience, Nesna. My apologies.” Eris offered a sheepish smile, inclining her head in respect. She stopped several feet away—close enough, but well out of arms reach.

Eris glanced at Nathaniel as he came to stand beside her, catching his eyes already fixed on her. She swiftly tore her gaze away, shoving down the wave of embarrassment that tried to surface.

“I’m afraid I have some business to attend to.” She said, more self-assured than she felt. At the very least, she’d always managed to fake composure when it mattered most—to get away, out of sight, before the breakdown began.

“It’s been wonderful meeting you.” she added, glancing toward the door—a flicker of thought shifting across her eyes. “The Prince should be here any moment to perform the interview. I don’t… I don’t normally attend them.” Her attention returned to Nesna, hesitant to admit the detail, despite most of the town knowing it by now. “I’m sure we’ll have a chance to speak again soon. You’ll be in good hands with Nathaniel and the other Sages here while you wait.”

Turning to Nathaniel, she let a faint smile touch her lips. “Lady Rovella will see to the blight-born who’ve come for their interviews—she and Lord Galahad usually do.” She hesitated, as if she might say more, but thought better of it.

With a final nod and a small curtsy, Eris gathered her cloak tight around her shoulders and moved to the door. Hand on the door handle, she paused,then turned back to Nathaniel.

“Could you please tell Guard Hawthorne that I’ve headed into town to find Sya, when she and Hale return?”

A tinge of fear slowly crept along her spine at the thought of leaving without Charlotte at her side. It felt… unwise. But Charlotte and Zeph both had duties to attend to—neither were her personal guards. Securing the alchemy chamber perimeter mattered more than escorting her across town.

“I’ll flag down another guard to escort me,” she added quickly, catching the flicker of concern that passed over his face. “Thank you.”

Before he could answer or offer an alternative, she slipped outside and shut the door behind her. The snow settling onto the landscape and drifting from the sky seemed to swallow sound with it. Her world became narrow. Quiet. Dark.

She pulled her hood up, drawing a steadying breath as her hands slid into her pockets. Her fingers worked restlessly—Tia’s hairpins in one hand, the cold gemstone in the other.

She needed to find Sya.
Needed to find Tia.
Needed to find the Prince.

So much to do.
So little time.
And even less strength.

But first—she needed a guard.

---

Luckily, one of those guards had been happy to escort her. An older Aurelian man, glad for a task other than trudging the same patrol route for hours. Along the way he’d told her small pieces of himself—where in Aurelia he hailed from, what he thought of the blight-born, about the family he’d never had, and how she’d reminded him of his sister. It was a pleasant reprieve from the nerves skittering through her mind.

He’d even helped her poke her head into the tavern to ask after Sya. One of the workers pointed them toward the hot springs, and now they stood before the large temple doors.

Eris gave him a deep bow, thanking him and inviting him for tea at the Alchemy Chambers whenever he needed a break from the cold. As he took his leave, she turned back to the temple and pulled the heavy doors open.

Stepping inside, she pulled her snow-dusted hood down. Warmth enveloped her in a rush of heat against numb skin. Her eyes found the eternal flame in the center of the chamber, cheeks flush from the cold. The heels of her boots softly clicked against the wooden floors as she moved closer.

Scanning the chamber, she found a dark haired guard lingering along the wall. She gave him a polite nod in greeting, a friendly smile on her lips. Though he was a welcome sight, she couldn’t help but wonder if putting guards within the temple was a new directive due to what had happened yesterday—or if it was just a Dawnhaven rule she hadn’t noticed before.

Admittedly, she had spent little time in Aelios’ temple since arriving here. She’d only found it in herself to pray in private. But the blaze of the eternal flame reminded her of home, in some small way. She tried to hold onto the feeling, if only for a second, and told herself that she would come more often.

But nearby rustling ripped her back into the present.

The sound of cabinets shutting, somewhere down the hallway that led to the private quarters. Excitement bloomed in her chest—she’d been so hopeful that she’d find the High Priestess here when she’d heard Sya was in this area. Crossing two items off her long list of tasks would have been ideal.

Taking a few steps toward the hall, Eris cast a quick glance at the guard — making sure he wasn’t about to stop her. But he hadn’t moved, and seemed more interested in who was coming in and out of the temple rather than what she did within it.

Continuing forward, she followed the dim flicker of candlelight down the hall. With each step, a chill crept across her skin. A reminder that another creature might be lingering in the shadows of this room too.

Her steps slowed as an open door came within view. Where the lock should have been was only a jagged hole, wood splintered in a circular shape.

Her fingers tightened around the items in her pockets, pulse suddenly hammering in her ears. She stopped dead in her tracks, glancing back down the hall. The guard was out of sight now, but not far. She could call for him. She should. Yet her voice felt stuck inside her throat. A breath held in place, her feet frozen to the floor.

Slowly, she turned back toward the door, forcing air into her lungs.

Surely no one could’ve broken in with a guard so close by… right? No. Perhaps… perhaps Tia had simply lost her key. They’d had to force the door open. That had to be it.

Of course it was.
She was being silly. Paranoid.

Taking a brave step forward, she stood in the doorway. The room beyond was dark, lit only by the glow of dying embers in the hearth. She scanned for the source of the sound—

Eris squeaked, stumbling a few steps back, her heart lurching into her throat.

Something ghostly white was standing near a dresser and—

“L—Lord Raunefeldt?”

---

_{Interactions: Nesna @enmuni, Nathaniel @Echotech71, Kale @Theyra, Ayel @Dezuel
Mentions: Sya @PrinceAlexus, Charlotte @SpicyMeatball}

After things at the temple had quietened down, and Kale was once again alone. Despite how boring it was, as time passed. Kale managed to stay focused and not doze off. Which was a challenge considering how few people have come to the temple today, and nothing has really happened. Besides meeting the rude merchant noble Ayel Raunefeldt and seeing firsthand how his reputation was just like what the Wycrests said it was. Plus, meeting the Soleil sisters proved to be a positive encounter, despite it not lasting long.

Still, despite staying awake, Kale did take a moment to relieve himself when the time came. It took him a bit to find the right facilities, and made him miss a certain Ayel from breaking into Tia's room.

Now back, and unaware of the situation transpiring in the temple. Kale wondered how much longer he would have to stay guard, and while he knows guard duty at the temple will only last today. It felt like forever to him.

Then he had company at the temple, two people. A guard, but older than him, and a woman who were unknown to him. They did not say anything to him, and he said nothing to them. While he did not stop them, Kale did watch them, and as the woman walked to a part of the temple where Tia's room was. Kale silently followed as the last person who venture down that corridor. That person was not allowed into a room in that corridor, and as he got closer to Tia's room. Did he spot the broken lock on her door, and when the woman stumbled a few steps and spoke in a surprised tone, a name that made Kale feel angry. Lord Raunefeldt, the woman said.

So he did not listen to the first time he was told not to enter the priestess's room and broke in, Kale annoyed thought. Well, time to give him a piece of my mind, and Kale stepped into the space that was left when the woman stumbled back. As she was stunned by Ayel's appearance, Kale ignored how Ayel was dressed and spoke his mind. Saying it in a clearly annoyed tone.

"You were told not to enter this room by Champion of Aelios herself, and you still had the gall to break in! Did you forget her words, or simply ignore them and break into the priestess's chambers? What do you have to say for yourself, you arrogant man?"

---

Interaction: Eris@The Muse, Ayel@Dezuel

Temple of Ayel Aelios

'Just how many accursed drawers can one priestess have! This is the robe one? No! This? NO! Where in the world- what in Aelios holy name is this?' The nobleman held up some piece of clothing which he couldn't even identify, he hurled it over his shoulder in his search for anything he could dress in. Was it just him or did the temple smell of fish? He could have sworn he felt it as he passed by the main chamber. It made the nobleman frown as he recalled his own experience with fish in the past.



He mentally lamented as he had finally found a robe, it was way too small for him. 'Is this for a child? It must belong to that girl which Aelios used as a medium to assist me out of the water...' The nobleman concluded, nodding his noble head for added confidence in himself being right. Again.

As he was pondering his next course of action, he heard a voice from behind. He was being called upon. In the correct mannerism even.

"What?! Can't you see that I am very busy right- What?" He said aloud, blinking with his eyes. His noble ears twitching.

The ever aware nobleman felt a sudden rise of panic. No not panic. Noble's were refined and in control and couldn't panic. He wasn't surprised neither, that would imply that his perception were lacking. He was ambushed! That was the right word.

"Ahh!" He yelped as he reached for the nearest thing he could find, which appeared to be a portrait of two blonde girls, strikingly similar to the servant woman who had a goat-like twin. He swiftly moved the portrait to conceal his crown jewels from view.

"Ehh? Ah? L-lady Hi-Hightower? Aha! What a pleasure- I mean great fortune! This is- This is an outrage! I have been robbed! The temple has been robbed! I am searching for the burglar-thief! He stole my clothes, and broke in here and then he turned into a weasel!" The nobleman motioned in a very hastily manner with his free hand and arm, pointing to the various opened dressers and wardrobe. "I was on his trail- He must have snuck out the moment you opened the door!" Ayel placed his free hand on his forehead as if trying to come up with the next thing to say, but his pattern of thought were disturbed by another voice as guardsman Kale had appeared.

"What now?! No, no no! Quiet! Shut! La la la! I am not listening~ Do I come by the stables or the latrine and bother you while you are working?! Can't you see that -I- am trying to talk to this esteemed lady here and that some underhanded lunatic have robbed me of my attire! And then entered here to steal who knows what else! On your watch no less! You are the one who has alot of gall and no brain! I shall write a very strongly worded letter to his highness about this! Rest assured. In fact! Where's the proof of your innocense? What if you are in cahoots with this shapeshifting thief? Returning to the crime scene to remove evidence no doubt! Did you see him when you entered Lady Hightower?" Ayel pointed his accusing finger at Kale, momentarily forgetting his state of undress as he motioned with the portrait holding hand towards Eris before moving it back to cover himself. It could have been alot worse. He could have been dirty. At least people could take in all of him in this moment would they desire to. And why wouldn't they? He also would not be held accountable for simply looking for a temporary attire after his day was so unjustly wronged by some wretched barbarian. This guardsman seemed like he would be the perfect scapegoat. Perhaps this was also a test of Aelios to test his craftiness and problem solving capabilities.

He would get dressed. He would get to tell Flynn the tale how he was attacked in the Aelios temple and then his newly made up story about fending off and chasing a thief. This were quite the heroic tale alltogether he had to admit to himself. Perhaps some almost-good for nothing bard could actually sing a song about this kind of bravery. Not every day a man would stand naked for the world and come out winning. Then again. He was just that good. At least what he could tell.

Kale @Theyra, Mrs Raunefeldt @The Muse

Sya was lazily drinking tea and resting on her side with easy comfort, the heat was nice even if she was blight born the heat soothed her muscles and scales in a way that sank deep into her body, it was not exactly fully comfortable but she sighed as her body flopped lazily and she was snuggled by the heat like a cuddle.

Her head turned hearing movement and looked to turn her single huge eye to the task, her vision let her see the shape coming part fungi and part human, a blight born she had seen from a distance and now was approaching her walking up. Sya did not bother covering up, it was a bath house and people stared more at her eye or tail it seemed right now. Sya waved her hand and smiled, her cheerful Sya that seemed to be able to befriend half the town, and blue scales flashed in the water copying the motion with enthusiasm feeling comfortable in herself despite Ayel.

Ayel…that man was a nightmare. He really just hated her for no blood reason, she had done nothing and hated her just for being alive… Why would the Prince tolerate it? She had been kind and helped the crown, helped and took his guests and looked after the Coswains and more. Hopefully he pulled him into line.

“Oh, Hello Missss, odd.. ve hardly normal so pleassse join me, zi would offer vou tea?.” Sya said her accent coming out strongly as she was comfortable and willing to express herself. Sya paused for the question which was an odd one, she was after a dead body? The smell of rot, death. Sya had heard this lady was the kinda…death keeper of the town, outside the temples. But Sya was now a blight born, twice changed, Lamia and more. She would not turn her way for a curse they both shared even if she looked a little strange.

Wait… she had an answer, but first she would introduce herself, Sya wanted you to take a chance to meet another interesting person. “Vy name is Syraeia Leela and im ze keeper of ze eye, zhough everyone calls me Sya. I have only seen you, and Vou.. seem interesting.” She said in her borderland accent defiantly proud to spite Ayel in her birth right and fact she had prospered in this little town. Her arm ring was a little unfamiliar still, it had been a while since she had one to wear and her jewelry was something she only had recently felt able to wear again.

Sya was an adhd mess, but always curious about things. Even if she had 5 thoughts competing to be the one that won.

“Oh..zorry, I forgot. I get distracted.” Sya said as she tried to remember, her mind was chaos but that chaos tended to be in a form of balanced chaos… a total enigma for a woman who herself found it seemed to fit naturally with her new body, changes and self.

“A body. Yes. Kinda. Ivor Hunter and Valthyr trader been here, Zey might leave scent behind, Ivor hunts zand often carries kills home, many hours. Maybe zat? Other trades in many goods. Furs and so. ” Sya asked with a tilt of her head as her tail splashed softly in the hot waters, playfully but also easing any soreness away making Sya feel like she had no aches in the world.

“Did i offer vou tea? Please sssit, i welcome you, i see you but not know vour name or if vou a good egg, let usss change that.” She asked, her mind was a little too soothed by the hot water, maybe it was bad for her bright nature? But it also felt so good on her scales and new body at the same time. It was beyond confusing for the woman and she chose to ignore that.

Sya was.. Sya. She had a natural way with people in her own odd self, claiming the Lamia innkeeper was normal would be rather a lie.

Mentions
@BellMerchant

---

Seluna Temple

---

From the very moment Céline came into view, Ramona became nervous. Her hand tensed around Elara’s as she fought to avoid any illusion of eye contact. The very presence of others like her, unabashed and honest in their transformations, unnerved her to no end. And then there was the question of Orion. His red eyes were surely unnatural. Yet she could not be assured he too was a blightborn. He was far less afflicted either way, if he was at all. Her grip wavered as she drifted back behind Elara. Hopefully, attention would stay well away from her. Hopefully, she was just observant, and blightborn could not detect their own. But perhaps, so long as Elara did the talking and kept attention away from her, there would be no trouble. The guards provided no sense of safety. They were just more eyes. More ears. More noses to sniff out what didn’t belong. Ramona’s grip slowly waxed and waned as the conversation evolved. She could hardly decide whether companionship was still bringing comfort or just a terrible idea now. But it was far too late to break. It was only getting later.

And now they were heading to town. Ramona could only pray in silence that Céline kept her attention fixed on Elara. There was still a possibility of slipping by and getting back to work without a fuss, if only she remained unobtrusive…

Mentions
Elara, Orion @Qia, Céline @Beard Dad

---

The Barn

---

The Aurelian noble was utterly taken aback by the the lady's sudden cut of her words; he had not seen them coming. Caught completely off guard, his smile abruptly vanished and a stunned, perplexed expression slapped itself across his face in its place as he instinctively took a small, stumbling step back.
'What had he done? What had he said wrong?'

His mind reeled, apology rising to his lips -until he caught sight of her clenched fists.
‘A threat!?’
His gaze snapped back to her face, emotions warring across his own. Confusion remained, but pride surged to the forefront, drowning it out.
‘Who was she to make demands of him—especially now?’

Perhaps if he wasn’t so tired, so hungry, so sore…

"I beg your pardon!" he lashed out, voice ringing with outraged dignity as he stepped forward, reclaiming lost ground.
"Are all manners lost out here amongst the wilds of the south?"
His words poured forth, driven by a defensive anger, sharper and hotter with every breath.
"Have we all become barbarians?"

He had been nothing but polite—or at least civil. And even if he hadn’t, etiquette still demanded a bare minimum of respect.
‘Oh, how quickly one can fall from grace.’ he thought.
He could not tolerate this. After all he had endured, to be standing here in a dirty barn before a stable hand who thought to tell him how he could—or could not—look at her.

Maybe if he hadn’t been trudging through snow and endless night for days, wrestling a stubborn pig.
Maybe if exhaustion from long travel, sleepless nights, and hard ground hadn’t gnawed at him.
Maybe if he weren’t haunted by the choices that forced him to abandon everything he had ever known—only to end up here, dishonoured in a stable.
Maybe if it had been a different day, a different time—then perhaps he might own a bit more patience, more empathy, more restraint.
But it was not a different day.

"Or have you simply forgotten how to speak to nobility!? You may not be one anymore, but that does not excuse you."

He spat the words, his tone sharper, harsher—deliberately condescending. It was in the tilt of his chin, the stance of his body, the cold fire in his eyes. Every fibre of him dripped with a deliberate dismissive contempt for the lower class.

He knew he shouldn’t have reacted as he did, shouldn’t have spoken the words he spoke. It was unfair. Yet he could not regret them. Better to scorch the earth—burn away such blatant disrespect—than admit his own failings.

Stamping his staff upon the ground, he drew the last of its light into himself. Not to create heat, but to disperse it. All around the barn every flicker of warmth, every lamp, candle, and open flame soon faltered and died as they fell below the temperature needed to stay lit. All at once, near-pitch darkness swept the room.