A5G

Into the Land of Twilight

The lantern intensified, a luminous radiance akin to a miniature star blazing in their midst. The darkness receded, though not entirely - pitch-black spectral remnants remained, undaunted by the light, forever doomed to repeat their last moments over and over again. Engelbert felt their influence trying to worm into his mind, only for it to find no purchase to latch to as it splashed powerlessly away.

A pair of pale-blue orbs lit within his helmet, the night taking a different tone as his perception expand. The miasma was... everywhere. It hung around them, dark mist that obscured and pressed down on the sphere of his sixth sense, rendering it considerably smaller than usual. The phantoms were the greatest concentration of all, their hazy shapes turning into disturbingly clear pitch-black creatures that, as if aware of his sudden perception, turned to stare back.

Engelbert cuts off the sixth sense then and there, the knight not curious enough to find out what will happen if he kept it up. At least they seemed to lose their interest once his senses receded back to mortal limit. An important thing that he noticed, however, was how black tendrils of miasma extended from the creatures and insidiously slithered into some of the party members.

"Hmm. Gentlemen? I'm afraid the warning was a bit too late." He said, voice lower than usual. Only the first real actions and they've met a significant hurdle already. Now this was a pickle... just because he's aware of what's going on didn't mean Engelbert was in any position to do something about it. "Some of us seems to have lost all senses. What do we do? Shake them awake? Carry them away?"

Into the Land of Twilight

Engelbert listened, looking down at the freshly carved flower secured with a knot to his left wrist. A pair of flaming blue glow lit within the visor slit, confirming that there's indeed some very faint trace of magic in the little flower. So it's not just some random gift.

Quaint.

"I see. That was very thoughtful of you, Lady Roxas. Thank you, and I apologize if my first impression came off as less than pleasant. Our party is certainly much better prepared than I'd expect." The glow faded, the knight returning his attention to the few that went to chekc the tree. And what did he knew, it talked! Should be unsurprising, if there's a sentient tree somewhere in the world it'll most likely be found in this forest. So, the other at the entrance was another ent? A scholar may be curious enough to figure out why they're identical, but for Engelbert it's sufficient that he could tell the difference. Just to avoid them, of course. He wasn't sure how big of a difference these ents were to the waldschrat native to the woodlands of his old home, but it likely was equally hard to put down and he'd rather not do that if given the choice.

As the group regathered after the small ent interlude, Tillius brought up another valid concern for the night march. More valid to some than others, but still a good concern. In response to that it turned out they're not to set out immediately, taking their time to depart around midnight instead. That should be enough rest for those who need it. Coupled to some more fun, totally-not-horrific facts about their destination, it certainly sounds more and more appealing to depart at night.

"All things considered, I have to agree that night march is likely our best options." He hedged, jolly but with a hint of finality in his tone. "We just have to step more carefully then! It would be embarrasing if we get more injuries from sprawling roots than the phantoms that populate the city ruin, yes?"

@Visyn @Conscripts @Mas Bagus

Into the Land of Twilight

The trip was unexpectedly smooth, the ancient road unusually dry when the ground around it had turned into muddy mush. Whether it was masterful engineering or subtle spellcraft, Engelbert had no idea but he appreciated it nonetheless. They made good time, passing by increasingly small village and hamlet until the only sign of civilization left was the unyielding road stretching from beneath their feet to the yawning chasm that was the primeval forest left largely untouched for longer than some kingdoms have existed.

Something in the road prevented nature from encroaching upon it, leaving a single path into the depth of the greenery like the waiting maw of some massive verdant beast. Despite the infamous reputation it was a forest like any other, rich scent of petrichor rising after the heavy rain with the ever-present sound of birds and other critters forming a chaotic symphony alongside the rustling of wind. With frequent beams of sunlight piercing through the canopies, it made for a picturesque scenery where it's almost too easy to forget the danger lurking in this place.

At least until Engelbert spotted yet another tree that was an almost exact copy of the previous, down to the grooves of the root and the arrangement of branches. Twisted magical insanity was rife in this place. Was it a downside or an upside, for having a flawless recollection?

As the sky darkens and the shadows painted the environ in a brand new sinister light, Gray led them to an open glade that was perfectly fit for a camp. It looked like a localized fire raged a few decades back, likely from lightning strike though Engelbert wouldn't discount the torch of a doomed treasure hunter to cause the incident. Nevertheless, it cleared a section of the forest before it peters out and the natural growth hadn't reclaimed the place yet. There's a few shrubberies here and there, but it's a relatively defensible spot once the carts were arranged to wall off the camp.

The knight spent the first few minutes helping to clear the place, heaving and uprooting the largest shrubs. His greaves sank an inch or two into the loamy, still slightly damp soil, but with his assistance what looked like a couple hours of work was finished within minutes. Insects, creepy crawlies, and on one occasion a family of rabbits scattered as he pulled the obstacles off, casually tossing it to the outer edge of the glade before rejoining on Vesemir's call.

"Tonight, Ser Vesemir?" Asked Engelbert with a slight tilt of the head, peering down on the map. It's... hmm, looked like it was actually close enough to feasibly reach, but a night march was an entirely different beast than daytime. "It would be quite dangerous, if only from the risk of someone tripping and breaking their ankle. May I know the reason why?"

As eccentric as their boss were, Vesemir was nothing if not logical. If he wanted a night visit, he should have a good reason why.

Into the Land of Twilight

And that's everyone introduced. Westernant, huh? A familiar place, yet so distant now. Yet despite of time and distance, it's hard to completely forget one's root. Even if the others were cut from a different cloth, at the end of the day it's all united under a single banner. As rife with infighting as it were.

The knight offered a nod to the easterner, another piece of puzzle that complement their toolbox. Though something told him that the man was thinking something rather rude at the moment... well, there's no way to tell beside an old man's intuition.

Momentarily lost in his musing, Engelbert was silent as his partner took over the conversation. It's not the best kind of explanation, but at least it's satisfactory enough that no one decided to pry further. And then there's the distraction that was Fia's bold statement. Whether it's an actual offer or a teasing, young Carnatia bite it hook line and sinker that it didn't quite matter.

And then there's the follow up from the sorceress.

"Oho, there'll be no boring day with you all around!" A hearty laugh echoed, rumbling from the recess of the armor. "It's good that you're getting along! Just dont bother the... 'house guardian', yes? While I've no idea if it even exists, better be safe than sorry."

Unfortunate that Vesemir's interjection came next. Engelbert was silent throughout, even more statuesque than the Gray Flame. Well, as much as he'd prefer to raise an objection, it would be too suspicious to be that insistent. And at the end of the day, the archaeologist was the boss. Oh well, he'll just have to make sure that if anyone ended up taking something they're not ruining the object.

At least no one seemed very interested in the act.

"Worry not, Ser Vesemir, we'll keep you safe throughout." The detour wasn't that big of a deal. The other sites were related to the ancient capital, and they had more than sufficient supplies besides. Heck, Vesemir probably had planned to make the visit from the beginning. "Now, we do have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Let us take this opportunity to rest and prepare, yes? I'll get us dinner, if you allow me to peruse the supplies."

Stepping away from the main room, Engelbert took a moment to find and inspect the kitchen. It was... not in as good condition as the previous room. Perhaps it's the chimney, allowing moisture and humidity to seep in. Rotted wood, rusted utensils, and a concerning amount of mold on every surface. The knight took a moment to ponder how much work would be necessary to clean up, and quickly decided that beside judiciously torching every inch it would be much faster to just get it done elsewhere.

"Do not enter the kitchen. You will permanently damage your lungs." He announced gravely as he closed the door behind him, stepping toward the back where the entrance to the stable was barred.

Commandeering Stepen for assistance, soon enough the necessary utensils and ingredients were prepared. Engelbert couldn't help but whistle - Vesemir certainly spared no effort on the supplies, the eccentric yet well-funded archaeologist completely different from the misers that were the military quartermasters. There's a rather impressive collection of meat and spices, dehydrated vegetables, and even bottles of powdered stocks. Among other things.

In one of the more weather-isolated stalls Engelbert hummed a marching tune as he deftly peeled a pile of potatoes, a white and blue apron snugly wrapping his front. Stew would be the menu tonight, hearty and warm, with a side of hardtack to fill the belly. Flour and butter to make the roux base to thicken the broth. Salt-cured beef as a treat, pad it up with potatoes and beans. Little bit of salt since the beef already got enough, sprinkles of additional spices, a pinch of dried garlic, and a couple slice of dried tomatoes for a hint of acidity.

Yes, that sounds like a plan. Turns out regularly cooking (and other household chores) for someone supremely picky was a good life experience. Who would've expected?

Into the Land of Twilight

"that said, Engelbert idea has merit. We are gonna rely on each other for the foreseeable future, so knowing what we can do is the least we should do. Let me reintroduce myself, i am Forbann Spiser,and if my height didn't give me away, i am an Oni"

Deciding a demonstration would be best for the next part, he put an hand foward,and he Shaped his gauntlet, the metal rising in a stalk and petal blossoming in his best approximation of a rose,glittering in the flames and sometime lighting itself with the sickly glow of the curse residing within it.

"I am a ferromancer,able to shape metal however i see fit.Unlike most ferromancer, i specialized in Cursed metal, and before you worry, it's harmless to anyone i don't wish harm to as long as i'm touching it

Reshaping the metal rose back into the gauntlet, he continued

"Much like Engelbard,i would do best when in the thick of it, though i'm more specialized for attrition fights than fast ones. Furthermore, i know curses and how to deal with them, even if i must admit my methods are...brutish, to say the least.

@Deide

“I’ll say again, my name’s Fia. My specialty is sorcery. I am just in love with those who are born with the power to make the world however they want on a whim. So much so, I’ve made their power my own.” Fia chuckled, “I can do a little of everything, but my true specialty lies in the elements.” Fia let down the hand she was using to wave, so it lay horizontal with her palm up. From the center of her palm a pillar of fire erupted, almost touching the ceiling. It lasted only a moment before it was replaced with a ball of water, that froze. Finally the ball collapsed into itself forming a small black void, and then it disappeared all together.

“Though, if I need to, I am pretty good with a rapier.” Fia finished her introduction.

@Randomness

Nanashi went back from the party with a different appearance. He is wearing an elegant black kimono perfectly match with his handsome facial feature along and a pony tail hairstyle. The bathroom is ready for other to use and he did clean it after his turn.

"The house guardian wouldn't mind to use the house as long we maintain clean this shelter. It a bit angry to the elven woman for prying their stuff without it's permission. I too have guilt for going through the window but the spirit and I had already settle.

Anyway. Who's turn for the bath? I prepared a hot water for the bath tub and will boil some water again for the other's turn."

@Remuri v2

With her part of the introduction done, Eve huffed as she went over to the trinkets that Roxas brought down. Hmm... Methodically, she performed a scrying spell on each of the items. I see... Nodding to herself, she made quick mental notes of her findings before turning toward the group. She'd wait until whoever was currently on the spotlight to finish their introduction before speaking, "Everyone, please excuse my impudence, but may I take a moment of your time?" She paused to let her words sink in before continuing, "I've gathered what I could from these items, let me relay them to you."

First, Evelyn picked up the elven blade, "This sword is part of a twin pair alongside that one above the fireplace. It's enchanted with runes to reinforce its durability, explaining its pristine state even after decades of abandonment. The traces of dried blood revealed that the wielder was an elven man who was three decades old by the time the blood was spilled." She finished as she put the sword down.

Second, she procured the gold brooch with an emerald gem slotted in it, "This is an Arcane Focus, a trinket capable of improving various aspects of spellcasting. This one in particular is attuned to healing spells, enabling the caster to consume around half of the usual mana required for a specific spell. A great boon for any healers out there for certain." She set the brooch back down before moving to the next item.

Third, she held up the crystal-infused lamp, "This, for a lack of better words, is simply a lamp, although powered by mana instead of heat. When infused with mana..." Evelyn did exactly that to demonstrate, conducting a minor flow of mana from the environment into the lamp, causing it to illuminate, "It'll shine, providing illumination. A simple yet useful item for countless situations." The redhead shrugged lightly as she deactivated the lamp before returning it on the table.

Finally, she gestured lightly to the rest of the items; the dagger, quiver, hairpin, and pendant, "The rest are mundane objects, nothing outwardly notable about them, aside from any sentimental values, that is." And thus concluded her reports.

@Izurich

After Evelyn scryed the items, she scooped them back up. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, jaw clenching and unclenching. Loud enough for everyone to hear, before she disappeared; "Roxas. Healer." She then moved upstairs to put everything back. Damin might have been right, why did she bring herself on this expedition. Once upstairs, she put the chest items back, the flier on the desk and put the pendant, draft and picture back in the bedroom. She didn't come back downstairs.

@Visyn

A lively lot, this little group. There's so many directions one's attention could be pulled to, if Engelbert wasn't used to splitting focus he'd probably be overwhelmed. On one side the tall ironclad showed a magnificent show of fine control, something he'd imagine would be a great boon for runic enchantment. A more competitive part of Engelbert wondered how'd he fare against the taller warrior, quickly coming to the conclusion that the matchup would be unfavorable without taking extreme measures. But there's no need for that, yes?

Following after Forbann was the latest addition, a full-time sorceress with pretty decent power output backed by formidable flexibility. Well above the average mage, this one will fill the hole in their formation pretty nicely. Priority protection, then. Right after Gray and Vesemir. But there's no need to specifically mention that, part of him felt like this Fia Blackfire - Engelbert internally chuckled at the name - would be rather insufferable if he did.

Right around then the foreigner came back out, clad in a set of exotic robe with steam still rising from his flushed skin. His pronounciation was awkward at times, but the fact that he speak the language at all was admirable. And... apparently the plumbing and bath was still operational? And in good shape, even. Engelbert himself wasn't interested much, but he could see a few faces perking up from the idea of a hot bath.

"With you by my side, Ser Forbann, we could take on an entire army! Pleased to work with you." He offered an appreciative nod, moving on to the next soon after. "And Lady Fia, why, you reminds me of an old friend. We'll be relying on you on all matter arcane, I was slightly worried for our lack of proper arcanist in our rank. This is shaping into an exciting adventure!"

The good mood continued a bit further, the youngest of the party confidently explaining about the discovered trinkets. She could even tell who that blood belonged to! Admittedly, some of the trinkets would actually be useful but knowing who the items belonged to... let's just say Engelbert was glad that it's being returned to where it belong despite the awkward silence left in the wake of Roxas' departure. The grumpy elf wouldn't break or throw it away out of spite, would she?

"Ahem. I suppose that could've went better. Thank you for the examination, Lady Evelyn. That was most enlightening." Engelbert broke the silence, glancing around to find another distraction. He didn't have to look far, settling on the foreigner who seemed content watching everything unfold. "Right, my good man, I dont believe I have caught your name? Do introduce yourself, we dont bite." Another glance spotted a whole bunch of drenched hair and shirt and everything. Engelbert himself had largely dried, the enchantment of the armor repelled unwanted dirt and moisture in equal measure. "Ah, you prepared the bath did you not? I believe some of us could make use of it. Thank you."

His gaze settled on, out of all people, Fia. Between the covered carriage and reaching shelter early enough, the initial group wasn't drenched nearly as bad as the sorceress who looked like she had waded through the river to get here. Must've gotten soggy all the way to the core, the poor lass. Magic or not, you could still get sick all the same.

Into the Land of Twilight

Her hands paused in looking over the pictures. She raised her head slightly, her eyes moving to Engel and giving him the glare of his life. How dare he. "Excuse me?" She looked up further, slamming the pictures down on the table. "We walk into this house, with blood on the floor and the weapon and you expect me to not look into a possible death; despite the couple being gone for 30 years." She blew out harsh air, jaw clenching lightly. "And then you have the audacity to accuse me of wanting to steal from said probably dead couple."

Was everyone trying to piss her off today? First the.. weird stalker creepy guy and now the large armored tank of a man. She clicked her tongue angrily, standing straight. She crossed her arms, glaring at Engelbert again. "You've known me for a possible 5 hours and the first thing you ask me is if I'm going to steal.. I don't think in all my time as an adventurer the first thing someone accused me of, was stealing." She shook her head, closing her eyes as she was trying to calm down. Gods, this trip was going to be a nightmare if she was going to get angry at everyone.. At least Tillius seemed nice..

@Visyn

Fierce one, wasn't she? Engelbert raised his hands halfway up, palm forward in a placating gesture. The righteous fury was frankly adorable, and one that he very much approved of. The lines between adventurers and opportunistic brigands were unfortunately thin these days.

"I apologize, I meant no offense." Said the knight, jolly as always. "It is an issue that I see arising way too often-" He paused as the latest addition to the party quipped, tone dropping into a monotonous flat.

Introductions were cut short as an elven woman descended the stairs with an arm full of trinkets. Fia stood up and wandered near the table the elf placed them, curious to what was found. “Ooh. Are we looting the place already? Don’t mind if I do.” said Fia as she gazed over the various items. Mainly keepsakes by the look of it, they were in very good condition for how long the house had been abandoned.

Engelbert spoke up about the items, and Fia couldn’t help but grin. “Oh, how noble of you, lovely. Looking out for the sweet and vulnerable. Very admirable.” Fia said sweetly. She looked over to the elf who had brought down the items, then back up at the heavily armored knight, "though I don't think that was the correct thing to say."

@Randomness

"-as you can see." He finished with an exasperated sigh, stealing a glance to the expedition leader. If anyone can wrangle her, it'd be Vesemir. Though it seemed like the older elf was busy being miserably wet, no assistance coming from that end anytime soon.

Shaking his head and pushing the thought to the corner of his mind, Engelbert finally took a closer look at the collection of trinkets. Looked expensive, but that's about it. And then he looked at the photograph, and went perfectly still for five seconds.

Then he straightened, scooted over to the Gray Flame, and pulled the masked elf to the back corridor where a series of pointed whispers were muffled by the backdrop of heavy rain.

Into the Land of Twilight

Roxas came down the stairs easily, and moved to the dining table. She set the items from the chest down, and the pamphlet for the business, then set the pendant and draft a little bit away. She looked up to the group. "Oi. I found all this upstairs. The quiver and other items were in a locked chest. This pendant, picture and draft.. were behind a locked bedroom door. Why it was locked, don't ask me. Anyone who can.. I suggest seeing if they're magical items, or if they can get information from them." She looked back to the items, the quiver and pictures in particular. They looked so drastically different, but what was the time frame between them.

@Visyn

Quietly scooting around the room while Carnatia introduced herself - or, well, as quietly as a mass of clanking metal could be -, Engelbert reached the table and scrutinized the displayed items. All of it looking rather... personal in nature. He raised a questioning gaze to Roxas, wondering if it's a good idea to acquire the stuff.

While the place looked abandoned, it's still not that far from the elven capital. Perusing the common room for shelter was a bit of a grey area, but breaking into locks felt like breaching the hospitality.

"Please dont tell me you're planning to claim these items? The last thing we need is to be beset by the local law enforcement when we return from the expedition." He carefully brought the topic up, though the hint of stern disapproval could be heard from the tone.

Carnatia stepped forward, "Well met, Sir Engelbert. It is an honour to be working with such a decorated knight." She then turned to the others, "My name is Carnatia, all of you may call me how you wish. I do not mind as long as it is not meant to be derogatory or an insult. As for my skills...well, I am a fencer, of sorts, though I rely more on magic rather than sheer strength. I also have some skills in dismantling magical enchantment, though I am far from an expert. I look forward to working with all of you.

@Randomguy

Right in time, the young fencer - spellblade? - finished the short introduction and joined them. Engelbert nodded, it would be easy to imagine a smile underneath his helmet as he gave a thumbs up.

"You flatter me, lady Carnatia. I've just lived long enough to stack a couple stories. Looking forward to working with you."

Into the Land of Twilight

Glancing around and doing internal headcount, Engelbert noted that the whole group finally gathered together... or, well, Roxas was still upstairs but he could hear her coming even over the heavy rain, while the quiet foreigner was still close enough to hear him. The mood was generally soggy and miserable, but with a roof over their heads and a roaring fire nearby it'll only improve from here. Provided that no drowned spirits came to crash the party. Clapping twice to garner attention, the metal of the gauntlets rang loud enough against each other through the room.

"Ahem! As we're finally in one place, shall we do a small reintroduction? It will be good to know each other better since we will be traversing into an infamously dangerous location soon enough. Jolly cooperation and all that, yes?" The knight-errant glanced around the room for a split second, continuing before anyone can sound an objection. "It is only fair for me to start. I am Sir Engelbert, but do call me whatever you're comfortable with. Old man, tincan, or just my name - I do not mind. As you can likely guess, I'm best at the vanguard. Scant few can penetrate my armor, and I'm strong enough that most things that get in range of my sword will likely have a very bad time. And... I believe that is all from old me. Nothing flashy, but it gets the job done."

Once again his gaze fell across the audience, as if encouraging someone to step up after.

"So! Who's next?"

Into the Land of Twilight

A single knock rang from the door behind him. The newcomer opened it before Engelbert could fully turn to reach for it, and his first impression was that the caravan hands were coming to join them. But then he took in the sight of a pale figure in bright red, a head of dark brown sticking all over the place, and an irrational part of him came into conclusion that the spirit of a drowned woman have come to drag them all to the depth.

He waved away the intrusive thoughts soon enough, by which time the newcomer already went past and complained about the lack of fire. Sometimes it's easy to forget that people really dislike getting drenched, eh?

"We have only recently arrived ourselves." Said the knight conversationally, glancing around for signs of firewood. No such luck. "I could take a look at the stable, see if there's kindling back there? We all could use some fire."

Into the Land of Twilight

Engelbert was outside for the moment, helping the caravan hands settling the horses at the back. He always had a soft spot for the creatures, despite these ones being draft animals instead of the prized warhorses he once had. Patting one of them at the passing, the armored knight dragged and tilted over the old trough filled with stagnant water at the whinnying protest of the horses. He chuckled, muffled by the heavy rain, walking out with the now emptied trough in hand.

"Patience now, I'll be right back."

Off to the river he went, the raindrop drumming against his armor like a thousand arrows. A few rough scrub brushed off the worst of the moss, the bits of dirt sliding off his gauntlets like water off a duck's back. Rinse a few times and it's as good as new... well, mostly. Humming a marching tune, Engelbert refilled and carefully balanced the now sizeably weighty baggage on his shoulder. He ignored the gaping helpers as he marched back, carefully depositing the fresh water before the horses.

"I believe that is all. You can handle the rest, yes?"

He was answered with muted nods, satisfactory enough. Stomping back to the front, he let the rain wash over his greaves before finally stepping into the house. The entrance was tall enough, but he had to tilt sideways to accomodate for his bulk. Once inside, his gaze fell upon the room and the state of abandonment it was in. Not surprising, considering the similar state of the stable out back. Perhaps the others had figured something out.

"So! What did I missed?"