Helo

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Lord Leo Smithwood

Time: 7 pm
Location: Guest House; Dining Room
Interactions: Charlotte/Anastasia@Princess

Leo whispered a word of gratitude to Charlotte as he tried to suppress the need to continue coughing. A few mouthfuls of cool water brought only momentary relief, but each drink seemed to only make the spicy wine intensify once the coldness of the water had gone.

“Overwhelming spicy.” He answered Charlotte’s question as he picked up the glass with the spicy wine, sniffed at it, and almost drank from it again. There was the instinct to keep sipping at it until he felt like he had truly conquered the drink but Charlotte had also pointed out that now was the perfect time to question those who might have information about last night.

Last night, focusing on that certainly did a lot to help him forget about the irritation the spice was causing. He nodded his agreement to Charlotte, he’d try and talk to Ana and Nahir once the Sultan had concluded dinner.

After the dinner officially ended, Leo approached Ana first. He bowed before speaking, “Your Royal Highness, may have a quick word?” he asked, gesturing with his head away from the table. He’d needed to be careful with his questions, nothing that would make it obvious that he was part of an unofficial investigation. Ana had been very clear this morning that she wasn’t revealing the party’s host, so he’d avoid that subject. This way, if Ana offered up any pertinent information he’d have something to share with Nahir and he planned on being more transparent with the Shehzadi. Leo assumed Nahir would likely be just as invested in knowing what caused their collective memory loss.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Callum has another temper tantrum, part 1

Time: 6pm to 7pm
Location: Sorian Temple/Graveyard
Interactions:

Callum walked aimlessly until the sun began to fade into the night sky. He avoided crowded places, anywhere where there might be guards, and hardest of all, anywhere that he’d likely be found. Taverns, brothels, opium dens, and any building with even the slightest bit of ill repute was bypassed the second he noticed his feet leading him there. He kept trying to chew at fingernails so worn away that there was nothing for his teeth to grasp. So he scratched at spots that did not itch and rearranged his hair. His mind circled around everything his mother did with this morning’s near execution tilting the balance heavily against any good she’d ever done him.

But finally, the sun had set and the night brought resolve. There was no more waiting, Cal had a plan, judging by his track record it was likely not a good one but it was something to do, and it was different from anything else he’d done. He walked with a sense of purpose and the fidgeting quieted but never entirely ceased. He stopped at a small market area first and picked up a few supplies before continuing. His hands shook slightly with wanting as a pair of bottles clacked against one another from within the bag he now carried.

Callum made his way to Sorian’s temple, which, given the night’s current festivities, looked to be as empty as it felt. The sound of fireworks echoed in from outside, occasionally a bit of light flashed across one of the faces of the holy statues that honored the gods. His eyes looked from Zivitas, to Imperis, and to Aquena; those who had once devoted so much to. He thought about how all of that devotion had amounted to nothing. Aquena, the bearer of the waters of life, who had poured Callum’s soul into a life he so despised. Imperis, lord of justice, who had turned a blind eye to all that was unjust in this world. All loving Zivitas who was certainly nowhere to be found in Sorian, probably not in any corner of Caesonia. So instead of further wasting his time with gods that had abandoned him, Callum riffled through a clothing donation box and switched out his clothes with the most tattered replacements he could find. Seemed a fair enough trade.

He then made his way to the graveyard outside, he walked until he was sure there was no one around. The god he sought tonight had no statue within the temple, but tonight he intended to make his request to one who might listen. He picked a spot just far enough from the graves, near one of the many paths that twisted through the cemetery. He sat the bag of supplies down and grabbed what he needed. He opened one bottle of expensive whiskey and poured about half of it along the ground, liquid splashing out into the shape of a crude sigil.

“I call upon Claedo
The mighty infernal hand
Spiller of crimson gore
Sower of strife
Sovereign of discord
And I seek your influence
So it is my will.”

Callum spoke with no hesitation in his voice, only conviction. He struck a match and dropped it onto the whiskey sigil and sprinkled a small variety of herbs upon the flames, allowing it to burn for a moment before he knelt in front of it.

“Holy Claedo, courageous warrior
I ask of thee, upon this night
And this night alone;
Bless me with calamity
Bestow upon me the same chaos I have caused
Bring to me what I have brought to others
So it is my will.”

Callum stared into the flames as he spoke, he held an image in his mind; the image of himself beaten and bruised just as Darryn had been this morning. He kept the image in his mind as the fire burned away his first offering. He kept the image in his mind as he continued with his prayer.

“Oh mighty Claedo
To the earth, I return sacred gifts
Of all that has brought calamity to me
So that they might bring joy to thee
May it be a worthy sacrifice
As I seek to add discord to the world
Through my actions tonight
So it is my will.”

Near the spot the sigil once burned, Cal dug into the earth with his hands and placed his offerings; an onion, a handful of golden coins, and the second, unopened, bottle of expensive whiskey. He reburied his offering and flattened out the earth.

Callum stood and pulled a small pocket knife out and sliced the blade along the palm of his hand. He made a fist and allowed his blood to drip onto the dirt above his offering as he stood back up.

“I offer my gifts
I offer my blood
I offer my words
I offer my actions
I offer myself
Glorious Claedo
Give me the calamity I ask for tonight
So it is my will.”

He held no doubts that his offering and his evocation would reach Claedo. Just as he held no doubt that Claedo would bless his actions. He’d chosen the right deity to work with, one that aligned with exactly what Callum wanted; calamity and chaos, for himself, for his mother, and for everything that kept Edin and House Danrose in power. His belief set the path, made it easier to walk, and removed any trace of doubt from his plans. He left the cemetery with the half-empty bottle of whiskey he’d used for his sigil. Now he allowed himself a few celebratory sips from the bottle as he continued on.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Lord Leo Smithwood

Time: 6 pm to 7pm
Location: Guest House; Dining Room
Interactions: Charlotte@Princess, Nahir@Rodiak, A terrible drink made by the world's worst mixologist@JJ Doe, everyone else at the dinner.

“Don’t be sorry. A good detective wouldn’t leave his partner without backup.” He whispered back to Charlotte. Despite how tense and melodramatic the entire affair was, it was an invaluable experience. It was situations like these that offered glimpses into who people were based on how they reacted. These were powerful people, and knowing how to gauge their reactions was useful. And Leo had not embarrassed himself. As the only Varian at the table, he had been a pretty good representative of his country. That was a win for Leo.

As Nahir ordered for everyone’s glasses to be refilled, she had staved off any potential embracement for Leo that rested inside a bottle deftly tampered with by Riona. His glass, along with the others at the table, was refilled and the wine paired nicely with the suggested chicken dish. The chicken tikka masala was both pleasing to the eye and the palate; warm-colored curry spiced enough to bring the sun's warmth to the body and rich enough to be called decadent. “Perfection, a bite like this could melt one’s stress away.” He said to Nahir after he had tried the perfectly tender chicken bathed in its curry.

“I would like to thank the high and radiant House Kadir for their willingness to share their nation's cuisine with us tonight. Every bite was truly something special.” Leo spoke, trying to bring a more positive atmosphere into the room once again as the dessert course was brought out.

At the start of the dessert course, Leo simply glanced at his empty glass, snapped his fingers twice, and glanced toward one of the servants with the expectation that it would be refilled. Since the servant he’d glanced at was not RIona, Leo’s glass was correctly filled with some sort of wine that smelled nothing like what he was used to. He ignored the strange scent of the drink, figured it must be some sort of exotic drink he’d never tried or heard of before, and in the excitement of yet another new thing, he took a large gulp of the strange concoction.

His taste buds sincerely wished he hadn’t because the foul, acrid liquid held a taste that reminded him of the way a skunk smelled. He could only assume that this strange beverage was some sort of test of fortitude because there was no way anyone drank this for enjoyment. But the drink’s pungency did not last, and Leo did his best not to make any childish faces at the table while he waited a few moments for the awful taste to reside, looking merely a bit shocked as he did so.

Then Leo felt the heat creeping up his throat. While the meal itself had been pleasantly spiced whatever had been in the drink was leagues beyond that. It started as a mild burn but the longer he sat with it, the more the intensity cranked up. He could feel his skin turning red, beads of sweat forming, and a churning in his stomach as his body fought to try and expel the drink. He choked bile and saliva back down and those too carried the drinks spice on them. But Leo Smithwood would not be vomiting at the dinner table. So he continued to keep his mouth tightly closed wondering if he should go outside and just his stomach win this battle.

But he stuck to his own advice, he was not fleeing the table over a spicy drink if Charlotte had managed to sit here through threats of violence against her family. So Leo covered his mouth with his fist and tried very hard not to pant like a dog at the table either. In through the nose. Out through the nose. Why was his whole mouth on fire?

And if Leo thought this dinner couldn’t get more bizarre, Princess Anastasia then walked in holding a bird, with her family's advisor Alden, and joined the table. Just in time to witness his struggle with overwhelming spice.

He began coughing vigorously into his elbow, before choking out, “I don’t know what that is, but it would certainly wake a man up in the morning.” He tried to make a light joke of his inability to handle whatever this spiced drink was, still thinking it was some sort of Alidasht test of fortitude, and if he was going to look foolish for having tried it at least he would appear in on the joke. Any thought of trying the desserts was gone, adding sweetness to the concoction that sat in his stomach seemed like a terrible idea.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forest; Near Gaurav Village
Interactions: Viola@13org, Phia@princess, Darius @FunnyGuy, Dante @Alivefalling
Equipment: A pack with some supplies, seeds (in his pockets), a small knife, a mask that hangs from his belt, a weapon with a shifting charm that is either a sickle or a glaive, and a shield/drum with an unbreakable charm.

---

The Roc was not dissuaded. Even as Viola added the thorny vines of her Blood Rose to the frey it seemed only a minor annoyance to the massive bird. As vines and branches reached for the creature's limbs, it let out a cry that left Cyrus, and likely everyone else nearby disoriented from the sheer force of the sound. So he wasn’t sure exactly when others showed up, but a pair of what he assumed, by their shape and lack of wings, to be a couple of very fit elves, managed to hurl a large rock at the bird’s chest. He had no clue how they’d managed that feat but Cyrus was thankful for it as it quieted the Roc. From what he could hear, these elves knew Phia, and the group now had a bit more help.

Then the winds picked up. Gales with force stronger than any storm he’d ever seen snapped at the trees and sent them flying all about. The Roc then began swooping at the trees, clearing away at the coverage that kept them all protected from any direct attacks from the mighty bird. Phia took off to speak with the Roc, to attempt to encourage it to seek food elsewhere. With the increase in the Roc’s aggression, it seemed like the smart move would be to try and outmaneuver the beast, to keep moving towards the deepest parts of the forests until the Roc could no longer find them. But that was his sister’s plan, and he understood her need to protect her village and anyone else who might be in the forest as well. Phia was so much braver than the child he once remembered who had been afraid to fly too high.

So Cyrus lifted his arms and pulled every shattered bit of the trees towards himself. With the winds that the Roc was producing even the smallest twig was difficult to accurately control. Wooden shrapnel tore at his skin, and his light clothing provided little protection against any of it. Several lacerations littered his body, but nothing so devastating to draw his focus away from what he was doing. Shaped almost like a wave, a wall of shattered trees now stood, covering them from front and above. The winds the Roc produced constantly tried to blow apart the fragile shield, but Cyrus kept pulling it back together.

He looked at the pair of elves that had joined them and nodded for them to take coverage with him and Viola, but Cyrus did not dare move his hands or try and shout. Every bit of his focus remained on his will, on keeping control of the bits of trees he held with that will, and on the Roc. Cyrus did not wish to harm the Roc, but if the creature moved to harm Phia he was prepared to fling every bit of wooden shrapnel he held back at the bird. He had not found his sister just to lose her again. There were no actions he would not take if it meant keeping what remained of his family alive. Cyrus knew without asking, without looking toward Viola, that she would do the same. That was what family did; protect each other no matter the cost.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Southwest of Roshmi City
Interactions: Rue@Potter, Bardulf@Lava Alckon, Bridgette@Tae, Mister Luum@FunnyGuy, and Zeva@Pink Khione
Equipment:Sword, hunting knife, a backpack with supplies, and a stoat named Raze who naps in the pocket of his vest.

---

Finally, Mister Luum stepped up. The light elf seemed to barely break a sweat as he seared off half the owlbear’s face with a concentrated blast of light that, even without looking directly at it, left Bowyn seeing spots and his eyes stinging from the intensity. He stayed alert, they had made a lot of noise, if there were more owlbears in the area they could be on their way. Bardulf was smart to want to leave. Even though that would be the smart move, Bowyn found it difficult to just leave the owlbear carcass behind.

“Owlbear carcass equals a hefty handful of amas.” Bowyn remarked, his eyes studying the carcass. “Of course someone went and ruined a good bit of meat and hide.” He added glancing at Mister Luum. Bowyn’s mind raced thinking about exactly how much usable meat was left. Hide too, plenty of that could still be used, and the bones were perfectly fine.

He wondered how much weight a pegasus could pull because it really would be a shame just to leave all this to rot in the open. To be wasteful like that, to kill an animal and not even use any part of it; was not something a fairy was supposed to do. To just let useful meat or potential amas be left behind, for someone who’d spent his whole life surviving on scraps, just went against his every instinct. But with the human, whose safety had to be his first thought, it all seemed to amount to too high of a risk to justify it.

Bowyn only sighed and started to follow Bardulf, he was just going to have to do yet another thing a fairy wasn’t supposed to do and hope it all balanced out in the end. “You did well Bardulf. Nothin’ to apologize for.” He gave the human a rare compliment, Bardulf had fought without exposing himself to unnecessary risk, and Bowyn liked that. It would not serve their cause to lose their human to an animal attack. Bardulf was needed for fights far more important.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Lord Leo Smithwood

Time: 6 pm
Location: Guest House; Dining Room
Interactions: Charlotte@Princess, Mayet@13org,
Mentions: Lorenzo@FunnyGuy, Layla@Potter, Sultan Raif@princess, Riona@JJ Doe

Leo, despite attempts to keep a neutral expression, held a glare in his eyes as Riona served the big cat while his glass remained empty. The chair incident could have been written off as incompetence, but this, like her actions this morning, was clearly deliberate. Once again the question of why dragged its way across his mind like nails scraping down a chalkboard. Additionally irritating because such a mystery was hardly worth his time. With curiosity killing him as if he were the metaphorical cat and satisfaction remaining out of reach, he intended to simply snap his fingers and glance at the empty glass but the Sultan rectified the situation almost immediately.

Now about half the table seemed to argue about who was to say grace and the Sultan gave the final word on this as well. This entire dinner did much to show how grand a leader the Sultan was as his words effortlessly held commands. As Shehzadi Layla sent her cobra to frighten Charlotte, the Sultan quickly banished his own daughter. There was no preferential treatment at the Sultan's table; family and guests alike were simply judged by the respect they showed. This was a good sign.

"...I'm uncertain if I can endure this... Should I excuse myself momentarily or would that make it worse?"

Leaving would be a mistake; a predator is bound to pounce the moment it sees weakness in its prey; this was not the place to be seen as easy prey. So when he heard Riona speak to Charlotte he’d just barely managed to stop an eye roll at what he deemed to be ruinous advice. Leo had waited until Sultan Raif had finished speaking before answering her.

“I am certain that you can handle just about anything. You have shouldered worse and carried it with grace. The only person you need to win over tonight is the Sultan, and you are doing that.” Leo spoke in a whisper, leaning just close enough to Charlotte to be easily heard and with absolute certainty as if he were merely confirming the color of the sky.

Then came Lorenzo’s speech.

“Ahem. Raif, I humbly apologize for the sidebar conversation and for making you wait on your well-prepared feast,”

Leo gave a quiet breath of relief as Duke Lorenzo graciously offered a respectful apology.

“but,”

Oh no. In a feat that Leo was almost sure only Lorenzo could accomplish he earnestly rejected Mayet’s, entirely imagined on Lorenzo’s end, romantic interest in a way that was respectful in its words but outright insulting by its implications. The poor Duke continued with a very well-said grace, and Leo bowed his head respectfully while using the opportunity to gently reach for Lottie’s hand to hold as the meal’s grace was said. He also knew Mayet’s fiery response would be heard shortly. Nothing he’d seen so far suggested she’d just forgive and forget such a thing for the sake of a nice dinner.

“Shehzadi Mayet,” Leo bowed his head when he spoke her name, “might I ask, what I assume every Northerner must be thinking; how did you manage to gain such perfect trust with the radiant Nala.” Leo was absolutely sure of two things; that anyone with a pet, especially one that demand the sort of attention a tiger did, enjoyed speaking about their pet, and that the tale of how a bond was formed between a royal and tiger would be a more pleasant dinner conversation than anything else so far.

He went to drink from his glass and found only a meager sip of wine there. Riddiculous. Riona was quickly becoming more than a minor annoyance. He suspected this was some sort of ploy to make him look like a drunkard who needed his glass constantly refilled. Well, Leo was not going to be outsmarted by a servant so useless they could not even fill a glass. He elected to wait an appropriate amount of time before signaling for a different servant to refill his glass. A refill would be requested by a glance and gesture toward the glass, possibly a finger snap if needed to secure their attention, but without words. There were people far more worthy of his attention in the room after all.

Avalia

Time: Breakfast time!
Location: River Port; Malachi’s mom’s house
Interactions: Malachi@princess, Jun@JJ Doe, Enstille@GingerBobOh, Kenia@Tae
Equipment: A halberd, (always with him) hunting knife, and half-plate armor (left in the room).

---

If there was a more beautiful combination of words other than ‘meat and eggs’ then Zion struggled to think of it. But breakfast was being further delayed by the commotion of the others, so against feline instinct he ignored the food, and its enticing aroma, for now.

Jun persisted with his ill-advised escape attempts. What the little guy, who hardly looked like he’d survive an arm wrestling match, thought he was going to do alone against the dark elves baffled the lion, but the fact that Jun kept trying told him enough about the man. Jun was not quick to give up, even when his cause seemed fruitless, one day he would make a fine warrior. Zion was sure of it, and once a cat’s mind was set that was that.

Zion was then treated to the sight of the human trying to escape while being trapped inside a glass sphere, like some sort of confused hampster. Enstille too had started the day practicing his own abilities, and now they all got to watch a spectacular magic show. Then the sphere popped as a knock was heard from the front door. Zion clapped for the display Enstille had put on while Malachi chased Jun down with a water-filled spray bottle. Zion immediately felt bad for the poor human and the likely confused elven woman who now stood at the door with her basket of treats that had been knocked to the ground by Jun. Zion leaned his halberd against the wall and made his way toward the front door.

“Malachi, you are too hard on the man. Look at him, practicing his stealth first thing in the morning. Wonderful dedication Jun, I barely even heard a floorboard creak.” Zion gave a nod of approval, stealth was a wise choice for the small human. His attention then turned to the newcomer, who he studied for a quick second before offering a wave in greeting.

“Please excuse Malachi, he is a grumpy old elf, that is probably why such lovely company avoids him.” Zion flashed his teeth as he bowed his head to the female elf at the door before walking outside to help gather up the spilled bread and pastries she had brought. Zion was glad Jun had not harmed the real food.

“Welcome and apologies for our clumsy friend here, I am Zion. What brings you to our door?” He asked as he, awkwardly, tried to brush the dirt from treats he’d picked up off the ground before placing them back into their basket.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forest; Near Guava Village
Interactions: Viola@13org, Phia@princess
Equipment: A pack with some supplies, seeds (in his pockets), a small knife, a mask that hangs from his belt, a weapon with a shifting charm that is either a sickle or a glaive, and a shield/drum with an unbreakable charm.

---

"Perhaps we check at Riverbloom too…”

Cyrus shook his head at this suggestion. “It would be unwise for us to return to The River Fairy Kingdom in its current state.” He said and Phia seemed willing to lead them to her village and her questions continued as they walked. He wondered if Phia was happy living so far removed from her people and what sort of folks resided in her village if not fairies. He didn't ask, they would be there soon enough.

“Alive and well, that is something.” He spoke in a quiet voice to Viola and glanced toward Phia as she continued her questioning. The memory loss was unexpected but Ophelia was alive, it seemed even living happily, which meant one lost sibling was at least accounted for and doing well. This was a small joy he hoped they could both share.

"Could you tell me more about your siblings? ...Where did you last see them?"

An uncomfortable question, one he wasn’t sure how to answer without knowing how much Phia knew. The unmistakable cry of a Roc in pursuit of prey cut through the quiet forest, and to hear it this close was enough to leave Cyrus’s ears ringing from the intensity of it. While the appearance of a Roc had saved him from trying to answer uncomfortable questions, it seemed that was the only favor the big bird would be doing for them.

The wind suddenly picked up, and mighty gusts were generated by the Roc’s massive wings as their flapping pushed through the treetops and an enormous shadow covered the ground. Cyrus could see the massive bird of prey that flew above them. Her talons gripped and crushed a tree trunk before hurling a treetop down at them.

Cyrus moved quickly, jumping out of the way of the falling mass of leaves and branches, his wings flapping to make use of the momentum and kept him upright. He took cover near a tree as he reached with his magic towards the remaining treetops near the Roc. Branches twisted and moved, reaching out toward the bird’s feet, attempting to grab at and entangle them.

To Cyrus, the best outcome would be for the bird to simply realize the prey it had chosen was not worth the effort, for it fly off and seek something else to hunt. It seemed worth a try, luck had been in his favor recently, and he did not wish to harm such a magnificent creature if there was any other way.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forest; Near Guava Village
Interactions: Viola@13org, Phia@princess
Equipment: A pack with some supplies, seeds (in his pockets), a small knife, a mask that hangs from his belt, a weapon with a shifting charm that is either a sickle or a glaive, and a shield/drum with an unbreakable charm.

---

“It is wonderful to meet you too, Phia.” Cyrus smiled as he spoke and hugged Phia back. Cyrus always tried to hug people in the same way his mother always had, with the whole heart, in a way that let others know that they were loved. So he’d hugged Phia tighter than he’d meant to, holding on for an extra second as if it could make up for all the lost years, which was probably strange for someone who did not recognize him as family.

Phia seemed so much like the Ophelia he remembered, still kind enough to offer to help strangers she’d met in the woods, full of life and exuberance, he hoped that meant the world had been kind to her since they’d last seen her. When she asked for descriptions of those they searched for he thought about his answer for a moment. He could not simply stand here and describe Ophelia to herself. If Ophelia forgot who she was there was likely a reason for that, it felt unwise to force such a revelation here and now; damage to the mind was so much harder to heal than the body.

“It has been many years since we’ve seen any of our other siblings. I could describe them as they once were, as children, but time would’ve changed much of that. But time does not change the bonds, and we will know them when we find them.” Cyrus spoke confidently but kept his details vague. Without thought, his hand reached up and patted the hand Phia had placed on his shoulder. Viola could add in more details if she wanted to but it seemed unnecessary; the hands of fate seemed already working to guide their shattered family back together.

He noticed the amulet that hung around Phia’s neck, the Millinia family crest, but he did not comment on it. The fact that she wore it so openly told him that either the village she stayed at had no knowledge of their family or they knew and accepted her anyway. It would be a safe place to go. The village seemed a better option, someone there would have a better idea of what had happened and more information would be beneficial. Or at the very least, the truth could be spoken of in a place Phia found safe and familiar.

“Instead, maybe we could help you find your back to your village, maybe someone there knows something that could help us.” He offered, gesturing to the south as she had indicated earlier. He looked over at Viola, “What do you think? A worthy detour?” He asked, wishing he could speak more freely, to ask the sorts of questions that would better help him understand Viola’s thoughts and feelings at this moment. All he’d gotten was the brief glimpse of pain that had washed over the blank expression Viola normally wore when Phia had not recognized them. He would need to find the right moment to ask her about how they should handle the situation without being overheard.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Southwest of Roshmi City
Interactions: Rue@Potter, Bardulf@Lava Alckon, Bridgette@Tae, Mister Luum@FunnyGuy, and Zeva@Pink Khione
Equipment: Sword, hunting knife, a backpack with supplies, and a stoat named Raze who naps in the pocket of his vest.

---

As much as Bowyn hated to admit it, Mister Luum did have a point; fending off an owlbear was good training for Baldurf. A real fight was better experience than training or sparing and soon the human would be encountering things far more dangerous than an owlbear. He wasn’t going to admit it aloud though, and Mister Luum’s brief glimmer of capable leadership dissolved as the elf began rambling about his missing staff. Was this really the best the elves could come up with to be in charge of the human?

“You got this, but we have your back.” He offered to Bardulf because now, Luum was off to the side taking a call on his transmission bracelet.

Bardulf seemed to freeze for just a second, and they were fortunate that Rue had set up the ice barrier; it bought a few moments for the human to be ready as the vicious owlbear shattered through the wall of melting ice. The human launched his attack landing a few blows before jumping from the bear to behind Rue.

“I’ll have a go!” The strange elf who caused all of this now graciously offered to help.

“Well you did bring it here.” Bowyn muttered, but at least she was helping, even managing to blind the owlbear some. Which was more than Luum was doing at the moment, but then she proceed to taunt the angry and injured owlbear. Bowyn found this to be tacky, it was just a dumb angry bear after all.

Bowyn knelt down, one hand resting on the ground, his focus now set on the owlbear and his magic. Ice formed beneath his hand; the grass and dirt quickly froze and spread out from where his hand rested in a direct path toward the briefly blinded owlbear. The line of ice moved quickly, stopping its forward movement once it was directly beneath the owlbear’s paws. The ice moved swiftly upwards, sticking to the fur, wrapping around the owlbear’s feet, and making its way into the flesh. There was a distressed roar as the owlbear struggled to free itself, knocking one leg free but the ice held strong against the other leg as it worked its way up to the owlbear’s stifle and held the leg in place. Bowyns hand dug into the frozen earth, tightening the ice’s grip around the lower half of the owlbears leg as the ice began to crack.

“Someone should put this beast down.” By someone, Bowyn mostly meant Bardulf but it then occurred to him that maybe the human showing off his powers in front of a strange elf wouldn’t be the best plan. Another cry came from the owlbear as it finally tore its frostbitten leg free.