Lewascan2

An Isekai Upon This Land of Accursed Tropes - a Naruto Mass-Isekai RP

The Elemental Nations: 0 aNb - 1st Year After Rebirth

---

It started with pain. For some, it was short. For others, it was agonizingly slow. Across the world, for many places and reasons, they perished, and in an incomprehensible space beyond the mortal domain, the Wheel of Reincarnation spread its arms to welcome them into the Cycle. Taken before their times, they were all entitled to a reimbursement of karma, adjustments and recalculations made, souls weighed without pity or particular concern. For each was slated to be wiped clean regardless and distributed to a new life worthy of their karma. They would recieve a new life, unburdened by the old and thus -in a sense- at peace with their new circumstances until the time came to be judged again. It was a peace of ignorance, of obliviousness and oblivion of the self; for in truth, nothing would remain of the old life to make way for the new. This was the cold, clinical recycling system of the universe, impartial and inevitable.

"Hmmm, but perhaps that doesn't appeal to you?"

The Voice came from what almost felt like all directions at once, as disembodied souls found themselves plucked from the Wheel's clinical grasp by a warmth not akin to a cozy household fire on a winter day. Or, at the least, there were few better comparisons to make. The voice was young and old, matronly and girlish, imperious and kind. In truth, what each soul "heard" differed according to personal perception and the being's whims.

"As you are certainly aware, you are dead."

The words were said with neither sympathy nor derision. The reactions to this were myriad, souls crying out involuntarily. Questions were lodged, and answers were received almost as quickly as the thoughts could form. Though the souls could not speak, the being heard them nonetheless and answered telepathically.

"I am the one they call Kami, a god, one of many. My domain is Life and the Wheel of Reincarnation, on my world, across many worlds, yours included. I realize there are many concerns about what comes after death in your world, a world of 'mundanity', and this is the truth. There is no afterlife, only the next life. This is how it has always been, and it is how it shall always be."

Some might recieve this with apathy, others with despair. Some with anger and others with acceptance. Yet, Kami bore every reaction impassively, her tone of clinical neutrality unwavering.

"Yet, for you, this need not necessarily be the case. Though I am a god, there are things that remain beyond my remit, if not for a lack of ability than the restrictions of a most ancient divine pact. Amongst many things, this pact primarily restricts the direct interference into the mortal realms. However, the world I most primarily govern is presently imperiled, and I require a way to act upon it... indirectly."

A looming sense of anticipation pressed down upon the souls before her, and they could all tell the being was smiling.

"Poor unfortunate souls, taken before your time... I have an offer for you."

And for one reason or another, after asking their questions and receiving all the answers their patron was willing or able to give...

They accepted, of course. Every last one of them.

---

Arc 1 - Rebirth: Start.

GM Notes: Our first "arc" will roughly cover the first years of the PCs' lives, with each round of posts potentially covering a whole single year each until PCs are more independent. You therefore have the freedom to write out the entire first year of your PC's life in about as little or as much detail as you like. We'll be trying to move through these relatively quickly in order to get to the "good stuff", but more detail does potentially mean a better paying investment. Be aware, as babies, your options are limited, but that doesn't mean you have nothing to do.

If you have any questions or need a few lines from an important named NPC, hash it out with me; for expediency's sake, I will definitely be considering granting control of certain important NPCs to players. 100% accurate characterization is not a total requirement, as this is a world inherently infected with fanon and fanfic tropes, but depending on the character, I may have a particular portrayal in mind that will need to the be kept to, depending on if and to what degree tropes have warped them. Beyond that? Go hog wild (within reason, lol). This Naruto mass-isekai sandbox has officially begun.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

Veronica could admit to genuine surprise at the question Evan abruptly proposed to the group while performing his nightly rituals; there was a certain dissonace with how casually it was asked despite the content of it. Brows rising, Veronica eyed the group in turn, as several answered the strange question. Their opinions seemed to run the majority of stances, as much indifference present as disgust with even a bit of enjoyment in the mix.

Considering her own stance on that matter, something she had thought about at length in the past, Veronica's lips pursed tightly, but she slipped on a casual smile a moment later. "A strangely heavy question, but as you can see, the answer is quite subjective. Every person assigns their own meaning to the taking of life; it's nearly impossible to understand what it will be like until you do." Tilting her head, the pale woman crossed her arms. She considered holding back her own stance but finally shrugged her shoulders. "These days, I can't say killing bothers me. I could concoct situations in which I consider it distasteful, of course, but as a fundamental concept, you could say I see no difference between killing a human and killing a rat. If they are an obstacle or a target, that's just how it is. I'd be a poor assassin to allow myself to be burdened by guilt for doing my job."

Of course, she was aware this was far from a "normal" perspective on death, and she'd even tried to change her stance in the past. But it was futile. This was part of the curse of being a vampire; anyone that wasn't a vampire was, at best... a pet. That was the kind of emotional attachment she was limited to. A vampire instinctively considered anyone else prey and lesser, no matter how much they might be ignorant of the fact or try to lie to themselves otherwise. Of course, she could grow attached to people, care about them, love them... but that only went so far. For a human, a beloved pet was something you could cherish, that you would cry over, but rare is the pet you might truly equate equal value to as another human. You do not expect your pets to outlive you, and so your love is limited further, if only to lighten the burden you must carry once they are gone. You love and spoil them while they remain, but you cannot help but always remember somewhere that your time together is limited. The only way to go further... was to find someone to turn, to make one of your own, another vampire... and true family.

Veronica did not say any of that, however. It was enough to justify her callousness as that of extensive assassin training; that was something explainable, distasteful yet understandable. She doubted anyone would be enthused to realize the only one here she equated more emotional connection to than a beloved pet was Solomon, and only because his lack of blood meant her bloodthirst wasn't even subconsciously attracted to him. If anyone was aware of the reasoning behind her answer, regardless, she'd expect it to be Solomon, but she doubted it concerned him.

Shaking her mind from that track of thought, Veronica nodded at Yvonne's words. "Yes, in light of the unnerving similarities in the barrier over the complex, I am expecting at least one mage of significant skill to be present. If not Jonas Delving, then whoever was responsible for capturing Cedar in the first place."

Listening to Jadia's proposed adjustments, she did her best to simulate the proposed series of events in her mind, before slowly nodding. "So, what you're saying is for the the outside team to attack first instead, draw out Jonas and Stritzel into open combat and then have the seconf team infiltrate and close ranks behind them after they are already drawn out and there's no risk of them counter-flanking us?"

Glancing at the map as well, Veronica frowned. "Normally, I would advise against making a plan that counts on the enemy's emotions to succeed, but Jonas and Stritzel's reputations are such that they make an exception." She nodded again. "I wouldn't have suggested such a strategy myself, but I don't disagree with your assessment." She inclined her chin in acknowledgement of Jazdia nominating herself for the initiator assault team. "I have no particular objections; this plan will suffice. for my part, I shall naturally go with the infiltration team. I've done so before, and I can lead them directly to the basement entrance."

Reaching down, she scooped up her backpack and slid one strap over her left shoulder. Glancing to Solomon, she nodded. "Unless you have any objections, I'll be posting myself atop the hill over there," she said, pointing at the spot Jazdia had parked herself prior to wait for the recon team's arrival. "I'll periodically change positions throughout the night, I think, but I'll be sure to stay near enough to reach the campsite in moments if something untoward occurs."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

As disappointed as she was to lose any amount of manpower right now, Veronica nodded in understanding with the Antigone members' concerns. She had honestly predicted something like this would be the case. The two had always felt almost like... a "loan" in a sense, even from the start. They were there to plant the geolocator, and since that failed -or rather, regardless that it had, their job was over. That they were willing to stick around to even guard the cart in the absence of the majority of the team was also perhaps them going above and beyond, and she would take what she could get. "I've no objections," she smiled without judgement.

At Solomon's support for the timing of their attack and offer to aid in the night watch, Veronica nodded gratefully.

At Lord Thernous's questions, Veronica paused, giving the matter some thought, her brow pinching lightly in consideration. "Getting close to the outer wall isn't really the issue, Lord Thernous, especially not under the cover of night," she finally replied. "It's what comes beyond that point that is concerning." She smiled. "You bring up an interesting proposition regardless. I had my own thoughts on how we should approach, and a two-pronged pincer attack seems ideal. If we could get a portion of our forces into the manor proper unseen, then we could attack from behind, as the second half of the team collapses upon them from outside simultaneously at a predetermined signal. Ideally, we should control the manor first, before the enemy has any chance to retreat into and use it as a last line of defense."

At the latter question, Veronica slowly shook her head with a frown. "Not to my knowledge, no. I scaled the wall entirely in my past infiltration. Not to mention, servant entrances are only useful if there's somewhere for them to reasonably be coming and going. Stritzel, however, has set up in nearabout the 'middle of nowhere', as they say. There would be no purpose to such amenities except to be security threats."

---

Perking up at Jazdia's question, her gaze turned to bore into the elf's still turned back. "When my team approached the compound, I chose to play it safe. Evan, though his firepower is laudable, conveyed that his experience in subterfuge is nonexistent. I elected to never bring him closer than the forested areas outside the outer wall. Similarly with the members of Antigone, so that they could set up the geolocator undisturbed." Rubbing her chin, she added, "For my own part, I infiltrated the manor personally. That's how I managed to confirm it was empty as well as identify the existence and location of a subterranean layer."

"I see." Jazdia finally turned and lowered the lantern. "If you say the anti-scrying barrier was similar to what Asevor employed in Fanghorn, then my theory says our power can work just fine inside the barrier itself. It's a curtain, a veil-type magic jammer. Have you determined how wide the area it covered?"

Veronica grimaced. It was an expression of familiar annoyance at facing an at least half-competent foe. "It stretches far, very far, all the way to the outer wall. If it's as easily dealt with as getting inside it... that would be incredibly fortunate. I hope your assessment is correct. Penetrating the outer walls is honestly the easiest part of this mission. If we can get that far and be unhindered past that point? This is sounding a lot less dicey than I was concerned it'd be." Not that she'd allow herself to feel relieved for even a moment until the job was done, of course. This was just the best-case scenario, mere wishful thinking until proven otherwise. Shinobi instincts screamed incessantly that it sounded too good to be true, habitual paranoia rattling in the back of her skull.

"If you say it's easy, then the security has to be very minimal there if not nonexistent. Why would they concentrate their security in the inner wall? Lack of manpower? I believe that's the only sensible explanation."

Veronica slowly nodded at that, resisting the impulse to worry at her lower lip with her fangs. "That does sound sensible... Though, I cannot confidently give exact numbers, as there was no reasonable opportunity to check the basement level for reserves."

It was the moment Jazdia finally showed an expression that indicated weariness. "I will withhold my input about how we infiltrate the compound until we get there. But here is my take on the timing. I agree that resting is important."

Jazdia flipped open her pocket watch and announced. "It's 8:45 now. If we sleep now, we will have enough rest to assault the compound at 4 in the morning. That will be my suggestion for this entire planning. Also, I want to make it clear that if the old intel about Stritzel provided supply assistance via underground tunnels is to be trusted, it means once we go loud, there is a chance that she might escape with Cedar through the tunnel. Or use the time between the first attack and our incursion to barricade herself with our poor bear. What's my plan to counter this will wait until I get a closer look at the facility."

Veronica nodded firmly, a grim but determined expression crossing her lips. "They won't escape, not with Cedar. My Sight will hunt them to the ends of the earth before they do." Her lip curled up into the beginnings of a repressed snarl, before smoothing out into placidity, one hand instead clenching. "As long as they leave the safety of their precious, warded lair, there's nowhere Stritzel can hide."

Sucking in a slow, quiet breath through her nose, she steadied and blew out the embers of her temper. Tilting her head, she recalled what Jazdia's wonderful eyes were capable of and chuckled mirthfully. "I suppose I'll leave handling the escape tunnels to your all-seeing gaze," she teased with a small grin, eyes crinkling. "And if you miss? I can always clean up after," she added cheekily, nodding to herself. "Hah... 4 in the morning then. Sounds good to me."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

Veronica nodded Jazdia's way, addressing the larger group. "Whatever the case, we should decide a plan of action now." She glanced at Rose and Lily. "I'm sure we'd all agree -at least in principle, the longer we wait, the more chance there is that something goes awry. Either Cedar perishes under his captors' nonexistent tender 'mercies', or perhaps the enemy becomes alerted to our approach or receives additional reinforcements."

Looking up at the sky, she frowned at the moon. "That's why, no matter what we decide, I believe we should attack before sunlight arrives. Not just for expediency, but because it is specifically advantageous to at least myself and Evan as far as maximizing our combat potential. We will have the advantage of the cover of darkness, which will eliminate much of the difficulty of crossing the open fields of our future battlefield unseen, and we will be far more likely to gain the element of surprise upon an exhausted shift that are yet to switch out for day guards."

One gloved hand rising to pinch her chin in thought, Veronica nodded to herself. "At our potential travel speed, we could cross the distance in an hour or so. I say we awaken three hours before dawn." She raised her other hand, counting off on her fingers. "One hour for travel. One hour to scope out the premises on arrival and hammer out any fine details of our plan. And one hour to conduct our assault. Hopefully, we don't need anywhere close to that much time, but being prepared never hurts. We could always make it four hours, if we need extra time to pick up camp and attend to other potentially extended preparations."

"Whatever the grace period we allow ourselves, best to keep as many of us in top shape as possible. Anyone that needs sleep should get as much as possible, with as few of our slumbers being interrupted for watch shifts as viable. For my own part, I can take all the night watch shifts. I don't need sleep," At that, she finally paused. She had other ideas whirling through her mind, but getting the basics of a timetable out of the way first should do. One thing at a time. "Any objections? Suggestions?"

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

"Jonas Delving? The patriarch himself?" Veronica's brows rose high towards her hairline at Jazdia's words. Crossing her arms, one foot began to tap out a slow idle rhythm. "That could be a particularly troublesome x-factor to deal with." That might have been somewhat understating it; for surely, the head of the Delving family would be an exceptional mage and a master of his family's signature craft. She raised a single brow further at the mention of an "informant" but didn't comment on it. She had some idea what Jazdia might mean.

The two female "bears" spoke up now, clearly distraught over what they'd heard about Cedar, who it turned out was their brother, it seems. Their concerned words were met in answer by Jazdia, and Veronica had to withhold a grimace at the mention of Stritzel's twisted tastes. Of sure, intellectually, she had some comprehension of how Cedar and his sisters came about, but that sort of pairing was... unnatural. She realized that was probably a little rich coming from her, but the idea of bedroom "activities" in general raised her hackles, never mind with a bear. She didn't hold Cedar and his sister's origins against them, but... Ugh.

"I'm not sure if the idea that this is ultimately some petty act of obsessive fetish indulgence makes this situation better or worse." One hand rose to briefly pinch the bridge of her nose. "That Jonas Delving is involved, however, assures us that this is surely nothing as... 'benign' as you girls are perhaps imagining. Your brother is in very real danger, not a romantic misadventure."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

Inclining her head at Lord Thernous's prompt, Veronica straightened up, tucking her scroll case under one hand and withdrawing a leatherbound book from her bag. Flipping it open, she paged to some of the more recent entries and nodded, glancing around to check that the entire party seemed to be gathered. There was a lot to go through, and she'd prefer to only say this once.

"I realize the hour is late and most of us surely weary, so I shall try to pursue brevity as far as it doesn't compromise what's critical," she started, patting the cover of her logbook. "A more detailed hourly report is contained here, of course, for those that are interested."

Clearing her throat, she glanced at the pages of her logbook and nodded. "Our recon team was initially sent to scout out the premises of Lady Stritzel's mansion. One of our secondary goals was to plant a magical geolocator." She sent an appreciative nod to Charles and Farris. "Unfortunately, the latter did not end up succeeding, partially due to an anti-scrying barrier presently encompassing the entire Stritzel estate. The same barrier limited our investigations further, and it is almost certainly the reason why the target of this recovery mission -Cedar- has been unable to be located magically." Her expression turned graver. "I should mention also that this magical barrier shares a great similarity -if not identical function- to the one utilized by Asever in Fanghorn's devastation four months ago. Out of concern for being detected, I chose not to test its upper limits prior to now, but I'm confident in my analysis."

She flipped a page, lips pursing, as she organized her thoughts. So far, her attempts to keep things less verbose didn't seem to be working, and unfortunately, she still had much more to say. "The King's blockade was thankfully largely successful in isolating the area, so our team had very little trouble making note of any suspicious comings and goings. Of particular note, three days ago, we logged the coming and going of a wagon, guarded by Delving Usuals." She paused, glancing at the bears and then elaborating. "Which is a... I suppose general term for professional 'thugs' employed by the noble family. For context for those of you who are new here, the Delvings were involved in some instrumental capacity four months ago with the conflict that eventually devastated Fanghorn and set us on the path of political and societal unrest we are walking today. That they are involved yet again is worrisome but not as unexpected as it might be."

Shaking her head, she pulled away from that topic. "We can discuss how to handle them a bit later, but suffice to say, what you need to know to at least have a basic idea what to watch out for is that they are wealthy, control much of this nation's navy and are famed for their barrier and anti-magic spells. It's something of a callsign of theirs, and it would easily explain the powerful barrier's presence. Moving on..." She reorganized her thoughts and continued her prior thought. "So, three days ago, Delving Usuals were spotted coming and going with a wagon that emanated warding magic. That was the last time anyone left the premises of the estate. On the inverse, the last time anyone arrived was a day ago, a small convoy of two wagons and several horsemen. Which brings us to the mansion itself..."

Closing her logbook, she tucked it under one arm and unscrewed the map case that was held beneath the other, sliding out a roll of parchment which she soon unfurled. "What we have here is a-" She paused, frowning, as she considered the current near nonexistent lighting conditions and that not everyone here was as nocturnally inclined as herself. "Jazdia, if I could possibly trouble you for a light?"

The elf nodded and drew forth an arrow, which soon flared into a fresh billow of purple light. "Don't touch the arrowhead," she advised simply, to which Veronica nodded, taking the arrow shaft in one hand and using it to illuminate the map she let unfurl fully to hang freely from her other hand.

"As I was saying, this is a map we've sketched of the grounds of our target." The glowing arrowhead passed over the area, as she described each detail in turn. "The main building is a three-story manor directly facing the south, protected on all sides by a rectangular stone wall that looks nearly older than the house itself and will henceforth be referred to as the 'outer wall'. The outer wall has a number of towers, one for each of the four corners. A large river runs along the northernmost wall, which in turn is roughly 40-50 meters from the mansion. Conversely, the southernmost wall resides roughly 100 meters from the manor. The western wall resides roughly 30-40 meters from the mansion and the eastern wall closer to 50 meters."

The arrowhead traced down the far closer perimeter sketched around the mansion. "This is the 'inner wall', a clearly far newer construct. At its furthest from the compound -the southern segment, it sits roughly 25 meters away with the closer segments being as near as 10-15 meters. This provides ample space for the presently hottest threat zone to our knowledge. The greatest concentration of enemy forces -largely Delving Usuals- is here in this inner wall zone, and it remains the primary barrier to entry to the mansion. The manor also has yet another tower, a much larger one built directly atop it and situated ever so slightly more towards the eastern portion of the mansion, providing excellent sightlines in nearly every direction due to both the elevation and wide-open surrounding space, not just between the inner and outer walls but around the space outside the outer wall as well."

She paused for a moment to allow the group to digest the flow of information for a bit, a serious expression on her face. "Perhaps it goes without saying, but for a group this large, especially with the certainty that many of us are less than specialized in matters of stealth-" She shot a telling look in the direction of the more heavily armored members of the group. "-infiltrating this perimeter unseen, without things devolving into a full-on brawl, is a tall order." Loosing a short exhale, she rolled the battlefield map back up and slipped it into her map case, drawing forth a second drawing, which unrolled into what looked like an itemized floorplan of the actual building's internals. "Thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom, at least ostensibly. Once we get past the inner wall defenses, the actual premises of the manor are just about entirely abandoned, managed by a skeleton crew at best. It's almost frightening how much free reign you have once you get inside; it's the actually getting there that's the issue. Of course, I doubt any of us will be complaining about the convenience; I certainly won't."

Tapping a final section of the map, her levity drained away. "And now, we reach the crux of the mission. Our actual goal -as I'm sure you're well aware- is to rescue Cedar and assassinate the traitorous Lady Stritzel for her crimes. In all the time we have observed this estate, our team hasn't managed to catch sight of either of our targets even once... But by following the trail of goods and personnel unloaded from the convoys that came through here, we have uncovered their likely location, a final underground layer." She tapped the map again, clicking her tongue in frustration. "Unfortunately, yet again, I couldn't risk pushing deeper without compromising our presence, if not threatening both the security of our mission and our lives. So, I cannot offer a map of the complex beyond, only the knowledge of its existence and location of the entrance. By process of elimination, there is nowhere else our targets may be."

After a moment of silence, she rolled the map back up and slid it into the map case with its fellow. Screwing the lid back on, she reached over to hand the glowing arrow back to Jazdia, who took it and extinguished the lingering magic. Straightening up again, Veronica nodded definitively. "This officially concludes the main body of the recon team's report." A sheepish smile crawled across her lips, as she scratched the back of her neck. "Even summarized, it turned out longer than it sounded in my head."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

Veronica's eyes widened slightly at Jazdia's words. "Diplomatic mission?" Her gaze flickered to Thernous again, as they neared the camping grounds. "No wonder..." she muttered. "If we want anything we say to have any real weight, we need someone to be the voice of the King with the authority to make promises the King will likely agree with, and I can think of few better for the role." She nodded with finality and understanding. Though a frown crossed her lips, as she whispered back, "Which means this team also just became a protection detail; if anything happens to Lord Thernous, we lose the voice we need..."

She trailed off, as they got within more comfortable earshot of the rest of the camp, leaving the thought hanging. She parted from Jazdia's side, as they approached Thernous, stopping to sketch a small bow as a nod of courtesy to the elderly lawmaker and royal advisor. "Lord Thernous, Veronica Blackwater, reporting on behalf of the recon team," she smiled in her typical close-lipped way, projecting her voice loudly enough without shouting to make sure her name was clearly hearable by those present in the immediate area. A simple and sweet way to introduce herself to the majority indirectly, without going out of her way to make a specific deal of it.

Almost immediately after saying that, she shrugged off her backpack from beneath her brown cloak and set it on the ground, fishing out a small scroll case and glancing around. She shot a glance the direction of the rest of the recon team, her gaze an open invitation to step up and aid in the presentation if they wished. After all, it was hardly like she'd done all the work herself by any means. It had been a group effort, and at least Charles, in particular, seemed like he had been eager to say his own piece.

While she waited for the rest of the team to gather around in one form or another, Veronica cast curious looks towards the newcomers and sent a small smile and nod of greeting towards Yvonne and Solomon. She restrained the urge to make with pleasantries for the time being, even if she was immensely curious as to what relation the two bears -female, judging by the sound of their voices- had to Cedar. The peppy, blonde female knight she'd spied before seemed to have managed to mysteriously whip up a hot meal without a fire; though, Veronica didn't see herself partaking on this occasion. The male -and similarly blonde- knight nearby was twinging some form of recognition in her, but she couldn't quite put a name to his face yet; his body language and the way he held himself, however, certainly gave off the impression of someone with at least a personal sense of importance and authority. Then there was the extremely blue -in the most literal sense- elf, along with a knightly woman with a rather peculiar hairstyle and a pair of twitching cat ears and tails. The latter also seemed to be familiar with the Antigone members of the recon team.

All in all? Quite the eclectic group, just on appearances.

Man, Lord Fredricus sure knows how to pick 'em.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

"Fate is never on my side."

Veronica clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Well now, that just won't do." Her lips quirked, as she affected a faux boastful tone. "How could fate not be on your side with a trusty Seer like me beside you?" True to her words, she fell into step beside Jazdia, as the elf began walking towards the camp proper.

At the mention of business matters between their companies, Veronica inclined her chin in wordless understanding, smiling and nodding. "Yes, that can keep for later. I have my speculations, but I'll withhold them till I can hear the tale from the horse's mouth... as it were." She released a small chuckle, eying the approaching campsite. "I'll admit, however, to my genuine surprise that a figure as high profile as Lord Thernous would be accompanying us, especially for a mere rescue mission." Her crimson gaze was searching, not quite narrowed but certainly intent. "I take it the mission parameters have been... expanded?"

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: North of the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

"'Just Evan' it is then," was Veronica's cheeky reply to the pale northerner, shortly before they departed. She deigned to shoot him a similarly cheeky smile, as she took off like a shot, the steeds of the Antigone members in swift pursuit.

---

The cool night breeze ruffled her hair and battered against the hood of her cloak, threatening to blow it back off her head from the speed she had to run at to keep pace with the recon team's mounts. The vampire took point as best she was able. Her darkvision and sure feet made for an excellent combination to help her lead the group through the night unharmed, choosing the most stable ground and guiding them around spots that would be troublesome in terms of space long before they could accidentally blindly stumble into them. Thankfully, nothing seemed keen to leap out at them from the darkness, and their travel went undisturbed. Their circuitous route was completed about as quickly as she had expected, even accounting for a mildly slower pace in the murk for safety's sake.

Breaking free of the western tree line, the recon team turned near about face towards the small hill Veronica had pointed out prior and the one atop it. Not long after they had done so, however, a bright purple light speared through the night, emanating from the arrow Veronica's keen vision could make out being held in the elf's hands. The elf's own glowing gaze, for its own part, was clearly aimed their way too.

Really, Jazdia? A signal like that? Do you seriously think I, of all people, need it? All you're doing is blowing our cover. Irritation aside, a part of her could appreciate the potentially more useful thoughts that could have been behind the elf's action, and the vampire chose to believe for her own peace of mind that at least one of them was the case.

Shaking away the annoyed thought, Veronica picked up her pace, paying a little more attention to the ground ahead, just in case any traps had been set by particularly -and laudably- enterprising sorts amongst her future teammates. Just to be on the safest side, she pushed her Sight in a particular direction and periodically glanced at her immediate future, as she shot a jaunty, two-fingered salute Jazdia's way.

Veronica slowed to a jog, as she reached the base of the hill and then to a swift power walk. Gloved fingers ran back through windswept ebony hair, clawing it back into a semblance of tidiness with a few quick sweeps. As she got within comfortable speaking distance, Veronica didn't hesitate to raise a single telling brow at the glowing arrow in Jazdia's hand, as if to silently convey her mild irritation, but she didn't waste her breath complaining about it.

"Jazdia Crystalspark," the pale girl drawled with an almost teasing lilt, eyes crinkling into smiles, as she rolled her shoulders, letting her hands hang loose and open, "we really need to stop meeting solely under the shadow of crisis. A girl might get ideas about your work-life balance." A rare, toothy grin spread across her lips in greeting, betraying how much her elation overrode her prior annoyance. Briefly, fangs glimmered under the purple light of Jazdia's magic, before Veronica's lips pulled closed once more, long before anyone else was positioned to spot them.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Location: Near the crossroads, 6 km from Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.

---

The sun had already set by the time Veronica dared clamber up into the thick boughs of a tall tree, nimble and dexterous limbs executing practiced movements, as she scaled the natural expanse. The faintest glimmer of dying sunlight was still fading on the horizon, as her eyes scanned the lands from above, carefully keeping herself pressed against the tree's trunk so as to minimize her profile and avoid any searching eyes.

Her gaze was aimed East, of course, watching the crossroads from afar, the last glimmers of sunlight to her back and warded off by the watery sensation of her protective magic. It took a while, time spent patiently waiting while the sun set, before crimson eyes narrowed at the distant sight of people taking the main road, approaching from the East towards the crossroads. She thought she spotted a few recognizable faces at the front of the group, but it was a bit too early to tell at this distance and lighting.

According to the plan of Lord Fredricus, the roads leading here would be blocked by divisions of the border garrison and the area thoroughly scoured for enemies beforehand. If all had gone well, enemy activity in the area -at least for now- should be completely absent, leaving only those arranged for by the King to enter freely, a secure place to conjoin the two halves of the King's team of agents. In that case, it was a safe assumption to make that the people approaching were, indeed, those they had arranged to meet with. Of course, the chances they weren't were low...

...but never zero.

The land was shrouded in night by now, the dim light of twilight illuminating all under the gaze of the moon and stars. The small group of travelers had arrived at the crossroads and then moved off the main road a small ways north to a largely flat, cleared out area with only a small, bare hill as any sort of incline of note. From her position, Veronica could see the distant orange flare of some kind of fire being lit, the one holding it making for the hill and placed themself in the wide open.

Risky... but it certainly made the group less likely to be slinking ne'er-do-wells. Never hurt to be certain, however.

Finally secure in her safety with the lack of sunlight, Veronica allowed the watery sensation of her protective magic to fall away, as she closed her eyes and cast a different spell altogether, casting her Sight into the distance. Moments later, Veronica was peering down atop the gathered group of people... some a bit odder than others. Not that she had a lot of room to talk, but still. She spotted three distinctly familiar faces amongst the crowd, which was definitely another point in their favor, along with a new elf, another yokai, two blonde knights -one man and woman- and...

Was that two bears wearing-?

Veronica pinched the bridge of her nose, quelling a growing headache. This was getting out of hand; now there were two of them? Oh, don't get her wrong, she liked Cedar well enough, but let none ever claim he was the most worldly of sorts. The term "bull in a china shop" came to mind, both physically and socially. Inconspicuous? What was that? Could you eat it?

Shaking her physical head, Veronica's Sight refocused on the last member of the group, and her eyes nearly bugged out.

Lord Thernous is here? In person?!

Well, unless the enemy was using some sort of illusory measure and had access to some really confidential information... Having the King's uncle out in this situation was almost absolute proof of their good intentions in and of itself. While she couldn't absolutely write off the chance of Lord Thernous being a traitor, the idea was so unthinkable that she only considered it on the grounds of a matter of course. A shinobi prepared for any threat, no matter how unlikely; habitual paranoia was basically part of her job description. She would have vastly preferred being given some sort of passphrase or having a solid link between the teams that could have been present and dispelled any potential suspicions before they could even form, but as she apparently wasn't afforded that -in her opinion, standard procedure- luxury, she would just have to make do.

Veronica cast her Sight towards the one on the hill, Jazdia, and nodded to herself. The vampire let her spell fade away and quickly clambered down the tree to where the other three members of her team of four were waiting thereabouts. The group had steered off the main path for a while to hunker down out of sight in the trees, observing the designated meeting spot from afar. The two members of Antigone were tending to their horses, the only two the group had bothered with for the sake of speed and subtlety. There had been the consideration of using the summoned wargs of their fourth member exclusively, but if something happened to him, the last thing they needed to be was stranded.

Veronica straightened out her clothes and gave a small smile. "They're here," she stated simply. "Several recognizable faces, amongst which are Lord Thernous Est Eluin, himself. It would be exceedingly difficult to get more well vetted than that." She glanced around their near area with habitual wariness, brief flickers of her eyes searching for potential observers. "Are we ready to move again?"

One of the Antigone members -Charles- loosed a low chuff of exasperation, rolling his eyes, as he mounted his horse, clicking his tongue and giving its side a pat. "I've been ready for hours, but someone-" He shot the vampire a mild gimlet eye. "-just had to go the extra mile for no reason at all." He grunted, as he received an elbow from the other Antigone member, Farris, who had sidled up to him, already mounted on his own horse.

"Liven up a bit," Farris grinned. "Being careful never hurt anyone, especially not when it's something this important."

Charles sniffed. "Some people should have a little more faith in the King."

"Blind faith is a fool's errand," Veronica drawled out, shaking her head. "But let us not concern ourselves with petty quibbles while our mission is at hand." Charles scowled at the vampire's authoritative tone, but a sharp look from Farris apparently stilled his tongue... for the time being at least.

Still, for all the group's inner dynamics hadn't necessarily been the most harmonious thing in the world even from the get-go, their skillsets were nonetheless complimentary. Outside a couple verbal tussles, when it was actually time to knuckle down and get their jobs done, they were each exemplary in their roles, certainly enough so that Veronica had no complaints of actual worth she might feel compelled to voice.

While the attempt to plant a magical geolocator hadn't ended up successful, they had still come away with relatively important intelligence. In particular, three days ago, bound for Stritzel's mansion, there had been a wagon guarded by Delving's Usuals, who -indeed- also seemed to be the primary security for the compound. That time, three days ago, was also the last time anyone had been seen leaving the area either. The presence of Delving's men did not bode well for the noble family's future prospects, especially not after their actions four months ago; another infraction of even slightly similar magnitude could very well be the straw the broke the camel's back.

That aside, however, the actual compound was practically entirely deserted, an ominous sign. The last time anyone had been seen entering was a day ago, a small convoy of two carriages with several horsemen, and all of them had disappeared into what the recon team had eventually deduced was an underground level. Unfortunately, actually scouting out that level at this point was too risky. While Veronica could easily evade anything that the magical ward might offer and was an extremely skilled infiltrator in her own right, she still couldn't turn invisible. Trying to enter a bottlenecked entrance to an underground layer unnoticed wasn't feasible; there was simply no result that didn't end with the recon team's presence compromised, and there was no way the vampire was giving up the element of surprise until they had a lot more people in their corner in the case things went sideways.

Speaking of the magical barrier, Veronica wasn't entirely sure of its full capabilities, only that it at least repelled scrying. She had been extremely careful in her initial probes with her Sight, aiming around the compound rather than directly at it. Even then, she felt a certain measure of repulsion, and she was confident that trying to force her Sight inside was only going to fail, get her detected or both. If the barrier did anything beyond that, she simply couldn't be certain, but there was no sense in taking risks. The Delvings specialized in anti-magic and barriers; it was practically their magical callsign, and this reeked of their work. Though, the barrier felt similar to Asever's work back in Fanghorn.

There had been no sign of either of their targets, Cedar or Stritzel, and with the upper levels confirmed empty by Veronica's personal infiltration with her own anti-magic active the whole while, it was a safe bet to assume they were both tucked away somewhere underground, the latter doing who knew what to the former.
  
Veronica turned to the quietest member of their quartet, raising a single brow at the pale, silver-eyed man, who was largely swaddled in thick clothes that spoke of a life of harsh, northern living in the cold. Admittedly, for all that they'd spent a fairly extended amount of time together so far, she hadn't formed much of an opinion on the young(?) man with ghostly-white hair. Baron Evan Mikkelsen was a quiet sort without much force of presence, and while he was certainly competent at what he did, there were little things that cropped up every now and again, holes in his capabilities that raised eyebrows. Still, she hadn't found him a nuisance so far, and she was increasingly optimistic that would stay the case.

"Apologies for the delay, Baron Mikkelsen; my thanks for indulging my unreasonable instincts." She shot a nod his way and towards the mounted Antigone members. "If you could indulge me again, however, I'd like for us to circle around a bit further and approach from the North. I want the first person to spot us to be Lady Crystalspark, and the small hill should conceal us from the rest of the group until we are in speaking distance with her. We weren't given any clear signal to assert our allegiances, so I'd like to hopefully avoid the potential of anyone doing anything... impulsive."

Farris shrugged, nonplussed. "Fine by me, lady."

Charles just clicked his tongue dismissively but didn't assert a better suggestion.

Veronica glanced at Evan, gaze inquisitive. The Antigone members were ready, and as usual, she would travel on foot, her own sprinting speed plenty sufficient to keep pace with the horses of their mounted teammates, especially across forest terrain in the dark, where they couldn't afford to drive their steeds at full tilt without risking injury. They hadn't set up to wait all that far away, so once they got moving, even with a circuitous route to meet Jazdia from the North, they would easily cross the distance in around five to ten minutes at worst.