No Longer in Kansas - Episode 1

[Inevitability]

Richard thankfully accepts the grease and begins polishing his armor.

[Malachite]

Colin defers his turn at the springs in favour of the others. With the amount of... well... others on his skin, it seems a bit inconsiderate to foul the water before everyone else is done.

When he finally gets the opportunity to wash the accumulated filth from his skin, though, he also feels the weight of guilt at ending other lives floating away into the cool, clear water too. The offered soap feels harsher than the shower gel he's used to, yet the scent and cold waters of the pool seem to awaken something primal in him. A feeling of expanding possibilities beyond a constant scrabble for rent money, where he can carve out a place for himself.

He rises from the pool and gazes down at himself - always muscular, he seems to have become even moreso in barely a day. His fingers have thickened and he feels the surging power in the muscles and tendons of his forearms as he makes fists. A line from an old film swims through his mind - and, in time, he became a king by his own hand.

Now these are the kind of hands that could make one a king.

Putting on the leather robes and wrapping a thick belt around his waist, he rejoins the group with newfound confidence and the surge of ambition smouldering in his belly.

[PeacefulOak]

Each of you take the opportunity to bathe or refresh yourself in a way that allows you to feel clean and presentable. Gathered once more by the wagon, you tuck your remaining pieces of equipment or clothing into your bags and stand before Garan. "Excellent, you are all now ready to continue, yes? Let us walk then, and reach the home of the Free Tribes with the dawn." The group sets off again, the wagon rumbling along beside and behind you. In the bed of the wagon, surrounded by whatever supplies you have chosen not to carry for the moment, a curious dualism and dichotomy exists in the reposing bodies of Tobias and the Queen's Pawn. The captured soldier has a bloody face, bruised and cut from repeated beatings to keep him unconscious... and yet somehow seems vital and hale. Tobias lies on his side, curled around some unknown pain with tremors running the length of his body. From time to time, one or another of the kobolds that accompany you step to the side of the wagon, reaching in to check on your companion.

After a quarter-hour of walking, you begin to see signs of civilization beneath the arching canopy of branches and leaves. The trunks of the trees are wide-spread and the ground between relatively smooth, packed with centuries of fallen leaves and thick mulch. Ahead of you, you see rows of earth pushed together with different plants and fungi growing from them. For all that Garan had said you would arrive with the dawn, you see no sign of sunlight here beneath the canopy. This thought draws your eyes upwards, and at the very heights of the trees (which stretch immense distances upwards) you see thick shadows curling and twisting between the branches like a thick mist. Though you may think to inquire about this, that thought is cut short as your eyes drop and you realize that a welcoming party has gathered.

A myriad of forms stand before you, ranging from small in stature like your kobold companions and the green forms you saw at the forest's edge to much larger creatures with heavy bodies and very thick body hair, verging almost to fur. Skin color ranges across the spectrum, and you see scales, fur, skin, and even creatures that seem as though they might have the same type of skin as a fish, or as a crocodile for others. All this blurs to un-importance as your gaze is caught by the central figure. Standing as tall as Colin, and heavily built, is a green-skinned humanoid creature with thick heavy fingers, a wide face, heavy tusk-like fangs that just from its lower jaw, and long black hair that is braided to fall on either side of its face, nearly to its waist. A sleeveless leather tunic adorns its body, with an immense string of heavy polished wood beads hanging over them around the figure's neck.

Garan steps forward, raising a hand to stop your group from advancing further. "Chief, we found these on the outskirts of the battle. They smell strange, other to us, but they fought the pawns of the queen with strength and valor. This one seems to have fallen ill, however." Garan gestures back to the wagon. The Chief steps forward, covering the distance with a speed that is surprising. He lays a hand on Tobias' head and chest. The chief closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, holding it for a long moment before exhaling and turning to face the group.

"Welcome to the home of the Free Tribes, Fate-touched. Know that you are truly welcome here, and face no threat here among my people. I can tell that our world is strange to you,
and there is great worry in some of your eyes. I hope that I can set some of that to rest." He gestures to Tobias. "Your companion suffers from both a poison and a disease,
probably incurred within the past day or so. Rest assured that with my care and that of our shamans and healers that he will be well taken care of. In the meantime," he clears his throat and faces you fully, "introductions are in order. My name is Yolmar, and I am the chosen leader of the Free Tribes." He pauses, waiting expectantly.

[Inevitability]

Richard, not an unimposing individual himself, still can't help but be impressed by the sheer sense of strength the chief radiates. He extends an iron-gloved hand.

"I am Richard Schlosser, a... musician. Thank you for your hospitality."

[Anyr]

Sarah was gradually acclimating to spectacles like this. That experience allowed her to keep walking towards the array of decidedly scary creatures. As with the fields, this forest was a thing of incredible beauty. She just wished it didn't come packaged along with a cataclysmic war. At the moment, though, Sarah was more focused on social affairs. She carefully followed the cues she was given. When Garan motioned for her to stop, she stopped. When the Chief advanced with incredible speed, she stood her ground. And when he looked expectantly at her, her name came rushing out. She couldn't have stopped it if she'd wanted to.

"S-Sarah Williams. Thank you for your hospitality."

[fire_insideout]

Eris

Eris feels terribly small as Yolmar's gaze locks with hers. Something in his manner and presence presents him as something opposite to the forces still stirring inside her and she bows her head to break the eye contact. I must be imagining. Besides, he seems to be a good... thing? A doctor of some sort.
"I am Eris." She mumbles, almost too low for anyone but the people next to her to hear "I too am grateful for your aid."

[dethkruzer]

at first there was an element of embarrassment in having to bath in the open like that, though Julia found herself rather swiftly shedding such notions as she peeled away the sweat-saturated garment that had been sandwiched between her supple skin and hard armor. For someone of her status, tip-top personal hygiene and cleanliness was the expectation, or at least what she herself viewed as an expectation, and the stench that came from her clothing was enough to prompt a fit of nausea from her.

The means of cleaning provided were far from the soft washcloths and gentle shower gels that she'd grown so accustomed to, but after what she'd gone through, those shortcomings did little to takeaway from the chance of relaxation that this moment in the spring offered. As much as Julia would have wanted to, she spent little time beyond what was necessary, enough to scrub off the sweat, to allow the cool water to soothe her aching muscles, and to braid her hair. She would return to the group in one of the leather robes, her expression content, but at the same time carrying a certain measure of vacancy to it.

Waiting as the other refreshed themselves gave her hair a chance to dry somewhat, and also for her to take in the surroundings. Though it also gave her time to realize one other detail: Tobias had not been roused from his slumber, and as Julia went to have a quick look, it wasn't difficult to see that he was not well. "Nothing I can do, not right now." she thought to herself. Soon enough the time to leave came, and following the example of her other companions, she loaded some of her gear into the wagon.

The walk that followed was thankfully a much less demanding one than the one of the previous day, being not only much shorter, but also had her unburdened by her armor.

Soon enough, she found herself faced with several more creatures of forms that were equally alien to her as Garan and his kind. One stood out though, a hulking green humanoid, othe one Garan had approached and Addressed as "chief". Safe to assume, the big guy was important. The figure spoke, and despite what his admittedly brutish and somewhat intimidating appearance might suggest, was actually quite eloquent and and caring in his words. What he said confirmed her suspicions on Tobias' condition, but also managed to plant some ideas of hope in her head.

Yolmar, that was the name he gave. She considered all she'd heard for a moment, before speaking in turn. "I'm Julia. Julia Winchester. I'm a woman of medicine, and I wish to thank you and your people for your hospitality. Hopefully we can pay back in some fashion."

[Malachite]

Colin nods his head to Yolmar, intending to convey respect without being so obsequious as a bow.
This world may still be utterly insane, but there's no sense pissing off a guy who looks like a cross between a warrior monk and a tusked Incredible Hulk.
Intelligence and brute strength are a dangerous combination to make a foe of, in any case.

"Good to meet you, Yolmar. My name's Colin and you have my thanks too," he says cautiously. "Can I ask what you meant by Fate-touched? We're still trying to find how we came to be in this world, let alone how we fit into it."

He looks over to the rest of the group, almost as though seeking reassurance. His eyes rove over a tall, heavily-armoured knight, one woman who he's recently seen command the elements and another who incinerated a man with green fire, a third who... well, he hadn't actually seen her do anything out of the ordinary yet. For a moment his growing confidence stops building.
We all changed when we got here, though, he thinks. There must be something about you which has changed. We just need to find out what it is.

He looks back to Yolmar.
"You seem to know something about what we have become."

[PeacefulOak]

Yolmar's hand reaches past Richards, grasping his wrist and forearm in a firm grasp which prompts an instinctual reciprocation from the armored man. The grip is strong, and the gaze that accompanies it is steady and powerful. In his eyes, there seems to be... something. He steps back, his gaze shifting to acknowledge each as they speak and present themselves, ending with Colin.

"Well met, all of you. Your thanks are welcome, but unnecessary. Your coming was foretold, in an ancient vision that was drawn long before the change that has come upon our land. Still, there is something about you that glows with purpose and energy, vibrant and different in each of you." He steps forward, again faster than you would expect, and reaches out to touch the tendrils of water flowing around Sarah. "Some of you are discovering the full depths of your powers, and accepting them." His gaze turns to Colin, and to Eris. "Others struggle with the meaning of their newfound strength,
and with what that means for their sense of self. Still others," he turns to Julia, and to Richard, "have only scratched the surface of what they can do. Regardless, all are welcome here and can make themselves comfortable here. Two spaces have been made ready for you, one for each gender. Please, be at peace and welcome among the Free Tribes." He raises his hands broadly and bows, his heavy beads falling forward and then back against his chest as he stands.

In the moments that follow a swirl of activity surrounds you and you find yourselves being drawn along and given a brief tour of the town, for lack of a better term. Tobias is lifted from the wagon and carried gently by a very large hairy individual towards a large tent, which you are advised is the infirmary. You see log cabins, tents of myriad shapes, yurts of different sizes, and all manner of types of constructions that provide shelter from the elements. You are given brief descriptions: blacksmith, food stores, kitchen, town hall, general store, sundries and supplies... the names and locations blur. Finally, you are shown two large yurts that face together towards a large fire-pit. These are your space. You are given directions to the town square where a feast is being prepared, and left to your own devices for a time.

[dethkruzer]

Julia couldn't' help but be nervous before this crowd, a feeling further tainted by a sense intimidation she couldn't quite shake as her gaze came to focus on Yolmar. The latter would thankfully lessen as the large figure spoke again. His way with words served to calm her, for a moment anyways. That lasted up to the point where they came to spoke of the... Powers her various travelling companions had come to possess. Powers that, based on how they'd reacted previously, were not something that they had held previously. But the talk of the powers themselves wasn't what unnerved her, not directly. What unnerved her was the implication that she had not been spared from... whatever it was that had happened to the others.

She wanted to ask the large figure what he mean with his cryptic words, but alas she had stopped to contemplate the meanings and implications of his little speech for a moment too long, that mistake stealing away her chance for answers as she found herself swept along by the crowd.

While by most standards, the various facilities present were quite impressive, the doctor couldn't quite find it in her to admire them, with her frustration over lack of answer distracting her for a majority of the tour. still, it was over nearly as quickly as it had begun, and Julia found herself staring at the yurts for a moment, seemingly in a daze. "And once again we are left with more questions than answers..." She would sigh aloud, putting in no effort to hide her frustration. She would shake her head, before casting a glance at the others. "Was there something about a blacksmith? Any of you catch where that was?" Julia would then ask the rest of the group.

[Anyr]

There's such a thing as too warm a welcome. Sarah would honestly have preferred to be treated like a stranger. This whole 'you are expected' thing set off all kinds of alarms. These people seemed to value her stock awfully highly. When she inevitably fell short of their rash appraisal, the fallout would likely be unpleasant. But for now at least, she had a place to call home. Sarah and her teammates eventually found themselves left to their own devices. Julia's question about the blacksmith prompted Sarah to point vaguely in one direction.

"Somewhere over there. It should be easy enough to find again. I'll go with you, if you like."

{OOC: The following assumes that Sarah and Julia go off to find the blacksmith. Feel free to ignore it if that's not the case.}

Soon enough, the two of them were walking back through the settlement. Sarah cast several worried glances at the doctor beside her. Both of them had had a lot of trouble coping with recent events. Sarah had a feeling that they were on similar wavelengths. Maybe some conversation would help.

"I wonder why these people are so impressed by us. Ridiculous powers seem par for the course in this world. And it's not as if our new 'gifts' are particularly strong. Being able to conjure elemental weapons is certainly novel; But it's just a bit more convenient than buying a weapon. And besides, we didn't even do anything to earn these abilities. The mysterious voice handed them to us out of nowhere. He could have picked any random idiot off the street: And maybe he did! Maybe there's nothing special about us at all."

Nope. Didn't help.

[dethkruzer]

Thankfully someone had managed to be more attentive with the tour then she herself had. Sarah was the one who pointed the way, but followed up by offering to come with her. "I wouldn't mind the company. Actually, now that you brought it up, I'd rather prefer it to going alone." She would say in reply, the corners of her mouth tilting up maybe a quarter of an inch. The thought of company brought a certain sense of safety. As well as they might have been received, that still didn't quite wipe away the idea that one of these things could just snatch her up and eat her brain or something like that.

Or maybe that was just one too many comic books talking.

A little later, it felt... strange walking through this town. Julia felt like she herself stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb amidst all these.... Weirdos. Strange, but thankfully not threatening, not to a degree which it would bother her anyways. Her head turned to her companion as she spoke. Sarah made some good points, and brought up questions that had already been plaguing the blonde. She found herself first shrugging, then nodding, and then shrugging a second time.

Your guess is as good as mine. I wish I could say something to give an answers, but it seems no-one here seems to be willing to sit down and give us any. It's honestly pissing me off." She would speak, her frustation peeking up from beneath an otherwise controlled tone, frustration that reflected in her crude choice of words. Her eyes would close for a moment as she drew a deep breath, before clearing her throat. "That said, Yolmar seems to have been expecting us, and I can at least kinda understand that for the rest of you, but myself, not so much."

She let out a loud exhale that grumbled ever so slightly through her nose. Julia shook her head before drawing another breath, though on that was more akin to a sigh. Colin is a near-literal man-mountain who can tear things limb from limb, Eris looks like a corpse and can kill things with green fire, Tobias turned into some... Beast-man-thing that'll probably bite of our faces if we get on his bad side, you're like that one cartoon kid with the arrow painted on his head, and Richard... Well, I guess Richard is stuck inside that armor of his, seeing how he hasn't taken it off since yesterday, and I could barely withstand wearing leather overnight." She would go on to continue, trying to keep her voice steady. This time though it wasn't so much frustration that
peeked through, rather, the doctor seemed almost... Upset. "And then there's me. A doctor from England who's just trying to make sense of all this and trying to keep my bloody head together. And slowly but surely failing at both of those..." Her voice trailed off as Julia would continue to shake her head, almost as though she was avoiding making eye contact.

[Malachite]

Foretold in a vision? What is this? Colin thinks. There is no time to ask about it though, as the hulking chieftain continues to talk about the new power that has awakened within each of them, then they are ushered off into the camp.

He allows himself to be guided by creatures of strange and varied forms, taking in the sights and sounds of the settlement. It's larger than he had expected; when Garan had described their destination he'd pictured something much smaller and more basic. As they reach the yurts that are to be their home, he takes a look inside, meaning to settle in... then abruptly realises that he has nothing to store. Shrugging, he heads off into the small town, eyes roving over sights both familiar and uncommon. He gazes at the blacksmith's wares as he passes, becoming aware of a strange shift: where previously he held the typical male fascination with blades and armour, the sight of them now leaves him cold and unmoved.

Even so, maybe some armour would help keep my skin intact...

Almost as quickly as the thought comes, he realises the problem - he has no way of paying for anything. The image of a small golden sphere hurtling through the ghostly image of a face flashes through his mind and his lips tighten at the memory.

That would really have come in useful now. How could I have been so stupid?!

After wandering aimlessly for a while longer, he makes his way to the square.

[Anyr]

"I'm sure even your mundane skills will be useful. Doctors must be in high demand here. Now if you were an English banker, that'd be a different story. You'd be utterly useless!"

Sarah gave her fellow Brit a self-deprecating smile. All those years of learning corporate finance had turned out to be a surprisingly poor investment. If she'd known about this little adventure in advance, she'd have stayed on the family farm instead. But life was full of little (and gigantic) surprises. She'd adapt, and survive, and make it back home.

"As for powers, I'm sure you have some too. Not that they're necessarily all that important. Personally, I think that the main key to getting through this is...well..."

Sarah coughed. Saying this out loud was a bit embarrassing. Just like yesterday, one of her hands found its way into one of Julia's.

"...each other. I know, I know: It's a cringeworthy sentiment. But it's true. This world has already reduced both of us to weeping husks. The only reason we're standing now is because others helped us to our feet. And strange as it sounds, I think that even sharing a breakdown might have helped both of us. Seeing someone else go through the same thing tells us that...it's normal to feel this way. We're not weak, or worthless. We're just human. So whenever you feel pathetic for needing a hug from the person beside you, just remember: She probably needs one just as much."

Her façade had been completely discarded. What was the point of it any more? This woman had seen Sarah naked, crying, terrified and broken. Putting on her usual 'unflappable super banker' act would be a lost cause. She and Julia needed each other right now. They'd both be so much better off if they just accepted that.

[dethkruzer]

Sarah was trying to comfort her, even though she herself probably wasn't better off than the doctor. Though what she said made sense, being able to help stitch the wounded back together felt so.... Minor compared to everything the others had showcased. Then she mentioned the idea of powers, and how she probably had them as well. Considering everything, it was more likely than not, but that very idea just made her shudder, literally.

"You're right." She would say, clearly forcing her voice to remain even. "Just from a standpoint of probability alone, it's likely I have some kind of powers as well, but..." She would continue for a moment, before her voice trailed off as another shudder ran through her body. "That thought alone scares me." She would stop walking. "I'm scared at the thought of... what it might entail, of what could become of me with those powers..." She shuddered again, her voice trembling by now.

Still, it seemed Sarah wasn't quite done. She spoke words of wisdom, truths that in all this madness, had managed to elude the doctor. It did not dispel the fears in her mind, but it helped. The touch of the other added to the helping factor. Julia's gaze dropped, her chin trembling. She wanted to say something, but in the end decided not to. Insteadm she simply stepped toward the other feamle, wrapping her arms around the other. The doctor shuddered again, though just the touch seemed to serve well in calming her down.

"I just..." She began, her voice closer to whimper than anything. "I just don't want anyone getting hurt because you have to look after me. Be cause I'm holding the rest of you back."

[Anyr]

Sarah accepted the hug with (literally) open arms. As she'd said, she needed this too. Sarah rested her cheek against Julia's own. It didn't matter that they barely knew one another. It didn't matter that they were embracing in a public street. Sometimes, people just wanted to feel the warmth of another human being. The watery tendrils danced spirals around both of them. When Julia whispered her worries into Sarah's ear, Sarah whispered right back.

"The more we think like that, the more true it becomes. It's a self fulfilling prophecy. To win this insane game, we have to believe that there's a role for us to play. Whether it's fighting with crazy weapons, pressing the right button, or just making the tea, there has to be something we can do to make a difference. And believing that is so much easier when you have a friend at your side. You are not holding me back, Julia: You're keeping me upright. Please don't stop."

She'd maintain the hug for as long as Julia wanted. Moments like this were all too rare.

[dethkruzer]

They were probably getting some strange looks from the equally strange passers-by. Julia didn't care. Right now all she cared for was knowing that she had a firmament upon which she could hope to anchor her sanity. Normally she didn't like to rely on others so heavily in this fashion, but there really was nothing that one could call anything even resembling normal in their situation. Still, the other woman spoke truth again, or rather spoke out what should have been obvious.

"You're right. You're absolutely right. If I continue to devote focus to my doubts, those doubts and insecurities will inevitable lead me to making a mistake." Her tone was still quite somber, but there was sense of... realization in her words. Her arms would remain around Sarah, but her head tilted back, eyes closed, as she drew a long, deep breath.

She would exhale, before pulling in another deep breath. Slowly the mask of sadness would dissolve off her face, leaving behind a fairly neutral, if someone tired expression. Her eyes would open, lowering slightly to look into the other woman's eyes. "Thank you, Sarah. It... Means a lot to know that I have someone I can rely on in this fucked up world. I just hope I can return that favor should you ever need it."

[Anyr]

Connection made! Sarah allowed herself a gentle smile.

"I'm certain I'll need it, sooner or later. Let's be there for each other."

And still the hug continued. Julia really would have to be the one to break it.

[dethkruzer]

"Right." Julia would reply, emphasizing her words further with a nod. Whatever remannats of grieff might have been were gone, seemingly replaced by determination. She would hold on to the other for a little while longer, before first loosening her grip, and then letting go completely. "Let's go, it would be rude to let our hosts wait, if that talk of a feast wasn't just hot air." The doctor would then turn to continue toward the blacksmith, though not before giving a glance to make sure the other was ready to move along.

Spoiler: Description of the blacksmith, courtesy of PeacefulOak.

Show

When you choose to arrive at the Blacksmith (with or without help from passers-by, your call):

A relatively large mud brick building lies before you, two large chimneys spewing columns of heat and smoke into the air. Multi-tonal clanging echoes from within, the sounds of various hammers of different sizes striking hot metal and cold anvils. The heat from within is intense, a steady flow of heated air stirring your hair as you approach the door. Within, a number of different forms stand at anvils, the area lowly lit only by the glow of the two massive furnaces which serve to heat the metal. The majority of the forms are green skinned, varying significantly in build and height from one to the next. At the largest anvil stands a creature of near canine appearance, almost anthropomorphic in nature. Thick fur is matted to its body, and it appears to be wearing loose leather board shorts and a large leather apron, matched by the heavy leather gloves on its hands. The massive hammer it swings slams down onto the metal, the strokes both heavy and curiously precise and delicate as it works along what is clearly a blade of some sort.

Moments after you enter, this creature's nose twitches and it glances towards you both, not slowing its steady strokes with the hammer. *CLANG*... *CLANG*... *CLANG*... *CLANG-SHHHHhhhhhh* With a surge the creature lifts the rose-cored blade and thrusts it into a nearby barrel of liquid, prompting a burst of heavy steam and the smell of scalded olives. The creature turns to you, it's lips peeling back to reveal heavy fangs. "Ah, you are they, you are them! Yes, yes, yes!" For all the creature's stature and size, it sounds much like one would imagine a very excited labrador (dog) would sound.
"And you have come to see Clutch! How can Clutch help, yes help you?"

In the end it wasn't that hard to find. The repeating ring of metal-on-metal and the columns of smoke let off by the chimneys meant you really couldn't miss it unless you tried. Approaching, the blonde would peek inside from the doorway, before stepping inside. More odd things working metal. Hard to tell who she should be asking. That problem however resolved itself before it became a real probem at all, as the occupant of the largest anvil would approach. Its appearance would provoke a small jolt from the woman, but once again first appearances would reveal themselves to be deceiving, as this "Clutch" would turn out to be almost reminiscent of a dog in mannerism.

Julia would clear her throat, before speaking. "Ummm, yes. I'm... in the need of some very specific kinds of tools. One's that I believe call for the finest of craftsmanship you might have to offer. Would you perhaps have some chalk or paper on hand?" She would begin to explain, her gaze wandering a bit as she spoke.

[PeacefulOak]

Colin

Your path through the village is a curious one, as you instinctively feel out of place with your new abilities and form... but no one is seeming awkward around you. In fact, warm smiles and friendly salutations greet you at every turn, bringing a strange feeling of inclusion. Arriving at the central area you see the makings of an immense bonfire in the center of a wide clearing, and an array of split-log tables being assembled in feast-hall style. A number of different creatures... people... are busy at work. One large one with leathery green skin that stands an easy 12' tall turns to you and calls out. "Hey there friend! We're still getting ready here, got lots to do. Come to think of it, you look pretty strong. Care to help?" The creature gestures to a large pile of logs which have a couple of heavy splitting axes, mallets and wedges.

~~~

Julia and Sarah

Clutch nods rapidly, a little bit of spittle flying with the force of his agreement. "Fine tools, the finest here, the finest!" He grabs what seems to be a polished and oiled piece of very smooth wood and a stick of charcoal, holding it out to you. "Draw, yes? Show Clutch, I make!"

[fire_insideout]

Eris

Eris follows along during the tour of where the Free Tribes lives. She can't quite think of anything that lacks streetlights and grocery shops as a town, but she understands that it's a permanent settlement and quietly, with a smile, decides to refer to it as 'Camp-town'.

Camp-town is larger than she'd expected, and bustling with activity. When they are shown to their Yurts Eris comes to a half-halt. For someone who's used to the, arguably strange, mix of privacy of an apartment while living in the same building as a hundred other people and in the same city as hundreds of thousands, Eris finds the idea of sharing a living space with others both charming and slightly uncomfortable at the same time, and she is relieved to see Sarah and Julia leave for the blacksmith. Not that she has anything against their company, but even here in this strange and frightening new world she needs time for herself. More time now, even, than before, to figure out what she has become.

With the two other women gone Eris removes her armor and dons her robe. She sits down cross-legged and closes her eyes.
This is it right? You cross your legs when you meditate. And place your palms on your knees. She moves her hands to the position she's seen on TV, but it turns out to be quite uncomfortable sitting like that. Her back aches and her feet hurt. After a few moments all she can think of is how ridiculous she must look.
All right, perhaps if I just lay down?
She finds her cot and lies down, green eyes staring at the roof of the yurt. Green. There was something with that color. It was connected to her power. She had seen a green flame as she died, and she had brought forth that flame again during the battle.

Raising her hand she tries to focus on that flame, but gentler this time.
I hope I don't burn a hole in our tent on our first day here...
The green flame comes easy, almost as if it was waiting for her to call it to her mind. It fills her head with emerald thoughts and dreams of power and feeling safe from all the things that haunted her. At first it is hardly a spark and Eris cannot tell if it exists only in her mind or if it is real. Then it grows larger, forming on her index finger at first before spreading to encompass her entire hand, then arm and in moments her entire body. It feels good to call the flame, it burns with a soothing light she sees even when she closes her eyes and whispers calming thoughts in her head.

Eris smiles as she relaxes properly for the first time in what feels like forever.

[dethkruzer]

Well, at least Clutch seemed to be sure of the quality of craftsmanship that could be provided. Julia wasn't quite sure whether to find this reassuring, or troubling. Still, the dog-thing offered her a... piece of wood and a stick of charcoal? She didn't dare sigh at the primitive nature of the tools offered, but it didn't stop the doctor from sighing internally.

Still, the dog-thing seemed eager to help her, so unless this thing was gonna start trying to get some non-existent coin off of her for the effort, it wouldn't hurt her if the tools weren't up to snuff. So she'd try out the piece of charcoal in her hand, before beginning to draw onto the wood. "Right, most important is a thing like this, it's called a scalpel." Julia began to explain as she drew on the piece of wood. "Thin but sturdy handle, quite long. And then a short blade, curved and sharpened on one side. I'll need these quite hard, and as sharp as you can possibly get it." She would finish, as she also finished up her drawing. It was quite rough, but hopefully got the points across.

"Next would be forceps. Quite simple, really. Two pieces, shaped somewhat like this. This dot here, needs a small hole, and some kind of rod run through so you can have two of them hinge can hinge open when you pull these arms apart. Like this." She would pause again, setting down the charcoal stick to show how the hinge mechanism should work with her fingers. This would go on as she continued to then request a number of forceps with differently shaped prongs, retractors, two different sizes of bone saw, and a small number of miscellaneous other instruments.

[Malachite]

In the midst of everything unfamiliar, a huge bonfire is a welcome flash of normalcy. This whole, crazy series of events began with him running from a confrontation with a student while clearing up after a party - memories rise up in his mind of empty beer cans, shattered bottleglass like shards of ice frosting the grounds, pumpkin pieces scattered and trodden into previously pristine lawns...
The argument happened near the end of a long day's work, then he spent the night pursued through caverns and most of today travelling through the hills.
It must be coming up to the evening of the 2nd of November back in England, he thinks. We'll only be a few nights early.

Walking over to the wood pile, he picks up an axe and spins it in his hands a few times, learning the weight of the head. Placing a log on the block, he steps back, checks his distance and brings the head whirring around to cleave the wood in two. He looks up at the huge creature - not easy given its immense stature - and is smiling more broadly than at any other time since arriving.

"I really would," he says with absolute sincerity. He reaches for another log. "Tell me, mate, what's your name and what are you? I'm Colin, and I... well, I think I'm still human. These days I'm not totally sure. Not as big as you, yet, in any case."

[PeacefulOak]

Colin

The ogre smiles and helps you with the logs, showing you how to split the long logs so that they can be made into tables and benches. "I'm Avor the Ogre, friend, and you look human enough for me! Stronger than I remember them, though..." the large creature muses, shifting the wedges further down the split and hammering them heavily into the wood with your help. "It's funny, though. Before the Queen, I probably would have been trying to squish you! And yet here we are. Strange, the way life works."

~~~

Julia and Sarah

The canine creature tips its head back and bays with laughter, shaking its head as it steps to a heavy chest close by. Flipping it open, he reaches in and pulls out a roll of fine soft leather, tougher than the robes you were provided with but still quite supple. He brings it back and presents it eagerly. "Clutch knows these! Here, here, here! For you, from Clutch!" From behind him, a heavy voice says "Hey, I made those!" Clutch glares over his shoulder then turns back to you. "From Clutch and his crew, yes? Yes! Shaper's tools for the saviors!" Clutch presses the roll into your hands.

Unrolling and glancing within, you see expertly crafted surgical tools, made mostly of forged iron but some showing the appearance of fine steel. While they would certainly look out of place in any hospital, you can tell that they will most certainly fit your needs.

[fire_insideout]

Eris

It takes a while to figure out how the flame behaves, but after some time spent experimenting Eris finds that she can have it burn not only on her body, but it can be placed on objects as well, shedding light and in general looking quite cool.
Although, it's not like it can do much beyond providing light and burn people. Moving water around must be quite the experience. The memory of the flowing liquid around Sarah is a reminder of their potential, but also how different they all have become.

Eris snuffs out the flames with a careful thought and decides to take a walk to clear her mind of all the weird things going on.
I wonder... Do these people bury their dead? She decides to find out.

[Anyr]

Sarah made no requests of her own. This shop had nothing to offer her. She just wandered aimlessly in the background, while her comrade conducted business. Studying the various tools and items on display proved quite interesting. She could appreciate the skill that had gone into crafting each one. What a shame that so much of it had to be spent on weapons. If this insane war ever ended in victory, perhaps the blacksmiths would get an opportunity to make other things.

[Malachite]

An ogre? Looks like Shrek was dialled back a bit... Colin barely suppressed a giggle at the thought of this towering creature speaking in a broad Scottish accent, but the last sentence helps sober him up. He knows better than most just how strange and unpredicatable life can be.

"You're right there," he replies. "I think it's for the better in at least one way, though - I can't say I like the idea of someone your size trying to squish me. I don't reckon you'd have too much trouble, to be honest."

He swaps the axe for a sledge hammer and helps drive in the wedges.

"So how did you end up a part of all this?" he asks. "I've heard some of the story from Garan, but this is all still very new."

[dethkruzer]

She tilted her head slightly to one side in surprised, the last thing she would have expected would be to see this, almost like Clutch had been expecting her. Still, she'd pick up the tools, inspecting them one-by-one, her keen eyes tracing across the surface, as she would occasionally turn them to reflect light of the surface. She would nod every now and then, usually as she set down one tool. It wasn't necessarily standard hospital issue by any stretch, but the doctor imagined that it would serve her needs for the time being. Yes. This is good, very good." she would speak, nodding one more time as she set down the last instrument. "These will no doubt serve me well. You have my thanks, Clutch." She continued, before raising her voice slightly "And my thanks to the rest of your crew as well."

Julia would then roll up the bundle and tuck it under one arm. Now, unless there's something further to discuss, then I believe this concludes my business her. Sarah, shall we take our leave?" She would then speak to the dog-thing, before shifting her attention to the other female.

[Anyr]

"Ready when you are. Where next?"

Sarah had no destination of her own. She was just going with the flow. It felt kind of refreshing to do that, for once.

[dethkruzer]

"I was thinking of heading back to those tent-cottage-things they showed us earlier. That is, unless you had somewhere you might wish to visit, in which case I'd gladly accompany you there. Julia spoke in retain. Something seemed a little different about her dememanor. Aside from the determination before, there seemed to be a measure of confidnece not only in her tone, but her stance.

By modern measure, she could only call what she had been gifted as crude oddities, but now as she clutched the leather roll to one side, the weight of it felt... Empowering. For the first time in the better part of 24 hours, some sense of agency had emerged from within her. She wasn't a fighter, not like some of the others, but now that she had the correct tools, she might begin to apply her trade. To mend what was broken. To improve what was... Flawed.

The outright alien nature of that last bit seemed to go by without her notice, though not before it brought a small smile to her face.