Heroes' Hearth

[Artemis97]

[Warrior's Rest]

Novus finds his way around, getting a helping of stew before going into a private bath, using the water there to heal his wounds. He then comes out, freshly cleaned, but tired, and makes his way to a bed. Trusting no one was going to steal his armor, he strips it off and crawls into a cot, where he passes out until the next morning.

Presently, Novus is eating in the hall, slurping down stew and crusty bread. Where will today take him?

It takes him onto a boat and into Inside.

[Recaiden]

"But you're no fool, are you?" Of course not.
"The plant you want is Inside, in the slums. You'll find the address when you make it to the city. Bring a shovel and gloves; it's under the cellar, way under, and has quite the thorns."

[WarforgedTank]

The Warforge Forge

"That's what makes a warsmith. Weapons like that cutlass, though they're usually too expensive to be worth making, unless it's a commission. The people who can afford weapons like that are the people who can afford to customise it. That one was my creator's master's piece. I'm more... Journeyman work. Built from spares lying around, mainly. An old suit of plate, a slab of bronze, and wood from the scaffolds around a tower being repaired." Frigate returns his weapon to his belt. He doesn't mind that he's made from spares, since if he wasn't made of spares, then chances are he wouldn't be who he is now.

Tank nods, and goes back to work cleaning the weapons.

"This could take a few hours. You're free ta stay an' chat."

[Morty]

[Forge]

"Jury's out on that," Thariza says, shrugging. "No one ever wanted me for my brains. But I'll go there and hope this isn't someone's idea of a joke."

[Recaiden]

"I assure you, this is deadly serious."
There is a sense of the voice departing, of no one watching her anymore.
Reaching Inside is up to Thariza's own ingenuity, but shouldn't be any problem.

If she still follows the voice's instructions now that it's gone.

[Earl of Purple]

The Warforged Forge

"Well, what else is there to do on this island? And I should probably clear myself off a little. I'm covered in barnacles and I've got seaweed and mud stuck 'round my feet. This isle got a boatwright to give me a careening?" Frigate's happy to keep Tank company, but he'd also like to explore and see what else there is. And whilst his sea-detritus aren't damaging or causing any harm to the warforged, it's not particularly comfortable.

[WarforgedTank]

The Warforged Forge

"Well, what else is there to do on this island? And I should probably clear myself off a little. I'm covered in barnacles and I've got seaweed and mud stuck 'round my feet. This isle got a boatwright to give me a careening?" Frigate's happy to keep Tank company, but he'd also like to explore and see what else there is. And whilst his sea-detritus aren't damaging or causing any harm to the warforged, it's not particularly comfortable.

Tank sets his tools down. Boatwright?

"The tavern is just over that way. Not that the place is much use to us, as we don't eat or drink. Not a bad place for information. There's also typically an adventurer or two out by the fire. If it's a Boatwright you're looking for, I'd check back by the ocean you climbed out of. Never needed one myself, so I don't know if there's one there or not."

Tank grabs a flask off the shelves next to his forge, and tosses it to the other Warforged.

"Here. I made this stuff. Put it down in your joints. Helps with lubrication and fights off rust. Cleans it out too."

[Earl of Purple]

The Warforged Forge

Frigate uses a lot of naval slang and terminology, but in this case he wants a boatwright because he knows they have the tools and equipment needed to repair and clean boats after they've been befouled, in a process called 'careening', where a wooden sailing ship is deliberately run aground and tipped over so the crew can scrape off the barnacles, seaweed and shipworm. Fortunately, Frigate doesn't have the latter.

"Ah, thankee. I'll go find another lubber to see if I can get cleaned up." Frigate will apply the lubricant to his knees, elbows, shoulders, neck and hands, but not his ankles. His ankles probably need it the most, but whilst they're still clogged with mud and weed, it's not going to work. He'll hand it back, too.

[WarforgedTank]

The Warforged Forge

Frigate uses a lot of naval slang and terminology, but in this case he wants a boatwright because he knows they have the tools and equipment needed to repair and clean boats after they've been befouled, in a process called 'careening', where a wooden sailing ship is deliberately run aground and tipped over so the crew can scrape off the barnacles, seaweed and shipworm. Fortunately, Frigate doesn't have the latter.

"Ah, thankee. I'll go find another lubber to see if I can get cleaned up." Frigate will apply the lubricant to his knees, elbows, shoulders, neck and hands, but not his ankles. His ankles probably need it the most, but whilst they're still clogged with mud and weed, it's not going to work. He'll hand it back, too.

Tank holds up a hand.

"Keep it. I can make more. This process will take me a couple of hours. Good luck on your search. Your weapons should be good as new when you get back."

Tank turns back to his bench, and starts disassembling the weapons, referring to his books if he comes across something he isn't familiar with.

[Earl of Purple]

The Forged Warforge

"Much obliged, matey. I'll be back." Frigate waves, and turns to leave.

Somebody else might bump into the sea-worn armoured figure before he returns. Hopefully he won't return by smashing through a window in a stolen car.

[Morty]

[Returning]

Thariza is heading back to the Hearth, carrying her new plant... companion? Hopefully only temporarily.

[Recaiden]

When she arrives on the island, Thariza will once again get the feeling of being watched.

A few minutes later, the voice arrives, right at her side.
"Excellent work."
"Five hundred paces forward, under the olive tree, you'll find an open chest filled with dirt. Place the item you retrieved inside and close the lid. Do not be concerned for it; it needs no sunlight and will be comforted by the wood. Then your part will be done."

[Morty]

[Returning]

"I don't supposed you'll tell me what this is for," Thariza whispers. "Or am I better off not knowing?"

[Recaiden]

"If I told you, you'd wish I hadn't told you."
"It's going to a better place."
The voice laughs softly.

"But if you want to keep helping..."

[Hattish Thing]

[Warrior's Rest]

From beyond the great hall, a figure dressed all in thick fur and thick brown leathers strides towards the center of the hall. Muscular and curvaceous, with thick physical features, this youthful-looking orcish woman stares ahead with curiously bright, angular eyes of shimmering aquamarine, a bright blue shade which closely resembles the color of glittering sapphires. Pitch black tribal paint can be seen below and around the woman's eyes and painted over her thick, scarred lips, causing her tusks to stand out in contrast. A shimmering silver piercing can be seen set in the orcish woman's nose, and her sopping wet, forest green hair is set in a curious half-braid, decorated with colorful feathers and shaved on the sides, exposing a small, pointed orcish ear, set with piercings of colorful metal and carved bone.

She sets herself down upon a bench before the bonfire, maintaining a slightly slouched posture as she accepts a nearby tankard, beginning to hastily down the strong drink. She glances towards the others within the mess hall, a somewhat cheerful expression upon her somewhat scarred face.

Eventually, she rises before calling out, instinctively gripping the set of knives at her hips.

"I seek companies!"

--

She grimaces for a minute, still not completely sure of her communication skills, before rephrasing.

"A great beast of lightning lurks within hunting grounds to the north, slaughtering all who come across it."

"Join me, and we shall strike it down!"

[bc56]

Warriors' Rest

A hulking 12 foot figure covered in green scales pushes away from a Cleric he's arguing with. "You couldn't banish me if you tried. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to talk to someone about helping the greater good." Tethrik the rebel demon walks over to the orc. He has four arms, the top two of which end in serrated bone blades. "I would join you. Do you accept my aid?"

[Morty]

[Returning]

"I don't know if I am helping," Thariza replies. "For all I know, I'm making things worse, or just doing something completely nonsensical." But she does head in the direction she got.

[Recaiden]

Thariza finds the indicated box in the indicated location, nestled behind a bench, shaded by a small tree.

"The dilemma:
If I explain, you can't help any longer.
If I don't explain, why would you help?"

"Let me see...your old home, it was under a great threat, wasn't it? Can you tell me about that?"
This is clearly a didactic question. The voice already knows the answer.

[Morty]

[Returning]

"Don't you know everything about my life already?" Thariza snorts. "But yes, it was. The ghosts of Ascalon, roused by their mad sorcerer-king, are always after us. And the Elder Dragons are breathing down the whole world's collective necks. The Elder Crystal Dragon left the Blood Legion homelands, but it left devastation in its wake."

[Warrior's Rest]

"I guess it's been a while since I could hit something until it broke," a large Charr says, wandering into view. "I'll tag along too."

[Recaiden]

"I know what happened, not how you think about it."

The voice waits a moment. They're almost done, the plant almost safely out of the charr's hands.

"The ghosts threaten their old kingdom, the dragons - the entire world. That's the sort of threat we face here. And one that is particularly subtle in its manner of recruitment."

[Morty]

[Returning]

Thariza really can't help what she says next...

"Does it send disembodied voices to tell people to do things?" She pauses. "Sorry. But I did meet some creepy guy who was also after a plant. I figure if that's who opposes me, I have to be doing something right."

[Recaiden]

The voice laughs deeply at that.
"No, although it's about as cryptic."
"I was hoping you would elaborate about your world and I could use a clever analogy, but either way, I can't tell you anything more until you're well away from the plant."

[Morty]

[Returning]

Thariza will place the plant in the chest.

"Not sure how much there is to elaborate on. Tyria isn't that different from here. I grew up in the Black Citadel, the Iron Legion capital. We built it in the lands we took back from humans. But their ghosts still remain."

[Recaiden]

"Ooh!"
The plant scurries down into the chest and pulls the lid shut.

"Huh. Do you ever miss the place? You ever feel closed-in, down here in the dark Nexus?"

A figure all bundled up in winter clothing approaches. If you listen closely, you can just hear a voice speaking into their ear*
"-there, next to the charr woman. Don't talk to her. Take the chest, lock it, and bring it to the ship."

"Oh good; you've put it down. The thing is, if you, shall we say, move any of the pieces on the board, like the poor 1st seed there, while also knowing what you're doing, you're doomed. You start turning to the other side and it takes a miracle to save you."

"But now, if you want to know some background I can tell you."
Or Thariza could wash her hands of this business.

[Morty]

[Returning]

"It helps that there's nothing waiting for me back home," Thariza says with a sigh. "It's easier to leave everything behind here. And what you're saying is that if you tell me what's going on, I can no longer be part of it."

[Recaiden]

The warmly dressed figure follows instructions, silently removing the box with the plant.

"That's right."
"If you want to help on the ground, you largely have to stay in the dark."

On another topic.
"Is there anything for you here?"

[Morty]

[Returning]

Thariza stops in her tracks and sighs deeply.

"Not really. But maybe I can find something and start fresh. Hasn't worked so far, but who knows?"

[Recaiden]

"I'm not hearing a 'no'. Next time there's a literally unspeakable evil that you can thwart, I'll let you know."
The voice almost laughs.
"As for you starting fresh, how much luck are you going to have alone? There will be an airship at the dock tomorrow at lunchtime. Get aboard."

[Morty]

[Returning]

"I suppose nothing's keeping me here," Thariza admits. "I'll consider it."

[Recaiden]

[Returning]

The voice says nothing else.

[Village of Avalon]

The next day, a ship comes in exactly at noon, like clockwork.
The Argo doesn't look much like the airships Thariza might know. It rather looks like someone took a dozen sailing ships and fastened them together at random angles, decks and masts jutting out at seemingly useless spots. It's not clear how it stays in the sky.

On ropes, some of the crew come down with crates and barrels, goods to trade for the dragon-forged metalworks of the forge. Although what they're really here to pick up is heroes.