conversations: human
conversations:  It was far south, and a caravan was crawling through the salt-blasted deserts of the nation of Entue, moving with a contingent of troops, supplies, and a few, specially chosen 'heros', for the few settlements that were struggling to survive against the spreading tide of the Formians. No one knew why they had come, and, it had been so long since the war had started, that most of the soldiers didn't know a world where they weren't fighting against the insects. The caravan was currently moving through a long stretch, where a fortress had once lie, and was passing in and out of the shadows of the vast seige beetles that had died in this place, but had left their mountainous forms behind, offering a moment of rest from the driving, blinding wind, and the roasting heat of the blank desert.
  
  This was where the group found itself, now, in a particularly large, enclosed wagon. They were the team of 'heros' being sent in. Most had been fighting for a long time, and had never met each other before this, but, it seemed they would be fighting together, from this point onward.
  
   (Time to make intro posts) 
conversations: Rithaniel:
conversations: human
conversations:  Jacob sighed, Seiiki slung over his shoulder, and stared at the ground. The fighting had been going on for so long, it was becoming routine. That... that just didn't sit right. This kind of violence and fighting to survive shouldn't be anyone's day-to-day, but, in a time like this, could he really afford to dwell on how it should be?
  
  He looked up at those travelling with him. And odd collection, they were. He shrugged, and leaned forward, deciding that someone should get the ball rolling, and if nothing else, they should understand his powers. "Hey. If we're going to be fighting alongside each other from here on out, I figure you should know something about me, at least." He raised a hand to his face, and pulled it across, as if peeling off a mask. Instead, a mask appeared, white and bone-like. His voiced deepened, and his eyes turned dark.
  
  "I have some kind of evil presence inside of me. You don't need to worry, since I have total control. It took a long time and a lot of work, but I can now steal some of its power and use it for our benefit."
  
  He peeled the mask off the same way he had put it on, and it vanished. "Just so I didn't frighten anyone too much."
conversations: Hyooz:
conversations: human
conversations:  A soft light Illminates the area, as one of the most beautiful creatures ever born prances about. A juvenile Unicorn bears a rider, an elven maiden of comely appearance. The rider wears scale armour made from the hide of a bronze dragom, so the sun glints off the bronze plates. She bears a longspear, a shimmering weapon that glows brightly, and also bears a great, intricate longbow that crackles with lightning and power.
  
  She runs a slender hand through the Unicorns mane, murmuring words in Druidic to the animal. She then reaches into her side pouch, above her bare thighs, to withdraw two arcane gloves, which she pulls on while flexing her fingers. This is Vera, druid of the Miriglade people, warrior of Correlon, and she has arrived to fight the Invasion, lest her homelands be destroyed.
  
   "We fight because we must."  She murmurs to the Unicorn. Raising her head, she throws back her hood, shaking loose a mane of long white hair.  "I am Vera, Druid of the Miriglade People. I be your ally." 
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Spells prepared:
   0 Level 
  2x Know Direction, Purify Drink, 2x Detect Poison, Detect Magic
  
   1st Level 
  Raptors Sight, Animate Water, Longstrider, Jump, Entangle
  
   2nd Level 
  Animate Fire, Animalistic Power, Bulls Strength, Bears Endurance
  
   3rd Level 
  Call Lightning, remove Disease, Neutralize Poison, Protection from Energy
  
   4th Level 
  Arc of Lightning, Dispel Magic, Giant Vermin
   
  
  
  Vera
conversations: Cadian 9th:
conversations: human
conversations:  The halfling calling himself Westron Thorngage reclines lazily on his perch atop a barrel, his back against one of the supports of the wagon. He grins at the other two, eying the elf a little longer than most would consider polite.
  "The name," he says brightly, "is Westron. Westron Thorngage. Call me Wes. Or West. Whichever. I'm your sneak on this run. It's my job to get you in past whatever defenses those formians have put up."
  He pulls a cigar from the inside of his jacket. Anyone paying attention notices that it is quite an expensive brand. After a moment with a match, it's lit, and he settles back again, taking the occasional puff. "Now," he continues, "I may not be quite as...  impressive  as either of you-" he waves a hand, the gesture encompassing both the unicorn and Jacob "-but I get the job done. I'll get you in. You kill everything there."
conversations: The Watchman:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Well ladies and gents my name is Dave, I come from down below and I am an...enabler" . a short wiry man in  old  leather says " you know me a tad already as I've taken the liberty of tattooing you on the journey.  More to come I promise. also this  he points to his shoulder where a small orange crystal perches  Is Dave the Brave. He might just be a little help along the way too. 
conversations: Roland Deschain:
conversations: human
conversations:  As the group of 'heros' made their introductions to each other, what had appeared to be an oversized heap of supplies coverred in a tarp that filled up almost the entire head of the enclosed wagon, stirred. A single arm bound in muscles that would dwarf a oxen exitting the thick, clothe-like material, just to grip a beam of metal there, which had seemed placed to prevent what they had thought to be supplies from spilling out through the wagon, and lifting it aside, revealing it to just be a massive weaponized scythe. The tarp-like material then lifted as well, and proved itself to just be one of two massive wings that were encasing a giant of a man there, like a blanket. The man placed his hand on the ground and pushed himself up, into a sitting position, the boards of the wagon underneath creaking in rebellion.
  
  Even sitting down this emmense man's head almost touched the roof of the wagon, yet, he didn't seem immediately dangerous. Those dark eyes were rather unsettling, but bore no malice in them. As he sat there, he placed his hands on the floor of the wagon, and bowed (eastern style), to show respect to those around him.  "My name is Shungus Kederekt, it is an honor to meet you all. I am your gaurd on this trip, so, please, do not be afraid of my appearance,"  he spoke to those around him. It did seem reasonable to be afraid of this monster, honestly, as those dark wings and the vestigal horns on his forehead spoke of a heritage reigning from the darker side of the other planes.
  
  Meanwhile, at the head of the caravan, unknown to the hero's further back, the guide wagon was making a bee-line for what appeared to be a stray wanderer. What exactly could be up?
  
   (Roleplay some, or maybe find a justification to realize that you are veering very slightly off course) 
conversations: Rithaniel:
conversations: human
conversations:  Vera smiles, and looks at the tatoo on her wrist.
  
   "You guard us in these dark times? I rather you an ally than a guard."   Vera nods, accepting.
  
  She looks around, elven mastery of nature leading her around.
  
   " To where do we travel? "  
  
  Vera
conversations: Cadian 9th:
conversations: human
conversations:  an excellent question. DB, why don't you go up top and look around. stay hidden and lets us know if anything hinky occurs.  and with that Dave tries to get his psicrystal up on the roof of the wagon.  Not to worry, Brave Dave here will let us all know if anything is amiss. 
conversations: Roland Deschain:
conversations: human
conversations:  Vera looks a little flustered by the Mans' antics. It takes her a few seconds to realize that Dave is talking to the crystal and not her.
  
  She dismounts from Starfire, leaving him to prance about, then look around. *This is different, Vera. Not the grove of the promised land.* Starfire says.
  
   " Starfire is right. This place is unnatural. The spirits of the earth shudder as nature becomes aware: Formians, on the march. They will cover all in their scuttling vermin, overrun the forests and good places of this world. "  Vera orates.
  
  The sand is distasteful to Vera, as it is to Starfire.
  
   " We should continue, Shungus. Leave this land for the woodlands or mountains: Where we have an advantage. To meet the Formians in open ground such as this is unneccasary. " 
   " We should also consider the extraordinary movement modes of the enemy: Burrowing through sand would certainly not be something unattainable by formians. " 
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Knowledge, Nature: Local wildlife, sense wether the natives are here or not.
   (1d20+13)[ 15 ] 
  Not sure If I shoulda rolled that, but hey.
   
  
  
  Vera and Starfire
conversations: Cadian 9th:
conversations: human
conversations:  Maestro grins even more broadly as the giant sits up. "Well," he says, sounding positively gleeful, "I can't say that I regret signing on with you guys. If we're going to have any shot against these ants, this man right here-" he points at Shungus "-is going to be the guy holding the proverbial sword." He pauses for a moment, then continues, "Plus, having a guy like you to distract them makes my job that much easier."
  Another pause, this one while he listens to the others talking about the change in movement. Once the talking has died down, he says, "Does it really matter? We're here to fight formians. Presumably they'll let us know when we're supposed to start stabbing."
  He nods at Vera. "Druid, right? The unicorn gives it away... anyway. There are actually several advantages to fighting the formians out here rather than in the woods."
  He holds up a finger. "One. Most formians are melee combatants. Open areas let us shred 'em from afar." Another finger. "Two. Do you have any  idea  how hard it is to tunnel through sand? Trust me. I know. I've had to do it before. That stuff can't be shored up, the tunnels collapse constantly... it can be done, but it's sloooow going. Fighting them out here limits their burrowing range, which is good for us."
  He drops the hand. "Now, I get your whole 'return to the woodlands' urge, I really do," he says amiably. "You being an elf and all that. And a druid. But forests mean dirt, and dirt is actually fairly easy going for diggers. Nope. If we're going to fight them anywhere, may as well be here."
conversations: The Watchman:
conversations: human
conversations:  "I honestly don't really care where we fight them." Jacob shrugged, shifting his axe to the other shoulder. "That might speak to how simple I am, though. Really though, why did we change course? Sure, it might make sense from a 'formians can't dig here' standpoint, but if we're killing formians, why would they be where they can't tunnel effectively?"
conversations: Hyooz:
conversations: human
conversations:  Maestro shrugs. "No idea," he says cheerily. "It's a bit of luck for us, though, so I'm not complaining."
conversations: The Watchman:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Still strikes me as odd... who's driving this thing anyway?" He stands, slinging his axe onto his back, to investigate the driver. "Hey, driver, where're we going?" He calls as he gets into position to have a look.
conversations: Hyooz:
conversations: human
conversations:  Somewhat lost in the moment, Vera suddenly speaks again.
  
   "Yes, correct. I am a druid of the Miriglade Elves. And I do not wish to return to the Woodlands merely due to my heritage and the fact my power will be increased there. "  Vera says, cooly. She seems impressed by Maestro's charm.
  
   " The desert is not the place for us to fight: Despite the advantage, as you say, of fighting in open terrain, the Desert is liable to change on a whim, to bring vengeance upon us. The conditions sap our strength, even with my power, and do nothing to hinder formians. Starfire finds it harder to charge in the difficult terrain of this sand, and my hair is getting curly.  She says, with a slight grin.
  
   " Formians are weak in that they are Outsiders: even as bonded as they are to this plane. This means they do not Eat, Sleep or Breathe, nor suffer any fatigue from this environment, but also means they are vulnerable to spells of the Divine and spells of the Arcane. They are deadly foes: Intelligent, Coordinated, Aware. Meeting them in open ground is never something I look to, especially with them being faster moving than us... "  
conversations: Cadian 9th: