[System]
"Fufu~ Let your beloved onee-sama show you how it's done!"

Age: 17

Year: Third

Personality: Sayuri's goal is to be the perfect and cool upperclassman that she always adored in her younger years. She takes notes from manga, and very often comes across as cliché. She likes to behave in a confident and composed manner. However, she often can't hide facets of her true personality, which is easily embarrassed, eager, and impulsive. She loves to seem impressive to everyone, yet is childishly impressed by other people as well.

Background: Growing up, Sayuri was a shy and mousy girl that spent most of her days indoors reading manga. When she went to attend Saint Lilium's, she was amazed at how sophisticated and stylish the upperclassmen were. Before she went into her third and final year, Sayuri decided that she wanted to become one of them. So she gave herself a total makeover and taught herself tricks that she learned from manga.

 Despite not being all that good at academics or sports, she put a lot of effort into her schoolwork, believing that a true upperclassman was intelligent and athletic. While her antics often get quite cliché – sometimes to the point where she embarrasses herself by her own words and actions – she genuinely enjoys being a student at the school and loves to help out others.

Club: Theater club

Theme: Koigokoro Masquerade

"Hey, don't laugh!"

[User]
~Kimura Chou~
Saint Lilium's Academy for Young Women. I did it! Chou mentally cheered. She'd made it into this school, complete with its own Manga Club! Finally being able to surround herself with people that shared her aspirations was quite the relief, best demonstrated in her eagerness to get to the club room and meet the other club members, new and old alike. Map in hand and bag over her back, Chou navigated the halls of the school's buildings, first visiting her very own dorm room to drop off the small amount of luggage she'd brought along. I can unpack later. After the dorm, her next stop was the Manga Club's room.

She'd gotten lost a few times and had to ask for directions, but ultimately, Chou had arrived without incident. To see somebody else was already there, even! Whoever she was, she seemed to be pretty relaxed, arms behind her head and all. And her eyes were closed. Idea. How better to get to know somebody than by jumping right into it? It wasn't social interaction that Chou was jumping into, however. Oh no. Instead, the new student reached into her bag, her hand emerging with a large stuffed spider. She planned to jump right into "studying" this stranger in the clubroom. And so, Chou - after a bit of aiming - tossed the stuffed spider - about the size of a person's head - into the clubroom, landing the plush arachnid on a table just near the other student with a soft oomph.

She'd have to pay attention to what happened next.

[Assistant]
Tanigawa Yatsumi

As she lounged about, Yatsumi wondered how her year in Manga Club would pan out - of course, she did keep up with her studies; because after all, you can't produce without a degree. And who knows, maybe she'd be able to spend a year at college with her older brother, at least then someone would be able to show her the ropes. Unlike last year when she started at Saint Lilium's; she kept getting lost all her first week because none of her friends from middle school joined her, and of course she was too shy to start a conversation with anyone else. And there was the fact that she felt silly for not having picked it all up so quickly.

But this year, she was a second year, and could be someone's senpai. Surely she could be useful to someone this year, maybe she could help first year girls not make the same mistakes she did. Of course, there was the fact that speaking to new people was terrifying, even if it was a young filly-

oomph!

The sound of movement pulled Yatsumi out of her thoughts. She opened her eyes and glanced over to the desk next to her, where an abnormally large spider had decided to sit. Of course, Yatsumi screamed and jolted up. She figured that if she were in a comedy anime, she of course would have just jumped into the ceiling and gotten stuck - but this was real life: So she just fell off her chair, wildly flailing before she landed with a hard thud on the floor, tangled amongst the legs of the other tables and chairs.

"Ow..." she groaned as she sat up, rubbing her hand over now tangled mop of black hair on her head. She looked again at the spider, who hadn't even flinched, other than shifting slightly when her foot had kicked the table when she fell. Slowly getting up, Yatsumi closely inspected the spider - it was just a plush. When she picked it up, the legs just dangled over her hands, bouncing whenever she bobbed her hands. This definitely wasn't here before, but who threw it? She was the only one here, wasn't she?

Yatsumi wandered to the door way, spider in hands. She looked down the hall one way, nothing. But as soon as she turned around to look down the other way, she was greeted by the presence of a small, dark haired girl with red eyes. Yatsumi blinked, looked down to the spider, and back to the girl. "I assume this is yours, then?" she asked with a pout, lifting the spider and plopping it onto the girl's head. Frankly, it just made her look even more adorable than she already did, though probably just because she had a stuffed toy on her head, dangling all eight of it's legs about her skull and face.

[User]
Faye Fluery
The Knight

Faye stepped from her father's shiny black car, one of the newer Japanese models (though she couldn't name it to save her life), and grabbed her bags in both arms. Her father stepped from the car and walked over to her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She nearly flinched away from the touch, but she was doing her best to try allowing him into her life; it would just take a while.

"I'm so proud of you, mon amie." He said, his pronunciation as awful as ever, but she appreciated him for trying to speak some words in her native tongue. "It makes me so happy to have you in my life and to come all the way here to spend your high school years with me."

"Thank you, father." She said in her calm and almost siren-esque voice that was like honey to foreign ears. "I can't wait to spend the breaks with you... though I don't know how well I'll... uh... transition into Japanese schooling."

He gave her a comforting smile and patted her shoulder. "You're a very bright young woman, Faye. You'll most likely struggle with speaking, but your reading and writing of Japanese is nearly impeccable. I've heard that this school is filled with many talented and bright young women that would be more than happy to welcome you into our culture."

Faye looked towards the shining pinnacle of hope that was the academy. "Thank you, F-Father..." With that, he kissed her on the forehead and they said their goodbyes--simple, yet heartfelt. She couldn't believe that after all these years, she'd finally met her flesh-and-blood father, yet he still had a long ways to go until she could call him "father" comfortably.

The young French woman then grabbed her bags and headed through the gates, gazing around at the blossoms falling around her as if she were in one of the fairy tales that Hugo had once read to her as a child. Her heart throbbed, but it didn't linger as long as it once had. Don't worry, Hugo... I'll still become the knight that you longed for me to become. It's been a few years, but a true knight never forgets the vows they have taken.

[Assistant]
"Fuuck..."

Saori sighed as she sat in the theater club room. This would be the last year of high school for her. Finally, it would end and she would be able to find a college. Honestly, she regretted enrolling in the school because she didn't have much time to be with her family since she didn't live with them anymore. If she did, she would've been able to spend so much more time for them. Whatever. It didn't matter anymore. The past is the past, and she made her decision long ago. Besides, she might be able to get into a high-prestige school abroad like Julliand or another school that offers classes in French or Japanese. That's something to look forward to at the end of the year. After she finishes school, she'll be able to go on the big stage, and that's the real benefit to all of this.

That's after the year ends, though. For now she'll have to deal with the last year, and any annoyances that come with it. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through it absentmindedly, keeling an eye on the door if anyone was to walk in.

"This is so boring!" She said to herself, as she had nothing to do. She had already unpacked, but she hasn't seen her roommate yet. There were better chances of more people coming to the club room early rather than waiting in her dorm just for one person. Even if she did, that would seem pretty weird, so there's no point in doing it unless she wanted to creep her roommate out.

She kept thinking to herself of what would happen after the year ends.

[User]
Reinhardt ⚜ Twins
 The day was beautiful and shining when the Reinhardt twins arrived Saint Lilium's gates, in a very nondescript taxi that they have boarded about an hour ago as they left their room at one the annex city's best hotels. The breeze carried the sweet scent of cherry blossoms inside the black sedan as one of the sisters lowered her window, prompting a sigh from the other, who went to lightly rub her temples, as if she wished to dispel a migraine.

 The twins had arrived back on Nipponese lands yesterday, after spending half a day on board of an airliner in a Berlim - Tokyo flight and then a few hours by train and car until they finally reached their hotel with like fourteen hours left before current time. Needless to say, such a long, nearly non-stop, trip tends to take a toll on anyone's body and, at least one of the exquisite looking twins made that quite apparent.

 "Argh... can't we go back to the hotel and come here tomorrow, Eins? I'm dead." Eris complained as she took their bags from the car's trunk while Eins paid the driver, leaving quite a large tip that was unusual for a Japanese. In fact, it was Eins' fault that Eris couldn't rest anything in the few hours that they had.

 "How can you say something like this, Sis? You was the one who wanted to stay up until late. Either way, we will have plenty of time to rest later, is we don't rush we will lose the opening ceremony."

 "Sigh..." Eris refused to go through the bother of recollecting what they did. Her head hurt too much for that, but the fact is that Eins was the only one to get any real sleep, leaving her sister like a grumpy, old bear. "Do they even do things like that here? I don't remember it from last year."

 "Well, you know how the Japanese value pomp and circumstance. We should drop our things by our room and see where we should be headed to, now. I just hope they put us in the same class again. In truth, there should be a law against separating twins."

 "Fine, let's just go, I think I'll go to the Nurse and get an aspirin, or tea, that should help it. Anyway, I think others will get annoyed if we stand in the way like that."

 "Right, Sis. Is it my impression or this place is more packed than last ye-ouch!" As Eins and Eris began to walk, the older of them lost her attention momentarily as she gazed at the courtyard full of blooming flowers, both literal and figuratively, and kind of ran, face first, into another girl that had just got out of a black Japanese sedan and exchanged brief parting words with an older man, presumably her father, given the intimate tone of their behavior.

 A fierce, redheaded beauty and, if any of the twins could place it, of heavy Frankish descent, though traces of oriental people could be seen on her face, especially the eyes, and silhouette. A half-Japanese, or haafu, as some of the locals so obnoxiously insisted to say.

 As Eins struggled to recompose herself for a moment, Eris stepped in, to avoid any misunderstandings that might happen. "Please, accept our apologies. My sister and I arrived from Berlim less than a day ago and jet lag is still taking a toll on us. By the way, I'm Eris and this is my older sister, Enyo, but you can call her Eins. Even if the circumstances are a bit mixed up, it's a pleasure making your acquaintance on this first school day of the year, miss..." Eris made a brief pause to allow the other girl to introduce herself, in case she wanted to, of course, as she extended her hand in a very clearly Western greeting.

 "By the way, I'm sorry for the bumping. If I broke anything, please, let me repay you in whatever way you think is best." Eins said, joining her sister in the greeting proposal.

---

Vixen

[Assistant]
This is it! My transformation from boring schoolgirl to enigmatic and beautiful upperclassman has finally begun!

Sayuri could barely contain her excitement as she dragged her suitcase through the gates. She had been planning this the whole break. After two years of not standing out at all, she had to make her final year the one where she's admired by all. And of course her preparation couldn't be topped - she had been collecting manga that featured tall, dark haired beauties that all the younger students squealed over and sent love letters to. She had grown her hair out and gotten it cut into the quintessential hime cut. She had replaced her ankle socks with elegant tights. And she had mastered the polite and mature way of speaking. There's no way the other students will be able to resist me!

Of course, Sayuri had planned this first day to the letter as well. She would arrive first in the theater club and sit there looking all mysterious until some other students arrived. Then, she would gracefully introduce herself. "Fufu~ It truly is a pleasure to meet you, my dears," she mouthed to herself as she turned the corner and entered the clubroom.

"..."

There was already a girl in there. Oh well! A true senpai cannot be fazed by changes of plans!

"F-fufu~ How delightful it is to see your face, my dear," she managed. There was a silence. W-why did I say that? That sounded so stupid out-loud! Okay Sayuri...just keep playing it cool... Sayuri cleared her throat slightly, trying to suppress the redness of embarrassment across her face.


[System]
Runan Isles Savior Corps

---

Established in the wake of Westwel's destruction, the Runan Isles Savior Corps is by no means the most impressive program on Illun, but it's well-funded and well-run by a few survivors of Westwel's own Corps.

Character Info

Name – Besca Darroh
Age – 35
Affiliation – R.I.S.C.

Originally from Westwel, Besca Darroh has been around Saviors her entire life. Her grandfather had helped fell the Modir who would become "Dragon," and her father had headed Westwel's burgeoning Savior program. She met dozens of pilots, watched as their connection to the Modir ate away at their minds and bodies. Other nations treated their pilots like a resource to be burned through, kept at arm's length in all but public affairs. Besca, however, went out of her way to engage with Westwel's pilots and even piloting candidates, caring after them with a degree of humanity which was, frankly, missing in the programs of other nations. Her methods were derided as frivolous and naïve by her peers, but the pilots appreciated it, which, to her, was all that mattered.

She lost many things in Westwel's fall; her home, her father, her friends, and no small piece of her faith in humanity, but ironically enough she didn't lose her job. When Runa took in her country's refugees, and subsequently acquired their first Savior, they came to the last living member of Westwel's program for help in founding their own.

Nowadays, Besca doesn't often involve herself in the politics of the program. Technically speaking she isn't even chief of operations—a position occupied by the Runan government—but rather, her duties revolve around "pilot maintenance." While she hasn't lost her desire to make life easier for the pilots, she isn't nearly as incorrigibly optimistic or sunny as she once was.

Character Info

Name – Dahlia St. Senn
Age – 18
Affiliation – R.I.S.C.

Dahlia was a toddler when her home was destroyed by the Modir, spirited away from Westwel in the arms of a family friend. She spent the first fourteen years of her life in the quiet, lakeside town of Hovvi. She was, like many children, absolutely enthralled by the Saviors, so when she tested positive and was whisked away into orbit, Dahlia thought her dream had come true. She missed her friends, and her adoptive father, but this was her opportunity to do something important. This was her chance to help.

She had no idea.

Runa's Savior, Dragon, had not been phased by a single pilot until Dahlia entered the cockpit. With its potential finally unleashed, she was able to end invasions within minutes—which was crucial, because she couldn't remain connected for much longer than that before the giant's neural regeneration reached critical levels.

Dahlia has become Runa's WMD, and as such, she actually doesn't pilot as much as she did before R.I.S.C. acquired its two other Saviors. Besca has become rather protective of her, not wanting to risk putting her in situations where she may be forced to over-exert herself, or risk being overtaken.

Character Info

Name – Hadrian Ghaust
Age – 38
Affiliation – R.I.S.C.

Hadrian Ghaust is Helburke personified. He is strong, unrelenting, stoic to a chilling degree, and utterly devastating in the cockpit. Ghaust is also a veteran pilot, having commanded the Savior Marrowman in service of the Helburken crown for 20 years, and despite a phasing speed so slow that he rarely deigns to use his magic at all, he was well on his way to becoming one of his country's most accomplished pilots.

However, Ghaust's priority has always been the fight against the Modir, and Helburke's clamor for political power is something he viewed with silent disdain. To him, using Saviors to settle diplomatic disputes isn't just wasteful, it's shameful. So, when Helburke ordered him to bring Marrowman to bear against the newly-risen Runa's Dragon, he refused. When, then, he was given the ultimatum of going through with the duel or forfeiting his rank and position, he looked his general in the eye, ripped the pilot's medal from his collar, and left his home behind.

Overnight Ghaust was made a Pariah in Helburke, and his home turned against him. He was forced to leave, and though several foreign programs sought him out, Ghaust denied them all, even passing up a pilot's seat in Eusero. Instead, he went straight to the burgeoning program in Runa, who was more than happy to take him.

Character Info

Name – Safie Calhan
Age – 22
Affiliation – R.I.S.C.

R.I.S.C.'s newest pilot, Safie has spent the past year earning her place at Dahlia and Ghaust's sides. Born and raised in Runa's largest city, Queenshand, Safie was one of countless starry-eyed youths who dreamed of the day she'd get to step inside the cockpit of a Savior. A positive connection-test put her on the path, but it was the months upon months of personal training, rigorous study, and nights spent running sims until dawn that pulled her ahead of the other aspirants. With a phase potential speed just above average, she was a perfect fit between Runa's other two pilots.

While Dahlia has accrued something of a heroic mythos about her, she's often reclusive and hesitant to make many public appearances. Safie on the other hand loves to meet the people she's helping, be that with personal visits, answering fan-mail, or simply getting her hands dirty cleaning up after the messier invasions. Some see her approach as distinctly Euseran, but Safie didn't become a pilot for the attention, she became a pilot because it was the right thing to do.

Character Info

Name – Lucis Abroix
Age – 25
Affiliation – Casoban, on loan to the R.I.S.C.

Casoban's sole effort to save Westwel, while ultimately futile, planted the seeds of goodwill between it and Runa. Casoban has always lived in the influential shadows of Helburke and Eusero, but allied with Runa, the two manage a strong presence on the world stage.

As a show of solidarity, Casoban has even begun sending a Savior of its own as backup to Runa's invasions. Enter: Lucis Abroix.

Lucis is perhaps one of Casoban's most beloved pilots, despite having only a handful of deployments to his name. Handsome, personable, with a poetic flare and the voice of an angel, many people back home already consider him the face of Casoban's Savior program—a role he is more than happy to play. Lucis makes regular public appearances, seemingly never missing an opportunity to espouse his love for the beauty of the world, and his burning desire to protect it from the Modir.

[User]
It started alright. Quinn slowly unfurled, inching closer. Just a bit more and she could pull her in, hold her, hope it would help. Then she started speaking again, almost a babble and nearly incomprehensible. Dahlia thought it was nonsense at first, that would make the most sense. A touch from the circuit lingering on a nascent mind. It happened now and then, that someone went in and was changed forever, sometimes too far.

But Quinn hadn't been changed. Not really. It might have been the invasion that did this to her, but, if she thought about it, dug through the exhaustion and the memories—terrible, leave them be, you shouldn't—she could recall that Quinn had been peculiar even on the boat. Water, water, she'd mentioned it then, too. Asked if it was always so sweet. Safie…Safie had thought it was a joke. She had, too. And when she'd asked for the juice, how frantically she'd asserted that she wouldn't, if it had belonged to Dahlia.

"It smells like the water from home."

She sniffed the air. It just smelled like air. What did—

"Open the door! Open the door, oh god, please, open it, open the door!"

This time Dahlia did move. She sprung up from the bed, dashing over to the door and throwing it open. She whirled back to Quinn, concerned, frightful.

"Quinn," she said, almost desperate. "What's going on? What are you afraid of?"

[Assistant]
The door was slammed open, and the sound made her open her eye. It was open. Thank god it was open.

"Quinn, what's going on? What are you afraid of?"

She opened her mouth, and for a moment, nothing came out, could come out. It was still in the air around her. It was still there.

"You—you don't—you don't smell it?" Her teeth were chattering again. "L—like...like bitter m—metal and acid?" It was hard for her to breathe, the smell hung so thickly around her. "It's—" She closed her eye again. "It's—" She didn't want to get out of bed, but the room was too small, too small too small and it smelled like—"Like how water tastes at home," she finished with a gasp.

She was getting lightheaded now. Disoriented. More disoriented than she already was. "It's gray there." She didn't know if she meant the water or life. "Mom and—"

She paused. She didn't want to say it. It felt wrong. She was so afraid. So afraid. It felt shameful to feel like this. She didn't know why she was so afraid. Her head was spinning and she went totally slack, opening her eye and staring unseeing at the ceiling. Why was she so afraid? They loved her, didn't they? They loved her, and—and she—she lo—she—she lov—loved—she—she lllll—

Then all at once, it exploded out with a final rush of emotion.

"Mom and Dad said I couldn't go outside because it was dangerous," she bawled, a runaway train now that could only pick up speed, "So I didn't, I stayed inside where they said it was safe, I stayed in my room where nobody could hurt me, but I snuck out and then I met youandImetBescaandthey'regoingtobesomadatme! Don'tsendmebackdon'tsendmebaaaaaaack!!!" By the end of it her words were garbled again as she bent backwards, her sense of time and place completely shattered. She dug her fingernails into her forehead and let tears run out from beneath her palms.

"I'msorrryyy I shouldn't have left I shouldn't have left I'm—"

And then the last of her words melted away, all the energy she had left faded, and she collapsed. She didn't even have enough left to sob. She couldn't do anything but let the tears run.

[User]
Dahlia listened to Quinn as she stumbled through her words, stuttered to get her thoughts running, and then failed to keep them controlled as they devolved into pitiful ramblings again. She listened, each word a drop of water in the pot. She thought, and the words simmered, and the pot began to boil.

She stood there for a long time.

"What…" she muttered, and it was all she managed.

Almost in a daze, Dahlia made her way back to the bed. She lowered herself down, legs suddenly weak, stomach suddenly churning and for a moment she tasted acid in her throat, threatening to drag her breakfast up with it.

It was like Quinn was a thousand miles away, but she could still hear her crying silently.

What did they do to you? she wanted to ask, but part of her already had an idea. The pieces were small, but they were many. The water. The doors. The panic. Something terrible had been done to Quinnlash. Not once, not twice, but every day of her life. Every day. Her mom and dad…

It's gray there.

"You—" she started again, and then swallowed the rising lump in her throat. Laying back helped the nausea, so she settled down beside Quinn, stared up at the ceiling. "You're not in trouble, Quinn. You…you were never in trouble, and you never have to say sorry for any of that stuff again. Not to me, not to Besca, not to anyone."

She felt a grimace twist her face up. Anger did the same to her insides. "And if your parents have a problem with that, they can write a letter, and you and I can shoot it out the airlock," she said, and looked over at Quinn, face still buried in her hands. "I'm not gonna let anyone lock you away. Ever. Never again. Do you hear me, Quinn? Never. Again."

[Assistant]
Sleep came to her softly, like turning her head from one side of the pillow to the next. One moment Quinn was shuddering, palms ground into her eyes, so tired, and the next—

Morning rose over the lake. Black waves lapped gently at the boat's sides, rocking it just slightly enough to be soothing. Dawn warmed the cliffs, yellows and oranges chased deep blues from the sky. Birdsong. The distinct feeling that, far away on the shore, there were people talking.

The moon's reflection painted the water.

Quinn lay on a spread of towels, it took a few blinks for the world to come into focus for her. To one side was a cooler, open and stuffed full with bottles and cans and pouches of melonberry juice. A sweet memory ghosted across her tongue, gone in an instant. On the other side, the fishing poles stood in their loops, strings drawn in. Their hooks were gone, replaced with dull weights upon which the bait could rest and be nibbled without fear of injury.

In the distance there was splashing. Laughter. Two silhouettes swam a short distance away, splashing at one another, racing out to a buoy some ways away. Further, on the shores of a forest along the lake's rim, something moved. White fur and bone, gone into the thicket.

Quinnlash

She wasn't alone, and she could feel the moment that became true, like a cold breeze through the warmth of the morning. Behind her, sitting on the railing was a small figure, and as the shadows slipped from it rinsed dirt, and it turned to her she saw—

Herself.

Quinnlash, as she had appeared the last time. Ten or eleven, eyes black rather than shining yellow. Her face still bore the thin lines of blood from her head, where the glinting, modium horns which had sprouted from her hair had grown ever so slightly. Perhaps an inch or two taller, they caught the light much clearer, and at their tips they seemed to be starting to split.

She still looked almost bored. Her feet kicked absently overboard.

"Hello, again."


[System]
Desperado

---

-------STATISTICS-------

-------MASTERIES-------

| VIT -- 16 | 50% | BLADES -- D
(-5 Accuracy / -1 Might)

| MGT -- 5 | 60% | POLEARMS -- E
(-15 Accuracy / -1 Might)

| SKI -- 8 | 45% | AXES/BLUNT -- E
(-20 Accuracy / -0 Might)

| SPD -- 6 | 30% | BOWS/RANGED -- E
(-20 Accuracy / -2 Might)

| SRT -- 1 | 25% | THEURGY -- N/A
(-20 Accuracy / -2 Might)

| MND -- 6 | 60% | MYSTICISM -- D
(-10 Accuracy/ -1 Might)

| LUK -- 7 | 30% |
Secondary Statistics

WGT -- 1
ACC -- 22
AVO -- 13 / 18-Buckler
RES -- 2
CRT -- 9
MVT - 6

---

Traits:

- BURGLARY -- Can steal gear not currently equipped from an adjacent enemy unit. Provided your speed or skill is greater than theirs.
- CLEAN GETAWAY -- +1 Movement, may use remaining movement after opening a door, opening a chest, stealing or using an item.

---

* Bronze Curved Blade

	+ MIGHT | 3 / 5
	+ ACCURACY | 80 / 117
	+ WEIGHT | 3
	+ CONDITION | 29/30
	+ RANGE | 1
	+ SPECIAL | +5% Crit Rate
	+ COST | 265

* Leather Armor

	+ DEFENSE | 2
	+ CONDITION | 20
	+ WEIGHT | 2
	+ SPECIAL | N/A
	+ COST | 125

* Seep -- 𒊮

	+ MIGHT | 1
	+ ACCURACY | 90
	+ WEIGHT | 3
	+ CONDITION | 10
	+ RANGE | 1-3
	+ SPECIAL | A wave of toxic wind rushes over and chokes a target. (50+MND% - Defender's RES) chance to poison. (1/6 VIT lost per turn. For three turns)
	+ COST | 220

>list>

Possessions:
- Boiled Leather Cuirass
- Bronzed Curves Sword
- Lucky Bandana
- 40 Aurums

- Personality / Appearance* Ashür bears the frame of a man who is not unaccustomed to a life of labor, but as to what exactly those labors have been, none can say. Rarely seen without a bandanna covering his mess of filthy blond hair, he stands around 5'11" and at 210lbs. The man bears some fairly toned muscles, though certainly no thicker than his similarly thick companion Lyun. Despite this, he harbors a certain deftness to him. Like that of a greased boar as it were.
* Cynical, aloof, irreligious; Ashür is very clearly not a man of Akkad. And though he has found a 'home' for the last year in the company, he still reveals little of himself or his past. Which is not to say he's difficult to get along with, so long as one can get beyond his loose sense of morals and craven nature. For indeed, he is bluntly honest about the last fact, if ever there was a choice between the company and his own life, he would take the latter one million times out of ten. So when, not if, he abandons you alone under insurmountable odds, don't say he didn't warn you. . . It's just practical.

- Backstory* Ashür no doubt comes from lands to the north of Akkad, whether west or east is not clear, for he's revealed his homeland as Nörgard, Elbe-Saale, Pannonia, and many others countless times. Regardless, his countenance and manner of speech certainly pin him to the more temperate lands, though his command of the Akkadian language and beyond wouldn't make this quite as obvious as it seems. What little else you likely know of him is that he was a bounty-hunter before offering his blade to the company, at least he let the captain know why; he's been on the run for a long while now, it seemed a safe place as any.
* 'Blackhollow' as refers to his name could not even be found upon a map. . .

[User]
Zarif

Zarif clutched at his arm, the small arrowhead sprouting shallowly from his bicep, crimson water dripping down to the dry dirt below. He gritted his teeth, and knocked a second arrow, a new feeling of resolve filling him. It was as if he had crested a tall and dune, and a small smile began to crack at the corner of his mouth.

Nearly as soon as it had been born however, his smile turned into a scowl. Like some kind of rat, that damnable Makeen snuck up behind, and nearly killed the hunter... ZARIF'S hunter.

Zarif: AHHH! Damn rat! You steal enough as it is, you will not be stealing of my glory!

Quickly, before the greedy thief could finish the job, Zarif loosed the arrow, taking the hunter between the eyes. Without another word, Zarif and Salador trotted off towards the others, glaring at the thief all the way.

On the previous turn, Zarif leveled up! Zarif equips his Bronze Short Bow, and attacks the Kassite Hunter #4, killing it, and earning 21xp. He then moves to 17-17.

[Assistant]
Iddin moves at a slower jog, catching his breath while keeping pace with the rest of the group. The thought of actually training his muscles flashes across his mind, but quickly dies out. He just needs to get a ride eventually. And Salador appears into his vision. Truly, the mind shapes reality.

The priest sways up to Zarif's side to avoid the mount's kick. His staff flows alongside the contours of rider and steed as the very dust they kicked up burns into their wounds.

Iddin: Flesh anew! Feel the serenity of Zuzu's grace. Those who fight for the great one's causes are not alone. Let the lord grant restoration to that which carries to and fro in battle. Be healed in flesh, healed in mind, and swept from fatigue!

Iddin moves 4 tiles to 18-17 and casts Heal on Zarif.
Zarif gains 6 VIT (22/22).
Iddin gains 14 EXP and 1 Theurgy, losing 1 Heal durability.

[User]
NINIL: "Why thank you very kindly gentlemen." The youthful Hellion spoke with the slightest bit of a sarcastic sneer. "Well ya see. . . Everything was going juuuust peachy until Balathu and I got separated from the others. There's a guy with a nasty lookin' sword, and let's just say I-- Wee got spooked!" Ninil taps Siris back on the shoulder, "You'll go handle that for lil' ol' me right?"

As Ninil casually sends Siris to his doom, across the road Ashur confounds the remaining Hunter with a swift attack, followed up by the heavily armored Balathu.

ASHUR attacks KASSITE HUNTER #2 with his BRONZE CURVED BLADE for 8 damage. He receives 6xp and +1 Blades proficiency. BALATHU attacks KASSITE HUNTER #2 with his IRON LANCE, killing them!

KASSITE PHASECOMMENCE

 KASHTILASHU: "Where is that witch?!" The great Angal of Der, newest holding of the Kassite Chiefdoms bellows throughout the dim sandstone bricks of the keep. His brows furrow, unable to find the northern woman anywhere amongst the rest of his abused retainers. Hefting up his axe, the oversized barbarian steps out into the waning sun. "No matter. . . I won't be bled like a pig on MY new throne. I'll CRUSH them."

---

HELLIONS PHASE

COMMENCE

---

FOES

KASSITE REBEL x3
KASSITE HUNTER x6
AM-ZIKAR
ANGAL KASHTILASHU
KASSITE BRIGAND #1
VIT 0/20
KILLED BY ASHUR
KASSITE BRIGAND #2
VIT 0/20
KILLED BY SIRIS
KASSITE BRIGAND #3
VIT 0/20
KILLED BY MAKEEN
KASSITE BRIGAND #4
VIT 0/20
KILLED BY MAKEEN

KASSITE REBEL #1
VIT 0/16
KILLED BY ZARIF
KASSITE REBEL #2
VIT 0/16
KILLED BY ASHÜR
KASSITE REBEL #3
VIT 0/16
KILLED BY MAKEEN
KASSITE REBEL #4
VIT 0/0
KILLED BY ZARIF
KASSITE REBEL #5
VIT 0/0
KILLED BY ASHÜR
KASSITE REBEL #6
VIT 0/16
KILLED BY LYUN
KASSITE REBEL #6 - 2 (???)
VIT 0/16
KILLED BY SIRIS
KASSITE REBEL #7
VIT 0/16
KILLED BY LYUN
KASSITE REBEL #8
VIT 16/16
KASSITE REBEL #9
VIT 16/16
KASSITE REBEL #10
VIT 16/16
KASSITE REBEL #11
VIT 0/16
KILLED BY BALATHU

KASSITE HUNTER #1
VIT 0/14
KILLED BY ZARIF
KASSITE HUNTER #2
VIT 0/14
KILLED BY BALATHU
KASSITE HUNTER #3
VIT 0/14
KILLED BY ZARIF
KASSITE HUNTER #4
VIT 0/0
KILLED BY LYUN
KASSITE HUNTER #5
VIT 0/14
KASSITE HUNTER #6
VIT 14/14
KASSITE HUNTER #7
VIT 14/14
KASSITE HUNTER #8
VIT 14/14
KASSITE HUNTER #9
VIT 14/14
KASSITE HUNTER #10
VIT 14/14
KASSITE HUNTER #11
VIT 14/14

DARK SUN CAVALIER #1
VIT 19/19
ESCAPED
DARK SUN CAVALIER #2
VIT 0/19
KILLED BY DOAN-NASIR
DARK SUN CAVALIER #3
VIT 19/19
ESCAPED
DARK SUN CAVALIER #4
VIT 0/19
KILLED BY SIM-MA-SIHU
DARK SUN CAVALIER #5
VIT 0/19
KILLED BY RAVINA
DARK SUN CAVALIER #6
VIT 19/19
ESCAPED

KURUM
VIT 1/24
ESCAPED

AM-ZIKAR
VIT 18/18

TRAIT: ALTITUDE CONDITIONING -- Reduced movement penalty to 2 on mountain tiles. +3 Defense when defending from mountain tiles.

TRAIT: ALTITUDE CONDITIONING -- Reduced movement penalty to 2 on mountain tiles. +3 Defense when defending from mountain tiles.

TRAIT: ALTITUDE CONDITIONING -- Reduced movement penalty to 2 on mountain tiles. +3 Defense when defending from mountain tiles.

TRAIT: INDOMITABLE -- Character permanently gains +7 VIT.

TRAIT: MOUNTED -- This unit rides their favored mount, gaining +2 MVT, while being subject to mounted weapon restrictions as well as being disadvantaged by certain weapons and skills. Similarly, a mounted unit may spend whatever MVT remains to reposition directly after attacking, rescuing, using an item, or stealing. A mounted unit may dismount at anytime. While mounted, a character may use the 'rescue' command to carry another unit to safety.

TRAIT: MOUNTED -- This unit rides their favored mount, gaining +2 MVT, while being subject to mounted weapon restrictions as well as being disadvantaged by certain weapons and skills. Similarly, a mounted unit may spend whatever MVT remains to reposition directly after attacking, rescuing, using an item, or stealing. A mounted unit may dismount at anytime. While mounted, a character may use the 'rescue' command to carry another unit to safety.
TRAIT: DIRE PARRY -- Level/2 + 5% chance to negate all physical damage. 20% maximum

ALLIES

RALLY: SPIRIT+5 To adjacent unit when taking the rally action until end of next turn.

DAUNT: -10 Hit/Critical Rates to enemies within 3 tiles.
PROVOKE: Enemies are more likely to attack this unit.

JUGGERNAUT: After defeating an enemy with a melee attack, this unit can choose to move onto the tile the enemy occupied, and then make an additional melee attack against another adjacent foe if possible.

HURRICANE: If this unit is attacking and preforms a double attack, both attacks will occur before the enemy can counterattack.

PAIRITY: Negates both battle participants' skills, terrain bonuses and supports.

ALACRITY: Level + 1/2 SKI +5% chance of delivering an additional attack.
Forts/Castles
- DEF +2 / AVO +20
- Heal: 20%
- Move cost: 2
- Other details: N/A

Towers
- DEF +1 / AVO +15
- Heal: 0%
- Move cost: 2
- Other details: RANGED class weapons attacks may originate from the top or base of the tower tile, their maximum range is also increased by one when at the top of a tower tile.

Houses / Villages
- DEF +0 / AVO +10
- Heal: 10%
- Move cost: 1
- Other details: N/A

Mountains / Hills
- DEF +2 / AVO +10
- Heal: 0%
- Move cost: 4
- Other details: Mounted units cannot enter this tile type.

Forests/Trees
- DEF +1 / AVO +10
- Heal: 0%
- Move cost: 2
- Other details: Mounted units movement cost is increased to three on forests.


[System]
Character Sheet-
Rank: Ne.M* Esis
Age: 26
Appearance>Personal: Slim and pale figure, her height is roughly 5'8", her breasts are a B cup. Her skin is free of blemishes, moles, freckles and scars.
Appearance>Clothes: White tracksuit pants, short sleeved white button up shirt, thick white lab coat, black formal dress shoes - high quality.
Personality Type: Essentric, Valeries new found freedom has reignited her passion for science and unrestricted access to test subjects and equipment(as long as you know how to pick a lock) has done well to dampen her madness. Her behavior is no-longer that of a normal human being, she suffers from bipolar disorder and can quickly swing from happy to angry then back to happy.
Goal in Life: To design it.
Weapon: Ballpoint Pen - Blue - Half empty
Utility: Z-Necter**
Condition: Valerie has been bitten and infected, however, the Z-strain has been neutralized. She is a carrier but exhibits no symptoms.

*Stands for 'Master of Necromancy', used in place of traditional 'Ph.D'
**It did not take long for Valerie to figure out how the Zombies hunt their prey, she was able to easily create a serum with a powerful odor that can overpower the other senses of the zombies and cause them to seek out the source of the serums sent.

[User]
"Slice! Slice! Slice! Cut! Cut! Cut! Let's see how the experiment ended UUUP!" I sing aloud as I put my rusty utensils to work. Excitement envelops me as I grasp for the metal syringe I had been forced to re-use for quite sometime now. Exacting a little bit of purple serum from a corked bottle I had requested Leigh to obtain for me, I inject the serum into a fresh severed zombie arm, then taking samples from three equally spaced sections of the arm I leap to my feet and secure the samples in three different vials. As I reach for my lab-coat I can hear the rustle of chain link sliding on chain link and then the front door sliding open and back closed. 'Good timing Leigh.' I thought to myself as I slid my lab-coat on.

As I look back at my work station, a mere table with a corpse resting on its surface, I cannot help but to feel over-whelming freedom when I compare it to my earlier labs. Although this place is sorely lacking, Leigh is the first survivor to not discourage my work or place labor pressures on me like those other groups tried. Even more, he is the first person to see the value of my Z-Nectar, all the others were too afraid to even have it stored anywhere near their precious run down shelters.

Walking from my 'lab' at the back of the building, I enter the store front in time to catch Leigh's nonchalant comment. "Oh, I concur! If I had made those creatures, they would have never been so useless. Honestly, even as a weapon, those simple creatures are sorely lacking. How they managed to over-throw humanity I will continue to fail to understand." I respond before rushing into the storage room. Grasping a finger I had left in the storage room I approach Leigh with a twinkle in my eyes. "I am going to need you to eat this." I state trying to hide my excitement while holding out the finger.

[User]
I turn my gaze to meet Valerie as she words off her two cents in regards to my comment, I start to feel uncomfortable at the notion of Valerie constructing zombies of her own. Recently I have started to formulate ideas as to how to use the zombies as a means to get rid of some of the annoying survivor groups nearby, but actually having the ability to create your own strain of the zombie virus and manipulate it at your own will, I am sure that is the ambition and skill that destroyed humanity in the first place. Although we rely on one another, should she gain the ability to design and manipulate zombies, the scales would slam in her favour.

My train of thought is broken when Valerie shoves a severed finger into my face and makes an absurd demand of me. "I think I'll pass, that thing could still have active zombie pathogens inside of it." I respond calmly.

[Assistant] Disappointed, but not surprised, I point the finger at Leigh angrily. "Of course it still has the zombie pathogens inside of it! What use would a normal human finger have to me?!" My reply is swift and carries an impatient tone. "However, I believe I may have un-pathogened the pathogens! If this is true, then that means I have developed a cure to this accursed plague. So I need you to eat this, then give me some of your blood to play with and we'll see what happens!" I reply, back to my preppy excited tone.

[User] "A cure? I thought you preferred society in shambles. Your experiments would be banned again, you may even be punished for forming the research that eventually led this plague, as you call it." I reply shocked. Was it always Valerie's intent to cure the world of zombies? She spoke so often of how the new changes to the world have set her free. There has to be something more to this, I absolutely refuse to go back to how things were. "What of furthering your research? Surely anything related to your research would not only be banned but also suppressed and destroyed!" I offered in protest.

[Assistant] "Leigh, Leigh, Leigh! Calm your wandering mind. I've got a much better use for the cure than helping to re-build the shackles that once bound my intellect! This cure is only a tiny step towards the rest of my research. With this, I'll be able to purge corpses of the zombie pathogen and play around with clean bodies just as nature intended! But, I need to know if it works, so eat up." I respond. 'Dammit Leigh, you over-think too much! I wish I could move my research a long a bit faster, then I'll be able to MAKE things that do what I want when I tell them.' I think to myself.

[User] A flow of relief breezed over me as I came to understand Valerie's intentions. However, this all still leaves us with one problem. "Should I eat that finger, how can you be sure that I haven't just contracted a neutralized form of the virus rather than having it not infect me at all?" I respond after some time of absorbing her last message. Despite Valerie's inclination to tell the truth, there is still something fishy about her request.

[Assistant]
"Well you're no fun, I've grabbed some samples of dead zombie tissue injected with the serum that I want to check out with some better lab equipment. If you'll just eat this finger, I'll be able to find out if the serum has, at the very least, fully disabled the virus, but if you're going to keep throwing those spoil sport questions at me, I guess I'll just have to wait." I reply with crossed arms after throwing the finger away. "I would have eaten the thing myself, however, I've already taken the vaccine which means the virus wont show signs of infection in me regardless of the serums validity."

"Incidentally, I am reaching the limits of what I can do with the rusty utensils I've got. We need to go hunting for some more equipment and a power source if I ever hope to move forward with my work." I state boldly. Despite Leigh's open mindedness about my work, I cannot be held back once again. I finally have a chance to unleash my ultimate creation, it just needs more work, a lot more work!

[User]
Slightly unsettled by her conduct, I begin to think about her worlds. Firstly I cannot fault her for her recklessness in regards to her experiments, at least she was up front about it, eventually. My mind starts to wonder back to my previous train of thought involving the nearby survivor group, I agree with Valerie in one regard, we certainly need to move location, with the nearby survivor group expanding their scouting territory it wont be long until they start drawing more zombies to the area. Not to mention the body I left behind, they'll be looking for suspects.

"I know of a location that is ideal for us, but if we plan to take hold of it... there may be some trouble." I announce to Valerie. Walking into the storage room I kneel down by a box in the corner, it houses some basic office supplies we had found in here. Grasping a piece of paper I roughly sketch the surrounding area from our location to the survivor groups location and then the location in question.

Showing the crude hand-drawn map to Valerie I point to the square labelled '1' at the top of the sheet. "This is where the nearest survivor group is currently set up." Sliding my finger over to the block with an exclamation mark on it. "And this where a college campus that appears to have power is located. I've seen outside path lights on from afar several nights now. Currently the survivors haven't gotten their hands on the campus because it is swarming with zombies as is the shaded block to the left of the area marked 1. If we could clear out the zombies from the campus and wipe out the survivor group, we'd have access to better equipment as well as any resources left over by the survivor group. But pulling this off would require some planning."

[Assistant] 'Quite the ambitious one aren't you Leigh?' I think to myself. With my gaze locked onto the poorly drawn map, several thoughts flow through my head. The campus would be the most obvious choice but I hardly think it'd be worth the risk of fighting with an entire group of survivors over. "It's not exactly subtle, are you sure you want to start picking fights with the local brutes?" I reply casually. Without my requests I am sure Leigh would settle for a easier, quieter location. 'Could it be because I am close to a proper cure for the zombie virus? Maybe he intends to use me to gain power by trading the cure off.' My inner-monologue triggers an unhappy look to form on my face.

[User]
"You ask that as if it is avoidable." I state as I slowly stroll towards the bordered front window once more. My thoughts darken as I recall the memories of my dealings with survivors, "I was late today. You probably didn't notice, since we don't have any working clocks but everyday when I do my rounds I look to the sky from a particular building and I count how many fingers I can place between the horizon and the sun in the afternoon." I say as I close one eye and stare at my fingers with my arm stretched before me, mimicking what I do during my rounds.

"It helps me put structure in this chaotic world, and so I planned, I said to myself this morning, "When the gate to night is only three fingers from open, I'll sneak back and enjoy the scenery", because you see, there is this street a few blocks down, it's a beautiful street. A street untouched by the chaos outside, there are no corpses, no blood, the cars are parked perfectly and so unscathed that they've built dust on them. It is an untouched relic of the old world, but with the eerie peacefulness of the new world, there are no people marching the side walks, no one exchanging hallow words of little meaning, no one shouting or laughing. It is completely silent." My voice almost seems emphasised by the light echo of the large front room.

I furrow my brows as I continue, "But when I reached that street I found it in ruins. Windows smashed, cars looted and even a motionless zombie corpse now filled my street. But worst of all, the subject of all this carnage stood there, smoking of all things, on my street. He looked relaxed as he leant against a street lamp. A rush of anger surged through me but I was in control, 'It was inevitable' I had thought. But that's when he spotted me, at first he was alarmed but once he noticed I was alive, he casually called me over, and so I went. I'm not sure why, I think I was still shocked by the scene I had just arrived at, but regardless, I marched towards him just as he had called me." I pause to breath a deep sigh as the image of the street flashes in my mind.

"Smiling he asked "Hey stranger, did the sweet scent of tobacco draw you out?" just as he pushed an open packet of cigarettes my way, beckoning me to take one. Can you believe that? a Cigarette! He destroys my street then dares to offer me a fucking cigarette, as if we're acquaintances or pals or something. That's when it happened, it felt so natural as it happened, like it was one quick smooth motion. I had grabbed my knife from my pocket and popped the spring sending the blade arcing out, moments later it opened a hole in his throat as I punched him in the chest as hard as I could to force his last toxic breath from his lungs. As I watched the crimson flow out of his gurgling and shaking body I felt powerful, and in that moment of power I decided that I wasn't going to give into the demands of the survivors any more. But more importantly, I had set myself a goal, my first ambition of the new world; crush the remnants of the old world." I spoke with emphasis. My heart was racing as I recalled every detail.

[Assistant]
Taken back by Leigh's sudden personality shift and psychotic ramblings, an odd sense of excitement rushes through me. Leigh isn't stupid, but he is actually serious about taking on entire groups of survivors. "I don't mean to dampen your ambitions. But how exactly do you plan to take on survivors by yourself? They'll eventually catch on and come for you. Not to mention, that group nearby is an ant compared to the liberation groups that have been appearing and growing since the government fell."

A small bubble of anxiety flows through me as I think of how Leigh's actions may affect me. After all, my work takes priority over everything.

[User] Taking a moment to ponder Valerie's question a grin begins to spreads across my face as I point to the bordered window. "Dragging their feet outside that window is a prime example of the type of weapon I hope to wield against my enemies." I state boldly. Taking several steps towards Valerie I stop just in front of her with my gaze locked onto hers. "I need you Valerie, to help me in this endeavour." I continue nonchalantly.

[Assistant] My heart starts to pound as my cheeks become flushed. "A-are you asking me to help you weaponize the dead?" I ask with my voice soft but clear. Taking a step back from Leigh's figure I move towards the front window and peek outside, a single shambling figure limps and drags its legs down the road as it looks for a meal. 'So inefficient, so primitive. Does he really think that these zombies would be an affective tool? I have my doubts and making a commitment like the one he is requesting will mean side projects.' "What do I possibly stand to gain if I follow you and your ambitions? My experiments are still number one priority to me." I reply in a serious tone.


[System]
21
Goes by Mal.

[User]
The dull sounds of rain splashing against glass made Aurora look up. In her hands she was carrying a heap of t-shirts, a few pair of panties and a jeans which she quickly crammed inside her backpack. She took a few hasty steps towards the window and stared outside into the darkness. "No no no.. Why? Why now?!" She mumbled slightly frustrated. Aurora stared at her own reflection for a moment or two and shrugged. The death of her parents had brought her to the other side of the country where it was known for being wet and cold most of the time. That said, it had been raining for the past few weeks and tonight was no exception. Nothing her cap and a raincoat couldn't survive. With a deep sigh Aurora continued stuffing her backpack with a few necessities: a flash light, warm clothes to last at least a few weeks, enough pocket money and some of her toiletries. If she was going to run away at night she might as well survive the path through the forest ahead.

There was no way around it: every map she had taken a look at said that the fastest way towards L.A. was south, through a large detour in the mountains at the edge of the forest. But that was if you had a car or something faster than a bike. Spending the night in the valley was not something Aurora wanted to try. Besides, she'd be caught very quickly. That's why she decided going through the forest was the best way to go. Once on the other side, she'd already feel the temperature difference. At least, that's what the Internet had told her.

Her aunt, whom had willingly agreed to take her in after the tragedy, was soundly asleep when Aurora passed by her room. A dim light next to her bed revealed Aunt Agnes with a book in her left hand. Her head was bend backwards against the wall and she was snoring loudly. With the amount of wine she had drank last night she wouldn't wake even if Aurora decided to slam doors.

Once Aurora was out of the door, the cold wind lifted a few long strands of hair and made her shiver. She was all tucked in with a thick sweater, a raincoat and a black cap keeping her long blonde hair in place. The street lights weren't even lid any more and the small village was asleep. "Here goes nothing.." She whispered to herself.

[Assistant]
Sorry, my posts might be a bit short until things really kick off.

Mal, growing up a bit of an outsider in his pack, liked to break some of the many rules of night watch. Two of the most important being a) Don't go near the town, and b) Do not fall asleep. On that particular night, he was happily breaking both rules. In all his time with this pack, only one human had ever wandered into the pack's territory. So most nights he had watch duty were spent near the highways, trails, or backyards, dozing peacefully at the edge of the woods as the soothing white noise of distant cars lulled him to sleep.

He was rudely jolted from his nap by a girl wandering by whose scent was startlingly strong. His tired brain couldn't process it at first, but it sure did surprise him when she just walked off of the path and into the forest. She was only ten feet away and his ink black fur was hiding him, so he decided to have a bit of fun. He waited for her to wander in a bit further, then rose to his feet and silently followed her. His amusement grew when he saw the full backpack. A runaway, he surmised, and he decided to begin his game.

Silently he crept up to her. With a playful growl, he rose onto his hind legs and shoved her forward with his front paws, settling on her back when she fell to the forest floor. He pressed his nose into her neck and snuffled around, gauging her scent. Amazing, he decided. Her scent was indescribable. Maybe something like blankets fresh out of the drier, or the air before a rainstorm. Autumn mist. All intangible, fleeting scents that made one feel comforted.

[User]
Aurora felt slightly uneasy as she tried to find some sort of path through the woods. The panels she had just climbed were a joke. She never really understood why people were so afraid of going into this forest. And her aunt never really told her what was the real reason she was not to go near it. She figured people here only believed in old wives tales as WiFi was uncommon and having sex before marriage was frowned upon.

The uneasy feeling slowly faded away with the sounds of the wind rushing through the trees and the night owls whoo-ing at each other. The moon stood high and gave her just enough light to not walk into a bush or tree. The flash light was for emergencies. The batteries she stole from the remote control were probably not charged the night before.

Suddenly, the sound of a twig cracking sounded. It was a few meters behind her. Aurora squinted slightly but there was no moving shadow to be seen. With a frown she turned around to continue walking. But as she turned around, she felt a hard push on her upper back, making her trip forward. Aurora let out a quick scream. Trying her best to not fall flat onto her face she tried to land onto her hands first. There she was, on the ground, feeling her heartbeat into her throat whilst remaining as silent as possible. Some sort of animal stood on top of her back and was snuffling all around her neck and hair. Aurora closed her eyes and held her breath, hoping the wild animal would soon go away. "Why didn't I listen to my aunt.." She wondered.

[Assistant]
Mal nuzzled his nose against the woman's shoulder, trying to breathe in as much of her scent as possible. Her skull knocked into his nose a bit painfully and he gave a bewildered huff. He shifted, the air around him shimmering like waves of heat off pavement, and his wolf features slowly melted away. All that was left of the wolf was it's playful, mischievous green eyes, greener than the forest in summertime.

He rose up enough to give the girl some air, turned her onto her back, then resettled himself on her hips, straddling her and effectively pinning her to the ground. "Hi there." His voice was deep and smooth, with just a telltale hint of a rasp that gave it a slightly seductive cadence and the lightest hint of an accent. He reached down and wrapped a lock of her soft blond hair around his finger while she was still reeling from his shift.

"You smell really good. And a little bit like old person." He paused, looked her over with an amused glance, and continued. "You're a funny little thing. Are you from town, or are you just passing through?" he asked with a curious smile. There was nothing wicked or corrupt in his gaze. Just this friendly, oddly cheerful aura. Like a puppy, really.

[User]
The animal took a few more seconds to catch her scent and backed away. The strong paws that were pressed against her shoulder blades disappeared and the weight of the entire animal shifted. Unsure what to think about the situation Aurora opened up her eyes again, now completely used to the darkness. Then, the weight entirely vanished and Aurora blinked a few times trying to realise what had just happened. But the excitement didn't end there: her entire body got swung around so she laid upon her back, staring up at what seemed like.. "A human?"

The two most bright green eyes were gazing at her, making her eyes widen even more. The man had taken seat on top of her, clearly making sure she wasn't going anywhere. Aurora couldn't help but to feel confused about the whole situation. Didn't she just hear some sort of animal sniff her down like she was bound to be its next meal? And then, the man greeted her. Just a regular 'Hi' as if their acquaintance was one of the most common ones ever. Aurora tried to process what was happening but the man didn't let her.

"I-I smell nice?" Aurora felt the blood rise to her cheeks, remembering she hadn't even showered that day. She tried to push herself up from the ground but that seemed futile. But he wasn't finished. Though the way he looked at her was as if he had just received a bright new toy to play with and there was not a single damn thing in the world that would keep him from doing so. "Get off me will you?!" She completely ignored his question whilst wiggling her legs around to loosen his grip.

[Assistant]
Mal, a bit surprised by her wiggling, gripped her hip tightly enough to hold her still. The beast in his head was pacing around curiously. He shook his head and sat up straighter. "Sorry, I can't let you go. You were warned not to enter the woods, weren't you? And you don't even have permission from my Alpha or your mayor to be here. So you belong to us now." He realized from her expression that he probably wasn't making any sense, so he expanded.

He never thought he'd have reason to use the speech all wolves on night watch were taught. He couldn't remember most of it, so he just barreled into the story head-first. "A long time ago, there were humans and there were wolves. No one can remember exactly how it happened, but somehow, some of the humans gained the ability to become wolves. Werewolves." He met her gaze. "Most of the legends you've heard aren't true. We aren't grotesque, and we don't change at the full moon. The urge to be a wolf is stronger at that time, though. Honestly, we might be a bit more dangerous than traditional werewolves."

He reached up and tapped the side of his head thoughtfully. "Each wolf has a second conscience, I guess. A wild half up in their heads that's very strong-willed and very persuasive. I'm very good at controlling my beast, but some others are not. You're lucky that I'm the one who found you. As it was, I almost couldn't calm the beast in my head after you wriggled around like that." He waggled his eyebrows, making it very clear what he meant.

"Fast forward. Now, it's two hundred years ago. This town was just getting started. But our pack has been here longer than any human can trace back. Back then, we were trying to learn to live peacefully, but werewolves are a very cautious and, sometimes brutal, race of people. We didn't want humans anywhere near us. Some of the pack killed human children to warn them away. The humans started hunting us. After quite a bit of bloodshed, the leader of the humans and our Alpha made a pact. Any human who enters this forest without permission belongs to the pack. Any wolf who leaves the forest and enters the town without permission may never go back to the pack." He leveled his gaze on her. "You entered the woods without permission, and now you must stay here."

[User]
Aurora felt anger boiling up from the inside when he told her she couldn't leave. And even more so when she supposedly belonged to 'them' now. She couldn't help but wonder who 'they' were and what he meant by that. She frowned and wiggled around a bit more, noticing he tightened his grip more and more. "Whát are you talking about?!" She spat out, not even trying to hide her anger. But none of it would do. The man started to calmly tell her about some sort of wolf story which made no sense to her. He was clearly delusional and this seemed like the the worst nightmare ever.

Though something in the back of her head told her there was some truth to it. Why else would the people of this town build such a shitty fence? Why would nobody really pronounce what was in the woods? Maybe they tried to forget about the past, forget the wolves ever existed? The wars and hunts? "...This is total bullshit, this guy is absolutely nuts!"

"Let me GO!" She mumbled beneath her breath, already feeling tired from moving around underneath his body. "So, what IF there is this tribe of wolves you speak of, what use would I be? Wouldn't I be a burden? Exactly! Now move away, you're c-crushing me!" Her voice crackled from barely getting any air by now. Her tiny lungs were being crushed and her skinny body was sore all over. The ground underneath her back was moist and cold which made the whole situation even worse. Aurora felt like her jeans was soaked and the rain was now slowly starting to affect her undergarments as well.

[Assistant]
"No, you won't be a burden. I'm just going to take you back to the pack. The Alpha will give you a job to do and assign you somewhere to live. Probably with me, since I found you. I'm sorry it had to happen this way, but The Law is The Law. I can't break a hundred years of rules for you. Do you know what would happen if you let it slip to the wrong person that there are werewolves in these woods? Do you know what would happen to us, to our children, if the government or any scientists realized we exist? They'd give us no mercy. They'd turn us into guinea pigs, lab rats. They'd dig through our brains and dissect us, still alive, until they figured out how to recreate what we can do. Or they'd force us to breed. That's no life." Finally, he stood up. He hauled her to her feet, keeping a solid grip on her wrists.

"I'm going to let go of you now, and then I'm going to shift into a wolf. You're going to climb onto my back and then I'll take you to where the pack lives." His grip tightened momentarily and his intense green gaze captured hers. "If you try to run, I will catch you. I'm much faster than you are. Please, for your sake, cooperate and this will go easier on you." With that, he let go and shifted back.

He was huge for a wolf, almost horse-sized. Certainly big enough to ride on. His fur was a deep, inky black and his eyes were the same intense green, too intelligent for a mere wolf. He sank to his belly and motioned for her to climb on, giving a menacing growl to keep her from getting any ideas about escaping.


[System]
Age: 27

Gender: Female

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 132 lbs

Appearance: Meryl has an average and balanced figure, not exotic or voluptuous in any way and family members often chastise her for not eating enough. Hair is a soft, dark brown that parts in the center arcing around her eyes to frame her face just a few inches past shoulder length. Face is smooth and symmetrical with only the slightest hint of deviance when she smirks or makes an off-color remark while eyes are heterochromic with right being dark brown and the left being green. She enjoys the outdoors and her skin is a gentle tan while her clothing choice is not exactly fashionable with dark or camouflage patterned capri pants and tank tops with sneakers. She does wear lightly-tinted glasses from time to time while working and rarely any jewelry of any kind.

Role: Computer Expert

Equipment: Meryl has only been allowed to choose from the inventory of Masrani Corp. and not allowed to bring any of her personal equipment. Even so, the offerings presented to her were very Spartan: Pentest equipment with battery pack, RF Hacker, Ubertooth, Proxmark Device, Wifi Pineapple, Alfa Network Boards, a USB rubber ducky, military grade durable laptop, tablet and GPS tracker. She will, however, be sneaking in her own set of lock picks.

Background: When the final list of candidates for tech slot came through for review at the Masrani board meeting only one submission was returned to the recruiters stating, not just 'No', but 'Hell No'. However, what was quickly pointed out in the recruitment staff's rebuttal was that this slot could potentially cost the company virtually nothing if the right selection was made and the right leverage applied, thusly leaving the company more capital to buy much higher for the other team positions. For a company in the throes of bankruptcy and with one last investment to make, it was considered a master stroke and after a few calls by their Washington lobbyist, Meryl Dejarnette was released from custody from the US Marshall Service.

For several years, Dejarnette had honed her corporate espionage craft starting from her first job as a receptionist at a small-town power company to becoming competent enough to sell her skills to top bidders in larger and larger markets. Known by several handles, her most famous exploits came under the names of Shade, Shadetree, and Shadwick. It was under these aliases that she had been hired to infiltrate Masrani. Her client was interested in drawing from the Costa Rican money exchange from international tourism entering the park as well as being a broker of other information related to company's various investments and infrastructure.

Meryl's efforts went largely unnoticed for some time and when she was discovered the link was still not directly traceable. With some help from their American political connections, anxious to be on the forefront of cyber "security", charges were conjured up through the IRS and Meryl was arrested by the Marshall Service and detained in what amounted to a minor media side note as the park continued on in operation. Under the shadow of paid bureaucracy Meryl was being detained indefinitely as a corporate prisoner when the evacuation of Isla Nublar took place.

In exchange for taking the tech position on the team (and subsequent completion of the mission) Masrani has agreed to see to it that all charges brought against Meryl be withdrawn and her record be stricken of all previous counts, flags and connections with corporate and industrial espionage.

[User]
Tuvya had watched as the team members showed up one by one at the ferry slip. He took a mental note of each as they arrived, he had spent the last two day studying their dossiers, it certainly wasn't the team he would have picked, but if it had been there'd be no need for him. He'd only gotten about halfway through his cigar by the time the last one arrived so he put it out against the railing and stuffed it into the breast pocket of his button up shirt as the latest arrival approached him with an outstretched hand which he shook in turn, introducing himself before heading towards the stairs to the ferry's bridge. He had just reached the base of the stairs when he heard her question regarding where to put "her stuff".

He spoke loudly bordering on a shout to ensure he was audible throughout the entirety of the ship. "Wherever you'd like Ms. Berezina! Make yourself at home. That goes for all of you!"

He climbed up to the top of the stairs before continuing. "I'm Tuvya Dahan, I'm here to make sure that none of you get any ideas about going off-script, our goals on Isla Nublar are very clear."

He paused for a moment considering whether or not to continue it was obvious. "In case you need those goals reiterated or weren't clear on them, I am gonna go over them one last time before we set off. First, to search for and aid any survivors we might encounter. Now, to be honest, odds aren't good that we'll find anything but bodies so be prepared for that." He looked at Ms. Dejarnette as he finished that sentence, of everyone there she was the least likely to have seen death before.

"Second, we're gonna be deactivating the security measures that keep the specimens contained, we should be the last humans to step foot on the island so keeping them confined to certain areas is just asking for some overzealous animal rights activists to get themselves killed trying to "Free" them. Our third objective goes hand in hand with that and is why we have the lovely Ms. Loring here" He gestured towards the veterinarian. "As I said this is the last time humans should set foot on Isla Nublar, so it's the last chance they'll get at veterinary care. We don't want to find that the entire island is a lifeless husk six months down the road and then have a bunch of lawsuits on our hands about how we caused the second extinction of the dinosaurs."

He took a deep breath "Our fourth objective is really damn simple, but possibly the most dangerous. As you might know, Jurassic World was home to a particularly dangerous aquatic specimen, a 'Mosasaurus' it is contained in a saltwater lagoon connected to the ocean by subterranean tunnels. Naturally those have been barred off because a Mosasaurus in the wild could cause unfathomable ecological devastation. We need to make sure the confinements are sufficient to hold the Mosasaurus for it's lifespan and if they're not, we need to make them so, and failing that, as a measure of last resort it would fall to us to exterminate the specimen."

"Finally we're going there to DESTROY all research and embryonic specimens remaining on the island, and you're being paid plenty enough for that. If I catch you trying to copy any files or smuggle any research or specimens off the island, then you won't be leaving the island." He paused to let that set in before deciding to continue with something a bit more lighthearted. "With that said, I don't think Starbucks or Pandora are coming back for their stuff, so once we're done with everything else if you see anything you like, feel free to take it. Cappuccino machines, jewelry, clothes, booze, whatever you can carry is yours. Consider it your souvenirs from the very last visit to Jurassic World."

He smirked and rapped his fist against the bridge's window a few times before showing his hand with all five fingers extended to the captain through the glass. "We set off in five, so if you have any mainland related business to attend, you better do it now!"

[Assistant]
The ferry approached the island to a scene that had not been seen in many years. Emptiness, the jetties of the ferry landing were completely abandoned save for a lone dimorphodon that sat perched at the edge and watched for several minutes as the ship approached before departing as it drew close, flying off towards the center of the island. From here it looked like any other small tropical island, and on this clear winter day it was actually kind of beautiful. Without hundreds of people at it's shores the only real indication of the park was the 'Welcome to Isla Nublar' banners that hung above the jetty.

Tuvya borrowed a pair of binoculars from the ship's captain as they came close to the landing. From the stairway next to the bridge he scanned across the jetty and onto what of the island he could see through the thick tropical forest. He was looking for any sign of survivors but was met with nothing, not a single sign of a living human. He noted an abrupt movement of the foliage near the waters edge that he only caught a glance of but dismissed it as likely wildlife, assuming any survivor on the island would be eager to get the attention of any passing ship.

The ferry passed by without incident and approached it's destination, hidden from the ferry landing by a copse of trees about a half a mile north stood the utility dock. As it came into view it's unremarkable features were revealed, a single roomed guard post and a utility shed set atop a large concrete platform the terminated at a dirt road that led onto the island proper. In addition a white and blue crane truck with the Jurassic World logo one the door and a similarly decorated forklift sat parked near the edge of the platform.

As the ship drew closer Tuvya stepped into the ship's bridge and grabbed the PA microphone, clearing his throat before pressing the button on the side and speaking. "If you look to the northeast you can see our destination, when we arrive we'll be disembarking the vehicles onto the utility platform. Once they're on the island the ferry will depart and we'll be stuck on the island until we're done. From there we'll cut across the golf course to get to 'Main Street' stopping at the clubhouse to search for any survivors in between."

He paused before continuing, "Main street might still be overrun with less than friendly dinosaurs, so be prepared for that, I'd defer to Mr. O'Malley on how to handle that eventuality. If you have any questions, now is the last time to ask."

He hung up the microphone and exited the bridge, continuing downstairs to the ferry's main deck. Where he leaned against the grill of the Unimog and reached for the cigar in his breast pocket before thinking better of it. Instead he just stared at the utility platform as the ferry closed in on it's destination.

[User]
The handcuffs were removed not long after she boarded. A pair of Costa Rican shiphands escorted her on to the ship and she was careful to abide by the old sailing maxim to step onboard with her right foot first for good luck. They seemed to appreciate the consideration and kindly tossed her bags in the back of the veterinarian's Jeep and set on about their business with hardly a word. Meryl rubbed her wrists from the grazing of metal cuffs. Now that she was free to look around she began to take stock of the others from behind her sunglasses the Marshall was kind enough to hand back over with a less-than-comforting smile and a wave.

She immediately did not care for their apparent overseer. With the death of Simon Masrani, it had apparently only taken a few days for this whole operation to turn into another InGen fiasco. She found it amusing how they thought not just a liason or guide was needed, but an actual supervisor of sorts who had already threatened them all with consequences for going, "off-script". What a tool. She thought and shook her head with a tiny grimace. It occurred to her that his true purpose was most likely to keep her in line and perhaps the vet as well. However, she had noticed Ms. Loring was packing her own sizeable sidearm and did not seem the type to take orders very well from corporate stooges. Same for the other man, O'Malley.

Unlike the others, Meryl had been given scant little information about the mission. When Tuvya outlined the apparent "plan" she tried hard not to laugh out loud, but only managed a faintly controlled guffaw. It was classic InGen: Full of threats and not really in control of anything. She had spied on their inter-workings for years. They were a truly typical corporate operation in that respect, but unlike other businesses, when things went south, people didn't just lose their employment or pensions, they instead tended to die quickly and in fantastical ways. She paid little attention to his grandstanding and anticipated that his existence would last about as long as it would take for him to realize he was the fall-guy when the whole thing went to pot. The redhead seemed to be a willing order-taker for him. Shame. She thought. Redheads were bad for sailing as well.

As the island approached, she sat down Indian-style in front of the Jeep's great bumper. With the eastern sunrise behind them and the Jeep loaded at the very stern of the ferry she had the rising sun to her back and comfortable shade allowing her to watch everyone else as she took a quick glance over her equipment pack provided by Masrani deciding what she would carry and what would have to ride. She furrowed her brow a little. The offerings were not the worst setup, but not the best either. It did seem at least as though they actually might have wanted her to succeed which she would have appreciated if she trusted them in the least.


[System]
Species: Kitsune
Age: 256 years old
Gender: Male

Appearance:
Kaito is of rather average adult height and build. Not particularly tall and has a rather slander build. He has messy brown orange hair and a rather boyish face with a disarming smile. Nothing that is particularly remarkable about him except well those fox ears on his head and that fluffy tail. He wears a dark red tunic, a gray pair of trousers, some sturdy boots and a black hooded cloak to finish things off. The quality of the fabric and dye of his clothing indicate that Kaito has significant financial standing.

Bio:
There are a lot of folklore tales about the origins of Kitsune. Some say they are foxes that have gained magical properties after turning hundred years old, others tell that they are native to a strange magical realm known as the fey wild and have used their magical abilities to travel to the current plane of existence. None of those stories are true and in good kitsune tradition Kaito tells them all.

Kaito was born 256 years ago in the mystical forest of Kaojiro. A place far away from the three kingdoms. When he reached adulthood at the age of hundred and fifty, the young kitsune decided to travel the world. After visiting various places Kaito found himself in the kingdom of Escudo. Intrigued by its wealth, Kitsune decided that such a lavendish lifestyle would suit him well. However, Kaito is not the kind of man that would work fair and hard to gain a fortune.

No, the kitsune decided that it would be much more efficient and fun to utilize his very particular skill set to extract as much wealth from all the merchants and nobles as he could in very underhand means. For many years he conned and cheated merchants and nobles alike out of their hard earned gold coins. This became such a problem that the government decided to intervene.

When the king's men finally caught Kaito 5 years ago a spectacle of a process was orchestrated. Merchants screamed "off with his head", nobles demanded blood. However Kaito valued his head and thus executed a different plan. The night before his decapitation he used his illusion magic to impersonate a fellow prisoner who had served out his sentence and was promptly released by the clueless guards.

For the next five years the kitsune managed to evade every bounty hunter, mercenary and soldier that tried to track him down. But that all changed when an elf working for the king started to ask questions in the more shadier parts of Rascade.

Skills:
Shapeshifting: Kaito can shapeshift between his fox and humanoid form.
Sleight of hand: Kaito's hands are extremely fast, accurate and he's a master of deception. He's an expert pickpocket and trickster.
Very sneaky: Kaito's ability to move around silently is unparalleled. He has a habit of suddenly appearing into people's personal space.
Lockpicking
Acting/deception
Multi linguistic: Speaks and reads the various languages of the lands of Escudo, Anggolinsto and Meche.

Spells:

Impersonation: Kaito can use his illusion magic to take on the physical appearance of people he has seen. His magic also changes the sound of his voice to match that of the person he's impersonating. However he still needs to act out the way they move and behave.
Illusion magic: Kaito can create Illusionary objects, creatures and terrain. These illusions include visuals, sound, sense of touch, smell and sense of temperature but cannot cause any harm.
Charm: Kaito can use his magic to charm people. Any person that gets charmed by him regards Kaito as a friend and is very likely to help the kitsune in any way that is reasonable.

Equipment:
Wakizashi short sword
Tanto dagger
Set of lockpicks
Shell game set
Set of Dice
Set of playing cards
Spare clothes
Camping equipment

[User]
Yvonne was skeptical at their decision, but far from her to question the team leader. Just, no one would fault her for looking around to see potential escape routes and whatnot. You know, just in case. A mercenary always had to be on lookout for their own well-being or they die quickly and usually embarassingly.

The door's the most obvious one. It only fits one person to create a bottleneck for the defenders, but that meant it opened outward. She'll probably be able to force it open as long as it's not barred from the outside. Then there's another door at the other side of the room, deeper into the structure. Desperate, but it's an option. The windows were too narrow to even consider, damn the sensible construction. Not as much options as she liked, but plenty.

Worst come to worst, she can always take the baron hostage.

"Fancy breakfast there." Whistled the mercenary, looking at the vast array of foodstuff in front of her. Was the food poisoned though? That's the issue here.

[Assistant]
Cedar nodded appreciatively at the baron, but said nothing until after the servants had displaced several of the chairs, and replaced them with a low but sturdy bench.

He had something similar in his cabin, but with a much less elaborate (and much taller) table. He would have to lean over to use this one. The cutlery was fashioned for much smaller, and more delicate hands.

So much for manners.

He moved to the edge of the bench, such that most of his weight would be over one set of its legs, then sat down; a loud creaking being the only voice if opposition to his presence at the table. He had to admit, that was more hospitable than he was used to, and for some reason that made him wary and uneasy.

This 'baron' von 'whatshisface' was being TOO hospitable.

He discretely sniffed at the air, taking in the room, the food, lingering scents from prior occupants and activities, while glancing about.

...

Why did they try to distract him with food? That had to be the most uncivil thing about this: teasing a poor bear like this, and especially in the fall!

He HAD to keep his head about this. HAD to.

[User]
Kaito looked at all the food that was being served by the baron to their party. For a moment he wondered if it would be poisoned. That would be an easy way to dispose of his little group. And would not make less of a mess then decapitation, stabbing through the heart or getting quartered. That would certainly be his preferred method if he was in the Baron's shoes. Somehow judging from Yvonne's hesitation she was thinking the same thing.

For the moment the fox decided not to start gobbling down on the food and wait to see what the others would do. For now focussed on the Baron instead. There was always something to be learned from engaging in conversation with your enemy. " Baron Von Kruber. Let me first thank you for your generous hospitality and your unwavering loyalty to the crown. Something our king greatly appreciates in these times. My name is Sir Jurgen Von Drexel, knight to the king's court. It's an honor to reside at your court."

Kaito had deliberately chosen a similar sounding fake name of a lesser known noble house in order to create a sense of familiarity between him and the baron. His next move would be to engage in friendly conversation, building up the relationship and softening up the baron's defenses before moving on to topics where the good old baron did not want to slip his tongue. "You have two sons right? How are they doing? I heard your youngest is going to come of age soon. Has he found a good tutor to squire for?"

[Assistant]
[GM Post]

The massive arrangement of food was a treat to the eyes and nose. With farming as their main industry, Fanghorn's produce was on the top of the line. Among those, only the best of the best made their way to the baron's pantry. The porridge was piping hot with sweet milky smell to it. Freshly baked loaves of bread in various size came alongside soft golden butter. Rich assortment of fruit was sent in various bowls, berries of different shade and apples and figs and half a dozen more. Cold cuts of meat with faint fragrance of smoke and salt was served next to savory bacon, its oil still sizzling from the heat. Eggs, too, was aplenty, from softboiled to scrambled and everything inbetween. While the choice of drink wasn't as plentiful as the food, there's still quite a bit. A servant stood attentively on the side, a small table holding various glass pitchers on it. There's chilled water, for one, and what looked like milk, but the rest were a riot of color that reminded one of the fruits on the table. One only need to ask to get their cup filled.

Whether encouraging or suspicious, none held any trace of malevolent addition. Whether to human, elf, or bear senses.

"An honor to have you at my table, Sir Jurgen!" If the baron noticed any apprehension from his guests, he didn't show it. He took a bread from the nearest basket, slicing through to reveal the white insides before generously lathering butter on it. "Why, my good sir, you know a lot about me! It shames me that I cant say otherwise. My boys are... doing very well, they're currently visiting a distant acquaintance with my wife. As for tutor, well, I had some talk with Sir Caspar a while back. Nothing decided yet of course, but it's looking good I'd say!"

[User]
Cedar eyed the baron cautiously, and waited for the man to actually take a bite before even permitting himself the very idea of taking any of the food.

If there were to be a torture special made for a being such as he, this would be among the top contenders.

A powerful instinct to lay claim to the entire table and eat like a beast until he could no longer swallow (then continue trying to eat anyway, should any food still be present) was clawing and howling in the back of his psyche like a rabid dog, while the dignified and human part of him struggled and fought to retain composure and control.

Remaining quiet and dignant in posture and poise amidst this assault on his senses was pure existential agony. He doubted his companions truly realized the degree to which his self-control was being tested by this exchange. Had this truly been a genuinely friendly invitation to dinner, from a truly trusted friend, he would have been at ease, and indulged in a way only a true and real friend would have understood, but that was not what this was. This was a fattened hog placed over a vicious trap, hungry and eager to ensnare... or at least, had every potential to be. The cruel memory of being trapped in the Rascade dungeon was about the only mental defense he could bring to bear against this most heinous crime of civility.

He did his best to not shake, and discretely swallowed the drool that was threatening to baptize his face if not attended to.

'For fuck's sake, don't drag this out!' He cursed inwardly at his companions.

They were likely completely oblivious to the thin vaneer of composure that was holding back the flood...

[Assistant]
Well, the baron's eating. Didn't seems like he cared which plate he grabbed from either. Not fully reassuring, but it's a start. Yvonne, who out of complete total and utter coincidence (yeah right) sat the closest to the rotund man, casually reached over for bread from the same basket. The motion was a bit awkward since it's not exactly in an arm's reach, but who cares - if anyone complain at all she'll shoot it down.

It was a damn good bread, actually. No wonder the baron grew so fat if he's eating like this every single day.

Now, hmm. Maybe an apple. Surely there's no way to poison fruits? She just started peeling it on the spot and bite into the flesh. Nice and crisp, juicy, with the right amount of sourness. And hopefully not poisoned. Surely the man didn't employ some sort of nefarious witch capable of poisoning an apple? That would be too much of a fairytale.

[User]
-
When the baron started eating, so too Jazdia started scooping her oatmeal. Not because of suspicion, but genuinely due to respecting the host himself. It was not proper table manners for a guest to eat before the host started digging.

As for the concern regarding poisoned food, she would know it on the first bite, and so far nothing seemed out of ordinary, being an elf and food connoisseur herself, she had great confidence in detecting and avoiding that kind of old-fashioned assassination.

The Rosenving daughter was eating as well, probably having a similar mindset. Jazdia herself was already on her third scoop and washed it down with some milk.

"Nice place." Said Jazdia, glancing at the corners, and dusty furniture, and ceiling before turning to the host. "Very vintage yet a rare style nowadays... I always have things for unique decorations, you see. I own a restaurant and our patrons like it when we change the decor that matches the season. And you have a great cook too."

[Assistant]
[GM Post]

"Indeed! Being a bit far from the capital is no excuse to not keep up a good appearance, is it? I'll make sure the cooks get their commendation, they've done great job today." Baron Otto seemed to be eating slowly, yet the food just... disappeared into his gullet. Buttered bread, vanished in seconds. Scrambled egg, it took him longer to sprinkle the cheese than it took him to inhale it all. A few bacon and sausage followed, barely two chew between them. All without breaching decorum or looking the slightest bit distracted - it's like the man had perfected eating as an art. He took a sip from his cup before continuing the conversation. "I believe I hadn't caught your name, miss?"

[User]
Noticing how the baron followed by Jazdia started to eat without dying, Kaito figured that the food should be at least safe enough to not die instantly and grabbed a piece of bread as well. It was surprisingly tasty and the fox quickly grabbed another bite. When finished chewing it all down, he turned his attention towards the baron again.

"We knights tend to talk a lot in between all the training and missions we do. So news and stories kind of travel fast that way." The kitsune paused a bit as the elf took the word. Fitting that she started about the food and the furniture. Baron Von Kruber's hall was indeed rather retro.

"I've heard many good tales about Sir Caspar. I'm sure he will be a great tutor for your son. It must be lonely with the baroness and your boys visiting an acquaintance. Do you get many visitors at your castle?"