<div align="center">Aleka Softlystepping (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=96661.msg4199655#msg4199655)</div><br/>As soon as Aleka reaches the other side of the portal, she hears a loud boom, followed shortly thereafter by another boom, then another. The ground around her begins to rattle with each boom, pebbles vibrating on the ground. Aleka looks around her and sees, tromping through the forest, a nine foot tall grey rock giant. His arms were huge and hung almost to the ground as he walked along, his head hung low. He didn’t seem to notice Aleka and was walking toward the lake to her right.<br/><br/><div align="center">Akribos Talos (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=96661.msg4206400#msg4206400)</div><br/>No sooner had Akribos laid down his head, did he hear a commotion from above. Peeking his head out he saw many people, passenger and servant alike, running quickly to the top of the boat. It was then that he realized the boat was no longer moving. He was swept up in the crowd and had little choice, short of fighting, to follow topside. People all around him were leaning over the side of the boat and crooning.<br/><br/>A sunburnt older human man passed him joyfully, grabbing his hands momentarily, just long enough to say, “Isn’t it amazing? The Gods have most definitely blessed us this evening. Are they not the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?”<br/><br/>Confused and intrigued now, Akribos fought his way over to the side of the boat. In the water he could see a few shapes moving. Slowly, fins of all colors came into view, pink, purple, silver, green. Then he realized the fins were connected to human bodies! Merfolk! This was a rare sighting. A female surfaced. She had long purple hair that pooled around her. Two silver shells cupped her small breasts. Colorful coral wound around her hair and colorful algae spotted her body. A dark green fin with a metallic sheen playfully splashed water up at the warrior. She giggled and swam closer, taunting and teasing playfully, flirting with her eyes.<br/><br/><div align="center">Zentius Yerodin (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=96661.msg4199711#msg4199711)</div><br/>As Zentius leaves the Prancing Unicorn, two men appear out of nowhere. They appear to be human but are dressed in all black. They slink from the shadows and grab Zentius, dragging him into an unlit alleyway, smelling of vomit and piss. One holds a knife to his throat while the other knees him in the gut.<br/><br/>“Give us all ya got!” Came a hissed demand.<br/><br/><div align="center">Phaedra (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=96661.msg4199680#msg4199680)</div><br/>Once Phaedra was back in her bedroom, she heard a soft tapping on her windowsill. Curious, she walked over and didn’t notice anything at first. Then she noticed a tree that hadn’t been there yesterday. All of a sudden, the tree shook! It trembled, leaves shaking, and then its roots took a step forward. Thought to be a myth, Tree Saplings were the oldest known race in existence. Very very slowly, the Tree Sapling made its way to the window. Impaled on a branch was a piece of parchment paper. A closer look showed that it was a map.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Somewhere deep inside the earth, Angnhil flexed a muscle, consciousness slowly forming.</strong><br/><br/><hr/><br/>In the middle of the jungles of Africa, a massive earthquake took its toll. Rating a seven on the richter scale, the earthquake rattled the core of Africa, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.<br/>