Winding Forest Path & Stream

The depths of the Amiane Forest contain wondrous secrets be it its unkempt beauty or hidden evils.


Sybil Dirgemoon unsheathes the Scardian Razor above her buttocks, all the while the decorated kukri bounced against her left hip in its sheath; her attempts at scraping a rather rare type of fungai for her alchemical studies above her. Being of average height, she fared better than others in sample collection, but the mushroom was just out of reach. She puffed for a moment, lowering the sharp cleaver like knife before looking around her.

Nobody around for miles... she thought, before simply raising her left hand, a ring of cloud like shadow appearing, sparking with deep azure energy. Her hand vanishes as she carefully slips her hand through, while another portal of shadow appears from the shade cast by the mushroom. Her hand reappears, refracted by this arcane projection, grabbing the shroom tightly before yanking it back into the bleak fog.

She pulls her hand away, both conjured smoke like clouds vanish; the mage proudly holds a Amaine Shroom in her grasp, a semi-hallucinogenic mushroom which was poisonous unless refined- then it would be an active ingredient in powerful anesthetic medicines. She'd refine a bunch of them out here and sell the resulting powder at the trading post in Danton or Vagnor, perhaps even go as far as Jemial if only to recruit workers. At the moment, however, Syb was alone. As a Teronian, she could get by well on her own in the wilds, but... this continent would be rather weary of her, given the war with Domescadia slowly brewing.

Its no longer pushed to the back of Gailden's mind, I sense war is inevitable at this point. We're just lacking the proper 'spark' to ignite that humongous powder keg. Give it time. I'm sure someone will fuck up the status quo soon enough... She thought bleakly, taking a seat upon a boulder while facing a trickling stream.

The sun's rays shined down through the forest greenery with a basking warmth which was hard to ignore. Despite the increase of heat, Syb was fine huddled like a monk in her stuffy robes, her hood covering her face as she poured her glowing crimson eyes over the wrinkled pages of her grimoire. "Hrmm... I'll need about ten more of these if I want a decent cash return..." she mumbled to herself, sliding the Scardian Razor back into its raw leather sheath. She set the book back into her shadow realm, before standing up; the metal bits of her heeled leather boots clinking loudly on the stone surface of the boulder as she stood up, and began to search the surrounding woodland for more Amaine Shrooms.

Once Sybil had started walking, with her heels clacking off the stone, it was soon joined by another noise.. the sound of metal brushing against metal repeatedly. Like dozens of knives being sharpened.

It was not until she saw the tall shadow dressed in black armor and gold outlines that Sybil could see who it was down by the stream. A fellow Teronian?

"Why do you hide, little Dirgemoon?" asked the elder man. "Soon, the world will be scorched by fire, and the shadows will flicker with the light. And yet, nothing but a precursor..." the riddle posed by Galaerion would confuse most people, most knew that war was inevitable, but few contemplate what comes after.

"I do not free my oppressed bretheren from Abdel's embrace just so they could fight him..."

Galaerion wrote:Once Sybil had started walking, with her heels clacking off the stone, it was soon joined by another noise.. the sound of metal brushing against metal repeatedly. Like dozens of knives being sharpened.

It was not until she saw the tall shadow dressed in black armor and gold outlines that Sybil could see who it was down by the stream. A fellow Teronian?

"Why do you hide, little Dirgemoon?" asked the elder man. "Soon, the world will be scorched by fire, and the shadows will flicker with the light. And yet, nothing but a precursor..." the riddle posed by Galaerion would confuse most people, most knew that war was inevitable, but few contemplate what comes after.

"I do not free my oppressed bretheren from Abdel's embrace just so they could fight him..."

Sybil sharply turned to the sound of metal scraping against metal, her right hand conjuring a Kukri Blade made of shadow, turning to face the being who appeared from the very darkness she herself could manifest. "I'm curious as to how you came about my name, Teronian." she says in a low cold tone, suspicious rather than put at ease. "I received no help from my departure from the Circle, that feat was mine alone, despite being a mere apprentice." she continues taking a defensive step back from the stranger; a rather odd Teronian indeed. "Not to mention, I'm not fighting. Abdel and the world may have their war, but I don't necessarily fight for or against him. I do what I do for myself now." she adds: "...not that it is any of your concern, Teronian."

Sybil Dirgemoon wrote:Sybil sharply turned to the sound of metal scraping against metal, her right hand conjuring a Kukri Blade made of shadow, turning to face the being who appeared from the very darkness she herself could manifest. "I'm curious as to how you came about my name, Teronian." she says in a low cold tone, suspicious rather than put at ease. "I received no help from my departure from the Circle, that feat was mine alone, despite being a mere apprentice." she continues taking a defensive step back from the stranger; a rather odd Teronian indeed. "Not to mention, I'm not fighting. Abdel and the world may have their war, but I don't necessarily fight for or against him. I do what I do for myself now." she adds: "...not that it is any of your concern, Teronian."

"Do you truly believe that, young Sybil? Hmm. Well, I'm not here to debate with you on the specifics. After all, I only escaped myself with help from my Hazorian twin brother" Galaerion explained as he turned from the watery stream to face his fellow Teronian. "I bear with me, news... News you should heed..." Galaerion held in his hand a black scroll.

"I did not read it myself out of respect for your privacy, but I do know what a black scroll means.... I'm sorry." he said as he levitated it to her to avoid approaching Sybil in a threatening manner. and he awaited her reading of the scroll before speaking again.

"Addressed to the last living kin of Malaeron and Seras Dirgemoon. We regret to inform you that by order of Emperor Abdel Adham, your parents were sacrificed so as to further the power and glory of our great Empire. Your house has been honored this day.

As of now, all personal possessions, lands and rights formerly held by Malaeron and Seras Dirgemoonhereby belong to the holder of this scroll, with the blessings of our king and his circle.

~Yours sincerely, Lord Proctor Cordius, the office of census and exise.

Galaerion wrote:

"Do you truly believe that, young Sybil? Hmm. Well, I'm not here to debate with you on the specifics. After all, I only escaped myself with help from my Hazorian twin brother" Galaerion explained as he turned from the watery stream to face his fellow Teronian. "I bear with me, news... News you should heed..." Galaerion held in his hand a black scroll.

"I did not read it myself out of respect for your privacy, but I do know what a black scroll means.... I'm sorry." he said as he levitated it to her to avoid approaching Sybil in a threatening manner. and he awaited her reading of the scroll before speaking again.

"Addressed to the last living kin of Malaeron and Seras Dirgemoon. We regret to inform you that by order of Emperor Abdel Adham, your parents were sacrificed so as to further the power and glory of our great Empire. Your house has been honored this day.

As of now, all personal possessions, lands and rights formerly held by Malaeron and Seras Dirgemoon hereby belong to the holder of this scroll, with the blessings of our king and his circle.

~Yours sincerely, Lord Proctor Cordius, the office of census and exise.

"...what?" Sybil frowned, her facial features becoming somewhat softer before 'dropping' the shadow kukri, which became like mist as it vanished in the air. She slowly grabbed the black scroll, which was always never a good sign. Upon reading the enchanted item, she bowed her head. "I... see. So my mother was 'sacrificed' huh..." the man could not see her eyes for her hood blocked them, and she turned away just as warm tears rolled down her silky cheeks. "I wonder if this too is my fault. My punishment for fleeing the Black Emperor, for fleeing the Shadow Council." she says in a low, shaky tone, her fingers gripping the scroll tightly, causing it to wrinkle in her clasping fingers. "It hasn't been the first time... that my reckless abandonment caused the misfortune of others..." she says low and softly to the air, more directing her spilling thoughts to herself.

Sybil Dirgemoon wrote:"...what?" Sybil frowned, her facial features becoming somewhat softer before 'dropping' the shadow kukri, which became like mist as it vanished in the air. She slowly grabbed the black scroll, which was always never a good sign. Upon reading the enchanted item, she bowed her head. "I... see. So my mother was 'sacrificed' huh..." the man could not see her eyes for her hood blocked them, and she turned away just as warm tears rolled down her silky cheeks. "I wonder if this too is my fault. My punishment for fleeing the Black Emperor, for fleeing the Shadow Council." she says in a low, shaky tone, her fingers gripping the scroll tightly, causing it to wrinkle in her clasping fingers. "It hasn't been the first time... that my reckless abandonment caused the misfortune of others..." she says low and softly to the air, more directing her spilling thoughts to herself.

Galaerion sighed and shook his head in her direction. "Young Dirgemoon, you mustn't think like that. Despair is the greatest fear of them all, one that even a Master of Terrors cannot overcome. If you fear your own actions, you will never be free." The elder Teronian opened his own crimson eyes and looked into Sybil's again. "Abdel's actions grow darker and more callous as time passes... As I get closer to him... I feel his presence darken.  And his advisor, that woman.... She is so dark she swallows up shadow itself..."

Having delivered the news he was sworn to do on behalf of Gilgamesh's word, Galaerion began to fade back into the shadows. "If you wish to seek the path of true justice, find Hrothor the Honored, and tell him Galaerion sent you. Show him toe contents of the scroll. He will call for me, and I will help you. Until then, be safe, and be well, Sybil."

And with those words, Galaerion was gone.

Drakk's hulking frame pushed through the thick woodland, the trees bending and crushing under foot due to his immense weight. He was a young creature but at barely six months of age, the dragsaur was able to fend for himself. Then again, he was roughly 20 foot tall and built like damn mountain, not much interfered with him- not even the few dragons that still populate Amaine's dense woodland. He continued to proudly press through the foliage, looking for the closest watering hole... he was on the thirsty side, and a little hungry, and figured he'd catch a deer or elk should they be using the same water source.

As the creature continued to shake the forest floor as he walked, several large wild boar fled from the brush, squealing with alarm! The...dragsaur ambled his way through the woodland, tail swaying side to side and knocking trees onto webs made by the dridder... who had taken a glance at the large beast and skittered away, not ready to become lunch for the beast. The trickling of water could be heard nearby, and the trees began to part way for open land, a small clearing with a large stream cutting through the open space.