"I was born in the Imperium, but I spent most of my lifetime elsewhere." Iver states. He doesn't add anything at the moment, rather wants to see how the others react. They didn't seem to like Impeials too much.

(Mobile) 

Quote from Vyriox >>

Thea casually turns her head to face Herrena while munching a ration. "From the Zavas? Then you must've been there when those Imperials 'settled in', right?" Her mood seems to darken somewhat at the thought, but then clears up again as she continues. "I grew up around the Morka lands. Fascinating forests, i'm telling you, but spent the last couple of years around the Pakora. How bout you two?" she asks, redirecting the question to Erbert and Iver while gulping down the ration with some water from her water skin.

 "Nope. I came along after that.  The rumors and stories of the Wilderness are what compelled me to make to journey out here!"  Shoot, I might've said too much... Herrena thought to herself immediately afterwards.  Quickly changing the subject, "I've never been to Morka or heard of a Maester Gilo but I've heard some wild stories about what goes on there.  I hope I get to see it all one day..." she added at the a bit wistfully.

Nice Perception rolls all around, folks. 

The party chooses a relatively decent clearing along the side of the road to rest for the night. The trail seems relatively well-traveled; indentations carved in the side of the road are marked with packed dirt crisscrossed in horse prints and wagon tracks. After sparking a fire, the group of four converses for the night - recounting tales of childhoods and origins. 

Amidst the darkening, lush woods spanning the base of the Whitecap Spines, the ridge of mountains isolating these tribes, this war, and this piece of the continent from the rest beneath, something stirs - unnoticed by the four around the campfire. 

Also traversing this trail, however, is another group of three adventurers - joining forces, in the moment, for one reason or another, with a similar mission for the night; to find a safe place to rest and recover before continuing travels elsewhere. Nico, Alabaster, and Malon - feel free to introduce your characters, their appearance, general thoughts in the current moment, or anything else you may feel is relevant for other characters to know. Erbert/Herrena/Iver/Thiandraèl, you may also provide a current description of your characters and their activities in preparation for a night of camping so the people new to the campaign can have context, 

Additionally, roll a Perception check if you haven't already. 

Iver is a Halfling, 3'2" tall. Dark-brown eyes and beige skin. His short, black hair was not cut by someone who had practised doing so. Rather, most likely, he cut it himself with one of the two scimitars which, even in this situation, are by his side, in frogs on his belt. He wears battle-worn studded leather armour, although its brown colour does not seem to have faded at all from the sun. 

He sits in front of the fire, his back turned in the direction from which the newcomers come. Even if/when they announce themselves, or if they just come close, he doesn't turn around to face them. If they come within 10' of him, though, his hands move to the hilts of his scimitars for a moment, almost instinctively, until he moves them away. He must remind himself that here, not everyone is hostile.

Sitting at the fire is a 4 foot tall gnome, with blonde hair and green eyes.  He has a journal on his lap and he is writing in it vigorously, stopping to make drawings, tongue sticking out the side of his mouth as he does so.  He seems to be putting a good bit of artistic flare on the page, with wide looping hand strokes.  As you walk up to the fire (perhaps a little close and further in than you should have been able to in these dangerous lands), Erbert is startled and stands quickly.  He lets his precious journal fall out of his lap onto the ground (thankfully landing closed) and when he stands a ball of fire instantly appears in his hand.  

In a shaky voice, “Who goes there, who are you?  If you come here to rob us I will burn you alive!” he says with all of the bravado that he can muster.

Treading down the trail and emerging from a small stand of trees into the clearing, Alabaster casually brushes off the low hanging branches to the side to make way. He stands tall and firm, a thick and dense fur coat draped over him like wearing a shadow, made his broad shoulders broader. The coat left the front of his well-toned body uncovered, his bare chest sculpted by impeccable lines of his pectorals and perfectly shaped abdominal muscles, fit and strong, without an ounce of flab. He carries a long, doubled bladed curved sword behind his back, and two handaxes that hang from his hips. It was not obvious in the darkness of the night, but when he approached the fire you could see the pale gold of his wheat-colored skin, revealing a light and healthy color, that is tinted warm orange by the firelight.

He pauses carefully ten feet away from the campfire, and inclines his head to meet the eyes of the jumpy gnome. Contrary to his feral physique, his face is fair and handsome; deep eyes with a captivating brown color; the soft arch of eyebrows, straight nose, beautifully shaped thin lips with a little divot into the top lip, all flaunting the refined elegance. All, expect for the sharp eyes that reveal the undercurrent of untamable ferality, and when he opens his mouth, you could catch glimpse of the white flash of his filed canines, sharp to a point.

He tilts his head a little towards Malon, to others it is an idle gesture, to Malon he says, telepathically, you think anybody has told our little friend here this is not a good way to scare off the robbers?

Then he answers, with his warm, rich baritone voice.“We are only looking for a place to set up camp, same as you. Name’s Alabaster.”

Erbert gathers his composure, startled by the appearance of the new imposing figures, suddenly in their midst.  “Ehrm, hello.  What brings you out this way?  My name is Erbert, Erbert Jenkins.  We have some room here if you would like to join us, but I would like to hear more about where you are from and what you are doing here.”  He lets the fire bolt in his hand dissipate, but still stands in an on guard posture, looking to Herrena, Iver and Thea for support.

Iver stands up. The option of someone coming to rob them didn't come to his mind before. After all, he wasn't used to be in a position where he can be robbed at all. "Here, of all places? Wouldn't even a short distance away make more sense?" He turns around, his face hard to see with the only source of light behind him. He walks and stands next to Erbert, ready to defend the tall Gnome shall fighting begin.

Alabaster rests his hands on his hips and looks down at the two small friends backing each other up. Well, one hardass halfling backing up a scared gnome acting tough. Which he finds the tableau quite intriguing, if not a little comical. He gives a lopsided smile, and agrees. "Just thought we'd say hi."

Then his tilts his head towards the trail, addressing to his companions: "Shall we?"

Originally, Thea had been dozing off a little, having initially adopted a medtitative posture with her back to a tree, she had tried to recapitulate the days events in an effort to gather her thoughts. Her mind, apparantly too tired for any more mental exercises, had been drifting off too quickly to effect anything other than a slight slumber. Thea had just decided to let matters rest for the night and prepare her place for sleeping as the newcommers suddenly emerged from the darkness, startling her right in the middle of some extensive yawning and stretching. Taken by surprise, she quickly got up and, while rubbing the fatigue out of her eyes, began to look back and forth between her companions and the strangers.

As she rises up from the ground, you can make out a female figure clad in a black overcoat decorated with silver embroidery. Her pants, boots and gloves both blend in with the coat  making them an immaculate piece of tailoring. These clothes may seem simple, but have clearly been fabricated for modest effiency, rather than useless pomp. This impression may be especially true now that they show a couple of burn marks indicating a rather recent encounter with something acidic. Her violet eyes linger on Alabaster for a moment, and now that you can see her face, it is easy to spot the facial features betraying elfish origins. Her hair is held back in a intricate, tripartite braid, the silver plait lanced with strands of violet and vermilion and fading into the very same colors towards the tips of her hair. For just a moment her hand clutches something hidden underneath her coat, as if holding on to a pendant. Then, regaining her composure, she lifts her arms up in a defensive gesture, both to Alabaster and her two companions. Then, instead, to cover up yet another yawn.

"Now, now, let's not be so hasty. I don't think this kind of approach is the one people take to rob others, there is no need to be unnecessarily rude to a bunch of fellow travelers...granted of course that is truly why you're here." Thea once again rubbs her face. Then, for a brief moment, she looks slightly shocked at herself. In an effort to summon the last rest of her fading diplomatic expertise remaining after the travel, she gives a deep nod. Her eyes looking honest but determined, her voice unwavering. "Please forgive my poor manners and this rather shaky welcome. My name is Thea, it is a pleasure to meet you. Now if you dont mind my asking, where are you headed, Sir Alabaster, and for what business?" Thea glances to the sides, looking at her companions, then she slightly raises her chin as if bracing herself. "We'd gladly share our little bivouac with anyone of reputable intentions. If that is not something you can say for yourself, please let us make this quick at least - we've had a buisy day and long, drawn-out victories this close to midnight are bad for my skincare routine." One eyebrow raised in anticipation of an answer, Thea waits, allowing herself a little smirk.  

"I... I mean no disrespect.  But you cannot expect us to travel with total strangers, met at night, surprising us in our camp."  Erbert bends down and places his most precious journal into his backpack, dusting off the dirt from the ground on the cover.  Erbert calms down, his initial apprehension and defensiveness triggered by the surprise of new arrivals.  ((OOC : perception of 1))  "Perhaps you could tell us more?  You don't appear to be stereotypical ruffians or brigands...  Are you?  It has become clear to us that people are not always as they appear.."  Erbert looks carefully at their faces, looking for signs of any mask.

Insight :  17 

Accompanying the other two is a muscular male human with tan skin and golden brown hair. He's 6'2" wearing a brown sleeveless shirt, a simple pair of trousers, and a pair of boots. "Name's Nico. We're not thieves, but even if we were, it would be stupid of us to rob the four of you when there's only three of us." 

"Thea." Alabaster grins, showing one side of his sharp canine. He opens his arms in a warm gesture of invitation, greeting his two companions standing by his sides. His fur coat is wide open, revealing his tightened waistline and defined muscles. "The pleasure is all mine."

He turns his attention from Erbert to Thea easily, with ease because Erbert is not in his level line of sight when he looks at Thea. He decides to overlook the jumpy gnome for now.

“My friend Malon here,” He says, patting the reticent ranger once on his back, “We’ve been travelling together for quite some time. He’s a bit quiet, most of the time, but he really knows his way around the wilderness. And Nico - “ He cocks his head, then grins again, “well, he’s a bit uptight, but he’s alright. Nico’s from Torken, which is where we are heading.” He grimaces and lowers his voice, “Though I don’t think he likes talking about it.”

“What do you think, friends?” He turns to ask his two companions, at Thea’s invitation of sharing their little bivouac. He shrugs. “I mean, we don’t have to build another fire for ourselves.”

Alabaster, Nico, Malon, when you have an opportunity, make me a Perception check. 

As the sun gradually sets over the woodland area, the usual nightly animals seem to reawaken - the hooting of owls (and, possibly, owlbears), numerous different insects and bugs, and an impossible amount of birds fill the air with a constant cacophony of noise. Though - one thing in particular seems to catch the attention of anyone with a Perception check of 15 or higher; the sound of a scuffle and a verbal argument breaking a few dozen paces down the road. 

Alabaster Perception: 11 

With Erbert’s insight, no alarm bells are ringing and he calms down, smiles to Alabaster, Nico and Malon.  “Come join us then, we do have a fire going and plenty of room.”  He turns to Nico, “You’re from the Torken tribe, that is where we are headed.  Maybe we can help each other, join together on the journey.”  Erbert pulls his journal back out and sits down, starts to write down their names and make a quick drawing of each.  When he turns to Alabaster and starts to draw his face, he notices an alarmed look and looks up from the page, “What’s that, do you hear something?  You look alarmed..”

 "Sure, I think I can help you with whatever it is that you need."

Perception:22

Malon's Perception : 23

A little behind Alabaster and Nico walks another man, currently hooded. He has deep blue, quiet wide eyes which seem pretty much lost in thought as Alabaster starts talking to the group. He wears practical, somewhat used traveller’s clothes, with a leather armor underneath, carries shortswords, a long bow, and oddly enough, what looks like fishing equipment. His 5.6 feet height and slender build make him look short when he stands near his companions, but of course not as much as some of the group gathered around the campfire.

In the company of his now-friend Alabaster, and more recently of another individual they picked up named Nico, Malon dicovered more than he would expect in this strange, magical place they call the Wilderness. Eventhough he's proved adaptable at finding his way around wild places, the lush jungle they have been travelling in is still pretty new to him. Sometimes, he caught glimpses of things moving ... but not always hostile, pressing even more questions in his mind. Although he has not yet found any solid lead about what he is looking for, his travels with Alabaster have proved enriching, leading him to often revel in the sight of the - sometimes dangerous - wonders of this land. Leaving him sometimes very much absent-minded, thinking about what he would do the day he would discover the truth about the origin of his mysterious abilities, but more and more convinced it is on this huge and strange island he would find the answer.

And as Alabaster and Nico introduce themselves, he is precisely experiencing such a moment. His eyes are averting contact, and he just mildly responds to the people. He somewhat flinches when the Halfling starts showing signs of hostility, however. And he does indeed react when he hears Alabaster's voice inside his mind. Although he's the one providing him this ability, he is still sometimes startled when it happens, which makes him understand why people would sometimes get scared of him in his home village.

He finally takes off his hood, revealing slightly golden skin and long auburn hair. His features show young age, yet some time spent out in the wild. His blue, eyes cast a soft gaze upon each of the three individuals, even the Halfling, and one could argue he does have the gaze of someone sensitive, and perhaps also shy. He flashes a warm smile towards Thea and Erbert, who have shown to be the most welcoming, even as he telepathically responds to his somewhat-feral friend.

"Sorry, those were quite long days ... Maybe he was not even trying to scare us off, but I have a feeling they are not to be crossed anyway."

He makes his way towards the fire, carefully avoiding to get too close to Iver. He finally speaks, his voice low, with gentle and quiet tones.

"Thank you very much, we didn't mean to startle you. Travelling can prove dangerous, and hospitality should always be valued."

He then adds in Alabaster's mind.

"And thank you for handling it so well."

He addresses a sheepish smile towards the muscular individual, still disconcerted yet deeply relieved to have found someone with whom to share the strange secret of his telepathy, who at that does not share his shyness around people. Suddenly however, he hears Erbert adressing Alabaster in a concerned voice. Malon slightly tenses and gives an interrogating look to his friend.

"Someone is arguing." Alabaster says, jerking his head toward the source of the noise. The sounds of the earth is in harmony, mostly, the sun setting and the tired birds returning to their nests. But underneath, there is something discordant, soft snapping like a slipstrike fault. His attention turns back and he sees Malon staring at him, so he shrugs and then nods at the fire, "Sit. I'll go check it out." 

He follows the noise down the trail, keeping himself to the side.

Stealth: 7 

Thea nods at both Nico and Malon as they draw closer to the campfire. Staring into the fire for a moment, she replies to Nico, "We'd appreciate that, the faster we reach Torken, the better." Her gaze then shifts as Alabaster suddenly twitches and wanders off a second later. One eyebrow raised, she looks back to Malon and Nico. "Do you believe he'll be alright, or shall we follow?", she says while quickly scanning the area, her body shifting to a defensive stance, ready to move.