Greko watches the others dart way ahead except for Lelith who stops and fires an arrow at the guardian. Greko moves 30 feet in Lelith's direction but keeping space as to not get blown up by the Guardian's laser. He silently waits behind a bale of hay, tree, or something else he can find to hide (19 perception).
The two arrows fired by Lelith miss their intended target, but at least one was close. Both arrows did strike the pivoting apparatus on the head of the construct at least, sending a shower of blue and hot pink-purple sparks spraying in all directions. The Guardian sounded another alarm as it looked for the source of the arrow fire...
Updated Post Order
Unknown Combatant Guardian Rum Ro Oten Lelith Greko Tuto
Sword in one hand, flute in the other, Tuto stood daringly on top of Oten's head as he charged into the fray. Such a marvelous sight should be framed for the whole world to see. He will inquire his automaton friend on this later. Now, the regular pastime of sifting heads. Tuto spun 1080 on Otens head, playing his songs, then jumped down on his regular spot on Oten's back. (Tuto casts Bardic Inspiration on Oten, 1d8)
Sparks fly as the battle between the young woman and the Guardian continues. The Guardian's attention shifts as it tilts its eye toward Lelith. A targeting laser locks onto her and begins to flash...
Updated Post Order
Unknown Combatant Guardian Rum Ro Oten Lelith Greko Tuto
Rum watches two arrows thud into the armoured shell of the guardian causing sparks, followed by the stranger persisting in attacking one of it's legs with her sword, and decides to seize the moment.
He pounces from his position within the long grass and lopes across the short distance to the guardian. He doesn't stop there though, he carries on passed the legs of the guardian and up it's body to the pivoting apparatus, shouting a greeting to the stranger as he moves.
"Greetings, stranger. I hope you don't mind sharing your toy. Although they do have a tendency to explode if you are too rough with them", he calls down.
As he reaches the top, he punches the back of the eye, his lightning wreathed claws sinking in to give him a handhold and attempting to stun the guardian, and then he whips his foot around aiming to connect with the eye itself, his foot by contrast emanating an icy cold. It reacts really badly to the lightning, but the kick misses the mark.
He then gives a final lightning shrouded kick, once again pouring his Ki into the strike trying to stun the guardian, before jumping back off it and next to the stranger.
"It really doesn't like lightning. All yours", he says to the stranger, bowing and motioning at the now stunned Guardian.
Movement: 30 feet across to the guardian and up to it's pivoting apparatus Action: Attack: Draconic Strike 1 (with advantage as flanking): (16,18) +6 = 27 Damage: 6+6 = 12(lightning) (1 Ki point - Stunning Strike - DC 19 Con save or be stunned) - Saved! Draconic Strike 2 (with advantage as flanking): (5,6)+9=15 - Miss! Bonus Action: Draconic Strike 3 (with advantage as flanking): (10, 19)+9=28 Damage: 5+6 =11(lightning) (1 Ki point - Stunning Strike - DC 19 Con save or be stunned) - Failed! Movement: 10 feet back off the guardian and next to the stranger. Defense: Until he takes damage any attacks are at disadvantage against him Reaction: He does have reactions, will post again if applicable
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
In the brightness of the Guardian's flashing lights, you can see a childlike female humanoid in shiny, spotless black lacquered armor gritting her teeth in pain, as a result of her battle with the mechanical monstrosity. Her neck and throat, in particular, appear to be highly bruised and bloodied, evidence of her recent attack.
With a wink to Rum, she flips a graceful pirouette up to the top of the now-stunned Guardian, and stabs down with two shiny swords of an unfamiliar make-
The Guardian crackles and dies, its legs collapsing from beneath it as the construct goes down. The pink energy coursing over it shudders and goes out even as it tries one more time to sound the alarm.
The alarm doesn't come from the Guardian in their immediate path.
Instead, the one it had issues seconds before is answered from the other side of the castle in a series of three blasts.
With the Guardian taken down through their combined efforts, Lelith did not dally around and rushed toward Rumble and the unknown young woman of which they now had a clearer vision of. Well, at least she was human or she looked like one at least.
She was fighting the Guardian and it seemed more likely to be against the forces of darkness rather than with them, however, this did not mean they were to be trusted. Not even Oten had gotten that courtesy but then again, he was awfully suspicious to Lelith's eyes. Trust took time to be built and unfortunately, all of that trust can be destroyed in just a flicker.
"We'll have to make this short,more Guardians lurk around here and none of us would like to be met with a small group of them," Lelith opened up with the stranger.
"We are heading to the castle," Lelith did not deign to introduce herself or the others for the time being. "If that is your objective as well, you are welcome to come along. We will meet better results through strength in number. If the castle is not your destination, in which case, why are you even here? Scram."
Kaede quickly withdraws her daishō swords and in the blink of an eye, returns them to her scabbards. Upon Lelith's comments, she looks down her nose, as if it imply that she was figuratively (and literally) beneath her. "How dare you address me in such a manner." she sternly rebukes Lelith after he last 'scram' comment. After a moment to reconsider, she follows up with a nod, as if accepting their offer of joining them.
"That castle....is under my protection. Who are you, if I may ask?" she follows up with, in a much more gentle tone. She quickly hops off the now non-functioning Guardian, and begins to walk towards the farm.
Rum watches as the young lady dispatches the guardian in acrobatic fashion, wincing slightly with the expected explosion that doesn’t happen.
“So they don’t all explode”, he whispers happily under his breath as he smiles in appreciation of the skill on display.
He listens to the exchange between the stranger and Lelith, not at all surprised by his comrades attitude, and using the time to study the stranger. Attempting to glean the truth of whether she is friend or foe.
After the stranger speaks, he looks from what he can see clearly now is a bruised and blood covered young lady, to the smoking, devastated, castle.
“You are certainly impressive, but it does seem as though you could use some help, stranger”, he says amiably, showing his sharp cat teeth in a friendly grin.
“But forgive me”, he continues, placing his fist over his heart and inclining his head. “I am Rumble of Hunger, of Dragonclaw Island. Favoured of the Great Dragon. Chosen of the Childlike Empress and member of the Twilight Embers”.
"Shall we walk and talk?", he adds as he looks at the lady in front of him, eyebrows raising slightly with the hint of a nod, indicating it is her turn to introduce herself.
If all the Embers have caught up, he is happy to head towards the passage whilst further introductions are made.
Greko hears the commotion and pops up from the tall grass he was hiding in chewing on what looks like a Slim Jim but is made of vegetation and not mystery meat. He hurries across the field to his companions just in time to hear Lelith say her piece and head to the secret passage. "Ho, ho youngling. You may call me Greko the Green, Auryn barer of the Twilight Embers. The others are Oten, a mechanical marvel and wizard of technologies, the best I have never seen, the little fellow riding on Oten is Tuto, his music is an inspiration to all of our ears, and finally Ro of house Aleron, who Greko imagines you have seen before at court or maybe know of his family.... Please do not take offense with Lelith, she is does not trust easily and is very.....well I am sure you will see soon enough. Greko is not one to dawdle and get blown to pieces so as Rum says let's walk and talk."
As they walk and talk, Kaede nods her head ever so slightly (perhaps 1 to 2 degrees at most) in greeting as the others introduce themselves. She remains otherwise stoic and aloof, belying her noble origins. After a few moments of silence amongst the walking crowd, she finally opens her mouth to speak.
In heavily accented common, barely above a whisper, "I am....Lady Kaede Ashikaga. My father is Shōgun Ashikaga, ruler of Kings Landing. You shall address me as Lady Kaede."
Continuing, "My father...."
Silence
"My father..."
"...was Shōgun of Kings Landing. I am Hylian, sworn to protect my people. At least, I was Hylian. Until the Guardians attacked and massacred my people. My people. Including my father and six brothers."
Longer silence
Finally, through broken common, barely above the whisper of the wind, she adds "I am here, in the name of Shōgun Ashikaga-shi, to find any survivors."
After that, she straightens up ram-rod tall (barely a hair over 1.5 meters), and her stoic and placid demeanor reappears, but she cannot hide the tears that are streaming down her face.
She's just a little girl, living in a lonely world, their shadows searchin' in the night, livin' just to find emotion, hidin' somewhere in the night...
Greko listens to Lady Kaede speak as if she has command of the situation and smiles. He ignores the formalities she demands of them. He is Greko the Green one of the ranking members of the Istari. He never had a need for such formalities especially in the field. Seeing her tears stream down her face he pats her head and speaks. "There , there youngling. The Twilight Embers are here to help. We understand your pain. It is fortunate for you that the Twilight Embers are here. We have seen horrors over the land and have chased Ganondorf to the castle. We will aid each other as it seems our paths have crossed not out of mere circumstance but by fate. As hard as it is please tell us more of what happened at King's Landing. The captain of our boat was supposed to meet us there shortly....."
As they walk towards the secret passage and Lady Kaede tells her story, Rum regards her with a mixture of pity and respect. She has been through the toughest of times, and still such a young age. And yet she honours her family and takes on the burden of duty that comes with her bloodline. It is hardly surprising she finds comfort in the formality her position bestows.
He listens as Greko takes a paternal approach, wincing slightly as the old Lizardfolk's words take a rather tactless turn.
"I am sorry for your loss, Lady Kaede. You do your family honour by taking on the mantle of duty of your bloodline. If survivors there are in the city, we shall likely come upon them", he says nudging Greko and shaking his head slightly.
With that he scans the distance both ahead and behind them, aware that the alarm had been answered and that more Guardians were likely approaching.
Belying her tender young age, Kaede continues on, responding to Greko in an almost teacher/student form-
“King's Landing was conquered long ago by the Hyrule royal family when they first came into power after their descent from Skyloft (Celestia). Originally ruled by their own Shogun as a Samurai city state, once conquered, the Shogun devoted his life to the Hyrule's and the Samurai have been his loyal retainers ever since. They have always come to the aid of Hylia when she is in need. They have only fought on Hylian soil in the past, with the official military being the only forward element of the military and the Samurai working as an elite rearguard.
King’s Landing is more of a satellite of Hyrule Castle than anything else and isn’t actually a separate kingdom. It is the largest port city in all the world and is where all commercial trade routes converge for Hylia. King’s Landing has the ability to sail anywhere in the world and many merchants use it as their primary port and base of operations. It is not uncommon for King Randor to dock his navy there whenever Hylia is hosting military exercises with Eternia.“
As they near the farmstead, she suddenly quiets down and whispers “Lecture is over. Be on your guard!”
Greko listens to Kaede provide a history lesson. He stares incredulously at her not knowing who he is and more so the Istari. He is about to give her a history lesson of her own but instead blinks and walks away toward the farmstead
Lelith looked to be impassive and did not show any reactions as the young woman unveiled her history and tragedies. She decided to offer the young princess her own piece of wisdom. "What is past is past, you cannot redo it, nor go back to it. You have escaped that hell and still continued to live. You will need to accept your own actions on that day you lived, the day you now bear the greatest sin of them all, you lived while your loved ones died. All you can do now is look forward."
"I educated myself by cursing the heartlessness of the world. The world was cruel and so I made myself more heartless than it and used that as a weapon, trying to follow through on my ideals. That is where I stand, learn and /live/, Princess Kaede. Righteousness cannot save the world and it never will. Every life you save means there are others you are not saving." Though Lelith seemed to be speaking to Kaede, she was looking pointedly at Rumble and Ro. Lelith then turned back to Kaede. "This realm has become unspeakably ugly and we are, the Twilight Embers, here to cleanse it. I know not of the reasons you fight, whether it be vengeance or duty or some other reasons. I do not care. You now stand with us whether to the end or not. We care and look out for each other, though we may disagree, we are all companions here and will live and die to see our goals realized."
"I hope you will not disappoint." Lelith sneered as she looked up and down the human girl she towered over before turning away, she walked slightly ahead and made sure to convey she was not interested in further conversations.
When being introduced, Oten does not return Kaede's head nod, fractional though it may have been.
"I concur with Kaede,"He says in response to her statement about being on guard. "Our window won't last forever and I believe it best for us to be gone from here when the next guardian makes its pass. Thus I believe the history lesson has received no less an allotment of our time than necessary, and in fact has (by my estimation) received for more than that."
He holds a hand up behind Tuto to prevent the small bard from being dislodged from his back as Oten picks up his pace.
When they first met, Ro was put at ease to see the crest of the Royal Family on the back of Kaede's armor. If any of the band members were still cautious of Kaede, Ro would back up her claims on her loyalty to the Royal Family. As the band walked and talked, Ro introduced himself:
"I am sorry for your loss, Lady Kaede. The name's Ro Aleron. I'm sure it was hard to tell, but thank you for telling us your story. What your family has done for the Royal Family has always been a boon," the elf-dwarf placed a hand over his chest, "I, myself, come from a family of knights that serve directly under King Hyrule. Specifically, my parents serve directly under King Hyrule as part of an elite unit. My brothers and I follow in their footsteps to hopefully replace them one day... Your family's sacrifice will not be in vain; it is the Twilight Ember's duty to make sure of that. With your addition to our ranks, may the odds swing a little more in our favor."
"Ahem," a rough voice interjects into the conversation; its source seemed to be from behind Ro.
"Ah, and this is my companion Kazek," Ro says as he unlatches a strap from his waist and procures a spellbook. The cover seemed to be some sort of black leather and had a large purple jewel embedded in its center.
Two large ribbons attached to the spellbook's spine furled out, one of them waving to Kaede, "A pleasure to meet ya Kaede, the name's Kazek. As is plain to see, I'm a sentient spellbook. You can consider me Ro's caretaker. Must say, your presence is welcomed. Could use a fresh of breath air. Especially with all the drama from our resident ice que- ouch!"
"A-alright that's enough,"Kazek's statement was cut short by a quick jab from Ro who then secured the spellbook back onto his waist. The elf-dwarf then procured a potion of healing and offered it to Kaede, "If they have guardians patrolling the castle's vicinity, odds are we're to meet something nastier inside. Heal up while you can."
Greko watches the others dart way ahead except for Lelith who stops and fires an arrow at the guardian. Greko moves 30 feet in Lelith's direction but keeping space as to not get blown up by the Guardian's laser. He silently waits behind a bale of hay, tree, or something else he can find to hide (19 perception).
The two arrows fired by Lelith miss their intended target, but at least one was close. Both arrows did strike the pivoting apparatus on the head of the construct at least, sending a shower of blue and hot pink-purple sparks spraying in all directions. The Guardian sounded another alarm as it looked for the source of the arrow fire...
Updated Post Order
Unknown Combatant
Guardian
Rum
Ro
Oten
Lelith
Greko
Tuto
It is Tuto's turn
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Sword in one hand, flute in the other, Tuto stood daringly on top of Oten's head as he charged into the fray. Such a marvelous sight should be framed for the whole world to see. He will inquire his automaton friend on this later. Now, the regular pastime of sifting heads. Tuto spun 1080 on Otens head, playing his songs, then jumped down on his regular spot on Oten's back. (Tuto casts Bardic Inspiration on Oten, 1d8)
Sparks fly as the battle between the young woman and the Guardian continues. The Guardian's attention shifts as it tilts its eye toward Lelith. A targeting laser locks onto her and begins to flash...
Updated Post Order
Unknown Combatant
Guardian
Rum
Ro
Oten
Lelith
Greko
Tuto
It is Rum's turn
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Rum watches two arrows thud into the armoured shell of the guardian causing sparks, followed by the stranger persisting in attacking one of it's legs with her sword, and decides to seize the moment.
He pounces from his position within the long grass and lopes across the short distance to the guardian. He doesn't stop there though, he carries on passed the legs of the guardian and up it's body to the pivoting apparatus, shouting a greeting to the stranger as he moves.
"Greetings, stranger. I hope you don't mind sharing your toy. Although they do have a tendency to explode if you are too rough with them", he calls down.
As he reaches the top, he punches the back of the eye, his lightning wreathed claws sinking in to give him a handhold and attempting to stun the guardian, and then he whips his foot around aiming to connect with the eye itself, his foot by contrast emanating an icy cold. It reacts really badly to the lightning, but the kick misses the mark.
He then gives a final lightning shrouded kick, once again pouring his Ki into the strike trying to stun the guardian, before jumping back off it and next to the stranger.
"It really doesn't like lightning. All yours", he says to the stranger, bowing and motioning at the now stunned Guardian.
Movement: 30 feet across to the guardian and up to it's pivoting apparatus
Action: Attack:
Draconic Strike 1 (with advantage as flanking): (
16,18) +6 = 27 Damage: 6+6 = 12 (lightning) (1 Ki point - Stunning Strike - DC 19 Con save or be stunned) - Saved!Draconic Strike 2 (with advantage as flanking): (
5,6)+9=15 - Miss!Bonus Action:
Draconic Strike 3 (with advantage as flanking): (
10, 19)+9=28 Damage: 5+6 =11 (lightning) (1 Ki point - Stunning Strike - DC 19 Con save or be stunned) - Failed!Movement: 10 feet back off the guardian and next to the stranger.
Defense: Until he takes damage any attacks are at disadvantage against him
Reaction: He does have reactions, will post again if applicable
In the brightness of the Guardian's flashing lights, you can see a childlike female humanoid in shiny, spotless black lacquered armor gritting her teeth in pain, as a result of her battle with the mechanical monstrosity. Her neck and throat, in particular, appear to be highly bruised and bloodied, evidence of her recent attack.
With a wink to Rum, she flips a graceful pirouette up to the top of the now-stunned Guardian, and stabs down with two shiny swords of an unfamiliar make-
You then hear her swear in heavily accented common, almost unrecognizable but somehow familiar.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
The Guardian crackles and dies, its legs collapsing from beneath it as the construct goes down. The pink energy coursing over it shudders and goes out even as it tries one more time to sound the alarm.
The alarm doesn't come from the Guardian in their immediate path.
Instead, the one it had issues seconds before is answered from the other side of the castle in a series of three blasts.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
With the Guardian taken down through their combined efforts, Lelith did not dally around and rushed toward Rumble and the unknown young woman of which they now had a clearer vision of. Well, at least she was human or she looked like one at least.
She was fighting the Guardian and it seemed more likely to be against the forces of darkness rather than with them, however, this did not mean they were to be trusted. Not even Oten had gotten that courtesy but then again, he was awfully suspicious to Lelith's eyes. Trust took time to be built and unfortunately, all of that trust can be destroyed in just a flicker.
"We'll have to make this short,more Guardians lurk around here and none of us would like to be met with a small group of them," Lelith opened up with the stranger.
"We are heading to the castle," Lelith did not deign to introduce herself or the others for the time being. "If that is your objective as well, you are welcome to come along. We will meet better results through strength in number. If the castle is not your destination, in which case, why are you even here? Scram."
Kaede quickly withdraws her daishō swords and in the blink of an eye, returns them to her scabbards. Upon Lelith's comments, she looks down her nose, as if it imply that she was figuratively (and literally) beneath her. "How dare you address me in such a manner." she sternly rebukes Lelith after he last 'scram' comment. After a moment to reconsider, she follows up with a nod, as if accepting their offer of joining them.
"That castle....is under my protection. Who are you, if I may ask?" she follows up with, in a much more gentle tone. She quickly hops off the now non-functioning Guardian, and begins to walk towards the farm.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Rum watches as the young lady dispatches the guardian in acrobatic fashion, wincing slightly with the expected explosion that doesn’t happen.
“So they don’t all explode”, he whispers happily under his breath as he smiles in appreciation of the skill on display.
He listens to the exchange between the stranger and Lelith, not at all surprised by his comrades attitude, and using the time to study the stranger. Attempting to glean the truth of whether she is friend or foe.
After the stranger speaks, he looks from what he can see clearly now is a bruised and blood covered young lady, to the smoking, devastated, castle.
“You are certainly impressive, but it does seem as though you could use some help, stranger”, he says amiably, showing his sharp cat teeth in a friendly grin.
“But forgive me”, he continues, placing his fist over his heart and inclining his head. “I am Rumble of Hunger, of Dragonclaw Island. Favoured of the Great Dragon. Chosen of the Childlike Empress and member of the Twilight Embers”.
"Shall we walk and talk?", he adds as he looks at the lady in front of him, eyebrows raising slightly with the hint of a nod, indicating it is her turn to introduce herself.
If all the Embers have caught up, he is happy to head towards the passage whilst further introductions are made.
Insight: 6+8=14 (Passive: 18)
Greko hears the commotion and pops up from the tall grass he was hiding in chewing on what looks like a Slim Jim but is made of vegetation and not mystery meat. He hurries across the field to his companions just in time to hear Lelith say her piece and head to the secret passage. "Ho, ho youngling. You may call me Greko the Green, Auryn barer of the Twilight Embers. The others are Oten, a mechanical marvel and wizard of technologies, the best I have never seen, the little fellow riding on Oten is Tuto, his music is an inspiration to all of our ears, and finally Ro of house Aleron, who Greko imagines you have seen before at court or maybe know of his family.... Please do not take offense with Lelith, she is does not trust easily and is very.....well I am sure you will see soon enough. Greko is not one to dawdle and get blown to pieces so as Rum says let's walk and talk."
As they walk and talk, Kaede nods her head ever so slightly (perhaps 1 to 2 degrees at most) in greeting as the others introduce themselves. She remains otherwise stoic and aloof, belying her noble origins. After a few moments of silence amongst the walking crowd, she finally opens her mouth to speak.
In heavily accented common, barely above a whisper, "I am....Lady Kaede Ashikaga. My father is Shōgun Ashikaga, ruler of Kings Landing. You shall address me as Lady Kaede."
Continuing, "My father...."
Silence
"My father..."
"...was Shōgun of Kings Landing. I am Hylian, sworn to protect my people. At least, I was Hylian. Until the Guardians attacked and massacred my people. My people. Including my father and six brothers."
Longer silence
Finally, through broken common, barely above the whisper of the wind, she adds "I am here, in the name of Shōgun Ashikaga-shi, to find any survivors."
After that, she straightens up ram-rod tall (barely a hair over 1.5 meters), and her stoic and placid demeanor reappears, but she cannot hide the tears that are streaming down her face.
She's just a little girl, living in a lonely world, their shadows searchin' in the night, livin' just to find emotion, hidin' somewhere in the night...
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Greko listens to Lady Kaede speak as if she has command of the situation and smiles. He ignores the formalities she demands of them. He is Greko the Green one of the ranking members of the Istari. He never had a need for such formalities especially in the field. Seeing her tears stream down her face he pats her head and speaks. "There , there youngling. The Twilight Embers are here to help. We understand your pain. It is fortunate for you that the Twilight Embers are here. We have seen horrors over the land and have chased Ganondorf to the castle. We will aid each other as it seems our paths have crossed not out of mere circumstance but by fate. As hard as it is please tell us more of what happened at King's Landing. The captain of our boat was supposed to meet us there shortly....."
As they walk towards the secret passage and Lady Kaede tells her story, Rum regards her with a mixture of pity and respect. She has been through the toughest of times, and still such a young age. And yet she honours her family and takes on the burden of duty that comes with her bloodline. It is hardly surprising she finds comfort in the formality her position bestows.
He listens as Greko takes a paternal approach, wincing slightly as the old Lizardfolk's words take a rather tactless turn.
"I am sorry for your loss, Lady Kaede. You do your family honour by taking on the mantle of duty of your bloodline. If survivors there are in the city, we shall likely come upon them", he says nudging Greko and shaking his head slightly.
With that he scans the distance both ahead and behind them, aware that the alarm had been answered and that more Guardians were likely approaching.
Perception: 3+8=11 (Passive: 18)
Belying her tender young age, Kaede continues on, responding to Greko in an almost teacher/student form-
“King's Landing was conquered long ago by the Hyrule royal family when they first came into power after their descent from Skyloft (Celestia). Originally ruled by their own Shogun as a Samurai city state, once conquered, the Shogun devoted his life to the Hyrule's and the Samurai have been his loyal retainers ever since. They have always come to the aid of Hylia when she is in need. They have only fought on Hylian soil in the past, with the official military being the only forward element of the military and the Samurai working as an elite rearguard.
King’s Landing is more of a satellite of Hyrule Castle than anything else and isn’t actually a separate kingdom. It is the largest port city in all the world and is where all commercial trade routes converge for Hylia. King’s Landing has the ability to sail anywhere in the world and many merchants use it as their primary port and base of operations. It is not uncommon for King Randor to dock his navy there whenever Hylia is hosting military exercises with Eternia.“
As they near the farmstead, she suddenly quiets down and whispers “Lecture is over. Be on your guard!”
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Greko listens to Kaede provide a history lesson. He stares incredulously at her not knowing who he is and more so the Istari. He is about to give her a history lesson of her own but instead blinks and walks away toward the farmstead
Lelith looked to be impassive and did not show any reactions as the young woman unveiled her history and tragedies. She decided to offer the young princess her own piece of wisdom. "What is past is past, you cannot redo it, nor go back to it. You have escaped that hell and still continued to live. You will need to accept your own actions on that day you lived, the day you now bear the greatest sin of them all, you lived while your loved ones died. All you can do now is look forward."
"I educated myself by cursing the heartlessness of the world. The world was cruel and so I made myself more heartless than it and used that as a weapon, trying to follow through on my ideals. That is where I stand, learn and /live/, Princess Kaede. Righteousness cannot save the world and it never will. Every life you save means there are others you are not saving." Though Lelith seemed to be speaking to Kaede, she was looking pointedly at Rumble and Ro. Lelith then turned back to Kaede. "This realm has become unspeakably ugly and we are, the Twilight Embers, here to cleanse it. I know not of the reasons you fight, whether it be vengeance or duty or some other reasons. I do not care. You now stand with us whether to the end or not. We care and look out for each other, though we may disagree, we are all companions here and will live and die to see our goals realized."
"I hope you will not disappoint." Lelith sneered as she looked up and down the human girl she towered over before turning away, she walked slightly ahead and made sure to convey she was not interested in further conversations.
When being introduced, Oten does not return Kaede's head nod, fractional though it may have been.
"I concur with Kaede," He says in response to her statement about being on guard. "Our window won't last forever and I believe it best for us to be gone from here when the next guardian makes its pass. Thus I believe the history lesson has received no less an allotment of our time than necessary, and in fact has (by my estimation) received for more than that."
He holds a hand up behind Tuto to prevent the small bard from being dislodged from his back as Oten picks up his pace.
Rum notices Lelith’s pointed look and let’s out a little sigh as she explains where she stands.
“At least she’s not delusional. She knows she is heartless and far from righteous. And it is better we know that too”, he says after she walks away.
When they first met, Ro was put at ease to see the crest of the Royal Family on the back of Kaede's armor. If any of the band members were still cautious of Kaede, Ro would back up her claims on her loyalty to the Royal Family. As the band walked and talked, Ro introduced himself:
"I am sorry for your loss, Lady Kaede. The name's Ro Aleron. I'm sure it was hard to tell, but thank you for telling us your story. What your family has done for the Royal Family has always been a boon," the elf-dwarf placed a hand over his chest, "I, myself, come from a family of knights that serve directly under King Hyrule. Specifically, my parents serve directly under King Hyrule as part of an elite unit. My brothers and I follow in their footsteps to hopefully replace them one day... Your family's sacrifice will not be in vain; it is the Twilight Ember's duty to make sure of that. With your addition to our ranks, may the odds swing a little more in our favor."
"Ahem," a rough voice interjects into the conversation; its source seemed to be from behind Ro.
"Ah, and this is my companion Kazek," Ro says as he unlatches a strap from his waist and procures a spellbook. The cover seemed to be some sort of black leather and had a large purple jewel embedded in its center.
Two large ribbons attached to the spellbook's spine furled out, one of them waving to Kaede, "A pleasure to meet ya Kaede, the name's Kazek. As is plain to see, I'm a sentient spellbook. You can consider me Ro's caretaker. Must say, your presence is welcomed. Could use a fresh of breath air. Especially with all the drama from our resident ice que- ouch!"
"A-alright that's enough," Kazek's statement was cut short by a quick jab from Ro who then secured the spellbook back onto his waist. The elf-dwarf then procured a potion of healing and offered it to Kaede, "If they have guardians patrolling the castle's vicinity, odds are we're to meet something nastier inside. Heal up while you can."
Ro Aleron (Ro the Red) -> Illithid, Wizard 8 (Chronugist) // AURYN