Quote from Weslockes >>

(OOC: Either way, it'll work.) 

Kyvir, you climb up and away, valiantly struggling to the finish --- in this case, the warm sky above you and ground below. You roll Milla out onto the ground, where she lies for a few seconds, eyes open, breathing heavily. She coughs once, twice, then spits out a stream of dirty water --- vibrantly all the greens and blues of the murkiness below. 

Then, she reaches up and draws you into a hug. "Thank you," she whispers, slightly crying. "Thank you."  

 
Kyvir slowly shifts in her arms back into his normal form, keeping his arms at his side as he get's a hug... Physical affection is not something he's used to or comfortable with, but he's too polite to push her away.

"It's okay... I didn't do anything anyone else wouldn't have done... I'm just glad you're okay."

Kravik had mostly listened during the journey, letting Aydlott's conversation with Vulcan flow naturally while he took in the landscape. The contrast between the dark pines and the flowering fields spoke to him -- different elements existing side by side, each contributing to the whole. Balance, even in the countryside.

As the farmer approaches with his pitchfork, Kravik takes note of the man's impressive stature. Seven feet is tall by human standards -- exceptionally so -- but Kravik still stands nearly eight inches above him. He's careful not to loom, keeping his posture open and non-threatening. The farmer's defensive stance with the pitchfork suggests he's had trouble recently, and the last thing they need is to appear as more of it.

While Aydlott handles the introductions, Kravik offers a respectful nod, his scarred hands visible and empty at his sides. Ten gold for pest control seemed steep when the waitress mentioned it. Looking at this place now—the careful cultivation, the variety of crops and flowers, the clear pride in the land -- he suspects whatever's plaguing Heart-break Farm is more than ordinary vermin.

"My daughter, eh?" he replies to Aydlott, a reminiscent glimmer growing in his eye as he looks skywards. "I haven't heard from her in a while. Did she seem alright?" he asks, an anxious, fatherly look on his face. "Was she doing alright?"

Milla looks back at Kyvir. "No, anyone else would have run for help. You saved me." She stands up, offering you a hand. "And I'm sorry for giving you a hug there. Just needed to show some affection other than the drink I'm about to buy you." She begins to run off towards the town, already unfazed, laughing. "Come on, Ky! Let's get a drink like friends!" 

Kyvir looks down to Ember, shaking his head in a playful disbelief...

"How is it we ended up in such a friendly town Ember? Come on... We should follow, don't want to come off rude."

Ember leaps around Kyvir for a moment before they both follow off behind Milla.

Kravik glances at Aydlott, giving him the space to answer first since he'd spoken with the daughter more directly. But the farmer's concern is genuine, almost painfully so, and Kravik finds himself adding quietly, "She seemed well. Spoke fondly of you... eager to help connect us so you'd have the assistance you need."

Aydlott nods. "She's doing great," he says. "Really seems to enjoy her work. Definitely thinking of her family." Internally, he struggles to remember what she even looked like, as he was a bit tipsy at the time.

(OOC: Hi, all. Wanted to bring this to your attention, since this is some bad DMing on my part. I’ll be posting normally tomorrow, but there’s been some big issues coming up in my life recently. The next week or so after tomorrow will probably be me sporadically to not posting at all. Again, super sorry.)

OOC: No worries at all Wes, I hope works out, take as much time as you need!

Quick question to anyone, can y'all see my last post, because I may have done something wrong?

Quote from Just_A_Dude1 >>

Tobias looks up into the sky, no grin or smile but pure determination, and nods in appreciation even though he know the man can no longer see him. Tobias then repeats the words the winged man said to him,

" "She was traveling north" Did he say that like she is traveling on her own accord or the ones who took her are traveling north with her."

Tobias shuffles in his pocket and pulls out a small silver coin, One side is etched a spade and the other a heart. He looks at the side with the heart and says 

"Lira what did you get into"

He then heads north towards the town the winged man directed. 

(OOC: this is the last one I see)

(OOC: Yup that's it. I was playing with some setting before I posted that and worried it may have messed with it. Looks like its all good. Thank you!!)

The farmer bows his head. "Well, I'm sure you know what's happening here," he says, turning away to poke at some weeds with his pitchfork. "She told you?" 

Milla and you have a fine time at the tavern, drinking a nice bit of ale ---- although it feels a little bit wrong, it's the calmest you've been in a while. You laugh and sip late into the night, chatting about all sorts of things. "Well, Ky, I can't thank you enough. You saved my life, you did my work, you're sharing a drink with me. Thank you," she says at some point, the most sincere she's been in hours. "You're the best friend I've got."

Quote from Just_A_Dude1 >>

(OOC: Yup that's it. I was playing with some setting before I posted that and worried it may have messed with it. Looks like its all good. Thank you!!)

(OOC: You're welcome!) 

Kravik glances at the others, then gives the farmer a curious look. "No, not really. She just told us that you had some work you needed help with, and a possible pest problem. She also mentioned 10 gold, so it must be some pest problem."

"Ah." The farmer dips his head, chuckling. "Well, friend, you're right there. This is certainly some pest problem. Come and see." He waves his hand, and you follow, over the sun-kissed hills to the rolling fields beyond. 

Far away, the mountains provide a backdrop for the entire scene --- the grays and whites of the rock and snow contrasting starkly with the golden hues of crops on rolling hills, small copses of trees dotting the landscape. He gestures out towards the east, towards the mountains. "This farm was named for the heartbreak I suffered after losing my wife. It'd break my heart again to lose all this."

"Every few days, as the sun sets, they come out of those damned mountains. Ignoring everywhere else, just coming here, of all places. These - well, giant locusts, I suppose - it's almost as if a plague's descended upon here. And they come, ravaging the crops-" here, you see a blackened section of fields, standing out from the others, "-and they work on one section, until it's fully dead. Then, at the end of the night, they leave, as if their shift was over." 

He runs his fingers through his hair. "Maybe wait on committing," he says. "They don't seem like much, but they can pack a punch." He motions to his arm --- and you suddenly notice a wrap, gauze tightly bound around his wrist. "Let's see if they come tonight, and then you can decide if you want. Now come! Dinner's ready!" he says brightly, as if he wasn't just talking about massive bugs preying his land.

Quote from Weslockes >>

 

Milla and you have a fine time at the tavern, drinking a nice bit of ale ---- although it feels a little bit wrong, it's the calmest you've been in a while. You laugh and sip late into the night, chatting about all sorts of things. "Well, Ky, I can't thank you enough. You saved my life, you did my work, you're sharing a drink with me. Thank you," she says at some point, the most sincere she's been in hours. "You're the best friend I've got."

 
"I'm glad I can be a friend to you Milla... Although I think that may be the ale talking. But if you do need anything else, feel free to let me know, I'll help however I can..."

Ky, feeling a little awkward, will make his way out of the tavern after finishing his food. Giving Milla a quick, awkward goodbye hug, then making his way back to where he was staying.

"Well, I won't say no to dinner!" Kravik moves to follow the farmer, glancing at the others to be sure they're coming.

Quote from Beginner_Bots >>

Quote from Weslockes >>

 

Milla and you have a fine time at the tavern, drinking a nice bit of ale ---- although it feels a little bit wrong, it's the calmest you've been in a while. You laugh and sip late into the night, chatting about all sorts of things. "Well, Ky, I can't thank you enough. You saved my life, you did my work, you're sharing a drink with me. Thank you," she says at some point, the most sincere she's been in hours. "You're the best friend I've got."

 
"I'm glad I can be a friend to you Milla... Although I think that may be the ale talking. But if you do need anything else, feel free to let me know, I'll help however I can..."

Ky, feeling a little awkward, will make his way out of the tavern after finishing his food. Giving Milla a quick, awkward goodbye hug, then making his way back to where he was staying.

 OOC: Wes I think right here would be a fun time for me to run into Kyvir on his way out of the tavern as I head into the tavern. Unless you have a plan for me. 

"That looks awful," Aydlott observes, shaking his head. "Everything we have is so ephemeral, isn't it?" he says broodingly. "Well, good farmer, I'd be happy to camp out here tonight and get a look at these locusts. Right off the top, I think we don't want to try to set fire to them. As effective as that might be, it'd take your crops with it." Aydlott sighs. Heartbreak farm. I should have been a farmer.

Quote from ConstancePhokas >>

"That looks awful," Aydlott observes, shaking his head. "Everything we have is so ephemeral, isn't it?" he says broodingly. "Well, good farmer, I'd be happy to camp out here tonight and get a look at these locusts. Right off the top, I think we don't want to try to set fire to them. As effective as that might be, it'd take your crops with it." Aydlott sighs. Heartbreak farm. I should have been a farmer.

At Aydlott's mention of not using fire, Kravik feels a flash of heat in his chest—an ancestral pull, almost instinctive. Fire cleanses. Fire purifies. Fire solves this. The thought comes unbidden, carrying with it the weight of generations of Fire Giant blood, the same impulse that had burned through his control when he was twelve and destroyed his clan's food stores.

He pushes the feeling down firmly, drawing a slow breath. Fire is a tool, yes—powerful and necessary. But not every problem requires flame. Aydlott is right: fire would consume the locusts and the crops together, leaving nothing but ash and more heartbreak for a man who's already suffered enough loss.

Balance, he reminds himself, his scarred hands flexing at his sides. Fire has its place, but so do air, water, and earth. This requires a different approach.

The pull fades, replaced by calm certainty. His oath demands he think beyond his heritage, beyond the easy answer that sings in his blood. The locusts are a plague, yes—but they can be dealt with without adding devastation to devastation.

He refocuses on the farmer's words, on the blackened fields and the pattern of the attacks. There will be a solution here. One that doesn't require him to give in to the fire that always whispers at the edges of his control.

Quote from Just_A_Dude1 >>

Quote from Beginner_Bots >>

Quote from Weslockes >>

 

Milla and you have a fine time at the tavern, drinking a nice bit of ale ---- although it feels a little bit wrong, it's the calmest you've been in a while. You laugh and sip late into the night, chatting about all sorts of things. "Well, Ky, I can't thank you enough. You saved my life, you did my work, you're sharing a drink with me. Thank you," she says at some point, the most sincere she's been in hours. "You're the best friend I've got."

 
"I'm glad I can be a friend to you Milla... Although I think that may be the ale talking. But if you do need anything else, feel free to let me know, I'll help however I can..."

Ky, feeling a little awkward, will make his way out of the tavern after finishing his food. Giving Milla a quick, awkward goodbye hug, then making his way back to where he was staying.

 OOC: Wes I think right here would be a fun time for me to run into Kyvir on his way out of the tavern as I head into the tavern. Unless you have a plan for me. 

(OOC: You've...kind of guessed my plan lol.)

As Tobias heads back towards the tavern, confused and wondering, he's completely lost in his thought as he...out of nowhere, runs into someone. Ky feels the ground rushing up to him as he shouts, falling backwards. The two of you land on the sidewalk, winded, getting up in confusion.