Talaak stretches, feeling his injuries and the places where he was injured, healed, then injured again. When Vusgaar asks for a weapon, he tosses it to him without a word.

"We'll need to be moving. There are far too many of these creatures for my liking."

Ani would give Vusgaar a reassuring nod when he checks her over. As soon as he turns away, she'll mime out an exaggerated bodily exhale of relief. She's had better days. Anima would check over her wounds in detail as the shifter takes care of the Rakshasa. "My glass is about half full... okay maybe a smidge under half full. Positive to move forward none the less."

 With little more than a curt nod, Vusgaar finishes his brief and likely fruitless investigation. Once properly at everyone's side, he gestures to whoever had been in the lead to continue on, wishing just as much to be far from the place as everyone else. Or at least, far enough so that they might find a space to take a short rest in relative peace before having to press on south to home.

Fortunately, the rest of your journey is uneventful. You get out of the Tundra and return to the city, making your way to the central building, where Lady Shiharan quickly makes her way to the room. "How was the mission? You were gone quite a while, I hope you were able to discover the source of the Kalaak's change in movements?"

"We come bearing less than pleasant news to report." Vusgaar is the first to admit in perhaps surprise turn of events. "The Kalaak have drunken of the lies of Fiends promising power and the like. Specifically, Rakshasha wrapped in illusions, and acting as the 'Voice' of some greater power. The Chaos sowed had already turned the wild ones... the Tundra Shifters on one another. For a time, at least. Though since our involvement, they have been since given insight, and a focus." A barely perceptible frown touches his lips as he adds, "At least enough insight to seek a temporary unification of their own powers. But, it should not be relied upon alone. Not when fiends so actively stirring the trouble, and able to masquerade as they have been."

With that, he pulls out his notes and after a hesitant look to Demetrios and Ani, offers to Lady Shiharan. "A more hardline record of events. As things stand, they may keep the Kalaak suppressed. But given the fantacism, more experienced hands of our own should be considered."

Lady Shiharan listens and nods, taking Vusgaar's notes and looking at them. "I see. This is rather worrying. Anything else to add?"

Vusgaar looks to the others, and then back Lady Shiharan with the faintest look of confusion on his face. Then it hits him, and it takes every once of willpower resist the impulse to lower his head as he had seemed some of the others shifters did so. "No... Nothing that meditation and rest will not fix. Being away has been... taxing." He confesses as much. "Though might I ask if there will be another force sent out as recommended? If so, though it is unorthodox, the Qiku tribe at least will be amenable to limited association with us provided it is to eliminate the Kalaak at the time being."

"I cannot make any judgements at the moment. I will need to read your account fully and discuss with other Inspired and the il-altas before we decide on the correct course of action," Lady Shiharan explains.

"Then that should be all. Any information not currently in mind at the moment has likely been noted in the report; including notable information in regards to operatives we worked with in the field, and the informant in Sykarn that helped point us in the right direction." Vusgaar admits freely, having at least at some point asked the more involved with the last note for details about the conversation.

"I... no. That is all. Is there anything else you would need of us before we retire for the day?"

Lady Shiharan shakes her head. "No. I will summon you when we have decided how to move forward."

Ani will bow her head in thanks to Vusgaar for providing the summary and report on behalf of the group. She was definitely ready for an evening of rest and mediation.

Meiara felt relieved to be back in Riedra. Not only was the soil better to stand on than the Tashana Tundra, but being back in the presence of the Soothing Voice was well, soothing. She looked forward to going to sleep tonight.

When the meeting had been adjourned after a well spoken report given by Vusgaar, Demetrios gives a goodbye to his fellow Edgewalkers and wastes no time in getting to training. After his piss poor performance dealing with the last rakshasa, he had been mentally chiding himself the whole trip back to Riedra. It also didn't help that the quori spirit's words had been echoing in the back of his head the whole trip back, wondering why...

He simply had to train more. Physically and mentally.

Meiara trains to, going out into the wild, walking barefoot to truly connect herself with the land and the il-altas, before settling down in a particular spot, just communing with nature in an effort to increase her power.

You all separate and spend time on your own for the rest of the day and the next morning. But the afternoon after you give your report, Lady Shiharan summons you back to her office.

When you arrive, she's standing in front of a large map of the Tashana Tundra. "I hope you're ready to go back into the field, because we've got a vital mission for you," she says seriously. "After reading your report and discussing it with other Inspired, including Pathfinder Surasek*, we have agreed that something needs to be done about the Kalaak threat. We will be sending units of fire and air soldiers to the Tundra to work with the shifter tribes and deal with the threat head-on, but we need to deal with the leader in a...less direct way. That's what you'll be doing. Go, find your shifter contacts and use them to get the location of the Kalaak leader. Then deal with him or her. You have three days to prepare, and you can requisition items from Inspired supplies if you need to."

Lore: Pathfinder Surasek is the leader of the Unity branch called the Guiding Path. The Guiding Path chooses each Riedran's occupation and life partner. Lord Surasek is also the closest Riedra has to a single leader.

OOC: You guys have 3 days of downtime to prepare. You can requisition any mundane gear you want from Inspired supplies. You may also requisition one rare magic item or two uncommon items from Inspired supplies. If you want an additional common item, talk to me, and depending on what it is, I'll probably approve it.

Vusgaar eyes went wide at the mention of Surasek of all people. A moment later, the Ursine Shifter is listening with even more rapt attention than usual. With little more than a curt nod in acceptance of the parameters(as well as the traditional goodbyes upon being dismissed), Vusgaar could not have left the room sooner. His mind was positively abuzz over the mission, and the notice given by someone so far along the path.

For the next three days, the Shifter could not have been more devoted towards self-improvement; even in the realm of dreams. This time when the beast came for him in the dreams, no mere child awaited it. Taking inspiration from Lirika, and mustering his resolve, he turned to 'tear out the throat, and be done with it'. By the time he was done, the invisible chains that had so long weighed him down felt just a little lighter. So much so, that when he awoke, his physical form seemed almost changed by the experience. Gone was the litheness he had become used to in fear of the beast strength.

But the mental and magical restraints taught and made by his former guide was still there. Regardless, with the body freed, he redirected his dedication from one school of wizardy and thought for another, realizing perhaps that through artifice he'd reach the natural conclusion for the school. To that end, his former armor had been repurposed once more into a lesser magical item. Something for future Edgewalkers to make use of. The overall process left few opportunities  to converse or interact with the team. But the Catican would occasionally show up in his place if ever the group congregated over the three days, offering some support in place of the shifter.

Ani would simply blink in disbelief at the mention of Surasek. She did not expect to be a part of something that'll catch the attention of the higher-ups. Unsurprisingly, the changeling would follow Vusgaar and eventually Talaak's lead through the proceedings and dismissals.

Being the mirrorer that she was, she'd hover around the others on and off for the next couple days. When Ani wasn't trying to adapt to those around her, she decided she shouldn't avoid quiet time alone. She did dedicate her personal quiet time to meditation and prayer before trying her attempt at Demetrios' training routine she copied moons earlier.

During one of her outings Ani would try her luck at the shops, hoping for the thrill of a new addition to her gear.

She'd make a requisition for a couple items in time for them to be acquired before heading out on their next mission.

Demetrios had managed to mask his surprise at the mention of Lord Surasek, but he couldn't stop the knot forming at the pit of his stomach in nervousness and excitement. Nervous in fear of failing the mission (though it seems simple enough), yet excited at the promise of how they all would look under the lord's gaze had they succeeded. When they were dismissed, the paladin gives Lady Shiharan a respectful bow and bids his fellow Edgewalkers adieu to get straight to training.

He would amp up his training regimen as the days pass; focusing on bettering himself mentally and physically. When he would see Ani hover around, however, he would strike up idle chatter with her, even inviting her to train with him had she so wished (finding that it would be weird had she just... watched him train half naked for a while). He was very keen on making up for his failures with the last Rakshasa they fought. It will not happen again, he told himself, very much sure of himself after having picked up a few items available to him that the Inspired had so graciously gave them all access to. 

When the time came for them to all regroup, the elan seemed to be in much better spirits, even if his body was sore from all the rigorous training.

Talaak's face could have been mistaken for stone when Pathfinder Surasek was mentioned. He thanked Lady Shiharan for allowing him to serve before taking some time to train his body. With the new equipment requisitions, he chose a weapon that would make him more of service to his allies and more of a threat to his enemies, as well as potentially hastening his reincarnation. Against that latter end, he also claimed a superior set of armor, and spent his time accustoming himself to his new gear.

You prepare for your departure in each of your individual ways, and soon depart, headed back towards the Tundra. Your travel is rapid and relatively uneventful, as you stop every few days to resupply and nothing else. By the fifth day of travel, you've arrived back in the Tundra, passing a now heavily staffed fort on the way. Even in the start of the Tundra, you can see the signs of the Inspired push, as small camps have been arrayed in a line along the border, and the footprints and signs of patrols litter the landscape.

OOC: Assuming you guys are going to be looking for Lirika and her tribe, I will need a Survival from each of you. How well you roll, on average, will determine how many days it takes to find them. If you are doing something other than looking for them, let me know in the Discord, because it's been a bit and I definitely might have misunderstood your intentions. But provided that's your intention, roll some Survivals!