Most Recent Game Logs

Temporary synopsis: We rode on the boat for a long time, maybe talked about some stuff ... oh, yeah, Iruka was approached by that elemental scam artist who held up the boat for a bit and offered us really bad business deals. And then we got off the boat (the crew figuring they'd never see us again), wandered through the woods for some time, and finally came upon Lord Dusk's palace. We hid for a bit, talked a couple of dumb giants into letting us in to talk to the boss, asked after the unicorn, and were invited to view a "performance" that evening. We pretty much decided to look for some animal that we could trade for the unicorn (meaning one he would want but didn't already have). And Iruka cast his new spell, Stormwind Rider.

This story had the Circle entering a small fishing village near Nexus to find a boat. While waiting for the boat, Valder and company probably caused an incipient baby boom. Once they had negotiated passage on the boat, Valder stumbled across a dead body in the dead of night. After investigating the sailor's death, the cause was determined to be an air elemental, who was searching for its mate and killed the sailor when he wouldn't (or couldn't) tell it where she was. Further investigation determined that the female elemental was manifested in the body of the single female sailor aboard. Lisori got a chance to shine as she was responsible for discovering the nature of the female elemental's situation and later negotiating her return to the male elemental.

After riding out of Nexus on the horses provided by the Emissary, the four erstwhile Solars (who still aren't aware of what they all are, although Iruka has his suspicions) realize that it will take them months to reach their destination by this method of travel.

Iruka tries to open up some dialogue by suggesting they all describe what they are good at, so that they might know one another's weaknesses. He demonstrates his Sorcery for them (especially Valder and his gang) by animating one of Valder's arrows. After Valder blurts out something about Iruka's "stick", the others become interested to see what the Westerner is hiding beneath the blanket. So Iruka shows them his lance.

Meanwhile, just East of them, a group of people is making camp before a fire. Their leader, a woman, is dressed in ceremonial blue and gold garb and has tresses the color of Orichalcum. She faces the setting sun and calls out in Old Realm for its blessing of knowledge and such. Riding slowly out of the sun's glare, Iruka responds for the group in the same language, "Ask, and ye shall recieve".

The woman is Tifret, a Zenith caste priest of the Unconquered Sun, and fifth member of the expedition (as demonstrated by her possession of another scroll from the Emissary. The group decides to camp together for the night, and ride with Tifret on some mission she planned to go on the next day.

During the night, Iruka and Tifret attempted to talk with those of the group who didn't know or accept what they are (Valder and Lisori respectively).

The next day's mission consisted of stomping a non-guild slaver caravan flat after they had illicitly taken a farmwife's husband and child from their home.

Then there was a beginning of an understanding between Lisori and Iruka, who share the common situation of loving a member of the Dragon-blooded.

Hiko Iruka and Sesus Lisori entered Nexus more or less simultaneously from two different directions.

Iruka arrived leading his pack mule, Baka, to which a long, blanket-wrapped object was attached. He was having a great deal of difficulty. Near the docks, he passed a rabble of teenagers on the street that were passing the day by getting stoned on the edge of their turf. Their leader was a kid named Valder.

After conversing with Valder for a few minutes (since Baka seemed intent on not moving) and getting a recommendation for an inn that he was certain was a prank of some sort, Iruka moved on. Baka continued to refuse to cooperate right up until the moment that Lisori's small entourage stepped off their boat in front of him, then he surged forward, pushing Iruka into her. Thus Lisori and Iruka were introduced, and quckly parted ways after Lisori got the mule moving with ease.

As the three principles parted ways, there was a scream across the street. A girl on the street had been grabbed by another gang of thugs, and was being hauled into the warehouse from whence they had come.

Valder, annoyed at the incursion, produced a wooden bow and commenced to attacking. He wounded the guy who had the girl in hand, and the guy's companion turned to face this threat. During this, Iruka had removed the blanket shrouded object from Baka's side, and seeing an opportunity, rushed in behind the distracted thug to remove the girl to safety. However, he neglected to consider that the girl wouldn't know which side he was on, and when she looked about to scream, he released her. Lisori, also not knowing what side he was on, took the girl in another direction. Iruka followed.

When more thugs came outside to see what the problem was, they emerged right near Iruka. Half-turning to see what the new noise was, Iruka's blanket-wrapped burden caught the two lead thugs under the legs, causing them to flip over into the thugs behind them, who had in the meantime caught the object in the face. The entire batch of thuggy reinforcements went down in a tangled heap in the doorway.

Later, Valder had taken to Iruka after his assistance, and was leading him to an inn (a different, better one than he originally recommended). Lisori had escorted the girl home, and as it turned out, wound up at the same inn.

Iruka took his belongings to his room (and had to show the object in the blanket to Valder. It was a really large Lance, filligreed with a brilliant golden metal, and socketed with one huge gemstone.) Afterwards, everyone ate. After some conversation, a herald came in and handed scrolls to Valder, Iruka, Lisori, and a woman that none of them knew. Valder could not read his.

The scrolls were all summons from the Emissary of Nexus to appear before him. At Iruka's prompting, they had some debate about why they were being summoned. Lisori was fairly obvious, as she was headed that way on a diplomatic mission already. Valder thought it was a hoax and an ambush. Jaslyn was silent.

As it turned out, the Emissary wanted to contract their help. In return for their aid in retrieving a rare animal known as a Unicorn from the kingdom of an individual known as Lord Dusk, he would do what he could to supply something that each of them wished. Valder wanted a bucket of jade, Lisori wanted diplomatic concessions for the realm, and Iruka wanted Naida's Chalice. There was, however, supposed to be a fifth member, and part of the agreement was that they all had to travel.