Call To Arms

[Rickter]

Frost 76th, 121 AoS

His mission was clear. The wolf stood fully donned with his Skyforged Raiment within the lobby of the Winter Palace, the expected guests to arrive being the volunteers who would could be an asset to the cause. Rickter knew full well the monumental task ahead of him, as well as the importance of time in seeing it through, and the wolf certainly looked a little weary for the lack of sleep that followed throughout the night. There had been serious preparation involved for the mission ahead, for Rickter had been tasked by Talon to seek out his now missing sister.

Kisorika was the sole cause of this mission and Rickter took that to heart, the stern eyes accentuated with that raccoon ring to hint at his minimal rest. Not only had he been overly concerned with preparing for the trip personally, he expected he would be charged to look after his own flock of comrades on this expedition. The wolf knew he would need to be ready to provide and protect them to the best of his abilities, yet, he also didn't plan for the fact his own personal companions were going to be outright involved also. Hannah he easily understood in regards to her involvement, she'd more so look out for him along the way, and help see the mission through as quickly as her talents would allow.

But this was a search and rescue into dangerous territory, and the weather conditions weren't entirely in their favor either. Which was why Telion's involvement created such anxiety when the wolf sat further into the velvet cushioned sofa. He twiddled his thumbs with his eyes toward the entryway into the lobby, the volunteers bound to walk in from the hall once they were greeted by the guard outside. One of the maids of the Winter Palace tended to the fireplace that gently heated the room, the lanterns above emitting brightly warm glows into the lobby of the reception room.

He remembered the number of times he'd started to visit here, and how gradual his involvement with Talon came not long after. As used to it as he had gotten, Rickter certainly didn't anticipate accompanying it with times like these as well. Thus while his beloved and his roguish companion finalized their preparations, and tended to the twins for the remainder of the evening, Rickter took to welcoming the extra help that they would have available when this mission started. Thus the wolf watched the doorway with an unyielding stare, his pointed ears soon picking up footsteps that gradually came to the room.

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah"

[Urs Wardell]

Frost 75th, 121

“It’s an opportunity,” Agatha said, “To learn.”

Urs read the letter again. A felled Kalzasi Airship and a missing dragon rider - a Novalys. An official request for Tower help. “Why me?”

She smiled. “You aren’t unskilled, Urs. An able surgeon who has a natural talent with Semblance?” She unfolded a scroll over her desk; a map of Karnor. “You’d be expected in Kalzasi, and soon. I would remind you, should you accept, that you’d be participating as a representative of the College of Sands.”

She drew a circle in red ink around the mountains that lay between Kalzasi and Zeraphesh. They’d be covered in snow so late in the season.

“There are rumors of Zaichaer efforts.”

Frost 76th, 121

Urs was swaddled in red; a fur-lined cloak dyed in Tower Red wrapped him. It was of the heavy sort, but apparently necessary given the expected weather. He carried a small bag, with his surgeon’s tools and various other things over his right shoulder.

Scalpels and knives and a bit of this and that. Sharp tools, sure, but a surgeon’s blades would only protect against death. They weren’t meant for battle.

It didn’t feel like enough, considering. A few secured vials of things that might help against frostbite. A small collection of bandages. A book that detailed various roots that could be scavenged to ease pain or ward against rot.

Spies and dragons and skyships. It all seemed too grand a story for someone like him.

His boots clunked hard against the marble floor.

“Are you Rickter?” Urs asked, coming through the open doorway. He carried the letter sent to the Tower requesting aid; Agatha had added her own letter, as well, explaining the College of Sands decision to send Urs.

[Nnerka]

Well. Nnerka had not thought much of seeing Hannah again. If anything, the presence of the woman had been almost welcome. The last time they had met had resulted in Nnerka having to wander through a sewer system, but there had been some margin of entertainment and that was certainly part of what had kept the fae from outright turning the woman away. Until she was given another cryptic message and Rickter was mentioned. Wilderness and the wolf had not always been a good mix, but perhaps this one moment would remedy the past experiences.

No such luck. The atmosphere was heavy as she entered the winter palace, directed by servants who moved in a flurry. Not quick panic, but coming in close to what that might look like. She’d not bothered herself with visiting the abode of royalty — hadn’t even thought of it, really. It wouldn’t compare to a well-webbed home, after all. Still didn’t now, but. That was not the point of her being there.

The point was that she’d been invited on a trek into the woods and the company she was met with was less than pleased. She’d seen the look Rickter bore before. A worry that sank deep, held down by a sense of responsibility. Her Mother had worn it well. Rickter — not so much.

“You look like shit, puppy.” Playful was her tone, as she placed a hand on her hip. Her legs — not two, but six — carried her closer. She spared a glance to the others as they presented themselves, less interested in them by the minute and more in their leader. “If twins are a handful, I wonder how’d you have fared if your human girl had given you a full litter.” The titter of laughter, too bright for the mood that she didn’t care much about.

One hand in her hair, the other two crossed under her chest. “But, really, Rickter you look like a mutt that doesn’t want to play in mud anymore and I haven’t seen this many people in a panic since Khanti’s wedding party went out for a bite.” The memory of it had her brows raising, the barest quirk of a smile on her lips. “Hannah wasn’t very forthcoming with the details, so if you would be so kind as to fill me in on what our trek into the woods is for — because it certainly isn’t for a hunt.”

[Rickter]

He watched as volunteers filled the room one after another, the first to arrive being a guy with a fur-lined cloak dyed a rich red. The wolf eyed him curiously when the male entered, his sharp features leading Rickter to ponder the amount of food this poor guy ate. Or lack of perhaps? There was a difference between lanky and pure starved, and while he didn't suspect the brown-haired individual was malnourished exactly, he couldn't help but feel the guy needed some good meals to pack on his own winter coat.

When the question came as to whether he was indeed the man bearing the name, the half-breed straightened in his chair and gave a single firm nod to the new arrival. "...Welcome to the Winter Palace." He greeted after to finally break the continuous air of silence, his weary blue eyes darting from the new arrival to the second that entered the reception area. While he had no actual intel on who would be showing, he at least knew to expect a few faces of familiarity within this meeting. And with the preparations for the expedition well underway, all that would remain is the volunteers assembling here to prepare for the journey to come tomorrow.

Thus when Nnerka was the next to enter and join them, the wolf's eyebrows only slightly rose, before a minor ease in his shoulders matched with a faint smile toward the Fae. Indeed when she arrived the quick observation on his state of appearance received a short huff of amusement, as Rickter leaned even further into his chair before he responded to the statement. "The twins aren't so bad, not unless they're rambunctious throughout the night." He wouldn't admit or deny anything in regards to the banter of poor Telion, for it was bad enough the wolf dreaded the possibility of her death from just the twins alone. Indeed... having a full litter of pups would've likely ended horrible, and for what little it was worth, the wolf somehow appreciated his more humanly aspect for that.

Regardless of the possibility of pups, the state of his familial affairs was the last of his concern at the moment. What had obviously driven him to such tired lengths was nothing more than the expedition itself, and the amount of time and energy he had to dedicate to prepare the extra tools needed ahead. Those scrolls were meant for him after all, and he still had quite a few left to finish before they were all prepared for the journey. "Playing in the mud was never my thing anyway. I will say though all this hurrying about is not without cause," he remarked with a minor aversion of his eyes to the table centered between the seating furniture, "we've volunteers left and right scrambling to help finish the preparations... but the expedition itself is where it'll be tough."

He then gave Nnerka a weary but warm glance before his eyes moved to another, as a black-cloaked man with dark hair and a very familiar pointed mustache entered the room. Trevor was here now. "Nice of you to come."

"Well, when your best friend insists you help out with an expedition; it's best to be punctual with your arrival after all." At his remark Rickter could only chuckle, briefly, as the firm corner of his lips loosened into a minor smirk.

"Well now... if this is everyone answering the call, then we can start the meeting right away." He reasoned as the wolf looked around to see who all had attended, his eyes lingering on each person in the room for only a moment, before he focused back toward the center of the room. "Hannah's directive was to reach out to people she believed would be an asset. All of you present were called here because of the news about the Merry Behemoth, and the urgent need to perform a search and rescue for any missing survivors."

The grim stare in his eyes was accentuated by the dark circles beneath them, his gaze increasing with firm tension as he gripped the legs of his pants thoughtfully. "However due to the blizzard tracking the wreckage will be difficult, which is why we need extra hands with the search and rescue effort." The first his eyes moved back up to was none other than Nnerka, their determined gaze unwavering as he addressed her roles in this matter. "I'm only familiar with a couple of people in this room as well as what they can do. Nnerka, you and your family are considerably talented Fae. We could use any help you and your mothers would provide, be it silk for extra protection against the cold or even eyes for searching the area."

The wolf's eyes shifted to a linger on the black-cloaked mage next. "And you Trevor are a Traverser, we could use that expertise to establish a base of operations. With your help, you can portal the rest of the expedition to our starting point, and provide a means of returning any found survivors back to Kalzasi." The rest of those within the room received another round of glances, before the wolf shifted his upper back into the cushion of the seat. "As for the rest, I'd like to know what sort of skills you all have. Whether it's hunting, foraging, or even survival. We need people in the field that can help keep this base of operations running for as long as possible."

Thus he allowed the rest of those within the room the chance to share their piece on the matter.

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah" "Trevor"

[Urs Wardell]

It was a solid collection of folks. Urs hadn’t worked with Fae, not directly, but Agatha and Mother were fond of their ilk. The Traverser, also, would be extremely helpful in this expedition. He suspected was just as competent. He doubted the College of Sands would send him somewhere he’d be at too much of a risk - he wasn’t especially able, as a combatant.

“I’m Urs Wardell - and here on behalf of the College of Sands,” he said, “Agatha Visser is my sponsor, and mentor, with the Red Robes.” There, that was how he’d practiced his introduction with Agatha. Clear and concise. Leave no room for confusion as to who he was and what he represented.

As for the rest…

“I’m practiced in Necromancy, Scrivening, Semblance, and Summoning - although I’m far more able with Semblance than I am the others,” he said, thinking. He’d used the correct names - Tower names, for magic. Not the ones he’d grown up with. Better, probably, to give a more professional aura than one of someone who’d grown up in the Midden.

“I’m also a surgeon at the Tranquil Gardens. I am practiced enough that I should be more than able to provide any necessary medical assistance while we’re out on the expedition, although I hope that isn’t necessary.”

That was it, he thinks. There weren’t any other skills worth mentioning.

“Is there anything, in particular, I should be watching out for?” Urs asked, suddenly. Probably a better idea to prepare. “If I have some idea, I’ll be much better suited to catch whatever it is, while we’re out and about.”

But once those were ready he was prepared to leave.

[Shuai Chisuo]

The political alignments of House Chisuo in Kalzasi were no secret which should not make it too much of a surprise that they were quick to send a representative of their own to the Winter Palace as soon as news of the latest had reached their door and, quickly Shuai did reach the Winter Palace on the back of his bodyguard Ruborudean who could reach quite the speed. The son of House Chisuo is normally less inclined to join large scale efforts motivated by politics, something those familiar enough with him would be aware of upon seeing him but, why not him? The entire enterprise was something obviously of interest to him and even if he did not know all the details, it was obvious that Shuai was raring for a fight if he had even brought his bodyguard with him. With Rickter using any resource he could, even going as far as including the assistance of the Fae; all to brave a storm, beat up some scum, get some rewards and, oh yeah, save some people made its importance obvious- the latter especially, always important or at least, always important according to all the bright eyed nobles of Kalzasi.

However what was important to Shuai was the part they would be able to beat up some scum and get some rewards, a straightforward condition with his remuneration all laid out. Of course hearing the ways other people could contribute especially when compared to him and Ruborudean, simply mentioning they would only be good at beating up on any wildlife or adversaries they might meet while they are out there did seem lacking. Maybe he should mention he could help feed some negation wards if paired up with someone else? That always seemed useful at least according to his bodyguard who had joined enough of these large scale engagements. Actually recalling who they would be serving under, Shuai decided against it because there was no way he would be able to compare.

Definitely not going to volunteer himself as a negation made which brought them back to the idea that was going to be all about the fight which both he and his bodyguard would most definitely be able to contribute to with all the others since going by conventional wisdom, it is the act of surviving which would be the most noteworthy one of all in the end. Being what would most likely be the most common contribution for most however, Shuai decided there was no reason to state the obvious, not with him and his bodyguard being there already ready for the fight unless they were asked and hopefully, asked with more specific details about what they were getting into.

[Chronicle]

Name: All Participants

Points: 8
Magic: These points cannot be used for magic.
Knowledge: 0 Lore Points
Injuries: N/A
Loot: N/A

Sorry this fell off my radar, not really a lot I could reward except for participation!