Atomos: The Cerobi Steppe Part 1

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The weeks have been quiet, with only a few rumors making it out of Arhcades. The biggest one of note is a couple of airships have been sent out past Gran Ferra and never heard back from. The group has been tasked with getting ready to make a trip to the Akashic Library to do research. Fusoya needing time to translate the book and obtain the possible locations of where the party would need to search. The book as old as it is already marked as having locations not found on any modern day map.

The airship Enterprise has recently come back to port and letters requesting everybody who has been previously involved has been asked to come join. The drawing of the room of the ship is very crowded as everybody arrives. Professor Fusoya is sitting at a table reading over the book the party got from the Library of Memories. Cecil and his wife Rosa sit at the other side of the table waiting for everybody to arrive. Edward is playing a game of checkers with the young dryad girl Rydia. Somehow Snuggles, Rydias pet Malboro, is sitting behind her snoring quietly. In the back corner of the room in the shadows sits Edge. Kain sits at a table to himself watching the Malboro clearly not sure what to make of it. Anybody who arrives at the ship is shown to the room and offered refreshments and drinks.

Talen strides along through the aerodrome, slowing occasionally to read through a letter he holds. Eventually he finds his way to the Enterprise, where he pauses to view her. "Well, here we are again, my Hunter. Do you have it in you to forgive me once more for dragging you off somewhere once again." His grin belies the seriousness of the question, though his ears twitch nervously. "And I do promise to keep my bargains ... smaller this time around."

"It can perhaps be managed," Alba mutters behind her mask, an ear trained on the airship. "So long as my shaman keeps to his promise. Else, when next he returns to himself, he shall find he has left some of his ear along the way." With a quiet huff, she turns her mask toward the airship, hefting a brace of waterskins. "Come... let us descend into the belly of madness yet again."

Zhgir sidles down by Talen's side suddenly, bumping into the viera. The outrageously dressed arachnid could have passed for a bumbling merchant or a tailor, he had so many layers of the fabric that it was hard to even see his hand. "Don't worry, Zhgir will cherish it forever!" He whispers to the male viera and grins toothily - before continuing to mingle into the crowd, leaving a trail of clothes, gasps and yes, even screams in his wake.

The Viera are shown up onto the ship and lead into the drawing room. Cecil stands up and offers a nod, "Good to see you two again. I…" Coming to a pause as the outrageously dressed Zhgir makes his way in. "oh my. I thought Alfir was trouble enough." The young spiderling suddenly poking his head up over one of the Malboro's tentacles, "Alfir not trouble!" Then going back into hiding in the creature. Professor Fusoya glances up slowly, "Are you ready to head to the Akashic Library?"

Something clicks gently on the deck behind all of the people gathered aboard the airship in the professor's chamber, "I do hope you were not all planning to leave without me dears, kupo." stepping through the door from outside is a moogle lady. She is dressed in a crisp white dress, with a black cummerbund around the waist, a top hat delicately tipped atop her head from which her pom-pom emerges. In one hand she has ivory handled walking cane and the other is holding out a crystal and beribbonoed seal that glows gently. She pauses as behind her the door swings shut, a momentary glimpse of someother place, a temple, a statue of Mog, a circle of ritualists and then the portal winks out and it is just the rest of the ship. "I do apologise for being late," she walks forward gently, moving with more poise then one might usually expect from a moogle. "Alba how pleasent to see, Master Zhgir how nice and Talen as well, my this is a lovely gathering now isn't it." she stops before Professor Fursoya and holds out the seal, "My credentials, Moirane McLeod ne Rider, High Priestess of Mog from Emberstrand, my lord sends his compliments and my assistance to your endeavour."

Talen grins at the others and offers a nod to Cecil, and a grin to Alfir, and then turns on Zhgir. "What exactly did you mean out there? While you were terrorizing the crowd on your way in." He blinks then at the portal opening up, offering a glimpse of the internals of the Temple of Mog. "Oh. Uh. Moiraine, was it? High Priestess, I mean. How are you and your children doing?" The male Viera offers the woman a polite bow. NOP

"Moiraine, wife of my Captain," Alba greets the Moogle, inclining her masked head, then turning to regard the Professor. "I am not, Zhgir it is possible never shall be. But my Shaman is, and my Captain's wife, also. Thus, let us make haste."

Zhgir drops, with a firm thud, a firm load onto the floor - and as the cans, screwdrivers, icepicks and variety of other things begin to roll out along with the rolls of clothes, he /slowly/ leans back towards Talen. "Rabbit ear for luck, yes? Can Zhgir have it now? Zhgir thinks he needs all the help now." He then calls out to Alfir, "No! You are not trouble because trouble as a term has not been properly defined to adequately address the kind of activities you indulge in, Alfir! Poison the weak points, don't just hide behind tentacles!" He chides, sternly.

The entrance of the priestess earns reactions from nearly everybody in the room. Edge is suddenly gone from the corner and several of the others were getting up and looking worried for half a moment. The Malboro lets out a burp and continues to stay asleep. Rydia jumps up and rushes over to Moiraine and offers her a piece of paper, a childs drawing of Moiraine and her family. "Drew this for you!" Then runs back to her cheeker game and does a series of moves with a giggle, "King me!" Edward just staring and reaching up to rub his head, "Kupo..." Professor Fusoya looks at the seal and offers a smile, "We are glad to have you." Then turns his attention to Talen, "I have the first location from the translation. The Cardia Islands, or the dragon caves. Did not find them on any maps and that seems to be where the eldest brother went. The twins split as well where the male twin went to the Yahnikurm Desert, and the feamle went to the Mount Duergar." The professor sitting back down. Alfir peaks his head out again and peers at Zhgir, "Snuggles and Alfir friends! Rydia is Alfir's queen. Daddy Zhgir doens't need to approve!" Then sneaks back behind the Malboro and into hiding.

Moiraine says, "Thank you Talen dear, please Moiraine will do nicely," She adjusts her top hat, "I've left the children at home with Leetle, it's about time he spent some time bonding with them without me around to help with everything." she grins, "I've left a couple of strategically placed novices to rescue him in emergencies." she nods to Alba with a smile before focussing on Rydia and accepting the drawing, "Thank you my dear, that was very kind of you." she then turns her attention to the professor, tucking her seal away into her cummerbund and leaning on her ivory cane."

Talen looks about the room as different people speak up, and he nods at what Alba says first of all. "Indeed, as my Hunter points out, time is of the essence." As Zhgir leans in, the viera goes silent, an ear twitching oddly. "It's rabbit's foot for luck, as the saying goes, not Viera. And why would you want the foot of a rodent for luck... the rodent's now missing a foot and how is that lucky at all?", Talen whispers back to Zhgir before straightening once more. "So your suggestion is to head to the Cardia Islands first to try our luck?" He rubs his chin, his facial expression thoughtful. "I can't see why not." Moiraine gets a nod from Talen, and a grin, "I do wonder what condition the Doodlebug will be in when we return."

"It is simpler to arrive and leave from an island," Alba notes, settling down on her haunches next to an open chair. "Better to make speed and be slowed, then to begin slow and race to catch up. I would agree to find first the island, and seek its secrets."

Zhgir stares at Talen, then at his feet. "Zhgir will take foot, Zhgir is not picky." He then turns towards Alfir, making gestures with his hands, "But... but... she is queen!" He attaempts to mouth under his breath so that Rydia doesn't pick it up, before he finally lets out a long exhale.

Cecil stands up now and looks over the party, "Then you shall head to the Akashic Library and seeks where the Cardia Islands are, or at least where they used to be on some ancient maps there. We shall leave the trip details up to you. Also, it would be advisable to take one of us with you on your trip. We bring different skills to the table. The rest will head past Gran Ferra to find out what is going on there. Haste is needed, pick who you are going to take then get moving." Cecil sitting back down. Alfir calls out, "She hasn't tried to eat me, yet!"

The young girl squeels as she is picked and jumps up and climbs up on Snuggles, "Yea we get to go see uncle Rahmy!" Giggling she prepares to follow along with the group.

Moiraine says, "Well this will be interesting I am sure," she smiles softly at Rydia and her... malboror, "It is... nice to have you along dear kupo. I am sure we'll get to the end of this soon.""

Talen grins at the young girl's enthusiasm, and looks to the High Priestess. "Ah, Rydia, we have someone new for Snuggles to meet! This is Moiraine, High Priestess to Mog. Moiraine, this is Rydia. She's helped us out on previous legs of our journey." He looks to Alba, his ears twitching.

While one can't actually see Alba's eye twitch, the set of her shoulders is unmistakable, as is the way one ear flicks sharply out to the side. "Helped. Yes. This is what was done. ...Helped." As the Enterprise gets underway, the Viera settles down next to Talen, searching through her satchel for some bit of a dead thing to keep her occupied during the journey

Zhgir continues to make pointy gestures, that fall halfway, as Zhgir both opens, closes, splits, and then encroaches his mouth and mandibles alike. "You are not allowed logic anymore." He replies to Alfir, before with a grump he picks up his things from the floor with an exaggarated huff. "Zhgir will retreat to cargo box now."

The rest of the companions make their way off the ship and onto Kain's own ship to depart for Gran Ferra and beyond. Snuggles find a nice place in the cargo hold to sleep for most of the trip. Rydia wonders around all over the place and continously pokes her head inside doors asking what is going on. The trip to the port of Balfonheim takes several days. Alfir can be spotted on occasion wondering the ship barrowing things. He also has a key around his neck, which looks a lot like one of the ones Zhgir used to have. The comes to a landing in the port and the rest of the trip will have to be made on foot to the Cerobi Steppe. Cecil offers a wave to them all, "I am off to join the rest in Gran Ferra, good luck. You should have no problem getting a ship back here to Emberstrand. We will meet back up there in say two weeks?" With that said he takes the Enterprise and heads back west. Leaving the party in the city of Balfonheim to do last minute purchases and preperations for the jounry ahead.

Moiraine rests her cane against one shoulder, looking out at the city of Balfonheim, "It has been a very long time since I came here kupopo...." she turns to the others and smiles, "So.. what is the next step Talen? Alba? I'm still playing a bit of catch up here"

Talen enjoys the trip for the most part, chuckling at Alfir's and Rydia's antics most of the time. He waves to Cecil when they are dropped off, and nods vigorously to the man. "Good luck!" To Moiraine he grins. "We're off to the Library to see if we can't find the location of the Eldest brother. Amongst other things. There's a story to relate, which we can do along the way." He looks to Alba, and grins. "So now we hunt one of the most elusive beasts of all. Information."

Alba blows out a breath, rolling her eyes. "Yes, an exciting hunt it shall be," she grumbles. "A Library of the Spirit, and thoughts to be carefully guarded lest you step upon the path that drops you within a pit of forever, and a hunt where all is riddle and mystery..." The snort can be heard by all in the room. "But it is what my Shaman wishes, and I would not he walked alone."

Zhgir has, thankfully, left most of his 'belongings' in the said cargo box. Only thing he has is a finely crafted polearm and an orange cloack attached diagonally from his chest. "Zhgir thinks we should find the nearest sewer." There is a bit of a pause, before he adds, "Or a tavern."

Moiraine smiles softly and adjusts her hat and starts to walk forwards, "Yes.. Lord Mog said it would be a mystery, a tour and a head thinky type of journey. It has been some time since I got to go on a trip that required thoughts and brains. Usually it's go have dinner with the Archbishop, talk to the civic leaders, try to sneak to the bazaar to go shopping surrounded by temple guards and ninja. Drag the husband home, get interupted by the children." she clicks her staff and starts forward, heeled boots clicking, "It is nice to be out and on my own for a change and not surrounded by people. So lets go solve us a mystery."

Talen chuckles at Alba and shrugs. "I never said it would always be exciting. At least we're not on the knife's edge, a hair's breadth from death, yes? Sometimes boring is better, you get a chance to breath." He reaches around the female Viera's waist, and squeezes. "I am sure there'll be some excitement coming along, we do have the crazy bitch and the Archadeans to worry about, right? You'll be able to work out your frustrations on them." He looks to Zhgir and shakes his head. "Your tavern idea is miles better than your sewer one. Let's leave the sewers for last, if at all. No one is likely to recognize us right off in this place." The male Viera grins at Moiraine, and nods. "I hope that you will get some enjoyment out of this trip, even if it's technically business."

"Hn," Alba grunts, resting her head on Talen's shoulder. "My shaman should know, by now, that upon the knife's blade is where his hunter is most at home. All is simple, there; kill-run-hide-leap or die. If there are things to enjoy upon this journey, I think that they shall be in spite of it."

Zhgir spreads his hands, "But sewer is where all the action is! The life, the keys, the excitement! None of this... this." He gestures in vain towards the milling crowds, before, turns towards Moiraine. "Zhgir can take you there, yes?"

There is not much excitment in the port city. The streets are bustling with people coming and going, the tarverns are all crowded with plenty of drunk people. Rydia makes her way to the front gates almost immediently, not feeling comfortable in the city and Malboro's do not make good first impressions on most people. As the party gets ready to leave the city at the gates a stranger aproaches them. Wearing a straw hat and a dusty brown pancho. He lifts up his head and tips his hat. A piece of straw btween his teeth as he smiles to the group. "Leaving for the north are you, and a varied lot you are. Pilgrams I would say, and heading to the Cerobi steppe. Your going to need a guide then. Names Gau, and I am your guide."

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