Far From Home (IC)

[NexusX]

"Then you have my thanks as well," Klutarkes said, a bit confused. "But what has happened in my ... absence? Should we return to the others, T'Sarreth, or continue following the map?"

[nightwing]

"I don't think your in a condition yo go anywhwere," T'sarreth replied.

[NexusX]

"What are you talking about?" Klutarkes said, trying to downplay his condition, not wanting to be a bother to T'Sarreth. "I'm fine," he said, and leaned against the wall casually. He whinced slightly with pain and looked away for a moment. "Well, you're probably tired from the climb up here. You aren't looking so good yourself. Here, let me lay hands on you and then we can perhaps rest in the barbarian's cave and decide there."

"I'll be right back," the Nehi said, "You go and rest. I know of the place you speak of. I'll be along shortly."

[nightwing]

T'Sarreth refills his waterskin from the clear pond.

"How are you doing Klutarkes? Are you up for a hike?"

[NexusX]

"Like I said, I'm fine," Klutarkes said, getting to his feet and checking his gear, whincing slightly from the pain of an injury that hadn't yet fully healed. "Well ... I guess I could use a bit of rest, T'Sarreth. Why don't I make us something to eat, we can rest in the cave and start out fresh tomorrow?" He then refreshed his own canteen with the water, noting the ranger's wise idea. He took a sip, and it tasted wonderful. He took a deep breath and looked around. "I wonder what that nehi's up to? He seemed friendly enough..."

[Gicker]

A faint light can be seen in the distance of the caves, which slowly grows larger and clearer until a bearded brown haired man in white and red robes comes forth looking quite disoriented. He slows as he approaches and offers a sign of greeting.

"Well met fellows, be ye friend or foe?" he says in a calm and friendly tone. He does not seem threatening though he does appear to be prepared for battle with the glint of steel beneath his robes and a morning star hooked on his belt.

He stands about 20 feet off and has no apparant weapons drawn. His face is drawn tight, possibly from recent stress, though he appears calm and composed, and manages a thin, but sincere smile.

[nightwing]

"Depends," T'Sarreth says, "Who are you and why are you here?"

T'Sarreth's hands are on his weapons, but they aren't drawn.

[NexusX]

A pteryx who'd been leaning against a wall, dried blood caked on his legs and soiling his boots, stands gingerly, his wounds no longer evident externally, his torn shirt and sweat and blood-matted feathery covering making him look unkempt and in worse condition than he really was. He was still a bit shaky on his feet after his near death, but came up to stand beside the elf. These caves seemed to be crawling with sentients lately. Was he allied with the nehi and planning a trap? He sized up the human, read his body language, attire, tone and finding nothing amiss as yet, decided to give the man the benefit of doubt without resorting to divine detection, and nodded a greeting.

He rested a hand on T'Sarreth's shoulder, smiled and then stepped forward. He offered a smile, but for those who haven't met pteryx before, the nuance is lost upon the newcomer due to the pteryx's restrictive beak prohibiting significant facial expression, though his tone sounded neutral, if not friendly. Clearly, they were both cautious.

"Those who follow the ways of Gyria and her lot do well to avoid our presence, for they are enemies of my lord and rarely pause for civil discussion. All others usually find us amiable. We certainly didn't come here for trouble." He smiles again, and this time, the human at least gets the impression that it seems that's what the pteryx might be doing. "My name's Klutarkes, and this here's T'Sarreth."

[Gicker]

((Is this a complex of caves, or is it a lone cave in the mountains or hills somewhere?))

Turning to the elf, the man says, "I am friend to all who seek no evil in this world.", and then addressing them both he continues, "And it seems you share a similar view point... am I right?".

He takes a few, slow steps forward and raises his hand in a common sign of peace, "My name is Caide Delancis, and I am a servant of the Holy Yahweh. I seek refuge in this cave, and have traveled far from my last destination to a destination I do not know, prompted forward by the whisperings of Yahweh. If you would share this resting spot, I would provide my services to you for as long as our paths remain twinned."

At that he raises an eyebrow slightly, takes a few more steps until he is just out of arm's reach, and extends his arm forward in an offered clasp of greeting and friendship, directed at the group rather than any one in particular.

[NexusX]

Klutarkes' heart warms. A follower here, in this forsaken realm? It seemed hard to believe, and yet he was here himself, from another world, and even harder thing to imagine. Surely, they were far from home, and he wondered if he would ever see Vinkyda again, or Mawr Dobb itself, for that matter. "Yahweh? You're a follower of Yahweh? So am I ... a paragon of Yahweh to be specific, though we are far from home, hailing from another world. It is so good to see a fellow believer, Caide. We have plenty of room and you are welcome to stay with us ..." he said, remembering his place and quickly turning to T'Sarreth, adding, "if it's all the same to you, T'Sarreth. Save for a follower in name only, you can trust one whose god is the creator of the multiverse, Yahweh himself!"

Caide could see the pteryx's spirits lifted. He was indeed joyful to find someone he had something in common with, especially something of particular importance to him, for he had devoted his whole life to following Yahweh.

[Let me see if I can hunt down a map of the area. We're in the mountains to the Northwest of the Iron Valley, overlooking a ruined city that had been through a devastating war. There are colossal constructs (mechs) fallen here and there all around the city and in the distance. There are many signs of great siege engines and destruction. We are in a series of caves in the mountains adjacent to the city. We need to go over your background more, Steve, for both of our sakes.]

[Also, anytime you want to post an OOC comment in the IC thread, please enclose it in [color=gray] followed by a closed tag, not shown here as it would hide my example. Gray is the color you want to use. You can't find that color in the pallet, but you can take any color and then replace the #number with =gray]