The Road Of Gaios

Higareth, one of the largest port cities in the lands of Ipiria built by traveling sailors from the west who needed a stopping point when sailing around the coast of Ipiria to reach the southern seas, Higareth was a beacon of growing civilization in the lands once regarded as eternally primitive. In the busy port ships were sailing back and forth as travelers roamed the streets alongside sailors, merchants and various other people. A diverse crowd of countless races made up the city's population.

The city was often a passageway for travelers making their way around Europa. One such pair of travelers were arriving on a small vessel that pulled into port from the south. As the ship unloaded they made their way through the busy streets of Higareth passing the crowds and merchants until they reached their destination in the heart of the city. A large stone building that looked like a small fort with its bannerments and flags waving from the walls around it.

"This is the place," The taller traveler said to his companion. "The great hall of Sir Harrholm, knight of the great table. If you're looking for anyone mad enough to make a trek around the whole of Europa. They'll be gathered here looking for allies and employers."

Cao was the speakers name. He had no family name nor would he ever have need of one. He was a wanderer, an explorer and warrior for hire who found employment where it suited him. That employment came in the form of a young dwarf named Zorabor who wanted to get away from home. He had encountered Cao during his travels and the two found they had a common interest in maps and nature. Cao decided to lend his aid to Zorabor's dream of embarking on a journey and set out from the south to travel eastward but they decided to embark on the safer path of the north to avoid the many dangers that loomed in the south.

But it was no trip that could be made alone. They would need allies and plenty of them if they were to make such a long journey. As they entered the hall they were welcomed by a busy room filled with people talking and eating among each other. Cao had been here many times and the smell in the air was just as fresh with the scent of rookies eager for adventure as it had been the last time he passed through. He wasn't sure they'd find anyone but on occasion someone worth their stuff passed through.

Juro looked around the hall, her tattered cloak of rags was keeping her warm, on her lap, covered in the cloak with only it's head poking out was Gigi. Or as she now knew...Akom.

She shivered slightly thinking of the events two months ago...when Gigi, her family spirit that she'd always considered just a tiny cute thing transformed into a giant avatar of power, revealing itself to protect her. Afterwards Gigi had picked her up and fled Surgatuhan. She'd thought that they would stop at the shores and she'd be cornered there, until her family spirit had decided to jump to the mainland.

She didn't know how much energy it took to make a jump that would send them over to the next continent but it had taken it's toll on her companion, he got smaller as they got closer to the mainland and further away from Surgatuhan. Akom got his power from Surgatuhan itself, while on it, he was a god, off of it, he lost a significant amount of his power.

His power had continued to ebb away for a while until he he almost entirely lost his physical form. His power was returning but slowly. She'd come to Ipiria hoping that perhaps it's Druidic magics could cure her spirit from it's constant leaking of power.

As it stood, he wasn't draining any magic from this physical form, and it was gathering in there, but he could only use his power in short, small bursts, and every time he would strain himself, Juro was afraid his very spirit would fade.

Juro's search for the druids of Ipiria hadn't gone well, they were secretive and nobody knew how to contact them. Her last hope had been the adventurer's hall only to find most of the people here were just as clueless.

The doors opened and Juro watched as Gigi's head twitched up and watched the newcomers enter the hall. The crippled god gave a sqwak at the newcomers and Juro looked at the spirit confused, wondering what her friend seemed interested in their presence.

Mari sighed as she leaned against the wall of the Great Hall. Her attempts at getting answers from the mages of Polaris had been unfruitful and she was back where she started. Alone and away from home. It was enough to make the normally upbeat Kitsune feel depressed. Why didn't anything go her way....


"So Cao you really think we'll find people here?" Zorabor said as he wrote down what he was seeing in his book.

"Having others would definitely be a great help to us though." The dwarf continued, not paying much attention to where he was walking.

"I assure you if there's anyone foolish enough to try aimlessly wander the world they're here," Cao said. "It's not exactly my personal idea but where you're planning on going we'll need plenty of backup."

Zorabor didn't seem it but he was planning to embark on quite the venture not for the sake of fighting or earning glory but simply filling that book of his. It was unusual for the type of people Cao usually worked with but he didn't mind the straightforward nature of the dwarf.

"Just have to ask around, maybe post up an add. Anyone looking for somewhere to go is right around the corner."

Gigi continued to stare at te newcomers and now Juro was listening in on their conversation.

He sqwaked again.

Juro sighed, if that wasn't a sign from her god she didn't know what was. Maybe the reason things have been so fruitless was that it had been only her and Gigi.

She got up out of her chair, Gigi jumping out of her lap and making his way over to the newcomers.

"Excuse me," she said softly, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear you. You're gathering people, do you mind if I as what for?"

Cao was surprised they had a bite already. A young woman who had a strange animal he didn't recognize accompanying her. She didn't seem to have much to her name with the ragged clothing and simple cloak, but Cao wasn't one to judge he himself was someone who lived off the land.

"We're embarking on an expedition east," Cao said. "The dwarf here is something of a scholar. He wishes to make a record of the land particularly species of animals. I'm serving as his bodyguard but Europa can be an unpredictable place we'll need a lot of people for such a task. You interested?"

Juro looked down at Gigi who only sqwaked in response to her questioning glance.

"I'm a mage, well, more like an amateur, but I know a few spells." This was probably her best chance of finding Gigi the help he needed. Zorabor was a scholar from the mainland it seemed, perhaps he'd know a way of helping her friend. "My names Juro, and that's Gigi." Motioning to the miniaturized spirit.

"Huh interesting." Zorabor said as he pulled out his book and began drawing and writing details about the small reptile in front of him.

"I've never seen an animal like him before." The dwarf said.

"Is he by any chance related to the Feathered Dragons of the North?"

Juro looked at Gigi. She'd never heard of the feathered drakes of the north, maybe there were mokeles on the mainland after all.

"Are you?" Gig sqwaked. Figures.

"I...don't know, I'm kind of a stranger in this land. Gigi's a mokele, they're spirits of the land among other things. He's our family spirit since my nana moved to Omna."

Zorabor blinked not having recognized any of the dialect she was using. Could she have been from somewhere more to the east or the north?

"If you don't mind me asking miss, where exactly are you from?"

Juro hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"Surgatuhan."

"Wait you're from one of the two mysterious islands to the North?" Zorabor said, his voice sounding stunned.

"No one's been there in well...ages." The dwarf continued.

"What's it like up there?"

Not well, thought Juro. Considering how corrupt the clans had gotten, the oppression of her people...the way they were left to simply die.

...What that archmage almost did to her...

"It's...not the best of places right now," said Juro, "the clans are just making life worse for those of us, the Tersingkir. They don't like outsiders at all."

Nothing she said was a lie, but she was hoping that she wouldn't have to go back to Surgatuhan any time soon, she was still a wanted criminal over there.

The mystical island spoken of with such renown had become...such an awful place? Well that was disappointing.

"I'm...sorry to hear that. I wish there was something me and Cao here could do to help." Zorabor said, a frown on his face.

"That's...why I'm here I think," Juro said, looking down at Gigi. "I'm trying to find a way to stop my homeland from tearing itself apart. I guess the first step was coming out here."

"Well it's a start if anything," Cao said. "Never thought I'd encounter someone from Surgatuhan. Well you're welcome to join us if you wish. I don't know if we'll be able to do much for your home but we can try at least."

He found his eyes draw to the small creature in her hand. Reminded him of something he had heard about but he couldn't quite find the words.

Looking at Zorabor he grinned. "See? Told you we'd find others. And it's another stranger from the north at that."