The Cluster of Humanity

"This is.......a treacherous place, Astra." muttered Garren, his good eye trained on Astra as she caught Ghent staring at her from afar. "Know that we numbered more than twelve when we were first banished to this hole. Know that we have seen death grasp us at the unlikeliest of times. Know that we have survived as long as we have by being careful."

Astra noticed Furemn returning from whatever errand had been assigned to him, and his furtive glance in her direction caused her to understand what Garren was essentially saying. He continued.

"We have no reason to doubt you or your story, my dear. But we would prefer it best if, at the mome...."

"You don't trust me." stated Astra blankly.

Garren flicked his eyes to the ground, his sentence killed in action. Then he chuckled and lifted his head to face her fully. "If you do not wish to mince with words, then yes, you are correct. We are unwilling to furnish a stranger with a blade. We are being careful. It was a fortunate thing that we happened upon you when we did, and some of our number may argue that it was a little too fortunate. I'm sorry, m'lady, but these are our terms. If you do not agree, I hope that you can at least understand."

"I understand." said Astra, reaching up and drawing her fingers through her dishevelled hair. "But know that I intend to either gain your trust soon or say my farewells with all haste. The creature that brought me here may have murdered.......a friend of mine. If this is the case, he will be avenged. If he is still alive, I will find him. I will accomplish neither of these goals cowering in this huddled cluster of humanity."

"As you would have it, Astra." said Garren, making movements to take his leave. "But as humans, is humanity not our greatest strength? I must see to the others. Tomorrow we shall move to settle elsewhere, lest the enemy begins to detect our whereabouts. Please, speak to my companions, learn their story. We may be able to offer each other much."

With that, Garren turned and strode towards Wren who was on his knees beside the small campfire, carefully tipping some blue powder from a pouch into a small glass tube. Now that she was alone, Astra used a moment to better observe her new companions. Next to Garren's buff form, Wren's name seemed all the more appropriate - he looked skinny and frail, and was cloaked all in green. His features were intense, with a sharp craggy nose and permanently pursed lips. As his eyes gazed at the tube slowly filling with the mysterious powder, Astra fancied that it might break under the acute focus of his attention.

Furemn sat alone with his back to a wall, gently tossing a stone from palm to palm. He was young, perhaps no more than fifteen, and his messy blonde hair scampered down his forehead like a mass of thin worms endlessly struggling to reach the hallowed terrafirma. Every so often he looked in Astra's direction, then snapped his head quickly away, blushing faintly.

Ghent and Raef were without a doubt the muscles of the group. Standing together a good way away, arms crossed and talking gruffly to each other, they towered a good foot above the tallest of the remainder. Ghent was stout and broad shouldered, with a massive halberd strapped to his back. He was dressed in chain mail, and his striking features reminded Astra of fleeting stories told back in her homeland of brazen Northern warriors who brushed arrows aside as they streaked towards their chests, who tore swamp ogres in half with their bare hands, and other ridiculous deeds. Raef was.......rather odd looking. His features were quintessentially human, and his frame was no less imposing than Ghent, but he was nonetheless very exotic looking. Astra wondered if he were a half-breed. If so, she had no idea what the second breed might be.

Finally, there was Pasfina and Sorlone. Pasfina was the only woman in the group (aside from Astra of course). Her features were soft and tanned, and her jet black hair coarsed straight down her back, revealing not a shred of wear and tear from the current climate. She wore a thin white gown, though Astra's keen eye caught a glimpse of silver bracers just beneath her sleeves. She guessed that the woman was more substantially protected than was immediately obvious. Sorlone, on the other hand, was covered in a cacophony of assorted pieces of mismatched armour. Leather, chain, silk and plate encompassed his form like a technicolour dreamcoat of grey and brown, and twin longswords criss-crossed against his back. He was short, but with compact, toned muscles. His looks were not unlike Pasfina's, and he stood intimately close to her, though Astra could not tell if they were siblings, lovers, or something else entirely.

Poliaun had not yet returned.

1. Astra headed over to talk to Furemn. Why was a child so young in this dark place?
2. Astra walked over to Ghent and Raef, intrigued by their serious discussion.
3. Astra went to speak with Pasfina and Sorlone. Perhaps Sorlone could be persuaded to part with one of his swords.
4. Astra decided she needed more answers, and so joined Garren and Wren by the fire.
5. Astra elected to just get some rest. She would indulge in conversation when she was refreshed.
6. Astra decided to waste no time, and left the group in search of some way out of the cave complex, weapon or no weapon.

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