To the Centaurs

Now that the group of heroes going to find the centaurs were aboard Matt's Airship. Liam stood looking over the size smiling at the ground "Wow, this is really the way to travel." His cart was placed in the cargo hold, his wyrms were protecting it vigilantly.

"Don't get too comfortable, Liam... The infected could attack us at any time," Matt snarks.

Mouse stands behind Matt, somewhat scared of Liam.

He chuckled and smirked at them "Oh dont worry, im good."

"Well, that's just fine and dandy then," Matt chuckles.

Archie wobbles around on all fours uncomfortably.
"Maybe I should have gone to the fight. Ships make me nervous. I feel as though we'll be shot out of the sky at any minute."

Liam smiled and looked at Archie "Oh come now Archie, its not THAT bad. Maybe its because I'm descended from dragons but i love flying."

"Oh, don't worry, Archie. This thing flies like a dream, and even if something were to try to shoot us, we're very well defended," he says.

"Guk, still my stomach is doing flips inside of me." Archie flops around onto his back, feeling dizzy.
"Nothing good will come of this, mark my words!"

Liam laughed at Archie abit and said "If your going to make a mess do so pointed away from me please." He moved from where he was standing and looked over the ship "Look, there are the plains the centaurs are said to roam, we should land there."

"Alrighty," Matt says. He slowly descends the ship down to the ground.

Jormung looked over the side, sweat beading on his forehead. He tightly clenched his fists and opened them again and again. His face was sober, and his eyes were glassy with memory.
He broke his long silence with a weary voice. "I should not have come here. Perhaps my people will have told them of my disgrace. If there are any Ruloandr down there, they will certainly know me. I am forbidden to show my face to them." He turned and faced the others, but still stared downward at the deck.
"It was a woman, a noble woman. I'm sure you understand the rest."
Looking up at Archie and Liam, he pondered, "Perhaps, should they see me, they will think better of me if I am in the company of nobility?"

Archie notices the worrying Ruloandr.
Well Liam here isn't a King by the normal definition and I'm definitely not the most respectable noble, but we can't have him chickening out on us.

"Ahh the lure of lust. It entrances us all, Jormung. I do not think we will find any Ruloandr here, however. Rest assured, giant one. Hopefully your history shall do nothing but aid us here. "

Although humans are not well liked in Velios, the history between the Centaur and the Ruloandr should prove useful.

"Now now... There's no need to fret, friends. I've acquired quite an amount of valuables in my time, and they could prove to be useful to us here... What do you say?" Matt says with a sly smirk on his face.

Liam smirks and nods "Oh course, all will be well my large friend. There should be no issue on this journey. It should be all smooth sailing." he leaned on a railing and sighed smiling "I always love the Centaur lands."

The airship neared one of the larger Centaur trading posts. There were a few puffs of smoke coming up from a modest bonfire, along with a few dozen canvas, tent-like buildings and trading stalls. Even this more permanent settlement was still nomadic, to most other race's standards. It seemed as if the entire post could be packed up and moved out in a day's time. The place didn't seem to be crowded, but even from the air, a few Centaurs were visible moving about within the post.

Centaur scouts had already spotted the airship after it passed over the border. Messengers had ridden to the trading post, and the Centaurs below were well aware of the incoming ship in advance. Naturally, they treated it with suspicion, but not outright hostility...yet. The trading post had its guards on alert, and a few nearby bands had sent patrols to the area. All eyes were on the airship as it loomed overhead, ready to defend at a moment's notice.

The airship blew wind in all directions as it lowered itself to the group. Archie could see the Centaurs eyeing the vessel with suspicion. Guards were at the ready when the group got off. Archie stepped up right off the bat to talk with them.

"Greetings from the West, friends. At ease, we're only here to form a mutual alliance, provided you are willing. Do you have a leader we that we may talk with?"

Liam walked off the airship behind Archie, he bowed and smiled and said "Many greetings, my friends. As King Archie has stated we have come to attempt to forge an alliance against a mutual enemy."

Arivain left the airship with Lucian at her side, her presence at peace here in the natural setting. She motioned to lucian and he moved forward, ahead of the group.

Matt and Mouse leave the airship as well. Mouse has a big smile on her face upon first setting eyes upon the centaurs.

The Centaurs maintained a respectable distance. A few of them had arrows nocked, or kept their spears or long swords within reach. Still, not a single bowstring was pulled taut, nor were any spears shouldered. A group of three males, presumably from the same band, cautiously stepped forward. Even the shortest of Centaurs still stood taller than a human, due to the very nature of their stature. They exchanged looks amongst each other to decide which one should speak first. A taller, long-maned bay Centaur spoke.

"Greetings. What alliance do you speak of? I've not heard of any call for an alliance."

Another spoke up. "It depends which 'leader' you wish to speak with. Which Cohort are you seeking?"

Archie laughed at the mis-communication. His laughter sent him into a small coughing fit. Once Archie regained his composure he stepped forward.

"Sorry friends, let me clear up the confusion. My name is Archibald, King of the Rat People. The others here are named Liam the Wyrm King, Matt the Wyverntamer, Arivain, and Jormung Filrudarrin. We have all been charged to investigate an infection that is plaguing the land. Awful abominations are being created, and the disease is spreading. I understand that your people are skilled in healing. We seek a group that can help eradicate this infection with their purifying art."

Archie scanned the crowd anxiously. "We can discuss specifics later."
Archie called out, "Are there any such bands here that are willing to talk to us?"

The Centaurs seemed unimpressed with Archie's position. A few of them nodded cordially. Overall, they were un-intimidated by the presence of the outsiders...yet still uncomfortable, at best.

"Filrudarrin?" One of the warriors from the front inquired. "A Roluandr..." He scanned the group of visitors, looking for which man would be Jormung.

A Centaur from another band stepped up, his hooves sending up small tufts of dust as he walked. "An infection?" One of the mares from a group behind caught wind of the subject. "What infection? Where's it spreading?"

Another one of the warriors from the front turned his head, glancing at the sky for a moment before looking back.

Liam turned serious and said "Everywhere, this is no a simple infection like a disease, but a curse upon the earth itself. All it's living children. Plants, and animals alike fall to the infection and turns into hideous creatures, hellbent on simply spreading their curse to all corner of the world, to all life forms everywhere."

The centaurs exchanged looks, unsure whether the newcomers could be trusted. The wind blew hard against them, and the grasses rolled like a wave, but no words were said other than the tiny whispers among centaurs. The news was powerful, daunting, and sudden.
Jormung pushed his way to the front, making himself known. He bent his knees and touched them to the ground, then settled into a kneeling position. A female centaur dropped her bow beside her, moved to face Jormung, and came down on all four knees.
With a voice calmer than ever the heroes had heard him speak in, Jormung began. "There is an old path to leave by."
The young centaur replied, "It remains to return by."
A few smiles broke out in the crowd. Still kneeling, Jormung raised his voice to the centaurs. "Forgive them, for they speak in the tongues of kings. We do not seek an 'alliance,' as we are not in a position to. We seek grace. We tread in the darkness, and beg that the light of Epodrea will lead us safley away. For that, we look to her children. The world is sick, and worsening. It is yours to heal it if destiny wishes." A few centaur voices returned, "Destined forward" in scruff tones.
The centaur facing Jormung stood, and crept back into the crowd.

Lucian returns to Arivain and perks his ears toward the crowd. When she looks up she notices a small Centaur colt poking his head out from behind the crowd, shyly watching the events that have unfolded. She walks passed Jormung and the larger centaurs, she kneels down to the colt and holds her hand out gently to him.

"Come child, you have not to fear us, we seek only to help this land and all its inhabitants." Her voice was gentle and serene, it seemed to have lost the mystery when speaking to this child. Lucian remained behind as to not frighten the him.