Yashwi followed the old master without question, his mind quickly running through variables, being a Journeyman again was harder than he had originally anticipated, as most people who were considered Journeyman were far his junior.  Although he was no Archmage, he was something of a Master of the Art, and not only that, he was the embodiment of his mistresses' forces - that he knew about at least.  As such he considered the golems as merely an afterthought until he reached his sleeping arrangements - barely a cot in a large tent, with a few other sleeping Journeymen in it.  In the very least Yashwi was grateful for that, since he didn't want to be around the apprentices, whose experimentations would end up being more dangerous to themselves than to him, but losing his robes and any hair - or any small injury would be upsetting to the somewhat self-centered charismatic elf.

"Thank you Master.  I hope to be a part of the coming practice, I'll prepare my magics if you think that there is time for that?"

---

"... if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for Destruction Ice is also great
And would suffice."
- Robert Frost

((I'll join if it's not too late. If it is, just ignore this))

Suddenly, a black, yowling cat streaked into the tent where Yashwi was, followed immidiatly by a smallish dog, and shortly after that, a young elf. The cat lept into the woman's arms, and she attempted to shoo the dog, who was yapping at the cat in her arms. The sleeping Journymen, who had been awakened by the ruckus, grumbled and and shot irritated looks at the girl, as if this wasn't the first time this had happened.
"Sorry... Sorry. I'm not terribly good at keeping track of my familiar... not the first time this has happened. I wish she'd terrorize mice instead of dogs, It'd make less fuss..." She smiled crookedly at Yashwi, and adjusting her grip on her cat, offered him her hand.
"You must be new here. I'm Kenna, and this is Ember. We've been here a few days now, and I think my fellow mages are already willing to kill me for a decent nights sleep. As a rule, the two of us aren't the most quiet of peope."
Kenna is small for an elf, about four foot seven and slender. She has flaming red hair streaked with black, and two tiger stripes tatooed on both sides of her face. There is no deception in her emerald eyes, only good natured mischief. Wearing well worn studded leather and a good number of daggers on the dark red sash around her waist, she looks more like a thief than a wizard.
Ember is a black cat with green eyes.

---

I swear, now you're just doing it to piss me off.

"Elves don't need to sleep, just reverie, and frankly not even that all the time..."

He gazed at the elf with carefully hidden disdain, so much so that she couldn't notice it at all, yet, he looked at her with a smile on the outside, as he was trying to put across the image of a 'socially redeemed Dark Elf', in any case, he looked at her and then spoke again.

"I guess I'm new here, I'm a Journeyman, I assume you are as well, my dear?"

---

"... if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for Destruction Ice is also great
And would suffice."
- Robert Frost

Kenna got the distinct impression that something wasn't quite right with this one, but she kept her smile on. It wasn't just that he was a Dark Elf... he was hiding something, and she thought she caught a hint of condescention in his voice. And something about his magic was... wrong. And too strong for a Journeyman.

"Drop the niceities. It's just Kenna. And I think it would be fair to say I'm just as much a Journeyman as you are. I don't usually have much to do with the guild, but I heard there were interesting things afoot. So here I am. What did you say your name was?"

Her smile never wavered, and her voice took on it's normal tone of mild amusement, as if the whole world were some kind of private joke between her and the universe.

---

I swear, now you're just doing it to piss me off.

"I didn't say what my name was, but since you asked so nicely let me tell you that it's Yailan.  Kenna it is, right?  Journeyman to Journeyman, what do you think of this place?  Have you been here long yourself?"

Although Yashwi was planning on staying around the area as long as possible, he couldn't overlook the opportunity to get more information from any source available.  His tone, as he spoke, was one of avid curiousity, and would hold true to that until he changed it, these Elves of the Light were evidently not as used to the intrigues which were a day to day occurence in Yashwi's home, and as he stood there considering options, his Mistress decided it was time to present her goals.

"Yashwi, you know what your job is - you will hold true to your intentions and goals.  If you stray, I will have you forever... in my places of torture."

Shivers crept down Yashwi's spine as his Mistress spoke with him, a voice that could not be heard, no matter what the the person trying to hear it did.  It was a voice within his mind, and in his heart, and with his ring protecting his thoughts, and the fact that even a spell of detecting thoughts couldn't sense the entity, he didn't fear that discovery, just that he might have angered her somehow.

---

"... if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for Destruction Ice is also great
And would suffice."
- Robert Frost

((For what Kenna knows, I'll just draw on whats been said already and assume she knows it because she's been here for several days))

"We arrived a few days ago. What do I think of this place? Physically, It's disorganized and difficult to defend. Militarily, it's a massacre waiting to happen. Politically..." She smiled crookedly "...The correct metaphor escapes me. I'm torn between a time bomb and a snakepit, though neither really seems to do the situation justice. Lets walk." She started walking out of the tent as she continued. "The guilds are too busy with internal troubles to get anything done, either singularly or together. The Fighters Guild are attacking this problem the same way they always do- hit it with a stick. To their credit though, they've been the loudest voice for the Guilds uniting, and at least they have a plan. I gather that the leaders of the Wilder's Guild have been to busy fighting amongst themselves to get anything done, and I wouldn't expect that to be sorted out anytime soon. And as for my esteemed colleagues in the Mage's Guild..." She sighed with exasperation. "They don't want any help, of course. Some of the higher ups are trying to use this to gain power- both internally and for the guild itself. Can you imagine? The Mages single handedly save the town from the golems that the Fighters were powerless against. Course, they could just as easily fail horribly and get us all killed- which of course, they'll tell you is impossible. Egotistical bastards. There's one though, a Master Jordan- Shadow mage, strikes me as alright- he's got the right idea. Join up with the other guilds, coordinate our efforts. But naturally, since he's talking sense, no one will listen. Push comes to shove, I'll side with him, but I'd rather not choose sides at all. Sorry, I'm rambling, aren't I? They've set up a makeshift tavern not far from here, what do you say we get some food?"

---

I swear, now you're just doing it to piss me off.

Although Yashwi was listening the entire time, following the girl as she attempted to purge herself of the excess energy she obviously had, the words 'Shadow Mage' jumped out at Yashwi.  It was something of importance to know that another Shadow Mage was here in town, considering the rarity of the talent.  However, the problem arose when he realized that the Master Jordan was the Master Mage he already seemed to have irritated.  Foolish, and obviously that was what his Mistress was angry at him for, for he might have a few tricks up his sleeve.

"Master Jordan... He's a Shadow Mage?  I may have to speak with him again, I wanted to ask a few questions about Shadow Magic.  Hard to understand, if I remember my lessons..."

With that he gave Kenna a rare smile, a true smile, for he truly believed that maybe something good had happened from talking with this girl.  At least she gave a few good sources of information, in the least, and in the greatest possibility she was another target to draw attention away from him in a fight.

"So, where are we going?"

---

"... if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for Destruction Ice is also great
And would suffice."
- Robert Frost

Kenna grinned broadly, and gestured to a nearby tent.

"The Sleeping Giant. Home of decently priced alcohol and the best food you're likely to find around here. And the occaisional barfight. Yeah, Jordan's a Shadow Mage... And unless I'm mistaken Yailan, you're something more than a dabbler in it." She glanced sidelong at him. "Don't look so surprised. I can detect magic, and Shadow and Wild magics are just different enough where I can tell. I can understand why you're shy about it- Shadow mage, and a Dark Elf besides? You probably a lot of undeserved suspicion." She sets Ember on the ground, saying "Amuse yourself, darling, but don't get into trouble. You know they won't let you in the tavern."

---

I swear, now you're just doing it to piss me off.

Without a movement or change in posture his mind went through several quick scenarios of how to kill Kenna without drawing attention; none of them were viable.  Considering that as a failed thought process, he continued to smile and then put on a frown, showing some discomfort at the fact that she may have stumbled across his 'little secret'.  Knowledge of the fact that he was a Shadow Mage was a little more than dangerous, and he hoped that she wouldn't spread that information around - it was against his better judgement to even let someone know.

"Well, yes, you can say I've dabbled in it.  I guess you can lead the way if you wish, I'll continue to enjoy your company, or so to speak."

His thoughts proceeded to dwell on different scenarios of how he would deal with many of the problems that have arisen from his stay in the surface world, and with a gesture of his hand his entire magic persona changed slightly, an illusionary feel of the Weave surrounding him.  Shadow-Magic was good with illusions, draining of life, darker aspects of magic, and so was he - no mere shower of evocation, rather, a more sophisticated user of the more complicated spells.

---

"... if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for Destruction Ice is also great
And would suffice."
- Robert Frost

"Don't freak out about me knowing or anything. If you don't wan't people to know, that's your business. I don't care I rank interesting over good or evil any day when it comes to choosing my friends. You could be a serial killer for all I care, as long as you haven't harmed me or Ember." She smiled. "Lets get some food."

---

I swear, now you're just doing it to piss me off.

Yashwi kept up his smiles and jovial outlook, at least as jovial as any stand-offish Dark Elf could appear, and watched as Kenna ordered food and then waited for her to return, the thoughts going through his head when she returned.

"So what is your specialty in magic, you know mine, so what's yours?"

---

"... if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for Destruction Ice is also great
And would suffice."
- Robert Frost

"Standard flash-bang stuff mostly. Or if those fail, "flash-bang -haha, while you were watching the pretty lights, I got close enough to stab you" illusions." She replied, munching on some bread. Just then Ember trotted up, mewing furiously. Kenna tilted her head, as if she were listening.
"Come on. Ember says there's some kind of ruckus going on at the Wilder's Guild."

((What's that Ember? Timmy's fallen down the well? Sorry, just had to get that out of my system.))

---

I swear, now you're just doing it to piss me off.

With a dejected sigh the Dark Elf followed after the rather energetic Elf without a word, his thoughts moving inward has he analyzed what he may be seeing in just a few moments, and how he should respond.  Aside from that, he still considered it slightly dangerous to have outed himself as a Shadow Mage and did not like the continued knowledge of that, the fact remaining to irritate Yashwi's rational side.

"Well if Ember says so..."

He said sarcastically, thinking that it was somewhat foolish to merely rely on the word of a small furry animal whose intellect was no match for the more intelligent sentient beings nearby.  As such, there was a great possibility that it's intellect ahad increased as a result of the being a familiar, but even that was probably only a minimal increase in the scheme of things.

---

"... if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for Destruction Ice is also great
And would suffice."
- Robert Frost

Kenna sprints after Ember to the entrance to the Wilder's guild. By the time Yahswi caught up the them, Kenna was explaining avidly to a rather bewildered looking guard that there was some kind of trouble inside the guild, and that she knew about it because he cat had told her, and he either needed to let her in or go find out what was happening.

"... I know it's not any of my concern. No, I'm not sure what happened, Ember said it happened very quickly, with the dark thing and the druid fainting... She said there was a paladin there too, which I thought was odd since they aren't part of this guild, and she said something about a minotaur. And yes I realize this is none of my business, but I should think that you'd like to know!"

---

I swear, now you're just doing it to piss me off.

((Ack!  Don't get too far ahead of the GM now. XD  I'll update tommorrow.))

---

Serrif:

Reality-(noun) illusion caused by lack of alcohol
Beer(noun) medicine used to relive people from hallucinations

Technoguild