Interlude I: Teamwork

## Summary

The group comes back to the Guild, reports their mission to the Bounty Collector Nashandra and head back to their rooms. They are then interviewed by Aegis, who asks them all to rate their teammates cooperation skills. Tantris and Estel are interviewed separately from Atticus, Elovi and Haylen. Estel scores the lowest. Tantris gets interviewed and is berated for his reckless behavior and is told that he needs to work as a team next time and stop trying to do things alone. Estel is interviewed, getting berated that she failed to assist her team when they ran into danger and that if she continues to have that attitude towards being a Guildmember, she will be forced to resign. She states that the group didn’t need her in that fight, to which Aegis comments on the irony of that given how useless she considered Elovi, Atticus and Haylen for being human. When she rates Atticus’ teamwork abilities, Aegis comments that he’s surprised given Atticus rated her higher than she did, which shocks Estel. She asks Aegis what Atticus rated her, but he refuses and dismisses her.

Estel and Atticus use a Soul gem.

Elovi has a nightmare where she hears dripping coming from the bathroom. She thinks it’s the bathroom sink and shuts it off, and upon looking up she finds a black, gooey corpse looking back at her which causes her to shriek in terror and destroy the mirror, causing said Corpse to fall out of it and groan in pain. She runs out of the bathroom, finding the ceiling covered in these black, dripping corpses that all groan and scream in agony for help and an end to their suffering, to which Elovi closes her eyes and sobs. The noise stops after a bit, and when she uncovers her ears she hears a voice whisper “You did this to them.” Elovi then wakes up, finding three black droplets on the kitchen counter where she’d fallen asleep.

The group has time off. Estel gets another mysterious letter informing her that her debt has increased. Estel then goes to a Fey Oasis with Vendove and Magnolia where she meets a fey named Zari. Estel learns that the soulgem made her a warlock as well, who has a pact with this Zari person. Zari promises to keep Estel safe and that all she wants is for Estel to grow into a better person. Vendove and Magnolia seemingly cannot see this Zari.

Atticus is taken into the Woods by Oxford who introduces him to a woman called ‘The Boss.’ She states that Atticus’ old science partner Lavinia is working with Legion and has created a biochemical weapon capable of wiping out an entire country and that she hopes that Atticus will assist them in stopping her. Atticus states he’ll think on it, and asks if he can see their facilities? The Boss agrees that she can do that on a later date and that he is free to bring his team along as well, except for Elovi and Estel who she cannot trust as of right now.

Elovi goes out for training, seeing the Genasi sisters in the process as they’re huddled around and talking. Elovi hears her name come up and comments on it. The Genasi sisters tell her to mind her own business. Elovi feels magic begin filling the air, asking what that is to which the Genasi sisters reply that it’s their brother. Enter Barakah, an enormous Genasi man with an aasimar man clung to his arm named Osiris. He warmly greets his sisters before seeing Elovi, which Pearl mentions is the one she told him about. Barakah introduces himself as The King of the Heavenly Sands, commenting that he’s seen an Astorian Naval vessel on the waters just outside his country, and states that he hopes her king doesn’t try anything, or else he will completely ruin that king’s life. Elovi runs back to her room and sends a letter.

Tantris goes outside when he is stopped by Gundyr, a member of Sozel’s team, to go to the beach and talk with him. Gundyr comments on the fact that it’s strange for Triton to be outside of the ocean and to take last names like Tantris has, stating that he knows the truth about Tantris. He states that he once lived on an oceanic village which floated along with the tides. That village was one day completely bombarded by questions about a ‘Tantris’ who was thought to have been crushed beneath rocks but they found no body so they continued to ask questions. A few weeks later, Gundyr’s village was attacked by a pirate named Brittlestar and his mimic ship known as the Valentius, which ate Gundyr’s village and dove beneath the ocean towards Tantris’ Triton village. Tantris was told his people may have all been killed and does not take this well. He hides in the water.

Haylen sees Sozel storm off away from his other teammate Vanril and into the woods. Haylen meets up with him and asks if he’s doing okay. He says no, stating that their recent mission was a failure because their group ran into two Legion members, one of which was Sozel’s brother. Sozel comments that he froze up and the team lost because of that, having to retreat just to survive. He thanks Haylen for talking with him and attempting to comfort him, to which he then asks Haylen to teach him how to bake, like Haylen had for the party. Haylen excitedly agrees and they set a date to bake.

The next day, Haylen and Sozel bake, at which point Sozel stops and draws his sword, asking if Haylen has anyone else in the dorm as he feels a strange presence. Haylen says no and Sozel puts his sword away, still very wary. He thanks Haylen for helping him bake, and hopes that his new teammate will like it and that he’d like to continue lessons in the future.

Estel asks her old roommate Bits, who is terrified of her, if she’d like to go meet Estel’s family. Bits repeatedly refuses and Estel gives up, frustrated. Estel is drawn to her room after hearing Atticus inside, and finds Clump jumping up and down on her bed, wearing a mask made to look like Atticus’ face. Clump asks about the letters under her pillow. Estel asks if Clump wants to visit her family and Clump agrees. Atticus starts working in the Med Bay of the Guild.