Name: Charisse Race: Human

Ht: 5’6, Wt: 130, Sex: Female,

Archetype: Rogue

HP: 7 / 7 Mana: 0 / 0

Stats:

Physical : 2, Moxie : 3, Spiritual : 2, Luck : 3,

Agility : 3, Magic : 2, Mental : 2, Energy : 2.

Relevant Skills: Relevant Skills: Archetype - Awareness, Grit, Mental - Deduct Rationale, Moxie - Seduction

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Charisse inched back to the group's rear as they milled around, getting ready to leave. Jax's hand flew out and grabbed her's before she was more than a few feet behind him.

"I need you here," Jax said. "Well, not here, but with us."

Charisse nodded but glanced in the direction of the circles and where Tim had disappeared in the trees. She couldn't even see any sign of Tim. Several tree branches waved from a breeze, and she wondered if she could even track the necromancer down before he reported on them. She looked back at Jax and saw he was still looking forward but had stopped walking.

"I know you don't trust him, but sometimes you have to give someone the chance to do good," Jax said.

"What if he…." Charisse hissed but was interrupted as Jax held a hand in front of her eyes and snapped his fingers. She scanned the trees again to try and locate some sign of Will. It took an effort to stop her jaw from clenching. Finally, she looked into her friend's eyes.

"Then we'll deal with it. However, we cannot see the future and cannot judge for things he hasn't done."

"I wasn't…." Charisse's word stumbled before she could utter the lie. "Alright, but if he doesn't change, you're gonna get an I told you so."

A deep, rich laugh emerged from within Jax, and it startled everyone in the group. Todd pulled his sword out, Mark's eyes started darting from tree to tree, and even Reggie's hand went to his mace.

"And I'll be told." Jax turned and smiled at Charisse. Then, he looked around and waved everyone down.

The warmth intensified as his gaze, and some holy power shone upon Charisse. Remorse from deep within her bubbled up as she felt judged and forgiven for some of her actions. Clenching her jaw, she forced the feelings out of her mind and glared at Jax. His smile didn't diminish, and he seemed not to notice her muscles tightened.

"Your aura is a little judgy," Charisse said.

Jax's eyes widened, and his smile disappeared. He released her hand and took a step away. The feeling of warmth and peace disappeared as a frown appeared on his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean," Jax held up both hands.

"I get it; it's part of who you are now," Charisse said. She made an effort to step close to her friend and hugged him. "Let's get to this town and take down this king so that we can go back to a normal life." She said as she looked up to her friend. Before they'd come over, Jax had been the same height as her, but again lots of things had changed when they were dropped into this game.

Jax's face didn't change, but he seemed to move slightly away from Charisse after she said go back to normal life. Charisse looked into her friend's eyes and didn't see anything unusual. Then, Jax met her gaze, and they stared deep into each other for a moment. Then, they both blinked and looked away at the same time.

"Normalcy is transient as things change and become the new norm," Jax said. "But we must get moving."

"Ok, but there is a conversation we need to have, and you're not going to get out of it," Charisse said.

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"King first, then defining normal second," Jax said. "I apologize for changing the subject, but when we get to the city, I think we should split up. If nothing else, if half of the group gets captured, the other half can complete the quest or meet up with the newly resurrected members and bring them to speed."

"I'm guessing we swap character sheets to see the status of each."

Jax nodded his head then he looked at Henderson. The man was ahead, already beckoning people to follow. "Would you be ok with him and Reggie?"

"Yeah, though I'd figure you would want to be with me," Charisse said.

"Yes and no, I'm placing my faith in you. That your actions will be honorable and good."

Charisse picked up her pace, pulling in front of Jax by a few feet. She forced herself to leave the conversation at that and not cage herself in with a promise or some oath. Jax either didn't notice or was playing willful ignorance. She was a few feet from Henderson, moving ahead far enough that Jax's aura no longer affected her. Her mind was already spinning as she planned.

"When we get to the city, you, me, and Reggie are gonna do some scouting," Charisse said.

"Uh," Henderson stammered, his eyes meeting Charisse and then looking at Jax. "Alright, I assumed once you only needed me to get to the town."

"Sorry," Charisse took a breath. "If you would like to help further, then Reggie and I would like to scout and scope out Tremain once we get there. We are splitting from the group in Kameel."

"Alright," Henderson waited a minute longer, then started walking into the woods. They came across a small trail a hundred feet ahead, and Charisse began asking questions about the city and its layout. Henderson filled in what he could, but it was apparent he never spent any length of time there.

The game trail widened as it joined up with a wide road for two wagons to travel on the side by side with a bit of room left over. Occasionally stones with flattened sides dotted the road. A ferry rested where the road ended on the bank of a river. Across the water, the village of Kameel stood, notably a massive church.

Charisse strode up to the ferryman after bidding Henderson hang back. A small flatboat, already with a small group waiting on it, rested against the dock.

"Kameel?" Charisse said, pointing to the church.

"Nope, Tremain. The next ferry to Kameel is tomorrow." The ferryman said. He looked past Charisse then back at her. He pointed at a small stone structure built on the ground next to the road. A circle was drawn around a ten-foot tower with a couple of markings. The shadow of the building slowly inched up on one of the marks. "If you'd rather stay in a warm bed in Tremain, two silver. I'm pushing off here in a bit."

Charisse nodded, then turned and walked back up to Henderson. The rest of the group had started to gather around.

"Ferry to Kameel is in the morning, and this is one to Tremain," Charisse said. "I think I'm gonna go straight to Tremain."

"I guess here is where we split. Good luck and Godspeed." Jax said. Reggie stepped forward and joined Charisse. "Check the swapped sheets every few hours if you can."

Charisse waved Jax off before speaking. "We got this; see you guys in three days." She turned and started walking to the ferry with Reggie and Henderson. Reggie jogged a little to catch up. Once they got to the ferry, she gave the man ten silver. "Only three of us," She jerked a thumb in the direction of Jax, Mark, and Todd. "They prefer to sleep on the ground."

The ferryman offered a hand to Charisse to help her aboard the boat. She took it and found a crate to sit on. A couple of the people on the ferry looked in her direction as she boarded; two others kept their gaze on the river. The craft shifted a little as Reggie and Henderson boarded. They stood next to Charisse, but there wasn't a seat available.

"Last ferry to Tremain!" The ferryman called out as he went over to a pole and pulled the rope tied to it. After a few seconds of no response, he carefully wound up the rope as he walked to the boat. Stepping with ease onto the vessel, he dropped the cord onto the floor before picking up a long pole. Using the rod, he pushed the craft away from the makeshift dock and into the river's current. The boat quickly picked up some speed as the water carried it along.

The ferryman used the pole to nudge the craft into the center of the river. Twenty-foot-high stone walls split the woods along the riverbank. In some areas, the stone walls extended into the river, with a few metal grates to allow some water in. Occasionally the wall would pull back, giving some room to trees to line the riverbank. The boat drifted into a small pool off of the river a few minutes later before drifting into a dock. The ferryman used his pole to dock gently.

"Let me be the first to welcome you to Tremain." The ferryman said as he grabbed a rope and tied it to one of the poles. A few small trees lined the shore, but the massive stone wall stretched above them. A small gate, where a single wagon could enter, welcomed them, but four guards and the portcullis spurned visitors.

Either by chivalry or random chance, Charisse exited the boat first. Then, stepping onto the wooden dock, she stepped to the side to await her companions. Henderson joined her soon, but Reggie had ended up sitting on the opposite side of the craft and was one of the last people to disembark.

The line to the gates already formed as several little groups of people met with the guards. The first group produced some papers and were let in. Charisse looked at Henderson and Reggie, getting a confused look in return.

Charisse caught out the corner of her eye, the ferryman slowly starting to push off from the dock. She met his eyes, and he stopped for a moment. He looked like he would say something, then thrust his pole into the water and did a big push away from the dock. Charisse withheld any curses and looked back at her friends.

"Well, let's find an inn and get sorted out," Charisse said. She stepped ahead of her friends waited in the line for the guards. The second and third groups didn't have to show any papers and were let through the gates. The two of the four guards stayed near the door and in full armor; only the reflection of light from their eyes was visible under the armored visage. The two front guards had half helms that left their mouth open, and one had no glove covering his right hand. The one gloved guard was the one greeting each group.

Charisse stepped forward to the guard before calling for her to step forward. He looked her up and down, then glanced at Henderson and Reggie.

"Do you have papers of import or rite to entry?" The guard said.

"Oh yes," Charisse said. She reached and started to rummage through her pack. "I'm so scatterbrained."

She pulled out a bundle of clothes and set it on the ground, then a little sack of coins and looked for a place it, then held it out to the guard. "Be a dear and hold this," She said. Then, reaching in, she pulled out another bundle and set it on the ground. Then pulled out another little sack of coins. She handed it to the other guard then dug in a little more.

Eventually, she pulled out a piece of parchment that she'd swiped from a bakery, it was the inventory order from a month ago, and she held it out to the first guard. The guard carefully looped the bag of coins onto his belt and gave the piece of paper a cursorily glance. Then waved Charisse through. Charisse put the two bundles of clothes back into her pack and stepped forward. She was beckoning to her friends to follow behind. When they were well within the city and a hundred feet from the gate, Henderson approached Charisse.

"I didn't realize you had a writ of entry," Henderson said.

"I didn't," Charisse said with a laugh.