Islana Meets Alexis

JP with Cindy and Bandorchu

When she entered the Drunken Hare, Alexis almost felt disoriented from the sheer contrast of the stuffy, rowdy atmosphere as opposed to the jungle nightmare she had just been through.

She resolved to speak to the barkeep first. Sure, Hendrik had mentioned that he would probably not be welcome in the Hare much longer, but she might as well hear if they had seen him and cross that off her list before looking for Jyin.

Jiyn noticed Alexis when she came through the door. He had trained and spent some time under her command. Last he heard she had been away on some suicide mission.

Maybe this was the answer to their prayers. She was, after all, a friend of Hendrik. Jiyn looked at Islana and whispered: "That's Alexis Greyriver. She's a friend of Hendrik." Maybe this was the break they needed to get help.

Islana had a choice to make; to trust Jiyn enough to trust his judgement about this new woman who Islana didn't know, at all or not. She knew though that having another person helping with this and one, who looked like, she had the kind of training Islana lacked would be good.

Uncharacteristically, Islana had developed a slight amount of trust with Jiyn and made a decision quickly as her stew was delivered and placed in front of her.

"If you think she can be trusted, then bring her over." Islana's way of saying she trusted the young soldier. She assumed he might never understand how difficult that was for her.

Jiyn nodded at Islana. He knew he could trust Alexis. He waved at the swordswoman from Garrah to join them at their table.

Alexis was relieved that she wouldn’t have to search for Jiyn as she noticed him waving at her.

He wasn’t alone though, a young redhead sharing the table with him. Well, she’d try not to bother them for too long.

“Jiyn, been a while.” She greeted him as she reached the table.
She gave the young woman a polite nod. “Sorry to intrude. Not gonna keep you for long.”

Jiyn poured Alexis a mug of ale. She looked battered and bruised and that she could use rest more than she did a drink.

"This is Islana." He introduced his young companion.

“Thank you. It is nice to meet you, Islana. My name is Alexis.”

She smiled at Islana briefly, before addressing Jiyn again. “As I said, don’t wanna disturb you guys, so I’ll be brief. You have been investigating a case with Hendrik recently, right? It seems he has disappeared… would you know anything that could help me find him?”

The mercenary’s voice easily betrayed her worry.

"It's nice to meet you as well." Islana returned the greeting, then decided to fill Alexis. "We were just talking about trying to find him. I was involved in the investigation, as well. I think we are all concerned for him." She paused, "Before you look for him, however, there are probably some things you should be filled in on. "

“You were?”Alexis was quite surprised by that development.
Settling into the chair now for a longer stay than expected, she nodded at Islana. “I’m all ears.”

That… was a lot to take in. She was impressed how much Islana managed to uncover.

“That is quite a bunch you found out in a short time. Seems I have been lucky to run into you.”

Digesting the information a bit more she was silent for a moment, “So you think Wim Riese is either involved or in trouble. Not unreasonable, for sure. However, you think we’re dealing with a group, yeah? Any leads left beside Riese, if that should turn out to be a dead end?”

"I think he's in danger, more than I believe he's involved. I'm concerned the cult might be behind it. I have no leads really other than Wim.". Thinking for a moment, "The man that gave me the information about the soul catcher. He lives outside the city. Could always ask him if he's seen anything?"

Alexis nodded. That one seemed to know a whole lot about all that.

“Say, I don’t think you mentioned- what did the people that called you to the bodies tell you? Did they maybe notice something unusual prior to the murders?”

"I'm not sure. The man that was found in the woods just kept saying the trees were talking to him. We were sent to investigate where the man had been found. When we got there there was the ditch but no one alive. " Islana tried to explain as best she could. "It was foragers that found the bodies and the man originally. I don't think any of us spoke with the foragers."

“I see. Could be worthwhile to rectify that. They might have noticed something you couldn’t anymore when you arrived.”

Alexis made a mental note and voiced another thought.

“When you were speaking with the friar you found out this could be yearly rituals, correct? Did he mention if there had been murders or lots of disappearances last year, too? I wonder how long that cult has been active.”

Islana shook her head, after finding out about the child being sacrificed, it had taken the young woman several minutes to recover. She hadn't really thought about asking that question, "The ritual at the end of winter, yes but it sounded like they perform other sacrifices throughout the year. No, he didn't say anything about there being other disappearances."

“I suppose I could check whether the town guard keeps record or something…”

the mercenary murmured half to herself.

Looking back at Islana, she inquired

“In any case, you seem to be on the right track. Would you mind if I joined in your investigation? Most likely my best shot at finding Hendrik, not to speak I’d rather not overlook a murderous cult in Ostiarium.”