Ruins of Azlant Gameplay I

”I wouldn’t have guessed that either,” Kaimana answered, at a loss for words adequate for the situation. He sighs. ”Kereda was really on edge talking to me and Jax about the kidnapping too. Jax thought it was because they assumed we’d side with Ms. Avandth no matter what. I just...” He frowns, thinking. ”I don’t understand why there’s this thinking about sides or how this happened to begin with. I really wish any of us knew how to fix it either.”

Anya answers the door with a smile on her face when she sees Aisha. "It is good to see you again," she says, the tall woman awkwardly offering a hug. "Would you like to come inside?"

"It feels like just about everyone here is on edge," Eamon says with a sigh. "I'm not unfamiliar with communities becoming more factionalized, but I had hoped it would be something that wouldn't happen here."

Aisha happily embraces Anya and smiles back at her. "Same, and yes please," she nods, looking up to the taller woman. "How're you holding up?"

"Probably better than most here," Anya says with a shrug. "I am not too bothered by solitude, and the petty squabbles of the others seem without a point to me."

"I can agree with that," Aisha lets out a low chuckle. "Unfortunately one of my jobs is helping to manage those squabbles,"

"I certainly do not envy that position," Anya says with a chuckle. "I think I would have already banged together more than a few heads."

"I've been tempted to cast a fear spell a few times," Aisha smiles wider. "I'm glad to see that at least a few people are able to keep their heads on their shoulders though."

"Hardship and challenges forge stronger metal," Anya mentions. "For many, this is the first time they are being tested. Though, I doubt I was ever as soft as some of those here," she says with a sniff of disdain.

Kaimana thinks on that. "Did you ever see communities that... got that way, come back together?" he asks, really hoping for a positive answer.

Aisha laughs lightly at that comment. "Everyone has weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and it seems right now that pressure is being put on exactly the wrong places in our community," she muses. Which means something's doing that deliberately, she adds silently. "In less complicated news," Aisha changes the subject, "We saw an undead shade in the jungle. I don't know if there are more, but watch your back. I know you're more than capable, but incorporeals can be dangerous even to the strongest people. Is your spear enchanted?"

"Sometimes," Eamon reassures Kaimana with a warm smile. "People can come together just as quickly as things can feel like they're falling apart, sometimes even quicker," he says. "And sometimes it can take a long while to mend rifts and wounds in a community, but every one that makes it through is stronger for it. We just need to keep doing our best to heal the community here, hmm?"

"It is not, but I very much know what I am interested in fighting," Anya says. "Animals and game, yes, good eating for the colony. Ghosts and monsters, I leave before they can see me."

Kaimana nods, giving a small smile, and the conversation shifts.

"That's good, I would just hate to have something to happen to you if some specter caught you unawares, don't mind me," Aisha flashes a smile and shakes her head.

"You are a person who worries about others, it is your nature," Anya observes. "I am appreciative of your concern, but I will be fine. After all, you and the others are the ones who seek the truly dangerous foes of the island."

"I guess that much is true. Soon enough there shouldn't be too much left on that task, at least. Maybe that could help calm things here," Aisha nods, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully.

"Hopefully," Anya agrees. "Unless threats to the colony start becoming more imagined than the actual dangers that are out there. But, we would be far worse off if it was not for what you've already done."

"Thank you, that's nice to remember," Aisha smiles at Anya. "Okay, that's enough worrying for today."

Anya lets out a small laugh. "And what would you rather be doing with yourself instead of worrying, hmm?"

"I can think of something," Aisha stands on her toes and gives Anya a quick kiss.

The next morning, after breakfast, people start to go their separate ways to get started on tasks for the day. The fishermen head off towards the shore, some splitting off to fish on their own, but a larger group stays together to cooperate on the job, and for safety, Soren among them.

Builders also set to work constructing new homes, buildings, and walls for the colony, with Harcourt taking charge, acting as somewhat of a foreman.

Aisha joins the builders. She isn't able to do much of the heavy lifting, but she can do some of the more dexterous work with long, nimble fingers, and can get herself into the tighter spaces that the larger men doing the building can't. During a time when there isn't much for her to do and Harcourt doesn't need to give directions for a moment, she approaches him with a smile and a polite nod. "Harcourt, how've you been holding up?"

"As well as can be expected," Harcourt says with a wave of his hand. "Obviously, things aren't going as well as they should be, but still, the day's work needs to be done."

”That much is true,” Aisha agrees with a smile. ”If I might pick your brain a bit, what is it that you think specifically isn’t going at it should be? Because folk are disagreeing even about that much.”

"I don't think there's any one thing," Harcourt openly admits. "There's plenty of competing viewpoints and ideas here. Being the one's trying to build the wall, we're a bit at the center of it all, you see," he says with a sniff. "At this point, I'm just planning on keeping my head down and working until the troubles pass away, or the decision is made to turn back."

"I guess you would be put in a bit of an awkward situation," Aisha concedes. "And I don't think anyone would say that the wall shouldn't be built, but the ones pushing for it to be rushed and be made the only priority won't actually be satisfied when it's finished. You're a businessman, I'm sure you're familiar with negotiations and knowing that what people say they want and what their actual needs are two different things, right?"