Roha wasn't sure what it was she had anticipated when she arrived in the swamplands, but she hadn't quite expected it to remind her of home, at least vaguely. Of course, the ecosystem was nothing like the desert or the canyon from which she hailed, quite the opposite, in fact, but the routine that Florentina had placed upon them, while rigorous, was somewhat comforting. Ever since she had left the desert, she had felt idle and anxious for what was to come. One day, she had been ruminating in the desert-scape, and the next she had been whisked away and carried across the world in a way she still didn't fully comprehend, with no hope that she'd ever really be going back to where she had come. Samara was certainly capable of furnishing a place, and while her stay and reunion with her mentor had been comfortable, she still felt the weight of inactivity as she waited for something to happen. Now that it had happened, though, and she was here in Hextor, she was reminded of her time with Tahira. The training wasn't exactly all too similar, but just the act of waking up early and having to deal with all of the tasks and exercises Flora placed upon them was a nice change of pace. If nothing else, she enjoyed having something to do, to keep her busy. By the time two months had passed, the schedule had started to become something of a routine. She was already half awake by the time the horn blared, and swung her legs over the side of the bed only moments after the sound went off, knowing that the countdown had already begun. She had laid her clothes off to the side the night before in preparation and made haste in putting them on, gathering her relevant possessions, and making her way outside of the room before a minute had passed. The next minute and some change were used getting outside and reaching Florentina, who waited for their arrival as always, calling off the passing time in preparation for any sign of tardiness. Of course, Roha had no intention of being late, making her way to join the formation before the timer had hit zero. She had gotten used to the leader of the swamps since her arrival, kind of. It was no longer so outlandish to see such a tall individual, but Florentina's intimidation didn't come from her being tall. In a way, she reminded her of the Khan, except more silent with her judgment. "Morning, warden," she greeted, before falling silent and joining the giantess in waiting for the day to properly begin. She wouldn't use excitement as a word to describe her anticipation, but she didn't exactly loathe the grueling routine that they all had partaken in thus far. If nothing else, it served a purpose, and for that reason, she could appreciate it. Being in a swamp didn't help, but she had started to get used to it. Heat wasn't unfamiliar to her, albeit the humidity was the worst part. At least she had gotten used to the foul smell over time.

Before she had the chance to enter her new residency, the mutant seemed to return, catching the attention of everyone as he began to speak. She had been halfway through the doorway when the man's words redirected her focus back to where she had come from, revealing the image of the strange human bowing deeply before Sukegei as he began to divulge an apology of sorts to Indemira and the Shaitan man. The words may have had some weight were it truly more of an apology than it was a story. After briefly apologizing, he began to speak on how he was, in fact, from another world, and his tribe was some sort of group that had been altered by magic to be different from humanity, or something of that nature. In the end, he concluded that he, too, hated humans. It was an interesting tale, but didn't explain how exactly the strange fish man had arrived here from his original world or anything like that, the type of context that would be important when regaling another with a story such as this. The only thing that he had said so far that she agreed with was that he was some sort of mutant, that much was clear. While she was not very fond of Sukegei thus far due to his demeanor, perhaps his assumption that the man was a byproduct of a human and a fish was correct. Maybe such origins of the man would explain his seemingly subpar intellect and bizarre stories. As he attempted his apology, she noted his struggles to even formulate what he was saying, despite the fact that the sentences he uttered were in the plainest common she had heard since she had joined Samara, to the extent that she as an illiterate child a decade ago must have been able to concoct a better apology. She wasn't sure whether he was a knavish charlatan pretending to be mentally crippled for alms from the Warden, or if his brain was as malformed as his body. It seemed that there were mixed reactions from her new comrades in regards to Etienne's tale. Indemira remained friendly enough with the man, humoring his delusions. Maybe the Jinn knew something that Roha did not, or maybe she was simply playing along. Sukegei, however, was quick to shoot down the mutant's tales and insult him in the process, before returning to making his comments, once more directing them to Indemira. If Casimir had any thoughts on the matter, he kept them to himself, instead changing the subject again. She decided she would do as he did, and dismiss the mutant, especially since she wasn't involved in the matter. "Anyways," she began, "I'm afraid I have to agree with Lady Indemira. It seems that we're among strange company, perhaps its best if our quarters remain separate." She stepped away from the room she had intended to enter, now willing to redirect her attention a different room, one further down the hall and hopefully further away from the degenerate and the retard.

The tension produced by the mutant man's presence was seemingly defused as he was sent away by Casimir, putting an end to the conflict he had created through his crude words. Even so, the question remained briefly on why exactly he was even here, though Indemira was able to provide a response on the matter that seemed fairly reasonable, considering the accrued context. It would make sense that his loyalty was a result of his predicament, seeing as he likely couldn't go anywhere else. As such, taking shelter with the giantess who was kind enough to provide it was likely his only option. Sukegei raised the question if humans were even capable of loyalty, but they were no doubt capable of something similar considering what they had at one point achieved. They wouldn’t have been such a threat for so long if they couldn’t serve a singular purpose. The proposal that he had been separated from the rest of his kind did make sense, though. Isolation from his kind in a different land would explain both his ignorance and his survival of the judgment that had extinguished his kind elsewhere. In that sense, it was almost a pitiful existence, living as the mutated remnant of a species wiped out for their crimes against the rest of the world. It didn't excuse his ignorance, though, nor his antagonistic behavior. For a moment, Roha and the Jinn locked eyes. Everything about Indemira seemed to be classy. She had never put much thought into fashion, but the Jinn made it work. Perhaps it had something to do with her Jinn magic, or maybe she was just particularly savvy when it came to that. Perhaps both? Either way, she returned the smile, briefly, nodding her head in agreement with the Jinn's deductions. She refrained from commenting any further, though, as the subject was dropped and the matter was over. Now, they could move on to more important topics. Or not, as the subject matter was once more shifted to Sukegei, who was all too keen to speak, which was unfortunate for everyone else. Having to listen to him for the short amount of time they had met was bad enough, but having his attention shifted to her was worse. It was as if he lacked any semblance of nuance or discretion. Perhaps if he did, he might be a bit more successful in his endeavors. Instead, both she and Indemira found him rather repugnant. Despite laughing at his own remark, no one else seemed to be particularly amused. Even Casimir audibly expressed his discontent with the Mer, beckoning them to simply ignore his remarks. It was ironic how one problem was resolved and another seemed to become evident. The worst part was probably that she was stuck here with said problems for the foreseeable future. Once more, she considered rebutting his words, but decided to take Casimir's advice, narrowing her eyes at Sukegei, before turning away to follow Casimir. Returning to the topic of food was a welcomed change in subject once more. Indemira seemed proud of her culinary skills, especially pertaining to seafood soup and dumplings. Of course, they would all put her confidence to the test when she prepared such dishes, but either way, Roha would be happy to have food of the desert here, considering how far the two of them had come from their homeland. "I look forward to it, Indemira. Any meal from home is a good meal, I imagine. Perhaps you could teach me a thing or two as well," she'd reply. While Sukegei and the human didn’t seem the best of company, Indemira and Casimir seemed amicable, not to mention she and the Jinn were on the same side. As such, she had nothing against them. Finally, they had arrived at the rooms in which they would be staying. The choice of where exactly they would stay was up to them, it seemed, but just via glances into the different dwellings, it was an upgrade from her quarters of the past. Perhaps not during her time with Samara, but in contrast to her trip here, and her old home in the desert, it was nothing short of an improvement. She approached one of the vacant rooms, though before entering, she turned back to Casimir. “Thank you for being more civilized than some of the other gentlemen around here.” Having at least one level-headed individual around was nice. Indemira also fit the bill, to be fair, but Casimir was the mediator here, and had the responsibility of showing them around and keeping everything running smoothly, which he had done so far. She felt that such effort at least warranted some appreciation.

The tension in the room quickly skyrocketed once the malformed human opened his mouth. The other guests didn't take kindly to his crude remarks, and rightfully so, being compared to the likes of a human was nothing short of a great insult. Even the Rakata under Indemira's service were nearly riled into action, quick to draw arms and threaten the human's life in defense of their lady's honor, rather admirably, at that. Sukegei seemed quite intent on wiping the human out right here, and fairly so, if not for his protection under the Diva. Indemira, meanwhile, was a bit less decided on killing him, but was quick to retaliate against the human's half-baked insults with some of her own, albeit her words seemed more like personal attacks, or analyses of the mutant's seemingly warped psyche. The human, if one could call him that, what with all his deformities and oddities, had quite some nerve considering his position. He talked too much for someone she assumed was no more than a servant under the care of the swamp's mistress, who was kind enough to spare his life, considering what exactly he was. Even though he hadn't directly targeted her with his words, the gall of the human was still outstanding. And she had thought that she had poor manners when it came to these diplomatic things, but the human wasn't even trying, as if he wanted there to be a negative first impression of this place.  "You would think one of his kind that had the luck to still be alive would be more cautious in regards to how he treats others, after everything his kin did in the past. To think the Warden would be kind enough to host him, and the first thing he does is incite an incident with her guests," she scoffed, scowling at the man. Her words were addressed more towards her peers and less towards the human himself. She despised humanity, naturally, but was willing to tolerate his presence if he wasn't a nuisance, but for some reason he felt the need to open his mouth and start a fight. Her vulpine ears pressed against the back of her head, but she refrained from saying anything further, crossing her arms and turning her attention towards Casimir. She felt bad for the feline in these moments, as the poor man was left to clean up the fallout of the social scuffle and ease the tension his less considerate associate had managed to generate. As such, she didn't push the situation any further. It was, however, a bit ironic that the human was unable to find kinship even with the cat. Casimir was quick to denounce the human, though such actions were likely necessary to diffuse the situation either way. Regardless, the human wasn't worth their time, and the prospect of settling down after all of the previously undergone travel was more appealing than being upset over the human's drivel, but anywhere was better than outside, to be fair.  As Casimir began to move, she followed the guide as they moved deeper into the estate. With the human conflicts hopefully out of the way, she redirected her attention towards observation once more, taking in the sights of the manor. At this rate, she was going to be in the home of every faction leader from the desert to the jungle. She had already checked Samara and now Florentina off that list, after all. She returned her attention to Casimir as he presented a question to break the ice among the group. She thought about the inquiry for a moment as she pondered what she might consider her favorite dish from her homeland, before going to answer. "I think I'd say dumplings. We would prepare the meat first, then wrap it in dough and steam it. It was simple, but always turned out good," she would say, nodding her head as she recalled older memories of the dish from times long passed by now. The prospect of not returning home was still a somber thought, but at least it wasn't the end of her, or her kind. She just supposed next time she made it, it would likely be in the Fathomless Expanse and not the Canyon.

The people gathered here were certainly an interesting array of characters. The female elf was also from Samara, seeing as her name was the one Samara had mentioned previously. She, too, was apparently a Jinn, according to Samara. Regardless, Roha would leave her to her tasks and not disrupt whatever business the Sharmoot had tasked her with. Then, there was the other elf, the man. Though they had just met, he was quite blatantly crude in demeanor. Lastly was the cat man, who seemed cordial enough at first inspection. His name was Casimir. She noted their names for later, though the elf man's name eluded her for the time being. After her brief introduction, she stood in waiting, listening to what the others had to say. She had arrived in the middle of the dialogue, and seemed to be missing some of the context, but had arrived just in time, as they appeared to be getting ready to head inside. She had also arrived in time to watch the shaitan man receive a healthy shower of bog water. Unpleasant for him, but presumably deserved. While watching the retribution occur was certainly humorous, she refrained from any sort of laughter, though a smirk briefly formed on her face. Indemira was certainly a different type of woman from herself, Roha deduced fairly quickly. Her attire was much more proper, as was her ride, having arrived by carriage. Not to mention the amount of luggage that floated alongside her seamlessly. Perhaps a noble by birth, or something of that sort. She was also a Jinn, so perhaps she was related to Samara. She didn't quite know how that sort of thing worked when it came to the strange, magical beings. Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the swamp's friendly fauna, a giant fly abruptly landing on her back. Naturally, the proper lady didn't take kindly to the foul beast, her reaction being a bit funny, though once more, she refrained from laughing. As funny as it was, she couldn't blame her. The creatures of this realm were disgusting. A beetle was familiar to her, but these nasty flying bugs that flittered through the rancid air were much uglier, and far less useful by the looks of it. Maybe it really was time to go inside. She glanced back at her mount, before settling on retrieving her own belongings later, once introductions were done and she knew where she'd end up staying for the duration of this trip. Regardless, it was time to enter, and as the group began to move towards the entrance of the estate, she followed behind quietly for the time, taking in her surroundings. Unlike the men, she had less interest on Indemira, and more on the new environment she found herself in. The tactician's home was a nice place, that much was certain, but there was only so much TLC you could provide to a home in a swamp. If she missed nothing from the desert, it was walking on dry ground, sand or otherwise, as opposed to mud. As she passed Casimir as he held the door open, she thanked him briefly, before continuing inside. Much like Sukegei, she found herself taking in the sights. It was certainly a manor worthy of a nation's leader, and it was much nicer than living inside the shell of a large crab, though it didn't surpass the opulence Samara had flaunted. To be fair, though, she wasn't sure if anyone really could stand up to that. Her admiration of the home was disrupted at the mention of a human, though. She had thought their kind long dead after they had been wiped from the face of the desert, which made her wonder what one was doing here, much less in the home of the tactician of the swamp. "I didn't even know any were still left," she'd say in response to Sukegei, glancing over at the shaitan briefly, before turning her gaze back to the human. She noticed something off about him, namely his hands when she looked closer. There seemed to be some sort of webbing between his fingers, but otherwise he was dressed fairly nicely, so he didn't appear to be an intruder or murderer come to kill someone. Perhaps he was indeed a pet, or part of the Diva's personal freak collection, had she one. She wasn't sure what else one of their kind would be good for nowadays. While she didn't feel the need to mock the human, she found his presence strange, and his kind detestable, much like the others, it seemed. Hailing from the desert, she knew of the Rakata and their reputation, and upon them being pointed out, she turned her attention to them. Even so, they seemed to be accompanying Indemira, so she assumed they were likely well-mannered and not prone to theft, at least to some extent. She hadn't ever really encountered any of them herself before, so she only heard tales of their skullduggerous behavior.

The last few weeks had been strange, very different from anything she was used to. It hadn't been very long ago that she had been in the desert still, at least until her meeting with the Lioness. One moment, she had been traversing the sands, and the next she had been transported to some sort of palace, where the two of them spoke in isolation. Now, the desert was empty, and she was a part of the Eternal House. That had marked the turning point in her life, as she was no longer able to go back to her home, were there anything left of it. Instead, she was whisked away to the fathomless expanse, another region in the north, beyond the walls that had previously divided the sands from the rest of the world. Before all of this, she never would've imagined she'd end up here where she had found herself, but now the desert had been forsaken, and the north was all she would come to know. Arriving in the fathomless was strange. She had been used to the sand and plants of the desert and the hotspots of life that inhabited it, but that was mostly the white of the sand and the green of the plant life. The expanse, though, it was colorful, to put it lightly. The flora were vibrant and of strange shape and structure, a far cry from what she was used to. And that wasn't even accounting for the creatures that inhabited the region, which were like sea creatures that had come to inhabit the land. While that seemed to be where the Eternal House was settling in the fathomless expanse, she wasn't to stay there for long, not now. Samara had already dictated that she would travel to the swamplands to not only meet the great tactician, but train under her for some time. Another of the Sharmoot's disciples was supposed to also be there, as far as she had been informed, another Jinn named Indemira, though she wasn't to blow her cover as an agent of the House. For her journey, she had procured a mount of her own, a... giant crab. It was a creature of the fathomless, and while riding a giant crab had initially seemed bizarre in comparison to, say, a dinosaur mount, it had perks, such as serving as a portable house. Not long after arriving in the expanse, it was time to leave, and so she set off for the swamps in the distance. Traveling these new lands was different from a desert, though, as the terrain and layout was different than what she was used to. Leaving behind the fathomless presented her with more familiar color schemes, but the amount of greenery was new. Just about everything was green, and giant plants surrounded her during her travels. The swamp wasn't very pleasant, though, despite what had initially seemed to be beautiful. While the heat was something she was quite familiar with, the air was practically wet here. In the desert, it had been quite dry, excluding maybe the coastal regions, like Al-Shedan, where it tended to be a bit more humid due to the nearby ocean. This was different though, it was oppressively humid, unpleasantly so. And that didn't count for the smell either. She had heard it called the necrotic swamp, a name that seemed quite fitting now. The best way she could describe such a putrid odor was rot, that was the only way to sum it up. It was as if the entire swamp had crawled here to die and began to decompose in the heat. And that didn't even account for how wet it was. She had never seen a swamp before, but now that she had, she found it to be the worst of the biomes she had encountered, as few as those encounters had been. She'd take the sand of the desert over having to wade through the mucky water and peat. If nothing else, she was grateful to have this mount with her, so she didn't have to camp on the ground, and could spend as little time as possible in the mud. After some weeks of travel, she seemed to have made it successfully, much to her relief. The last thing she wanted was to get lost in these foreign lands, since she'd then also miss her meeting, which wouldn't be a good look considering this was her first task under the Jinn. As she arrived on the oversized crustacean, it seemed she wasn't the first one to the party. A carriage already rested in front of the estate, and near it, two elves and what seemed to be a Peur'skar, most of which seemed to be well dressed. The female elf seemed to have an excessive amount of luggage with her, though it did indicate that she wasn't from this place. Perhaps she happened to be Indemira. Dismounting her crab, she moved to approach the group. Roha herself was wearing nice attire, for once, as she was a noble now as opposed to a common soldier. As such there were new requirements when it came to the field of presentation, it seemed. She wasn't the most versed in fashion, but that probably came naturally with time. Getting closer, the profiles of the individuals became more apparent. The female elf was distinctly buxom, which seemed to be the greatest thing of note, perhaps more so than Samara herself. That alone was probably a feat. "Greetings, strangers. I am Roha of the Eternal House. This is the estate of the great tactician of these lands, yes?" she'd inquire, waiting to make the acquaintance of these individuals, and learn who exactly they are.

It always seemed as if nothing was ever truly defined, and if things were, the ending never seemed clear. As opposed to a straight road, it was more akin to one full of twists, turns, and occasional reversals. Another turn had only recently occurred, and here she was, at the precipice of it all. She had the option to follow the bend in the path, or keep on the current trajectory and go off the edge of the cliff. This time, there was no fork in the path. Of course, her mind was already made. She would rather follow her mentor and the Jinn, as opposed to facing the same fate the rest of the desert dwellers had. It was an easy choice. She hadn't been around to see the past, and how those who came before her squandered their opportunities, but she lived in the aftermath for long enough that she didn't wish to see a repeat of that, or be left to continue in that wake. Even with how little she knew of the Jinn's true nature, she was clearly intelligent, and Tahira trusted her. Not only that, but she was capable of identifying the flaws in the older system, the reason why it had failed. If she knew this, she could surely avoid such a fate in the future. Roha nodded her head as Samara spoke. The logic behind her statements made sense, there was nothing to refute or argue. As Samara moved to her side, her eyes followed the crimson mistress. Honor was certainly a strange thing. In the past, she had never questioned it, but adversity had forced her to reconsider. She had never doubted Tahira as a guide or a teacher, but the nation under which she served collapsed into the very sand it had been built upon. What she didn't know, however, was Samara's revelation about her mentor. The news of her origins from both Samara and from Matsumota's kin was not exactly knowledge she had been made well informed of, and as such, it came as a surprise. It was then that the two of them met each other's eyes. She didn't know what exactly it was she saw in the gaze of the Jinn, but it was certainly change. Samara offered a new type of future, one where a better world would be crafted, free from the mistakes that dragged the previous one to ruin. It was a fine deal, and would no doubt be the best route out of the current state of the world. Why rebuild the ashes of the old when they could build something entirely new? Something better? She recalled Tahira's lectures, and how she stated that they were destined to be tools of the state, soldiers for whom no thanks would be given. Perhaps that wasn't to be so anymore. Now, the both of them would be more than tools. She took the Jinn's hand as it was offered, nodding her head again. "I accept, then. Allegiance to nothingness would be a waste. I pledge myself to you and this future, my lady."

The buxom bovinite was quick to chastise Roha for her lack of defense towards her people as she rose to her feet, as if some sort of test of character. What was she supposed to say in defense, though? There was nothing redeemable, nothing she could say that held any semblance of logic and wasn't based on an appeal to emotion. She assumed that it was impossible to save everyone in the desert, not that Samara would be willing to even if it was, considering she seemed to perceive them as failures. And if that wasn't an option, the alternative to extermination was leaving them alone in their shattered state until the Defiled arrived to assimilate them all and absorb them into their army. The latter was a worse fate than simply dying. Besides, she assumed the Lioness wouldn't want to hear any complaints or whines she might have fronted were she to make an argument for the survival of the desert, and she certainly assumed they would be wasted words that would achieve nothing. Of course, it was then that Samara revealed the fact that she had already commenced her plan, making any potential protests futile to begin with, even were she to make a case for the desert's survival. Now, it seemed that there was nothing to save. Why even propose the question then, she wondered. At that point, it was nothing more than a hypothetical. Was it some sort of quiz, to which a certain answer was expected? She wasn't sure, but she didn't understand the Jinn, or what she was getting at. Even so, she wasn't angry. The desert had dug itself into a hole, her people included. Now, they were too deep in it to climb out, there was no discernable solution in which recovery was achievable and their demise was unavoidable, regardless of the means by which it came to pass. Whatever extermination Samara had planned was a mercy, she imagined, especially compared to starvation, disease, or the Defiled. Even so, she felt a sort of numbness at the knowledge that such an event had apparently happened. The information that something of such a scale was apparently occurring made it hard to imagine it, or quantify what was even occurring, and in the situation she was currently in, she scarcely had the time to process it as Samara continued to move from topic to topic. "When I was young, I heard tales about the desert that had once existed, and the wonders that were now derelict. When I asked where all of it went, I never did get a straight answer, all I knew was that we failed, somehow. I didn't understand it then, but the more I saw, the more I realized the gravity of the situation. I can't quantify what the sands had once been like, but looking out at what's left, I can almost envision how we failed, and the shambles we were left in. After a certain point of failing again and again, I imagine there's a point of no return, and I'm guessing we already passed that. If we failed so many times, what excuses could I make to try and justify the pardoning of the desert? And if you did, there’s no time to recover before the Defiled arrived and assimilated them all. Compared to that, I would say death is a mercy." She grimaced at the thought, even if it did seem to be the only way, and the best for them, as grim as it was. She didn't want anyone to die, but that was never an option it seemed. What confused her the most, though, was the Lioness herself. Roha couldn't quite comprehend the type of individual she was. The way she held herself and reacted seemed abnormal to her. The way she seemed to view the world and the level at which she operated superseded anything Roha was used to, and as a result she found it to be bizarre, and confusing. Even her posture and expressions radiated supremacy. In response to Roha's lament, she simply donned an obnoxious grin, as if to taunt her. She never did understand nobility, but Samara was far beyond any simple nobility, clearly. “Before we came here, Tahira told me that failure isn’t an option, that the cost of defeat is everything, so even if the price of victory was likewise everything, it would be equalized in the end. And morals, she said, are a luxury only afforded during times of peace. I don’t want anyone to die, but that doesn’t really seem like an option here. I’m guessing there's not a hundred spare years to nurture it back to its former state, not after we already lost everything.” When she finished speaking, she felt spent, in a way, as if she had gotten what needed to be said out of her system. Of course, she didn’t want to upset the Jinn, seeing as it seemed she was now her new employer, but she didn’t want to be, well, boring either. It seemed that Samara wanted her to at least express her opinions, so she did. She had operated under the presumption that her own opinion wasn’t of much importance, and that by speaking out she’d only be annoying to the Lioness, but it seemed that her lack of communication was likewise a nuisance. Whatever the case, it seemed that the world was now permanently altered, and the desert in its entirety would now be wiped of life. Never was she to return home, she imagined. If she had known this was the purpose of her journey here, perhaps she would’ve packed a bag, or said her goodbyes. Well, there was no looking back now, so it didn’t really matter. All that mattered was that she kept on moving. If nothing else, this was a fresh start. Roha listened to Samara’s words carefully, absorbing what she had to say. What particularly stood out was her statement; “potential not realized is the greatest of all sins”. Such was the case of the desert, hopefully she could avoid the same outcome. That was why she was here, after all, wasn’t it? It was then that Samara presented an offer, a meeting with the one known as the Diva, the butcher of the sands that hailed from the northern lands. Roha had heard of her before, but only in passing. The conflicts with her were before her time, long before she was a soldier like she was now. As such, she did not feel particularly repulsed or offended by the idea of encountering such an individual. If anything, it would be interesting to meet someone renowned as the great tactician, who had managed to best her kind back before the desert was fully decrepit. It had already been established that her kind, at least as they were in the desert, had failed. Petty animosity wouldn’t serve her any good now, even if it was honor, as Samara called it. “For a long time, I believed strongly in honor. It was the only thing I knew, and it united me with my kin. I still do, of course, but things don’t seem so black and white anymore. The same honor that held us together prevented us from adapting, and so we fought with each other and the Union collapsed, and eventually society did too, and look where that got us. Being honorable is a good way to live, but being unable to change seems like the same as lying down and dying. At least, that’s what I think,” she’d say. “If the Diva is as skillful a tactician and warrior as they say, I’ve no qualms with her. Times are changing, and it would be wasteful to squander opportunity over old grudges.”

The fate of what would become of the sands was indeed a significant question, albeit perhaps more so for Roha than for Samara. While they had both had stakes in the sand, it seemed that the Lioness had widely distanced herself from the people of the desert, who were now more of a nuisance than anything, from what Roha inferred. It was easy to see how, and why, though. Samara clearly possessed great power, wealth, and influence, and while she couldn't exactly speak from experience, she could only imagine how ascending so far beyond the common man would make them all the more insignificant in someone's eyes. She stated that she was the only one capable of leading them through the current trials. While such a statement might be interpreted as arrogant, the fall of the sands clearly indicated that there was some truth in this. Who else remained that possessed the means and knowledge to take up the mantle, after all? Tahira trusted the Jinn, so she would as well. Not that there was much of a choice in the matter. The alternative was more than likely death in the sands, as usual. It was becoming a recurring theme in regard to recent events. She was caught off guard by the brilliant flash of light that seemed to engulf the room. Futilely, she raised her hand in an attempt to shield her eyes, but it did little to stop her from being blinded by the flash, if only momentarily. When it had faded, nothing seemed to have changed. The room was the same, and Samara remained in front of her. Whatever the cause or reasoning for the flash seemed to be unknown, at least to her. She could only assume the Lioness had done something, but what exactly that had been still eluded her, for now. In all fairness, the desert was indeed a failure, and the Defiled were certainly an ever-present threat. While the Lioness stated that they were not her true adversary, they were still, indeed an enemy nonetheless. Leaving an entire region's worth of people for them to assimilate was a poor idea by any metric. While the Eternal House would simply leave, those outside of its banner would be doomed to remain in the world that they were cursed to inhabit, and failed to improve. The alternative, then, was simply death. While grim, the prospect of extermination still seemed superior to assimilation by the Defiled. It was the better of two outcomes, and the lesser of two evils. Obviously, neither option was particularly moral or ethical, but those two things had long since ceased to matter, it seemed. Tahira was right; in times of conflict, there was no room for empathy, only impartiality. While, in the ideal world, saving the sands may have been preferable, it seemed that the time for that had passed, and there was no room to take all of them. Even if there had been, though, Roha imagined Samara wouldn't do so, seeing as she considered them wicked, and failures in most regards, from what she discerned. Nonetheless, even if Roha had any objection, it wouldn't make a difference. Why would Samara care about what she had to say? She didn't wish such a fate upon them, but it was going to happen regardless, and in a roundabout way, it was for their own good. It was tragic, perhaps deplorable, even, but it seemed to be inevitable. Now, she was faced with another prospect. All she had to do was kneel and submit. In the end, it was simply another case of an illusion of choice. It was true, she could refuse, she assumed, but it was no different from simply impaling herself on a blade. Besides, it was simply a matter of changing masters, from the House of the Fox to the House that was eternal. While honor was something she valued, she also valued her own survival and that of her kind. She'd rather see the world in a better state under the Lioness than die in a failed nation. "Repugnant, perhaps instinctively, but I can't deny that it seems inevitable. A better fate than being left to the Defiled," she agreed, kneeling down before the red-skinned Jinn. She, for a moment, contemplated asking about the flash, but decided against it, not wishing to bog down the Lioness with any further inquiries. Instead, she accepted the choice to survive damnation and kissed the Bovinite's hand, fairly confident she had made the right decision.

Speaking to the Jinn was something of a challenge in itself. Not only did she not speak particularly plainly, but most of her statements existed as challenges to a pre-established reality that Roha had grown accustomed to. She, like most people, never really anticipated change, and while unpredictability had become fairly commonplace, some things she couldn't expect in any capacity. This was one of them. It was true, she weighed everything heavily, and thought deeply about how to respond to Samara's questions. With so little time, though, it didn't provide much room for true contemplation. She did her best to maintain a facade of professionalism, a veneer of militant stoicism she fronted, only explicitly broken as she reacted to what Samara had to say. Simultaneously, she watched the Lioness of the Sands as she moved, circling her like some sort of predatory beast, before coming to rest. The artificial sun behind her dimmed, before she began to speak once more. Samara spoke of fear, and its significance. Fear was certainly a powerful motivator, yet also an inhibitor. Fear made people irrational. That was likely why the Jinn had been demonized in the first place. It made Roha wonder why she herself feared. Perhaps it was death, the Defiled, imprisonment. She figured that these were good things to fear, fairly rational and fairly reasonable. Of course, it would be foolish to be driven by them. As Samara looked her in the eyes, she thought about what she had said. Living without fear was no different than enduring life without love. She proclaimed this the fault of those who came before her. It seemed they lacked balance, if this was the case. If things were as straightforward as Samara said, it seemed the solutions truly were simple. Her explanation on the importance of fear was simple indeed, but they made sense. It was one of many emotions, and like the rest, it had the capability to aid or hinder an individual, all based on their reaction to it. Just like love could lead to obsession, fear just as easily led to hysteria. She nodded her head to indicate understanding, but kept quiet as Samara continued. Fear and power, she proclaimd, were the downfall of the society that was. Looking at what was left, this was easy to see, when looking at something reasonably. She was no historian, but had heard tales of failed unions dissolved over conflicts of interest, a people united torn asunder by internal strife. They were gone now, but surely enough, Samara was still here. That alone made it hard to refute her, had she any intention to. Roha nodded once more as her thoughts ruminated, bringing her hand to her chin as she caressed in as she contemplated these words. She herself had already survived the Defiled, and no one had been there to help her or those around her. Any semblance of civilization she had known had evaporated, leaving behind only remnants. She had already decided she didn't want to be left to die in the carcass of a failed state, which made this seem almost serendipitous. As if to emphasize her point, the wall that gazed out onto the radiant orb shut, and suddenly the chambers felt much smaller. As Samara continued, it was once more clear that denying her declarations was impossible. The world had indeed changed, she had seen it firsthand. Everything that had seemed resolute and absolute had been little more than castles of sand in the expansive desert, and they crumbled when truly water unexpectedly came to wash them away. Even now, though, it was true she still felt an obligation to her people, and to her mentor. Even with this sense of honor, she didn't want to face the same stagnation as those before, the same stagnation that afflicted the desert now. She was not fond of the idea of abandoning her people in any capacity, or renouncing the vows she had made to them. Even so, it was true that she had already pondered what was to occur if she remained tethered to dead weight. She didn't want to drown just because no one else had the capacity to swim. "I couldn't deny anything you've said if I wanted to, seeing as it mirrors reality. It seems I've been experiencing this stagnation first hand, and have had to deal with the consequences of failure at the hands of those who came before me. I don't want to make the same mistakes," she would say, "but what will become of the desert, then?"

It was safe to say that there was more than a little bit of information to be taken in and processed here. Everything happened rather quickly, seeing as it had seemed to have only been moments ago that she had been dragged into the current abode in which she had come to inhabit for the moment. It seemed that all she could do now was provide her best attempt at processing everything that was occurring, and maintaining conversation as best she could, despite the distinct divide between the two of them. At the end of the day, she was simply trying her best. Once more, she was out of her element, though that was seeming to become the norm as of recent. It wasn't as if she had been given a chance to prepare either, to be fair. First, Tahira had shown up, followed by the Bovinite Guard, and when they had arrived... wherever this was, she had been snapped into existence here. She hadn't even the time to drink from a waterskin before she had arrived in this palace. She opted to not interrupt Samara as she spoke, instead simply listening to the deluge of information that was being bestowed upon her regarding the nature of Samara herself, and this place in which they found themselves. Roha listened intently, any thoughts roaming her mind being silenced as she soaked up the revelations being cast upon her. She did her best to acknowledge what she learned, while simultaneously trying not to linger on it, lest she miss the next bit of information. The first revelation was the fact that the Lioness was, in fact, not a Bovinite, but rather a Jinn, a creature that she had only heard of in passing through myths and tales of the desert. Naturally, she had never met one, and if she had, she hadn't known it. Until now, that was. Samara claimed to be the first of her kind, and the creator of the Bovinite species in its entirety. Of course, Roha didn't really know how to quantify or process such revelations, though she didn't exactly doubt it. She had been transported to an estate of unimaginable wealth, which seemed to have caged its own star beyond the terrace Samara had initially stood on. Despite her intentions to not linger on what she had learned, she found herself pondering what exactly the Lioness being a Jinn implied. The tales of the desert hadn't exactly depicted her kind in the most positive of lights, otherwise she wouldn't have needed to keep such a fact obscured to begin with. In her thoughts, she had almost not noticed as Samara began to move. Her brow furrowed and she frowned as she pondered what she had been told, and listened for what was yet to be revealed. Despite Samara's intentions to answer her questions, the Lioness was perhaps right, and maybe she simply wouldn't understand what exactly was occurring here. This had already proven beyond her previous scope so far. She watched as the glass of wine dissipated into nothingness, as if removed from existence itself, before Samara once more began to speak. It was revealed that the current plane of existence they inhabited was, apparently, fabricated by Samara herself to save those that were deemed worthy of saving. Apparently, that had included Roha in some capacity, no doubt due to her mentor. The idea that an entire realm had been fabricated from nothing seemed bizarre, but not exactly unbelievable, with what she had seen. The orb of radiance still lingered beyond the terrace, after all, and she had seen objects be conjured and dissipated from nothing already. It was all quite fascinating, to say the least. All these things that one would have never conceived to be possible were occurring here, seemingly beyond reality. Or maybe this was reality? She couldn't really tell, this certainly seemed as real as anything else. Even the idea that the Lioness was somehow conversing with her mentor in a separate existence was nothing short of impressive, if not intimidating. All of this was certainly new, though, and she wasn't acting, that was for sure. "I'm no actress, this is all news to me," she confessed, "but it's really something, my lady." Naturally, there were more questions she could have asked, but she didn't want to be a nuisance. "I'm not the most privy to the tales regarding the Jinn, I must admit. I don't remember any of the stories being positive, though. I believe they mostly depict the Jinn as tricksters and devils, if I remember correctly."

The journey proved to be entirely uneventful, which shouldn't have come as a surprise. Nothing eventful would really happen until they arrived, or at least, that's what she figured. Surely enough, the trek through the Obsidian Canyon and beyond served to be rather dry. It primarily consisted of walking, with a bit more walking after that. Despite the lackluster journey, it was the first time since the Defiled had been dispelled that Roha had traveled a great distance. Subsequently, she saw the state of the world around her, or rather anything they happened to pass by on the journey. The Canyon was in a sorry state, and she imagined anything beyond it wasn't much different. It made her wonder where they'd even begin if they were to recover from this. It was nasty business, that much was sure, and there was a lot of work to do. One might think that the period of relative peace might be welcome, but it only meant that there was more time to think, and more time to anticipate their arrival, wherever it was they were going. She wondered who exactly the Lioness of the Sands was. She knew only the idea, but not the person. She assumed that the woman would be a bovinite, seeing as she was the mother of their kind, but didn't know much else. Roha wondered how Tahira had come to know both the Khan and the Lioness, the two most influential people in the sands. It was impressive, that much was certain, and one might think it'd be implausible, but then again, here she was, having already met the former and about to meet the latter, so it mustn't have been that unlikely if it was to happen twice. The meeting with the Khan that occurred seemingly so long ago was tense, for her at least, which made her hope that the Lioness was less... threatening? At least, directly, she supposed. Anyone with that much power would intimidate a nobody, and reasonably so. The uneventful trip that they had possessed was soon to be abruptly disrupted, a fact that Roha was entirely unaware of until it had occurred. One moment, they had been in the midsts of trekking through the blazing desert, the expanse of white sand expanding in every direction around them. Then, a shimmer in the air happened to disturb them. She didn't even notice it, having thought it simply a mirage, or distortion of light due to the desert heat. The next moment, though, she was somewhere else entirely. It took her some time to realize where exactly that somewhere was, but the change was immediately apparent. The temperature had shifted, the light had dimmed, and she was distinctly alone compared to before. The ambient gusts of wind that occupied the desert scene had been replaced by melodic string instruments and a singer somewhere in the distance. As her vision adjusted to the abrupt shift in lighting, she would find herself in a chamber of excessive opulence, the likes of which someone such as herself would be entirely unfamiliar with. It reflected the wealth the Lioness' soldiers adorned proudly upon their armor, but exceeded it a thousand times over. The room was decorated with lavish furniture, manufactured from what must've been the finest materials in the realm. Many of the colors that decorated the textiles, stones, and metals seemed almost foreign, never having witnessed such shades in application before due to their expense. The uneven sand had been replaced by smooth marble, and the hot air had become cool and crisp. Breathtaking sculptures and art pieces only enhanced the grandiose hall, capturing the essence of reality in stone and on canvas. Above her, the blinding duo of stars that occupied the sky had been replaced by a dome, which, too, had been decorated with a stunning depiction of... something. Whatever it was, she wasn't sure, but it was still beyond beautiful. Gemstones dotted the array of colors, glistening in a manner that could only remind her of a romanticized portrayal of space, were it filled with color and light beyond that of the stars themselves. In her observation of the dome, she soon realized that it was more than just a stationary display, it seemed to be moving, somehow. Turning her eyes away from the ceiling, she observed the rotating walls and waterfalls that surrounded the round room, and subsequently the doorway at the end of the chamber, and the glowing orb of energy beyond. It was quite clear that she was no longer in the desert. Finally, her eyes rested upon the humanoid figure basking in the light of the orb. She assumed that this was the Lioness of the Sands. Finally, the woman spoke, as if she had been waiting for Roha to acclimate to the new environment, and recognize her own presence. The Bovinite's voice echoed through the hall, and she adorned herself in a light dress as she sipped wine and observed the radiant sphere beyond the terrace. The act would have seemed casual were it not so expensive. "Thank you, my lady," she managed, in response to the crimson-skinned lady's welcome. "On the way here, I had a lot of time to think about who it was I was actually going to meet. I imagined you'd be a Bovinite, of course, but beyond that, I wasn't sure what to expect, truthfully. The idea superseded the person, I suppose," she'd say, straightening her posture. Her abrupt arrival at... wherever they were had left her unprepared for the meeting, to say the least. This was the last thing she would have expected. Her eyes slightly widened in surprise at the revelation that the woman knew of their discussion already, to which the Lioness quickly responded. Her dominion over the sands was truly impressive if she truly knew everything that was going on. "I've done my best to learn from her, my lady. She's a good mentor, I certainly wouldn't have made it this far without her. If I'm permitted... can I ask what this place is? This almost seems like a dream. Only a moment ago I was in the desert. And where is my mentor, anyways? She just... vanished."

'I don't know' was about as much as Roha expected, considering it was about as much as she herself would have provided. Unless some plan had already been laid out to Tahira, anything she had said would have likely boiled down to the same end result. Maybe she was asking too many questions, trying to fill the silence and change the topic of the conversation, but it only really served as empty discussion of little substance. Their little debate on their, and Tahira's, purpose was of little effect. it seemed, and there was no common ground to be found. It seemed pointless to try arguing against Tahira's position, and perhaps there was no reason to try anyway. Before any more could be said, though, the duo was interrupted by the arrival of a new party, harkened by the clamor created by the armor-clad soldiers. Roha turned to meet the sound and was met by an assortment of bovine soldiers, adorned in exceedingly opulent armor of silver and gold, embellished by all sorts of valuable stones. Above, of course, was the banner of the Eternal House, a faction of which she had heard much about, but seen little of with her own eyes. The armor possessed by the soldiers must be some denotation of their importance, not the mention the wealth of the organization itself to produce such gear to be worn, of all things. Roha quickly guessed that they were likely here for some reason pertaining to Tahira, soon confirmed as they addressed her directly. She furrowed her brow, though, at the reason, if only for a moment. It seemed that the leader of the Eternal House herself was requesting Tahira, which did make sense, considering Tahira's employment under her, but it was still a surprise to hear directly. It was never not jarring to be reminded how many people of importance Tahira knew, and how many connections she had. The history of Tahira was an eventful one, as Roha continued to learn. It seemed their reunion was being cut short, but at least it had happened. At least, she assumed it was the end, until Tahira spoke, requesting Roha's presence during the audience. Perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise, seeing as Roha was, more or less, independent now, and likely qualified to some extent, but the prospect of meeting another big player in the political scene was somewhat daunting. She still remembered her encounter with the Khan of the Nokhoi, who was quite the intimidating presence, and rightfully so. She had never seen this Mistress of Sin herself, but imagined that the experience would likely be somewhat similar. Roha briefly glanced at Tahira, before turning her gaze back to the soldiers themselves. Even if a bit daunting, she wasn't going to refuse such an opportunity out of fear or anxiety. Instead, she simply nodded her head in agreement as the soldiers assimilated the duo into their ranks, she, too, moving as they began to march onward. She wasn't sure where it was they were going, at least beyond a very vague idea, but decided not to question it nonetheless. As Tahira whispered to her, she looked over and up at her mentor, who once more answered her previous inquiry, albeit in a different light, now that the situation had changed. And so, once more she nodded her head silently, affirming that she understood, and was ready to some extent. She internally prepared herself for the new journey that was to come now, straightening her posture instinctively in the presence of the other soldiers. Whenever they were heading, she would face it once more. To say that she was ready for whatever was to come might be an overstatement, but she would see it through, as she had everything else.

"Well, I think the ash is more from the volcano," she'd correct, unsure if Sarnai had unintentionally connected the two when Roha had been talking about the Canyon specifically. "Me neither, though. It's just something I remember. I couldn't tell you many others." She wasn't particularly well versed in the history of the Nokhoi, only really knowing the basics, but the tale was something she did know, and found rather interesting. How true it was, she wasn't sure, and likely wouldn't ever be, but it didn't make a difference in the end. The idea of settling down in an inn was a welcome one right now. Perhaps she'd manage a little bit of sleep too. The encounter with Sarnai was pleasant so far, and it was nice to meet a fellow traveler every once in a while, especially towards the end of her journey. Besides, the assistance she was willing to provide in regard to the town they were heading to was certainly of help. Better to have a guide than to wander the streets looking for something, or have to ask the locals. Roha didn't find nearly as much humor in the ash-based jokes Sarnai made, but refrained from commenting on them anyways. Nonetheless, she'd keep the advice in mind, as the less ash she had to deal with, the better. It seemed that the windows would be staying closed during her stay. "Maybe, I suppose we'll see. If you do make your way to the Canyon, I wish you luck on the journey." Perhaps they would meet again. Who knew what was in store for the either of them. It seemed just as likely that they'd meet this once, and never again. Only the future would tell.

Roha nearly chuckled at Sarnai's remark on the ash, although inhaling the gray powder on a daily basis didn't sound very pleasant. Hopefully, she wouldn't be here very long. A day or two, maybe a little more, but with any luck, no longer than that. "I'd say it's worth it. The Canyon is... beautiful, in its own way. Maybe it's the contrast to the desert. Black stone compared to white sand is quite the stark difference, as you'll see if you go. Have you heard the old folk tales? They say the earth was torn asunder by a great battle long ago. Must've been quite the fight, for that to happen." It seemed their journey was soon to conclude as Ashtown itself became visible in the distance. Almost there, and then she could take a seat, and drink something other than stale water and the errant trickle of sweat. "There it is, indeed," she nodded. "Sure, I'd appreciate it. Never been to this town before, so having a guide to the nearest rest stop would be nice."

"Ah, I see. Well, seems like decent work. Can't say I have anything to barter with, though." She did wonder how viable such a career was. It was one thing to grow crops in bulk, but manually picking berries and fruits from the outskirts of civilization seemed less productive. Less output, less of a guarantee of a good harvest, and probably less demand. She wasn't a professional, though, so she could only assume Sarnai knew what she was doing. Maybe she knew something Roha didn't. Either way, it wasn't her problem what the woman did. Sarnai's interest in the Obsidian Canyon did arouse Roha's attention, though, considering it was her homeland. The Canyon was certainly a better place than out here. To be fair, the Canyon was a better place to be than most of the desert. "Certainly better than this place," she'd say. "I'm from the Obsidian Canyon, in fact. Was born there. Lot more Nokhoi there, I imagine. It is the homeland, after all. It's a nice place, though. I'm sure there'll be plenty of... fruits to pick there for you. No ash, though, I'm afraid."

She didn't know what to expect was contained within the bag, but for some reason, fruits weren't quite what she expected. Nonetheless, it did explain the woman's presence here. So, she was out beyond the city collecting wild fruits from the surrounding landscape. The better question was why, though. Was it just because, or did she sell them? It seemed like a strange practice regardless, not necessarily foreign, but she hadn't ever seen someone harvesting fruits before. Wasn't growing them more practical? Well, she wasn't a professional on the matter, so she'd leave the specifics to Sarnai, she probably knew what she was doing. "No, but thank you, I'm alright," she'd say, refusing the offer. She could certainly eat, but she wasn't privy to accepting random fruits from strangers on the road, and they were almost to town anyways, she could wait. Her contemplation of the dinner offer had been more of a passive denial than anything, at least for now. Regardless of whether she could trust the woman or not, she wasn't so sure if she really wanted to eat with her if other options might be available. She'd generally prefer a meal from an inn, followed by a bit of rest before she had to get down to work and handle what she was sent here to do. Until they arrived, though, she didn't mind talking to her in the meantime. It shouldn't be too much longer until arrival anyways. "Do you sell the fruits, then? Or is this just a hobby of yours?" she'd inquire, observing the colorful pepper the woman withdrew from her bag, at least, before it was eaten.

"Roha," she responded. "I appreciate the offer, I'll consider it. What brings you out here? A bit far from Ashtown." She wondered why the woman was a fair distance from Ashtown proper, perhaps it had something to do with that bag of hers. Regardless, the woman seemed nice enough as of now. She would consider the dinner offer, though she wasn't usually one for accepting meals from strangers. She'd likely prefer to take up lodging at a local inn for her duration of the stay, though it was all to be determined when she actually arrived in the town itself. "What's in the bag?" she inquired, idly gesturing to it with her hand briefly. It was only a passing inquiry, but the walk wasn't over yet and she was mildly curious as to what the woman was doing. Besides, perhaps she could tell her something about the town before they arrived soon enough. She wondered why Sarnai offered her a meal, considering she hadn't even introduced herself until just now. Perhaps it was just kindness. She briefly glanced up at the two blazing suns resting in the sky, before quickly averting her gaze. The hot, dry air of the desert was all too familiar to her, something of a constant, no matter where she traveled. To think she'd be here now, visiting Ashtown as part of her profession seemed strange in retrospect. She doubted there were many others her age who had such an opportunity, and she felt quite fortunate to be able to travel as she did. Whether it was luck or fate that brought her here, she was grateful.

As the fellow traveler turned, she was granted a better view of the individual themselves. She was indeed another Nokhoi, and by what she said, a local, it would seem. It made sense, considering their proximity to Ashtown itself. The woman wasn't in any state to be a long distance traveler anyways, certainly not alone, seeming to be unarmed, as far as she could initially ascertain, and besides the bag containing unknown contents, she didn't seem to be hauling any supplies or goods. Roha, in contrast, wore her armor, which consisted of cured leather and padded gambeson beneath which rested atop her travel attire, her long black hair having been tied up into a bun on her head. At her side hung her sheathed blade, and aside from that, she was encumbered by what remained of her travel supplies since her last visit to a town or city before her trip to Ashtown. "Aye, I'm heading to Ashtown," she nodded in confirmation. "You're a resident, I presume?" She kept her responses and questions brief, and eyed the woman with a blank expression of indifference. While the stranger's expression had so far been cordial, she didn't intend to lower her guard quite so easily. At the moment, she didn't expect anything from her, but nonetheless remained vigilant, watching the road and watching the stranger. She maintained a decent distance from her while her hands hung at her side, ensuring one was idly close enough to her blade, if it became necessary. It had become a habit, but it was an important one, especially when away from the relative safety of civilization. She briefly wondered why the Nokhoi was here in Ashtown. While Roha hadn't quite reached the town yet, the landscape had gone from sandy to ashen, a subtle yet distinct change. She could only imagine what life in the town was like, waking up to ash-covered homes and streets. Surely the Canyon was a better home. The towering cliffs of obsidian and stone were reassuring, and the landscape was far less bleak than the Desert, especially when it was covered in gray ash. Then again, perhaps the woman was born here, and had remained her whole life. Travel wasn't particularly easy, much less full migration.

Ashtown, a place which certainly lived by its name. The abundant volcanic ash all around it ensured that. Nonetheless, it was all to the benefit of the locals. She was no expert on the matter, but she understood that the ash was more than a little bit good at being fertilizer, making it a lucrative export and a boon to the sand's agriculture. Aside from that, she had never been to the town herself, making this her first visit to the town. It was not an unwarranted visit, however, not a vacation by any measure. She was here pursuing a particular lead, reports of an aggressive beast in the area that required felling. The journey had been long, though, and before she could continue her duties, she decided to stop at the nearby town to rest and resupply as necessary. As she neared her destination, she became acutely aware of another traveler not far in the distance who, judging by her path, was heading to the same location. As Roha approached, she opted to hail the stranger, and at the very least make her presence known. "Greetings, stranger," the bronze skinned warrior called out once close enough. Beyond that, she said little else, as there was no need to. Instead, she simply observed the traveler. The first things she noticed was the bag she carried, which seemed somewhat loaded, though what with, she couldn't say. More importantly though, she noticed the pair of vixen ears upon the stranger's head. She was dealing with her own race, then, which was of some comfort. It wasn't that she'd be adverse to any other race, but seeing one of her own this far from her homeland of the Canyon was reassuring, in a way. She wiped an errant trickle of sweat from her brow and continued her trek. While she had grown fond of the open expanse of the desert, she could never deny that the comforts of civilization in any capacity were a welcome change of pace, particularly after a long journey. If nothing else, she was curious to see what the town had to offer. She didn't expect much from a town known for being surrounded by ash and exporting it for agriculture, but perhaps she would be surprised. That was yet to be seen.