Hey, this is Brookeira! Here's a prequel about how Danie and Elementgirl (aka Esthaenie) joined the group.

Six months before the start of the story:

Danielle “Danie” Amora twirled a dagger in her suntanned hand and scanned the tavern for trouble. No one looked their way, except a few who did a double take when they saw her bright green-dyed bob. She cursed herself for choosing this hair color, of all the colors she could have chosen. She was a rogue, for gods’ sakes. She was supposed to look stealthy.

Esthaenie made a small noise behind her. Danie turned to regard her charge coolly, one eyebrow cocked. Esthaenie was clearly trying to put on a brave face despite her nerves, twirling a piece of intricately curled red hair and biting her lower lip. Danie’s heart flickered in pity before she stifled it. No weakness. Weakness gets you killed.

“So,” Danie said, watching the dim glint of the firelight flickering on and off her dagger, “you’re runnin’ away?”

Esthaenie paled and hunkered down in her chair. “Not so loud. And yes. You’re sure you can hide me?”

Danie gave Esthaenie a small, sideways smirk. “As long as you help me with my… projects.”

“I’m not helping you steal because I agree with it,” Esthaenie said, glaring, “I understand your reasons for doing it, and I will only help because I am desperate, need the money to get off this continent, and-.”

“-find it necessary to stay in hiding,” Danie drawled, “you’ve told me. Anyways, we’re not robbing poor people. Just rich jerks. We even give most of our money to the poor!”

“That still doesn’t make it-!”

“Can it, angel-pants.”

They lapsed into silence. The rest of the bar was full of people, and their noise was buried under the smoke and laughter of resting travelers. Danie sipped from a pint of ale. She was about three years too young, but no one at this inn cared. No one here ever squinted at here and asked, “You eighteen?” in some nasal, nosy voice. No one here ever even looked at you unless you had neon green hair. Or if your companion had wings.

Danie had to hand it to Esthaenie; the Avariel girl had done a halfway decent job of hiding her wings under her heavy violet cloak and dress. Danie was relieved; a winged elf would attract the wrong type of attention around these parts.

“Ale for me, water or somethin’ for my friend here,” Danie said, trying to look suave for the barmaid. The barmaid giggled, and Danie realized that she probably had a foam mustache from draining her beer. She swore and rubbed it off her face, blushing. Esthaenie snorted. Danie shot the girl a glare, and Esthaenie quickly looked down.

As Danie’s eyes locked on the door, it burst open. Danie jumped back in her chair, and Esthaenie choked on her water, making a gasping noise. Danie would have laughed if she hadn’t locked eyes with the three people who’d just entered.

The revelers quieted down for a few moments to regard the strangers as they came in, single file. A young man with white-blonde hair and cloudy blue eyes stomped in, armor and robes rubbing in a steady, pummeling beat. Behind his back were strapped a blue shield depicting a scales balancing on a hammer. Danie vaguely remembered that it was the holy symbol of some Northern god. She tilted her head. This cleric was far from home.

The second person who came in was only about four feet tall, with a smirk curling her face. Her golden-tan skin was offset by her electric blue eyes, sparking with barely contained ire. She looked ready for a fight. Danie and the short girl met, and they traded quick glares before looking away.

The last person to enter garnered a few gasps. The person had no distinct gender, but had a dark navy robe with a hood and a jagged hem. The hooded person wore silver gloves and boots. Most notable, however, were her “eyes”. Behind her hood was an impenetrable wall of shadow with two floating orbs of light as eyes. Danie heard many whispered remarks: “Who is that?” “How is it so dark inside that hood?” “What is it?”

Danie watched the strangers warily as they sat heavily at the bar. The short black-haired girl leaned back against the bar and called for an ale, pulling her lute off of her shoulder to tune it. That black haired girl was a bard, then. The young man ordered a water, then turned to quietly berate the short girl, who snapped back at him. Danie caught the words, “You’re too young for-“ and “Shut up, cleric-“ before she lost interest. She turned to the hooded person and froze.

        They were making eye-contact. Danie shuddered under the gaze of the two shining orbs in the pool of inky darkness. She felt something grab her hand and jumped, looking under the table. Esthaenie’s hand was clutching hers. Danie rolled her eyes, but secretly thanked Esthaenie for the gesture. She shook away the hand and met the eyes of the hooded figure.

        The hooded figure gestured to its friends, pointing to Danie and Esthaenie. Danie fingered her daggers. What if the trio were bounty hunters? After all, Esthaenie was a member of a dying species. The winged elves would be trying to hunt her down, and so would poachers. Danie looked back at Esthaenie and whispered, “We can fight our way out if we have to.”

        Esthaenie nodded, fists clenching around her glassteel sword. Danie took a moment to admire the blade, carved of glass as strong as iron, before turning to watch as the cleric, bard, and hooded person walked towards them.

        “Can I… help you?” Danie said. Her voice shook a bit, and she cursed herself. Be cool, girl! You’ve got this! Don’t let that scowling cleric or that psychotic-looking short girl or the eerie glowing-orb-eyed hooded figure frighten you! You’re totally fine! FINE!

        “Are you two mercenaries?” the cleric asked.

        “You sure do cut to the chase,” Danie smirked, “and yes, we are… for the right price.”

        Esthaenie opened her mouth to protest, and Danie held up a hand.

        The cleric rolled his eyes. “Of course. What are your alignments?”

        “I’m a rogue. Chaotic good,” Danie drawled, “I’m guessing that’s on your end of the alignment pool?”

        “Yes,” he said, hesitant, “but as a cleric of Tyr, I’m Lawful. I’m not sure we can have a chaotic-“

        “Don’t listen to this guy,” the bard girl said, “my name’s Eris. I’m a bard. Chaotic neutral.”

        Danie shook the girl’s outstretched hand. Esthaenie di the same, more hesitantly. Eris gave them a feral grin.

        “Westward here wasn’t going to hire me at first, either,” Eris said, “but I’m a great bard. Couldn’t pass me up.”

        “Yes, well, true,” the cleric, Westward, grunted, “I’m not in any position to be saying that. At least you’re good. Eris and Illaeara are both in the neutral spectrum. But chaos is still chaos. What about your companion? What’s her-“

        “My name is Esthaenie,” Esthaenie said, curt, “my last name is of no importance. I’m a fighter. I’m neutral good.”

        There was a short silence. Esthaenie’s abrupt tone had made the conversation awkward. Eris rolled her eyes and was about to say something when the hooded figure, Illaeara, interrupted. “To make introductions,” she said, “I am a wizard. My name is Illaeara. I’m neutral neutral. We’d appreciate your services…” Illaeara trailed off for a moment, regarding Esthaenie with her glowing lights, “… and I would pay a handsome fee for your avariel friend’s wings.”

        Danie drew her daggers, prepared to fight her way out. The bard drew a knife in turn, sneering. “I don’t want to fight you guys,” Danie said, “who are you? Bounty hunters? How do you know she’s-“

        “I will GLADLY fight both of you,” Eris said. Westward growled and pushed her aside, spinning Illaeara to face him.

        “How did you know about her?” Westward said to Illaeara, “I can’t even see the outline of her wings!”

        “I recognize avariel names,” Illaeara said, the silver lights of her eyes turning red and tilting so that she looked irritated. “It’s not hard.” Illaeara turned to Esthaenie, “And I’m sorry, Esthaenie. I was only saying that I’d be eternally grateful if you’d allow me to buy your”

        Esthaenie was breathing heavily, hands shaking on her short sword. Her purple dress rustled as her hidden wings twitched.

        Danie folded her arms, her rolled-up black and green sleeves rolling over her skin. She and Esthaenie could join them. Then they’d have no reason to go tell the avariel councils.

        “Money.”

        “80,000 gold pieces a year. For each of you.”

        Danie choked on her ale. Eris snorted as the froth spilled over the other end.

        “Each?” Esthaenie said, hopeful. Westward and Illaeara nodded. Eris looked like she was ready to haggle and/or shout profanities at Westward.

        Danie met Esthaenie’s eyes. They were outcasts; a winged girl on the run and a thief trying to be the tough, cold woman her mother was.

        Danie turned back to the strict cleric, the calm wizard, and the maniac bard.

        “We’re in,” she said.

I will choose the last two mains, a villain, a second villain, and the secondaries tomorrow!

Waiit! Can I join? You said spots close on the 13 and it's the 12. So can I???

Name: Esquire of Rohan. duh

CB appearance: I am a Hobbit... So extraordinarily short. Dirty blond hair pullled up in a bun. Wavy. I wear a green buttonedup shirt sleeves always rolled up (ya know, for Adventures and awesomeness). 

CB personality: Funny, sarcastic, and kind. Mostly a rule follower. Extremely loyal to friends. Likes to joke around. Adventuresome and always willing to get dirty. In dirt. (I sometimes remind myself of Mudbud from Buddies. Ha, never realized that.)

Hey friends! I was bored the other day and decided to draw another main so I could write the story. Don't worry, there's still another main spot open!

The newest main: STARFLOWER! Congrats!

One Main spot open, two villain spots, and plenty of great secondaries! 

PART ONE:

Eris plucked her lute aggressively, her bardic music bolstering her companions as metal clanged against metal and orcs fell before her companions’ blades.

Typical. Just because she had a dumpy strength stat, she was the assist. She watched bitterly as Illaeara cut through three orcs with a fireball dispassionately. Sheesh, if Eris were a wizard, she would ENJOY killing orcs. True neutrals were so annoying.

Not to mention Danie apologizing! She threw a dagger through an orc’s head and called “sorry!” before rejoining the fight. She wasn’t completely serious about apologizing, but STILL. The green-cloaked girl was a disgrace to chaos.

Esthaenie was fun to watch at times. The avariel was clearly nervous, but her determined glare as she carved through the orcs was at least respectable. Westward’s glare was too self-righteous. What a stick-in-the-mud.

“Watch where you aim your fireballs, hood girl!” Esthaenie snapped. Eris snorted, then played the lute even more loudly to hide her laughter.

“Sorry” Illaeara said, “I often forget that your wings are flammable.” Eris could swear Illaeara was smirking beneath the magical darkness on the inside of her hood. Esthaenie rolled her eyes and growled.

“Less passive aggressive banter, more slaughtering of our attackers,” Westward snapped. Danie nodded, grunting as an orc smacked her in the head with his club. Eris rolled her eyes, finished her last verse of Toxic, and drew her knife.

“Eris, what in Hela’s realm are you-” Westward turned to her, but was cut off as he had to block an ogre’s strike. Illaeara groaned. “Eris, you’re far too physically weak. Stop.”

Danie clutched her head and dove out of the way of Eris’s path. Danie yelped as she fell back, then gasped as she was stopped short. Esthaenie had grabbed her. Esthaenie looked down at Danie, and Danie grinned up at her. “Aw, you do care! Not just here for a paycheck, angel-pants?”

Esthaenie blushed and dropped Danie unceremoniously onto the ground. Eris laughed at them as she leapt on top of the orc, driving her knife into his neck. It roared, bucked, and suddenly Eris was airborne, flying through the air only to ram into the dirt on her back. The rest of her party shouted as the orc raised a club above her head.

Eris’s last thoughts would have been: “I’m going to die without punching Westward in

face. What a disappointment.”

The overcast sky turned black.

The sky crackled with energy.

A beautiful female voice-not Illaeara’s androgynous tone, not Danie’s snarky attempt at suaveness, and not Esthaenie’s almost girlish one-shouted, “Lightning Storm!”

Eris watched, impressed, as five bolts of lightning skewered the remaining orcs, killing each. Eris stood as quickly as she could, regaining her breath, as the rest of her party gaped at the direction of the voice.

But there was no one.

“What sort of magic is this?” Illaeara said, the glowing orbs that represented her eyes pinching and turning dark gold with confusion, “A druid?”

“Probably,” Danie called, “but-urgh-I don’t see anyone. Maybe I’m hallucinating. Oh, wait, that’s probably just the concussion I received from that orc.”

Westward sighed and stalked towards Danie, casting his cure light wounds spell on her. He healed a cut on Esthaenie’s hand, and only then did he turn to Eris, frowning down at her.

“Hey, ya big jerk,” Eris groaned, “I have some nasty bruises on my back from where the orc chucked me. D’ya mind-?”

“I’m not healing you.’

Eris raised an eyebrow as she pushed herself to a sitting position. “Sorry? You’re the cleric, kid. You’re supposed to-”

“I only heal people who can’t help their injuries,” Westward said, “you, however, are an obnoxious, bellicose little bard who can’t even do her job right.”

Eris’s blood boiled and her head swam. She stuck out her tongue and stood. “Whatever. I didn’t even need the invisible druid chick’s help. I had him.”

Westward growled and whirled. “Anyone else-dear Northern skies, Illaeara!”

Illaeara clutched her face, her hands dissapearing into the dark beyond her mask. She withdrew one hand; it was stained with red blood.

“A piece of metal flew up…” Illaeara hissed in pain. Danie walked towards her, helping her sit. “I’ll be-urgh-alright,” the wizard protested.

Westward’s brow creased. Illaeara looked down, chest shivering. Westward carefully reached a hand in. Eris watched, rolling her eyes. Whatever. Eris didn’t feel concerned about her or anything.

Westward reached a hand inside her hood. There was a hiss, and then Illaeara had West slammed against a tree, a hand around his throat. Esthaenie screamed and Danie choked as she watched. Westward gasped, face panicked. Eris was torn between laughing at his facial expression and attacking Illaeara.

Illaeara was breathing hard, her light-eyes red and slanted. “Do NOT reach under my hood,” her voice was shaking. “I-I-”

Her eyes turned blue, then yellow. Sad and scared.

“I’m sorry,” she said, releasing West. West backed up, hands shaking.

“Cure moderate wounds,” he whispered. Illaeara sighed in relief.

“I am deeply sorry-” Illaeara said, putting a gloved hand on his shoulder. He flinched, then nodded. Illaeara dropped her gaze quickly. There was a long pause before illaeara remembered that her hand was still on his shoulder. Eris could have sworn that Illaeara’s eyes flickered pink for a moment.

Well, if there was one good thing about their wizard’s odd panic, it was that it distracted from her foolhardiness. Eris stood, shook her head, and glared. “If everyone is done being melodramatic high schoolers,” she said, “we should keep going. We took care of this town’s orc problem, and we’re getting a heck ton of gold. Drinks are on West.”

“No they aren’t-” West tried to say. Danie snickered and jabbed him in the side.

“Let’s go, then,” Esthaenie said, yawning, “I’ve had a long day.”

“Agreed!” Danie said, “No more flipping out, everyone! Ale! Ale! Ale!”

Eris joined in less enthusiastically. Illaeara chuckled weakly as Esthaenie and West groaned.

There was a flash of lightning at the top of the hill. The party shielded their eyes and drew weapons before looking back up.

A beautiful girl with honey-tinted brown skin and thick, wild black hair braided with gold stood at the top of the hill. Her deep brown eyes were wild and spiked with burnished gold. She laughed, folding her hands into her simple white tunic-dress and letting her deerskin cloak tumble around her shoulders. Illaeara’s hand glowed with magic, Esthaenie glared, Danie sheathed her sword warily, and Eris yawned. Westward, however, was practically drooling.

“Hello!” chirped the beautiful druid, “I’m Starflower! I’m the one who saved that little girl’s life!” she pointed to Eris.

Eris snarled. “Whoever this gal is, I already hate her.” 

Less than three hours till the 12th!!!!!! I can still make it right?

Name: Starbringer

Appearance: Fantasy coming up. Just past shoulder length dirty blonde hair. Dark blue eyes, but you don't really notice the background color because they have scattered circles of bright light that are really distracting. Average height. She can blend into a crowd really well if she keeps her head down, but she literally glows at night. It's very faint (like most people don't notice on first glance) if she's not trying to control it. Skeptical expression. 

Personality: (oh gosh. I'm so bad at this part). If she gets a good impression of you, she'll be welcoming enough, completely outgoing and positive, the next day she'll act like she doesn't know you. Never has found a reason to be loyal or have longtime friends. Sure, she'll work in a team project, but don't expect it to last very long. Clever but doesn't flaunt it at all. Overall, she doesn't really think about her talents. They're there, and they're helpful (That's it). What she really wants is some sort of goal. She mostly works for herself, but if she got a chance for a mysterious, dangerous, possibly longer than a week, quest, she'd take it. 

Note: I'd rather she wasn't a main character if that's okay? I don't care that much about where she is, and a lot of other people have submitted amazing charries.