[ The dead—and the undead, equally—are familiar to her. She was surrounded by death on Dathomir, by the memory of slaughter. Her sisters, her family, all taken from her by war and cruelty. The Nightbrothers of Dathomir remained, yes, but of her coven, she was the last. And so it had been, her fate from childhood, as she tread a dark and lonely path of vengeance. Until Cal Kestis—an awakening, a twist of fate, a path forward. The universe beyond her world was forbidden by her clan, outsiders were not tolerated. But left alone, Merrin wished to see it all, and to understand those who might so strongly desire to protect it.

A path forward suddenly halted by—this; sand and desert heat and a gathering of people she does not know nor trust. Yet, they are all that they have. Having trusted too easily once (the simple and desperate faith of an orphaned child), Merrin is cautious and guarded, but wishes to be helpful nonetheless.

That sense of purpose leads her to seek more understanding of their present circumstances. So, she finds herself examining the cliffs, the rocks, the bloodied footprints. A few dagger blades are inspected, the palm of her hand curving carefully around the dull edges. ]

Here sleep the unchained— and they do not sleep alone. Or they awaken, perhaps.

[ Mother Death is to be her companion this day, then. A comfort, in Merrin's mind, as she has little to fear of the dead (so she thinks). After all, the dead were hers and all that remained for so long, bundled together and able to be resurrected by the dark magick of Dathomir that had once been wielded with ease by those of her clan. She'll speak kindly to Mother Death now, with respect and curiosity.

When given, the pouch of ashes is held reverently in the palm of Merrin's hand. The task requested of her may not yield a way out of their circumstances nor prove useful in propelling their mission forward, but it feels of the utmost importance now. The gentle woman is dead, yet one wish remains to settle her soul. This, she thinks, bears little thought to act upon. ]

You will be at peace and put to rest today. I promise this.

[ An easy task for someone who can simply teleport to the top of the hill. Yet, this is a new world to her, one she has yet to explore and she wishes to. So instead, she will take the long way to the hilltop, welcoming of company in her quest. ]

[ Another curiosity, this temple. One among so many in recent days. Few answers have revealed themselves, yet the questions multiply. She has no need of immediate revelations, but if she is to be trapped here for the foreseeable future, Merrin seeks at least some semblance of control, some minute sense of understanding about their surroundings. It is that thought which compels her to continue exploring, and which leads her to this Temple of Ra’esh of which the scavengers murmur.

What awaits them in the dark corridors beyond, she cannot know. Yet, she does not fear it. Not yet. Holding a torch in her hand, she will speak boldly to any passers-by. ]

You would not wish me to go alone, would you?

[ ooc: I am happy to plot a more custom starter if you prefer so please feel free to PM me or ping me on plurk @ geekorthodox ]