Fantasy Fading Flames 2 Main RP

[Slop]

Augur [Unknown]
Interaction(s): Kabboom (Alastor)
​

Augur's unflinching composure as the room around him turned, twisted and morphed afforded him a similarity to the off-centered eye of a storm. Sincerely unimpressed, he remained seated in a cross-legged position and his neck maintained its craned position as he continued to drown out the silent cacophany of whispers around him in his own mental voice.

Bloody hell is this a turn of events; could've sworn this was one of those Imperial mass executions we hear so much about. Would've been ironic, no? Can't tell if the old man would have laughed at or whipped me for dying the same way he did. Both, I'd gander. In hindsight, I'm not sure having us embark on a cult-extermination party as a suicide squad is any better than getting shot down like some wild animal there and then. Anyway, I can't tell if they're merely trying to get rid of everybody in this room or genuinely that desperate to take down this supposed cult, and basic deduction yields the conclusion that I'm fucked either way. I'd make a break for it, but I dare bet my well-deserved painless death that neither these Imperial scumbags nor.. outlaws.. or whoever the hell they are would let me. I'm used to escaping underground cult lairs and basements, not Guardian-infested Imperial Guild Halls.

*sighs*

Welp, it's well past my rent due date, I can't afford another month's pay at the villa, and I sure as hell am not staying at an inn. At least it wasn't a kidnapping this time. Maybe they're not too bad. Just kidding, fuck Imperial scums.

Augur snapped shut the leatherbound tome he was reading ere storing it in the modestly-sized dimensional portal he had just produced and paused his internal monologue. A soft flutter reverberated throughout the hall as he uncrossed his legs and stood up, lightly patting his robes. The same portal then ejected into Augur's hand a stunningly decorated walking cane whose peculiar handle gives away its ulterior function before closing.

Message

"Thanks for the pep talk, really. Never before have I felt so inspired. Now, drop the bullshit and be honest with me; is the Empire really that short on staff or are you just trying to send us out on a suicide mission? If this is supposed to be an execution, I humbly request that you just blow me up right here and now, or wherever you so please. I won't struggle, you have my word. I'll even open up a portal to oblivion for your corpse-disposing convenience. Also, I like that tounge of yours. Do you drink?"

 

[ShadeAlucard]

Sylvia

Sylvia watched as more and more people came into the room. Already she was hating the large crowd and was beyond irritable. Then, without warning, the guy that had apparently hired them shows up and tells them they were here to battle a Darkborne cult? Did they seriously want them to go on a suicide mission? Sylvia was very aware of this Darkborne...evil creatures they were. But a cult? Who would worship such foul creatures? nonetheless, if she wanted her freedom, she would have to comply with the mission and....as much as she hated to admit it...be 'friendly' with the crew. She looked back at the one that had introduced themselves to her and tried to put on an apologetic smile and then walked up to the warrior that had introduced themselves to her. "I...umm...Eliza was it?" Sylvia said loud enough for the warrior to hopefully hear her. "I wanted to apologize for my actions earlier...im..not used to being around such...whats the word...outgoing people?" Sylvia said, questiong her choice of words. It was very obvious that Sylvia had never been the one to talk quaintly before.

Interactions: Noble Scion
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Jazmin

Jazmin was doing fine till she saw the giant enter the room. Now all of her senses went haywire and she froze in place. She started to be unable to breathe normally and her gaze on the giant went clouded as the room started to spin around her. The one thing that scared Jazmin above all else was creatures who were much larger than her, Friend or foe. Jazmin started fighting to gain her composure, but it was soon shot off to the side as she heard what they had all been summoned for...going after a Darkborne cult. She had heard rumors of these in the church, and the fear was more than she could handle. With a crash and a clatter of metal hitting the floor, Jazmin had fainted, her cleric staff on the floor alongside her.

 

[Kabboom]

Keikling

All this information was... hard to take in. Darkborne cult, talking cat, ugly elf, and the people in this room being his teammates... well, at least Garax was by his side, the 'cold-blood(?)' assured him that by introducing himself in a friendly way. Keikling figured this would've been important, but to what extent, he really had no idea until now. A Darkborne cult?! That's... really bad! He thinks. His exposure to the real world extends beyond little more than word of mouth and his own experiences, and the books that Grandma read out loud to him back when he still worked the looms. All he could do was look around beneath him and judge the faces of the people he's going to have to fight alongside-

A crash and a clatter of metal hitting the floor emanated from beside him. Looking over, he saw the human girl person, Jazmin, slumped on the floor with her staff alongside her. Was she sleepy or something? Farongar was quite unfamiliar with the concept of fainting, and to him, Jazmin looked like she was having a terrified nap. Half curious and half worried, he moved to sit her up, trying to make sure she didn't fall down on her head again. Leaving the commotion with the cat to the others, Keikling tries to wake her up.

Alastor Cat

As the party got their shit together, Alastor simply mulled over his notebooks, absentmindedly licking his paws as the questions came in. His master did not disappoint in his choice of summon at all, and his ears twitched joyfully when the two mages spoke up, obviously objecting and questioning the mission. "As always..." He muttered, as Augur Augurface finished up his insult-question. Mages were always like this - so pompous and conceited, never one to share the burden with other folk. So concerned over their research, their lives that they barely have the time of day to pull their heads out of their asses and look at what would happen if they did what they were asked. Maybe Alorias was one of the only ones who could see beyond themselves when it came to do-or-die moments. Regardless, he'd better say something about it now.

With the shrill voice that his cat form afforded him, Alastor mused. "Hmm, hmm. Most interesting, y'all. Now first off - for the record, I voted against bringing both your asses here," he pawed towards Alastor and Augur. "I don't drink, but you make me wish I did. I won't waste my time blowing your drunk ass up. And about you, my same-name friend, your research is something only Alorias knows about. I don't have an idea, or a fuck to give about your research on the ass end of the Network - if you want, I can bring it up to the boss."

To the boisterous Otrygg, Alastor simply gave him a smile for his query. "No, my Incruscan lad. A cult is a bunch of people with bad intentions. You're gonna chop 'em up and kick their teeth in to save Seedingstate. Try not to slip and die, and you'll be back to your shit-shack ice-home in no time."

A slight cough stopped his speech for a bit, and then he continued. "Excuse my manners, people. Anyway, at least some of you got a good point. Why bring you guys? Why not summon a bunch of Guardians who can get this done lickety-split, and leave you guys free to do whatever you guys do for fun? Simple: the people who want to don't have the jurisdiction, and the people with the jurisdiction don't want to - Alorias and his pals up top had been pushing the Guild leaders for a Guardian intervention, but someone decided otherwise," Alorias hissed. "It took my master too long to figure out that the leaders were most likely getting bribes from the cult fucks. By the time he did, his pals had already been killed; some died to 'accidents', others to 'suicides', a few 'went missing' here and there."

"Alorias himself was under a lot of surveillance from the cult, even before he got, uh..." His paws went up to his face, claws stretched out. "...facefucked. Now, he's being hunted day and night by the bastards." Pushing the three notebooks into a more orderly fashion, Alastor figured he should wrap up with the details. "We summoned you guys from a broad list of potential summons. With the diversity among you, hopefully we've bought a fair amount of time before they figure out the nature of your mission here. They'll no doubt have eyes on you, but my master will keep a blindfold over those fuckers for as long as he can, so you can get your shit done. That's why you're here, like it or not."

Devilishly purple eyes gleaming in dim candlelit darkness, Alastor the cat opened the first notebook... then the second... and the third, all while thoughts went by like a flash in his feline mind. 'The team composition isn't too terrible, they could still do this. No they can't, the fucking mages will spill it. Or the Nordics, they don't look too bright- shut the fuck up Alleycat, you're spitballing right now. They can do it. Alorias has faith. Time for you to have some of your own.' At the tail end of his thoughts, the three books were laid bare, their contents visible for everyone.

The notebooks were thoroughly magic-imbued, so he didn't have to flip through the pages to find what he needed. The first one stood open at the list of accomplices, allies, informants, information and suspicions on the cult, all tallied and sorted neatly - some were credited under the name of Ezbern, but a few were credited under other names, ones that were crossed out with shaky lines of ink. The second one seemed to contain multitudes of fake information - fake business licenses, paper towns, false identities, in the hundreds, or even in the thousands: postage stamps, knightly orders, passing papers, even Legia Within* search warrants, and more. Grafted with replicating ink, the licenses all shared one thing, even if the names wrote differently - the immaculate drawings of each and every person in the team, in bog-standard license format.

The third one, Alastor took note of, personally flicking through it with his paws. This one did not lack self-flipping magic, but there are some things that must be done manually - it just feels right to do so. His eyes glanced at Bryn'ai briefly - if he were any bigger, maybe she'd appear more like a walking buffet, but for a cat his size, the Koa-Toh simply looked like a girl wearing a food costume - but soon, he focused back on the book. The thing had a simple list on it, as if it were a mother's list of groceries to be delegated to her son, but with another glance, any reader would be able to discern the gravity of its contents - and the sheer impossibility of it.

"Now, do note that you don't have to do this right away. My master urges you to blend in with the adventurer populace and take some quests between these missions. You can't do any of these missions alone - trust me, the first team tried - and it would be best if you coordinated these missions together. For now, there are three tasks most pressing to our cause:

Keeping close eyes on a farmer's humble abode near Herbert's Farm for cultist activity; the place might be a hideout for the cultists

Investigating a warrior inside this very Guild; they might be gunning for Alorias and if they succeed without us interfering, it would be quite a shame

Destroying a cave outpost for bandits; despite their dumb looks, my master is absolutely certain that they have valuable cult materiel stuffed up in that cave of theirs - would be a shame if the cave got blown the fuck up.

So, those are your tasks." Slightly adjusting his whiskers, Alastor repeated his question again. "Any questions?"

*: The Legia Within is a major branch of the Royal Order of Security, responsible for investigating anomalies and maintaining order within the Empire's reaches. Information of their existence, let alone their operations, is not common knowledge even among the common class.

(you are free to look at the books and communicate with each other about a course of action, or just argue with each other. I will answer any questions on the OOC thread)

Silver Wolf Epiphany Inheritance Midrick Ayama Pilgrim59 Trappy ShadeAlucard Unwavering Knight Soviet Panda Inkles The Octo Aryasaurus Slop Birdsie Noble Scion

 

[Slop]

Augur [Unknown]
Interaction(s): Kabboom (Alastor)​

Augur's characteristic lack of shock or reaction to the razor-tounged feline owed itself to his callousness towards the role of recipient to vitriols and disdain. What little Augur knew about the Empire's current political affairs affirmed Alastor's explanation, eliminating most of his former doubts. The more complex the clockwork; the more prone to kinks it is, they say. The almighty, infallible Empire was alas no exception to this rule and even common folks knew of how corrupt, morally-questionable and bureaucratic Imperial politics could be. Considering the then recent rumours of a rapid increase in Darkbourne activity someplace somewhere, it should have come as no surprise that the Guardians, be it willingly or not, were busy occupying themselves with the suppression of greater threats than a group of robe-wearing, evil-worshipping, face-fucking fanatics hiding in a farm basement.

"Your unjustified resentment of me is a greater cause for concern than being a subject of privacy-invasion. I must say, this isn't an especially endearing list of identities you've prepared for me, and I can't say if your evident distaste for mages owes itself to your master being one or consecutive poor impressions. I don't think I'm doing myself any favour if it's the latter, but do holler in the off-chance that you find yourself craving exotic liquor. I'm talking really good shit - not the kind of cat piss they serve over at the tavern, no offense."

As he rested his chin above both arms, which were stacked atop his levitating cane, Augur responded to Alastor through the mental link established earlier a split-moment after casting Inspection to effortlessly and near-instantly internalise the contents of the open pages of all three books. Unwilling to expend the extra effort or mana to cast Greater Inspection and let alone Dispel to scour the full contents of the books, he decided to momentarily settle for less with the abridged information presented to him.

"Oh, I meant what I said about owing you a drink, by the way. You sound like you've quite a lot on your furry little shoulders. My asocial nature hasn't blunted my social sensitivity, and I've gathered from experience that the most aggressive of people are often the most insecure. Or troubled. Half the people I find myself in near-death experiences with end up going drinking with me the day after. Just know that the offer stands indefinitely."

 

[Noble Scion]

Eliza Starborn

Spoiler: Appearance

​

The little Maroni hussled their way out of her arms to debate their height with the source of the voice that Eliza hadn't been paying all too much attention to, giving her little option to follow with an embarrassed grin as she gently patted her friend's head, yet before she could apologise for Maro's rather brash fighting words, the shocking transformation of their locale took place, transforming from a homely room to something more knightly.

Eliza didn't show it, but it was rather discomforting. She was iffy around magic and mages, finding it hard to stay calm around things she didn't understand, and wondered if the exits had changed or if they were still the same. In response, she furrowed her brow and focused on the talking cat and its vulgar language. Had she been anywhere else, it would've been amusing, but it seemed that they swearing feline was to be their instructor.

She was interrupted from her concentration by the kitsune that had threatened her life earlier, apologising, it seemed. She stared coldly at the woman for a moment, contemplating their words before breaking into a jovial grin once more. "It is fine, my friend! Stressful times these are when you can't trust the very ground beneath your feet, ay? Consider it water beneath the bridge." she chirped loudly, landing a hand on their shoulder and gently shaking them with tune with the emphasis of her words before pulling them into a light hug, not quite as strong as the one she'd given t Lady Maro, but affectionate nonetheless.

The cat interrupted her bond-strengthening method of hugs with the tales of their quests, to which she firmly nodded in acceptance, yet remained reluctant to talk to a creature of sorcery.

"... Eh.. Ca- er… Alastor? I don't s'pose you could tone the language back a small amount. It wounds my heart to hear such.. Indecent terms used by such a small visage, albeit I suppose it is fitting, from what I'd imagine a cat would say." she asked cautiously and surprisingly timidly, considering all the other actions she'd done since her arrival. "... I was also wondering if these missions have been attempted before, and whether we should be aware that our targets are expecting, or at least wary of, a second strike against them in particular, particularly this guild knight fellow." she continued, before tilting her head and raising a brow, seemingly just as curious about the creature about to answer her questions as the answers themselves.
ShadeAlucard Kabboom Pilgrim59

 

[Midrick]

Damien watched from his little corner, cheese in hand, as the room seemed to shift and roil into an entirely new chamber. It was pretty cool as far as he was concerned, but he didn't exactly have a thing for magic, you couldn't rely on magic like a good blade. He shifted as he watched the small cleric faint after laying her eyes on the giant in the room. Their scarred up host had briefly made an appearance, basically telling them that they were fighting a darkborne cult that basically had the local authorities in their pocket. "Great..." he muttered quietly, this wasn't gonna be as easy as he had hoped.

He then remembered something important, he was on loan, and that meant he would be paid well for this little task. "Alastor, who'll be paying and how much, I don't work for free." he spoke up above the rest of the party for the first time, he wasn't going to risk his life for the sake of good without a little incentive.

 

[RandomBlobMan]

Kan's grip on Ginfri moved from the guard to the handle as he felt a change in the room start. Was this an ambush? A trap? He held his weapon firmly, but did not flail it out yet. His senses concentrated at his surroundings as the room, excluding its inhabitants, changed completely... 'Well, this is a nice invitation.' Ginfri complained.
Kan's head turned to the door as a figure walked in. He almost pulled the sword up, but then saw that he was not in the best situation to throw a tantrum. A crowded room full of warriors and mages, if he went berserk he'd go down faster than a lesser Darkborne being mauled by a mallet. Thd warrior listened as the man explained their purpose. Two words caught his attention. 'That could be a stretch, Kan. Last time he was at th borders. It would be a bad idea for someone like him to walk all the way into a city deep in the Empire like here.' Aldka said. Kan sighed.
"...you're right."
He answered to the voice inside his head. Then the sound of something hitting the floor echoed to his ear, and the man turned to the direction. Ginfri was lifted from the ground, still not ready to be swung but held with a solid grip. No, it was just a girl fainting. And a giant trying to wake her up. Kan glanced at the red haired paladin and back at the giant and the cleric. Lisening to the cat half heartedly, Kan slowly walked to the giant. 'Now now now, let's do some checking- can Kan do medical things in any way? What's on your mind, Kan?' Ginfri objected.
"I'm getting help."
Kan muttered as he finally reached the giant. He gave another glance at the paladin. She was talking. But hopefully she'll come if she finds a person in need of help.

"It'll be better off fetching a paladin for her."
Kan said to the giant.
"I see one that I remember."

Talking to the giant Kabboom
Staring at the fainted cleric ShadeAlucard
Intensely glancing at the paladin Noble Scion

 

[Trappy]

Garax

Warmbloods implement a lot of gestures in conversations, and living around these creatures had led to the lizardman adopting some of them. After bumping into the dark-haired female, Garax showed his palms apologetically and leaned down to match her height. He was rather impressed that the little thing did not stumble over like the little hapless warmbloods usually do.
"Deepest apologies, warmblood. This one's mind was absorbed in sky-thoughts. No life-for-life much need?"*

Before the conversation could continue, the entire chamber suddenly shifted in some great demonstration of magic. Garax held a firm grip on his axe, back to the spear-wielding warmblood and eyed the changing environment, equally cautious and enthralled by the arcane powers at play. His attention was then shifted towards the door, specifically the figure that entered. What appeared to be a rather average pointed-ears-warmblood revealed itself to be a mutilated pointed-ears-warmblood, bearing respectable scars that tell of glorious battles and victories, ones surely brought great pride to its kin! Despite the glory-marks, the warmblood appeared as cautious as the little rodents, with much urgency in its speech and manner. Garax was very much puzzled - It was difficult for the lizardman to see a creature bearing such scars had to be afraid or something.

Garax listened as the situation was explained. The group was to deal with some 'Darkborne', and while he had not much experience with the dark scourge, he did hear stories from the warmbloods he associated with. A relentless wave of horrors washing over from the East, they were not much different to the Vermin mentioned in his people's history, who invaded the lizardmen jungle-home before they were contained, eons before the arrival of the warmbloods. The lizardman shook in worry, and looked over the warmbloods that were summoned with him. If the two forces had any connection, Garax failed to see how this roster of hunters were adequate for the task. Some of them looked like they hatched this morning!

The little fur-ball took over as the scarred warmblood retreated, and it speaks! The miracles of the 'Light magic' are truly great, another song to sing home about! Garax had a few questions as he listened to the tiny thing.
"Query: there be any care should take while hunting Darkborne? And something this one did not fathom: Need for 'fake-identities?'" Garax didn't know much, but he knew that 'fake-identities' sounded a bit sketchy.

Interacting: Epiphany Kabboom
Mentioned: everyone else

* Translation: "Sorry, warmblood. This one was distracted. No vengeance, please?"

 

[Epiphany]

Brygita Brzęczyszczykiewicz

Reaction

Trappy
Brygita was used to being one of the taller people in the room but this place and especially someone as big as Garax cut that notion down. She had a moment to regard the lizard man as he entered the room and wandered in her direction. Incredulity lifted her eyebrows as, despite her being across the room by the windows and thus not on the way to somewhere, he kept walking at her while staring at someone else. So she let him run into her and she promptly ran into him back. Given the difference in height (and especially weight), she budged him less than he budged her but it couldn't be helped.

She opened her mouth in rebuttal before, instead, listening to his apology. Her ire softened immediately and Brygita shook her head in answer. "No life-for-life. Try to watch out for the other people here. You may not be used to working with people smaller than you but, if you take this job, you will be so it's good to start practicing now. I am Brygita Brzęczyszczykiewicz and I invite you to take a seat until our host arrives."

Aryasaurus
Turning back to those assembled, Brygita promptly fixed her attention on the aquatic Incruscan, and offered the other woman a nod of acknowledgement as she introduced herself. But the return words drew the Slayer's eyebrows together, hardening her own expression in return. "I thank you for the courtesy of pointing out a mistake. I give you the same courtesy now. I am not no one, in my own lands or even here. None of us are, or we would not have been chosen by the Guild for this assignment. I spoke to you on the assumption that you are someone, a warrior worthy of the name. If you'd prefer I coddle you like a child, though, I can accommodate you when we're not in battle."

"And if you take issue with me, you're welcome to see me outside of this tavern to settle the issue like warriors of honor."

RandomBlobMan
The rather traumatized man with the sword introduced himself and, if she wasn't mistaken, it was an effort for him to manage his own name. Conscious of what she'd just said to Bryn'ai, Brygita pondered that she might have made a mistake after all. Perhaps not everyone here was fit for the assignment.

But, for now, that wasn't her problem. If she could rally the majority into something resembling a cohesive unit, he'd likely fall in. She could learn the limits of what he could offer then.

Her reply to Kan giving her his name is a simple nod of the head.

ShadeAlucard
The surly looking one who plainly hadn't wanted to be at the table didn't seem to directly respond to Brygita's introductions. The Slayer did notice how the woman responded to knight who also tried to greet her, and she smirked in response. A loose cannon. Hopefully one of a minority in this team, or else this mission was doomed before it began.

Jazmin, by contrast, merited an approving smile. The poor woman had plainly never been out of a cloister in her life. Still, a cleric was a valuable thing on a battlefield. She just needed some seasoning.

"Well met, Jazmin," Brygita said in reply, her tone friendly and firm.

Soviet Panda
Yet another Incruscan, and yet another warrior. He was late but this one had good mettle if she was a judge of character. "Welcome, Otrygg. I am Brygita Brzęczyszczykiewicz." Seeing him already moving on to talk to others, though, she was content to turn her attention back to the remainder in the room.

Noble Scion
The knight who'd dealt with the sulky woman in the chair turned and gave a admittedly dramatic introduction. Despite herself, Brygita smiled at the display, shaking her head slightly. But what she said was "Well met, Eliza Starborn!"

Another woman came up to talk to her, one who'd...been here already? But one who'd evidently ignored the call to introductions. At least the two seemed to get on. Eliza Starborn had mettle, she'd likely help integrate her acquaintance into the unit when it came to that.

Midrick
Brygita noticed the mercenary enter, unfortunately after her call to announce themselves. And, yes, yet another warrior who had little interest in who they'd be fighting with, choosing instead to eat and silently stare. She sighed and kept her silence in turn, feeling that another call for introductions would be counterproductive...and hopefully the remaining ones in the room would finish theirs and prompt the new arrivals to speak up.

Ayama
The smiling, bounding man coming at her was the opposite of basically everyone in the room. From the open smile to the welcoming body language, he practically shouted friendly. Too friendly, perhaps. Especially once the winsome words spilled from his lips. "I am Brygita Brzęczyszczykiewicz! Well met, Shade," she said in reply, before leaning backwards and frowning slightly as she scrutinized him and what he'd just said. "Did you just say gentleman thief? Doesn't one preclude the other?"

Not that she had any particular objection to thieves. They had their uses in battle, after all. As long as they were friendly thieves.

Silver Wolf
And yet another Incruscan arrived. Distracted by the roguish Incruscan already talking to her, Brygita took note only that the man looked like a wizard if the staff was any indicator. And if he was no more social than the warriors in the room, at least he was a wizard. A lack of sociability was something to expect with the breed, she understood.

Kabboom
Distracted or not, the reaction of the room drew her attention over towards the chimney which was very visibly glowing blue. Magic. She took a cautious step backwards and shifted her grip on her spear, ready to unhood the Fiery Blossom of Magenta Inspiration at the first sign of threat. Not that it would be easy to tell. Brygita's skin crawled as the spidery glyphs and runes climbed across the walls all around them.

Then the room became encased in armor. This time she did snatch off the hood veiling the legendary relic she bore, exposing ancient steel wrought with runics of its own.

The elf entering the room spoke with deliberate casualness, by her ears. A wizard as well, and a mighty one at that. His features were unremarkable but his power wasn't, especially when the scars shone through. Wizard or not, his real power lay in his words. Brygita smiled approvingly as he named himself Guardian and smiled further at the practiced cadence in his speech, designed to inspire and instill courage and trust. Whether he would be a wise officer remained to be seen but at least he knew how to handle men.

His mission, however, was a great deal more concerning. Not a straightforward fight after all. An investigation? Not something she had any talent at. However, perhaps some of the Guild agents in this room had skills in reconnaissance. Time would tell.

The cat was...to be frank, underwhelming. But it couldn't be helped, she supposed. Assassins did require precautions.

Aryasaurus
The Aquatic Incruscan's blunt question was to the point and Brygita nodded along with it.

Silver Wolf
And the wizardly looking Incruscan unsurprisingly got excited and actually engaged with the room once the magic started. His questions were good ones, amplifications on Bryn'ai's single query. At least the first set. The latter half seemed concerning his own reputation and work, whatever it was. Brygita sighed. Not the kind of man she'd ever assign to a military unit.

Alas, they were stuck with him. Hopefully she could keep him motivated by playing to his self interest. Or find someone else willing to do the job.

Slop
Brygita wasn't entirely sure when the thin, sickly looking wizard turned up but then, well, what can you expect from wizards.

Not much. At least the Incruscan wizard had the good sense to ask meaningful questions. This one took his opportunity to introduce himself to the Guild team called for this mission by trashing the employer's fine, rousing words. She'd met men like this before. They were invariably unhappy with themselves and their lot in life, taking it out on everyone around them that expressed more purpose than they had. He wasn't a Guild warrior to hopefully coax into being a useful tactical resource for the whole unit. He was poison. That attitude would sour everyone around him. She'd seen it time and again among the many warriors the Slayers partnered with.

Brygita sighed, took his measure again, and squeezed the shaft of the ancient relic in her right hand. Time would tell what action would be necessary for the good of the assignment and those carrying it out.

ShadeAlucard Kabboom
The fainting cleric's audible thud drew the Slayer's attention once more, but the Giant seemed to be tending to her. Good. She hadn't heard him speak, hadn't had the opportunity to interact with him yet but his instincts were fine.

Then the Alastor animal began voicing her every thought about wizards in general and these two wizards in particular. It took all of her iron will to keep laughter from escaping her throat. Instead, she only smiled.

The cat's assessment of the assignment and their odds was sobering, though. Fighting in the shadows was not something she had any talent at. And it was high time they found someone with experience and the strategic head to pull a plan together. In the meantime, the quests offered would be useful for getting to know her allies and useful in getting them to work as a unit; together.

Slop
And naturally the wizard who'd made the worst first impression of any assembled here had to open his mouth and deepen the hole he'd already dug in her good opinion. Not that such a man cared at all what others thought about him, she wagered. Which was part of the problem.

His abrupt turn to friendliness did nothing to assuage her concerns.

Midrick
Ah yes, the mercenary. Unsurprisingly, his only interest was in being paid. Well, if his terms could be met, there was hope he could be rallied into a useful ally and not a liability.


Action
@ everyone

Now that everyone had said their piece, Brygita glanced at Thrud next to her before rising from the conference table and leaning forward over the furniture, hands planted on the metal surface. Once more she spoke in that carrying voice, the kind that cut through conversation the way an army sergeant with a bunch of recruits could. Although initially speaking to the cat, she plainly intended for everyone to pay attention.

"You ask for questions, Alastor," she said and, though she was a bit unsettled to be talking to a talking cat, she let none of her incredulity into her tone. "Here's mine. A campaign like this, especially where the targets are unclear, needs someone running it. You seem to be aware of the names and abilities of everyone summoned, something we know only in part of each other. So, I'll put this to you on behalf of us all, though I invite an answer from anyone else who could give it."

"First, the farmer's home will require at least one Guild member talented in subterfuge, skilled in scouting and possessing of subtlety. Preferably they should have some leadership ability as well. Who among us is best fit to lead this mission? We can fill in the ranks of each unit after but each assignment will fail if all who go lack the skills required."

"Second, who among us knows this Guild? My partner and I are foreigners and not especially skilled at torture, much less interrogation or even investigation. Who can lead this mission and devise a plan for finding this traitor?"

"Last is the bandit cave. I possess experience in fighting monsters and planning battles but fortifications are not something I know well. I can lead this mission but I would need a good tactician with experience fighting men. If there's already a warrior with that experience and a willingness to lead, call them out Alastor or let them declare themselves."

"Once we know who will lead each mission, then each leader can choose what they'll need and work with all of us to find the best place for our abilities."

Having spoken, Brygita once more resumed her seat, her spear once more hooded and leaning against the metal end.

 

[Ayama]

Iniko Fitaka l'Escroc

Thief - Saltimbanque - Ladies' Man

Male - Incruscan - Twenty Six

“Challenge me, but at your risk.
I never miss- ain't that right, miss?
I'll steal the pillow from your bed,
And all the dreams inside your head."

Location: Guild Hall

With: The group

The raven-haired beauty leaned back and eyed him critically, casting aspersions about his introduction. He grinned widely, taking her free hand in his.

"In my experience, milady," he offered, "thieves actually make the best of gentlemen." He leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to her skin.

In the meantime, in the background, one of the knights seemed to take offense with the large bear Incruscan, referring to him as a goat which, in Shade's experience, was not something he would recommend- bear Incruscans had a temper.

A wolf Incruscan then appeared, walking with a cane that Iniko suspected was not solely used as an aide. His function in the group became clear when he enchanted the staff to levitate in front of his seat. Well, at least they had a competent caster.

Before Iniko could comment on this developement, however, a far more interesting one took place, as the room morphed before their eyes and the summoner showed himself at last. Iniko was unpleasantly surprised when the man showed his true visage, wincing at the thought of what he must have endured to make him look like that. He was, however, equally impressed with the man's magical aptitude for glamour- a power Iniko had often wished to possess himself.

Although, he reminded himself smugly, why would I want to cover up any of this? (He still had not released the dark-haired woman's hand).

After the man's dire pronouncement and all but immediate departure, most eyes in the room turned to his sharp-tongued feline representative. By that time, Iniko had released the hand and stepped instinctively backwards, fight-or-flight reflexes activating.

A Darkborne Cult? Are they serious? he thought in horror, anxiety returned tenfold. I should've just gone out the window when that man mountain came knocking this morning and taken my chances, he reflected ruefully.

The Koa-Toh, his opposite in every way, simply asked for the specifics of their task, clearly not the least bit afraid. The caster proceeded to ask a slew a questions, many of which Iniko dearly wanted to know the answer to- especially the one about why them?

The bear Incruscan, again contrasting, was so oblivious and unconcerned that he didn't even know what a cult was. Another caster (who had, apparently, been sitting there reading the whole time, unnoticed by any of them) then echoed the previous one's sentiment- this was obviously a suicide mission. Iniko couldn't have agreed with the assessment more.

Apparently overwhelmed by the whole thing, the cleric simply fainted before getting to ask anything, and the giant moved to assist her. The cat, unfazed, proceeded to answer all the questions, detailing why they had been chosen, and what they were expected to do.

Iniko gulped, visibly and audibly. Things were so bad that the cult had even corrupted the Guardians? Clearly, this was a lot more serious and went a lot deeper than they had even realized, and at that point all Iniko wanted to do was get the hell out of Seedingstate before he got caught in the middle of this. The question was- how?

The cat outlined their three tasks, and Iniko felt a ray of hope dawn. Watch a farm? That sounded harmless enough. Besides, if he volunteered, that would get him out of the Guild, and then he could make his escape at the opportune moment.

The caster, the knight, the mercenary and the lizardman all made their responses while Kan moved to assist the giant with assisting the cleric. Then Brygita, though no-doubt unknowingly, handed him a lifeline by suggesting exactly what he had been thinking.

Iniko stepped forward, trying his hardest to appear and sound like an unfazed, hardened veteran just like the rest of them, rather than a simple thief scared for his life.

"When it comes to stealth, scouting, subtlety, and subterfuge, I'm your man," he declared. "I'll gladly lead this assignment. Where is the farm located?" he asked the cat.

He took a breath, waiting for the answer and hoping against hope he'd be selected without a fuss.

codedbycrucialstar​

 

[Aryasaurus]

• B r y n ' a i • T o h - A e s c a •


To retract temporarily and address the response the woman with the long name had offered to her, Bryn'ai had simply acted as though she had vanished - disappeared, or simply just did not exist in that moment. It was useless to reply, and Bryn'ai knew it. The only thing it would do was egg on a stupid rivalry that, in all honesty, the Koa-Toh just couldn't win. This wasn't just about pride, or feelings, or power - in fact, none of those mattered. This was about social status, and yet again how the humans could influence their 'greatness' to be more than what the truth was. It was just like a human to try and be better, take the moral high-ground, and assume the room around them was at fault. Perhaps the threat Bryn had made was not the best decision, yet her stubborn pride disallowed her to acknowledge her mistake. Even if Brygita acted as though she had respect for others, it just felt impossible for an Incruscan to try and stand up to a human; it left her with a bad taste in her mouth, but the anger subsided as the time passed, and the topics dissolved from personal feelings to the mission at hand.

The discussion ended with Brygita explaining the missions and giving suggestions. One of the missions, the second one, seemed to be the best fit for her. Not only could show this traitor-scum some Koa-Toh justice, but it probably wasn't necessary for too many to join her. Thinking back, she could only think of one other that might have had the same mindset as her own in regards to this.
"While I have to admit I'm not the best at this disguise thing you expect us to do," she said to the cat, before addressing no one in particular, "I am fundamentally aware of my skills. That being said, I'm a member of this guild - I know this place - but I am also a Guardian. I can handle myself well on my own and I like hurting people. I am Koa-Toh, and my people have methods to... persuade... our prisoners to talk. That one-" she gestured to Sylvia, not recalling if she had formally introduced herself- "seems to have an understanding of violence, similar to my own. If she desires, and you don't need her elsewhere, I'd ask her to join me in hunting this traitor down... considering, by the cat's opinion, I can't do it on my own."
She wouldn't be opposed if someone else offered to join her with or instead of Sylvia, just for the record.

Spoiler: Mentions & Tags

Basically interacting with everyone to her great dismay.
Angry fish thoughts Epiphany :c
Interacting with ShadeAlucard

 

[Pilgrim59]

Maroni
Sentinel of Trentino
「Adventurer Guild, Seedingstate, Empire of Light」

Interacted: Merid ( Inkles The Octo )
Mentioned:
Simerian Goat ( Soviet Panda ), The Giant & The Lizardo ( Kabboom / Trappy ) Eliza ( Noble Scion ), Ezbern/Alastor ( Kabboom ) Spear Master ( Epiphany )
​

The lusty man in furs was quite repulsive, Maroni thought. His coarse ways with words makes her uneasy. Yet despite that, the Regalian conceded with Eliza's demeanor and paid no heed to him. It was suffice to say, that with all those times roaming the Empire, Maroni have yet to familiarize herself with foreigners. Her Sarmanian mother had told her grand tales of the frozen land, but she have yet to met one, until now. At least that was her assumption, judging by the man's apparel and gear. Perhaps this was something for the young Regalian to take to mind of those raised differently from her. Among other things, seeing certain individuals struggling with the entrance prior was quite amusing, Maroni thought. While it solidifies and strengthens her confident belief in her small, agile stature, the Regalian could not help but ponder upon one of the taller figure's complexion. It was almost as if she had met them prior, yet she have yet to confirm said conjectures. Before she could voice her concerns, the letter emanated a certain hue of blue.

Maroni quickly restrained herself upon the rearrangements of the chamber where the adventurers stood. Much like the spiraling bookcases and mezzanine rooms of the Imperial library, it was an extraordinary sight to behold. The Regalian diverted her attention towards the silhouette of an elderly elf that addressed himself before the multitude. Despite her eagerness, Maroni remained quiet throughout the whole ordeal, lending ears to his cause, and then the Alastor. The latter caught the Regalian's attention, as she was quite fond of their appearance. In her head, she pondered if she could take a brief moment to ran her hands upon his fur, and other endearing acts like that of a master to their pets. But of course, Alastor's nonconforming words quickly dissuaded Maroni of her thoughts.

Among other voices that posed their intrigues, a certain lady with her spear in tow was quick to assert her queries. Maroni nodded lightly with her listed apprehension of the situation, particularly the tasks that was given unto them, a band of mostly estranged adventurers, among duly-sworn enforcer of the Light.

"Hear hear!" Maroni exclaimed, upon the spearwoman's return to her seat.

Maroni then eyed Merid for a split second, before turning towards the others. Perhaps it would be best for Alastor to resolve the queries given, before Maroni could settle for one of their stated objectives. The last thing she wanted was to be paired with a certain crude Simerian goat. However, should it requires her particular skill set, it was wiser in the long run to cast aside her personal grievances - or so she thought.

"What do you think, Merid? I'd like to hear your thoughts regarding the tasks given unto us." Maroni turned over to her apprentice.

Like many times before, rather than giving into her own thoughts, Maroni would listen to Merid's assessment of the situation. While the Regalian had already made up her mind, in these situations, to take into account her apprentice's thoughts on her own strengths, and that of the prior's. Much like a quiz before their trials of combat. To know one's own strength and suitability for any occasion is the first step. The inclination of Maroni's question would also help to evaluate Merid's state of mind.

"When the Kingdom bell is at thirteen,
Then all the chorus would have been."
- Book of Light, Adavanteus 17:3-4​

 

[Slop]

Augur [Unknown]
Interaction(s): Silver Wolf (Alastor), Epiphany (Brygita Longename)​

Don't we have ourselves a diverse roster. Douchey spellcaster, that's me. Devilishly handsome, carefree, gambling, thieving rogue, check. Mindless mammothic brute, check. Oh-so-serious warrior who looks always-ready to kill, check. Nearly everything in between, check. We'd have won ourselves an inclusitivity award if that existed.

Augur noticed the few glances, glares and stares directed at him. He has become desensitized towards such petty expressions of discontent, but one particular glare stood out amongst the others; that which came from a pair of glistening, gleaming eyes of gold. They were neither menacing nor gentle, but sharp, fierce and evocative of other feelings foreign to the secluded, socially-inept mage.

Well she's going to be difficult to impress. Thank the Light the super-serious warrior's here to ask all the important questions for the team - this feels like a superhero franchise already. Fuck me does her bluntness put my social ineptness to shame. More importantly, why the fuck's the first information-extraction method she thought of torture? She sure doesn't look like spellcaster, but even the beggars of this town know charm magic exists. Just how foreign is this person..? And you - why are you playing along?! Why aren't you proposing alternatives?!

"Crude. Barbaric. Unreliable. Ineffective. I am speaking personal experience, mind you - not as a torturer, albeit, or a victim. More so an observer, if you will. There are better, more effective means of extracting information out of someone than to beat it out of them or cut off their fingernails one-by-one or something - I don't know. I may not share your ability to skew an entire family or two of wild boars in one thrust, my lady-friend, but I have faith in my arcane abilities... Oh, and that of my.. uhm.. anthropomorphic mage friend here. I could try charming this alleged traitor, and if that doesn't work out, mind-control is also an option; granted certain criterias are met. Of course, I'm not ruling out the possibility of the need to turn to good-old physical torture should extremely unfavourable circumstances befall us; whatever that may be."

He then turned to face and give his hooded soon-to-be-colleague who was seated conveniently close by a whisper.

"Say, uh.. you're a mage, yeah? What exactly do you do..? You have any special talents or skills? Specialise in any school of magic? Name's Augur, by the way. Alistor, right? Do you drink?"

 

[Kabboom]

GM

"Yeah. Sure." the cat dismissed Augur's half-hearted apology. Typical mage, like all the rest. Alastor wasn't quite sure if he even remembered the specific reason why he had such a disdain for mages, and he quietly thought this over even as his ears twitched in response to questions asked. Perhaps it was a secret that his master withholds from him, either for Alastor's own safety... or his master's. Doubt in Alorias is insultingly tempting, but the master had done nothing of ill will - none that the cat knew about, at least. Perhaps... oh, what was he thinking? Get back on subject. Where was he with the group?

"Aw man, this is beautiful," Alastor sobbed with muffled laughter. "You're already getting so close together! Brilliant!" He'd taken his time with the questions, as usual. Unlike his master, he was not pressured by potential assassins stabbing up his ass with every passing minute, and time is something he likes to appreciate very slowly. The paladin's query was... not what he was expecting, though Alastor didn't miss a beat on his answer. "Don't think I'll have as much fun if I keep it friendly, but sure, I'll try. As for the target... we haven't tried assassinating him until now, but caution should be taken still."

Mercenaries were fun to work with - unlike adventurers, they don't require an extravagant commodity in bargaining, or something unattainable or overly personalized, like fame or good charity, or (Lord-forbid) women. A simple bag of Imperial silvers, and a pissed off warrior is automatically on your side. Then again, it also means they have no attachments, and can just as easily be bought off by your very opposition. "Unfortunately, my master will not be paying you directly. Someone else will handle the transactions. As for the quantity of riches... how much are you thinkin', Damien?" a sly smirk crept onto Alastor's face. Playing the money game with mercs was his forte, after all.

As the ridiculously small (for its race) Giant propped up the faint-hearted Jazmin and stood up to pay closer attention to the table, and the group at large, the lizardman from Clan Jadescale spoke up. With creative application of brain power, Alastor processed his question, and extended his answer to everyone else as well. "These fake-identities are here to cover your asses. They'll help you get places you couldn't get to otherwise, and to protect your true identity and purpose from anyone who tries to look into this team. I trust you'll find an use for them soon enough, especially those who are about to go whoop the Guardian's ass."

The spearwoman, Brygita Bramblebambalamblewicz or something like that, has proven to be the most proactive of the members so far: coordinating the rest of the team, tactical analyses, critical assessment of useful abilities... it reminded Alastor of olden days, when he was still young and used to do this with his friends. Granted, his old activities didn't include 'topple Darkborne cult with just one team of loosely assembled retards', and the stakes definitely weren't as high, but who cares at this point? The lemur Incruscan who can't keep his dick in his pants is looking mighty nervous, even though he was hiding it well. It takes one to know one, and Alastor sniffed overwhelming fear in this one- of course he'd pick the farm.

The fish offers her torturing skills, which was valuable - Alastor wasn't sure how specialized their torture techniques were, considering they're fish people, but he wasn't going to judge. Augur Augurface also suggested/mocked her for that, apparently offering a more... humane method. Cute. He'll just have to wait and see, then. The Giant, Keikling, volunteers himself for the third mission, unsurprisingly. "I know about fortifications, and fighting bandits. I'll take the third mission. I'll need more details."

"Then more details is what you shall have, my friend." Pressing forward the third notebook, with a map page now appearing, Alastor gestured at the Giant. "My master has spent some time mapping these objectives. They would not be accurate or up-to-date, but something is better than nothing." Reaching for the first notebook, containing accomplices and information, the feline turned his attention over to Brygita Broombroombroomkewicz. "While I do not doubt you, Iniko, it is still best that you have a local accompany you. Nearing Herbert's Farm, look for a man named Samuel Kaldwin. You won't miss him, trust me. He knows the area well, and you can probably learn a thing or two from him about... subterfuge." With a slight smirk, he continued, opening the floor to everyone. "My assessment of leadership would be based on what I've learned of you officially. If any of you have better ideas, I'm willing to hear them. But for now, I do believe that either Damien or Farongar should take the outpost, and Bryn'ai take the Guardian. The stakeout shouldn't be too hard to complete, so Iniko has command if he so wishes it."

"Of course, I will not be sending you in there blind. There are a few adventurers here who would be able to assist, and on this notebook contains the names of those who are aware of the cult, and of what we're doing - at least the ones that have managed to stay alive. Some of them are willing to do it freely, but most of them will require a fair amount of silvers to convince. They're willing to lower their prices for us, thank Lord, but it will still cost something." Glancing over the team, Alastor did a mental double-take of the list, and himself. Was he talking too much for a cat? Maybe. "I'd like to make some recommendations while I'm at it. Harryn Stuart would be a good candidate for the farms, as well as Mystface; Soothsayer Zim would work wonders against our Guardian if you can persuade him, but if you'd like more... creative methods of torture, then I'd personally recommend The Veteran; Konyar, Narr and Houd would serve well against the bandit outpost, those damn elves- and oh, Garilov and Griov would be a good pick too!"

He might've gotten a bit carried away with the recommendations. But it doesn't matter. The more information, the more likely that this team will succeed. Hopefully.

Epiphany Trappy Aryasaurus Midrick Ayama Slop Noble Scion RandomBlobMan

 

[RandomBlobMan]

“Do you see the lady with red hair over there?”
Kan said to the giant.
“As far as I remember she is a paladin. She might be able to help.”
He then walked closer to the talking cat, moving his focus from the cleric to the job. Anything to purge those Darkborne cultists, he’d be willing to partake in. ‘Aw, man. You really could have a nice chat with her with a good excuse.’ Ginfri said in disappointment. Kan smirked, the expression vanishing as fast as it rose. The warrior listened to the cat as he addressed each question that was thrown by the other inhabitants of the room. Then his eyes slowly moved over to the contents on the table. Books, one about the cult’s information. Another containing fake identities they could use. ‘That’s a lot of effort put for us.’ Aldka commented. Kan nodded in agreeement. Then the third, with informations about the three given tasks.
“Watching over a farm, catching out an assassin, ravaging a bandit camp....”
‘I wanna do all of them. Why can’t I do all of them? Why am I not alive?’ Ginfri commented as Kan pointed out the mission summaries to himself. Aldka let out a mild sigh. ‘Kan, choose carefully.’ She said.
“I know.”
What help could he give with stealth or watching in general? Watching over the farmhouse didn’t seem like his job. Unless they were to jump straight into battle. For the traitor within the guild... he didn’t find himself any familiar with the guild here. He did see some adventurers in his duty as a guardian, but never got to know much about them. It was a no go. Lastly, the bandits. He had some experience against people. Not enough to call himself a human slayer, but enough to know how to beat a bandit good.
“I will sign up for the bandits. If I may be of assistance.”
Kan said to the lady with the long name. ‘Ask her name again.’ Ginfri whispered.

Told the giant Kabboom to talk to the red haired lady Noble Scion (if she could hear him)
Also talked to the long named lady Epiphany THAT’S RIGHT, SHE’LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIM ON THE MISSION MUAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

 

[Birdsie]

Thrud Syndottir

The brawny nordic woman decided to stand back, arms folded, and looking menacing, shooting milk-curdling glares at anyone who so much as glanced in her general direction. She left the socializing to her better half and stood back as their employer appeared, introducing himself as Alorias Ezbern. He proceeded to give them fuck-all in terms of instructions, and then basically left the task of explaining their duty to a talking cat. This was already looking like the kind of reasonable job that sane people would accept.

Thrud briefly wondered how it was possible for a creature with a cat's vocal cords to speak proper sophont language. She knew from what little she recognized from biology class - as well as chopping up bodies - that it shouldn't be possible. Goddamn mages are implanting organs into goddamn cats now. Fucking typical.

Thrud, personally, was a firm believer in the fact that spouting pointless detail and wasting time is no art at all. It was better to be concise and to-the-point, giving just enough information to make shit work.

So when the milksops in the room started barraging the feline familiar with a bombardment of inessential questions, Thrud felt a bubbling annoyance rising in her chest. She didn't let it develop past that. It'd be very unprofessional to start getting shit popping at work. Bar fights were best when they happened in bars.

She gradually wilted, as one of the 'studious and noble wizards of the conclave' spouted a dribble of useless questions, and then some brute with all of the eloquence of raw zucchini proceeded to ask what a 'cult' was. Her estimation of her co-workers dropped down a flight of stairs instantly, with the exception of what appeared to be the only sensible Incruscan in the room asking the only sensible question, namely, what the cat wanted from them.

After a sufficient timespan had passed, the feline fornicator finally elucidated them as to the nature of their tasks.

There appeared to be three primary missions, suited to different members of their ragtag group. Thrud felt that she'd be the best contribution in the cave mission, because the other two involved a stake-out and an investigation respectively.

The lizardman was notably curious, standing out among the group due to his exotic appearance, but Thrud felt the bubbling anger in her chest sizzling when he failed to comprehend the concept of fake identities. Even she knew what that was!

While she was busy simmering, she hadn't noticed a swooning idiot approach her sweetheart. Thrud's eyes widened. The simmering anger became a white-hot coal of blazing hatred sitting in the pit of her stomach, and igniting with a passion.

Almost without thinking, she put on a broad, toothy grin, and approached the man - a gentleman thief - and greeted him as gentlewoman would.

"Ah. Pleasure to make your acquiantance," Thrud gruffly said, and without asking for permission, she took the man's palm in a handshake. She held him with bone-popping tightness, shaking his limb roughly and powerfully in that way that non-swole creatures found painful. "My name is Thrud Syndottir, and I see you've already met my fiancee." She held Brygita by the waist, protectively close, with her other hand.

Mentions: Kabboom Trappy Soviet Panda Silver Wolf Aryasaurus

Interactions: Epiphany Ayama

 

[Inkles The Octo]

Merid shook her head. She had not been paying much attention but got most of the gist of things. "I say we can tak care of a few cultis…. and it may be a bit fun to burn a farm full o' em." She said with a bit of a smirk as she took another swig of ale. "If any of em lead us to those titans... well, that would be plain fun now wouldn't it, Maroni?" She asked as she stood up. Merid could be a bit persistent towards a good fight. "What do ya think of em though? Best ta know what we both be good at, right?"

Interacted: Pilgrim59

 

[Trappy]

Garax

As the big-warmblood Keikling moved over to assist a tiny warmblood who had lost her spirits, the lizardman was left alone to take notes of the fur ball's response and the other warmbloods' input into the discussion. Despite his intimidating stature and a very reptilian look of 'constantly dwelling on sky-thoughts', Garax was a simple thing. He found himself a traveller in this foreign land, whose occupants were more than happy to accomodate his needs in exchange for some services. The Dark is a destructive force. Therefore, it made perfect sense to protect the people who fed him.

From his experience, Garax believed the warmbloods were generally a more timid kind, though his belief was certainly challenged this day. He found himself surprised by the ferocity and savagery displayed by some of the present warmbloods, and couldn't bring himself to agree with a few of them. The lizardman made his opinion known when a warmblood belonging to the aforementioned few expressed a most strange desire to burn a 'farm'.
"Dispute; Garax had lent hands to the warmbloods-who-plant-grass, respect and trust are earned. Garax does not desire warmbloods-who-plant-grass harmed, and volunteer to deal with these warmbloods."

Garax simply did not understand the desire to burn 'farms'. Farms provide many foods, especially for winter when beasts are rare. No farms no food - why burn farms? The lizardman eyed the 'human' female curiously, before continuing.
"Aggressive-thieving-warmbloods dangerous when made nest, encountered before. 'Bandits' know nest better than hunters, Garax advices caution when hunting. Bring many skilled hunters."

Interaction: Inkles The Octo + anyone in the discussion.
Mentioned: Kabboom (As Keikling)

Translation:
"Warmbloods-who-plant-grass" - Farmers
"Nest" (in this context) - Bandits' lair

 

[ShadeAlucard]

Sylvia

Sylvia was a little taken aback by the abrupt hug the soldier gave her and the slight shoulder grab, but she would deal with it for now. She then heard someone reference her and she looked over to hear she was being looked at to help hunt down a traitor. 'my, have the tables have turned' Sylvia said with a smile as she walked over. "I would be glad to join you on a hunt. Assassinations are one of my specialties along with torture of highest quality. The name is Sylvia by the way." Sylvia said as her smile turned very sinister near the end. She loved being able to use her torture methods more than she liked assassinating others. She just hoped she wasn't needed elsewhere.

Interactions: Aryasaurus
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jazmin

Darkborne? they were to go fight Darkborne? Jazmin's inner mind while she was unconscious was swimming wildly. Was she gonna be thrown out on the front line with the soldiers? Was she gonna stay in safety and heal the wounded that managed to come back? She didn't know what they were gonna put her and it terrified her. She had never fought anything in her life, only spent time learning as many healing spells as possible and working on mastering them. Slowly, but surely, she was starting to come back to consciousness, but for now, she swam in her fears and thoughts

 

[Silver Wolf]

Alastor Lupom
Location: Seedingstate Guild Hall, Suddenly Bomb Proof room
Interactions: Slop (Augur), Aryasaurus (Mentioned - Bryn'ai), ShadeAlucard (Sylvia)
Mentioned: Kabboom (The magic cat Alastor)


​

Alastor had to blink a couple times as the cat ran its mouth. He had gotten his answers, not the full extent, but he had gotten them. He almost smiled at the irony of the situation. The Guardians, defenders of light themselves were too busy or too corrupted to do anything. Alastor wasn't too worried about Alorias knowing his research. But he noted as his questions just flew by. He didn't really care at this point. Looking around the metallic room he knew he was out of place. Just some weird incruscan caster who couldn't even hold a sword. However, he did know that being chosen meant Alorias probably knew about how his supportive magic was highly utilitarian. Capable of operating on its own for hours or even days.

Their missions made the wolf incruscan scoff slightly. In no way was he suited for those tasks, so he began going into thought, blocking out the chaotic noise around him. Once he was in his mindset his tunnel vision set in and he went over various applications of his magic. On one hand, if he could get into the farm's center he could make some sort of warning system. Put a circle on the ground or bury some smaller runes around the perimeter then bind them to something that would communicate someone crossing the boundary. The bandit cave, he frowned at thinking about. It would put him at risk as his only experiences with any combat had him on the back lines making sure his allies were in tip top shape or the enemy wasn't at its strongest making him a prime target. Finally, as his thoughts sat around the various applications of staying in the guild for the other mission his mind was pulled as something unusual happened. He was mentioned, but he was fairly interested in the conversation before he was specifically mentioned.

The talk of torture sent a shiver up Alastor's spine. He remembered something he'd hoped he'd left behind. The last time he saw his father. The man was a wreck, a false confession beaten out of him. Fingernails gone, teeth crooked or chipped, and stains on the back of his shirt made Alastor want to punch the closest noble in the room. It was then that Augur whispered to him. Right when the other mage finished, Alastor gave a heavy sigh and decided, fuck it, be a part of the conversation. He looked at Augur and said, "It would be accurate to describe me as a caster. I use incantations and runes to do magic. It also means I can create very complex spells far more efficient and self sufficient than normal. Sure, it takes a while, but when it's done I can make magic operate on its own with no further mental effort. However..." The incruscan glared at Bryn'ai and the fox incruscan. Not menacingly, but rather in a somewhat disappointed way. He took a deep breath and pulled his rationale forward.

"As for your conversation with Bryn'ai and Sylvia about torture, I have a couple things to say. First off torture is pretty easy for someone to get what they want, but it has one flaw. You're only hear what you want to hear. False confessions and misleading information are what make torture the last resort. Sure it's reliable when you're well informed about the situation, but we want information. Also, if the target were to go missing for too long or blabs off it would raise suspicion and could allow the enemy to prepare in advance countermeasures with the possible information lost or gained," Alastor took a pause then fished through his notes. He found a certain page titled, "Will - Reading and Interacting" which had neat notes and diagrams of the head and various objects or runes/magical circuits. "I could formulate an artifact that would be able to tell if he was lying or telling half truths. It could take a day or two, but it would guarantee correct information. Perhaps it would help in lessening the mental strain put on him, which would make it easier for me to alter his memory if need be."

In a moment, Alastor had a clear flash of inspiration for a second and grinned. His grin almost seemed sadistic in nature as he turned to Augur. "No Augur, I don't drink. However, if it so pleases you I know of a method to kill two birds with one stone. One method could take weeks, but another would take far less. There's an exotic plant found far south of the continent. This plant's seeds could be used to make a drug that prevents memories from being made and turns the victim to be persuadable under all conditions. There's a different plant, easier to obtain, that could do the memory part, but with more risk. We'd still have to interrogate the subject, but that shrinks the time to prepare the method to no more than a week. Spiking a drink would be easy to make a victim more persuasive."

Alastor then stood up and walked over to the fake IDs and pulled his up. He took several permits regarding trade, grinning as he thought about what he could do with them. He returned to his seat, and then before going silent said, "If you want me to craft anything to make your jobs easier let me know."

 

[Ayama]

Iniko Fitaka l'Escroc

Thief - Saltimbanque - Ladies' Man

Male - Incruscan - Twenty Six

“Challenge me, but at your risk.
I never miss- ain't that right, miss?
I'll steal the pillow from your bed,
And all the dreams inside your head."

Location: Guild Hall

With: The group

The Koa-Toh volunteered for the mission to track down the traitor, stating as one of her competencies the fact that she 'liked hurting people'. Iniko took a discreet step sideways away from her. The mage suggested a less violent method, which Iniko heartily approved.

The cat then proceeded to answer questions again, suggesting that Iniko get help from a local. As he took the notebook from the cat to review its information, his ears perked up at the bit about this Samuel person being able to teach him about... subterfuge.

The cat then rattled off a whole list of names of people who could assist them, and Iniko couldn't help but wonder why those people hadn't been summoned here instead. He had a dawning suspicion it was simply because they were considered too essential to lose.

At that point, the tall Nordic warrior approached him with a large, intimidating grin, taking his hand and shaking it. She squeezed tightly, and Iniko winced. It was obvious she wanted him to understand that, if she so chose, she could snap his fingers like twigs.

She introduced herself as Thrud, and Brygita as her fiancee, putting her hand ostentatiously around her waist, the reason for her animosity becoming perfectly clear. Iniko nodded at her, making sure to keep eye contact, to show that he understood.

"My apologies, Lady Thrud," he said. "I did not realize milady Brygita was spoken for. I assure you, I meant no disrespect."

The lizardman, for his part, did not want the farmers harmed. Iniko wasn't sure anyone had spoken about hurting the farmer. As he understood it, the job was about watching the farm for hidden cultist activity. Still, he appreciated the lizardman's stance.

Although, with such a large and noticeable creature in tow, he had no idea how he could be expected to successfully lead a surreptitious scouting mission. Even if, by some miracle, the lizardman could be quiet, he would still stand out a mile away. After all, it wasn't as if he could easily hide- himself or his identity.

The fox Incruscan accepted the offer to join the Koa-Toh, and Iniko did not want to think about what the Guardian traitor would have to endure at their hands. He looked around, wondering who else would be coming on his mission. Most here did not appear as if stealth and subterfuge were remotely part of their skills.

codedbycrucialstar​

 

[Soviet Panda]

Otrygg listened attentively to what was said, and quickly threw out whatever he deemed wasn't important. Interrogating? He was surprised he could even say the word. Sitting around and doing nothing at a farm? Boring. But his eyes lit up when he heard about the bandit outpost. Before he could really say anything, Brygita put forth her thoughts on the matter, something he was more than willing to listen to, she seemed like she had a good head on her shoulders, and from the looks of it where she went her partner would follow. The man that Otrygg could swear was muttering to himself also decided to join them, and finally the giant was going to be joining them as well. Excellent, he had always wanted to see how a giant fought.

"Then off to the bandit camp we go! Let me see that map," taking a hold of the notebook with the map in it, he holds it this way and that before finally nodding his head and setting the book back down. "Right, looks like it's this a-way. Come on, while the sun's still up. There's bandits that need killing! Farewell and stay safe. Especially you, lytling*, you have yet to grow big and strong like me!" Letting out a single bark of laughter at the thought of the small girl being as big as him, Otrygg strode towards the door. Stopping when he reached it, he motioned for those that volunteered to follow. "You'll get all the details you'll need when you're looking at it. Now let us go."

*Lytling: small child Pilgrim59
Mention: RandomBlobMan Kabboom Birdsie Epiphany

 

[Noble Scion]

Eliza Starborn

Spoiler: Appearance

​

As Eliza finished asking her question, she happened to glance sideways once more at the one she'd taken care of ages before, who seemed staring rather vigorously at her, She raised an eyebrow at him briefly before hearing her name by the noble nord that had given a mighty fine speech. Eliza gave them an amicable nod with a grin, before the great question of which mission each member should take on.

"I believe my skills would be suited for mission two or three. As much as I would like to participate in all of them, subtlety isn't my strong-suit, aha. Not to boast here, but people tend to talk and gossip with me, partially because of me being a paladin 'n' all, but I like to think I'm friendly enough too, and of course, I am more than effective on the frontlines, and as a captain, have experience leading people into battle." she grinned to the group, taking notice that her name wasn't brought up for either of the missions her talents would be suited for, yet decided to neglect to mention it. "I trained a priest, so needless to say, I am.. Not quite as much of a talebearer as you may think I am, although this talk of... Torture, to put it bluntly, does not put me at ease, I must admit.", she said, her smile dropping a fraction as her eyes seemed to cloud over with dark memories of her time in battle.

She'd seen her own men saved from the clutches of bandits, and they seemed like they didn't even recognise her anymore, eyes glazed over and life itself being made agony, mental trauma not even healing could fix. The very idea of it was revolting, and a pain that she didn't think she'd wish on her worst enemies.

Taking a moment to herself, Eliza toyed with the hilt of her blade within the scabbard, pondering how her knights were handling themselves as she was supposedly taking on these "dangerous tasks". To her, they didn't exactly sound all dangerous in comparison to what she had been doing, and her order probably could have dealt with such problems much more effectively than the rather ragtag group that had been formed. Sighing, Eliza simply deemed that she'd have to rattle some chivalry into the less respectable members of their party and try not to underestimate just how strong the voidborne cultists were. Her father had once told her that experience turned to overconfidence is the fastest way a knight could lose their arm, and to her at least, that was as good a lesson as any to pay attention to.

Everyone appeared to be socialising, which was pleasant to see, and so, drifting from her inner monologue, she decided to go ahead and join them.

Moving towards the ones she deemed the most interesting, aside from her friend Maroni, Eliza approached the Nordic women who appeared to be engaged with a rough-looking figure. Nodding to Thrud, Brygita, and Iniko, Eliza took a seat and continued listening to the more-friendly words coming from the cat.

Ayama Birdsie Epiphany Kabboom RandomBlobMan

 

[Slop]

Augur [Unknown]
Interaction(s): Silver Wolf (Alastor)​

Well, you sure know how to give someone the cold treatment. Why is it that every stranger I try and be nice to end up hating me almost immediately? Bloody hell was I supposed to know that this wasn't some convoluted ploy to send out a group of criminals to an extermination camp? I apologised, didn't I? Way to dismiss an apology. And a drinking invitation. I'm not so sure I'll have an easy time getting along with this lot either. Too mixed a bag. Too crowded a.. crowd. I guess. Not sure the presence of prodigiously-sized, bone-breaking titans exactly put me at ease either.

In the split second of a pause which manifested between Augur's enquiry and Alastor's response, the former found himself wondering once again the reason behind his inability to establish good first impressions. Though he consistently failed in offering people a reason not to dislike him, he had done so unintentionally. By the end of Alastor's reply, Augur found himself sharing the Incursan's cheeky, almost-sinister smirk as he was certain he recognised the exotic plant his fellow mage spoke of.

"Aren't you a cultured fellow? You speak of the Cannabis Australis, yes? I'm all too familiar with that devil of a plant. An excellent depressant - in microdosages, of course. Personally prefer them brewed; I'm a liquor person, see. I just think it brings out the best in those godsent leaves - smoking it is downright crude and hurts my bloody throat, and chewing it shouldn't even be an option considering how hard it is unless you're a fucking goat or orc. That said, I wouldn't-.. ahem. Anyway, I should still have enough crushed seeds for three or four vials of greater charm potion. Here."

Augur once again summoned a portal to his personal pocket dimension without so much as a chant or gesture, though a visible glow could be seen emanating from the ruby ring on his left middle finger. The tear in space-time of a portal spanned (pun intended) in length and width the size of an average closet, and further inspection would reveal that it also in fact shared the depth of one. Its inner surfaces appeared to be of an otherworldly material; like a mirror made of glass which was glossy and dull, reflecting absolutely naught. It was, to say the least, a metaphysical impossibility. The sublunar, physical contents of this space-cabinet, however, juxtaposed against the otherworldly nature of the space containing it. Floor shelves were lined against the rear and side walls and by each other, and on them lied various trinkets, tomes, small containers of various materials and other miscellaneous paraphernalia arranged in an albeit aesthetically displeasing, esoterically pragmatic fashion. He reached out to briefly rummage about the shelves ere retrieving a transparent jar whose contents of fine sawdust-coloured powder were perfectly visible from a distance.

"Have a whiff. Carefully, though."

 

[Pilgrim59]

Maroni
Sentinel of Trentino
「Adventurer Guild, Seedingstate, Empire of Light」

Interacted: Merid ( Inkles The Octo ), Alastor ( Kabboom ), Iniko ( Ayama )
Mentioned: N/A
​

Maroni gave her apprentice a brief, yet scrutinizing stare. Studying the latter's visage and tone, the Regalian caught wind of a certain feeling of looming conflict. Where the tall girl retained her composure and dauntless eyes, there resided a fraction of disturbance beneath her words. Despite Merid's zeal and confidence in their venture, a deep-seated enmity invoked Maroni's intrigues. But the Regalian did not spoke of it. A misplaced conjecture, perhaps, but Maroni's time with her apprentice had warranted certain insights into the latter's gestures. There was a peculiar emphasis on Merid's mentions of the 'Titans'. Even now, Maroni have yet to unveil what the initiate has to say of her past encounters. A careless slip, among small-talks, but no more than what was on the surface. But the Regalian knew at the time what she was meant to do. Despite her apprentice's unspoken history, she was compelled to be responsible for Merid. Such was the fate she had chosen for herself. Much like unearthing a treasure chest, it would take time and effort to dust off the cobwebs and finding the corresponding brass that fits. For now, it shall remain buried, prudence will be their adjudicator, and perhaps a lesson to learn.

"I only hope that we would not have to resort to setting the farm ablaze. Fun will do." Maroni shook her head at Merid's impetuous words. It was settled.

"Perhaps this would be an opportune task to refine your eagerness, Merid. Remember, we are the stalwart albatross, not a wild dog. We strike with purpose." Maroni emphasized with her gesturing hand.

Maroni stood up from her seat. While the Guardian was fond of her apprentice's courage, Herbert's farm would be the proving ground of Merid's training. Aside from mindlessly charging into battle at the mere mention of the Darkbornes, subtlety has never been the hammer's forte. The carabinierre can only hope that her initiate would be able to learn from said approach with this assignment. Where shadowed procedures fail, however, their combined valors and resolute steel would have to do. So assured Maroni to herself.

"Signore Alastor. I, the Sentinel of Trentino, and my brave initiate Merid Goldroot, the Light Bringer volunteer ourselves for Herbert's farm assignment." she proclaimed, as the two dispatched themselves towards the man that shared their cause. Running by her thoughts, she could only make sense of his name from an earlier roundabout of fleeting conversations that echoed the guild prior to their current circumstances.

"You must be signore l'Escroc. I am Satorie figlia di Sajio e Koasa di casa di Maroni, and this is my earnest apprentice Merid Goldroot. We will be in your care for the details of Herbert's farm, milord." Maroni introduced Merid and herself with an elegant smile, accompanied by a slight bow. Eyeing the dark-eyed man, the Regalian can't help but wonder if there was anyone else that shares her shortcoming in stature. In fact, she was probably the only one who had to look up to someone to address them.

"Perhaps you would care to impart your wisdom pertaining to our given assignment, signore?" Maroni continued, tucking her hands by her waist, with her hands steadfast on her shield, and her eyes fixed on the Iniko.