Fantasy The Guild Stone ((Old Questing Thread))

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Church of Seraphina​

"Don't worry it gets cooler inside."

Ymir visibly relaxed at the words, though her portable wind orb certainly helped to alleviate that stress as well. The volcano radiated a different sort of heat from deserts or tropics--their source shone from above, brightest and sharpest during the day. The temple's warmth rose from the volcanic fissures below. Ymir would've questioned the sanity of building a temple on what was essentially an extremely volatile rock--if she weren't certain that was the exact reason.

Only a fire church would seek out an active volcano for a home.

Ymir sighed, wiping the sweat off the back of her neck as they headed up the (colossal) stairs. She knew as soon as she set eyes on the foundation that the temple had to be at least as old as the ancients. Unlike most remnants it hadn't fallen into ruin or disuse, quite the opposite. The entire structure, from the carved pillars to the traditions practiced within, was a living relic of the past. An empire risen to match the new age.

"This part of the temple was made eons ago by the first fire titans and dragons born of Seraphina's power. The eldest dragon still lives upon the summit of the volcano and gives wisdom through his lectures to the clergy."

Ymir paused on the outer terrace before the entrance, staring up at the summit. A pilgrimage of stairwells circled up the slope, but she doubted her ability would reach far enough to see the top. Trying would only give her a headache, so she started after Titus instead, following him into the temple where several entrances led to unknown rooms.

"I would like you to meet my foster father, he's this way."

Foster? Her gaze flickered towards Titus, watching his back as he stepped towards the rightmost entrance within the temple. She knew his mother had perished to the frost giant, but nothing of his father. Ymir hadn't considered he mightn't be around.

She always mapped out rooms before she stepped into them, but even so the hall they entered was impressive. Arches of polished stone overlooked the rows of clerks within, the carved likenesses of Seraphina watching over them. The air was noticeably cooler as they stepped inside--no doubt to protect the great number of scripts--but rather than being a relief, Ymir found herself tense. It was painfully obvious what they had stepped into was some kind of court. Even nice architecture couldn't make up for the memories she had of them.

Shaking it off, she glanced around the room, noting the exits before her gaze fell on the figure standing upon the raised dais--apparently the one they were meeting.

"It is a pleasure to meet you young lady, I am Lucian the Blind, and Titus foster father. I hope that my appearance is not off-putting, as I am blind there is no point in my eyes being visible."

"Of course not," she said, smiling at his words. A visor was hardly the strangest thing she'd seen a person wear, and in any case it fit with his polished attire. "It's an honour, Father Lucian. I am Ymir of Avalast. I hope you can forgive our appearance-" She glanced down at her own, mud-tracked pants, already knowing her hair would be a windswept mess from the day. She supposed Titus would have warned her if there were a dress code--he didn't appear much cleaner himself. "We came straight off a hunting quest."

"Though I must inquire what brings a servant of the disillusioned and doubting God here to the temple of Seraphina?"

Her smile froze, and in her head, the room seemed to go silent.

Servant of the Disillusioned and Doubting God. An unpleasant sensation crawled up her spine. Her shoulders rose, hands retreating to inside of her pockets as Lucian's smile inclined her way. "The servants of Taenia rarely find themselves at our doorstep you see."

He can sense magic signatures. Lucian's expression no longer seemed kind to her. Ymir's smile recovered as she rocked back onto her heels.

"Just here to do some sightseeing," she said. "Maybe disillusion a few people along the way." The fact it had been brought up at all seemed like a threat, her gaze fixed carefully on Lucian in response. The innocuous nature of his question would made no difference. Ymir was used to being on the defensive whenever Taenia became involved.
EldridSmith

 

[EldridSmith]

Lucian grinned and made a dismissive motion when Ymir apologized about appearances. Titus grinned as appearances weren't important in the church, except for official ceremonies. However Titus looked at Ymir surprised as Lucian mentioned Ymir being a follower of Taenia "I thought you said you weren't into religion before?" He said unsure how to take the news as he looked at her. "I apologize for making you uncomfortable with that question, but it is customary to ask as we've had incidents of other churches showing hostility, I hope you can forgive me for being so forward about it. I can tell you mean no ill will to the church now, so you need not worry, young lady. We will not turn away those who are peaceful from other religions, as all can find their path through Seraphina regardless of their past." Lucian says with a sincere smile. "I am sorry the courts make you feel uncomfortable, however I am not able to leave my post currently. Though I would like to invite you to join us for dinner tonight, if Titus doesn't mind of course." Lucian offers with an outstretched hand to show his good will. "I do not wish to turn away such a fine young lady with my foster son after all." He says with a grin as he looks at Titus who, even through his golden skin, blushes slightly. "If she's willing we will certainly join you for dinner." Titus says as he looks to Ymir having sorted out his thoughts. "I'm sorry I didn't know the courts made you uncomfortable." He apologizes.
Sylph

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Court of Seraphina​

"I thought you said you weren't into religion before?"

"It's... well, I mean- Taenia's worshipped as a god..." Her shoulders rose, inhaling as she tried to gather her thoughts. Taenia was an obscure entity, but he was by no means insignificant. His guidance was determined by what was true, not what was right. Ymir slumped with a sigh. "Taenia is an patron of those who seek to understand. 'Gods' tend to be entities that exceed comprehension, or cast a veil to avoid it." There were countless things that fit the criteria--almost as many as there were altars to worship. She glanced vaguely towards where Titus stood, not quite meeting his eye. "Faith tends to be better than reality. Hence the... disillusionment part."

Her suffering in silence was cut short as Lucian spoke up, drawing her gaze. "I apologize for making you uncomfortable with that question, but it is customary to ask as we've had incidents of other churches showing hostility, I hope you can forgive me for being so forward about it. I can tell you mean no ill will to the church now, so you need not worry, young lady. We will not turn away those who are peaceful from other religions, as all can find their path through Seraphina regardless of their past."

Ymir still stood much like a spooked deer, her hands hidden inside pockets. Much like telling an angry person to calm down, saying 'need not worry' didn't alleviate the actual concern, but she started to unwind as Lucian continued. Despite an imposing aura, his manner of speaking and deliberate gestures evoked a sense of order. The hallmark of a person who had spent eons in pursuit of patience and repose. He smiled sincerely--

"I am sorry the courts make you feel uncomfortable, however I am not able to leave my post currently."

Once again she tensed, eyes sliding shut in a wince. Lucian seemed to see an awful lot for someone who was blind, though Ymir had restraint enough not to comment. When her gaze returned she fixed him a frown that screamed stop broadcasting my thoughts.

"Though I would like to invite you to join us for dinner tonight, if Titus doesn't mind of course. I do not wish to turn away such a fine young lady with my foster son after all."

That was not a sincere smile. Even with half his face covered she could sense the underlying amusement. Ymir made an indistinct sound, glancing over at Titus as she covered part of her face. He looked no better, the discolour of his skin all too obvious. Do you seriously never bring anyone here?

"If she's willing we will certainly join you for dinner," Titus said eventually, seeming to recover as he glanced over at her. Ymir shrugged, her elbow resting against her other arm. She didn't mind. It meant they'd be there long enough to see what the volcano was like at night. "I'm sorry I didn't know the courts made you uncomfortable."

"..."

Now he was just echoing Lucian.

Ymir sighed, shifting her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. If she were that uncomfortable, she wouldn't have stepped inside in the first place. That aside, he was always so sincere. How was she meant to be mad when he did everything with the best of intentions?

"I see where you got your endless cordiality from at least," she muttered. Shaking off any lingering exasperation, she turned towards the exit of the chamber. "Anyway! I'm sure there are plenty other places to visit. Shall we move on for now?" With any luck they wouldn't be inside any more courts--nor rooms possessing imposing, somewhat-difficult-to-gauge, quasi mind-reading relatives. Not that running away did much good, considering she'd be back in the same room for dinner.
EldridSmith

 

[Vol]

THROUGH GILDED WOODEN DOORS
Location: Waystone Guild, Outskirts of Lantana City
Interactions: N/A (Free to interact)

Adventurers and enquirers standing about the entrance of Waystone were caught by surprise with the arrival of a certain guildmember. Of course teleporation spells weren't uncommon, and the sight of an entity appearing and disappearing out of nowhere shouldn't be too alarming in such an active location -- but the said guildmember strode into the Guild Halls with leaves and twigs trailing behind them in their wake.

This was Zion, and he had seemingly returned from an unrelated guild affair. Unsuccessful in his endeavour on politely asking a well-known necromancer questions about his state, the answers he was met with were cracks and singed marks on bleached bone, from blows of a mace and lightning magic.

The battlemage seated himself by an empty table on the second floor of Waystone; steel mask still donned. Sherly, an inquisitive and cheerful half-elf who worked as one of the guild bartenders, glanced at him and opened her mouth, only to close it with a shake of her head. She continued to wipe the counter clean, but he had noticed her instinctive action. Zion knew she didn't mean it unkindly, after all, he had never ordered anything from there the entire time he had been in Waystone. He had assured her that wasn't because of the quality of their service or product, but of course, never really told her the real reason.

The battlemage carefully pulled back a bit of his sleeve to assess the damage; noting that the cracks within the bone allowed an amber glow to seep through. It confused him that some of the undead he had encountered deep underground didn't have such a glow like his. He procured a vial from his bag of holding, carefully tipping measured contents of it onto the wound.

 

[Sylph]

Azalea
Location: Guild Hall​

The heat of summer noon had settled over the guild, subduing even the most excitable of adventurers beneath its hazy blanket. It had been a busy morning, even by the guild's standards, and the dust was only just beginning to settle in its wake, allowing the staff time to catch up on what had been a hectic morning.

Among them was the clerk, caught between stacks of registration paperwork and quest reports. Rough, bark-like patches covered most of her skin, stretching up her arms from her hands. Deep ridges were entrenched in her expression, wide-brimmed leaves growing out of her scalp. The remnants of brown hair that fell between them seemed out of place, naught but a disappearing reminder of her old appearance.

The heat made things all the worse. Azalea sighed as she knocked the handle of her brush against the desk. Saplings and blooms persisted in crawling out of cracks in her arms, across her torso, anywhere they could find. Flourishing in the oppressive haze of summer noon.

Against her best intentions she'd hit a wall with paperwork. Having signed the same report twice, read it at least three times, and still been unable to remember who the third member of the team was, she resigned herself to finishing the work later. Grabbing what had been completed she started up towards the second floor of the guild. Her personal desk sat just outside the archives, covered in a barrier of branches and sprouts from where her ability had made itself known. Most of the unsorted paperwork sat behind it until it could be appropriately dealt with.

There was an unexpected face sitting at one of the tables. Azalea paused. While it wasn't unusual for the battlemage to sit up there, given he never ordered from the bar downstairs, she must have missed him come in entirely. One of the maids, Sherly, waved as she passed towards the stairs. Most of the guild staff were adventurers themselves, working for extra money or a place to stay as they waited to take on the harder, better paying quests. Azalea hadn't the energy to offer much more than a half-hearted smile in response.

"Zion," she said, stopping by the table. "You're back from your... mission." She trailed off as she noticed the cracked amber glow beneath his sleeves. He was pouring something over the bleached white around it. No doubt different from the usual medicines, given his lack of skin of any kind. "Did something happen?"
Vol

 

[Vol]

THROUGH GILDED WOODEN DOORS
Location: Waystone Guild, Outskirts of Lantana City
Interactions: Azalea ( Sylph )​

Upon being addressed so suddenly Zion had quickly sheathed his exposed arm. The precaution, however, was unnecessary, which he realised the next second as the source was someone familiar. He slightly withdrew the bone again to inspect the healing. The cracks had formed new bone and concealed the glow once more. Despite having no lungs to breathe through, one could hear the whistling of a sigh past the steel mask he wore. The ulna and radius was swept back into hiding.

His shoulders sagged underneath his cloak at her query.
"Yes, and no." He answered, his voice emanating within her mind sounded stiff.

The battlemage shifted a bit as he faced Azalea. A human yet with an astounding amount of natural mana within her. She and him looked the definition of opposites -- her skin infected with life itself, while he was dusty and marrowed with death. He still recalled how "well" she reacted to his somewhat forced reveal of his true appearance.

"My affairs are meager in comparison to yours, though. How are you faring?" He shot her a question, purposely avoiding a proper explanation of his own ventures. Sure, he "trusted" the Waystone Scribe to a greater extent than most of the members, but Zion was...a creature of secrets. Something he often resorts to without really realising it; a personal trait left behind of his former self. Apart from that, he did notice how bogged down Azalea looked. Well, more than the usual, he supposed.

 

[Sylph]

Azalea
Location: Guild Hall​

"Yes, and no."

The words were separate from the whistling sigh he made. It reminded her of shifting sands, the flow of air through a catacomb. It had caught her off guard a number of times before, being impossible to pinpoint a direction it came from, but she'd grown used to his expressions over time. The shifts in his demeanour were unmistakeably human, making things a little easier.

"My affairs are meager in comparison to yours, though. How are you faring?"

He was good at being evasive, though she had some inkling based off his state. The ridges along her forehead narrowed into a frown. If it had been a mission Azalea would have asked for a report, but whatever leads Zion had been following were a private matter, and she had no business prying into it.

"As well as ever, I suppose." The guild was business as always, and nothing had changed much with her state--the energy inside her remained safely dormant. "We've had a few... interesting characters join since you left." One of them through the ceiling. She sighed, briefly indicating the stack of papers. Thieves, residents of the blighted realm, girls who looked like they'd crawled straight out of a wolf pack... Azalea glanced up at the roof of the guild, visibly embittered at sight of the gaping hole.

So it had been hectic, but not unusual. Azalea had mostly resigned herself to the nature of those who joined. While it was true many sought the guild out in hopes of reform, others saw a chance to use it for more objectionable purposes--and in most cases it was impossible to tell which they were until their nature showed itself in trial. Zion's appearance had certainly been cause for alarm, the first time she encountered it. She liked to think she'd moved somewhat past it.

"It's been mostly paperwork so far, but I'm done for the day." If she sat in one place any longer she'd end up turning into a grotto proper. The obnoxious blooms that came through cracks in her skin released specks of light that settled on whatever they pleased, growing any number of spring plants out of wood or cloth or stone. Azalea rolled her head, loosening the branches that had grown to hold it stiffly in place. "I'll be headed to the gardens after this. Was there anything I could help you with?"
Vol

 

[Vol]

THROUGH GILDED WOODEN DOORS
Location: Waystone Guild, Outskirts of Lantana City
Interactions: Azalea Sylph
​

"As well as ever, I suppose. We've had a few... interesting characters join since you left."

He followed her gaze up to the ceiling, curious as she what she meant as to interesting new guildmembers. A slight tilt of his head showed his understanding -- how he never noticed the new "decor" was beyond him. Then again, he had more important matters he had to fix at that moment. And the fact there was more sunlight pattering down from the open hole was nothing to him. For a receptionist though, probably more paperwork.

Zion figured he wasn't a fan of paperwork either, unless it was a simple contract.

"Ah, good to hear. You need the rest, I suppose. You do so much and for so little." The battlemage stated nonchalantly as he slowly moved out of his seat, gloved hands gliding across mahogany tabletop. The gardens, he'd visited it once or twice. He could not smell anything, but he could feel the nature caress him despite lacking skin with nerves. It unsettled him.

"I'll be headed to the gardens after this. Was there anything I could help you with?"

"Help? Right. I'm looking for new tasks to accomplish. Something of the guild, not for my own accord, but if you know one that can combine both? That would be wonderful. If not, atleast I'll be successful at one."

 

[EldridSmith]

"So you don't worship them, so they're more of a patron? Assuming you haven't sold your soul to them I'm sure you can have another faith for the afterlife." Titus offers hopefully trying to ignore the words that some would find insulting, hoping she hadn't sold her soul. She could still get it back of course but it would be hard, and Seraphina would certainly have to lend a hand in the process. His adoptive father spoke up. "You are quick to judge young friend of my son's, Seraphina will not promise what she cannot provide, or what you cannot achieve." Lucian responded with a patient smile once before chuckling. "If you're wondering, I cannot read thoughts. I am able to see around myself through magic, a power granted to me through Seraphina. I have just gotten very good at reading expressions and body language over my 400 some years in the courts." Lucian explains with an amused grin.

Titus rubs the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "You get used to it after a while." He says, acknowledging that it wasn't normal. At Ymir's glance screaming the question of whether he brought anyone, he shook his head no in response, which was sure to illicit a jab at him at some point later. He smiled as she gave him the OK for dinner he mouthed "Thank you" to her, but of course Lucian saw it. He rubbed the back of his head again as she mentioned where he got his cordiality from. She wasn't wrong in that asusmption, he did take after Lucian a lot. TItus looked at Lucian when Ymir mentioned moving on. "Don't let me keep you, have fun together you two." Lucian declared chuckling as he waved them off. Titus blushed as he knew what his adoptive father was thinking. "Sure I'm sure you'll love the markets, I'll see you later in the grand hall for dinner father."

"I'm sorry I should have thought about this more since you're the first friend I brought and a girl..." He explained on the way over to the market, his logic on why his father was acting as such becoming clear. Titus soon finished leading Ymir out to the other side of the grand entrance where the bazaar stood with many merchants peddling wares in orderly stalls, and at the end of the wall was a grand reception area for races of all sizes to make requests of the craftsmen as a magical barrier lifted up the smaller races to the front desk, and the taller ones could peer straight in. "You can find almost any tool you'll ever need here, and if they don't have it in stock it can be requested." He said with a smile. "Pick anything you like out and I can get it for you." He offered.
Sylph

 

[Zufaix]

Kira Voland
Location: Waystone Guild, Lantana City
Interactions: Sylph (Azalea) | Vol (Zion)
Mentions: N/A​

Just outside the main entrance of the Waystone Guild, a girl in black and white garments stood with bated breath as she readied herself to enter. She had gone over this scene in her head multiple times but every single one ended differently. I can't believe I forgot to ask Alf about all this stuff before I left... A sigh escaped her lips as she reluctantly opened the doors to the Guild Hall. Upon entering and glancing around, the gilded decor and wooded interior had given her some semblance of familiarity with the place. Her father had taken it upon himself to "rearrange" the schools training grounds back home, and seemed to emulate a similar style, other than the giant hole in the ceiling of course. Though the girl definitely looked a bit confused as the sunlight poured in from it. Continuing to take in her surroundings she had noticed the wooden board with papers pinned to the face of it. Ah, this must be the "Quest Board" I was hearing about in the city. That was one less thing she had to figure out at least.

As she turned to investigate further, her eyes caught the sight of two people talking on the floor above her. One of them looked official, whilst the other looked like an adventurer of some sort, though the mask made it hard to tell. The girl was usually good at reading people through facial expressions, but it becomes significantly harder when you can't see their face, to say the least. Right, I should introduce myself before getting too gung-ho. The quest board isn't going anywhere.... I hope. Her eyes glanced back up at the hole in the ceiling as she finished that thought.

Winding her way up the stairs, she approached the two patrons with a determined stride. Wait, father sent in my application right? If any higher powers are listening please let my father be reliable this one time... She thought, before almost tripping over herself.

"G-Good afternoon, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting but.... I could use some help if possible. My name is Kira Voland, and I was hoping to speak to a member of staff here at the guild about my application. I'm assuming that you would be the person I'm looking for?" She gave a courteous bow as she introduced herself and gestured to the woman with bark-like skin patches. Kira had never seen anything like that before, but she tried not to let it show on her face. Good first impressions and all that.

 

[II-CinderRadcliff-II]

Jennie gave a sigh of relief as the Goblin had left the Cabin, though she was now getting irritated as her expression went from calm to tense. She entered the guest bedroom with her stuff and grabbed her gear, alongside grabbing the map Cinder had left on the table in the living room before making her way out of the building. She had made it clear she didn't plan to stand idly by, her feet swiftly carrying her towards the Krilgox Kingdom roughly 42 miles away. The old map showed there were two villages between the Cabin and the Krilgox Caldera, with notes that the closest one to her was now a proper city that was reliant on trade. It didn't specify much else, and as such she simply put it away into her bag of holding for the time being. Step after step the Cabin grew further from her view, and soon enough it had vanished completely due to the escalating snow storm and the trees blocking her view. Her hair blew in the gentle wind as she jogged to her destination, flute in hand and mouth as she used her spell to make herself run faster. She didn't plan to go to Krilgox alone, she just wanted to get away from the Cabin to process everything that happened. Spirits, Goblins, and stories of disaster and death aren't what she wanted to hear when they were going to relax and go over plans peacefully.
"It'd be better to get this done without Cinder, he's too unpredictable. He may be Gold ranked, but I'd rather not deal with him when he's easy to rile up." Jennie mumbled to herself as she began to feel eyes from the forest staring her down, though this time she was more focused on getting to her destination before anything else. She only hoped that the others took her hint, otherwise she'd have to fight an entire hoard of Goblins by herself; and she didn't trust Glim in the slightest. She either hated or feared a large majority of monsters, though Goblins were what she hated most of all. Their horrific stench and grotesque features were enough to make her gag at the thought of touching them. Aside from her only skills being supportive in nature, that was a primary reason why she only focused on supporting her teammates. Into the snowstorm she ran, not daring look back in case something from the forest made itself known.

Plannit Goonfire Funnier President

 

[Sylph]

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall​

"Ah, good to hear. You need the rest, I suppose. You do so much and for so little."

She smiled somewhat at the formless words in her head. Money was the most powerful and meaningless of things in the world. Azalea did what she was paid to do. Anything beyond that yielded its own reward.

"Help? Right. I'm looking for new tasks to accomplish. Something of the guild, not for my own accord, but if you know one that can combine both? That would be wonderful. If not, at least I'll be successful at one."

She seemed thoughtful at that, adjusting one of the many branches clawing through the cracks in her skin. As a silver he had a wide range of options available to him, but whether any were of particularly novel nature was hard to judge. She knew he was looking for answers to something, that much had become obvious after seeing what lay behind the iron mask he wore.

"I suppose I can look through the new requests," she said as Zion rose from his seat. Even as skinless bone, he stood higher than average, looming over those of shorter stature. His cloak gave the illusion of a warrior's build, though Azalea suspected he had died in the armor he currently wore. There seemed no other reason for an undying soul to possess such protection otherwise. "The royal guard sent in a notice about undead activity in the region, but all the gold ranks are currently engaged elsewhere." The only quest she saw as related to his condition was in a higher bracket. She couldn't send him out in good conscience, even if she were sure the nature of the job didn't pose a threat to the battlemage himself.

Azalea would have moved to set down the papers on the desk, but Zion's mask tilted towards something behind her, and an unfamiliar voice caught both their attention.

"G-Good afternoon, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting but.... I could use some help if possible."

She turned. A well-dressed young woman stood just beyond the top of the stairs. Despite fumbling over her words she managed to dip into a courteous bow, demonstrating the bearing of one who belonged to a higher station. "My name is Kira Voland, and I was hoping to speak to a member of staff here at the guild about my application. I'm assuming that you would be the person I'm looking for?"

...Application? Azalea frowned, quite sure she hadn't met the girl before, let alone viewed an application. Despite her upright posture and courteous greeting, the young woman all but trembled with anticipation--

Oh. It clicked at the back of her mind. Wait, Voland.

"Of course," Azalea said, smiling as she readjusted her grip on the papers in her hands. She'd been going over the applications just before--she couldn't believe she'd forgotten. "Yes, we did receive a letter you were coming. I've just finished filling out registrations, as it so happens." Finding the right name she handed the form across to Kira "Your father requested you stay at the lodgings in the guild. If you can confirm your details I'll be happy to show you your room. It must have been quite a journey all the way from Aestir."

Kira no doubt had further things to ask, but at that moment the doors swung open to reveal a figure dressed in red. And in the same heartbeat any warmth dropped off Azalea's expression entirely.

Lyron. The figure surveyed the guild, eyes sharp and narrow. Stepping deliberately to the side of Zion, Azalea silently prayed he'd overlook the second level in favour of picking a quest and leaving. Of course, it was a running theme of the morning that she wasn't allowed a moment's reprieve.

Lyron Avattica
Location: Guild Hall​

Lyron was, as per usual, annoyed. Not at any one thing. There were far too many issues with the crude building, and the reprehensible people inside, for him to place his ire on any particular source. He stoutly brushed off the last of the remnants from the forest, left over from where he'd travelled with the waystone, before throwing open the doors. As there was no end to the ridiculous jobs asking for the most useless of things, there was no end to his frustration in turn.

Lyron's gaze scoured the hall, threatening to scald anyone who so much as looked his way. It was bad enough he was forced to tolerate their presence. Acknowledging them was world's worse. He quickly found his target on the upper level, surreptitiously trying to hide from view behind a figure cloaked in black. A waste of both of the their times. Pointless.

He strode across the hall, reaching the stairs and stomping up them to the second floor.

"Clerk," he announced as he got there. There were two others he noted, and quickly dismissed. The taller figure with his gaudy cloak and mask was the epitome of what he saw as wrong in the guild. Depraved criminals parading as heroes for the people. The unfamiliar female was at least presentable in appearance, though her presence in the guild at all suggested her judgement was subpar. Lyron ignored them, and their conversation, in favour of glaring at the plant-infested woman.

Azalea spared a tired glance his way, though she had no right to the sigh that followed. Not when she was the reason he was stuck chasing rabbits around for pennies when he could have been promoted out of the guild altogether long ago.

"Finished your mission, Avatticus?" she said, her reluctance evident in the words. He rankled at such casual use of his family's name, but rose above it. Fixing her with a glare he hoped would convey the depths of that abhorrence, he tossed the letter of thanks he'd been given at her feet.

"Isn't it about time I completed something more appropriate to my standing?"

The woman glanced down at the letter, then back up at him.

"There are plenty of iron quests for you to choose from." She nodded towards the quest board downstairs at the mild words, before turning to place the papers she held on a desk against the wall. "And I'd like to remind you that a quest isn't complete until the letter of acknowledgement is placed on the front counter." Not the floor, the ice in her tone seemed to say.

Lyron's mouth curled into a sneer. He had little patience for these games of false courtesy, not when he was already running around like a common guard dealing with these inane complaints. He made no move to acknowledge either of the other two adventurers, crossing his arms as he remained facing the obstinate clerk.
Zufaix Vol

 

[Vol]

THROUGH GILDED WOODEN DOORS
Location: Waystone Guild, Outskirts of Lantana City
Interactions: Azalea / Lyron Avattica Sylph / Kira Voland Zufaix​

"I suppose I can look through the new requests, The royal guard sent in a notice about undead activity in the region, but all the gold ranks are currently engaged elsewhere."

He stood stock still, his body language not betraying any sign of disappointment that he felt within his soul. The wind that whispered through the hole on the ceiling caused his tattered cloak to flap uselessly, but the hood remained fastened to his head.

It would make sense that quests that involved necromancy would be dealt by higher ranks, he supposed. Even though he himself had no trouble with the undead. it was usually the spellcaster that resurrected and entrapped the poor souls in cages of bone he had found difficult to negotiate with. Then again...his rank did not really demonstrate his prowess, so he had breezed to Silver in a number of months.

And the fact that he did not need to eat or sleep certainly helped with his rank progression; tackling quests here and there with only meditation to help him recover some mana he'd lost from the spells he used. This was why he preferred to take on quests alone, but he was sure that the higher he rose, he would eventually be thrusted into a task with other guildmembers. Zion did not exactly fear this, rather he felt inconvenienced -- but the thought of a sense of camaraderie within a battlefield was...positively familiar.

Speaking of other adventurers, the battlemage's head snapped towards the youthful newcomer that had politely but timidly approached the both of them.

"G-Good afternoon, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting but.... I could use some help if possible. My name is Kira Voland, and I was hoping to speak to a member of staff here at the guild about my application. I'm assuming that you would be the person I'm looking for?"

Zion found her nervous courtesy somewhat endearing though pointless in his opinion. There were guildmembers of noble status in Waystone, but he had not bothered to even shoot them a passing glance (even if they couldn't see it). In his current state, he only saw them as a source of quests and gold, but an inkling from his memories felt disdain and disappointment. He wasn't sure which to trust, so he decided to choose the former: indifference. Safer that way.

"Of course, Yes, we did receive a letter you were coming. I've just finished filling out registrations, as it so happens. Your father requested you stay at the lodgings in the guild. If you can confirm your details I'll be happy to show you your room. It must have been quite a journey all the way from Aestir."

The battlemage felt as if he was getting in the way of Azalea at this point and had turned to go inspect the questboard down below himself, until Azalea suddenly moved behind him. A section of his cloak was trapped underneath her boot, and he was pulled slightly back when he tried to step away. Zion looked down at the human forest in confusion and faint amusement. From the corner of his vision there was a flash of red, and, well, speaking of nobles...

"Finished your mission, Avatticus?"

"Clerk, Isn't it about time I completed something more appropriate to my standing?"

"There are plenty of iron quests for you to choose from. And I'd like to remind you that a quest isn't complete until the letter of acknowledgement is placed on the front counter."

Zion noticed the envelope that Lyron had discarded onto the floor and casually bent down to pick it up. He hadn't formally introduced himself to the "prince in red" before, and he would not give a rat's ass. The noble had loudly announced who he was the day he arrived in Waystone, which had rudely interrupted his concentration on his own notes that day. He would try to steer clear of this one, less there would be a scene to arise. Fortunately Lyron seemed to be purposely ignoring him to Zion's relief.

He offered the letter back to Azalea, not uttering a word but a simple nod in empathy.

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Courthouse --> Markets​

"So you don't worship them, so they're more of a patron? Assuming you haven't sold your soul to them I'm sure you can have another faith for the afterlife."

Sold my soul? Ymir shot Titus an exasperated look. Even if she'd been reckless in her past, she wasn't that far gone. Taenia had taken something important though, and she was pretty sure it was something that couldn't be returned. Not without losing something even more essential.

"I'm free to believe in whoever I wish," Ymir admitted. Taenia didn't covet worship, nor did he condemn the principle of faith. Faith was needed to accept truth could exist at all. "The nature of the afterlife aside, what exactly does Seraphina offer to those of her following?"

"You are quick to judge young friend of my son's, Seraphina will not promise what she cannot provide, or what you cannot achieve. If you're wondering, I cannot read thoughts. I am able to see around myself through magic, a power granted to me through Seraphina. I have just gotten very good at reading expressions and body language over my 400 some years in the courts."

The ability to make judgements is what allows us to survive. Doubt and suspicion was something Ymir considered second nature. Although yes, she was aware she could be quick to verbalise those judgements. Taenia valued truth over harmony--social discord was almost always a product of unfiltered thought--but what many misunderstood was that Ymir didn't follow Taenia's tenets because of Taenia. Rather, she aligned herself with Taenia due to her own values. The same could not be said for many of his followers, whose lives--or the end thereof--would have been far more pleasant had they guarded themselves against his guidance.

Lucian's subsequent assurance that he couldn't read minds wasn't very convincing given that was exactly what she had been thinking, but she could accept the explanation. It didn't seem beyond belief, or reason, for one bearing the title Archon.

"Don't let me keep you, have fun together you two."

"I'm sure you'll love the markets, I'll see you later in the grand hall for dinner father."

Please don't remind me. Ymir was finding the Archon difficult to engage with. Ironically, despite her allegiance with an apostle of truth, she found it disconcerting to have her reality brought to light. She sighed, passing a hand over her forehead as they departed the court room and she could relax.

"I'm sorry I should have thought about this more since you're the first friend I brought and a girl..."

Colour bled into her features whenever she looked back on the second conversation running almost concurrent to their discussion of faith. Ymir shot Titus a look, pinching the bridge of her nose. You think?

"You can find almost any tool you'll ever need here, and if they don't have it in stock it can be requested. Pick anything you like out and I can get it for you."

Any vestiges of annoyance disappeared as they entered the markets, and Ymir had a whole new world to observe. Unlike that courts the markets bustled with wondrous sights underneath a free sky. There was no all-encompassing roof, apart from those covering the stalls, allowing steam and gases from the many workstations to rise unobstructed. Food and wares and curious sights were in abundance, and in her head Ymir coined it the lifeblood of the church. The heart, she was sure, would rest in its worship of Seraphina.

Although she found the sights to be invigorating, Ymir had little interest in the wares for now. She really only had an interest in the food, picking out some kind of slow-cooked root to eat along with their exploration. It seemed obvious the further she searched with her ability that the markets would be far too big to explore in a day. They stretched around the mountain and beyond, some parts even delving into the volcanic rock to where she assumed they tapped into the natural magma veins to do their crafting.

After a while Ymir's interest turned towards part of the temple they had yet to delve into. The one that could be accessed through the centre door. She could already tell it resembled a room of worship, with towering pillars and a statue of sorts towards the back, but it was nothing more than a colourless impression in her head. She paused as they ended up close to the entrance of the markets once more, her eyes glowing faintly as in the direction of third sector.

"What's in that centre room?" she said. She could sense the many bodies moving within the hall, dwarfed in size by the colossal pillars and statues that tested even the range of her ability. "I'm assuming it's not just some meeting hall, given the amount of people moving around."
EldridSmith

 

[Zufaix]

Kira Voland
Location: Waystone Guild, Lantana City
Interactions: Sylph (Azalea), (Lyron)
Mentions: N/A
​

Upon seeing the frown flash across the guild scribes face, Kira's mind began racing to think about the best way to apologize to the woman. Just as she began opening her mouth to speak, it seemed as though the scribe had remembered something before uttering the words:

"Of course, yes, we did receive a letter you were coming. I've just finished filling out registrations, as it so happens.

Those words echoed in her mind as she eagerly accepted the form. The beaming smile on her face quickly turned into one of noble dignity, realizing she was acting like a kid who had just been allowed an all-expenses paid trip to the candy store, and regained her composure. Alfyn had always told her she wore her heart on her sleeve, and she refused to embarrass herself in front of her new guildmates that easily... hopefully anyways.

"Thank goodness... I thought he'd forgotten" She muttered under her breath.

"Your father requested you stay at the lodgings in the guild. If you can confirm your details I'll be happy to show you your room. It must have been quite a journey all the way from Aestir."

"Of course, I'd be more than happy to. Truthfully, I quite enjoyed the journey... If I may-" She cut herself off upon seeing the complete one-eighty of the scribes expression, following her eyes to a figure cloaked in red standing at the front entrance. Kira surmised quickly that he was not in a good mood. As he marched up the stairs to the second floor, Kira anxiously stepped off to the side. His finely woven clothes implied he was someone of notable repute, most likely of noble stature. Though Kira knew not of the noble families outside of Aestir, making enemies on her first day probably wouldn't bode well for her or her family's name, especially if the man was of a higher ranking family.

"Finished your mission, Avatticus?"

"Clerk, isn't it about time I completed something more appropriate to my standing?"

"There are plenty of iron quests for you to choose from. And I'd like to remind you that a quest isn't complete until the letter of acknowledgement is placed on the front counter."

Kira was unsure of what to do, but at the very least the scribe certainly knew how to stand her ground. The tension in the air seemed to grow thicker by the second. Alfyn was usually the one to deal with interpersonal conflict if it ever came up. More often than not by simply beating them half to death, though Kira threw that idea out immediately. She couldn't stand by and do nothing though...

Wait.... This must be a test! Alf mentioned that the guildmaster was a bit eccentric so, maybe this is some sort of initiation? That must be it!

Kira's unsure demeanor was replaced by a seemingly uncharacteristic confidence as she glanced over the masked figure holding the letter out. She side stepped within reach of the letter before attempting to grab it.

"Mind if I borrow this for a second?" Assuming she grabs it, she gracefully strides over to the front counter, placing it on gently on the desk, before approaching Avatticus directly, though not before almost tripping over herself for the second time today.

"T-There you are, your quest is turned in. Now your open for another quest right? Allow me to come with you. Two swords are better than one as they say and I'm quite confident in my skills."

Yup.... Those 2 left feet of yours will definitely convince him Kira. She thought to herself while sighing internally.

 

[Sylph]

Tyron Avattica
Location: Guild Hall​

Tyron had intended on ignoring the masked figure, happy to let him pick the letter off the floor and hand it to the clerk. Not that woman growing branches out of her head like malformed warts would care about dirt. She was probably half made if it beneath the bark-like skin. By the sight of the other adventurer's tattered and torn cloak, he hardly seemed to care about decent appearance either.

What he hadn't expected was the third one, the normal looking woman, to walk straight over to him and pluck the letter out of his hands.

"Mind if I borrow this for a second?"

It wasn't exactly a request, which Tyron almost cackled to himself about. He was impressed given she didn't seem to have any intention of 'returning' the letter, effectively snatching it from the the man instead. A mark of a noble alright, though something still nagged at him as she moved towards the desk. Despite her elegant gait, she was...

"T-There you are." The woman turned too quickly, almost tripping over her feet before she caught herself. She drew her shoulders back as she recovered, adopting a proper stance. "Your quest is turned in. Now your open for another quest right?"

...bizarre. She was bizarre. A strange mix of poise and unpolished grace. Like a fawn on its first legs. It wasn't un-endearing, and Tyron found himself staying quiet instead of cutting off her nervous prattle like he might someone else.

"Allow me to come with you. Two swords are better than one as they say and I'm quite confident in my skills."

He couldn't place where the accent was from. She was obviously new to the guild, if she was asking that of him directly. He made his stance clear to the other members early on. He had no intentions of joining any of their garish teams, nor associating with them on friendly terms.

Still, it might be worth something if she was from a known lineage. There were twelve families in total that made up the ruling class of Lantana, and their power tied directly into what sort of alliances the members could forge.

"I am Tyron Avatticus, third son of the fifth court," he said. While dubious of her intentions in joining the guild, he wouldn't disregard the possibility she was in a situation similar to his own. Having another person of higher status would certainly make things more tolerable. "State your name and title, if you think you are fit to be of service to me."

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall​

Azalea had blinked when the letter disappeared from in front of her, her hand half-way to taking it from the skeletal mage. She watched Kira swiftly deposit it on the desk, her doubt and incredulity growing when instead of addressing her or Zion, they instead turned to the lord dressed in red.

"Allow me to come with you. Two swords are better than one."

"State your name and title, if you think you are fit to be of service to me."

Azalea glanced up at Zion, unable to read anything from the plated mask of his expression, though wondering if he shared her surprise behind concealed features. It was the closest she'd seen Tyron act to civilised. He hadn't even sneered at the prospect of her accompanying him. The difference would be almost impressive, if it weren't so infuriating at the same time.

Speaking of quests... Perhaps there was a mission Zion could take after all. His tendency to take on quests by himself had concerned her at first, but after discovering just what lay beneath the iron mask she found she sympathised more than anything. The undead were not often a pleasant encounter for adventurers. She could imagine the complications it caused with people like Tyron, whose egos were only matched by their arrogance. Motioning for Zion to wait, Azalea stepped over to the desk to look through the unprocessed requests. It had come in more recently, following the reports from the guards.

Rescue Mission

Please, traveler. I'm in need of your assistance.
I'm afraid some of our scouts have been captured. We never leave one of our own behind, so we must free them, but sending in a small army will be the death of them for sure. Those undead will kill our scouts once they see us, they take no risks. So we need you to go on your own, infiltrate their camp and save our troops. Curse those horrible corpses. I had hoped I could you join, but unfortunately I cannot. But I doubt you'd need my help anyway.
I doubt you'll have problems. You can take out as many of them as you like, the less of those lowlives there are in this world, the better.
Reward: 2000 Coin

"I forgot about it before. This came in the morning. Definitely in the same region as the guard's reports." She held the request out for Zion to inspect. "It's a search and rescue, so you should be fine without a gold rank. I trust you wouldn't get in over your head anyway, since the priority is--"

A gloved hand swiped the request from her or from Zion's grasp, cutting the explanation off short.

"An undead infestation?" Tyron examined the quest with a sharp eyes, his lip curling up. "Now this would be more appropriate. Send those shambling freaks back underground."

Azalea took several deep, wilful breaths, her eyes closing as she fought for restraint.

"A pity," she said. The branches in her hair seemed to grow thornier the longer she interacted with him. "Since you'll need a silver rank to accompany you."
Vol Zufaix

 

[EldridSmith]

Titus shot Ymir an apologetic look, he knew she wasn't dumb but he didn't know what she did in the passion and stupidity of youth.
"I'm free to believe in whoever I wish, The nature of the afterlife aside, what exactly does Seraphina offer to those of her following?"
"Seraphina grants a resistance to fire, and as faith grows so does this ability until it reaches an immunity to heat; it is rather convenient since we live in a Volcano. She also grants a boon to each person, though some people don't know what it is until it manifests at the destined time. Such as Lucian's sight, Ashe's strength, and Adras ability to imbue his crafts with great power. I don't know mine yet, but I know it will manifest when the time is right." Titus explains, some abilities were very specific in their manifestation such as near death experiences, falling into lava, but they all manifested when the person needed them most. Titus gave Ymir another apologetic look as she pinched the bridge of her nose and her features flushed on their way to the markets.

Titus felt relieved as Ymir seemed to be in awe of the grand market that wrapped around the volcano, it was a holy land for craftsman and merchants regardless of their faith as much knowledge and trade was to be found here. Temple clerics, mercenaries, guards, and all manner of protection was in the market as it was easy for someone to commit a crime and flee in such a large area without proper surveillance. Ironically this was something that those in the Devouring flames enjoyed having as a duty as they got to get into fights and get rewarded for it, which put their hot-blooded-ness to good use. He noticed her interest in checking out the market waning as she noticed the size of it, and he couldn't blame her. It took days to get from one side to the other if only casually looking at wares. Still he happily paid for the ignan root as she bit into it and he grinned, it was a favorite here known for it's delicious taste. It only grew on volcanoes so it was for sure a rare treat for many. "We can come back here another time since it's so large." He said with a grin.

"What's in that centre room? I'm assuming it's not just some meeting hall, given the amount of people moving around."
"That's the outer Sanctum, it's our last stop today before dinner since the temple is so large." He says with a smile. They had already been here for hours since the place was so large, especially since they were in the market for so long looking at things. "Want to go check it out now or do you want to look around some more?"
Sylph

 

[Vol]

A GRAVEYARD SHIFT
Location: Waystone Guild, Outskirts of Lantana City
Interactions: Azalea / Lyron Avattica Sylph / Kira Voland Zufaix​

"Mind if I borrow this for a second?"

The envelope slipped away from his grasp, and in the following second he was grasping at air. At first he couldn't register it, and his gloved hands tightened into a fist as if a greater grip would help him feel the letter better. Though upon realisation, he lowered his arm and unclenched the the skeletal fist before he watched the noblewoman stumble down the steps.

Underneath dark armour and a shabby yet functional cloak, bones rattled. Quietly, but those with astute hearing could hear it. From those who would dismiss the noise as a passing thought, it sounded like the driest chuckle of an old man that was about to tip over death's edge. Atleast even being undead, he could still feel humour, empathy, anger, and all the emotions that would make one feel alive.

"Allow me to come with you. Two swords are better than one."

"State your name and title, if you think you are fit to be of service to me."

Zion felt a gaze upon him and he shifted his mask in a way that it looked like he returned the stare; but rather than sharing Azalea's surprise, he was amused. Nobles, no matter where they were, seem to like to stick together. Though he assumed Tyron would use this miss Voland as fodder rather than a true ally, he still found it humourously sickening that the "prince in red" could feign such courtesy whilst maintaining a stuck-up attitude. A Nobleman's genetic trait, he thought mindlessly. He dismissed that thought away.

Once more the battlemage thought he overstayed his welcome (or honestly, the two nobles did, since they interrupted his exchange with the receptionist) and moved to be on his way after readjusting his cloak so it snapped free from Azalea's boot. The human forest raised her palm up to his chest and he halted again. He tilted his head, vexed, but he supposed it was for good reason, as it was Azalea, so he stayed put with arms now crossed.

"I forgot about it before. This came in the morning. Definitely in the same region as the guard's reports." She held the request out for Zion to inspect. "It's a search and rescue, so you should be fine without a gold rank. I trust you wouldn't get in over your head anyway, since the priority is--"

The battlemage's interested piqued, which displayed with how he suddenly stood up a bit straighter. He uncrossed his arms slightly so he could reach for the quest, and the words of: "Thank y--what." formed quickly only in Azalea's mentalspace. The "what" sounded deadpanned.
What's the matter with these nobles and their mistreatment of letters? He couldn't help think as Tyron swiped the quest that was supposed to be handed to the battlemage.

"An undead infestation?" Tyron examined the quest with a sharp eyes, his lip curling up. "Now this would be more appropriate. Send those shambling freaks back underground."

If he had skin, it would prickle up in annoyance at the discrimatory words that spilled from Tyron's lips. What frustrated him more was how widespread a belief it was -- perhaps he had even believed it when he was of skin and bone. The only thing that separated him from a necromancer's playthings was that he could use reason and logic. He still wondered if that was part of the curse; being able to be conscious of being what abomination you are. A part of him was disgusted at first, anyone would -- the undead were incarnations of the most vile magic. But it was overriden with...something else. Despair, he had come to label it. Atleast he had control of his own vessel, unlike most undead. He couldn't imagine how terrifying it would be, a soul drifting in the aether being forcibly forced back into your skeletal body. Only to watch it be fueled with your energy but not control what it does. Or...what if they were in control but so manipulated by the spellcaster that they are taken over by spellcaster's will. Either way, the soul would not be themselves, and their peaceful slumber was interrupted only to be hurt and to hurt.

A clicking sound came from Zion as if someone was rattling two dice together. He grabbed the arm that Tyron used to hold the quest letter and used his other hand to pry it off the crimson lord. He roughly let go of the younger man and read over the call for help carefully; he long stopped questioning the fact he could read, let alone see, even without eyes. His soul must be strong or this was a curse rather than a necrotic spell -- either way, this search and rescue might just help him out.

"A pity, Since you'll need a silver rank to accompany you."

The battlemage's head snapped towards the Waystone receptionist, and the hands on the paper almost scrunched it up.
"Do not tell them."
He rang the statement, no plea, into her mind.

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Markets​

Seraphina's gifts were interesting, though it wasn't uncommon for patrons to offer their followers boons. Ymir had been more curious as to what the afterlife of a fire goddess would look like. Purging flames hardly seemed like a punishment to a group that were immune, rather it would serve almost like a protection. Ymir had always been curious what laid on the other side of mortality. It was a whole world she had yet to explore.

"That's the outer Sanctum, it's our last stop today before dinner since the temple is so large. Want to go check it out now or do you want to look around some more?"

"It's getting late," she said, glancing up at the waning light of the sky. As incredible as the markets no doubt looked lit up by lanterns and the heat of their forges, it had been a long day. "Let's see the outer sanctum."

Afterwards she supposed they'd have to clean up for dinner. As if she weren't already covered in dust and disarray, the markets had been plentiful with ash and the remains of countless crafters. Her face was no doubt smudged with dark patches where she'd wiped at it, and unlike Titus who possessed an immunity, the fires of the temple had left her hair and clothes sticky with sweat.

Ymir would follow him through the final archway leading out of the main entrance, curious to put a sight to the room she'd only mapped out with her ability.
EldridSmith

 

[Zufaix]

Kira Voland
Location: Waystone Guild, Lantana City
Interactions: Sylph (Azalea), (Tyron) | Vol (Zion)
Mentions: N/A​

"I am Tyron Avatticus, third son of the fifth court. State your name and title, if you think you are fit to be of service to me."

Tyron Avatticus.... Kira didn't seem to recall that name being mentioned in her studies or by her father during discussions with the other noble families. Actually, thinking back on it, she didn't really know about any of the noble families outside of Aestir, no doubt because of her father. But chances are... this was made up for the initiation. How long would she have to play along for? Until the end of the conversation? Would she have to complete a quest first? She had too little information to go on, so she continued with false bravado.

"My name is Kira Voland, second-born of the ninth Grand Maestro of the Voland style sword. I don't believe myself to be in service to anyone, but I'm certainly willing to aid you if you so require it."

Embarrassment flashed across her face as the words rang out. She had never had to state herself like that before, even to the other Aestirian nobles. She was mostly impressed with herself aside from the last half of the statement. Hopefully that wasn't to much. But maybe that's what they wanted from her as part of the initiation?

Wait.... what would be the point of this conversation for an initiation then? Was it to show confidence? A willingness to take matters into your own hands? Hmm.... Maybe it was....

She became lost in her own thoughts as the conversation between the others continued on.

"I forgot about it before. This came in the morning. Definitely in the same region as the guard's reports. It's a search and rescue, so you should be fine without a gold rank. I trust you wouldn't get in over your head anyway, since the priority is--"

"An undead infestation? Now this would be more appropriate. Send those shambling freaks back underground."

A clicking sound seemed to snap Kira back to reality, though she only seemed to have heard the last few words or so. Re-examining the situation, the masked figure was stood up, and seemed to be forcefully ripping something from Tyron's hands.

Why is everybody so rough with the parchments and papers here? She moved closer to the masked figure, attempting to glance over his shoulder at the request for help.

"A pity, since you'll need a silver rank to accompany you."

The thorns in the scribes hair seemed to be growing longer as she said that. The ice in her voice sent a chill down Kira's spine.

Note to self: Do not get on the mother natures bad side.

 

[Sylph]

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall​

"My name is Kira Voland, second-born of the ninth Grand Maestro of the Voland style sword. I don't believe myself to be in service to anyone, but I'm certainly willing to aid you if you so require it."

Well met. Azalea smiled. Kira had seemed nervous, so it was a worrisome to think of her accompanying the self-important Tyron anywhere, let alone on a quest, but it seemed she had a good sense of her standing. Kira wouldn't let herself be walked over, even if she didn't declare it outloud.

"You have the right idea in accompanying someone else another for your first mission," Azalea said. Though she had her doubts about that person being Tyron. "I'm sure you're aware of certain ranking systems already. Here we don't disallow lower ranks to accompany higher level adventurers on their quests, though I would advise against being too ambitious out the gates."

She saw Zion's interest shift to frustration as yet another parchment disappeared out of his hands. Unlike with Kira, there was nothing remotely endearing about Tyron's attitude, nor the several presumptions he made about the nature of, and his elegibility for, the silver-ranked request.

Zion's head snapped as she pointed as such out to them.

"Do not tell them."

She winced as the words echoed more firmly than usual. He probably didn't realise it, projecting more loudly than he intended to in his desperation. She offered an apologetic look, but there was no changing the system.

Tyron Avattica
Location: Guild Hall​

Tyron would stiffen as the battlemage grabbed his arm, their fingers unnervingly thin, a grip like iron. He wrenched away, glaring as he noticed the letter in their hands.

Brute. He scowled, looking as if he would argue until Kira introduced herself as a Voland. That was a name he did know. The fighting style was taught in Lantana as a part of the academy curriculum, meaning her confidence likely had some backing.

"And why would an inheritor of the Voland family be in a place like this?"

His eyes narrowed at the clerk's pointed words, glaring between the two senior members as the appeared to communicate over some silent matter.

"Very well. I think I'll pay this western front a visit on separate matters then." He rolled his shoulder, already thinking ahead. "No point saving someone weak enough to get caught in the first place."
Vol Zufaix

 

[Vol]

A GRAVEYARD SHIFT
Location: Waystone Guild, Outskirts of Lantana City
Interactions: Azalea Sylph / Kira Voland Zufaix
Quest: Rescue Mission
Reward: 2000 coins​

Although Azalea explained the mechanics of the ranking system of Waystone, she did not flat-out tell them about his current rank; being higher than both of the nobles combined. For that he was somewhat grateful and he uttered a softer apology to her. He didn't miss the grimace that flitted across her features from his previous message.

The noblewoman's titles and status went over the deadman's head, in all honesty. They sounded important, sure, but don't all nobles seem to be bred that way? But if he had to give an inkling of care to the Volands, he was impressed that their lineage was known for a specific sword art. He "woke up" knowing how to fight, but not remembering if he followed a particular style -- or did he create something of his own too?

"Very well. I think I'll pay this western front a visit on separate matters then. No point saving someone weak enough to get caught in the first place."

Zion bothered to finally turn his head and face the crimson lord, once he had implied that he wasn't going to take on the quest. Oh joyous day, the thought dripped in sarcasm but also a bit of relief.

He darted his attention from between the two nobles before returning to the receptionist that definitely needed to have a higher paygrade.

"I will take it. Atleast the dead will be put down with the respect they deserve, by the hands of those who understand." He echoed into Azalea's mindspace as he passed her.

"Good luck to you, missus Voland. If you could, try not to stick too much with the red brat. You may catch something worse than the plague." The battlemage suddenly decided to drop the strange advice into Kira's head as he started to descend down the stairs.

 

[EldridSmith]

"It's getting late," she said, glancing up. "Let's see the outer sanctum."
Titus smiled in response and led her through the final archway leading out of the main entrance. It was a grand and towering room with large brazers lining the hall with a large statue of Seraphina standing tall at the end of the sanctum. The room was inlaid with glowing orange, yellow, and red gemstones which over the years merged together to form glowing veins with pulsed in the walls, all leading to the statue which was aglow with a holy radiance. If one looked closely behind the statue one would see an even larger vein moving towards the inner sanctum and the heart of the volcano which like directly below. With this the room seemed alive with the spirit of Seraphina. Titus brought Ymir through the crowd to the base of the statue where he kneeled in reverence. The statue's glow brightened and a tender voice spoke to them. "My child, welcome home." She declared to Titus before the statue's eyes seemed to look at Ymir. "Child of the truth seeker, have thou come seeking wisdom of the flame? Great enlightenment can be offered to you, for the spirit of discovery is strong within you. It burns brightly and the kindling of faith can be grown from it. In you I would have a pair of eyes to seek the nations and discover them, you have but to explore in my name." Seraphina's avatar stated as it desdended. "Truly to all gathered here I shall bless you this day if you will receive it." She declared causing a great stir amongst the crowd as they all knelt before her in reverence. Seraphina's statue raised it's arms and a fire descended upon the room, yet none were harmed by it as a gentle warmth settled upon them.
Sylph

 

[II-CinderRadcliff-II]

-Cinder Radcliff | Demi-Human | 26yo | Gold Rank-​

After however long he had been asleep he awoke from his slumber, his head groggy and his thoughts and judgement clouded with confusion. All he could remember was a Goblin and a group of adventurers from the Guild, though as his mind caught up to speed with his body he noticed a mug partially filled with alcohol. A drunken illusion. He sighed as he looked at his wife next to him, sleeping peacefully and happily under the warmth of the blankets; slowly getting off of the bed before making his way to the living room. Everything he thought had happened was now just an illusion, though his map seemed to be missing from his stuff. Jennie. Her presence in his memories remained consistent as he looked around the Cabin, only to see that she had left behind her non-important gear; suggesting she left alone towards Krilgox. He sighed and wrote down a note for his wife to notice when she woke up, and with that he grabbed his gear and exited the Cabin. Within a few seconds his rods flew out from his belts slots and floated around him, with a sprint and a high jump before he flew forward in a flash; traveling rapidly across the sky as the ground grew farther away from his feet. The height he was at was more than enough to see the Krilgox mountain, alongside the Kingdom of Cybel where magic and innovation came hand in hand.

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Markets --> Outer Sanctum​

Sometimes Ymir wished she could see the immaterial parts of the world with her ability. The sculpted form in her head conveyed nothing of the sanctum's immensity--not the carved slabs of stone that grasped at towers of fire, not the radiance of light that descended from above--not the ridges in the wall filled with deep vermillion and suffused glow.

Ymir's breath caught as she stopped at the front entrance. Pillars of obsidian and glowing bloodstone stretched towards a cavernous ceiling, where a mosaic of iridescent stone depicted the story of Seraphina's origin. The heat from the braziers pressed down on her, heavy without the blessing of Seraphina to make it a comfort. It only grew worse as she trailed behind Titus to the altar, where species of all kinds knelt and paid their thanks in reverence.

"My child, welcome home."

The resplendent voice that filled the hall echoed in Ymir's head, down to the roots of her consciousness though it was not initially directed her way. It did not demand to be heard; it simply was. Ymir winced as it touched a part of her mind she kept well hidden and away--stirring the attention of something as if it had stopped to knock on the door. When Seraphina spoke to her--oh that was so much worse.

"Child of the truth seeker, have thou come seeking wisdom of the flame? Great enlightenment can be offered to you, for the spirit of discovery is strong within you."

Ymir felt the gaze of the goddess like the flame they spoke of. She took a deep breath, trying to release the tension that started at her shoulder and spread throughout her chest. Similar to the discomfort that had possessed her in the courts under Lucian's discerning gaze, though this time it wasn't her own heart it stemmed from.

"It burns brightly and the kindling of faith can be grown from it," Seraphina's continued. Her voice held nothing but kindness. "In you I would have a pair of eyes to seek the nations and discover them, you have but to explore in my name."

Oh, Ymir thought to herself. She swallowed, smiling thinly as a trail of sweat gathered at the back of her neck. That-

"Pathetic is a bird that begs for the sight of eyeless worms." The words echoed in her head alone, though its presence existed on the spiritual level.

"Truly to all gathered here I shall bless you this day if you will receive it."

Ymir watched with trepidation and growing alarm as an eos of fire began to spread throughout the room. Despite the growing excitement among the crowd Ymir had to fight an instinctive desire to call upon the winds for protection. The flames were gentle as they danced on her skin, but her hair was damp with perspiration. They could not sink any further.

"Ah." Ymir blinked, immediately regretting the decision to glance up at the ascended statue. Her gaze dropped to the floor, hands hovering near her face as she tried to shake the white spots from her vision. "Sorry. I-"

"Do not blind yourself chasing flames."

Ymir's eyes lit up and at once the brilliance of the hall was reduced to a pale outline--a reminder that through Taenia's sight even the most beautiful of jewels were indistinguishable from stone. Her heart settled as she raised her head, returning her gaze to the statue.

"I'm afraid I already have another's blessing." She didn't doubt the goddess would hear her quiet words. "I do not seek truth in his name, but I will search in no other's stead."

Ymir gestured vaguely as her usual smile returned. "Of course as a mapmaker I do work by commission."
EldridSmith