Fantasy Tales of Raeligard

[EmperorsChosen]

Lucia Corinna Edelgarde​

Location: Land Ferry
​

Following her comments, Hyss spoke again, restating her commitment to the current goal and additionally offering to find their babysitter. Lucia rolled her eye subtly and groaned internally, but didn't verbalize her aversion to the idea as she had already done so. At this point, if they found it necessary to meet with their dear chaperone, further complaint would likely just be seen as unnecessary whining.

Shutting her eye with folded arms, Lucia listened to the incurring conversation. Falco spoke up next, whispering something or another to Thea. Knowing him, likely he was trying to act as an intermediary, though he also replied to Hyss directly and voted against any solitary actions. Honestly, Lucia was hopeful, but ultimately not expecting that much. This was, after all, still a "servant" quest. If it was a damnable dragon, the group wouldn't be allowed anywhere near it.

"Oyten should be fine for a rendezvous," Lucia replied simply.

Surprisingly, Thea took to whatever Falco said and attempted to reconcile with Hyss. Though, more thankfully, she voted against finding the observer. She did, unsurprisingly, agree with Falco's suggestion of groups however. The knight gave order for them all to choose a partner. The fox seemed interested in Falco and Hyss opted to tag with them. At that point, it wasn't pairs but trios.

"If that is the case, we may very well just split the team in half," Lucia suggested with a light sigh. It didn't much matter to her, anyway.

Interactions: @A-team

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

Risax
Location: land ferry to Oyten
interaction: EmperorsChosen Topless RedArmyShogun AnonyMouse Thalia_Neko​

"if i may suggest i think it better if we stick together need i, not remind you all of what happened last time we all split up... it went remarkably poorly even if this is a different situation as we've established its easy to get lost in a forest, we might not cover as much ground as one large group but its certainly safer then splitting up" Risax voiced his own opinion on the matter not too happy about the idea of multiple teams the sewer incident ingrained in his memory that time they had other guild members to help bail them out, this time, however.. was different. tho reading the room it seemed people were more inclined to agree with splitting off letting out a small sigh Risax shook his head. "well disregard my own ideas, rather not kick up a fuss, id rather we stick to 2 teams and not three least we will have a bit of bigger group size, as for myself, ill simply go with whatever group that is willing to take me

 

[Reinhardt]

Arien Bermille​

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

Arien had spent enough time browsing to the documents that was designated to his keeping to put a name to a face, and a face to a name. Endymion, Lupa, Talio, and Lori - with a swift glance, he knew which name belonged to which face, but nothing beyond what was written on those documents. These four recruits now stood before him, each with their own way of complying with his instruction, each leaving their own first impression.

However, in this line of work, first impressions rarely last. If anything, Arien himself is proof of this - not a single person back then when he was a mere recruit would have expected him to last long, let along rise to the ranks that he now belonged to. He was, as many would put it, indistinguishable - an unremarkable face among the many. Such a trait has followed him to this very day, and instead of working towards detaching himself from it, he opted to take advantage of it - after all, the greatest place to hide is within plain sight.

Lupa, the lupine beastfolk, carried a military background. Her seemingly routinely response made that very clear. It was a rare occurrence to find someone from the military sign up and join the guild, so seeing her now was a pleasant sight, if anything. Though there seems to be a rather minuscule sense of familiarity that Arien found curious, he very swiftly shook off that thought.

The second beastfolk was of avian descent, a great rarity not just in Raeligard, but in the entirety of the lands as well. Lively, was Arien's sole word to describe her. Hopefully, the flame that keeps her afloat doesn't fade too quickly like one of the recruits that arrived a week ago. Though her question was not quite what Arien had expected to be, it was something that warranted a response.

"Not quite.", he answered the young beastfolk's question. "I do it for personal reasons." His words seemed to carry a message that would expand no further on that matter. Many simply assume he does so for the additional pay, perhaps that is the reason behind his actions, perhaps not - but it was clear he was going to say nothing more about it.

Endymion, initially gave off a sense of frailty - a trait that has been a stereotypical asset of the scholarly types. This young recruit very swiftly followed that impression with an inquiry, and once more, something that Arien had not expected.

"You need not worry about the matters of Krafen. They will be resolved in due time.", Arien gave him a stern look, perhaps to warn him not to press further. The political complexities and intricacies of relationship between the many guild branches all over the lands was never really something that recruits should be involved in, after all. Perhaps in time, they may find themselves delving into such matters, but now is not that time.

Talio, a merchant from Valgem had a rather curious look. Stains on his clothes, marks and bruises visible a few portions of his body. It was rather evident that he had been caught in a scuffle, but what merchant worth their money would have the time, let alone the skills to engage in such ruggedness? Perhaps there was something that remained veiled to the young Valgemian's guise, but just as he did with the others who came before, Arien decided not to pry further - the truth always reveals itself in time.

"Feel free to do so. You can use that room to change.", Arien responded to Talio's request about a change of clothes, and pointed towards the direction of a spare room on the western area of the main lobby.

Once all was set, Arien spoke once more.

"Now let us start with the ceremonies.", he clasped his hand together briefly and loudly. "I will be giving you a tour of Tylsen guildhall. Follow me everyone, and don't stray even for a moment."

Arien walked towards the set of stairs that would lead to the upper floors of the guild. "That includes you, Cressey.", he added with a quick glance behind him to see who had already began to follow him, before he continued to climb the stair and lead the recruits to the upper floors, where the tour shall begin.

Interaction/s: Cresslinde ( King Crimson ), Endymion ( lunar_moth ), Lupa ( Silver Wolf ), Talio ( TreasureSniper ), Lori ( ERode )

 

[Reinhardt]

Arien Bermille​

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

The tour began at the upmost floor of the guild, the third story of the building. It is here where the vast majority of the guild's lodgings were located. These rooms were all similar in size, shape, and design - they were all made to provide a basic form of residence for the Kriegslöwen that had no home to return to, that had no resources to avail of one, or those who preferred to stay within the guildhall's premises. Several corridors were lined with numerous doors, both vacant and occupied by the guild's very own.

At the very end of one of these many corridors was a singular, outstanding door with a circle of stars engraved upon its surface - this door led to the building's observatory. Though it was small and could only accommodate no more than four people, its function was no less efficient than any other observatory. Equipment made to witness the grandeur of the morning and the night sky were within this room's confines, and while the guild has offered the freedom to use them, they have been mostly untouched.

After exploring the third floor, the tour descended onto the second floor, where the balcony lay, with a few seats scattered around the area. Past the balcony were the guild's many offices, alongside some private rooms that only certain guild members could access. It is here where one could find the Guildmaster's office, though that room has been left empty and locked for several days since the Guildmaster has left for a trip. In one of the many hallways, one can find a door bearing the sign "Gallery" - this door leads to a museum-like room, containing numerous mementos of battle and adventure, trophies of glory, and memories of loss - fragments of the Tylsen branch's history on display. There were a few of the guild's lodgings spotted on this floor, which completed its layout.

The tour, then, continued to the first floor. Although a familiar space, the lobby was explored alongside many others. The tour went to the hallways past the reception desk, where the meeting rooms were located, then a door west of the lobby, which led outdoors, to a fairly sized patch of land - the guild's training grounds, equipped with dummies and practice weaponry. The east of the reception desk led to a small corridor where the holding cells were at.

The last leg of the tour occurred in the basement, as the group went down the other set of stairs to descend ever further. It is here where the guild's archives were located, where numerous books, documents, and other informatory materials were amassed, which were taken care of by the guild staff, usually falling to the hands of a soft-spoken beastfolk carrying the moniker Rena. The guild's vaults were also located on this level, although its door remained locked, only to be opened with the approval of certain appointed members of the guild staff, as well as the Guildmaster. A small workshop, dedicated only to the essentials, could also be found at this level - its main function was to handle the maintenance and tinkering of Manatech employed by the guild, specifically, the Kriegslöwen's many Arcanizers.

The tour ended when the group returned back in front of the reception desk. About an hour has passed by that time.

"Now that you've seen the facilities of the guildhall, we can proceed to the next step.", Arien cleared his throat and recomposed himself. He, then, began to monologue about the guild's service to the people and the land - how the guild is not a place to seek glory, but a place to seek purpose. He told the new recruits that should they bravely enter the world of the Krieslöwen, they are to forget their origins, their ties, their histories. He told them that if they wish to last, they must hold onto the spark that urged them to apply to the guild and strengthen it - they must be ready to face dullness, failure, and even loss. He gave them a subtle warning about the many misconceptions and mistakes that led to the downfall of countless Kriegslöwen that came before them.

Then he stopped.

After a few brief moments of silence, Arien's gaze fell upon the new recruits.

"Are you ready to become Kriegslöwen?", he asked with a stern tone.

Interaction/s: Cresslinde ( King Crimson ), Endymion ( lunar_moth ), Lupa ( Silver Wolf ), Talio ( TreasureSniper ), Lori ( ERode )

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Land Ferry to Oyten​

Choose teams? Oh, Thea, goddess bless you, Falco thought as his eyes slowly shifted to Lucia. The Caskarieth noble was rapidly becoming his favorite, for two big reasons. Four, if she turned around. He was fully aware of how terrible such a pairing would be. Two close-range fighters grouped together? Yikes! Both were only lightly armored and neither could strike at anything more than an arm's length away. Ooof! And neither knew a damned thing about hunting or tromping through rainforests. Damn!

But, the heart wants what it wants. People had ventured into the wilderness with less and come out alive, right... despite what he had just said about people getting lost all the time. They would figure it out along the way and become stronger --and closer-- for it. This is actually a really good idea! A great idea!

Wait.... why is Sakura staring at me? Oh, sh-

Falco hoped --nay, he prayed-- they couldn't see the beads of sweat forming on his brow as he withered under the fox's gaze. Fear and fascination were a strange combination. On one hand, her interest in him was something Falco didn't want to reject. She needed friends... though, he wasn't sure if that's what her intentions were. On the other hand: casual cannibalism.

"I... uh... let's not rush anything..." he stammered before being saved by Hyss, of all people. It seemed she wanted to pair up with Sakura. Yes! Praise the snake goddess! Falco thought, his countenance brightening ever-so-slightly. Alright, Lucy, I hope you're ready for-

Before he could even finish that thought, the elf spoke up, stating her indifference toward the entire affair and that they might as well split the team in half.

"Yes, yes, that's a great idea!" Falco said, his enthusiasm shining through. "You, me and Risax can be one team!" he said, pointing to them both. "Thea, you can go with Sakura and Hyss, to, umm..." Keep the heretics in line, "Lead and defend. Knight stuff, ya know," he said with a shrug.

Unfortunately, Risax joined the discussion, stating that he didn't feel it was wise to split up at all. But, as usual, the arachne was content with going with what others decided, despite being opposed to it.

"Nah, hang on, man. You're right. Alotta good points there, bud," Falco said, despite visibly deflating. He looked to Thea. "Maybe we should hold off on the pairings or... trio-ings... whatever, until we know more? We don't know what we're hunting, yet, or what it's done. Splitting up could be the wrong move."

"Well, ya won't need to wait for long. Heads up, folks, we'll be pulling in in fifteen to twenty," Grog said as the landferry slogged through more ruts and puddles.

During their discussions, the heavy rain had slowed to a light, but steady patter, and the sky had taken on a purplish pre-dawn tinge. Far beyond the twin beams of the land ferry's headlamps, around a slight bend in what passed for a road out here, buildings could be seen. Heavy, log structures, with steeply-sloped roofs to drive off the monsoon-like downpours of the Oytenrand Wood's rainy season. Thick timbers lined the road, likely to minimize washout. Virtually no people could be seen from this distance, but a dim light flickered in a small guard tower, as well as some of the homes, suggesting Oyten's citizens were beginning to stir for another day of work.
Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax)

 

[ERode]

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

Oooh, a mysterious type, wasn’t he? That was cool too! Hard nuts were always the most fun to crack…but it appeared that, with Talio having returned a changed man, Lori would have to leave her curiosity unattended until another time, as the tour itself kicked off to full gear. Lurching to and fro, craning her neck over the others, the birdfolk courier made sure to get a good eyeful of every significant portion of the tour, noting especially the observatory (look at the sheer amount of MONEY that was just materialized in that cozy little space) and the balcony, as well as the rows and rows of offices and private rooms. Her eyes flickered towards the nameplates and numbers assigned to each one of the rooms, noting their patterns with the frenetic urgency of any courier, even if she wasn’t one any longer.

Training grounds were probably never really going to be visited, of course, while the Gallery made her want to step about even more carefully than she already did. Oh, if she accidentally dented a shield or two, she’d be absolutely in for it, wouldn’t she? Overall however, it was a well-paced tour that showed off the many eccentric essentials that being a Kriegslowe gave you access to, and Lori was all ready to go and get some work done!

…

Her head snapped upwards, the absence of noise rousing her from her blank-eyed gaze. There was a dampness on her chin, and she immediately wiped it off with her sleeve, the fabric scraping at her face. Drool? Lori narrowed her eyes, trying to recall what it was that had occurred. Words swirled and shifted, a monologue menacing and monotonous, each paragraph spoken another blanket to smother her sanity until she could scarcely think beneath its weight. Even now, the sheer volume of what had been slammed against her eardrums bamboozled her. Was it important information? No, it couldn’t have been…right? Her bright eyes blinked a couple more times, flickering between the other soon-to-be Kriegslowe around her, mining their expressions for any sign as to what had actually been said, before finally, reluctantly, settling on Arien.

Thankfully, he opened his mouth and asked a question that Lori definitely could answer!

“Dunno, but I’ll try!”

Wait, that wasn't a trick question, was it?

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Land Ferry - enroute to Oyten - Oyten
​

In quick order the team and its lack of familiarity was quick to blossom forth. Hyss and Sakura were quick to offer suggestions or agreement, the fox looked over the rest stating she rather split their abilities as trackers, with her gaze fixing solidly upon Falco. The snake-kin for her part was totally different in her own opinions and demanded that the pair worked together as not being attached to a partner that could mesh with her would harm her own tracking skills. Though she was also quick to make mention of being a shadow and not accustomed or suited to lead. Lucia and Risax were quick to offer their own suggestions or counters. Risax was against any sort of splitting up and Lucia was in favor of splitting into just two teams. It would be amusing if it were not so tedious and disorganized.

She however could not just command these people; They were not knights or a local militia. Well, she could try to command them, but she had the feeling that would be more of a headache than not. It was also interesting to note how quickly Falco was to jump on teaming with Lucia, the subtle emotions on his face betraying him towards the gaze of Sakura, the others may not notice the look in his eyes, but it was very much like a spearman being instructed against cavalry, or herself in it. He was both curious and fearful. But why? Well Sakura did eat the heart of a man just days before, would she trust Sakura to watch her back? Not really no. In which case pairing her off with someone that was able to resist her should she prove wilder than she let on would be a wise choice. But if that was so, then why the Elf? Thea wasn't about to pick favorites. Like it or not she would have to tolerate the existence of a few here, least they went too far. Though his mentions of Knightly things did elicit a small chuckle, as she squeezed her chin between her curled index finger and flat of her thumb in a gentle fashion as she then spoke.

"To clear up with everyone, this is the absolute worst case. If it is something we must spread out for, the rule is more or less an unspoken rule, I plan for us all to engage this beast together, but should we separate, never go alone. That is the purpose of the teams. And Falco, did you not forget what Cephilia said? I am not a Knight anymore. I do not have the same resources or the same culture. I am here to earn fame towards my family name, but as a Kriegslöwen, that name is no longer my own. I have other reasons to be here, but in the case of this mission we've already made mistakes. If I am to make it to the top and show the Schuerer's are not some Relic, then I must learn."

Tightening a few more straps and securing her armor, the rain had died down, as she put on her cloak and fitted the hood. "If I were to act as a Knight we would have several times more men, horses and dogs, the beast would be chased to an area, and we would wait in ambush with spears, arrows and lance. We however know not the land nor what we are hunting. It may be a boar; it may not be. Till we learn more what I said is the basic rule in the worst case. Though there are things I will not let go of, I still must accept two Truths that I know."

She however did not bother voicing these, one could and rightfully so be seen as the Goddess. The second was, never ask others to do what you should yourself. If she had to pull the weight alone, she was ready to do that too.

Going back to check her supplies, Thea moved to the front of the land ferry to look out the main window, the town was getting closer, some people awake as the twinkle of light could be seen from a tower, Sentries no doubt. So, it likely wasn't something so simple that bothered the town if it had a Militia watch. Ones that actually seemed to keep awake. Looking back at the rest, she could pick out the movement of men atop the primitive wooden tower pointing at the Land Ferry before going back to being more casual like, one source of movement vanishing, likely to report. Within mere moments they had arrived at the gate, but no alarm was sent. Least nothing obvious, though it wasn't like they were bandits after all.

Gathering her things and clipping them wherever she normally did such, Thea heads for the main entry and turns her head to the rest. "We'll wait to see if they greet us or we ask the guard to find where the headman is. The observer can take care of themselves."

She also considered asking them to be on good behavior, but she would just have to do that by example and hope no issues of heresy cropped up. And with that she waited on the Dwarf to give them the okay to leave or to open the boarding door himself as she then left and advanced to the gate.

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Huntertabbysandshark3 Topless

 

[lunar_moth]

KRIEGSLÖWE GUILDHALL, TYLSEN​

Oh, good, so they do offer housing here…

Endymion follows dutifully along with the others as Arien leads the tour, cogs in his head turning all the while. His remaining nerves seem to have all but vanished now that he’s been given a puzzle to chew on; in his element now, in a way that he would describe as healthily curious and that others were more likely to call nosy.

Arien dismissed my question about the other branch very quickly… Suspicious. Does that mean he knows more than he says, and so he knows that he’s not allowed to tell me? What an odd situation. He was the one who brought it up to the other Kriegslöwe girl; does that mean they’re planning to have some of the senior recruits check it out? I wonder if—

Ah! Oops; the important introductory speeches have begun. And to think he’d nearly not noticed! Endymion shakes his head a bit as if to physically clear the current train of thought from his brain.

This is it. This is what he’s been waiting for; a chance to be something that matters. A way to help people. To prove that he doesn’t have to fall into the same pitfalls of life that he came from. And, in truth…. it’s what he feels is the only thing left for a wanderer like him. Especially one who’s taken the initiative already to burn every bridge he’s crossed to get here.

Though not a man of faith, when Arien lets his final words hang in the air, Endymion is struck by the urge to send a silent prayer to whatever might listen.

Don’t let me mess this up.

“Yes; I’m ready.”

Reinhardt ​

 

[TreasureSniper]

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen
​

With a fresh set of clothes, the tour was finally able to begin. The guild accommodations were exactly what he expected, no-frills, mostly designed with function over form. Though he wasn't too worried about how comfy it was since he was planning to stay in his personal carriage. The next facility was the observatory, Talio took note of the machinery being used to observe the stars, taking interest in the tools for astronomy rather than astronomy itself. Perhaps, they would allow him to disassemble some of the smaller contraptions to reveal their inner workings.
The gallery was up next. full trinkets and bobbles of all shapes and sizes. Maybe one day he'll be able to contribute to the display with his own "trophy".

The training area was also an area of interest for the young man, noting that the training dummies would make excellent subjects for his contraptions and experiments. Though he wasn't sure if the guild would allow explosives inside the hall. Questions for another time. And finally the piece of resistance, the guild archives, filled with untold amounts of knowledge, there was no doubt there would be something useful for Talio there, he just needed to earn enough goodwill to get it.

And no came the long monologue about the purpose of the guild. A speech about a higher cause, to become something more than the sum of its parts along with all the altruistic virtues of a good samaritan. Essentially, he was being asked to go against just about everything he believed in not just as a businessman but as a person. To think, so many of his predecessors took the same oath, despite being taught to be ruthless and cutthroat.

Talio smiled, as he straightened his tie and stepped forward. "Ready as I'll ever be." He'll do whatever it takes to achieve his goal, even if it means giving up some early profits and gains. He considers it a long-term investment. There is only so much you can do with money alone. Reputation and goodwill are what are likely to get him further ahead of the curve. "But talk is cheap. What would you have us do for our first assignment." he wasn't expecting anything too glamorous, considering they are all fresh recruits. But nonetheless, he had a feeling it won't be anything that he can't handle, regardless of how "demeaning" or "dirty" it was.

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Lucia Corinna Edelgarde​

Location: Land Ferry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​

Following her own comments, Risax voiced his concerns. He didn't want to split at all, which was probably the most wise. Lucia's own suggestion wasn't so much serious as remarking on the disorganization of everyone's two cents. If Sakura wanted to be with Falco, and Hyss with Sakura, that was a trio, which meant splitting the group.

Lucia internally sighed as everyone discussed, only catching the tail-end of Falco's gaze toward her as her face slightly rotated to look his way. He seemed to have noticed the fox's stare and was trying to diffuse the situation. It seemed he wasn't as keen of her despite being so friendly, or perhaps he was just worried. He seemed to have that look in his eyes, at least. It didn't take long for him to jump on what she said, either.

A bemused smirk graced Lucia's features. His intentions weren't lost on her, though she still very much doubted his motives and their sincerity. He had passed flirtations to all others of her sex that were present at the Guild Hall, though he was trying especially hard to wind up alone, or near alone, with her.

As Thea spoke up and clarified, of course the aim was not to separate. It was a backup, though her words were hardly anything surprising or of interest to the Caskarieth. Instead, it was the shift in expression, or rather a brand new one showing, and Lucia let out a small chuckle as well.

"Well now, you can smile," She chimed with a teasing tone. "You should do so more often, it suits you much more than that scowl and narrowed gaze."

Though it was in voice and poking fun, the elf did mean it. The woman did come off as one of those that, as her uncle would have said, had a pole of somesort wedged somewhere.

"The beast will hardly be worth a platoon. This is still an F rank quest, bare in mind. At the most, it will be a--Well, a bear," Lucia proposed nonchalantly. "Nonetheless, Falco is correct as are you. We should gather more information on what we are hunting and even then, splitting up would be less beneficial than baiting it."

@Interactions: A-team

 

[Silver Wolf]

Lupa

Spoiler: appearance

Location: Tylsen Guildhall (On tour)
Interactions: Reinhardt (Arien/GM)
In Area/Mentions: ERode (Lori), lunar_moth (Endymion), AnonyMouse (GM), TreasureSniper (Talio)


​

The tour wasn't itself much to speak of, but it was useful on giving Lupa her bearings. To some degree, the most out of place facility might be the observatory, training grounds, gallery, and offices all made sense in the guild. The observatory only caught her attention for being seemingly out of place from her limited exposure to the guild hall as a whole. By far, the one that interested her the most was the training grounds, for obvious reasons. Here she could hone her skills and perhaps develop new ones should the proper sparring partner or trainer show themselves.

Then there was the basement, where she got a mere glimpse of the vast knowledge the guild held through its bureaucratic documentation and the facilities where the arcanizers were no doubt tampered with, but those were far beyond her scope anyways. Lupa had long dedicated herself to the more martial arts side of combat and hadn't really tampered in other areas at all. Yet, this talk of arcanizers made her wonder if she should learn how to use one properly so she could adapt it to her own uses.

After the whole tour was said and done, Arien gave his speech about the guild, which Lupa listened intently to, despite knowing most of this when signing up already perhaps. She was no stranger to ceremony after all. Upon hearing it, she gave an affirmative through a salute and answered Arien's question: "Are you ready to become Kriegslöwen?"

"As ready as you need me to be. I will serve with the dignity you expect me to."

Afterwords, she heard Talio speak of rushing into things. Perhaps it was too much to expect, but she couldn't help but feel irked by it. As though he had slighted something or someone by insinuating that talk was cheap, but instead of outright calling him out she glanced to Arien, wondering what he would say. Dislike of the phrasing not withstanding, she did wonder how soon they would be able to begin missions. After her time of idleness, she was eager to get back out into some sort of field, regardless of what it might be.

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Currently: Prepared to begin.
Thinking: "Lucia's kind of an idiot.. Just like the boy who wants to partner with her."

Location: Land Ferry, on approach to Oyten
Interacting: everyone on the oyten mission
Mentions: RedArmyShogun Topless AnonyMouse EmperorsChosen
​

Hyss pursed her lips under her mask. She noticed Falco's over-eagerness to split up, self-choosing a partner. Actually, choosing everyone's partners on his own, despite no one asking him to. She even frowned when he referred to her simply as 'Hyss'. This was why the boy got under her skin, and why Hyss found herself not really heeding his words too often. The way he chose partners, too, was vexing; he did so ignoring Sakura's own wishes, which were as plain as day to anyone who was observant. No, not ignoring them, going against them completely. It made the snake Beastkin uncomfortable. She narrowed her eyes to little icy slits.

Thea said her piece, though it wasn't much. Which only prompted Lucia to say hers next. Hyss found herself feeling exasperated. If this beast was so simple as Lucia suggested, then once again, Hyss wondered why they were necessary at all. The fact they were here meant this was no ordinary beast; everyone should understand that by now.

Speaking up, she said, "Nothing I said meant we should split up. It is only natural that trackers lead the pack. Naturally, if we are to corner a beast, then it is best to do so by small groups leading it and corralling it in the way we want. But for that to happen we must first locate it, which means we stick together beforehand. Otherwise it could easily pick off stragglers from a flank or from a tracker's blind spot." With a look over at the canine Beastkin, Hyss said one more thing, "If necessary, I shall attempt to lead. I have no tried it before, so who can say, I might not be as bad at it as I think."

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Arriving in Oyten​

When Thea explained that the groupings were merely a worst-case scenario, Falco nodded in agreement and understanding. Okay, I can get behind that, he thought, feeling a little more relieved now. It was far safer than marching into the forest in pairs or trios and, frankly, he should have known that was Thea's intentions all along.

However, her remarks that she was no knight made him smirk slightly. "You'll always be my knight, Thea," Falco said with a teasing smile, and he truly meant it... though he was sure his words would fall on deaf or indifferent ears. He probably wouldn't have said it otherwise. If nothing else, he was glad he had contributed to her smile, even if only in a small way. She really needed to lighten up and this grandiose talk of restoring her family name and not becoming a relic was too heavy. They were all still young; legacies and such ought to be pondered on your deathbed, not in you teens. Even Falco, with all of his big goals and aspirations, felt he was beginning to understand that more and more each day.

"The beast will hardly be worth a platoon. This is still an F rank quest, bare in mind," Lucia said. "At the most, it will be a--Well, a bear. Nonetheless, Falco is correct as are you. We should gather more information on what we are hunting and even then, splitting up would be less beneficial than baiting it."

I swear, if she wasn't so hot... Falco thought with a small sigh. He wasn't sure if it was confidence or inexperience or a mixture of both, but Lucia always seemed to make a molehill out of a potential mountain. Perhaps it was a coping mechanism.

"I don't know..." he said, ponderously thumbing his chin. He had briefly leaned over Grog's shoulder to gaze at the approaching town, a rain-soaked outpost perched on the edge of the forest. It wasn't here by accident and its very existence was a testament to the fact that these people knew how to eke out a living here. These views made Lucia's comments feel all the more foolhardy.

He returned his attention to his comrades as she finished. "I think they'd know a bear if they saw one," Falco said. "These folks ain't stupid, which is why I wanna know what's got 'em worked up enough to call us. Didn't Arien say they have hunters? There's gotta be a reason they wanted Kriegslowe to take first crack at this." His lips slowly curled into a toothy grin, aimed squarely at the elf. "Just a bear? Where's that skepticism you had back at the guild hall? You're not scared are ya?"

As the ferry began to slow, Falco made his way to the rear of the carriage to collect his travel pack and began checking all of his knives. He seemed to have blades of all shapes and sizes concealed all over his body. The scale mail coat he had 'repurposed' from the sewer bandit had hidden pockets and sheaths sewn into the lining, but in the past he had grown accustomed to keeping shivs up his sleeves, in his belt, tucked into his boots --anywhere he could. As he prepared, he listened:

"Nothing I said meant we should split up. It is only natural that trackers lead the pack," Hyss explained. "Naturally, if we are to corner a beast, then it is best to do so by small groups leading it and corralling it in the way we want. But for that to happen we must first locate it, which means we stick together beforehand. Otherwise it could easily pick off stragglers from a flank or from a tracker's blind spot." she looked to Sakura before adding, "If necessary, I shall attempt to lead. I have no tried it before, so who can say, I might not be as bad at it as I think."

Yeah, nothin' you said gave that impression, Falco thought with a scoff, except the part about others slowing you down and how you'd find your way back to us. By now, he was convinced this girl wasn't just bad at communicating, but bad at teamwork in general. The idea of working with anyone whose skills or opinions differed from her own seemed foreign to her and, not for the first time, he had to wonder why she chose to join a guild where everyone brought their own gear, skills, personality and morality. This was literally what adventuring was all about! Otherwise, she may as well be a freelance mercenary or something.

"Someone really needs to introduce this girl to the phrase 'don't put all your eggs in one basket?' Falco thought as he stood and shouldered his pack. Having two trackers together seemed redundant to him, and not in the good way. But, since he knew so little about tracking or hunting, he didn't bother to voice his displeasure. He was willing to see how this pans out because, frankly, he felt all of this planning and discussion was pointless.

Whatever happens, happens. Half these folks are probably gonna go off-script the moment this thing jumps outta the bushes anyway, he thought. The day ahead of them would probably be 99% wandering through a hot, sticky rainforest, and 1% fighting. So, why not skip this farcical strategy session and simply pair up with whomever you wanna spend the day with? The thought of pairing with Sakura wasn't exactly a bad one, but he had spent most of the ride here wiht her and she needed to make friends beside him.

That being said, the idea of her hangin around this girl bothered him more than it should. He and Hyss did agree on one thing: she probably wouldn't make a good leader. Her belief that the others were slowing her down, as if this were a race, and the only person worthy of being by her side was the one she felt was most like herself spoke to that.

We don't know what this beast is yet, but I think it's probably safe to say no one here can take it down alone. Assuming anyone is 'slowing you down' is foolish, Falco thought. Each person is necessary, or has the potential to be. And I've no idea why she's so sure of her nose with all the damned rain this place gets, but whatever. We'll see...

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't realize the ferry had come to a halt at a wooden platform which served as the town's landferry depot. Their carriage was currently the only one present, depite the platform having two other berths and an assortment of crates and barrels for servicing ferries. The incessant hum of the manatech engine was now gone, for the first time in over half a day. Their dwarven crewmen disembarked to fold out the steps, grunting amongst themselves about finding booze and beginning the refit for the return journey once day had properly broken.

Falco disembarked behind Thea and squinted up at the sky. Currently, the sun was little more than a grayish-white orb peeking through heavy clouds at the edge of the treetops, casting everything in a bluish pre-dawn glow. Beyond the edge of town, mist and fog still hung heavy at the forest's edge and likely wouldn't lift until later into the day, if ever. The town appeared to mostly be one main road, lined with shops and log buildings. Further down, the road formed a 'tee,' branching off to some much, much larger structures, which he could only assume were warehouses and/or sawmills for the town's various logging outfits. Upon closer inspection, Falco noticed most of the shops along this main road were related to carpentry, woodcutting, engraving, and such.

I'm startin' to see a pattern here, he thought wiht a slight chuckle, but quickly stiffened when a guardsman approached. The middle-aged man wore leather over oiled chainmal, with a shortsword on his hip and a wooden shield affixed to his back. He tipped a cap as he arrived in their midst.

"Welcome to Oyten, folks. I've sent a runner to the mayor's residence. He's the one who sent for ya," the man said, his words quick and orderly. "And fear not, he's an early riser. I reckon he'll be glad you wasted no time in getting here." While he spoke, his gaze slowly panned across the group, as if searching for something, but seemed to keep coming back to Thea. "So, who's in charge? How shall I introduce you lot? We don't stand on ceremony much here, but I figure I may as well play the part."
Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax)

 

[King Crimson]

Current Location: Guild Hall
​

"Me?" Cressey replied, her brow raised at the unassuming guild receptionist's request for her to join him in touring the new recruits around the Guild.
"Why would I--" she began to protest, before pausing to steal a glance towards the Guild's quest board, only to find a barren, naked plank of wood attached to the wall, with a only a scant few fliers still attached, all of which promising only more boring, menial tasks that were far more trouble than their worth.
"Well..." Cressey sighed in defeat, reticently marching up the stairway alongside the senior guildmember.
"I suppose I've naught else better to do..."

And so Cressey joined in on the tour, for the most part silently following along as Arien thoroughly explored and explained the purpose and history of every room in the guild.
Most of which was information Cressey already knew, having already grown intimate with every nook and cranny there was to see, after all, she more or less had claimed the guild as her new home, and in her spare time, when she wasn't training her martial skills, or taking on quests, she would lend a hand to the guild staff in making sure the guild's appearance, both inside and out, matched it's reputation.
And so, if only to ward off the tedium of walking through the same halls she walked everyday, she would offer her own occasional comment, or answer one of the new recruit's questions on Arien's behalf when the need arose:
"The guild staff have asked me to help in keeping that observatory clean and free of dust on more than a few occasions."
"It's a right awful chore...though I'd be lying if I said the view of the evening sky afterwards wasn't well worth the effort."

"Ah, the gallery. Impressive, though a bit small at the moment, if you ask me."
"After all, they'll need an entire wing to hold all of my achievements"

"Why is that dummy wearing a mop on it's head?"
"That one's mine, but you're free to use it as you wish. In fact, I encourage you to do so! It's quite good stress relief."
---
Time had passed, and floor by floor, the group explored the halls of the Guild, until eventually the tour came to an end, landing right where it had began, in the guild's reception area.
Once more, she was treated to another speech on the nature of the Kriegslowe Guild, what it meant to be a part of, what it entailed, etcetera, etcetera.
All things she'd heard before, though, Cressey did note that Arien's speech came off a bit more...amicable than Cephilia's rendition.
All that was left was the same question that she had been asked on her first day; "Are you ready to become Kriegslöwen?"

The bird beastkin was the first to respond, hopelessly cheerful, the gravity of the question completely lost upon her, though judging from the slack-jawed face she'd worn throughout most of the tour, it would seem she'd just began to tune in.
A small pang of concern rang through Cressey's body at her response; that childlike innocence, it reminded her of someone.
Someone who she could only hope was still dazzling somewhere out there.

Next was Endymion, though far more hesitant than his predecessor.
He seemed far more understanding what what the question meant, and what it would possibly entail.
Initially, he'd struck Cressey as being overly timid, as much afraid of his own shadow as he would be a rat, or a blade-wielding bandit.
But there was a certain resolve in his eyes, as he stepped forward, and for him to say 'yes', even in the face of such fear.
Well, she supposed that was brevity, of a sort.

Cressey couldn't help but smirk a little at Talio's response; cutting straight to the point, no minced words, no putting on airs.
A refreshing change of pace from Falco and his endless cache of euphemisms and fast-talking beguilement.
Perhaps he wasn't so bad after all! Cressey thought to herself.
...For a merchant.

Lastly came the other beastkin, who answered the call with a dutiful salute.
Though, Cressey couldn't help but notice the sideways leer she gave to the boy beside her.
Seems she wasn't as much a fan of Talio's earnestness as she was.

"I suppose now is as good a time as any to ask," Cressey abruptly states to her guild senior, her voice a hushed whisper, just out of earshot of the new recruits.
"I fail to see why you would see fit to take me on a tour that I've already been on..."
Turning her head up to look the man directly in the eyes, she asks, "What is it that you're really planning here, another one of Miss Valdergeuse's misadventures?" before expectantly crossing her arms across her chest, waiting for an answer

​

Interacting:
Arien ( Reinhardt )
Lupa ( Silver Wolf )
Lori ( ERode )
Endymion ( lunar_moth )
Talio ( TreasureSniper )

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oyten
​

Gazing out upon the town, this was not what she had expected at all, the landing docks, well that was a surprise. Was this even truly a dock? Well, at least now the ferry part in Land Ferry made sense... Just how out in the Rural areas was she that even a wood camp out here had berths to take multiples of these technological creations... It was disconcerting in a manner. Looking at her arcanizer ingrained into her gauntlet it was rather much for the arm clad lady, but if she did not adapt in some ways then she would not be able to face her father or the goddess at all when that day came. Gazing up and the giant trees and the industrial scale buildings it really showed just how small the villages around her were. To think they called this a town.

Was it the right choice to come here however? To her it seemed so. There was no point second guessing herself, Faith was what she had. It was soon after that Lucia and Falco made their presence known, followed by Hyss. Some of these words had been spoken off in transit, but she had no reason to speak to them at that point in time, as she gazed up to the treetops.

First was Lucia, to which she closed her eyes into slits and gave a big smile, before taking on an angrier look as she gestured with an armored right fist; "I can smile quite well thank you. Just your lot give me very little to smile about! And look around you, you think they give a goddess given shit about bears?" With a bit of swearing in her words she points around, as then the words of hyss ring out or caught up with the knight.

"Hyss, for now just pay attention to what the man or woman says. All of this talk on packs, and leading or attacks from the flank, while I think it is no bear, there is no point in making our enemy out to be a monolith. And as to your ability to lead, I think you will find it to be more than you bargained for. We are no pack we are a unit. Each life as valuable as the next. There are leaders who compel others to follow, there are rulers who tell them where to go. Pact formations rather do poorly when it is a race." Unusually diplomatic on that last bit with Hyss, she turns and gives her right fist across the breast plate Salute as she listened to his words.

"Ho there Guardsman. I am the leader of this band, Thea Schuerer of the Kriegslöwe, I care not for ceremony much myself so no worries. Once we've done the job you may then throw a bit of curtesy if we've earned it. These fellows are fellow Kriegslöwen. Hyss, Lucia, Falco." Pointing to the cloaked girl, the former noble and the street rat, two more were yet to have joined but she named them anyways. "Spider Folk is Risax, Fox Folk is named Sakura. Kriegslowen will work fine. We shall have more to ask your mayor when he is here, least you be able to tell more of our quarry."

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Huntertabbysandshark3 Topless

 

[Reinhardt]

Arien Bermille​

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

The answers that the new recruits gave was nothing unexpected. Subtle tones of unsureness, a sense of anxiety, confidence, and many more often came with the average hopeful and aspiring recruit. Certainly, Lupa's habit of saluting was a rare sight. Still, something amongst the responses of the recruits made Arien pause for a bit in his silent compliance to the guild's traditional welcoming ceremonies.

While he did not consider himself as strict as Cephilia, nor had the same views on the guild as the Guildmaster, he still gave its traditions, however outdated and time-consuming they may be, the respect and honor they deserve. For a recruit to simply consider it pointless was to trample on the very guild's history.

"Your eagerness is appreciated, but it is misplaced.", Arien's gaze fell upon the Valgemian merchant, which held a different gravity compared to the ones he gave earlier. " You are no Krieglsöwe yet, aren't you?"

"He who rushes into unknown waters is the first to drown.", his eyes never strayed for one bit. "Patience is a virtue you will need to exercise more, Talio Ferrumanus. Lest you wish to nip the growing bud that is your journey."

After warning the hasty recruit, his gaze softened, no longer fixated on the Valgemian. He turned, after having heard and processed the responses of the recruits, and approached the receptionist. After a short conversation, the receptionist brought forth an unexceptional key and used it to unlock the box that the senior Kriegslöwen once carried down the stairs. With a click, the container opened, its cover popping aside and revealing its contents. From it, Arien took out a number of golden badges, small enough to fit within the average palm size - a familiar sight to anyone who has been inducted to the guild's numbers.

Arien, with the badges in hand, approached the new recruits and handed each of them a single badge. These insignia carried the same look as the guild's crest - a lion, carrying a compass within its opened jaws.

"These are your guild badges. The means to identify that you are one of us, that you are Kriegslöwen.", he said, then pointed towards the same insignia attached to his clothes, clearly visible and presented. "You are to wear it at all times, especially when you are working for the guild, and it is to never leave your person."

He gave them the gesture for them to do so, as he had so subtly instructed before he turned to retrieve more from the opened box.

What Arien carried when he returned were devices that any single person who has either witnessed or heard of magic would recognize - the well-known Arcanizers. Just as he did with the guild badges, he handed each one of the recruits a corresponding Arcanizer - which only varied in its two basic, and most common forms, with the appearance of a small pocket watch, or a bracer. These Arcanizers have been issued beforehand, factoring in the preference of its soon-to-be owner via the recruitment process. Unfortunately, this batch of Arcanizers did not have the chance to be customized by Cephilia, and as such, look the same as any other Arcanizer one would commonly find - perhaps the earlier recruits were lucky in that regard.

"These are your Arcanizers.", he said. "You already know what these are and how they work, after succeeding in the recruitment process. A piece of general advice - do not tamper with them, and let the Manatech-nicians and Arcanizer experts do their work."

One last time, he retrieved something from the box. Once he was done, he gave the receptionist a nod, who then removed the key from the socket - and with a click, the container's cover shut close on its own. The key was returned to its rightful place by the time Arien was before the recruits yet again. In his hands were three small gems, carefully wrapped with slightly opaque paper - two of which were of a blue shade, while the other bore a green hue. He handed over the blue-colored stones to both Endymion and Lupa, and the green one to Lori.

"These Zauberites are preliminary merit. As you are familiar with Arcanizers, so too, should you be with them. As I've said earlier, let the right people do their jobs - do not try to slot these in your Arcanizers by yourself.", he added, his gaze eventually heading towards Talio. "Unfortunately, Talio, the field pertaining to this field had been left blank on your document, and as such, you are not to receive any."

Once all those were finished, Arien gave a subtle breath of relief.

"Welcome to the Kriegslöwe Guild, fellow Kriegslöwen.", he said, before he began to clap. The receptionist, and a few other guild staff who were in the midst at that very moment, followed his example and clapped in celebration of the new recruits being finally and officially a part of the guild. It didn't take a while for the clapping to eventually subside, and once it did, Arien and the receptionist, alongside the other guild staff, went straight back to business.

"Now that the ceremonies are done, your first task as Kriegslöwen awaits.", he said. "But before I give you that task, I will give you some time off, which I hope you will use wisely. Take a rest, use the guild's facilities, prepare your equipment, or attend to other matters that require your attention. I suggest to familiarize yourself with each other, as you will be often working as a group."

"I would like you to join these new recruits, Cressey, while I try to make arrangements for you to catch up with your fellows.", Arien turned to Cressey.

"I expect to see you all here an hour before noon.", Arien turned and spoke with a louder voice. He gave a small gesture to the bird perched on his shoulder, who responded with a high-pitched chirp. Arien, then, took the now-sealed box, as well as the piled documents, and left the vicinity of the recruits. The bird flew from his shoulder and landed on the top of the reception desk, as it watched the next actions of both the new recruits and Cressey.

Interaction/s: Cresslinde ( King Crimson ), Endymion ( lunar_moth ), Lupa ( Silver Wolf ), Talio ( TreasureSniper ), Lori ( ERode )

 

[Topless]

Location: En route to Oyten

After hearing what the others has got to say in the matter about teams, Sakura's feelings about their personal opinions got mixed up. Hyss said she isn't the type to lead, more of like a shadow that follows. Falco seemed distressed when Sakura looked up to him before suggesting that he teamed up with Risax and Lucia and Sakura be with Hyss and Thea. It seemed that maybe there is something wrong about being in teams. Sakura had had her own experience in being in packs to make the hunts more efficient. She had a few experiences in leading some but most of the time she followed the one with the better sense of sight, hearing and smell.

At this point, the land ferry has finally made it's destination. Sakura had to check first her equipment before the group got off the vehicle. From there they are greeted by a guardsman, mentioned that he has sent a messenger to the mayor's office. Thea had made the introductions and when she mentioned her name, Sakura bowed. "Kael-Sha*, gentle knight." She greeted the guardsman in her beastkin tongue, though he may not know what she had said.

*"Kael-Sha" is a Moonlight Clan dialect term meaning "Hello".

AnonyMouse Reinhardt RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko Huntertabbysandshark3
​

 

[ERode]

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

Oh, phew!

It looked as if she had escaped notice after all, even though poor Talio was chastised instead. Sure, maybe the boy was a teensy bit prickly and cold, but that was no reason for Arien to act like that, right? It just felt a bit unfair to Lori…but she certainly wasn’t going to complain about not getting chewed up either! What pulled her attention immediately away from that unpleasant situation though, was all the shiny stuff that they got! The insignia was a pretty little thing for sure, and Lori immediately put it up to her mouth and bit it.

Ouch! Yup, that was definitely not just gold! Wouldn’t feel too bad if she lost it while running then. More importantly though, the other thing that Arien offered them was, well, functionally the only thing that Lori really wanted.

A pocket watch. The sort of thing that only really, really, REALLY good couriers got, a time-keeping instrument that mattered only when you were absolutely, positively expected to get the job done with clockhand-precision. The sort of thing that her daddy got after travelling tens of thousands of kilometers on foot, making deliveries to the most perilous of places. Now, it laid in her hands, gleaming beautifully in the Guild.

There was also a gem that was green, but apparently she wasn’t supposed to put it into her pocket watch by herself, so Lori settled with jamming it into one of her pouches instead.

“Alright!” Lori said, stretching her arms back as the induction finally ended. “I don’t know Tylsen too much, but it looks like we’ll be having our first assignment together and we’ll get the day off too! Anyone know a cool place to eat and drink? Or, like, there anything that you all don’t want to try? I’m down for anything myself, but like, regional Tylsen specialties that are light on the wallet would be great!”

There was a chance that both Cressey and Talio would go off doing serious stuff, so she'd have to pin them down personally.

"And Cressey, Talio, I definitely want you two to come along," she grinned, snatching up their hands like a frog from the swamps. "You two look like you'd have the best stories to tell!"

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Currently: Greeting Oyten
Thinking: "Finally here.."

Location: Oyten
Interacting: everyone on the oyten mission
Mentions: RedArmyShogun


Stepping out onto the wooden platform, Hyss shivered. She glimpsed the dawn sun over the treetops, then glanced around, taking note of her new surroundings. It was very evident that this town's primary industry was logging, practically every store dealt with it. So, a dangerous monster putting a halt to the industry would definitely be an issue.

The snake girl peered under her hood at Thea as she spoke. All Hyss could feel was bewildered. She honestly wasn't sure what Thea was getting at. Furthermore, the knightess claimed she wasn't one for ceremony and formality. Pfft, yeah, right. The knightess only cared about such. "It's Hysydice, actually," she murmured under her hood, shadowing her eyes. "But a pleasure."​

 

[lunar_moth]

KRIEGSLÖWE GUILDHALL, TYLSEN​

Endymion pins the guild crest badge to the left breast of his outer robe. Right over the heart.

He lets his hand linger on top of it for a moment. The badge is bordered by the shiny filigree embroidery on his robe and it looks nearly perfect in place.

This is it. If this fails, there’s nothing left— he can’t go back home, and there’s no other purpose that awaits him to fulfill.

Next, his Arcanizer is received with careful hands and slipped onto his right forearm with a carefuller touch. His is in the form of a bracer (of course, his non-penchant for fighting is no secret, and he’s sure he’s mentioned it either to a guild worker once or on some of the paperwork he filled out during initial application), likely to aid with the elemental type of his zauberite — lapis means healing, and healing means getting up close and personal with whoever needs it. Allowing him to bring his locus of healing energy as close as possible to the wound he’s working on seems like it could only help.

…Of course, that’s getting a bit ahead of himself. Endymion’s gaze drifts down to his right hand, and he flexes his fingers a bit, turning his wrist this way and that as if he expected some sort of a change.

He might have been, a little bit. He’s not sure of what kind, exactly, but something. Chills down his spine as his muscle memory remembers the feeling of an Arcanizer and the last time one wormed its way into his life. A sudden revelation, maybe, complete with glowing lights and angelic choirs in his head as he realizes his destiny is, in fact, to help and heal and devote himself entirely to the common folk. Instead all he feels is the same thing he did moments before the bracer was on his wrist: a little shaky, a little excited, but mostly like he’s just become aware that he’s now a part of something much bigger than himself.

For all it helps, he can repeat back the mantra he’s told himself the many weeks he waited for a letter summoning him to the guild: I am going to help people someday and it is going to be worth it. But it’s a little hard to believe just yet when his first unofficial task as a Kriegslöwen is to keep himself busy for a few hours.

Luckily, Endymion knows a thing or two about keeping himself busy with random tasks. (He could practically teach the course!)

First on the list is to find someone to help slot his shiny new zauberite into place. And next up….

“Er, would somebody more familiar with the inner city mind pointing me in the direction of the pawn shop? I don’t come here often so, well, I get turned around, but— I have something important I need to fetch before our first mission.” Very important, even; a healing zauberite is all well and good but in an emergency won’t be very useful for whacking someone with. Hopefully the pay he got from yesterday’s “job” is enough to cover the fee…

@/Team B

 

[TreasureSniper]

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

Seems like Talio underestimated how much this guild folk values their tradition. In hindsight, perhaps he was too relaxed in his reply. On one hand, it was good for him to test the waters, to see what type of behavior was permissible here. "Eagerness" wasn't really what he was going for. He saw this whole relationship as a transactional one. He did whatever work they wanted him to do, and he'll get whatever reward was being offered. Everything else was unnecessary. In his eyes, the action and results were more important than the intentions behind them, but this guild likely wouldn't agree to such an outlook. The glares from the military beastfolk and guildsmen did not go unnoticed and he knew he needed to behave in a manner more acceptable for this guild.

Placing his hand on his chest, Talio gave the man an apologetic bow. "I apologize for my faux pas, I will do well to heed your advice." His tone was calm, and professional, clearly someone who was used to being more careful with his words. For now, at least, it would be beneficial for him to keep his head down and be a good grunt. And so, Talio took the badge without hesitation and pinned it onto his business suit. He liked how the gold matched his attire. A brief grin of satisfaction could be seen on Talio's face, he had a lot of expectations about this place, but he will try to keep them low. Talio had requested a bracer-style arcanizer, which he had requested beforehand. Unfortunately, he had omitted to include his desired gem. "That is fine, I shall procure one on my own if needed." He didn't if the guild would accept a late request for one, so for now, at least he would have to manage without one. Even at the start of his journey, he was already at the backfoot. But perhaps it was better this way.

He was a bit surprised to hear that they would not be given a quest immediately. But aside from that, he was fine with how things played out. He was getting ready to leave and return back to his carriage. He was pleasantly interrupted by the bird beastfolk, who essentially inviting him and girl Cressey to go out for lunch.

"Very well, it's always good to familiarize ourselves in a new place. Though I don't know if have that many stories to tell." He had accepted the invite, without much hesitation. "Cressey. Would you mind recommending a place? You seem to know this place well enough." He gave the girl a smile as he gestured her to lead the way.

Interactions: @reinhard ERode King Crimson Silver Wolf lunar_moth

​

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Location: Land Ferry --> Oyten
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​

There seemed to be a few that took exception to what she said about their query. While it was true this quest was worthy of adventurers, it was only worthy of F rank adventurers. It couldn't be all that impressive, despite their optimism or hope, and despite what Falco said, Lucia's skepticism was still present about the whole thing.

"Oh, I assure you, it's still there, and I am most certainly not frightened," Lucia replied with an upturned chin. "But by all means, if you are so concerned with this great beast, I'll protect you Falco."

However, then Thea snapped back about both the smile and the bear, causing the elf's haughty smirk to dissipate. Saying nothing about the smile, the beast Lucia still doubted greatly. It could've been a greater bear or maybe something else. If it were anything truly threatening, F ranks wouldn't be anywhere near the quest.

"Fine, we'll see when we find the creature," Lucia said with a light huff as there was no point arguing about the subject any further. They would learn sooner or later.

She wouldn't speak again until the ferry docked and they all dismounted, meeting one of the local guard as they did so. Perhaps surprisingly, Lucia was relatively quiet until introduced, letting Thea talk for the group primarily. Though she did greet the guard when referenced with a simple "Greetings Ser. We are indeed all quite curious to learn more of this creature causing all this trouble."

Interactions: A-team

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

location: Arriving in Oyten
interaction: AnonyMouse RedArmyShogun Thalia_Neko​

"well thank you Falco for agreeing with me, you have certainly made yourself appear a lot wiser than in initially though" Risax commented smiling a little bit at Falco glad someone actually took him a bit more seriously, hyss however clarified herself more explaining that she’d intended that only their trackers split up to search while the others talk to the towns folk en the like. “Aah right that makes a good deal of sense then“ he’d nod quietly as they eventually made their stop at the village of Oyten. The group all stepping outside thea being at the front of the group, their was also mention of bears for some reason tho Risax doubted it would be a bear probably something a bit bigger, but anyway that was besides the point Thea was making an introduction for everyone rather formally indeed a good thing at least in Risax‘s mind, as he was introduced the spiderfolk gave a small bow of respect to show he acknowledged them. “Hmm I do hope I’m not too off putting to the locals, I know we can be.. somewhat unnerving“ Risax said with a small but worried hum. Glancing around a little bit rural towns and spiders perfect combo for some freaked out people.

 

[Silver Wolf]

Location Tylsen Guildhall

Interactions:
ERode (Lori), Reinhardt (Arien/GM), TreasureSniper (Talio), King Crimson (Cressey), lunar_moth (@Endymion)


​

After Arien had chastised Talio, the 'merchant' apologized quite quickly, which wasn't bad, but she couldn't help but feel it was a little forced for some reason. Maybe that was just her though. Next were the badges. Upon receiving her badge, she took care to place it, well, more towards the collar. While the men had the luxury to place it over their heart, she had to settle with being less showy of her dedication in such a small way, but it was nothing her actions and service wouldn't make up for now. After that, the arcanizers were handed out. Lupa wasn't too surprised to see she had a bracer style. For her, it was more practical. She had never studied magic seriously before, but she had seen it in action here and there. She examined it a little, taking notice of the device before she tested it on for size. She then wondered, what would it feel like to cast magic? Sure, she took the test, but she had to wonder what it would truly be like to experience it and make adaptive use of it. Finally, they received the mystical gems that allowed the arcanizer to be used, the zauberites. The crystal seemed glow dimly in the open light as she inspected it, but she didn't get long to admire it as Arien soon after welcomed them in as official Kriegslöwen.

It was nice, if a little embarrassing to hear the applause, but once it was over they finally received news about their first assignment, which would be given to them at noon.

Almost immediately, the bird legged girl suggested they go out. She grinned happily at the idea. Talio asked Cressey, but before the girl could answer she clapped her hands and said, "Oh, I know several places not too far from the guild. Many businesses open up around the guild for such the purpose of giving Kriegslöwen guildmembers a place to stay or wind down. My elder brother is currently the owner of a tavern after marrying the previous owner's daughter, it's called Merrinite. I suggest we go there to celebrate our first mission though. If we want to be back soon...I'd recommend...Helos's Inn. They have some good food for a cheap price, not the most high end, but a great place to pass the time and be back in time to receive our first assignment."

Then there was Endymion's pawn shop question.

"A pawn shop? Well, it depends on what you're looking to buy," she eyed him quick, his posture didn't give off anything of note and she could see no weapon tied to any part of his body or evidence that there would be. "If it's weapons, there's a shop down the road to the north that sells used equipment of Kriegslöwe adventurers. Just, don't listen to any of the shopkeeper's stories about the items. Beyond that they're priced fairly, unless he's trying to swindle you to pay more. What do you need from the pawn shop specifically anyways?"

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Oyten, main street​

As the adventurers exited the carriage, one by one, the guardsman nodded along to each introduction Thea provided. His neutral expression showed little interest or surprise, despite the eclectic group standing before him. Not until the arachne emerged, all eight legs moving harmoniously in a way that might make a lesser man's skin crawl, did they see even the slightest rise of his thick brows.

"Eh, you'll be fine," the guard said with a slight shrug, when he overheard the spider's remark. "We don't bite, 'less you do."

This was about the time Falco noticed a figure emerge from one of the homes, about halfway down the main strip. He figured the title of 'mayor' implied a big mansion, an entourage of servants and guards, or... something. Surely, this couldn't be him, right? The home was no larger than any other, though there were many lights on inside, suggesting this fellow was an early riser. He was accompanied only by a guard, whom he quickly dismissed with a brief handshake and pat on the back, like how one might part ways with a trusted friend, not a subordinate.

He had probably been tall in a past life, but was now slightly stooped and walked with a cane and a slight hitch in his step as he approached. Graying hair flowed from beneath his wide-brimmed hat, and he wore a dark business suit, cheap but well-tailored, and a working man's boots. As he drew closer, Falco's well-trained eye noted his only adornment was a simple gold wedding band and the brass chain of a timepiece dangling from his left pocket.

Having sized up their client, Falco felt words rise to the tip of his tongue, but this was Thea's show, so he snapped his trap shut, stood a little straighter, slicked back his unruly hair and re-popped his collar. Those little notes pinned to the quest board were written in broad strokes. The true success or failure of a mission was determined by the client. While this guy certainly didn't seem like too much of a hardass, first impressions can change that. They needed to get this right.

"Oi, top o' the mornin' to ya, ladies, gentlemen," the old timer said, waving his hand as he made his way toward them. His wooden cane and boots clacked along the timber platform beneath them.

The guardsman turned and saluted, before regurgitating the names Thea had given him, almost verbatim. The only change was he saved their leader for last, before introducing his own: "Kriegslowen, this is our town's chief, Mayor Johnson Mayweather," he said, gesturing to the man.

Not a 'lord' or 'baron' or whatever nobles like to call themselves these days? Falco thought, his curiosity rising. Interesting...

"'John' will do just fine," the mayor said, tipping his hat to them as he rested his cane on the floor and gave Thea's hand a firm shake before making the rounds, doing the same for each of them. "Mhm, just look at ya... I had my doubts when your people offered a team of F Ranks. Figured this job would warrant an E or D, maybe. But Kriegslowe's never done wrong by us, no sir. I'm sure even youngsters like you are up to the task."

The mayor rasped a small chuckle. "You folks wasted no time gettin' here, even bravin' the storm to beat the sun. I like that! And good thing, too: the logging bosses are gettin' restless, as men are want to do when the money ain't flowin.' They wanna call in hunters. But we know better, eh?" he said, glancing at the guardsman beside him.

The man only nodded solemnly in reply.

The mayor locked eyes with Thea, before panning across the rest of the group. "We need this beast gone, quick-like. BUT," he wagged a finger at them and, as if on queue, the first drops of rain began to fall once more, "if ya kill it, ya upset the balance... understand? They don't see it that way, but that's the way it is. That's the law of these woods." He took a half step back and smiled. "Anyway, what say we get outta this weather, hmm? Time's a'movin' and I'm sure you gots questions. But the folks can answer 'em probably ain't outta bed yet. While we wait, I reckon y'all could use some breakfast. Come now," he said as he began to walk toward his home and gestured for them to follow.
Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax)