Fantasy Tales of Raeligard

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oyten
​

It was not long till the Mayor had arrived, curiously he had addressed himself as Mayor, rather than by Noble title, a fact that stood out to the knight as well as his introduced name, was he a former native of the Republic or did the regional Lord allow some form of democracy among temporary holdings or work sites like this? It was a question she would be sure to bring up as the man carried the conversation on to some details on the job. Or rather a lack of details...

So, all of them were wrong, they didn't hire the guild as they wanted to kill the beast, but as they wanted it captured alive and removed from the area. Or at least the mayor did. Next time she was just going to pick a slaying quest or saying to hell with it and going with the Church quest. What in the Goddess's name were they expected to hunt, however? Was it a predator or a large herbivore? If it played such an important role in keeping the natural balance, then why would they just not go out and say it? The fact they considered this a E or a D rank was a bit concerning and held true to why Cephilia had expected them to maybe even die.

"Hmm so the Beast is important to the local ecosystem... We were told very little by means of details and in fact did not expect this when told a forest. Speaking of where would be the best place for spare supplies in the town? Chiefly ponchos and cloaks, only two of our number are correctly geared. And hmm, very well, John, or Mayor John, I am Thea Schuerer, Thea is fine. We would be most grateful for breakfast as we wait for the rest to stir. Goddess bliss your kindness."

For the time being she would not press him for answers about what it is they were hunting, the man seemed simple and down to earth. So, Thea did not expect some sort of deception, so much as something that was difficult to talk about, or so she hoped. Otherwise, this would be a short trip, though she wished the guild would have told them this was a capture quest and not a kill quest, though they had not asked. It may be annoying to ask several questions, but it was clear such was the guild, or that little information was given. Turned to follow the man, she singled the rest, hoping they would have the patience to wait till after breakfast, though she did expect some discontent once it was revealed the old man wanted a capture rather than a kill, but there was little need to press him here and now as her thoughts drifted to what resources she had or could gain towards a capture.

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Huntertabbysandshark3 Topless

 

[King Crimson]

Current Location: Guild Hall
​

"You're giving them their arcanizers now?" Cressey balked, watching in disbelief as Arien handed over the enigmatic magical devices so casually to the newcomers, like a maiden (or Falco) giving out flowers to prospective lovers.
"What happened to all that talk of responsibility, and proving your worth?"
Oh the injustice! The memory of all that she'd struggled to get through in order to earn the gilded band upon her wrist, and the gleaming gem socketed within.
She couldn't help but pout begrudgingly at the sight, exhaling a harsh torrent of air through her nostrils in silent fury.
Hmph! Whatever! she thought to herself, turning her head away from the scene, knowing that she wouldn't be getting an answer to such questions, Arien already turning to take his leave.
It didn't seem they would be able to use them yet, anyway, with the zauberites still yet to be installed.
But, it sat somewhat ill with her, especially considering that they had only just recently encountered someone from outside of the guild who had managed to get a hold of an arcanizer of their own, and would have put it to nefarious use, if not for her and her companions.

With Arien gone, all that was left in the room was Cressey, and a new batch of recruits for her to guide on their first mission.
An hour before noon..." Cressey quietly reflected, looking over towards the small, mechanical clock mounted atop the guild wall.
It was still somewhat early in the morning, giving them perhaps an hour or two to make their preparations.
Not enough time for her to understand what what exactly she's gotten herself into--
"Wha!! H-Hey!!" Cressey exclaimed, her thoughts interrupted by the sudden feeling of weightlessness overtaking her body, the culprit's oblivious, smiling face soon filling her vision; Lori dangling both her and the merchant in the air by their arms as if they were a pair of freshly caught fish.
The confused alarm writ upon her face didn't take long to turn into violent indignation, as she bared her teeth at the girl with a vicious snarl.
"Why!!--You!!--Unhand me!!" she loudly protested, flailing, writhing, and kicking her feet until she managed to forcibly wrench her arm free from the beastkin's grasp.
After returning her feet back to the earth, Cressey took brief moment to regain her composure, systematically creasing out the ruffled parts of her outfit, readjusting her glove, and smoothening out her slightly frazzled hair, as she irately explained to the tall, avian beastkin, "First off, you do not have 'the whole day off' to prepare for your first assignment, you have but a few hours..."
With her ensemble back to proper form, she snapped her attention fully on the Lori, sending her an icy glare as she clenched her glove open and shut, her voice just as grave as her expression.
"And Secondly, there is no way of knowing what sort of sordid task the guild will be having you do or where you'll be doing it, so I would hold off on eating if I were you!"
"And thirdly--!!" she venomously barked, her hand raised like a sword ready to cut the birdkin down to size, which she was prepared to couple with a vicious tongue-lashing...
...Until a low, churning growl rumbled throughout the room, emanating from Cressey's empty stomach.
Oh, right...it had been some time since she'd had breakfast, wasn't it?
"W-Well..." she grumbled, crossing her arms across her chest in quiet, begrudging surrender, turning her slightly reddened face away in an attempt to recover some of the dignified seniority she'd just lost.
Unfortunately, that only brought her face to face with Talio, who seemed just as receptive to the idea, shooting her a warm, caring smile, that she couldn't reciprocate, snapping her head away once again.
"I...I suppose we could make preparations over a quick meal. 'An army marches on it's stomach', and all that,"
The two newcomers had been looking to her expectantly for an answer, some extravagant place where they could get a true taste of Raeligard.
"I-I'm not all too familiar with the city myself, mind you..." Cressey admitted, having usually kept to preparing her own food to save on expenses.
...And because no bakery in this city could quite compare to that of home, though Cressey was sure that she was getting close.
"But I suppose we could go to-- Hm!"
Her eyes suddenly widened at Lupa's suggestion, the name of the inn being all too familiar to her.
"I was...actually about to suggest Helos. I took a request from them just this morning to help refresh their larder." she explained,
"Well then," Cressey hummed, shifting the holster of her lance back onto her shoulder as she made her way towards the guild's exit, opening the door out to the city streets.
With a small, smile she adds, "Let's get started!"

​

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

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Currently: Greeting Oyten
Thinking: "My name is Hysydice... Cry... And what's with this mission??"

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


"..It's Hysydice.." the small, hooded girl murmured under her breath once again, upon hearing the guard pronounce her name. Or attempt to, anyway. Only making the poor girl exasperated. Was it really so hard? She had yet to hear anyone say her name right. Maybe that's why they all just called her 'Hyss'... She wasn't sure what she thought of this development. But perhaps the snake tongue was just too hard to emulate?

After some pleasantries, she glanced at the hand the mayor shook. "Ser Mayweather," She greeted formally. Her face fell, frowning beneath her mask. They weren't meant to kill this beast? They had to -what?- relocate the thing? Okay, yeah, Hyss was definitely feeling this choice of mission was a bust. While Lucia was a dummy for thinking this beast was just any normal creature, Hyss at least shared in the sentiment that this was largely a waste of time. And once again, she found herself reflecting upon how she was the only one to actually question the validity, the use, and the purpose of this mission. If only anyone else heard anything other than 'beast'! And their primitive brains thought of anything other than 'must kill beast'!

"Thank you for your hospitality, good ser," Hyss mused, with a respectable dip of her head to the mayor.​

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Location: Oyten
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Lucia certainly didn't expect the the mayor they met. She was more than familiar in dealing with politicians and those in higher office, but this man didn't look the part of that. No, it was clear this quaint town was a working class town, and the mayor was one of his people. It was refreshing, if not a surprise, and the Caskarieth's posture laxed a bit in response.

A slight brow did raise as he mentioned the rank. He asked for E and D ranks for this? Lucia wondered why they were given the quest then. They had hardly had enough time to be "broken in", so what was the gambit here? Perhaps the quest just really wasn't worth that rank of Kriegslowen or perhaps they really were recognized after the sewers.

That was the least of Lucia's concerns however. The primary note that she too exception to was the fact that they would have to take the beast alive. She held back her shock, but would most certainly question what made the damn thing so crucial. They should've taken the Chaos Lord, that was likely a mugging attempt.

There was one benefit to this excursion, however, and that was in the form of a well-cooked meal. The poor noble had been surviving basically on scraps compared to what she had option for in her old life. So, she was jubilated when the older man offered them a meal. Finally, real food!

"I for one graciously accept~" Lucia chimed in an uncharacteristically chipper tone.

Interactions: A-team

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

Location: Oyten
interaction: AnonyMouse​

Meeting with the mayors along with the rest of the group Risax was a bit surprised about how normal he looked, well compared to some the arachne had seen in his life, so it was refreshingly odd but his words while it seemed to perturb the others of the party at least by how they shifted their stances, only made Risax grin, so they didn’t get all the information or misinterpreted it oh now this was an adventure much like the sewer incident except less bandits and most certainly less help.

“ah thank you for the offer mr Johnson, it would be lovely to partake in something to eat, i do have a few questions to ask myself if you do not mind, while we where informed of a beast we where not enlightened as to the nature of it seeing as you understand it’s importance to the local ecosystem, prehaps you could be so kind as to enlighten us on the nature of what the creature is and what it does for the environment over breakfast, it would greatly assist in us successfully relocating it” Risax said give a bow as he did so, though his excitement was certainly visible compared to the others, relocating creatures had made it into a few of the tales he’d been told by mr Hellregal, during their encounters in his youth, the arachne did wonder what became of him, in fact he’d been so caught up in the excitement of his new career he’d not put much thought into it until now, though getting out of the rain seemed like a good idea.. maybe the muddy ground after the storm would be helpful in finding tracks for the creature whatever it may be.

 

[Topless]

Location: En route to Oyten

The mayor seemed like a very eccentric person to put out a request. Sakura doesn't quite understand his mannerisms until he mentioned something about breakfast and the group went along with him. "We thank you for your hospitality, Sir Mayweather." She thanked. She hoped that the breakfast would be quite huge as the group will need a lot of energy in order to capture this beast. It's weird for her that the beast that needed to be stopped must not be killed. Then again, she reminded herself that capturing prey alive is another thing that a hunter can do.

While walking along with the group, Sakura began to formulate a trap in her mind. She actually knows some effective traps to capture prey, but she needs to know first information about this beast as some traps may require a lot more materials than just a simple box, twig, bait and rope.

AnonyMouse Reinhardt RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko Huntertabbysandshark3
​

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Oyten, main street​

"Hmm so the Beast is important to the local ecosystem... We were told very little by means of details and in fact did not expect this when told a forest," Thea said. "Speaking of where would be the best place for spare supplies in the town? Chiefly ponchos and cloaks, only two of our number are correctly geared. And hmm, very well, John, or Mayor John, I am Thea Schuerer, Thea is fine. We would be most grateful for breakfast as we wait for the rest to stir. Goddess bliss your kindness."

Her words made Falco's brows rise slightly. I hope she doesn't mean me, he thought, recalling the goods she had purchased for him in Tylsen. If there was one thing he had in spades, it was cloaks, jackets and coats. Nice for hiding knives and ... stuff. Stuff I totally didn't steal, he thought, his gaze briefly wandering aside. Fortunately, the old man continued speaking as he led them toward his home, distracting Falco from such thoughts.

"Roy's place o'er there is our general goods store," Mayor Mayweather said, jabbing his walking stick toward what appeared to be a medium-sized shop further down the road. "Nice fella. Fair prices, despite bein' pretty much the only spot in town for that sorta thing. The logging companies each got their own quartermasters, too, if you can convince 'em to sell."

Even Falco knew company gear was usually lower quality, though they weren't exactly in a position to be picky. And didn't he say those logging companies were trying to send for hunters? Would they even be interested in working with the Kriegslowen he had summoned or supplying gear to them? To Falco, it seemed odd the old man would even bring that up. As the others thanked him for his hospitality, Falco followed close behind, at Thea's side, mulling it all over in his mind.

“Ah thank you for the offer Mr Johnson, it would be lovely to partake in something to eat, I do have a few questions to ask myself if you do not mind," Risax said. "While we were informed of a beast we where not enlightened as to the nature of it seeing as you understand it’s importance to the local ecosystem, perhaps you could be so kind as to enlighten us on the nature of what the creature is and what it does for the environment over breakfast, it would greatly assist in us successfully relocating it”

"Sadly, none have seen it. Not clearly, anyhow," Mayor John said. "It's vicious and must be pretty dang fast. Already attacked three men, that I know of... though I suspect the loggers are keepin' more under wraps," he said, tapping a finger against his temple. "I made 'em shut down 'til we get this figured out. If I hadn't, they'd have kept at it 'til somebody dies. And I can't have that in my town, ya hear?"

By now, they had arrived at the doorstep of his home and the man turned to face them. "These Oytenrand Woods can be treacherous deeper in, ya know. But this town sits in a very special place. It's safe here... most of the time," he said. "By Aurelia's grace, men been fellin' these trees for generations with little more than the occasional wildcat, coyote, or snakebite to show for it. It ain't the enviroment what needs protectin,'" he said, looking from Risax to Thea and back again. "It's us. Go to war with these Woods at yer peril, I say." After a small pause, he chuckled, lightening the mood. "But who am I to say! Maybe the forest's already declared war on us, heh. Can't imagine what we did to warrant that, but... eh, sometimes the bill comes due when ya least expect it."
Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax)

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oyten
​

Listening to the details or the lack of them, Thea arched an eyebrow as Mayor John and the reactions of her comrades to his introduction, many of whom seemed to suddenly discover some manners. Was it just to spite her? No, that would be crazy! Setting that aside, Risax was next to ask some questions that were answered not to Thea's liking. Provided she survived this, the job had already taught her much, on the nature of the guild and of quest givers. John seemed to have sent the request out of his desire to hold the peace of the forests and of his convictions to Aurelia, while she admired his conviction and was among the faithful, if a diseased wolf was preying upon sheep, you didn't put it in a crate and take it away, you killed it. Though at odds with the conventions of the Church, such was the Duty of the Knights and the Kingdom's Army or the pragmatic. It became a question of if lives could be saved by taking them and up to what point and what balance.

It was like the bandits, taking them alive was needed, killing them would have been a simpler matter but one that left many questions unsolved.

"Curious, it has attacked three of the loggers, mayhap they would part with more information to the guild than they had with you. Depending on how it attacked, be it by bite or claw then we could narrow things down. While the woods have its dangers, it does not seem to have as many of these problematic things, so once we solve the issue it should be a one and done deal." Pondering her next words, Thea ran her left hand to clasp her chin as she thought on what little the man had said and to level with him.

"I suspect we were given this job without supervision to either promote us or to aim towards such. As otherwise the Guild handbook would mandate this be a D rank quest at the least. If it is something truly problematic, we may need to withdraw and report our findings to the guild. Also, to be clear Mayor John, while it is ideal that we can run off, or capture and relocate whatever manner of beast it may be, we may also have to kill it. Either to preserve our own lives, or as it is a territorial beast and is attacking the loggers for simply being there. We weren't even told till now to consider the previous options; Our instructions were that the beast be delt with."

"With that said, if it is territorial and will just return once we relocate it, our job would be a failure. With that being said, if this is the case do you think the companies would select another section of the Great Woods to log should it be needed? And do you often have differences with the logging operations? They seem to do what they will on their own within reason. Though now why a hunter was not sent makes sense." Never mind the guild likely dealt with something like this here once before and was just sending them with that observer.

For now, talking to the locals was a must, or at the least the loggers and in regard to her own people she had one final question more aimed at them. "Unless we wish to work rapidly and have The Goddess smile upon us, we may have difficulties in this place, did the lot of you bring any money? We may need to share to get our basic needs met so we need not return every night till this is solved. But first let us eat and then do that questioning."

EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Huntertabbysandshark3 Topless

 

[lunar_moth]

KRIEGSLÖWE GUILDHALL, TYLSEN​

Endymion nods sagely while Lupa describes the nearest weapons-based pawn shop. It kind of feels like he’s been spacing out during this conversation, or maybe it’s just that whatever omniscient being controls him got busy and forgot to get him to do anything for a while now. Oops!

“Mhmm, yes, that definitely sounds like the best place to go for good weapons. Which means I remember now that the place I need to go is actually the seedier one down south— I, er, I left my walking stick there for safekeeping, to be fetched once I got into the guild.” Also to get a few coins for the cheapest lodgings in-between jobs; that walking stick is probably the nicest thing he owns, weathered as it is, so hopefully the pay he “earned” from yesterday’s job is enough to buy it back.

“I guess I’ll catch up with the rest of you guys later? Hard to say how long the trek there and back will take me.” It’s not really that far, but like, Endymion’s not really a city boy, and there are many many street vendors and other things to get distracted by at this time of day. Also, he has a feeling that the group’s dinner is probably going to be a short affair in order to get to their first quest sooner and that he’ll just be filled in later, or maybe that’s just the omniscient being controlling him again.

Silver Wolf (Lupa) , @/Team B

 

[Reinhardt]

Arien Bermille​

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

Through the passage of time, the serene, blue sky has been decorated by the sun's light, vibrantly illuminated and warm. At this time of day, a majority of Tylsen's residents have finished their morning routines - businesses would have already been open for quite some time, and the streets are now riddled with various folks that pass by and stand idly. The once empty city square was bustling with many peddlers, performers, and merchant stalls. Guardsmen go on their patrol, surveying every street and corner within their paths, making sure peace and order remain intact within the renowned city of Tylsen.

The once spacious lobby of the Tylsen guildhall was no more - in its stead, was a sight that many Kriegslöwen were familiar with. Numerous benches were occupied by visitors, each with their own request, plea, or errand for the guild. The quest board was swarmed with different Kriegslöwen, and a line was formed before the reception desk - which was being handled quite well by a number of stationed guild staff, as well as the very same receptionist present earlier in the day.

To many, this is just a period of the day that shall come to pass, but to a few select individuals, this is the time where they get their very first task. It is now an hour before noon, on the 8th day of the 3rd month, 422 AC.

Arien sat on the end of an already occupied bench and appeared as if he melded within the masses. It would be akin to finding a needle in a haystack if weren't for the blue bird that hovered above him, just high enough to be seen by anyone who would pay attention. There he waited for the arrival of the recruits he had inducted to the guild earlier, alongside the slightly more senior recruit that was Cress with them. Though his eyes remained closed as if he was meditating, they would occasionally open to take a glance at the many sceneries and occurrences within the lobby, perhaps to keep track of what was transpiring within his midst, or simply out of habit.

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

 

[ERode]

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

Hours ticked by enjoyably, the atmosphere of Helos’s Inn made doubly enjoyable by the fact that the proprietor was more than happy to see Cressey willing to recycle some of the payment she received from working there to begin with. With a party of such diverse backgrounds and tastes, it only made sense that a smorgasbord was ordered, the cost split between all of them equally. Dried fruits, cured hams, aged cheeses, and warm bread filled up the table, while diluted wine was shared between the group of fledglings and Cressey. There were some rarer delicacies as wellL honeyed waffles, salted mackerels, and even some fried smallfish, filled still with delicious fish eggs. Lori, never one to be shy about filling up, experimented with every possible combination of bites she could, happily chatting with the others as she did so, and the ultimate conclusion she came to was that they were all decent people, perfect for working together on the first day of her new job!

Except Endymion. He didn’t show up, so she knew nothing about him.

Regardless, food was good, friends were definitely reciprocally made, and Lori was humming a hearty little tune as she bounced ahead of the others on her way back to the Kriegslowe Guildhall. It was certainly livelier now, what with people who were actually looking to hire, and the crowds were definitely more than a little difficult for Lori to navigate, her clawed feet curling up into awkward balls to prevent her from breaking any toes. Wobbling about, the young Birdkin tried to look for Arien…but alas, the young prodigy was ever-elusive.

So instead of relying on her eyes, Lori sucked in a breath and did what any messenger did.

“HEY, ARIEN! ARE YOU HERE YET? BECAUSE IT’S LIKE…” A slight pause as she snapped out her pocket-watch-arcanizer, a silly smile forming at the constantly-moving hands. “...AN HOUR BEFORE NOON!”

 

[TreasureSniper]

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

The team's happy meal time was a worthwhile endeavor. For Talio at least. He got to taste a good amount of local delicacies and more importantly, gain some valuable insight onto his fellow guildmates. Everyone was present, except for Endymion. As per Lori's request, he shares a few of his stories with them. Bandit ambushes were very common during his journey, likely due to him traveling alone, without bodyguards. Despite this, he seemed proud about this, since bodyguard wages tend to add up. And every now and again he would get lucky, meeting a bandit with a bounty. After that, he moved on to detailing the type of goods and services he offered, ranging from survival supplies for adventurers to general weapon maintenance. All and all, he paints himself as just another merchant, albeit one that prefers to travel alone.

After finishing his meal, he shared the fact that he would be living in his carriage instead of the guild's accommodation. As a gesture of goodwill, he was willing to sell any of his goods to them at cost prices if they needed them. Additionally, he would offer his services for free as well. He saw it as an investment, as well as a challenge.

Talio returned to the hall, now with some leather armor over his suit and a sword on each hip, looking much more battle-ready than before. "Careful Lori. We need to exercise more patience, lest we want to be reprimanded for our "enthusiasm"." He said jokingly, referencing how he got reprimanded for his apparent "enthusiasm." and "eagerness". "Perhaps it's best for us to wait for everyone to arrive. That way they won't have to explain everything twice." And there he was, exercising more "patience.". Whatever this errand was, he had hoped that it would be worth his time. He wasn't looking for anything extravagant, just something that is more fruitful than his other activities. After all, if he wasn't selling his wares, he would rather be questing. Will this quest prove to be more beneficial than his usual sales? Time to find out.

 

[lunar_moth]

SOUTHERN PAWN SHOP, TYLSEN
​

A couple of things happen in a very short period of time, is the thing. Frankly, too many things, one might say, in the span of a short lunchtime before a much more important quest, but, well, life is full of surprises. Anyways, it happens like this:

Endymion goes to the pawn shop across town, and only gets a little bit distracted by a street vendor (selling the most beautiful fountain pens, holy crap, those would write so crisp in his journal, do you think he has enough money to swing it— no, nope, remember what you’re here for-) Good news!

The pawn shop has, in fact, kept his walking stick like promised (it is, after all, a very lovingly hand-carved piece of work, and quite the valuable possession even for someone above his… er, income level). Better news!

The bad news is, um, well, the interest on his staff has gone up quite a bit, more than Endymion had been anticipating, but it’s really alright, technically he still has enough cash to buy it back, it just means maybe he won’t buy lunch for himself from a vendor stall on the way back to the guild is all.

“Eheh, see, this is why I try not to worry too much about material things,” Endymion says to the pawnbroker (a measly old man who sets off zero mental alarm bells) with a sparkly little flourish of the hand as he uses the other to pat around his pocket, “—people are one thing, but stuff like this always works out in the end. A couple of missed meals here and there, maybe some nights camped out behind a tree; there are ways to stretch a feln if you need to. That’s just common sense I think. Besides, sometimes there are more important things to save your money for than pricey inn rooms, like new pens, or books, or— or- er, well…”

A beat; only disrupted by the rustle-clink of loose coins and crumpled papers in Endymion’s pockets.

“Ha. Hahah. Um, one moment please, it seems I’ve misplaced my redemption ticket. Hold on, I’m sure I have it some…. where…..” he trails off, slowly and surely realizing he does not, in fact, have the ticket anywhere on his person.

Shit. Where did it go? Did it fall out of my bag overnight? Ugh, it must have been when that farmer’s stupid goat got into my things and ate a page out of my sketchbook. He probably ate the ticket I was using as a bookmark, too!

“I know it seems like I probably don’t have the ticket on me,” Endymion begins, nonchalant. “And that may very well be true. But, well, what you haven’t considered, is maybe, well— SUPER HYDRO ATTACK POWER, GO.”

His newly-equipped arcanizer glows its brilliant blue. The thing is though that hydro magic does, in fact, work differently than the other kinds of magic, and the skill does not in fact carry over. So rather than forming a very cool platform of ice beneath their feet that would trip up the pawnbroker and allow Endymion to snatch his walking stick from behind the counter and skate away, all it really does is drip some water onto the floorboards.

“Ahahah. Well, that didn’t go how I had hoped.” Endymion eyes the pawnbroker warily. Then he lunges over the counter and snatches the walking stick anyways, and scurries out the pawnshop as fast as he can. He tosses the redemption fee over his shoulder as he goes, calling back, “I’M SORRY.”

***

KRIEGSLÖWE GUILDHALL, TYLSEN​

Back at the guildhall, Endymion arrives only looking marginally more frazzled than he did the first time. This time he’s accompanied by his good ol’-faithful walking stick, three quarters of his height tall and painstakingly carved out of a fallen tree limb in swirling, wave-like patterns along the top and bottom ends. The woven leather grip under his hand feels just as familiar as the last time he held it. I can’t believe I went so long without the only thing I own that resembles a weapon, and didn’t even think to collect it before showing up at the adventuring guild no less. How stupid! Perhaps my greater power forgot she wrote the staff into my inventory at the beginning of all this and needed a convenient storage place for it to have been. Small details. For unrelated reasons, Endymion trips on a pebble while walking up the path to the guild.

Endymion had skipped a “proper” lunch on the way back, but fortunately, he’s long since taken to carrying around his own supply of hand-cured rations, and it’s while munching (or more like crunching) on a slice of fruit jerky that he catches Arien’s figure waiting with the other girl and… a bluebird (?), and he gives them an exaggerated wave.

“Hey!” Endymion greets, coming to a stop nearby the senior Kriegslöwen. Somehow he feels much more confident with his walking stick in hand. Maybe it’s because he feels much more officially adventurer-looking now, and much less out of place among the other adventurers. “I suppose the others are just arriving now?”

“HEY, ARIEN! ARE YOU HERE YET?—“

He winces. There was the answer to his question now. He didn’t mind Lori, at least, and the merchant boy accompanying her was… proper. Moreso than her. So Endymion turns to face them and aims a wave in their direction. “Over here!”

He flashes them a bit of a nervous grin. Ergh, he’s still a little anxious around so many people who seem much more sure of their being here than him, but if they’re going to work together in any capacity, he should probably at least try to act like a normal, friendly person.

“Sorry I missed lunch! I had business to attend to. No matter now; I trust you all had a good time? And if you find yourselves hungry later on, I’ve come prepared with snacks!” He holds up the little satchel containing his stash of dried fruits and meats. The contents of the bag crunch together ominously in a way that food should not. “Homemade. I promise it’s good!”

Reinhardt (Arien) ERode (Lori) TreasureSniper (Talio)

 

[King Crimson]

Current Location: Helos' Inn​

"...And then, I looked him in the eye, my lance at his throat, and I told him 'When you reach the gatekeeper of hell, tell him that you were felled by Cressey, in nine strikes, one minute and fifty-five seconds!" Cressey boastfully declared, one foot planted upon the chair beneath her, while the other was perched upon the table.
The Helos Family Inn, a rustic, comfortable place; it's walls and floors were built with rich, dark, Raeligardian mahogany, all cut, processed and lacquered with painstaking care upon the very ground the building stood upon, and covered with numerous pelts and trophies which displayed prominently from every walls, so that no matter where one looked, their eyes would no doubt be assured that whatever it was they were eating, it would be fresh, local, and it's life taken with the utmost respect.
It was here, over a vibrant assortment of drinks, seasoned meats, fruits and cheeses, that Cressey proudly regaled the group with the equally thrilling and terrifying exploits of her first mission, throwing in a bit of dramatic flare where needed, and omitting some of the more...unnecessary details (such as when she nearly lost her lance, along with her life, at the hands of that bloodthirsty scoundrel, Lou the Jackal, as she later learned of his name.)
"...But, in my mercy, I chose not to cut the man's life down, and instead struck him aside the head," Cressey concluded, taking a swig from the wooden tankard held in her hand, which held a sweet blend of sweet fruit juice mixed with spring water, in leu of the watered down mead and wines chosen by her companions.
She held no love for the sour, bitter taste of hops and rotten grapes, and getting tipsy before a mission sounded like a poor idea, besides.
"After that..." she continued, plopping back down into her seat, grabbing a hold of one of the skewered fish sat before her, her own catch as she was told.
"...We rounded up the rest of the bandits, I rounded up the rest of my group, and then we all finally left that thrice damned sewer behind."
With a wistful sigh, her gaze flew drifted towards a small painting framed between what remained of a particularly fierce-looking beast, depicting the gathered men and women that had been it's downfall.
"...It was... quite an interesting turn from simple rat hunting, that's for sure," she chuckled to herself, single thought passing through her mind, as she filled her mouth with the salty, savory taste of tender fish flesh;
I wonder how they're faring now, without me there?
---

Current Location: Guild Hall​

With their bellies filled, and preparations having been made, the group of fledgling guild members returned to the guild, ready for whatever was to be thrown their way.
It was close to midday now, at the appointed hour when they were to reconvene for their first task, and the guild was now abuzz with activity, with Arien nowhere to be found among the ever shifting sea of people.

Storytelling aside, Cressey, for her part as the group's senior member (oh, how she relished that role!), took it upon herself in figuring out more about what, and who it was she would be working with in the near future, over the course of their lunch.
Though, seeing as it was their chance to prove themselves to the guild, and not hers, Cressey resolved to only step in if it was absolutely necessary.
...Or if she got bored, whichever came first.

Lori for most part, had spent most of the meal happily chattering away, when she wasn't excitedly sampling everything on the table with equal enthusiasm.
At first, seeing those massive black talons of hers, and discovering her past as a courier, Cressey had expected the avian beastkin to have some degree of knowledge of self-defense, but to her surprise, the girl was for the most part, inexperienced, and had come armed with only a simple sling and a few stones.
What worried Cressey more, however, was how nice she was.
She just didn't strike her as someone who could fight, hurt, kill, if needed.
In fact, she seemed like she would sooner waltz right up to the first bloodthirsty marauder she encountered, and ask them how they were enjoying the weather.
If the worst had come to past, and she found herself having to fight tooth and nail for her life, would she be able to?
No...and she hopefully wouldn't have to.
I'll step in long before it reaches that point Cressey quietly resolved, watching as the girl happily bounded to and fro on her long, scaled legs.
Before she could think more on that issue, however, Lori opened her mouth, and unleashed a hidden weapon upon her; a loud, shrill cry that, having the misfortune of being right next to the girl, left Cressey's ears ringing from the deafening volume of her voice.
It only lasted for a brief moment, however, before the sound of her voice was seemingly swallowed up by the cacophonous rabble of the crowd.

Talio, however, according to his recounts of his travels, seemed far more experienced with encounters of the hostile kind, holding a twin pair of blades at his hips with outward confidence, and dressed in a fine suit of leather armor.
And, like any enterprising Valgem merchant, he even offered some of his goods and services to boot!
"Ah, good. I've been searching for a new weapon repair box," Cressey had replied in passing, recounting the numerous nicks and scratches that had formed on her lance since her previous tools had fallen into disuse.
She wouldn't mind a few other keepsakes she could only find at her homeland, either, but that was best saved for another time, and though she was glad to for the opportunity, she couldn't help but feel there was something...off about the fellow.
Maybe it was how evasive, and impersonal he came across, or maybe it was the way one of his arms always seemed to kept in careful concealment, or maybe it was just that Cressey had little love for the Valgemian Aristocratic class.
In any case, Cressey had no room to judge the man for his elusiveness. After all, she was harboring a few secrets of her own, so she could relate.
"Agreed," Cressey pensively chimed in alongside the merchant, massaging away the dull ringing in her aching eardrum as she shot Lori a flat, unamused leer.
"Though I'll sooner scold you for driving me deaf."

Endymion had not been present at the luncheon, so Cressey still couldn't get much of an impression on him, though his anxious stuttering throughout the tour didn't inspire much confidence.
When Cressey heard him calling out to them amongst the roar of the crowd, and finally managed to spot his figure amongst the growing crowd of adventurers, she remarked that somehow, he only managed to look worse for wear than before, a wooden cane clutched in his hand, as his other hand beckoned them over.
Arien was sat next to him, in a bench crowded by numerous other guildmates.
Oddly, he looked quite serene among the chaos, his head down, and his eyes closed, as the small messenger bird flying in circles just above his head like a little angel.
"Glad you could join us, Trembler." Cressey remarks, giving Endymion another once over.
From the looks of it, the cane in his hand was the closest thing he had as a weapon, and some bits of his clothes seemed slightly...damp?
Odd...
Well, he was here, anyways.
Cressey had half-suspected that the lad had gone off to sell his arcanizer and zauberite at the earliest opportunity, and that she would never see him again.
She'd heard of such cases happening within the guild before, after all.
With a brow raised in interest, Cressey hesitantly asks, "I trust you were able to find whatever it was you were searching for?"
She casts aside the question before he has a chance to offer with a small huff, turning towards the senior guild member.
"In any case, we're all present and accounted for. Now what mission do you have in store for us?"
After a few brief moments, Cressey threateningly adds, her arcanizer hand raised, "...And if you've been sleeping here the entire time, don't think I won't hesitate to shock you awake!"





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

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Oyten, mayor's residence​

"Well, of course, of course! You seem like fine folk and I don't want ya gettin' yerselves killed on my behalf. I would prefer ye not slay the beast, but even I know peace ain't always an option," the mayor said with a friendly laugh and a light clap on her shoulder when Thea suggested that preserving the beast might not be an option or that it might come back. “‘Try’ is all I ask of ya,” the man concluded.

Falco was thankful she had brought it up before he did. He had spent the last minute or so searching for the right way to breach the issue without offending her or their client. Thankfully, Thea went right in, choosing her words more carefully than he probably would have. Still, despite the man's smile, he had made his desires clear. Killing the beast would not be a failure in his eyes, but it was not exactly what he wanted.

We’ll see, was Falco’s thoughts on the matter. Until they saw the damned creature, there was no way of knowing their options.

To her inquiry about the logging companies, Falco sensed a shift in the man's demeanor, something marginally more serious lying beneath the friendly facade as he opened the door and gestured for them to enter. "Smells like breakfast is just about ready. Let’s get outta this weather, aye. We can discuss more o'er a hot plate," he said, putting the talk of business momentarily on hold as he ushered them inside, out of the rain.

The group paused to remove their muddy boots by the door... well, those who actually wore boots or footwear of any kind. They were soon met by his wife, a round, rosy-cheeked, middle-aged woman with a gentle smile permanently affixed to her face. Once they were seated at the somewhat small dining table, she disappeared back into the kitchen, while Mayor Johnson engaged them in some minor banter. Falco excused himself to be of some help there, for it seemed the polite thing to do and he was not accustomed to free meals.

Mrs. Mayweather wasn't quite as chatty as her husband, but still a joy to work with. She had sausage and eggs and an assortment of vegetables all going at once, as well as the smell of bread and sweetrolls wafting through the air. While the mayor's home wasn't quite as advanced as what could be seen in Achelreide or Tylsen, they weren't without some newer amenities. Manatech lighting was found throughout and his wife was very proud of her new manatech oven. No more stoking fires or shoveling coals. It was about the only thing she talked about in any length during Falco's brief time with her.

Fortunately, the kitchen was still within earshot of the dining room, in case anything of substance was said. Most of what he heard was mere small talk, until Thea asked about the mayor’s position, to which the man replied he was mostly ‘just a caretaker.’ Oyten and its surrounding lands were the property of a very wealthy noble family. The ‘mayor’ was selected by the residents and approved by that family to keep the peace amongst the various loggers, woodsmen, and craftsmen who lived and worked here.

In brief, he was a middleman, so the nobles didn’t have to trek into this mudpit more often than absolutely necessary and the people could feel some degree of control over their fate… but that was mostly an illusion. The town’s guards were bannermen of said family. They answer to the mayor, but it’s clear who their real masters are.

Quite the balancing act this guy is putting on, Falco thought.

He was still explaining this when they began to set the table and bring out the food. The old man had a tendency to ramble on and on. While speaking of his role in the town, he transitioned into talking about some of the other factions. People paid the lord for rights to use this land for various purposes, big or small. Managing who can cut where and what they can harvest is a big part of his job. Most were here for the logging, but the Oytenrand Woods offered much more than that. There were three main parties they were told to look out for:

The first was the Jacobee Brothers Logging Company. “That big building at the end of the street, biggest building in town? That’s their sawmill,” the mayor explained. The actual logging takes place about an hour away from the town, but the logs are hauled back here for processing. JB mostly harvests lumber for construction, and are the biggest outfit in town, with the most workers, and largest land rights. Oyten probably wouldn’t be here without them. Naturally, one of their men was the first to get attacked, four days ago, but the company didn’t speak up until later, after rumors started to spread. When pressed for information about the attack, details were sparse, at best.

The mayor didn’t seem very fond of Jacobee and explained they probably know more than they’re letting on. They employ a lot of men, which means a lot of eyes in the woods, and their land rights cover the largest area. Due to their presence, they seemed like the best place to start asking questions, but also seemed the most resistant. When the attacks continued and he ordered everyone out of the forests, they gave the most pushback and even tried to hire hunters to deal with it themselves, despite knowing he was calling in specialists. He had used Kriegslowe’s services before, usually to cull threats from deeper within the forest, but it was clear they either didn’t think Kriegslowe could handle this, didn’t want to wait, or didn’t want adventurers poking around.

The second largest faction in town was Lewis and Sons, a smaller logging company. They primarily focused on hardwoods and premium lumber, the type of stuff used to make high end furniture and fancy coaches. The mayor described their workers as ‘very professional’ and the owner as a ‘nice guy.’ Then again, he seemed to say that about a lot of people in this town. Their land rights partially overlap with Jacobee’s, but they don’t look for the same things, so they tend to get along well enough. One of their men got slashed pretty badly three days ago, which blew the lid off of the situation.

“He seemed pretty shaken up when questioned, but he’s had time to rest and get his head straight, so might be able to say more now,” the mayor added. By now, the food had arrived and he thanked his wife before thanking Aurelia. Mayor Mayweather led everyone in a prayer, not only for the meal but for their safety on the road ahead.

Oh, if only he knew, Falco thought as he quietly prayed a prayer of his own. Please, Goddess, don't let these heretics screw this up...

As they ate, the mayor picked up where he had left off. “Where was I? Oh, right, right… Ravenloft,” he said, pausing to chew his food. “Bit of an oddball, but nice folks. Real smart.” He explained that this third faction was less of a ‘company’ in its own right, and more of a research group or something associated with a school in Achelreide. (The name didn’t ring any bells for Falco; then again, he wasn’t exactly a scholar back then.) The Oytenrand Woods are home to some unique flora and fauna, especially deeper in. These folks comb the forest for rare ingredients and to study rare creatures. They’re not the only ones who do so, but are definitely the most knowledgeable.

“They were attacked two days ago. Said it dropped outta the trees and was gone ‘fore they knew what happened,” the mayor explained. Just like the other two incidents, they didn’t get a good look at the creature, but they did write down everything they remembered, as soon as possible, and even sketched some details of the scene. Their report would probably be the most concrete account of what had taken place and their thirst for knowledge meant they had nothing to hide. "Those eggheads will probably wanna study it or somethin,'" the mayor said, wagging his fork at them. "Might even try to tag along with ya, if you let 'em, but watch out! As far as I know, they can't fight worth a damn and their enthusiasm might get the better of 'em. I don't wanna see nobody get hurt, y'hear."

As breakfast concluded, the group slipped back into idle chat, until they realized over an hour had passed. It was now properly morning time, instead of the hazy pre-dawn darkness of their arrival. The rain had let up, but lingering clouds suggested it could come back at any time. Anyone worth questioning was probably awake, so now seemed as good a time as any to get the investigation underway.

The recruits thanked the man for his hospitality, as well as the information. As the mayor led them toward the door, Falco remembered something he had meant to ask, a question that had lingered in the back of his mind for a while now. Unfortunately, he completely lost his train of thought when Mrs. Mayweather smothered him in a very generous hug. She did the same for some of the others, but he felt his was extra special. When she finally released him, he staggered toward the door, red-faced and dazed. They were on the porch before he remembered where he was and- oh, right! I was gonna ask about the observer!

"Other Kriegslowen, aye?" the mayor said, twirling the tips of his beard after Falco finally got his quesiton out.

Falco didn't lie, but chose his words carefully, so as not to let on that Cephilia had sent a 'babysitter.' He made it sound as if this other adventurer was merely a comrade, a peer they were to rendezvous with, rather than a superior. Don't want him to think we can't handle this, the boy thought as he met the mayor's eyes.

"Nah, you's the first I've seen recently," the man replied. "But we've hired Kriegslowen in the past, when scoutin' out the deep woods stirs up somethin' fierce. Like I said, they always done fine by me. I wonder if it's somebody I know? Heh, when ya find 'em, tell 'em Ol' Man Johnson said 'hey.'" He chuckled to himself. "Anyway, off ya go! I look forward to hearin' what ya find. We all do."
Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax)

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Currently: Breakfast at mayors
Thinking: "What's with this? Why's there so little information? Why are we here, this is fishy.."

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

While they held prayer over breakfast towards the goddess Aurelia, Hyss silently prayed to her own god. It wasn't that she didn't believe Aurelia existed, the goddess was simply not the god that Hyss had chosen to worship. Still, she could be respectful when others were worshipping her. She hoped a silent prayer to another god wouldn't offend Aurelia, or better yet, go unnoticed.

"If no one knows what the creature is or looks like, then why is this classified as an F-D rank mission? How can it be classified so low with so much unknown?" Hyss couldn't help but wonder aloud. Not for the first time did she think this mission's parameters were bizarre. It was like the sewers situation all over again, only that time the bandits had been a random unknown, and not part of the mission. This WAS the mission, so in her opinion, this was worse. "Either there are things people do know about it, and they're not telling us everything, or everyone simply guessed it was a critter that wasn't that dangerous, and threw us at it in hopes they guessed right. Neither of which is a good way of setting a mission." She narrowed her eyes at the mayor, he was the one who sent the request in after all.

"No." Was all she replied with. Hyss didn't see any merit in letting those "egghead" types tag along. It would just make their mission harder and be an extra dangerous hassle to have to account for them and look after them mid-mission. Even worse if they were liable to run around in the forest at every little thing that tickled their fancy. That was a HUGE headache for any sort of tracker.

She sighed inwardly as her concerns were left unanswered. It seemed they needed to talk to The Jacobee and Lewis and Sons employees for any concrete information. Though it sounded like the Jacobee people were being tight-lipped about it for whatever reason. "Well let's go then," she murmured; the hooded girl trekking towards those establishments as the morning light came over the trees.

 

[Topless]

Location: Mayor's Residence, Oyten

As they ate their breakfast, Sakura had listened to every detail the group needed in regards about the beast and those affected. The mayor mentioned three logging companies heavily affected by the rampages of the beast. After they have ate their breakfast, it was now time for the group to go get information from the companies. Sakura didn't need to speak, but would prefer that she only do.

AnonyMouse Reinhardt RedArmyShogun EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko Huntertabbysandshark3
​

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oyten
​

As the old man went about his stories and answered the questions about the job, Thea mostly kept her expressions contained during the meal, occasionally remarking here and there, though in note of Hyss she seemed more careful with her words in front of the mayor. Well, more of the village choice to "run" things. He had no actual power and the Noble that ran the territory was unfortunately one of "those" sorts of nobles. So long as the profits came in and the Capital didn't have reason to come in, they did not care what happened. Such a noble did a disservice to the title and made the Republic look desirable in the eyes of the peasantry.

"Hyss, the guild would not have sent us if they had no faith and this mission will decide our ranking more like than not. It was never going to be Easy. As to why it is ranked as that, no one has yet to die and the incidents, at least those we know of have been few in number. C may very well be overkill. Besides if it is too much then we shall return with a report."

Letting the others speak their own parts as well, Thea adjusted her armored gauntlets and got up from the table. "Thank you for the meal and Goddess bring you light, we shall resolve this matter as quickly as we can so your production may resume." She said as she got up and looked at Hyss once more as she said "No." In reference to the Ravenloft, causing Thea to remember yet another lesson her father had said.

When in lands unknown to you, only a fool turns away the advice and guidance of the locals.

"Hyss, that will be decided in due time. We shall gather findings then decide. You are not in command. I would learn of this forest before it learns of us."

Turning to the rest she focused on the Keypoints of what the Mayor had said as she made her way out.

"Jacobee knows something and is keeping silent. We cannot force answers out of them, but we can remind them of what the guild is and what we do. If they co-operate then it is that much more quickly that they can get back to all this.

Then there is the one attacked with Lewis and Sons. They may actually be keen to speak. Depending on what we find out I would consult with Ravenloft to see what beasts it could be. Least we want to slay everything till we get lucky. They study and know these woods; we ignore such expertise at our peril. However, that doesn't mean I want to take one of them with us for now. Jacobee is our most useful lead but also if they defy the leadership of a local and would hire hunters to purge the woodland, they know what it is, or they are plotting well past their means and engage what some would consider heresy. We could split up and talk to both and then meet up at the traders to relay what we learned, or we go together, or have a third team to gather supplies. I shall speak with Jacobee, or Falco may as I trust his ability to reason with others. Should none argue against this brief split two more tasks remain to be done."

Interactions: All present

 

[Silver Wolf]

Location: Helos' Inn ---> Guildhall

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


​

By in large, their lunch conversation had been overtaken by the small being known as Cressey as she told of a daring adventure she had taken recently, with some obvious flare of course. Lupa for her part had spent time in the military and was used to hearing exaggerated stories. Of course, that didn't make them any less entertaining. Lupa found some enjoyment trying to find the truth in her words.

She had forgone any alcoholic drinks, instead choosing an un-fermented cider which was pleasant enough. If she weren't a light weight she would gladly have something harder than pressed apples, but alas, here she was. The story itself was rather, odd, considering the whole part about the sewers and the bandits living in there. How in the name of the goddess did bandits get in the sewers anyways? While she had heard of underground crime networks using the underground to slip past the guards, she had never heard of outlaws in the sewers. That begged an entirely different question itself. So, she decided to take Cressey's story with a grain of salt.

Lori and Talio seemed to enjoy their meal, and she also joined in chatting with Lori during lapses or pauses in Cressey's storytelling. She also learned Talio was in his carriage, so at least he had shelter.

After the lunch, the group marched back to the guild, where upon promptly not immediately finding Arien, Lori and, surprisingly, Endymion shouted for the man. Oh, Endymion was here. He hadn't joined them for lunch, but she looked at him curiously as she saw him dripping wet with water she couldn't identify the odor of. She guessed he had made his way to the pawn shop to find what he was looking for, only to see a...walking stick? What in the world was this lad thinking? A walking stick?! In her cellar she had far better weapons than a walking stick. Sure, a lot were two-handed weapons even she found heavy, but still. If she searched hard enough she might have been able to find a rapier or a short sword, something that could cut and stab.

"What in the world did you get a walking stick for? I could easily have parted with something better than...that. The utility is nice, but why not have something capable." She tapped on the hilt of her rapier to emphasise the point, but she got distracted when she noticed the scent of the blue bird mildly hanging in the air. It was a fresh scent too, so she inhaled and turned her head a little in each direction, sampling them before her eyes found it hovering above a familiar, plain, head of hair. "Ah, there's Arien."

With a very short, negligable walk separating them, they made their way over quickly where Cressey immediately inquired about their first task. Lupa gazed to the senior guild member, eagerly listening with erect ears and a still tail that thumped a little at random intervals.

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Location: Oyten
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

As they delved in further to this mystery creature, Lucia found more strangeness afoot. Firstly, and the most disagreeable, the mayor wanted it kept alive if necessary. It wasn't even for any logical reason, simply superstition and faith. While Lucia was also raised under the Aurelian faith, she didn't covet life to the extent that even beasts should be held to the same pedestal as sentient beings. Especially, not one rabidly attacking those it comes across.

The only silver lining is that he wasn't hard-stuck on this point. It was preference, but not a point of contention. Lucia breathed an internal sigh a relief as she ate, mostly listening in and absorbing what was said.

The other point that struck her came from Thea's statement that they should possibly retreat. The words of their dear mentor still stuck in her mind. They were to prove her wrong, not right. Lucia would sooner delve into that sewer than crawl back to Cephilia with her tail between her legs.

Well, maybe not the sewer.

The "balancing act" of the mayor wasn't all that surprising to Lucia once revealed either. It was something her family would've done, surely. They didn't want to integrate with the plebeians and blue-collars, and the feeling was typically mutual. Someone like the mayor being the front-man was almost a necessity to make sure things ran an smoothly as possible. Though, it also explained why he and his wife were so nonchalant.

As for the loggers, Jacobee sounded the most suspicious. It wasn't unheard of for a business to value their profits over their workers, but their attitude toward the whole thing was just odd. More so their delay in wanting to deal with the problem. After all, the beast was inhibiting them as well. Even if not connected, Lucia wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to keep closed lids on something else.

The other business sounded more typical with nothing quite standing out as much as the first. Hopefully they could get in contact with the victim and know what they were looking for.

However, it was finally time for the entire silver lining of this trip; the food. Real food. Lucia was ecstatic and it showed on her face given the haughty Caskarieth actually looked genuinely happy, almost like when she bonded with that lamb that Thea wouldn't let her keep. However, even absorbed with the meal, she was still listening in.

The research institute might prove fruitful as well, though like Hyss, Lucia was against having them accompany them. It was hard to focus on fighting when you also had to worry about protecting others.

Nonetheless, Lucia thanked them for the meal, straightened herself after the surprise show of affection which was more than her own mother gave her, and departed with the rest.

"Either they know something or they have something they don't want anyone else to know," Lucia piped in. "Jacobee, while larger than the other businesses it seems is still rather blue-collar. I'm not sure how well they would take to me. I think I would speak more in tongue with these researchers."

Interactions: @A-team

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Oyten, main street​

"We're here because someone thinks we can handle it. And there's six of us," Falco said, lowering his voice in response to Hyss's concerns about the mission's rank. And an observer, in case we fuck this up... which we won't! he thought. "'D' ain't exactly low, ya know. Most of the folks in the guild hall are D or less. But, if we work together, we got this, alright," he added, with a smile for Hyss.

Falco was about to weigh in on Hyss's other concerns, but Thea spoke first, mirroring some of his thoughts, while adding a few of her own. Of particular interest to him was her words that they could return with only a report if the situation proved to be beyond their depth. While Falco didn't like the idea of going back empty-handed, even he had to admit it took a great deal of maturity to know one's limits and act accordingly. Thea was definitely, umm, unique in that regard.

Surely, the guild would respect such level-headedness... right? Surely, their superiors would prefer they return with information than not return at all. He imagined even someone as stern as Cephilia would shed a secret tear or two if she had to launch a search party for six dead recruits... oh, wait, she already took steps to prepare for that. Damn.

If not for the good food and good company, this thought might have soured his mood. Fortunately, Falco wasn't quite so easy to bring down. Once he had eaten his fill, he sat back, content with watching the others, especially the abnormally chipper Lucia. Normally, he would be a lot more talkative, but he didn't want to screw anything up in front of Thea. For whatever reason, he sensed she had little faith in him; remaining silent and waiting for a golden moment to prove himself seemed the best way to avoid confirming her suspicions, especially in front of their client. making a fool of himself before his friends was Falco's modus operandi, but not when there was a business relationship on the line.

Once they were outside, the knightess laid out her opinions and potential plan of attack. To Falco's surprise, she showed some faith in his ability to communicate with others. Nice! This small token of acknowledgement caused the boy's lips to curve into a smile which some might call 'enthusiastic' while others might describe as downright dastardly.

"Much obliged, milady. I do consider myself both a reasonable man an an unabashed connoisseur of the linguistic arts," he said with an... ummm... mock 'accent' of some sort while he bowed deeply, peering up at Thea through half-lidded eyes. He tipped his non-existant hat at her before continuing in a slightly more sobering tone:

"I disagree on one point, though: we can force answers outta them," Falco said, his gaze leveling with her. "The mayor runs this town and he hired us to do what he can't or won't. My guess is, he didn't press too hard for answers 'cuz he's gotta smile and break bread with these guys after the dust settles. But we don't. If we gotta come in hard, we can, and he'll keep his nose clean. Not sayin' we should!" he swiftly added, throwing up his hands in innocence. "I'm just sayin,' there ain't much reason to play nice when these guys have already shown they want the rough road."

"I say we march in there, all together. Weapons holstered, but visible. Talk respectful, but firmly. We can play it by ear, try to get an audience with the victim and any witnesses." He looked to Lucy. "I don't know how to say this without sounding like... ummm... 'me,'" he chuckled, "but I think blue-collar blokes with take to you just fine, sweetheart. Just act natural. Be the, umm, candy coating over the hard, tooth-shattering interior." He returned his attention to Thea with a shrug. "I don't really have much of a plan past that. We start nice and if they wanna escalate things, we escalate things... but only to a point. The potential for violence is worth a lot more than violence itself. The moment knives come out, both parties have lost," he said.

"I've, uhh, lost enough times to know," he added with a nervous laugh, punctuated by a wink which wasn't fooling anyone. "So, trust me. I got this."
Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax)

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oyten
​

Listening to Falco as he voiced his own plan, he was correct more or less, they could force the situation. That was within their power, it just wasn't ideal. Though his suggestion to use Lucia to warm over the blue collar was in its own way amusing, though in her own way she thought of this as a bad idea least he wanted her pulling class over them, or was just admiring her features. Still his other motives aside, given the knight wasn't so inept to not notice how quickly he had jumped to partner with the Elf, he did raise points she could agree with. Frightening them without harming them with a little show of force would be for the best.

"Hmm.. That is not a bad suggestion. I can stand around like an armored statue, adding words as need be like a guard at a Lord's Ball. Though we should not make it known we are F rank, they sound like the sorts to use it against us. We must also decide who is the good and bad jailer. Speak with them as best suits each of us. But with a common goal. That goal being learning what they are hiding or at least what details they will part with. I also agree, if things get to the point or near the point of violence we should likely leave. It will not look good on the Guild if we injure or goddess forbid, kill a bunch of woodsmen. I don't think they will try something that foolish to us, but we cannot assume they are friends to us and till we know motives, that they will not get in our way. Then again if we make it known we plan to solve the problem of the beast they could be willing to help us.

Also, as I said if the problem is too much for us, we'll send word to the guild, but given the funds we must sink into this mission that will only be done if all else fails. I cannot speak for the rest of you, but given how long this mission may take, I don't think I'll have much Feln left till we are paid. And I would like to get out of that small barracks sooner than later."


With all of this said she seemed to have signed off on Falco's plan as she looks at the rest in turn seeing if they had naught on their minds. "If some of you disagree with this or rather make use of your time with getting supplies or something else, now is the time to speak up, otherwise this is our plan then we go to speak to the last two sources and decide next actions from there."

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Huntertabbysandshark3 Topless

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

interaction: RedArmyShogun AnonyMouse​

it seemed like they wouldn’t get anywhere just talking to the mayor as he seemed to just as little of an idea of what the creature was as themselves or even if it was something that even deserted to be relocated tho breakfast was good so that was a big bonus still worrisome about the lack of any information like really, however once again Falco had an excellent idea tho Risax was considering it himself go at talk to the logging companies as see if they had any further information on the situation, the mayor was probably selected for how agreeableness to everything so pressing matter were likely not in his nature. “perfect idea if anything the logger will be far more receptive to our questioning then the mayor seeing as it’s their men being attacked unless they know as little as we do the. I suppose we are more or less out of luck“ Risax replied with a small nod. “If we do need someone else somewhat scary I’m sure I can provide some intimidation or a few eloquent words as a man of trade myself well at least for such a background" Risax added in rather prefering to go along and look into this further then putter around watching some of the less agreeable members likely get into an argument over the inflated price of bread excused by the monster attacks.

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Currently: About to talk to locales
Thinking: "I don't wanna! I don't wanna!.. Waaa, what am I saying?!"

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

Hyss still couldn't fathom why there was a mission provided with so little information. It wasn't just that it was their mission, or that it held the potential for them to rank up, it was just silly and reckless. None of the other missions -well, save for that weird "come to the mystery party", or whatever was mission- were this vague, were they? Surely to put up a notice in the guild meant you had to provide adequate information enough that the guild knew what to expect. Regardless, they were here now. And Thea did make a pretty good point.

No one had actually been killed yet. Which implied the danger wasn't all that great, and she was just looking too much into it. And if it did prove outside their scope, then as Thea suggested, they could simply back off with a report saying so. Her snow-cold eyes briefly flickered over to Falco.

The hooded girl gave a polite nod to Thea, indicating she saw the wisdom and understood. It still didn't sit right with her that people were intentionally holding back information (whatever their reason may be) and making this mission harder because of it, but she would be mum about it going forward.

"I wasn't making an order, I was putting in my opinion... We can still learn about the forest without taking a tag-a-long who would not only be a liability, but would just be putting themselves in danger." She glanced briefly over at the mayor.

Then she turned to him and his wife and the little hooded girl bowed down. "Shhans'ifhi. It means thank you. Thank you for your hospitality."

Now onto the topic of finding out information. Hyss didn't really understand what he meant when he suggested Lucia would be useful. To her, that seemed rather foolish. Hyss didn't have anything in particular against the other girl -er- woman. In fact, she rather liked the Caskarieth. That glib tongue of hers was similar to her own. Except, only colored by weird flowery language that Hyss could only guess came from a prissier background. But other than that, Lucia only seemed like she'd make the situation worse. Again, you could thank her glib tongue for that. If he meant Lucia should attempt some sort of seduction tactics... -Well, Hyss had no real -er- understanding on the matter, but she did assume the moment Lucia opened her mouth the illusion would be broken. However, there was one aspect she understood.

"I agree with Falco," she spoke up in a dark tone. "I can help with -coaxing information out of our targets, if need be. I..." Her eyes, beneath her hood, but visible enough to the others, shifted around, obviously displaying a bit of discomfort at her own suggestion; her tongue staying itself briefly. And was that a subtle frown? "-I can provide a bit of intimidation. Send me to wherever some may be useful... I do not like this approach, but if our attempts at talking need a firmer touch, then you can rely on me." It wasn't ideal, nor was it something she wanted to do. "If our targets make all nice-like and chat willingly, that'd be preferable.." she murmured, hoping to clear up any misunderstandings. The tone of the Beastkin's voice was a bit gloomy.

At Thea's words Hyss's eyes narrowed. Maybe she hadn't made herself clear enough. "No one needs to get violent. Let me slip in a room with any unwilling target and I'll loosen up their tongue real quick. No one.. has to know." Hyss fell silent for a moment. "Likely, no connection will be made to the guild either if I am discreet. The guild -if need be- can simply claim ignorance if anything particularly untoward is claimed, but, I.. doubt it will be."

That was enough. Aw man, Hyss really didn't like talking. She lowered her head, till her hood cast her face once more in shadow. Gosh, this had gotten complicated. "Maybe they'll just wanna tell us what they know..."

 

[Reinhardt]

Arien Bermille​

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall, Tylsen​

One by one, the recruits arrived at the guildhall, each with their own way of finding and reaching Arien, and in some cases, not doing so at all. The young beastfolk named Lori would fall to the latter, with the Valgemian merchant Talio approaching her side as she voiced out her thoughts rather loudly. Then came Endymion who was fortunate, or perhaps observant enough to head where the senior Kriegslöwe awaited, shortly followed by Cressey.

"Not quite.", Arien responded to the twin-tailed blonde with regards to her statement of the recruits being all present. "Some are...", the beastfolk known as Lupa would come into the vicinity as he spoke. "...yet to arrive."

Though the crowd's noise masked many things, Arien seemed to be aware of everything, or at least most of the things that had transpired around and involved him. Without opening his eyes, even for a tiny bit. Perhaps his hearing and other senses were honed enough to such a point, or perhaps there was a different way that he was observing his surroundings. Nevertheless, he did not let Cressey's last remark go unnoticed.

"You may try, but I cannot guarantee it would go unpunished, or even go through at all.", he said, voice brimming with confidence. "Contrary to Miss Kaira's leniency towards roughhousing, it is an unspoken rule to avoid and prevent any unnecessary and pointless fights between Kriegslöwen."

Once everyone was gathered in the same area, including the two who were initially separated, Arien would open his eyes and turn his gaze towards the group of recruits.

"A little late, but I am not a stickler for perfect punctuality, though it is always better to arrive early than late.", for a short moment, his eyes swiftly darted from one person to the other, as if assessing their readiness once more. After a brief moment of silence, he continued to speak.

"Your first task as Kriegslöwen is to fulfill a request by Hedwig Heine.", he said, as he brought out and unfolded a piece of paper, then presented it to the group. "You are to check on three of his family's and business's warehouses. These have not been attended to for nearly a month now, so expect dust and grime to be abundant in them. You have two things to tick off your list when checking upon them - if there are none of the contents stored in them are missing or damaged, and if the warehouses are still intact."

Arien rose from his seat, and the bird that once hovered in circles above him flew down and perched on his shoulder, shaking its wings for a few seconds as it landed. "I presume you made good use of the time I gave you, so let us be off. The first step is to meet with our client, Hedwig Heine."

"I will be accompanying you only as an observant for your first task, but I will intervene if needed be.", he added, as he gestured them to follow him and began to walk towards the guildhall's entrance. "I will entertain questions, should you have any, along the way."

Before exiting the guildhall, Arien would take a quick glance behind him to check if the recruits were following. Once all were within his sight, he would continue onward, leading them beyond the guildhall's vicinity, and into the streets of Tylsen as they headed to meet their client.

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