Fantasy The Guildstone Chronicles ((Main Hall))

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars Uasal Seraph Darkfire ​

"I will see you tomorrow morning!" Ymir smiled placatingly as the new cleric turned away. They seemed like the type to care too much, though they didn't hide it under a wall of brambles like Azalea did. "Your boyfriend's treatment went well, I can't predict when exactly he'll wake up though."

Ymir paused part way through a wave, smile frozen in place.

All too quickly Kathlyn spun around to continue packing. "I-I'm sorry! That was a weird assumption to make! I'll make sure it doesn't happen again!" The mistake flustered them, their hands fumbling with all the finicky items as Ymir's fingers curled. She pressed against her mouth, watching them move away and finding it hard to be amused when she'd just been knocked so off-kilter herself. She'd never been good at those sorts of situations. Conversations with actual... feelings involved. Some people could wear their heart on their sleeve but Ymir wasn't one.

Maybe Merkon has an item I can use instead. Quite conveniently she'd seen his shop's symbol light up out the corner of her eyes. Same door as always, tucked away at the back of the guild.

Of course she never got a chance. A sudden flash of light had her blinking spots out of her vision, palm to her forehead as a fairy-like and familiar voice piped up from the adjacent seat. "Really Ymir? Your manners have declined so much you'll happily throw your feet upon a table others eat from now? This is why you can't find a suitor you know. That and your obvious fetish for maps and the like."

Oh boy. Trust Eiru to pop up at an inconvenient times.

Ymir plastered on a quick smile, turning over her shoulder. "I'm flattered you thought I had manners in the first place."

The witch waved it off with a lazy smile, her head still on her palm. "You look like you're having about as good a day as I am. All be it you seem more physically beat up than mentally. Care to share with a friend? A non-map friend..."

"I dunno..." Ymir said. "Maps are pretty good at listening."

Azalea, for once, was a welcome presence when she noticed the witch's arrival. Eiru's teasing façade melted right away under the thorny gaze and Ymir had a moment to recover her thoughts as she watched the witch squirm. They were quick to launch into one of their long and impassioned rambles before Azalea could get a word in edge-wise. As entertaining as they usually were, Ymir didn't bother trying to keep up.

"...a gold rank quest? Yeh sure and Ymir here's got a harem!"

-until her name pulled her back into it. She blinked, pulling a face at the witch as they threw their hands up about something. Why was her personal life suddenly in the spotlight? Things were fine! If Leo could hurry up and open his eyes then they could get to drinking and she could forget all about it.

NOW! If youuuulllll excusssseeeee me! I have to help out dear little Ymir here!" Ymir watched Eiru lean over to Azalea, speaking none-too-subtly. "I think she got into another fight with the ground while gliding... that or one of her maps gained sentience and rebelled against her and her weird attraction to them-it-they? I hoping for the second..."

"I'll have you know my gliders are the most reliable thing next to having an air affinity." Though, if Leo had been any indication, perhaps they weren't quite as foolproof as she thought. Ymir pulled her uninjured leg up onto the table, resting her elbow on her knee and her chin on her palm to she stare sidelong at the witch. "They don't compare to maps of course." Especially when hers were the best that side of the continent.

The witch leaned back, linking her arms together like a sagely old man. She is... what, three-hundred?

"Come now, tell me.. what happened, what's on your mind?"

Ymir pressed her lips together, glancing to where Azalea had picked up one of the scrolls. The receptionist's expression was largely indecipherable. Not angry per se, but no where near jovial either. Ymir offered Eiru a pitying smile. "I think my reply will have to wait on that one."

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars Uasal ​

"That would be great, I'll go sit down behind the front desk."

Azalea nodded to Kathlyn as they finished packing up and headed towards their new station. The girl was determined, if nothing else, though from what Azalea had seen there was plenty they were capable of. Much to her relief they plonked their head straight down on their arms rather than attempting any of the paperwork. They needed the rest.

She turned towards the table as a flash marked yet another arrival. It didn't take long for Eiru to notice.

"Azalea..." They turned away from where they'd been talking to Ymir. "Fancy seeing you here haha... look... I might have lost the prince... BUT I completed the mission... Granted there were a lot of setbacks and I may have quite-possibly-more-than-likely-positively dishonoured one of the Guards Generals giving said block head family yet another reason to absolutely hate my guts... BUT as I said mission completed! Yay... woohoo... Why aren't you woohooing... I'm sensing a lack of woohooing here..."

She smiled, linking her arms together. "Want to repeat that part where you dishonored the guard general?"

"Alright look." Eiru set out three scrolls on the table, beginning to speak. Azalea remained silent, aware that once the witch got started they rarely took a break. Despite ending with several light-hearted digs at Ymir, Azalea's expression didn't change much, too busy organising a response in her head.

"I think my reply will have to wait on that one."

For once, the air-headed explorer showed a modicum of situational awareness. Azalea examined the first of the scrolls Eiru had laid out, glancing at the witch over the top of it. First things first.

"I appreciate your feedback my assigning of the difficulty level," Azalea began, somewhat dryly. "Next time I will be sure to add that adventurers should specialise in stealth and recovery when taking on rescue missions."

"Now who's being defensive?" an unhelpful voice supplied. Azalea shot them a warning look and the woman threw up her hands in mock surrender.

"Stay out of it, Ymir." She didn't hide the bite in her tone and the mapmaker rolled their eyes, hopping off the edge of the broken table to shuffle over to the next one. They still had the large, glass-like sphere they'd arrived with tucked under an arm, but Azalea would deal with it later. She focused on recalling what exactly the witch had been saying.

'The quest that was given was considerably understated. The danger levels DRASTICALLY understated.'

"The general conditions for a silver level quest are uncharted or dangerous environments, or an advanced skillset of some kind. Adventurers at that level are expected to be able to recognise their own fields of expertise and adapt to unexpected threats. You should know, especially as a supporting type, that not every adventurer is suited to every kind of quest."

'This first scroll contains the after-action report and the general's acknowledgement of quest completion. This second scroll contains a personal evaluation of the current situation in Solmar and the crypts below as well as my observations and insight into said current happenings. Of course, it's all more or less guesswork due to the rapid pace in which events transpired but I suspect even with that in mind my assumptions are close to the reality.'

"I will look into your evaluation of the scene, but there are already extensive records from the guards in that area."

'Finally this damn third scroll... you know... I really hate nobles! This third scroll is from the Arcane Family's research institution and it details all the information they had in their library pertaining to the area, I shortened said information down into a single scroll of personal footnotes.'

She smiled ever so faintly. That was probably the best news to come out of the situation. "I'm sure the Arcane's knowledge will be of use though. I'm aware that acquiring their research records can be difficult, so thank you."

'I recommend Pri looks into this personally and revaluates the situation. We may need to issue an emergency quest. A gateway to the underworld is not exactly ideal in this day and age...'

Azalea gave a long-suffering sigh at the thought of dealing with Pri. "As for the guildmaster... she has been aware of the situation for quite some time now. I have endeavored to draw her attention to it wherever possible. The issues is her perception of 'emergency' differs from ours by several orders of magnitude." She passed a hand over her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Honestly Eiru, you may as well make that recommendation yourself. You might have more luck than me. I suspect she'll be back soon since there was an incident with the waystone, but at the rate things are going she probably won't be paying attention until the gateway tears itself into a rift."

There was one other thing, though it wasn't quite as life-rending as the mission report. Azalea smiled vaguely as she recalled. 'Granted there were a lot of setbacks and I may have quite-possibly-more-than-likely-positively dishonoured one of the Guards Generals giving said block head family yet another reason to absolutely hate my guts.'

"In better news, whatever went on between you and the Guard's General probably won't be the guild's problem." Her dry grin was assurance that it most definitely would be a problem. "If it's to do with one of the Generals then they're unlikely to take it up with us. They sooner make a formal complaint to the Arcane house, or seek reparations through the Court." It went unsaid that any outcome would be better than the lattermost. The Court wielded more power than the Guard or Arcane, and its closest subordinate was the House of Cloaks. Azalea shook her head, not wanting to recall the mess that was Lantana politics. She'd had enough of it when she worked in the city. "What did you mean when you said 'dishonoured'?"

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support​

Eiru flinched somewhat when Azalea asked to hear more about the fact she had dishonoured a member of the guard family. Was it really so surprising? That interesting even? Talk about a tough crowd! Eiru seemed to get away with not talking on the subject however when Azalea moved on to show her obvious distaste in Eiru's feedback retaining to the level of the quest. Eiru of course expected such but it was refreshing to see Ymir taunt the receptionist too. Her comment and Zaleas quick stare made Eiru chuckle in glee. A quite welcomed break in the gruelling she was more than expecting to get later when the full details of the mission were disclosed. As Azalea continued to talk about the logic behind her levelling of the quest Eiru let out a dramatic sigh and leaned back as if having died of boredom. Sure Azalea had a point but at the same time the bigger picture surrounding the whole ordeal still weighed heavy on Eiru's mind and although the receptionist surely had no idea when assigning the quest it's difficulty now that it was over many things had become clear and well... hindsight was always 20/20. Not that any of it was in fact Azalea's fault, Eiru simple wanted to rant and expend her accumulated frustration from the day itself.

Eiru remained in her 'dead' state as she listened to Azalea comment about the guard's reports she had already received. "I forget quite often that some of those in the guard's house are literate. None the less my report sheds light on the catacombs sprawling beneath the area described. Limited information but considering the guards didn't know it existed I'm sure it will be of use to you."

As Azalea moved on to thank Eiru for gathering the final scroll Eiru returned to a more normal state, sitting up in her chair again with a soft smile. Removing her hat and setting it atop her brooms handle. "You're welcome. I thought that might cheer you up."

At the mention of Pri Eiru could tell Azalea was already not looking forward to the task she had mentioned. And rightly so. Pri was not the kind of Guildmaster that was easy to talk to or approach. When it came to matters of the mortal plane very little could be done to make her see the true impact and severity of said matter in respect to those who resided there. After all what was a mere class 10 natural disaster to a primordial? What was a war of nations to those who traversed the world of gods? Convincing Pri to label any quest as an emergency was... not easy to say the least. When Azalea moved to then drop the task on Eiru herself a faint 'ha' could be heard as the witch begrudgingly accepted her fate. To Eiru, many of the guild members were little more than babies learning to take their first steps, To Eiru's people- Eiru was nothing more than a child travelling the world of mortals. To Pri... even Eiru was nothing more than a hatchling, a smart and capable hatchling with a broader understanding of the arcane world but a hatchling no less. This was not going to be easy.

At the mention of the waystone Eiru scoffed and leaned back into her palm Raising her eyes to the ceiling "Pff, that's nothing new. Disabled was it? Likely a detonation event. To think there are still those who would toy with the waystone. Pointless. It's nothing more than a cheap extension of the core device anyway. Just what were they hoping to accomplish? Probably something trivial and boring... never mind"

Finally, Azalea looped back to Eiru's encounter with the general, unfortunately, it would seem she hadn't managed to escape further questioning afterall. Laying lazily on her palm Eiru let out a yawn, a small tear coming to rest in the corner of her eye "The courts are at least reasonable. A preferable outcome if you ask me. I like the courts, they see in black and white and adhere firmly to a list of well written and thought out rules. Plus I've yet to be defeated there. Books and words are where I excel, finding loopholes and the like in a legal codex is easy. Well it's gotten a lot harder over the years but still. I'm confident the Guards have given up on filing against me at this stage. Against the Arcane house itself though? I don't know about that, nor do I care. Bunch of creeps! Old...Saggy... Wrinkly...Creeps!"

Shaking her head in disgust Eiru finally addressed the issue at hand "Well! I called her an idiot and a blockhead numerous times. Insulted her intelligence numerous times. I think I might have toppled her war map? I insulted the prince in front of her... called her incapable... challenged her position on the pretence of her idiotic and currently failing 'strategic' encampment as well as the issuing of the quest in question. OH! And I called her a little girl but well that much is true. I mean speaking truthfully she's incredibly young by comparison. Why are humans so touchy about their age anyway?"


Looking to Ymir Eiru shrugged her shoulders "Ymir do you care about your age? what about the impending doom of your short lifespan? Wait? Is it the impending doom part? That's it right? Wait if it's the omp[eding doom part why do humans get so mad when called young? I get the old part now but jeez grow some spine!"


Sylph

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Dreamscape > Guild Hall
Mentions: SilverbackActual Sylph Uasal ​

"I don't think they have enough to buy a mansion, i mean... they have, of course, but it's a sidegig, easy to do... probably there is a chain of interconnect caverns, stuff inside. We can gräbb, and sell." Leonidas raised an eyebrow at that, probably wouldn't buy him more beer and food, he needed certainty. "I do not know, really..." Leonidas shook his head. "I got that feeling, thanks for the offer but I'll pass."

Leonidas watched with growing interest as the woman walked away and exited the guild hall, he wasn't all too bothered by the fact that she walked away, more so by the fact she disappeared into what looked like a near endless void outside of the guild doors. He scratched his head and looked around the hall, eyes gliding over the various blurry figures of people he hadn't met before and the weirdly fixed hole in the ceiling.

"Oh," He felt the fog around his mind clear up in an instant, now fully aware of the fact that he was dreaming. "Oh that's right." He mumbled. He took another sip of his beer before immediately spitting it out and throwing the pint over his shoulder. "Tastes like dogshit now that I know it isn't real." From the corner of his eye he noticed Ymir staring at him. "Oh don't look at me like that, you aren't even real." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Now then," He spoke up. "Any of you fakes here happen to know how I can leave this place?" He wasn't expecting to get an answer and to no surprise, he didn't get one. "That's okay, I'll figure something out." He said with a laugh.

For a little while, Leonidas tried several different things to wake up, punching himself definitely hurt but it did definitely not wake him up, thinking very hard about waking up gave him a headache but once again didn't wake him up, he didn't have much luck contacting the one who threw him into the dream in the first place either which brought him to this point, standing in front of the main door to the guild hall. Without thinking about it further he pushed it open and stepped through.

-

Leonidas opened his eyes, blinking a few times against the sudden light flooding in and sat up with a groan. He didn't really remember any details but he was vaguely aware he had just had a weird dream. This definitely was the real world though, he could tell because he felt like shit again. Granted he felt less shit than he had been expecting and a glance at his arms told him his scrapes and bruises had definitely been healed by someone or something. His mouth felt like it was on fire though, he would have to do something about that soon.

He struggled to his feet, wobbling around a bit in place before spotting Ymir who seemed to be having a conversation with Eiru. He slowly raised his hand in a wave. "Sup captain," He started with a grin. "You look less dead than before." He somewhat shakily travelled the not even two steps to the table the both of them were sitting at and let himself fall down into a seat. "So," He smiled. "What did I miss?"

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support​

A new member of the guild was quick to address Eiru with quite a random and somewhat confusing question, the rookie in question seemed to have only just woken up much like Leon. Had the rookie been eavesdropping while sleeping? Even then the question was really rather random. Did it pertain to how Eiru had insulted the commander? What exactly was she being asked anyway? A mimeme of a human joke? Was her inquiry into the mortality of humans and their feelings on such a typical human joke? It wasn't meant as imitation anyway but even then what was this about being above the imitation of human jokes? Just what the hell was going on?

Turning to face the rookie Eiru tilted her head in confusion and contemplation, moving to take her chin in hand as she thought out just what was going on and what exactly she had just been asked. After a couple of seconds and after Leonidas had joined the table Eiru moved to answer as best she could still somewhat perplexed. "I'm not quite sure what you're asking of me but I'll do my best to answer nonetheless. Firstly, I was curious as to my friends view on mortality, I'm a fae and the concept isn't really applicable to us. We're born of nature and so we age at a snail's pace and when we finally reach adulthood we stop ageing all together rendering our lifespans infinite so long as we have mana to sustain ourselves. Well, that and as long as we arent murdered or killed. It was a genuine question and If it is a common joke in human circles I had no intention of imitating such a joke."

Returning her hand to the table Eiru offered the rookie a smile "As for what I think specifically makes me better than those around me. Well, that's quite a complex question. You see I may excel in magical research and enchanting but Ymir here excels in map-making. Ymir is incapable of doing what I do just as much as I am incapable of doing what she does. I don't think myself better than anyone, I have a specific set of skills and I excel at my craft but the same could be said for many in our guild and many in the town as well as the forest and lake district. Do I think the guard family is filled with idiotic and simple-minded individuals? Yes, but they too have their strengths. Much like how I have my weaknesses. I dislike the guard family but that doesn't mean I believe myself above them. I also think the Arcane family is filled with old creeps but I also know they do a lot for the betterment of the people through research and development of new magical equipment. Honestly, this topic is rather complex. I can't just explain it all to you here and now. It may take years to go through the material in its entirety. Although if your comment was meant to also suggest I think my race above humans then you're also wrong there too. Nature brought forth all the races and it is through a balance that these races continue to exist among one another. Fae like myself excel in magic and arcane arts as well as retain a strong connection to nature itself. Blessed by mana and gifted with intelligence and sudo immortality. Humans have short lifespans but they accomplish great feats in short amounts of time as a result of this. Time is an issue for them and it drives them forward at great speed. Human innovation rivals even the dwarven race and while they may be physically weak they make up for that in their ability to adapt. Most races with longevity are terrible at adapting. Elven culture hasn't progressed in around 200 years yet in that time many a human kingdom has risen and fallen. It's remarkable really."

Shifting back into the table Eiru slid her glass of water to Leon and finished "As for if I talk too much? Probably but that's just another gift my race has. The gift of the Gab. Oh and another great thing about humans is..." A grin quickly formed on Eiru's face "they can be so adorable when courting a mate... wouldn't you agree Ymir hehehe"

Sylph Key of Stars SilverbackActual

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars SilverbackActual Uasal ​

"Sup captain," Leo said, finally awake. She saluted. "You look less dead than before."

"Likewise. Welcome back to the land of the living."

He grinned, collapsing into the chair next to her. "So, what did I miss?"

"Not much," she said, preoccupied with poking the orb on the table beside her. It had begun to melt now that it was outside the caves. "Got lectured by Azalea. Apparently Eiru's pissed off the guard again, but that's nothing new-"

"Ymir-" The woman in question blinked, glancing over at the witch. "-do you care about your age? what about the impending doom of your short lifespan?" Huh. That wasn't something she considered often. There were far more impending threats to her life than age, although the witch seemed to be onto something. "Wait? Is it the impending doom part? That's it right? Wait if it's the impending doom part why do humans get so mad when called young? I get the old part now but jeez grow some spine!"

"Seriously," she mused, ignoring the lattermost part. "If someone called me a little girl I'd probably sock them. I'm surprised you didn't get punched." It wouldn't be the first time Eiru had done something to warrant that response.

"You talk too much don't you?"

Ymir's mouth opened in surprise, turning to see it was the formerly floating stranger who had spoken. Seeing it was addressed at Eiru, not her, she fell back into her chair, leaning over to Leo. "This outta be good."

"Talking about oneself, specifically how you are better than others... and I thought using a crude mimeme of human joke was... well, too much... however, you are one level above it, you believe, do not?"

Ymir wasn't entirely sure who the stranger was, but they had one hell of an idea going after Eiru--either that or a bone to pick with the witch. They wouldn't be the first. Their hair was interesting, floating and swaying to an invisible breeze. Although they did a good imitation of human Ymir had a feeling they were anything but.

"And you-" They turned to point at Azalea and for one heart-stopping moment Ymir thought they'd start on lecturing the receptionist. Wouldn't that be a sight. "Bird thing, very fun. She was here... It? They? He? Bird...-- You need to relax, even if there is a E.L.E. we should be safe, for now"

Were they referring to Pri? How the stranger knew Ymir wasn't entirely sure. There were those among the guild who could sense the guildmaster's arrival sooner than others, but this seemed different.

"I'm not quite sure what you're asking of me but I'll do my best to answer nonetheless." Eiru spoke up as the other finished talking. "Firstly, I was curious as to my friends view on mortality, I'm a fae and the concept isn't really applicable to us." Ymir grinned, wondering how the witch had been alive several centuries and still didn't know to avoid mentioning age to humans. She leaned back in her chair, observing the hole in the ceiling as the tirade began. The stranger hadn't been wrong--Eiru talked an awful lot. Most of the time it was fun, but...

"-you see I may excel in magical research and enchanting but Ymir here excels in map-making. Ymir is incapable of doing what I do just as much as I am incapable of doing what she does." She flicked them a thumbs up as she observed the sky through the ceiling. Azalea shot Ymir a glare that she ignored, their foot tapping as they waited for the witch to finish.

"As for if I talk too much? Probably but that's just another gift my race has. The gift of the Gab. Oh and another great thing about humans is... they can be so adorable when courting a mate... wouldn't you agree Ymir? Hehehe."

Ymir blinked at her name again, taking a moment to recall what the witch was talking about. The setting sun painted the clouds a stunning palette of colours through the hole in the roof-- wait.

She glanced back to Eiru, eyes narrowed at their grinning face. That's it.

She launched towards the witch, grabbing for the sides of their hat as she bit out some choice curses. If they didn't duck out of the way she'd be pulling the brim down over their head with a savage grin, smothering their expression. "Oi oi- big words from someone who wears a hat taller than them. Wanna tell us about your own, illustrious love life miss Thumbelina? Left a few heartbroken dwarves behind perhaps..."

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Guild hall
Mentions: Sylph Uasal SilverbackActual ​

"Likewise. Welcome back to the land of the living." Leonidas laughed. "Thanks, though I still feel more dead than alive at the moment. Do you know who fixed me up? I should probably give my thanks." He rhythmically tapped the edge of the table with his fingers. "Figures you would get lectured by Azalea. Let me guess, the paperwork for the mission wasn't properly done?" He rolled his eyes. "Well excuse us for not doing our paperwork while being on the verge of ending up like those who went to that god-forsaken cavern before us."

His conversation with Ymir was cut short by Eiru who started asking a bunch of questions about age. Leonidas didn't really mind the conversation being cut short, he was perfectly content just leaning back in his chair, listening to the ongoing conversation and getting used to the fact that he was no longer in a massive ice-box.

"Seriously, if someone called me a little girl I'd probably sock them. I'm surprised you didn't get punched." He laughed. "I hear that, I've gotten punched for far less. But maybe it's because I have a punchable face, at least that's what someone in town told me." He recounted with a grin.

"You talk too much don't you?" Looking over his shoulder at the one who had spoken Leonidas felt an inexplicable sense of deja vu, he was fairly certain he had seen the person before but he for the life of him couldn't remember where or when. Eventually he just slightly shrugged, it wasn't like he really cared all that much. Ymir leaned over to him. "This outta be good."

"Good... Or more likely a massive headache. If they start having an intellectual discussion I might actually doze off, wake me up when they start fighting." He responded, quiet enough for it to only be heard by Ymir. He really wasn't in the mood to listen to a lecture at the moment, though, being completely honest, he never was.

Leonidas had to give it to the oddly familiar stranger, she certainly started the discussion off with something interesting. Sure, the choice of words wasn't really something you would hear a commoner in a bar use but the content of that first sentence would be right at home in a bar fight between two drunken farmers.

After that though, the conversation soon turned into something you would hear at a high-class establishment instead and Leonidas lost any and all interest. He leaned back in his chair, quietly humming an improvised tune.

Towards the end of the conversation Eiru slid a glass of water his way which he accepted with a grateful smile, he wasn't sure how the witch knew his mouth was still on fire and that he was thirsty but he wouldn't complain, eagerly taking a sip of the water.

"As for if I talk too much? Probably but that's just another gift my race has. The gift of the Gab. Oh and another great thing about humans is... they can be so adorable when courting a mate... wouldn't you agree Ymir? Hehehe." Leonidas almost choked on his water. "Ymir is courting someone? How long was I asleep? A month?! More?!" He asked in a joking manner between coughs, a hint of actual curiosity present in his voice because he did wonder why Eiru suddenly brought up the topic.

"Oi oi- big words from someone who wears a hat taller than them. Wanna tell us about your own, illustrious love life miss Thumbelina? Left a few heartbroken dwarves behind perhaps..." Leonidas really couldn't help it. He burst out laughing, loud enough to be heard through the whole hall, at the front desk, a head of blonde hair shot up abruptly and the young face that went with it looked around groggily. Leonidas stuck up his hand as apology before turning back to the table.

Truth be told, Leonidas didn't have all that much experience in love either. Sure he was popular enough in town and he had messed around with a few of the girls there but nothing substantial had ever come from it. He wouldn't really call that love. He observed the exchange and Ymir and Eiru with an amused smile.

 

[Sylph]

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Uasal SilverbackActual Key of Stars ​

"Well! I called her an idiot and a blockhead numerous times. Insulted her intelligence numerous times. I think I might have toppled her war map? I insulted the prince in front of her... called her incapable... challenged her position on the pretence of her idiotic and currently failing 'strategic' encampment as well as the issuing of the quest in question. OH! And I called her a little girl but well that much is true. I mean speaking truthfully she's incredibly young by comparison. Why are humans so touchy about their age anyway?"

"...I'm surprised you didn't get punched." Azalea pressed a hand to her forehead, inclined to agree. For someone with very little combat ability the witch sure liked picking fights. Azalea circled back to the front desk as the conversation continued. She waved for Kathlyn to remain where she was and picked up several satchels, examining the contents before she returned to the group.

Leo had awoken, slumped in a chair next to Ymir. The strange, arcane woman had also exited her trance-like state and appeared to be talking to Eiru. Deciding to check on Leo first she circled around the back of the table-- "Figures you would get lectured by Azalea. Let me guess, the paperwork for the mission wasn't properly done?" She paused as she heard him speak. Stopping behind his chair she crossed her arms as they made a sweeping gesture. "Well excuse us for not doing our paperwork while being on the verge of ending up like those who went to that god-forsaken cavern before us-"

"I'm glad you think so highly of me." The dry remark was followed by two bags of coins hitting the table, Azalea already turning away from the pair. "Your portion works out to a 100 each. I'll be expecting that paperwork by tomorrow." Ymir's groan echoed afterwards, though Azalea knew it'd get done. As the higher rank it was their responsibility.

She went to give Eiru her reward next, though as soon as she entered the conversation the new copper rank--F'aer, she recalled--pointed straight at her. "And you-" Azalea raised a brow. She half expected another confrontation, given whatever they and the witch were talking about had them both with hackles up. "Bird thing, very fun. She was here... It? They? He? Bird...--" The strange woman sighed, switching sentences again. "You need to relax, even if there is a E.L.E. we should be safe, for now."

E-L-E? Azalea wasn't sure what they were referring to, but sounded like it had something to do with Pri. She opted for the line of inquiry she understood. ELEs and relaxation were both equally foreign concepts as far as she was concerned. "May I ask where you met this... bird?"

Eiru, who had been deep in thought until that point, finally responded to whatever the newcomer had been saying as well. "I'm not quite sure what you're asking of me, but I'll do my best to answer nonetheless..."

As usual they spoke fast, always with plenty to say. Azalea sighed as they reached a certain point in the conversation. "Do I think the guard family is filled with idiotic and simple-minded individuals? Yes, but they too have their strengths. Much like how I have my weaknesses." It was statements like those that got the witch in trouble so often. It seemed like the only thing that kept her alive was a combination of luck and powerful allies. One of these days you're going to reach the end of that rope.

"Nature brought forth all the races and it is through a balance that these races continue to exist among one another..." Well, depending who you asked. Azalea held off on asking the witch what exactly her definition of 'nature' was--the conversation had already gotten far out of hand for the setting they were in. She could already see Leo and Ymir dozing off at their table, though the latter most certainly had opinions on the matter, having come through the academy. "...I bet that not every single race came from nature, that is your Fae people theory. And culturally talking, there are variants to every race..."

As the newcomer finished talking and after Eiru managed to finish dealing with a caterwauling Ymir, Azalea dropped a pouch on the table. "Before I forget--your pay was 700 for that quest. The others will get theirs when they return." She initially turned to leave, only to recall part of the witch's words before the conversation had gotten sidetracked. 'I like the courts, they see in black and white and adhere firmly to a list of well written and thought out rules.'

"Ah-" She frowned, not sure how to approach that perception. "And Eiru... with the courts--please don't mistake favor for fairness." It was only those protected by the houses that saw them as just. "Your ties to Tir Na Nog and the backing of the Arcane house are what keep you safe, but you're protected only so long as they see worth in you." And souring the relationship between two houses was a quick way to lose that favor--it may have already started, if Eiru had had such trouble accessing research from the Arcane family's records. "I will send a letter to the general on your behalf, but please-" Azalea had lost count of the times she'd asked, but she held out that one day the witch might listen. "Be careful of how you speak to others in future."

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support​

Even Eiru couldn't help but burst into a fit of laughter when Ymir retaliated without missing a beat. Wiping a tear from her eye Eiru stifled her laughter and returned her hat to her head "Okay, okay. I'm sorry for poking fun Ymir. You're just far too easy to get to, an easy target if you will! OH! Actually speaking of romance! That prince thinks me and Zion are lovers hahaha! Aww, stop it was hilarious! I almost choked when he fell for it! If he comes back lay it on some more for me yeh. It's honestly great fun!" Eiru was about to explain the ins and outs of why exactly the situation had occurred and why it was so funny to her but Azalea once again spoke up, drawing the witch's attention away.

Eiru listened carefully to Azalea and nodded along in agreement as the receptionist explained her outlook on the situation. An outlook Eiru hadn't considered. Politics wasn't really her thing anyway, a boring game of chess if anything. Thinking on the subject Eiru shot Azalea a smile "Okay, I understand. I'll be more careful with how I address... I will try my best... Look I'll at least try! Okay! I really will!...... This time.... maybe...."
As Eiru was attempting to ease Azalea's concerns the rookie moved to interject.

The rookie apparently hadn't been listening very well to the explanation Eiru had given. Considering the fact the rookie went on to dig into how not all elves were the same and how not every kingdom could exist forever. A soft sigh escaped the small witch as the rookie said her piece. What part of 'It may take years to go through the material in its entirety did the rookie not understand. Blanket statements existed for a reason. Eiru simply wished to convey the idea as simply as possible. there was no real reason to developed the entire conversation to such a point simply to infer she hadn't a superiority complex. Not everyone at the table really cared for such philosophical and highbrow conversation. Heck Leon was half asleep and he had only just awoken! In all honesty, the extension of the conversation was also boring Eiru. That was until the being mentioned The Morrigan. The mention of the three Morrígna then only went on to firmly take hold of the Fae's interest and curiosity.

To Eiru's knowledge, the three Morrígna was a tightly kept secret even within the solitary isle itself, the idea of a ruin outside Tir na Nog containing information pertaining to such a secret was quite a concern. In fact, it quite frankly made no sense. Tilting her head to the side Eiru's gaze grew cold and to those attuned to nature and or magic a heavy condensation of mana could be felt looming over the guild itself as if responding to the coldness the small witch was giving off. "The Morrigan is the Queen of Tir na Nog and her power is monstrous even godlike. I have no idea where you read of those other three names or where you think you may have read or heard of those names but I can ASSURE you. They are best forgotten!"

Sylph Key of Stars SilverbackActual

 

[Sylph]

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall
Interactions: Key of Stars Uasal SilverbackActual ​

"Okay, I understand." You absolutely do not. "I'll be more careful with how I address... I will try my best... Look I'll at least try! Okay! I really will!...... This time.... maybe...." Azalea didn't look the least convinced. The witch's promises weren't made to last, and sure enough when F'aer began to speak Eiru's expression grew dark. Azalea had never really been 'attuned' to magic but since working in the guild her awareness of it developed. The pressure in the air condensed around the witch was a sure sign of the conversation going south. How long will it be this time?

"The Morrigan is the Queen of Tir na Nog and her power is monstrous even godlike. I have no idea where you read of those other three names or where you think you may have read or heard of those names but I can ASSURE you. They are best forgotten!"

Less than a minute. Azalea might've been disappointed if she wasn't already resigned. The witch was still little more than a child in terms of a mortal lifespan. Though she possessed the knowledge of a great many subjects, she lacked the maturity that most would have developed over years of study.

"What-" Azalea stepped between them with a pointed glare at Eiru. "-did I just say?" Ymir had stilled, leaning back as she observed the interaction between two immortals. There was a thoughtful look in her eye that made Azalea wary. The conversation verged on dangerous territory. "F'aer, I believe we have yet to complete your orientation."

Taking the woman's arm, she shot a final glance over her shoulder at the trio remaining around the table. "Ymir-" She tossed a scroll that the mapmaker caught. "This arrived earlier. I expect it taken care of."

Leaving the trio behind at the table she dragged F'aer towards the front desk. Her and the witch would need to be kept separate it seemed. They were too volatile when left together. "Kathlyn, we're closing up for the day. If you could show F'aer to one of the empty rooms in the guild dorms I'll manage cleaning out here. Go get some sleep after that. We'll worry about the rest tomorrow."

Ymir
Location: Guildhall
Mentions: Key of Stars Uasal ​

"Ymir is courting someone? How long was I asleep? A month?! More?!" Leo managed to recover from his near asphyxiation, his words falling on deaf ears as Ymir wrangled with the brim of Eiru's hat.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry for poking fun Ymir. You're just far too easy to get to, an easy target if you will!"

"Keep talking," she said, baring her teeth in a grin. "See how that goes for you."

"OH! Actually speaking of romance! That prince thinks me and Zion are lovers!"

That-

Ymir did stop at that, blinking as she let go of the cloth and the witch fell back laughing. "Aww, stop it was hilarious! I almost choked when he fell for it! If he comes back lay it on some more for me. It's honestly great fun!"

As much fun as tormenting the prince was, yes, Ymir wasn't so sure. The witch would inevitably pull Ymir into some other kind of misunderstanding and the prince of red was an absolute pain to converse with. I think I'll just mess with him and run like usual.

"Ymir-" Azalea tossed her a sealed scroll and Ymir's rose curled upon seeing the crest. "This arrived earlier. I expect it taken care of." The scribe didn't give her a chance to decline, dragging away the newcomer by the elbow as Ymir pulled a face and broke the wax seal to inspect the contents. It was--as expected--a hassle waiting to happen. The exact sort of quest Ymir didn't like, but inevitably ended up doing since the requestee was a bloody tenacious bastard.

Dawn take me.

"How do you guys feel about an investigation quest?" she said. In all honesty it was more up Leo's alley than hers, but Ymir had a history of conflict with certain houses and a debt to one of them. Eiru's position in the arcane house might come in handy too, if she didn't decide it was a waste of her time. "I'll tell you more tomorrow if you're interested. For now..." she sighed, shaking her head. "For now I'm gonna rest. No drinking for me tonight."

Waving an apologetic hand she wobbled to her feet, headed for the back of the hall where the guild rooms were located. "Night guys."

 

[Key of Stars]

Kathlyn Silva
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Sylph SilverbackActual ​

Kathlyn's head shot up accompanied by a hurried and somewhat panicked "I'm awake, I'm awake." She looked around in a daze, picking up on the fact that the reason she had woken up hadn't been someone at the front desk but rather someone laughing over at a table in the back of the hall. He looked over at her and stuck up a hand as an apology, she just smiled back. She was glad to see her other patient was feeling energetic enough to laugh that hard, she would check up on him later.

For now, she grabbed her notebook from her backpack, determined to use reading as a means of avoiding falling asleep again. For a little while, she read her and her father's notes and scribbled some extra information down here and there, occasionally doodling some of the ingredients which did nothing except add a bit of her own flair to the page's written by her father.

She was too caught up in her drawing of a yoba plant to notice Azalea approaching her, Fa'er in tow. "Kathlyn, we're closing up for the day. If you could show F'aer to one of the empty rooms in the guild dorms I'll manage cleaning out here. Go get some sleep after that. We'll worry about the rest tomorrow." Kathlyn looked up from her notebook, closing it with a snap. "Of course, I'll show her the way right now." She said, standing up from her chair.

"Do not worry about me, i can sleep even in the ceiling" Kathlyn paused. "O-oh, I see, but wouldn't it be better to sleep in a bed instead?" She said with a small smile. "However... i can figure out somewhere to be" Kathlyn nodded. "Yes, I can take you-" She stopped talking as Fa'er started walking away already in the right direction.

"If you see me midnight... black eyes... do not interact." Kathlyn just stared in confusion until Fa'er turned around and started walking away again. "I wasn't planning on leaving my room so I would hope not." She mumbled.

She turned to her boss. "I guess she did not want me to show her to the dorms. I'll get up early tomorrow to make up for the hours of work I lost today tending to my two patients, good night miss Azalea." She said with a smile, slinging the backpack over her shoulder and tucking the notebook under her arm.

Leonidas Hood
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Sylph Uasal ​

"OH! Actually speaking of romance! That prince thinks me and Zion are lovers!" Leonidas laughed at that, wondering how in the world that ever happened. He was also slightly disappointed to see that the prince wasn't here. The prince was absolutely the most fun person to mess with in the entire guild, everything Leonidas did seemed to piss him off to no end and Leonidas was more than eager to play into that and be generally as annoying as possible when the prince was around.

He wondered how the prince would react if he ever told him the name he had gotten at birth instead of the one he went by now but he quickly shook his head. That wouldn't ever happen, he wasn't about to throw away the new life he had built up to make a joke, it would be funny though.
Azalea walked over and tossed something to Ymir. Leonidas watched with interest as Ymir read through the scroll and felt her mood shift as she read its contents. "How do you guys feel about an investigation quest?" "I was going to take it easy for a bit but I can't refuse a chance to channel my inner detective. What do you think? I can pull off the look right?" He posed, hand on his chin. "Just need one of those pipes and a magnifying glass."

"I'll tell you more tomorrow if you're interested. For now..." She shook her head. "For now I'm gonna rest. No drinking for me tonight." Leonidas would be lying if he said he wasn't even the least bit disappointed but he didn't mind all too much, he didn't feel that great yet himself so he also wanted to just turn in for the night and sleep off the aftermath of the icy adventure.

He stood up at the same time as Ymir and smiled. "Good night." He set out for the dorms, determined to go straight to sleep and wake up feeling like normal tomorrow morning. He would also have to find the girl who healed him tomorrow to thank her.

 

[Uasal]

Eiru Eagna
Gold Rank Support​

It took Eiru quite some effort to reign in her aggression following Azalea's intervention. It had been quite a long time since Eiru had heard anything relating to her homeland and even longer since she had heard those three fabricated names. Just how the hell was that woman? She was obviously abyssal in nature but like the fae abyssal races were seldom seen outside their own gated territories. Whatever the reason Eiru decided it best to refrain from engaging with the woman in conversation. Those who asked to many questions about Tir an Nog didn't tend to have the chance to do so for long and the last thing Eiru wanted was to write a lengthy report on someone from her own guild.

As the woman was led away by Azalea Eiru's hands slowly relaxed although her eyes firmly watched the woman until she had fully exited the main hall. When Ymir asked if Eiru would be interested in joining her on a quest Eiru simply nodded, not considering the full scope of things as her mind wandered in deep contemplation. By the time the small witch had come back to her senses her companions had departed and the hall had grown empty. Taking her broom in hand Eiru moved to excuse herself as well, moving to take her room in the dorms. What had Ymir planned for tomorrow? Surely it wouldn't be anything too troublesome right?

 

[Sylph]

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall
Time: Early Morning​

The new day started like most, wrapped in a cocoon of peace and sunlight. Azalea sat at the front counter, finishing the last of the assorted paperwork. The desk looked more like a workplace than a warzone. Though a few adventurers had come in late, and she had been somewhat surprised by an obsidian-eyed F'aer wandering out stare at the ceiling--deciding, in that moment, she wanted no part of the strange scene--Azalea's night had been productive.

She didn't greet the morning with a stretch or a yawn. Only the stems in her hair and vines wound around her arms showed any recognition of time passing, angled towards the bright new light. There had not been much in the way of new requests. She spent most of the night on clearing backlog and, finally, with the first few adventurers begin to trudge out of the dorms or trickle in through front doors, there was a sense of progress in the never-ending pile.

"Morning," she said without looking up. Ymir mumbled something in response, staggering over to a chair and pulling out the request she'd received the day prior. It wasn't overly elaborate, from what Azalea remembered, but when it came to Ymir less was more. Going in half blind was somewhat of the mapmaker's specialty.

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Sylph ​

Leonidas woke up feeling a bit sore but overall he wouldn't have guessed he felt like he was close to death just yesterday, he really would have to thank the person that fixed him up. He was standing in front of the mirror in the room with a satisfied smile. His usually unruly hair was taken care of and he had pulled part of it into a small ponytail, a single curled strand of hair jutted out in the front. He had opted for some more formal clothes compared to normal, going without the usual long red gloves and opting for something more akin to a suit than his usual adventurer attire. He figured an investigation quest would probably involve quite a bit of human interaction and if he would be going on this quest with Ymir and Eiru he was better off being the one that did the talking.

He gave himself one final glance in the mirror before stepping out the door with a smile. "Good morning!" The energetic voice behind him made him stop and turn. "Morning," He said with a smile when he recognized the blonde-haired girl that had treated his wounds yesterday. "Aren't you part of the staff?" The staff quarters weren't in this hallway so he was wondering why he bumped into her here.

"Oh, yes! Yes, I am! I was just making a little trip around the building to get a bit more familiar with everything." She explained. "I don't believe we've met before, have we? It's nice to meet you, I'm Kathlyn Silva." She extended her hand for him to shake. Leonidas stared at it for a moment before chuckling. "I did not know your name but saying we've never met is a bit harsh," He reached out for a handshake. "Leonidas Hood, you treated my wounds yesterday. I was hoping to run into you sometime to thank you for that." He said with a smile.

The girl's face flushed red which made it exceptionally hard for Leonidas to not burst out laughing. "O-oh I'm sorry! I didn't recognize you, you look completely different from yesterday." She hurriedly explained. He smiled, it was true that the way he looked now was about as far from the way he looked yesterday as possible. Whereas yesterday he looked like a homeless person dying somewhere in a ditch at the end of the adventure, right now he looked like a noble, albeit a rather sloppily dressed one as far as noble standards went. "I do often hear I clean up nicely." He responded with a smile.

She giggled as they walked through the doors leading to the main hall. Leonidas gave a quick wave in her direction. "Thank you again for treating my wounds yesterday, I'll leave you to your work." With that he walked over to Ymir, pulling out a chair and sitting down with a "Good morning!". He saw the girl walk over to the front desk and give Azalea what he assumed was a good morning of her own.

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars ​

Ymir's morning started with a pail of water and a certain amount of regret regarding previous life choices. As she sat on the, bed scowling at a wall and sponging her hair dry, she considered what to do about her still healing foot. She supposed she'd have to go see the new healer about it--unless Merkon was still around and stocking those weird shaman dolls.

Maybe I'll check there first. She'd need to deal with the injury before they left regardless. Throwing her hair up into an old scarf she started towards the main hall. It was early enough that there weren't that many people around to stare and, all but ignoring Azalea's good morning--the receptionist hadn't moved an inch since she last saw them and the front desk was starting to look like a bramble patch--Ymir found the nearest table with a seat to slump into. It wasn't long after that she heard Leo's indistinct voice enter the hall.

"Thank you again for treating my wounds yesterday, I'll leave you to your work."

As he waved goodbye to the new guild healer Ymir raised her head onto her hand, watching with some interest as the girl headed over to the front desk to talk to Azalea.

"Good morning!" The chair scraped against the floor next to her. She gave a much less enthused response, drained from both her recovery and the thought of their destination for the day. Ymir was vaguely pleased at Leo's choice of appearance. Hair tamed and wearing more formal attire, he resembled the vast majority of the aristocratic sons she encountered at the academy. Maybe from one of the lesser houses; somewhat down on their luck. Either way it meant most people would talk to him first. She could safely hide on the sidelines and observe.

"I wasn't aware you owned anything that fancy." She grinned, hardly awake enough to be making attempts at humour.

She supposed, upon further morning-fogged thoughts, that there were any number of events he'd have needed to dress up for; nobles did like to be entertained. Glancing across the hall to the other two early risers--or non-sleepers as Azalea seemed to be--Ymir watched Kathlyn bustling around. The girl still seemed ninety percent nervous energy and if it weren't so early Ymir might've found it fun to watch; but as it so happened she was dead tired and just seeing them was exhausting. She closed her eyes, mumbling around the hand pressed to her cheek as she dreamed of going back to bed. "Feeling alright today?"

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Sylph Uasal ​

"I wasn't aware you owned anything that fancy." He smiled. "It's come in handy for a few of the jobs I took on in between my life in the guild and my life before the guild. Besides," He said, leaning back in his chair. "it makes me even more popular with the ladies." He remarked with a chuckle. "Watch," He waved at Kathlyn who caught his eye and waved back with a smile before turning to some papers on the front desk again. "See what I mean? Think I've got a chance?" He laughed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Please do not remind me that a girl like her would be too good for me lest you hurt my feelings."

"Feeling alright today?" He hummed a small tune. "Define alright." He grinned, tapping the table rhythmically with his fingers until he had an idea. "Just yesterday I had trouble staying on my feet but right now all I need is something to eat." He recited seriously before the mask cracked and he started laughing, perfectly aware of how bad the poem, if you could even call it that, had been. He waved over a cook. "I do need something to eat though, I'm getting breakfast today and there is nothing you can do to stop it from happening."

"Speaking of," He said in between his request to the cook. "You want anything to eat?" He finished up his order and thanked the cook before he walked away.

"So," Leonidas started, leaning his chin on the palm of his hand. "How you feelin? No offence but you still look ready to keel over and die right this moment." He considered poking her in the cheek while she had her eyes closed but he wasn't exactly new to dealing with Ymir and he valued his finger far too much to make an attempt. "Need me to give you a magic pick-me-up? In the form of well thought out and beautifully crafted poem of course."

Leonidas glanced over at the front desk, Kathlyn had settled down and was scribbling something on a piece of paper. He looked away before she noticed him looking over. He really didn't want her to think he was constantly staring at her.

He cleared his throat. "So, are you going to explain what exactly we're doing today or are we waiting for Eiru to show up?" He asked Ymir who still had her eyes closed and who, if Leonidas hadn't known any better, looked very much asleep.

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars ​

"It's come in handy for a few of the jobs I took on in between my life in the guild and my life before the guild." It was strange to think they hardly knew a thing about each other's pasts. She knew he had a sister and a tutor thanks to a half-delirious piggyback and questionable fight with a cyclops, but little more—except now the possession of an old suit. Valuable material too.

Ymir turned her head to examine Leo with squinty eyes. The colours were faded, but on second glance she could tell it would once have been quite striking; not the sort of clothes one picked up just anywhere.

"Besides," he said, leaning back in his chair. Ymir turned her head to follow his gaze to the counter, her forehead still pressed against the wood. "It makes me even more popular with the ladies. Watch." He waved at the girl behind the counter. To Ymir's utter astonishment, as it was completely expected and clearly not the polite thing to do, the girl waved back. "See what I mean? "

"Wow," she said, voice dry. "I'm swooning."

"Think I've got a chance?" She raised a brow, but he hardly gave her a beat to respond. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Please do not remind me that a girl like her would be too good for me lest you hurt my feelings."

"No no, go for it," Ymir said, readjusting so her head rested more comfortably atop her arms. "When Azalea finds out she can make you a suit of brambles to celebrate."

"Define alright." She recognised the rhythmic tap of his thinking tune. "Just yesterday I had trouble staying on my feet but right now all I need is something to eat." She snorted into the wood. "I do need something to eat though, I'm getting breakfast today and there is nothing you can do to stop it from happening."

She paused, head turning to shoot him a challenging look. It wouldn't be the first time she tripped a cook. Want to bet?

"Speaking of, you want anything to eat?"

A peace offering. Smart. She wouldn't sabotage her own meal. "Toasted yams," she mumbled, hiding her eyes once more.

"So, how you feelin? No offence but you still look ready to keel over and die right this moment." That would be preferable over the mission they were on. "Need me to give you a magic pick-me-up? In the form of well thought out and beautifully crafted poem of course."

"Can't I wallow in misery?" She liked the wallowing option. It meant she didn't have to leave the guild hall.

"So." So. "Are you going to explain what exactly we're doing today or are we waiting for Eiru to show up?"

Uuugh.

Ymir finally dragged her head off the table, setting her cheek against her hand. She stared seriously at her well-dressed companion, her own hair barely sitting well in its scarf and her forehead a splotchy patch of red. "Client--smuggling operation. Find stuff. Tell client. Woohoo, mission done." Her head fell into her arms once more, wrapped beneath her like a pillow. "All clear? Have fun. Tell me when it's over..."

She was going to have a very long nap, and when she woke up this whole mission would be nothing more than a bad dream...

 

[Uasal]

"Have fun? Why I'd expect nothing less with you two around!" At with that Eiru remark, Eiru joined the two at the table, ordering herself a salad before moving to lay her hat aside with a smile. The small witch swung her feet beneath her happily and hummed along as she awaited her breakfast in a merry mood. Having slept like a log the witch was fresh to face the day ahead and more than ready to leave her previous mission behind in some obscure area of her memory. Taking the salad from the chef with a polite nod Eiru began eating immediately, sipping from a tankard of water every so often. Not moving to speak at all until she was finished with her meal.

"well, that was just divine!" Nudging Ymir with her elbow Eiru leaned in close to her ear and made sure to whisper so as Leon couldn't hear the jest she was about to muster up. "Say Ymir... you look rather tired. You both left the bar rather early last night could it be... your courting has come to bear some fruit..." And with that Eiru immediately shot back upright and slid some distance from the woman she was sure to have just provoked "Annnyyyy way. Leon! You're looking absolutely dashing! Why its almost enough to make a girl swoon! You sly dog what are you up to!" Grinning Eiru moved to a stand and behind the sitting Leon where she propped her chin atop his head after forcing her hat upon him playfully.

"Tell me, Ymir, have you any idea what we might be chasing here? Who our client is even?"
Sylph Key of Stars

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

The Wizard
Location: The Waystone Guild Hall
Interactions: Key of Stars (Kathlyn Silva)

The Wizard walked into the Guildhall, his oaken staff tapping against the floor as he moved. Stroking the fake beard that covered the lower half of his face. His career as a Guild Wizard began today. Due to his beginner rank, which was the first tier of Copper. He could not undertake any interesting or complex quests by himself. While he wanted to immediately begin any quests that would aid in his path to becoming the most powerful wizard in the land. It would have to wait a bit whilst he raised his rank. Meandering over to the quest board to pick a suitable first job for someone of his talents. The Wizard pursed his lips while casting his gaze over the board. Currently available for Copper Ranks were quests to gather moss, gathering apples and finally gathering eggs. Fetch Quests were unbecoming of a someone working to surpass all others. Yet they were all he had on offer. So he weighed his options while tightening his grip on his staff. Although he designated it as a Wizards Staff. In truth it was merely a branch he had found in the forest beyond the training grounds. Any self respecting wizard required an equally respectful staff. So he had claimed it as his own. Same with his Wizardly Robes. He had purchased them from a costume shop, they had been on sale. Lamenting his lack of funds. The Wizard elected to take the Turkey Egg quest. Surely this King Turkey would make for a grand foe. Making his way to the receptionist with the notice in hand. The Wizard made his presence known.

"The Wizard wishes to take upon himself THIS QUEST. Pray tell, can any more rewards be gained from slaying the mighty King Turkey in addition to pilfering its unborn offspring?"

 

[Sylph]

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars SilverbackActual Gaius Danius Griinia ​

"Good morning!" Kathlyn's enthusiastic greeting was met with a beat of silence. The guild halls were just swinging shut with the departure of a visitor as a new member stepped through. If Azalea noticed the overlarge hat and budget robes she showed no sign of it, her fingers pressed to her temples as she considered what the recently departed villager had said.

"...That's the third one today." Her tone was thick with displeasure. One of these days she was going to wake up without another problem to solve--but that was looking less and less likely as time moved on. "Something possessed the townspeople last night. Several reports came in describing erratic, unconscious behaviour and pitch black eyes." She sighed, shoulders heavy. The possibilities ranged from petty ghosts to demonic influences--the eyes certainly indicated something worrisome. What rank should the investigation require?

It reminded her of F'aer, who had been up and about during the night with eyes similar to those described. Azalea had dismissed it as an effect of their magic--they hadn't done much but look at the ceiling--but with the other reports Azalea resolved to ask the newcomer about it when they woke for the day.

"The Wizard wishes to take upon himself THIS QUEST." Azalea blinked, turning to look at one of the older copper members. "Pray tell, can any more rewards be gained from slaying the mighty King Turkey in addition to pilfering its unborn offspring?"

"Good morning, Wizard," she said simply. The boy had a flair for dramatics, and ambition to match, apparently. She took the request form from him, hoping it wouldn't lead to an enraged avian on the loose. "I'm sure you would find it a hearty meal." She turned the page over before handing it back. "I would suggest bringing someone else along though. I've heard their teeth can leave quite a mark."

As Kathlyn was waving back Leo across the hall Azalea noted the different garb. Much like Ymir he was dressed almost entirely out of character, and she watched Eiru join them with a note of resignation. That was trouble brewing in the pot if she ever saw.

Putting it to the back of her mind she turned to gesture at the boy. "Kathlyn, this is Wizard." Strange as it was he'd never given them another name. "Much like you he's recently joined the guild."

 

[Pseudo-nim]

Artyx Bernum
Mentions: Gaius Danius Griinia Sylph ​

Guiding adventurers through the wilderness needed a certain degree of patience. From the occasional wanderer to the ever curious, most were fairly understanding that the wilds needed to be respected as the spirits that tend them ranged from mischievous to outright malicious. As druids, they were the conduit of which they exert their power, and in turn the guardians of their garden. That being said, Artyx was particularly distracted as of recently, given that she had been swindled by a passing merchant. Again. She had resolved to stop trusting such people, however, their sophistry and showmanship always misled her, having never seen the trinkets they advertised, only to find out that they were defective paperweight.

Still, it wasn't as if she needed any money. For all intents and purposes, she was fine with the clothes on her back and the staff she wielded. The occasional bath was nice and the maintenance on her clothing was definitely a small, but much appreciated boost to her quality of life. But worse comes to worst, she was simply fine with what the guild provided her and the items she brought from the Bernum estate.

Absentmindedly pushing the guild doors open, she and her beast companion, Trine, entered the guild hall with little fanfare. The cyan mist that accompanied their entrance may have been particularly ominous, however, it was simply a side effect of Trine reentering his invisible and incorporeal form leaving Artyx alone as soon as doors fully opened. While Artyx did not mind her companion's presence, she had been warned by her fellow rangers and druids that Trine's appearance may cause panic in regular civilizations because of his particular features so keeping him away from their gaze would simply make things a whole lot easier until she returned to the wilds where he can freely explore in his physical form.

Walking up behind a particularly dressed fellow in what she assumed to be mage robes, she silently stopped a few feet away from him as she watched the young man place a quest on the receptionist desk. She gave a small, almost meek wave towards the receptionist.

"Hello..." Artyx muttered from behind. Common was such a strange language to learn and it didn't seem like any of her fellow guild members spoke a hint of Druidic, so it was always so difficult to interact with them without stuttering. Now Trine was making fun of her for being called a hard to approach person. She wasn't hard to approach! It's just that their language was such a pain to learn that she keeps stumbling with her words, so it was better to stay quiet than to suddenly start speaking awkwardly.

 

[Key of Stars]

Leonidas Hood
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Sylph Uasal ​

"When Azalea finds out she can make you a suit of brambles to celebrate." Leonidas laughed. "She wouldn't do that right? She's not her mother," He paused. "Wait... She isn't right? Is she her mother?" The chances of it being the case were very low but the girl had still popped up seemingly out of nowhere and Azalea had taken her under her wing surprisingly quickly compared to how distant she normally acted, or maybe that was just to him.

"Client--smuggling operation. Find stuff. Tell client. Woohoo, mission done." He rolled his eyes. "Splendid explanation captain, who is the client? And what stuff are we supposed to find?" He really did want to know who the client was, chances of it being someone he knew from the past were small but not completely zero. Instead of answering Ymir just plopped her head back down into her arms. "All clear? Have fun. Tell me when it's over..." Leonidas sighed. "You're coming with us." He pointed his finger at his friend and shot a small puff of air into her face. "No more sleeping."

"Have fun? Why I'd expect nothing less with you two around!" He raised his hand as a greeting. "Mornin Eiru." For a little while they ate in silence until Eiru leaned into Ymir and whispered something.

"Annnyyyy way. Leon! You're looking absolutely dashing! Why its almost enough to make a girl swoon! You sly dog what are you up to!" He was very curious as to what Eiru had just told Ymir but Eiru immediately turned to him and started talking so he put his curiosity aside for the moment. He turned to Ymir with a smirk. "See, I told you. She gets it." He said, using his thumb to point at Eiru. "Since Ymir's client is most likely a member of high society I figured I would dress for the occasion for once." He explained, tilting his head upward to have some semblance of eye contact.

He didn't protest or struggle when Eiru placed both her hat and her chin on his head. He found it pretty amusing and on top of that arguing with Eiru was far more trouble than it was worth most of the time, better to just go along and let it happen.

"Tell me, Ymir, have you any idea what we might be chasing here? Who our client is even?" Leonidas nodded, which was a bit of an awkward motion with Eiru still resting her chin on his head. "Please do enlighten us." He said, using formal language nobles would use on purpose to mess with his friend a little.

Kathlyn Silva
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Sylph Gaius Danius Griinia Pseudo-nim ​

"Kathlyn, this is Wizard." She looked up from where she had been arranging several different forms into neat and organized piles. "Oh hello!" "Much like you he's recently joined the guild." She smiled. "Well, it's wonderful to meet you! I'm Kathlyn and I recently started working as the guild's receptionist." She carefully put down the stack of papers she was still holding in her hands in a neat pile next to some other forms.

Azalea seemed to have the quest request handled so Kathlyn momentarily wasn't sure what to do with herself. She made a mental note to be the person to handle the next request to prove she was capable to Azalea. For now though, "Would you like some tea?" Kathlyn asked the wizard with a bright smile. "I made it myself this morning." Yes, it was actually medical tea but it would still have some positive effects on the body even if there was no need for it and unlike most medical drinks that tasted bitter, Kathlyn had worked on her tea until it had the perfect sweetness. At least for her, it being her drink of choice.

"Hello..." Kathlyn wasn't sure if the wave was meant for her or Azalea, probably Azalea, but even so she waved back with a beaming smile. "Hello! Good morning! I don't believe we've met before, I'm Kathlyn the guild's new receptionist. Please ask me if you have a request or something else you want done." She rattled off, eyes sparkling.

"Oh," She continued without pause. "Would you like some tea? I made it myself. Actually," She turned to Azalea. "Miss Azalea do you want some? I'm sorry for not asking you earlier." She asked before turning back to the person she was speaking with before.

"Sorry I might have talked a bit too much." She said with an ever so slight bow and an embarrassed smile. "Please do not hesitate to ask me if there is something you need though."

 

[Sylph]

Ymir
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars Uasal Pseudo-nim ​

"She wouldn't do that right? She's not her mother." Who knows. Ymir sighed as Leo laughed it off. She didn't exaggerate when she said Azalea preferred doing things by herself. Either out of utter pretension--thinking she was the only one who could do things properly--or unnecessary stubbornness, Azalea usually turned down offers for help. There was something about them so suddenly taking on an assistant that felt off to Ymir; but she didn't have the desire nor interest enough to pry.

"Wait... She isn't right? Is she her mother?" Leo looked suddenly alarmed and Ymir snorted, turning her head enough to speak.

"I'm not convinced they didn't grow out of a pot. Didn't you see what happened yester... Oh." She frowned, staring sideways across the hall at where the broken table had been moved to the wall--they were going through a lot of those of late. "Right, you wouldn't have." She half lifted a hand off the table, as if to wave the notion away. "Don't worry about it then."

"Splendid explanation captain, who is the client? And what stuff are we supposed to find?" She dismissed the questions with a halfhearted joke, putting her head back down. She'd rather rest now than explain things twice. "You're coming with us." Yeah yeah- "No more sleeping."

Rather than a poem, which Ymir probably should have accepted over being sullen, a gust pulled at the scarf wrapped around her head. It was a testament to how flimsily done it was that it was enough to unravel it, and Ymir dragged herself up with scowl to readjust it. "Fine."

"Have fun? Why I'd expect nothing less with you two around!" And there went her last chance to nap. Ymir sighed, leaning back in her seat as the witch sidled over. It seemed their food had arrived anyway.

"Well, that was just divine!" Eiru clapped her hands before nudging Ymir, who stabbed at her own plate of roasted tubers. "Say Ymir... you look rather tired. You both left the bar rather early last night, could it be..." Ymir raised a brow, glancing down at the witch. "Your courting has come to bear some fruit...?"

She registered the smug grin right before lunging for the tiny gremlin.

"What bloody fruit you little-" Her chair scraped back and she barely missed the witch as they ducked out of reach. They did have the smaller size advantage, she supposed. Ymir scowled, crossing her arms as they circled to the other side of the table.

"Annnyyyy way. Leon! You're looking absolutely dashing! Why its almost enough to make a girl swoon! You sly dog what are you up to?!"

"See," he turned to her with a grin. "I told you. She gets it." Ymir slumped back into her seat, unimpressed.

"Your declaration was based on the fact a girl waved at you." Leaning back in her chair she raised a hand towards the counter, calling out with a bright grin. "Morning Kathlyn! Artyx!" The latter seemed to have just arrived, along with a boy Ymir had only seen around once or twice. Regardless, she turned back to the entirely un-petty matter at hand.

Leo was already talking to Eiru about his ideas on the mission as Ymir unfolded the request paper. "Since Ymir's client is most likely a member of high society I figured I would dress for the occasion for once."

"Almost high society," she said. "They're a merchant from out of town, which works quite well for us since that-" She pointed squarely at the suit Leo was wearing. "Is definitely not Lantana nobility, as nice as it looks." She was still curious as to where he'd gotten it. He'd have had to perform in a lot of bars to afford something of that quality--it would certainly pass for noble outside the city.

"Tell me, Ymir, have you any idea what we might be chasing here? Who our client is even?"

"Please do enlighten us."

"Alright alright, your highnesses. I'm getting there." She huffed at their expectant faces, stacked atop each other like kids. "As I said we're 'chasing' a merchant from out of town. The... client, suspects they're smuggling something inside of antiques, but routine guard inspections haven't turned anything up. Our job is to find out what it is." This particular 'client' was rarely wrong, after all. Pulling the map out of her bag she laid it on the table for them to see, pointing to a spot marked on it. "They company will be at the trading centre near the docks. Normally with this sort of thing I just wait until I see an opening to sneak in, but with you guys there we should be able to make one." Glancing between them both she gauged their reactions. "Any questions before I explain the rest of the plan?"

------------------

Azalea Gibraltar
Location: Guild Hall
Mentions: Key of Stars Gaius Danius Griinia Pseudo-nim ​

The guild doors opened and an unusual mist rolled in, announcing the arrival of one of their older members. Artyx had arrived, it seemed, smartly dismissing her summons before one of the newer recruits mistook it for an enemy--it wouldn't be the first time. They approached the counter, seeming all the world like towering presence. Only the shift in their eyes and tense shoulders gave away the uncertainty those familiar with them recognised. They stopped beside Wizard, and Azalea somewhat wondered if the two had met. "Hello..."

Upon seeing a new person Kathlyn immediately perked up. Azalea quelled the amused twitch at the corner of her mouth. "Hello! Good morning! I don't believe we've met before, I'm Kathlyn the guild's new receptionist. Please ask me if you have a request or something else you want done- oh! Would you like some tea? I made it myself."

Of course she had; people better not start expecting that sort of hospitality from Azalea. She offered sympathetic smile towards where Artyx stood, aware of the druid's struggle with common tongue. "Actually-" Her expression returned to normal as Kathlyn turned. "Miss Azalea do you want some? I'm sorry for not asking you earlier."

"I will be alright, thank you." It didn't taste any different to water--through no fault of Kathlyn's. Somewhat dishearted, Azalea watched Kathlyn turn back to Artyx, ready to help if the latter seemed to be getting overwhelmed.

 

[Dethrix]

• info
• stats & equip

• 
  
  
  
  
  Kog'Thollal the Sòlgardener
  Race: Abyssian
  Class: Rogue
  Rank: Copper
  Affinity: Fire | Air
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  Attributes:
  

  • Strength: 10
  • Intelligence: 12
  • Agility: 10
  • Dexterity: 0
  • Constitution: 10
  • Fortitude: 8

  
  Equipment:
  

  • 1x Waystone
  • 1x Bag of Holding
    • 2x Dagger
    • 1x Dice Set
    • 1x Mess Kit
    • 1x Rations (1 day)
    • 1x Rope, Hempen (50 feet)
    • 1x Tinderbox
    • 1x Torch
    • 1x Waterskin
  • 1x Enchanted Map
  
  

Spoiler: Uncoded Text

Absentmindedly, Kog'Thollal stared down at a beverage that had been placed in front of him not too long ago. The liquid within the wooden stein had yet to be disturbed, instead, the Abyssian scoundrel was using the drink as an excuse to sit amongst those at the bar. Always enacting his roguish nature, Thol hoped to glean insight into his fellow guild members and their respective quests. As nothing more than a copper rank, the options he had at his disposal were scarce and measly in terms of payout. After all, as a thief, the Sòlgardener’s incentive to join the guild in the first place was entirely based on monetary gain. Instead of constantly searching for a new mark, he instead hoped to have them brought to him.

Yet now, all he found at his disposal were apple and moss gathering assignments. As a former farmer, Kog’Thollal knew the importance of such tasks but ultimately felt they were empty in comparison to the iron and silver listings. Regardless, when an odd-looking mage marched into the establishment looking to accept the egg quest… It presented an easy score. Especially when Azalea commented that a companion might be required. Despite his disdain for such mundane tasks, tagging along and allowing the self-proclaimed Wizard to do all the work, was right up Kog’Thollal’s alley.

The Ciaráthian native removed himself from the bar and made his way towards the shrouded “Wizard” without another thought. He moved with a reptilian grace that further drove home his heritage to those around, with silent steps and snake-like smoothness. Within the distractions of conversation, he’d moved behind the presumably arcane figure just as a greenish-blue haze wafted into the building. Reflexively, the scoundrel’s hand dipped into the bag of holding affixed to the leather harness strapped around his waist. Within the transdimensional space, his fingers quickly drew on the hilt of a dagger, though he didn’t pull the weapon out in its totality.

After all, he knew not to turn precaution into a threat. As it were, the strangely colored fog seemed to simply announce the arrival of what he could only assume to be a high-ranking member of the guild. A bit flashy for his taste, but ultimately not something he needed to kill. The dagger slipped from his grasp, back into the shifting contents of the bag, and Kog’Thollal used his now empty hand to grasp at the wizard’s shoulder.

“In need of a partner?” The Abyssian quipped, with a low rasp texturing his voice. Though not his first tongue, Thol had taken to common without great issue. Though his Ciaráthian accent could fully be heard, it didn’t obstruct his speech beyond comprehension. Following his question of teamwork, the rogue nodded at both Azeal and Kathyln before moving to the opposite side of the Wizard. As to not get in the way of the mist bringing guild members. Though not particularly concerned with the high-ranking individual, Thol found an interest in her speech pattern. Similar to his own, though far more prominent, was a discomfort with the shared language.

Absentmindedly, Kog'Thollal stared down at a beverage that had been placed in front of him not too long ago. The liquid within the wooden stein had yet to be disturbed, instead, the Abyssian scoundrel was using the drink as an excuse to sit amongst those at the bar. Always enacting his roguish nature, Thol hoped to glean insight into his fellow guild members and their respective quests. As nothing more than a copper rank, the options he had at his disposal were scarce and measly in terms of payout. After all, as a thief, the Sòlgardener’s incentive to join the guild in the first place was entirely based on monetary gain. Instead of constantly searching for a new mark, he instead hoped to have them brought to him.

Yet now, all he found at his disposal were apple and moss gathering assignments. As a former farmer, Kog’Thollal knew the importance of such tasks but ultimately felt they were empty in comparison to the iron and silver listings. Regardless, when an odd-looking mage marched into the establishment looking to accept the egg quest… It presented an easy score. Especially when Azalea commented that a companion might be required. Despite his disdain for such mundane tasks, tagging along and allowing the self-proclaimed Wizard to do all the work, was right up Kog’Thollal’s alley.

The Ciaráthian native removed himself from the bar and made his way towards the shrouded “Wizard” without another thought. He moved with a reptilian grace that further drove home his heritage to those around, with silent steps and snake-like smoothness. Within the distractions of conversation, he’d moved behind the presumably arcane figure just as a greenish-blue haze wafted into the building. Reflexively, the scoundrel’s hand dipped into the bag of holding affixed to the leather harness strapped around his waist. Within the transdimensional space, his fingers quickly drew on the hilt of a dagger, though he didn’t pull the weapon out in its totality.

After all, he knew not to turn precaution into a threat. As it were, the strangely colored fog seemed to simply announce the arrival of what he could only assume to be a high-ranking member of the guild. A bit flashy for his taste, but ultimately not something he needed to kill. The dagger slipped from his grasp, back into the shifting contents of the bag, and Kog’Thollal used his now empty hand to grasp at the wizard’s shoulder.

“In need of a partner?” The Abyssian quipped, with a low rasp texturing his voice. Though not his first tongue, Thol had taken to common without great issue. Though his Ciaráthian accent could fully be heard, it didn’t obstruct his speech beyond comprehension. Following his question of teamwork, the rogue nodded at both Azeal and Kathyln before moving to the opposite side of the Wizard. As to not get in the way of the mist bringing guild members. Though not particularly concerned with the high-ranking individual, Thol found an interest in her speech pattern. Similar to his own, though far more prominent, was a discomfort with the shared language.

Updates

Location: The Waystone Guild Hall
Mentions: Sylph Pseudo-nim Gaius Danius Griinia Key of Stars

 

[RatKing]

Ruvo Steelfeather

Location: Guild Hall​

The strumming of the strings of Ruvo’s lute could be heard as he entered the main room of the guild hall from the member lodgings. The avian musician as of late always seemed to be deep in thought as he tried different combinations of notes and chords to invoke a particular feeling for a composition he had been working on. Letting out a brief sigh he stopped playing his instrument and looked around the hall. It did not take very long to see that it was as busy and full of all kinds of people as ever. In fact, that was probably one of Ruvo’s favorite things about the place. There was hardly ever a time there was not something interesting going on or someone to talk to about a quest they had gone on. It was for this reason the place became a source of inspiration for him when it came to writing his music and it was made all the better when he took part in quests as it allowed him to have firsthand experience with the stories he may turn into song.

Seeing that there were a few on going conversations between various guild members Ruvo was just going to take a seat at the first empty seat and continue his work when he noticed that a team seemed to be forming to take on a quest. Curious if they could use someone like him on their team he decided to instead sit close to enough that he could be called upon if needed but not so close that he added to the growing crowd around the receptionist's desk.

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

The Wizard
Location: The Waystone Guild Hall
Interactions: Sylph Key of Stars Pseudo-nim

"The Wizard needs not a babysitter for a quest as simple as this. It shall be accomplished solo with the might of his Arcane Power" said The Wizard indignantly. Not wanting to be treated as any lesser than any other Copper Ranked Adventurer. The Wizard continued to ague for the right to go on this quest by himself. When the rookie receptionist greeted The Wizard. He was taken aback by her chipper attitude. Usually people were much less pleasant to him. Refusing her offer of tea and holding up the quest notice for the pair once more. The Wizard was about to ask them where King Turkey was before he heard the twang of a Druidic accent. Turning around and looking over the newcomer. The Wizard was met with an awkward looking Druid Girl and her familiar. Frowning as he stared at the beast. The Wizard began wondering if he should find his own familiar. The other lower ranked guild members seemed to treat this Druid and her companion with awe. He guessed she must have been a higher rank than he. Knowing that Azalea was hesitant about letting him go on such a task alone. The Wizard turned to the Druid and began speaking her native tongue. "You! Druid Girl. Accompany the Wizard on his quest to procure eggs from the mighty King Turkey" remarked The Wizard as he pointed at the silent girl whilst she awkwardly shuffled in place.

The Wizard had picked up a conversational level of Druidic in his work at the local library. Nights spent alone cataloguing books had given him plenty of time to learn as much as he could from the tomes around him. Once he had gotten the hang of a second language, the next few came much faster. Though he had only learned Druidic in particular due to rumors of certain spellbooks that were only written in the tongue of the druids.