Fantasy The Guild Stone ((Old Questing Thread))

[Reinhardt]

Aergundias​

Location: Guild Hall​

Aergundias paused for a second upon hearing Azalea's inquiry. It was rare that an offer to group up with others came upon him, and most of the time, they didn't work out quite well, resulting in such a group being disbanded, or simply him being removed from it - voluntarily or otherwise. Not that it had any weight on him, though - he'd lived by himself for quite some time now that staying in such a state wouldn't pose a problem at all.

"I don't mind.", he responded with a rather lax tone, although a bit late. "As long as they can keep up, and bear with my presence, there shouldn't be a problem with others tagging along."

"I'm not one for first impressions, but I am quite curious as to who these new recruits could be.", he added, as he silently followed her steps. His ever-wandering eyes eventually came to notice the recruitment sheets that she held which helped him arrive at the conclusion that whoever she was handing such papers would be the said newcomers.

Interaction/s: Azalea ( Sylph )

 

[Sylph]

"Currently, I'm trying to organise things for an Oni. The red type—so I supoose they'd keep up just fine." They were well known for their strength and stamina, if nothing else. Shoving the papers back somewhere they couldn't fall off again, Azalea turned to head back down the stairs, Aergundias in tow. "She crashed into one of the spare guild rooms yesterday. Brought a hostile demon along too. Sir Ducci dealt with the threat, but the repairs are going to be a pain..."

She supposed she could forgive someone who offered to pay things back at least. "Then this other witch came flying through and broke a table. A girl who calls herself Apple showed up, and we now have two people who turn into cats."

Hells, what else was there? She could hardly keep track. "So yeah, it's been pretty busy," Azalea concluded.

 

[Zef The Owl]

Regil The Thief
~"I am no shifter, but I am shifty!"~
​

"Oh!" A lot of things happened at once. A lot of people showing up, sadly for the confused woman who didnt know where she was and the loud red oni who he felt like he could get along with, he had to focus on what was right in front of him.

Which happened to be the giant knightly bird about to drag him on a gold rank mission he never asked for.

He shot a glance at Azalea as she brought up his exploit against the Ogre and, added in the bit about petrifcation. Oh, she knew what she was doing... Perhaps she was hoping he'd be petrified out there so they could handwave off the stain he brought to the guild. There had to be no shortage of new adventurers who just didnt make it or died to overconfidence. He supposed he couldn't blame her, just doing what was best for the guild by weeding out the miscreants. Either that or this was more benign, and he was just too used to the Skullsplitter way of doing things.

Whatever, charm time again.

"Well, foul words they may be." He responded to Sir Ducci. "I imagine you have more of a preference for fowl words." He said, with a cheeky smirk. Bird humor. "Whatever the case I'll be mindful of that gaze, thank you miss Azalea, but should things go wrong at the very least I'll make the finest guild statue for the entrance hall." He said, putting a bit of a jest to the morbid subject. Not just to not face the prospect of his own demise but furthermore to perhaps earn an eyeroll from Azalea at him being an attractive entrance piece. Rurnur | Sylph

Take the small victories where you can get them and all that.

Then came the gear, which assumably he was one of the recievers as this was his first real visit to the guild. Tail swayed curiously as he turned and examined each piece, looking up at Azalea's explaination. Well, at least she reassured him others would help if he was in trouble, though he wondered if that wasnt cover for the dangerous mission she'd all but signed him up for. The others seemed unfussed, particularily Apple herself. Though this new guy, the lion fellow? He noted a few eyes tying himself to Leonin. Regil, didnt see the resemblence. This man was not only Lion based while Regil himself was Tiger, but Leonin was a shifter. Despite Azalea's claims no, no Regil could not transform into a cat. He just had catlike features, nothing more. It was like comparing a chimp to an Orangutan, yes both primates but claiming they were the same was silly.

During his inner thoughts, Sir Ducci seemed to be swarmed with attention. The aforementioned Oni, the Leonin they seemed to be signing on for the quest too. Well, good, more distractions. He merely shrugged, and let them talk as a party seemed to be formed. They started their way to the training grounds, Regil was inclined to follow. Since their chaparone was busy talking to the Oni and Shifter, he made pace with Apple.

"Well, we suddenly have a very lively troupe dont we? Have you ever battled something like a cyclops before?" He asked Apple, tiger ear flicking as he put hands behind his head carelessly while they followed. He regarded her small green companion on her shoulder with a sidelong smile before looking back to her. "I admit I've no idea how similiar it is to an Ogre beyond sheer size."

In truth, he was trying to get a bead both on the Ogre and on his temporary teammate. Figure her out some if theyd be working together. Eventually he'd extend this to all in their band, but with them so occupied speaking to Sir Ducci he would save them for later.
Ace Cream

​

 

[Reinhardt]

Aergundias​

Location: Guild Hall​

"A Red Oni, hm? Interesting.", Aergundias commented, as he listened to the words of the guild's designated scribe. He'd heard of such creatures, Onis - beings originating from the mystical eastern lands often portrayed as monstrous and powerful. Never truly painted as an ally of good, nor as an enemy of evil - rather following their whims or following a certain way of life. To witness them in action firsthand is an experience most would be envious of, especially in these parts of the world - where nearly every life and culture had meshed into a cluster of diversity.

If the word about them proves to be true, then the said oni would do just fine. Perhaps even better once she's departed from Aergundias's company, whenever that time would come.

Azalea continued, stating how the Oni came to the guild, as well as several others that seemed to have arrived sequentially - adding to the ever-growing numbers of the guild. Of course, more recruits meant having more workforce, which meant an increase in finished jobs and accomplished requests - which was for the good, obviously. Though such came with a price, higher upkeep for the guild, and not to mention the paperwork involved which could easily stack up to an intimidating pile.

Deep in his thoughts, Aergundias tried to correlate the sudden surge of newcomers to his affliction, but that seemed quite unlikely. A soft, subtle chuckle left the mouth of Aergundias for a second. Surely, that wasn't the case - if it was, the guild authorities would have done something about it already.

"Well, as the saying goes - 'the more the merrier'.", he cracked.

Interaction/s: Azalea ( Sylph )

 

[Blackrose7]

Celia, the space witch~Space has endless possibilities~
Intection: Sylph​

When the tree lady came back to the front desk, Celia was happy to see them. "Hello, and anyway. As I was going to tell you before, I have space and air magic, and you don't mind me moving the broken table from its spot into my portal? I have a bad habit of removing tools, broken stuff, or throwing rats into that." said Celia. She was embarrassed to say that, because they didn't want to cause trouble. "Also, can I join whatever the adventurer's guild name is? You guys seem like cool people, and my family probably doesn't want me to come back. None of them besides me have magic, and I heard that the rewards are great. I would like to know about my location as well." Celia was listening to the others' conversation during the wait, so they would have heard some interesting stuff. They were planning on trying to fix the table as well, but now she wants to put it back in its original spot. She didn't want them to be angry about that. 'I shouldn't have touched the broken table.' thought Celia.

 

[Ace Cream]

Apple

"Fighting cyclop? Never! Apple have only met lonely troll before. Troll is good." Apple replied Regil's question.

"Mama said cyclop only have one eye so it should be easy spotting them!" She then shape her hand into a circle and put it on her forehead. Yeah, she imagined the cyclop would be something like this.

Zef The Owl

 

[Rurnur]

Risoria Ducci De Columba
​

Arriving outside in the training field with Apple, Leolin and Regil in tow, Ducci fluffed up his feathers and stood with his fists pressed upon his hips. "Very good! We have Apple, Regil and.. I don't believe I caught your name young man!" He eyed Leolin curiously, before giving a gracious bow. "It's a pleasure to make all your acquaintance! And indeed, our target is the dreaded Cyclops. Unlike the Ogre, larger cousin to Orcs and Goblins, or the Troll; a particularly nasty form of Fae creature, the Cyclops' origins lie closer to the great Giant clans of the north. Meaning that first of all, they are much bigger! and secondly, of comparable intelligence to other humanoids." Ducci stated with deadly seriousness, before swiftly changing up his demeanor. "But first things first! As you may have heard, I am Sir Risoria Ducci De Columba, gold-ranked adventurer!" He announced proudly, lifting his chin up. "I'm what you might call a Paladin, a warrior utilizing the affinity of Body and Light." With that, he wrapped his clawed hand around the enormous blade sheathed at his waist, and withdrew it in a single swift motion, raising it high in the air. The steel shone in the light, a massive weapon that an average man would struggle to carry with both hands, easily held aloft by Ducci and his enhanced strength. "Alongside my physical prowess, I can summon forth a holy light to strike down our enemies, or to heal any who become wounded in battle." He said this as his form became bathed in a sparkling golden aura, his eyes closing as the light surrounded him in a warm embrace. "While my abilities may be impressive, all adventurers have their weaknesses! For example, frequent use of holy magic leaves me rather drained, putting me at a disadvantage during drawn-out encounters, especially without support from allies."

His feathers then flattened, and he stuck his greatsword into the dirt, leaning upon it's grip as his gaze turned to the new recruits. "But enough about me! I want to know what I'm getting into here! As I'm sure you're all equally curious. Don't be shy now! Go ahead and share your talents with us, learning the capabilities and limits of your allies is paramount to the formation of a successful adventuring party! Just try not to hurt anyone before our quest begins!" Ducci's head bobbed up and down in excitement, expecting a surely fantastical display of magical abilities.

Ace Cream Zef The Owl Tapfic

 

[Zef The Owl]

Regil the Thief
~An eye for an eye against a cyclops sounds like a steal, especially with a healer on your side.~

​

"Ah yes." He said, nodding to Apple regailing her part, it wasn't very helpful. Still it was good to know someone was as clueless as he was about what they were getting themselves into. "I can't say I've ever met a troll but I hear they can regenerate from almost anything. Also your mother sounds very wise! I certainly hope they're easy to spot, though if what Azalea said is true we may need to make sure we aren't spotted as it seems it can turn us to stone with it's gaze." He pointed out, ear flicking a moment as he chanced a glance back. He noticed the Oni woman wasn't joining them, shame, she seemed one of the more interesting ones. Maybe she'd catch up later once she was all signed up? Well, that left him with Lionel, Apple, and Ducci. Apple seemed naive, filled with wanderlust, he was honestly curious just how long she'd last really. That sort of enthusiasm would almost certainly get one into trouble, and he knew better than most that the world could be rather unforgiving.

He blunk as they stopped in the training grounds, finally pulling hands out from behind his head to drop to his sides as he heard out Ducci. He heard him out and, was mildly surprised at the mention of the man's weakness. He wasn't used to people just, sharing their weaknesses. Just putting it out there for anyone who might see fit to back stab them. If it was his personal advice he'd say that was a silly move, but, he supposed different environment different times. He kind of shrugged, looking over at Apple as Ducci asked people to share their skills. "Well, I'll go first if that's alright." He flashed Apple a smile, before stepping before Ducci and in view of Lionel and Apple.

"Now then, my name is Regil. I have a very particular set of skills I've built up in the city streets. I'm what you might call a Rogue, if you need someone to get someplace quietly and undetected? I'm your man. On top of that, I have ah... Connections." He said, clapping hands together and grinding his palms together, grinning innocently. "I have a way with words you see and I can generally talk myself out of almost any situation. Don't take that as an invitation to start trouble though." Literally he could kill an adult elephant with his hypocrisy, but like hell he was going to encourage people to cause trouble in front of a Paladin. Thankfully his charisma and deception scores were through the roof.

"However I don't think the latter will be very practical in our hunt. What you want me for, is sneaking around behind whatever it is your fighting and snipping a few tendons or a bit of poison in the proper vein to make all of our lives quite a bit easier." He said, putting hands over his chest. Grinning a cat's grin, the cat-man's tail flicking as he looked over them all. "Yes I know those are all more practical skills. I do have, ah, some sort of power it seems? I've but recently become aware of it, I wouldn't rely on it much, but it seems I'm a walking sunbeam of some sort. Not... Not quite to Sir Risoria's lengths but--" He pointed up a finger, a white burst of light igniting at the tip. Faint, subtle, almost like a tiny flashlight.

"As said this is, new, to me, so I don't know how to reliably do it in any major capacity, so I wouldn't rely on me lighting up your days when you need it. I'm sure our Paladin could do that better." He lowered his hand, expunging the light. Yes, he was going to pass that off as his weakness. He wasn't lying, it was all truth he didn't know how to properly use his newfound Light magic. However, he didn't know the guild well enough yet to trust them with his real weaknesses. All they needed to know was how to best utilize him.

"Now then, is that it for me? Or was there anything else you'd like me to share? Otherwise I'm happy to stand down and give one of our other fine fellows the podium." He asked, motioning to Apple and Lionel as he looked back at Sir Risoria for his answer.


Tapfic | Rurnur | Ace Cream

 

[Ace Cream]

Apple

Apple clapped when she witness Sir Risoria's display of strength and light magic. She never saw something like it directly, the only time she ever heard about paladin before was from her mother's stories of getting questioned by the neighboring kingdom's knights whenever their princess got kidnapped.

Then Regil came forward, Apple was rather confused at how he explain himself. What did he means by 'connection'? What did he means by talking his way out of a situations? But her eyes lit up when he talks about sneaking behind enemies and showing a bit of his light magic. Now that's something she could understand! She was eager to show off so when Regil was finished so she immediately stepped forward. Now... She wasn't sure how to explain it, but she would try her best.

"Umm, mama teached Apple how to use the fire affinity!" Apple took brief pause as she inhaled as much air as she could manage, and then let out a gush of fire stream out of her mouth in a conical area in front of her. It last a few seconds before she went out of breath. "B-but, compared to mama's fire breath, Apple's is nothing." She added while panting to regain her breath.

"Then there's aunt Pica." At the mention of this, Pipi hopped on her shoulder enthusiastly, Apple gave her a pat on the head. "She said human is weak by nature, and Apple shouldn't be ashamed to use whatever tools necessary to survive. Apple can use spear, bow, make traps, camps and hunting! Aunt Pica is great!"

Apple drew the bow that had been resting on her back and nocked an arrow. She aimed at a nearby dummy and release the arrow. It hits the dummy on the torso. Apple repeated the shoot a few more times and filled the dummy with arrows.

"Aunt Pica also teached Apple how to channel magic to grow plants." As she said this, the arrow stuck inside the dummy started twitching, and then growing into roots that entangle the dummy. Some of the roots latched into the dummy while some others dug into the earth. If the dummy was a living being it would have a really hard time escaping the binds. For some reason Pipi looks really excited at the sight of it and jumped around.

"So Apple found a way to combine both of their teaching, and make plants explode. Yes, including the wood in furnitures and arrow shaft." The roots entangling the dummy combusted instanteously, then after a few seconds the roots exploded in a terrifying display of bright light, blasted splinters and loud noises, leaving a charred crater where the dummy had been. Pipi clapped in joy.

"Apple is pretty good at making traps and destroying things. Pipi is good at digging holes. That's how we survived the journey here." Apple concluded her explanation and looked at the others with her starry eyes. This was her first time explaining herself to others and she thought she did quite well.

Rurnur Zef The Owl Tapfic

 

[Tapfic]

Leolin Laris​

Leolin managed to not fidget or interrupt throughout Sir Ducci's entire explanation of the mission. It was a new personal best.
So they where going to fight a cyclops? He hadn't seen one of those guys yet. They where big, and of similar intelligence to other humanoids; nice! It's way easier to talk to people when they know the language.
Wait, did they speak common though? Maybe they had their own cyclops language- oh wait Sir Ducci was demonstrating now- time for Lin to zone back in.

Well; good news was- everyone was super freaking cool. Ducci was like a fairy tale hero incarnate, with powers to match. Regil was the other cat boy, and his little light thing was a little funny- but Leolin bet they'd make great friends. Lastly, Apple's name was super easy to remember because she said it all the time; so that was one thing he didn't need to worry about forgetting- and her archery was impressive.

" Oh yeah I should go too! " Leolin spoke to himself out loud, clapping his hands together.
" My name's Leolin Laris and I have body and transformation affinities, which does this-" He paused, and in less than an instance his form had shifted to that of a completely golden lion. His mane seemed to have yet to grow in fully, the form was quite obviously larger than the average wild beast, and his healthy eye still retained its distinctly Leolin-friendliness; but other than that it was indistinguishable from a large cat found in nature.
Leolin sat on the ground with a heavy thud, and when he opened his maw a perfectly human voice came through the sharp teeth.
" I don't really use this form much, for lion boy stuff I'll just change the limb I need at the moment "
His form shifted yet again, this time to a fluffy golden house cat.
" I like this form better " Lin did not change back to continue his explanation. Instead he rolled over on his back and started playing with his tail.
" So that's it for transformation- as far as body goes I guess I'm a little stronger than average, but mostly It just levels up my senses and agility! "
" But actually" Leolin's little cat body had found a comfortable pose; one paw on his cheek and the other on his hip as he lay on his side- something no self respecting cat would ever do.
" I usually solve problems by telling jokes and talking things out! " he sounded very proud " By the time I'm done with them those Cyclops guys will have an appreciation for humor so refined, they'll quit doing whatever we're making them stop doing and go join a comedian's guild- no one will see it coming"
He stood up on his back paws to put one paw in the air, like a hero starting his destined journey.

" It'll be awesome. "

Truthfully, he did have no other choice than fighting sometimes- but it was okay because he always made sure to apologize for the bruises after they became friends- or whilst he ran away; it usually was one of the two.

" Oh yeah- also, as far as weaknesses go," Leolin seemed to have forgotten he had any " If i get startled in full cat form, I'll have the brain of a cat until I get tiered and lose shape! " Which wouldn't be so bad if he could remember his time as full-cat. As it was he always ended up lost in some other city after he woke back up.
Rurnur Zef The Owl Ace Cream

 

[Rurnur]

Risoria Ducci De Columba
​

Ducci reacted with a sharp 'coo' or a round of applause each time one of the newcomers displayed their particular affinities. The lack of knowledge regarding Regil's abilities was somewhat unusual, but he apparently possessed skills sharp enough to be useful without his affinities even involved. Though he did seemingly possess an affinity similar to his own, perhaps he could help him unlock some of that potential along the way? As for Apple's abilities, he was immediately taken aback and impressed, as tactics and strategies designed to take full use of her trapping techniques began to come together in his mind. Then for Leolin, he seemed a perfectly solid and flexible addition to the team, perfect to round out their abilities.

Standing up to his full height once again, Ducci gave a round of applause to each of them. "Just marvelous! Very impressive, all of you. Such power, Apple! So elegant, Leolin! And such potential from you too, Regil." He gave a reserved nod and stood back, plucking his blade out from the dirt. "Now, we're going to be dealing with a number of these Cyclops, who are holed up in Stoneshard Stronghold to the north. We don't know exactly the number of foes we're to deal with, so Regil's stealth capabilities will come in handy. Ideally, we'll want to gather information first through scouting, before trapping and slaying the enemies one by one, with the help of our dear Apple. I will take charge of leading the Cyclops where we want them, while Leolin may assist Regil with scouting in his smaller cat form, before transforming when we've captured our prey!" Ducci beamed after describing his plan of action, eager to see these new recruits show their stuff. "Sounds good for now? Things may change once we arrive on the scene, of course. As indeed, these Cyclops may very well submit to our well intentions and cease their activities, but I'm afraid we should prepare for the worst, young ones." Ducci added solemnly, as from what vague tales and legends he had heard of the Cyclops, they seemed at odds with nature, not a race of beings, but some perversion of the noble giants who he held an amount of respect for, with their cultures having plenty in common with the wild roaming Barbavians to the south.

Ace Cream Zef The Owl Tapfic

 

[Zef The Owl]

Regil the Thief
~Help? Well I'm very good at helping myself.~
​

He watched the examples of the others. He wished he could say he was as optimistic as Sir Ducci. Apple seemed, capable, she had a survival instinct but while she failed to provide a weakness, he could already tell it was her curiosity and dependency on Pipi. Well, that was a guess perhaps, but it was a very educated guess at this point. He wondered how she'd perform under pressure if the tables turned against their plans and the pressure was on? He didn't have high hopes, and he had even lower hopes for Leonin as he played with his own tail and talked about befriending the blasted Cyclops. He had little to no faith in that either, maybe they'd surprise him, prove him wrong. However he was already seeing the cracks in this little team and that was not a good sign. Then again maybe he was just used to working with deadly serious gang members. He just didn't see how a Lion was going to be any help against something likely ten times their size and power.

Also, no, the similarities between his own affinity and Sir Ducci's didn't go unnoticed to him. That was going to have to be approached later. "That's all well and good, but do you have any experience with fighting these things Sir Risoria? Any tips on how we should handle their petrifying gaze should our scouting fail and we find ourselves engaged?" He asked, clearly Azalea's little quip had gotten to him and he couldn't dodge the feeling she was trying to get rid of him. He afterall didn't volunteer for this gold mission, he was happy to start off with something much easier. So it seems rather convenient someone he had suspicions didn't like him overmuch signed him up for a mission with instant death gazes. "Whatever the case I must agree with Sir Ducci. I doubt the guild would send us out to handle some beings that could simply be reasoned with, so we should be well on guard. It's likely they've already done damage somewhere to get this coin on their heads in the first place. I'd not hold my breathe on talking this out." Regil pointed out.

He put hands behind his head again, lazily, his tiger ear flicking as he shifted his gaze back to Leonin, "Also, you said your senses and agility increase in your cat form. Does that extend to stealth? Quiet prowling of the hunter and all of that?" He asked, just a bit in doubt of Leonin's capability. Understandably so, this was an incredibly dangerous mission they were doing and typically Regil was used to being pointed in a direction, disappearing alone, then popping out in time to save the day and receive all of the confetti and praise, he wasn't used to having a tag-along while he spied and figured out how to ambush a target.

Tapfic | Ace Cream | Rurnur

 

[Tapfic]

Leolin Laris
​

"Sounds good for now? Things may change once we arrive on the scene, of course. As indeed, these Cyclops may very well submit to our well intentions and cease their activities, but I'm afraid we should prepare for the worst, young ones."

Leolin's smile faltered slightly for a moment; he had to admit he felt a little queasy at the thought of straight up killing the cyclops guys- but at least Sir Ducci hadn't dismissed mercy entirely. Lin had had many issues with blood hungry adventurers in the past; and was not looking for any repeat scenarios. But for now the boy just had to trust he and his fellow guild members would make the right decisions at the right time.

"That's all well and good, but do you have any experience with fighting these things Sir Risoria? Any tips on how we should handle their petrifying gaze should our scouting fail and we find ourselves engaged?"
Petrifying gaze... like a gorgon? Oh, that would make seeing eye to eye a little more difficult. That was a good one, Leolin was going to save it for later. He did know a little about gorgons though; they where one of the creatures he had met during his non-organized adventures, really sweet ladies- not that sociable though.
"Whatever the case I must agree with Sir Ducci. I doubt the guild would send us out to handle some beings that could simply be reasoned with, so we should be well on guard. It's likely they've already done damage somewhere to get this coin on their heads in the first place. I'd not hold my breathe on talking this out."

Leolin sat up, his cat form giving way to his (mostly) human one.
He hummed in acknowledgment, sitting cross legged with his face resting in his hand and his arm on one knee.
He wasn't so sure about that. Sure, Lin trusted people easily- he already knew he did; but the guild it's self was not a person. It still needed to earn his faith. Who knew if anyone had even tried talking to the cyclops guys yet?
Leolin was distracted by Regil's flickering ear before he could add his two cents- aw.. kitty-
"Also, you said your senses and agility increase in your cat form. Does that extend to stealth? Quiet prowling of the hunter and all of that?"
Thinking on it Leolin probably gave way too bare-bones of an explanation as to where his strengths lie but.... They didnt really need to know everything did they? That other stuff would be a neat little surprise for later, assuming Leolin decided to stay that long.
" Well technically that part is more of a 24/7 type thing, but I guess sneaking around is easier with little paws? "
Less noise and all that.
" Yeah, Sure- I can do stealth no problem- you got to be real quiet when it comes to rats- y'know how they have super good hearing too. "
Wow he's been in serious mode for so long, he almost felt like and actual adult. Must be first mission jitters.
Rurnur Zef The Owl Ace Cream

 

[Ace Cream]

Apple

Apple was confused they even wanted to talk with the cyclops. The cyclops made the stronghold their home and the client wants them gone. In Apple's mind the only outcome of this was either they kill all the cyclops or forcefully drive them away, the former would be preferred so the client wouldn't need to fear the cyclops going back for revenge. Still, she would let them try if they wanted to.

"Apple is ready!" She gave everyone a thumb up. Pipi found a small helmet somewhere in the corner and wore it on her head. The mandrake then gave a salute to state her readiness.

Rurnur Zef The Owl Tapfic

 

[Rurnur]

Risoria Ducci De Columba
​

Ducci shook his head in response to Regil. "Unfortunately I have not! Most have only heard tell of the Cyclops through rumors and legends, though they seem consistently referred to as a corruption of giantkin. If this talk of petrification is true, then the element of surprise will be crucial! To remain in the shadows of the stronghold, only revealing ourselves when necessary to defeat our foe." He answered thoughtfully, considering the threat of petrification. Surely, these Cyclops must have some weakness, it was simply too much to suggest they held such power as to turn enemies to stone with merely a look. It only goes to show that they should seek to understand the threat, before heading blindly into their den. As a newcomer himself he made that mistake many a time, so now he had begun to think better of it.

Giving a salute back to Apple before sheathing his blade, Ducci cooed contently. "I believe that should be enough introductions! We will discuss our strategies further when the time comes. For now, fetch yourselves some warm clothes, the Armory is at your disposal, make any other necessary preparations and I will do the same! Meet me back here, and we shall commence transport by Waystone! But only once we are together and prepared! I don't want any of you wandering about the mountains by your lonesome. Off you go now! No dilly-dallying!" He said loudly, clapping his hands together before squeezing himself back inside the guild hall. Ace Cream Zef The Owl Tapfic

He began with affixing his bag of holding onto his waist, stuffed with things like seeds, medical supplies, along with your traditional adventurer's survival gear for making camp or shelter. Next came the removal and reapplication of his armor, now with several men's worth of white gambeson padding underneath. He appeared somewhat less gallant without his brilliant feathers exposed, though he seemed infinitely cozier now. Making sure he came ready with his trusty waystone and map, it wasn't long before Sir Risoria was back at the training field.

 

[Zef The Owl]

Regil the Thief
~Did I say an eye for an eye seems fair? I take it back, none of this is fair.~

"Unfortunately I have not!"

Ah well, that confirmed it.
Azalea was trying to get him killed.

​

Well, he supposed he'd have to make a rare exception and strive to disappoint. Still, he wasn't going to back down here, perhaps he was making assumptions, after-all she may have instead been banking on him simply turning tail and fleeing. Perhaps turning down the mission and leaving the guild and thus returning her sanity then she could put all of these people on more suitable missions. Well, unfortunately for Azalea if this was the case she'd grossly underestimated just how far Regil was willing to go to prove a point and get phyrric victories that he only counted as victories because he got to see someone disappointed that he was still around.


"Leaving on my own? What? And hog all of the fun to myself? I wouldn't dream of it Sir Risoria I am nothing if but a generous man!" He jested with a cheeky grin, to mask his many MANY doubts about what he was getting into. He was a man who was good at improvisation, he'd figure out how to get out of this mess when he had a better idea of what he was dealing with. He turned then to Leonin, Apple and Pipi. "Well then, what say you all we get geared up? I've never left the city before but I'd imagine we'll need rations for the road, proper camping equipment and other provisions. Heavy stuff, I volunteer Leonin for the task." He said, patting Leonin twice on the shoulder as he passed him by, tail swaying cheekily behind him as he made his way to the armory. What? He wasn't going to make the girl carry anything, he had to travel light due to being sneaky, and Sir Risoria was his boss he couldn't make calls about him. Thus by process of elimination Leonin was the obvious unfortunate schmuck choice for this most noble of tasks!

Tapfic | Ace Cream | Rurnur

 

[Ace Cream]

Apple

"Apple is fine with that!" Apple didn't give it much thought when she replied at Regil's suggestion. Her mind was rushing at the thought of entering the armory. She could take anything, right? The first thing she did when she reached the place was shoving as many javelins as she could into her bag of holding. She's still amazed by how much such small sack can carry. Before long, she emptied the guild's javelin stock. Meanwhile Pipi dug through the available warm clothes and dragged a particular red mantle with white fur edge. It looks realy warm and there's a big pocket where Pipi could stay inside!

"Thank you Pipi!"

"Pii!"

Wearing the mantle made Apple feels like a hunter from the Far North. Her mother said they hunted in pack and smeared the blood of their preys to their clothes and turned it red. It didn't took long for her to prepare but she was taking a bit of her time just looking through the lined up weapons before heading back to the training field.

Rurnur Zef The Owl Tapfic

 

[Tapfic]

Leolin Laris
​

Leolin nodded along to Sir Ducci's instructions absently- yeah he could do all of that stuff no problem.... He didn't have to go to the Armory though right? His own adventuring supplies would be collecting dust at home by now- and he liked his stuff. Not to mention Miss. Land Lady would worry about him if he left without telling her- yeah he defiantly needed to go back...
Leolin was tapped back into reality by Regil tapping him on the shoulder.

"Well then, what say you all we get geared up? I've never left the city before but I'd imagine we'll need rations for the road, proper camping equipment and other provisions. Heavy stuff, I volunteer Leonin for the task."
Oh boy, hardly any time into his job at the guild and he was already getting volunteered for tasks! He must be doing well. His excitement was diminished when he realized he didn't really have enough information to pack supplies efficiently- How long would the trip take with Waystone travel factored in? Would they need to stay overnight once they got there?
" Wait- " Leolin started but it was too late, Regil had already left.
"???"

After a bit more thought done whilst making the trip back to his own place in the city, and the realization he still had that cool void bag, Leolin decided the simple solution would just be to over prepare, and a quick rummage through his adventure room had him throwing all sorts of random supplies into the baggie.
"Oh, I thought I lost this, " he exclaimed upon pulling a strange hexagonal object from beneath a pile of old compasses. Having said that he tossed it aside, loosing it once again.
With enough provisions to happily feed a giant for a fortnight stored in his bag of holding, no less than three extras of everything that didn't fit through the mouth packed away securely in his trusted traveler's pack, and Leolin decked out in some rather sensible looking thermal gear; he was ready to head back.
.......
Oh he almost forgot to say good bye to Miss. Land Lady- shame on him.

Now that everything was officially prepared for Leolin made his way back to the field; looking rather comical carrying a pack that was at least a head taller than him and smiling like an idiot as he waited to start the adventure.
Rurnur Ace Cream Zef The Owl

 

[Rurnur]

Risoria Ducci De Columba
​

Ducci stood proudly preening his feathers for a brief period of time, adjusting his new gambeson while patiently awaiting the return of the new recruits. When all were present and accounted for, he greeted them in turn and pulled out his adventuring map, finding the approximate location of Stoneshard Stronghold. Placing a clawed finger on the correct mountain range in the north, he determined a location just south of the stronghold would suffice, allowing them to gather themselves and get their bearings before heading straight into the stronghold. It may be a good idea to actually seek out the Dwarves who made the request in the first place, too. Huddling close to Apple, Regil and Leolin, Ducci clearly pointed out their desired destination. "I believe this is where we should aim for! Look here on your maps and concentrate, and you should glean enough information to make the journey there. Imagine the ridge just south of the Stronghold, nearby a tiny Dwarven village. If something goes wrong, just rely on your map! If necessary though, return to the guild, and we shall reconvene." Tucking away his map, Ducci raised his waystone and looked at each of his companions. "Are we ready? Very well! Let us go together!" He said before shutting his eyes and focusing his thoughts, before his form dissipated in a flash.

Immediately hit by the biting cold of the north, Ducci fluffed up his feathers and shivered. "Oho! How thrilling!" He exclaimed, looking out upon the expanse of jagged mountains surrounding him, coated in snow with frozen rock abound. The wind was relentless, up on this ridge overlooking the scenery with no shelter to speak of. Though it certainly succeeded in providing a view of the location. Not too far down from where he stood was the meager collection of huts that made up a village of Dwarves, which was atypical of their people, so well regarded for their grand architecture. When one thought of Dwarves, surely they'd be hit with images of great underground citadels, fortresses and mining camps, not unlike the ominous structure that stood out deeper into the valley. It was constructed from a darker stone than the surrounding rock, almost indistinguishable from it's environment, but given away by the hard edges and rectangles in it's design, from where the building had not been damaged or eaten away at by the environment. There was no doubt, that was Stoneshard Stronghold.

A mere two dozen buildings made up the village below, and now that he paid attention, he noticed a number of large shapes milling about in a nearby field. Less than a dozen of them, appearing like some form of abnormally large bovine animal. Was this the Dwarves livelihood? A stark contrast from the enterprising Dwarf cultures prospering in more accessible regions of the mountains. And to confirm it, he did see a few individuals milling about. Ranging from 4-5 foot tall but heavy and stocky in build, out of all the humanoid races it was no surprise that they were able to survive up here.

But before he got ahead of himself, Ducci bundled up and scanned the ridge for any sign of the recruits arriving, not wishing for any of them to get themselves lost in this inhospitable landscape.

Zef The Owl Ace Cream Tapfic

 

[Sylph]

Azalea Gibraltar
--= Past =--​

"Whatever the case I'll be mindful of that gaze, thank you miss Azalea."

He'd best be. Cyclops were known for their light and stone affinity, victims of their magic often uncovered in the snow, or displayed as trophies around their abode.

"-But should things go wrong at the very least I'll make the finest guild statue for the entrance hall!" Regil grinned, striking a pose.

Always with the theatrics.

Azalea's eyes narrowed. She couldn't fault his charisma. Humour and charm worked to help just about any situation, but she was more interested in knowing what lay underneath, in moments of desperation or terror, when something like a winsome smile couldn't get him out of it.

---

"What the hell does saving one rich aristocrat make up for when he's stabbed almost everyone else in the back?!"

"My dear, you should know better than anyone," Pri said. Her dark, watchful eyes drew close as she cocked her head. Azalea scowled. "Only weeds grow from stone. Flowers must be planted in fertile soil."

---

What Pri didn't mention, and what Azalea hadn't thought of at the time, was that a garden of weeds would strangle a single, struggling flower. They were prolific by nature, spreading indiscriminately, taking all they could and leaving nothing behind.

But--

She supposed--

They weren't incapable of blooming in their own way.

Coming from such brutal conditions, the question was whether there would be petals or thorns.
Zef The Owl

---= Present =---​

Azalea paused, glancing back with wide eyes, unsure if she was imagining the quiet sound. But Aer's smile lingered on his expression, the markings under his eyes shifted subtly upwards.

"Well, as the saying goes - 'the more the merrier'." Despite his grin, Azalea only blinked.

No, part of her admonished, more is not merrier. More things were busier--more conflicts going on--more problems to be dealt with. In Azalea's world, it meant work. But that wasn't what surprised her-

"I completed the request."

"I'm taking this mission."

"Is there anything that needs to be done?"

She had not, to her living memory, heard him laugh. Her interactions with him were usually the same--short, sparse--brief. Only on a few occasions had she seen him even smiling.

...Actually, that might have something to do with those rumours. Having one expression usually doesn't help deal with others.

"...I find more people tend to attract more problems," she said eventually, turning back. "It's easier to get stuff done when no one's around." Reinhardt

Their conversation didn't last much longer. As soon as she reached the two non-members at the counter she was immediately accosted by the young witch, who had apparently decided on a different course of action after talking to the very outgoing giantess.

"Can I join whatever the adventurer's guild name is? You guys seem like cool people, and my family probably doesn't want me to come back. None of them besides me have magic, and I heard that the rewards are great. I would like to know about my location as well."

She talked fast, stumbling over questions in her eagerness. Most of it was a blur, though Azalea managed to cipher a few items of interest.

'My family probably doesn't want me back.'

It was sad to hear, coming from someone so young. But it explained the silent tear-streaks Azalea had noticed after rushing over to the unconscious girl. She'd wondered if they had been running from something. Knowing it to be their family made it all the worse.

Second issue--they wanted to sign up.

Azalea suppressed a sigh, wishing she'd had breakfast first.

Luckily, there was someone nearby. A certain fire shifter happened to know hunched sullenly over his breakfast. His glare, shadowed by dark obsidian that grew naturally from magmurs' skin, was such enough that a visible circle of absence surrounded him. On the off-chance someone did stumble too close, they were quick to apologise to the towering adventurer--even sitting he could look down on some of the shorter members.

Handing the recruitment sheet to Hashi for her to fill out, she sidled over to where Tuur was sitting. "Hey there, Tuur. Fun morning. You don't seem overly busy here so- could you do something for me?" Xcelgamer Plannit

The glare he fixed her with was to be expected.

"I've been trying to get on top of things all morning, but there just doesn't seem to be time." She smiled, waving a vine wrapped hand. "Do you think you could order something? I'll add a bonus into your next quest."

He shouldn't have any trouble, given he was several feet taller and made of literal rock.

She paid little heed to his answer, instead turning to watch the young witch who wanted to join. They were at the counter, and while from a distance Azalea could see her gesturing animatedly as she displayed her magic, a thorn accompanied the sight. Young ones like that were always drawn to the guild, eager to explore and earn a name for themselves. Yet, in their haste, and unable to see what others could, they were all but blind. Inexperienced--determined to prove their worth. Always pushing themselves too hard and refusing to back down from a fight. It was a tragedy Azalea knew well.

She never wanted to see another broken waystone on that map.

"This is not an average guild," Azalea said, stepping over to the young witch. She crossed her arms, fixing her her with a hard look. "We're a group who accept requests on behalf of the public. Dangerous ones, and often in places very far away." Her gaze considered the younger girl's expression carefully, trying not to sound cruel. "You may show potential, but I don't think you're ready to join us. Besides--your family is probably quite worried." Azalea's expression softened, uncrossing her arms to lean down. "I don't know what happened, but you shouldn't throw away your home so easily. I'll help you find a way back, okay?" Blackrose7

 

[Ace Cream]

Apple

Apple arrived falling on top of a snow pile. She and Pipi was briefly buried under it, but quickly dug their way out and laughed loudly at each other. This was their first time seeing this much snow. At their home, even winter was toned down due to the heat that her mother exert all the time. The girl and the mandrake were too happy about it and spent a bit of time throwing snow at each other, but soon the cold wind blew their joy away and now Pipi huddled inside the mantle while Apple let out breath of fire to give the rest of the body some extra warmth.

"S-sir Risario, l-let's go blast the cyclops then quickly go back to the guild." Apple said to her senior, clearly she was not used to this kind of environment.

Rurnur Zef The Owl Tapfic

 

[II-CinderRadcliff-II]

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

The sound of metal to the wooden floor boards echoed in the hall, as a man in a full suit of Tungsten armor walked in from the main entrance; the light that reflected off of his armor giving it a gleam resembling fire. The symbol of a nine tailed fox engraved and imprinted on both shoulder-pads making his chest-piece, a black scarf with streaks of red and orange wrapped lightly around his neck and draping down his back like a torn cape. His brown eyes looked onward towards the receptionist's desk before glancing at the job board, his hand moving to his face and adjusting the hair that had fallen in front of his eyes. Cinder Radcliff. One of the Gold Rank adventurers, he's known for completing some of the more dangerous jobs of his rank quickly; thanks in part to years of practice and his deep understanding of his limitations. He then spotted and approached Azalea as murmurs started up from some of the lower ranks, with a smile appearing on his face.
"Hey Azalea, hopefully you're not too busy." Cinder cheerfully said as he took notice to the young witch, all too familiar with how cocky and arrogant newer adventurers can be. It reminded him of the incident some time back where an adventurer was killed. "Ah, I see you're preoccupied with an aspiring adventurer, perhaps I could take her under my wing and show her the ropes?"
Blackrose7 Sylph

 

[Tapfic]

Leolin​

This had to have been the coldest place Leolin had visited in years. He shivered, and reached into his bag of holding to retrieve a hat, white and messily customized to leave room for his ears. As he did so the snow under his feet gave way ever so slightly.
" Huh?" just as the sound left his mouth, the snow under him collapsed completely under the weight of his over filled pack, and he was buried to the torso.
Startled, and cold- he scrambled back to the top; pulling his bag back up after.
Leolin shook the left over ice from his coat with a huff. Still crouching on all fours, he surveyed the snow covered mountain.
As one could expect, it was covered in snow, and rocks.
He didnt see the others in his party anywhere near, but when he tried he could catch their scent being carried with the winds.
He bounced up in exitment, ready to regroup; forgetting his lesson from just a few minutes earlier. He was once again half buried in the snow, and shivering.

It took a few tries, but eventually Leolin made it out of the deep snow and back to steady land. He could hear Apple not far off- oh there they where.
Leolin made his appearance with a bright smile.
" Hey guys!"

 

[Zef The Owl]

Regil the Thief
~They say there is no substitute for experience, they're correct.~
​

Regil was a bit more in depth with his preparations. He was in less of a rush. He'd prepared and prepared well. Weapons weren't what he primarily got from the armory, rather he'd been looking into various other materials that could be of use to him. Pitons, along with some climbing gear, some thin transparent wire perfect for an alarm system, and he made a point to see if there was any sort of in-stock medicine for curing personification. Failing that, he tried one last thing he hoped he wouldn't need to test, a Mirror. He'd heard stories of something similar working against Gorgons, he didn't know if this was the same, hell, he doubted it. However this was going to be a 'last resort' type affair. He neatly packed everything he needed into a satchel. He had no need for weapons, Regil had his good ol' faithful sword, daggers and crossbow from his time in the slums and he saw no reason to switch them out. The only other thing was to get bundled up, he made sure to dress warm.

He invested in a warm padded jerkin, with flared woolen collar. He'd made sure to get it in white, so as to blend in with the environment. Along with that came a pair of goggles and a warm cap that he tied over his ear, hiding his cat-like ears which he needed to fold back. Soon he rejoined the group, and was entirely uninspired by being one of the most over prepared. Naturally when they regrouped he was plenty ready, teleporting with them in that flash to the location. It was the first time in his life he'd encountered such a cold environment, but with his padding and preparations he was warm enough. Naturally one of the first things he heard was Apple's complaints, he sighed and looked over, "We were warned to dress warm." He pointed out with a sigh, "Well, luckily for you I hear a dwarven ale will warm the heart, if also leave you a giggling mess on the floor."

He noted as he approached, between his cap and goggles, and a newfound scarf, his face was totally obscured. If not for his tiger-like tail and very distinct manner of talking, one might have trouble telling it was him. His teleportation had been more elegant, appearing on a snowdrift and easily making his way over. How he'd found the crew was made obvious by a spyglass tied to his hip, something else he'd procured from the armory. He knew how to use it, he'd buddied up with some pirates fine sailors to teach him the finer arts of how to use their navigational equipment after having cheated won a bet. It came in handy.

He looked over at the shivering Leonin-- Seriously, was he the only one who bundled up properly for this thing? "Well seems we all made it more or less in one piece. It's probably best we don't leave our benefactors waiting overlong wouldn't you say?" He walked up next to Sir Ducci, surveying the small town. No one could see it beneath his scarf, but a frown had formed behind it. "I somehow expected a bigger settlement, more of them. I wonder if the Cyclops issue has taken some sort of toll on them?"

Tapfic | Ace Cream | Rurnur

 

[EldridSmith]

• Post

• For once Titus decided to spend the weekend at his home in the Theocracy catching up with his friends and talking to the Archons. He had finished another golden quest by heading into a flaming region to take care of some salamanders who were getting out of hand, thankfully fire was no issue to him and he used healing magic on himself to deal with the physical blows as he caved their heads in. He harvested the parts and gave the ones that weren't required to fulfill the quest to the temple as he knew that Adras had been complaining about not having salamander parts for some reason.
  
  Well now the old man had his parts and he felt like he finally returned the favor to him, as Adras had given him the hammer and robes he was wearing now. They never burned and protected him from a great deal over the past five years. He also gave an equal amount to what he was going to earn from the quest to the church, as he didn't really need the money, aside he knew a good chunk of it would help pay for Ashe's crusades, Ariana's clinic, and general upkeep for the city and it's guards. He was fond of his home, and he wanted to see it standing strong.
  
  Now it was early in the morning and he was saying farewell to the archons, and surprisingly even Legion was there. They must be gathering for an important event and he was just able to catch all of them before they went in. He stood in front of them all with a smile in the atrium in front of the holy shrine where Seraphina often spoke to the Archons. While often was relative, it was more often than what the average person would hear from the deity. The room was decorated with crimson and gold banners, jet black wall with veins of pulsing golden fire that made the entire temple feel alive, as if it had a heartbeat. He recalled the days when he first heard the nickname of the temple: The heart of Seraphina. Maybe this was right, maybe it was wrong, regardless the temple was a beautiful thing made with the finest craftsmanship. He was lucky to be brought here by his adoptive father figure, Lucias.
  
  "I presume you will be heading back to the guild now?" Ariana asked with a knowing look in her eye.
  "I am, once I finish talking with you all I shall return at once." Titus responded as he looked to the others gratefully... except Legion, he just ignored them.
  "To be expected, I am glad to see the one I raised has not forgotten his roots and has come back to us. You make me truly proud Titus." Lucias responds, his smile was beaming.
  The aged Cyclops just nods in response to Titus before heading into the room, Titus could tell the stoic figure was grateful for the parts he had dropped off by the small grin the old man couldn't hide.
  "Do not neglect your training, or I'll personally see you reprimanded." Ashe barks at Titus before he chuckles to himself. "Don't get yourself killed kid." He declares before patting Titus on the back. "Well I'm not one for pleasantries so I shall be off to the meeting." He says after nodding to titus and walking off.
  "Thank you all for everything." Titus gratefully responds to the four Archons, still ignoring Legion. With that Ashe exited the room along with Adras.
  "Well it's best we accompany rust bucket so he doesn't commit to another crusade we don't have the funds for." Legion comments snidely as he starts heading into the meeting room. Titus shoots Legion a hateful glare for the comment causing the maniac to chuckle. "If you were a lesser man we'd have you a smoking crater for that look. Watch yourself Archon candidate." The two remaining archons shoot Legion a dangerous glare for that comment. "Ohhhh Right, I wasn't supposed to say anything to the candidates of the candidates. OH WELL, just a minor slip. Perhaps we should kill him now that he knows too much?" Legion declares with a teasing and venomous tone. "Forget it forget it, twas just a joke." He plays off the comment as Ariana and Lucias glare at him and Titus looks at him confused, but angry. "Wouldn't want to let your precious pet getting hurt now. Well for now we shall take my leave before they stare a hole through us." Legion exclaims before passing by Titus to whisper in his ear. "We will have another member of the devouring flames as an archon, watch your back lest you end up like your mother." Legion threatens before heading into the sanctuary.
  
  Titus had many mixed feelings at that moment, anger, confusion, gratitude to the elders and the archons who raised him, doubt, traces of fear and paranoia, and others he couldn't properly describe. He knew that the elders tolerated Legion as he was the dissenter who kept the others from overspending, over committing, and providing an umbrella for those in his Devouring flames sect that the church used as practice of verbal debate and combat, but he felt that his words were too much. How could someone who was a disgrace to Seraphina be allowed in the church? Even then there was the veiled threat that perhaps he was the one behind his mother's demise... did she perhaps abandon him to an orphanage to save him from this monster? With countless questions rushing through his head Lucias spoke up first.
  
  "As much as I hate it that Legion was the first to tell you, you are in fact one of the select group of candidates to fill your mothers position... that was to be the main topic of today's meeting. And as much as we would love to chat further... he has caused trouble and we now need to address this in the meeting. Forgive us for not being able to leave you with a proper goodbye and warm feelings, please be careful and watch your back. We fear Legion is up to no good again." Lucian laments and Ariana nods before they leave for the meeting. Titus was left with more questions than answers, and he decided to delay his leave for the guild to stop and head to one of the shrine's to Seraphina he often frequented. He stopped to pray for a time before having finally calmed down enough to head back.
  
  He packed together the parts of the salamanders he needed to turn in and used his waystone to arrive at the front desk of the guild where he set down the bag. "Titus turning in for the Salamander quest, and requesting another gold or higher mission to partake in." He declared before noticing the seeming lack of people in the guild. "What did I miss while I was away?" He inquired as he didn't want to be left behind on any gold or higher quests, he needed to gain more experience, no longer just to avenge his mother, but to protect himself.
  @Whoever's in the guild hall. Sylph