[center][color=fff79a]Catarina La'Spada[/color][/center]

And soon the party was off! Catarina noticed the new face, a Halfling who claimed to have been part of the Mage's Guild, or at least subcontracted out to them. Catarina could see that, she has done a few jobs similarly. Odd that she wasn't present at the meeting however. Catarina would also have to keep an eye on her. Still, she was grateful for the wagon though Catarina still rode her own horse. The beast seemed nervous at the plump looking knight mounted on it, but Catarina was no stranger to mounted combat. She preferred fighting on foot, but the speed she could achieve on horseback wasn't anything to scoff at. For a knight like herself, mobility was just as important as strength. After all, no strength in the world could protect your from a rain of arrows like dodging can.

Although Sapphire was was best known for it's glamorous city, some people forget that it has farm lands too. Cataraina herself was surprised that anything could grow in a desert when she first arrived, but one must never underestimate the determination of humans when they call a place home. Not that it was easy of course, as the farmers relied much more on the river to water their crops, and outside of the walls they were easy prey for thieves and bandits. Usually they weren't worse than a gang of three or five, nothing a trained guard couldn't handle. Most villages were protected by at least one squad of guardsmen, as Cataraina had learned. No, what the villages were more fearful were the orcs. Desert nomads who generally tried to stay away from places like Sapphire, but farming villages around harvest time were ripe targets for their raids. Though the guard presence typically increased during those times as well, Catarina can always find work around harvest season to fend off orcish raiders from these villages. Generally the pay was crap, but Cataraina made more money off looting the dead orcs then getting paid by the villagers. As for the orcs themselves, Catarina didn't really have any negative feelings about it. It was a job, she rationalized, and if they were human, giants, elves, or dwarves, she would cut them down all the same. Admittedly however Catarina has made more than a few enemies with notable orcish warriors for slaying their brothers or cousins or some such. But such was the way of battle.

[color=fff79a]"If we continue at this pace, I believe a little after nightfall there is a small village we could make camp in. I've worked with them before, and they may give us some shelter for the night."[/color]

[hr]

[center][color=brown]Parum[/color][/center]

Once the group was off Parum pulled her hood up and drove the wagon. Some people may question why Parum would wear a long silk robe in a scorching environment like a desert, but that was because she worried more about being sun burned over being a little hot. Plus her robes were very breathable, allowing some ventilation and cool air to pass through. Not to mention her robes also helped Parum hide little knick-knacks she steals, plus her many daggers. The elvish mage chose to sit in the wagon and Parum could tell that something weighed on her mind. Was it perhaps concern about this mission, or something more personal? Parum could certainly tell that it was worrying the elf. Since she needs to make allies, Parum figured this would be a good chance to make a bridge. [color=brown]"So, Vivian was it? You seem like a mage of some sort, what spells can you use?"[/color]