Anastasia and her troop were one of the last groups to enter the noble building, riding to the entrance on majestic black horses, each ride garbed in ornamental shrouds that bore white silk lined symbols of the Ballanger family crest and the Church. Behind her two large carriages carrying huge wooden crates followed and parked near the entrance, to everyone's confusion. Crowds of commoners had fallen in around her and around the building, clamoring for the pious lady's attention and peeking a glance through the windows, joining whatever other curious onlookers had already gathered. She gave them a soft smile and a wave before she entered, nodding to her hunters to take up positions near the windows where the peasents most gathered. Guards which had attempted to shoo away the peasents were discouraged with a few whispers, and convinced to allow the people to look and listen to the proceedings. Inside, she sat at the back, full opposite of the raised platform, crossing her legs and listening with a faint smile to Drystan's dry speech, eyeing the few folk who left when he made his grim warning. As he called forth for volunteers already, she stood up and raised a hand. A member of her guard stopped the few deserters from leaving and turned their attention to her. "Captain, a fine speech, but, if I may, a word to all the gathered here before we go ahead." Without waiting for an approval, or, more likely, disapproval, she turned to the others. With a nod of her head, her guard opened the windows so that her words would carry to streets. A significant minority among the more novice hunters turned apptly to her, fingering lockets of religious superstition, while the more older and the more experienced rolled their eyes and groaned, muttering among themselves about the "attention whore". The crowd of commoners she had brought with her perked their ears. Clearing her throat, her voice, magnified by the large room, boomed across to the masses, stopping some in the streets. She spoke with authority, yet eloquence, clear and fast, urgent, yet proud. "My fellow hunters, my comrades, and my fellow citizens, Captain Halaard here was right when he called you the finest of Belvoir. For today is a momentus occassion, for it marks a turn in the tide of darkness that has come to assault our great kingdom. Rumors have spread through the streets that the rise of monstrosities is an ill omen, a sign of some great corruption or sin inherent in our country, that we have fallen from Godly ways to wickedness and this is our punishment. A divide has come between the people, those below accusing those above of depravity and greed, those above accusing those below of debauchery and lazyness. I tell you, this is the farthest from the truth. The tide of darkness that has crawled within our very streets is not a sign of our decay, but of our glory! Our kingdom stands at the height of a golden age, seen as a jewel across the land, a country of industry, innovation, and prosperity. The discipline and fury of our warriors is renowned, our alchemists unparalleled, our inventors and artists beacons of mankind's best. The skill of our tradesmen is without match. Look at the Belvoirian commoner, hard working and God fearing. Look at the Belvoirian noble, fair leaders and shred businessmen. To be a Belvoirian is to be proud! And no where do I see that more than in this hall. Here, people from all parts fof Belvoir, stand as the finest of our kingdom." Anastasia grinned and turned towards the crowds gathered near the entrance, her hunters opening the doors wide as the previous cowardly hunters began to walk back, as well as other hesitant fighters who had hovered outside, keeping the doors open to the common masses as she thrust a hand out to them. "People of Belvoir! The doors of the Royal Hunter Guild are open, not only to those of the hunting trade, but to all those who would stand in the light as not only our kingdom's best, but the finest of mankind! To anyone and everyone who would stand as a member of a God-blessed and royally sanctioned vanguard, who would skewer and scatter the vermin that have come to feast on the scraps from our table! These "monsters", these demons, who dare to assault us and frighten us at our height of glory, are not to be feared but pitied! They squirm through the streets and sewers WE built, feast upon OUR food, OUR livestock, steal OUR weapons and tools. They covet OUR homes! OUR noble vitality! These are not predators, these are pathetic parasites! And togather, we shall drive them from our home with righteous fury and godly vengence! To all those with pride and faith in their family, their neighbor, in King and God, you who call yourselves the people of Belvoir, who step forward now, I will persoanlly welcome you to the Blessed Ballanger Guard, and ye shall recieve all equipment, compensation, and honors expected of such a station! I ask you. Beneath the gaze of God. WHO WILL FOLLOW ME?" The crowds outside, which had grown measurably with the speech, burst into a set of riotous, booming cheers, noblemen and commoner standing shoulder to shoulder, people of all classes in the market, screaming over the mass wave of protests from hunters all over the hall as more people began to join. The wooden crates that had been brought in outside were broken open, revealing polished, painted sets of chain mail and leather armor, shields, maces, swords, crossbows, and polearms. Attendants who rode the carriages distributed the equipment to volunteers, a crowd of forty men and women, even a few nobles, joining the ranks, gathering around Anastasia, wearing simple black vests over their armor, brandishing the crest of the Ballanger Family. Groups of merchants and nobles also wandered inside, inquiring how they could donate to the cause. Anastsia shivered with delight within, smiling warmly on the outside and welcoming the new members of her troop with firm handshakes, turning sharpely to Drystan as the crowds finally settled. Saluting him, and giving him a sly wink, she proclaimed, "The Blessed Ballanger Guard are at your command, Captain!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Many among the hunters looked at her in stunned shock and wondered just what the fuck she thought she was doing, bringing in complete novices into the fold, and the cowardly back. In her mind, she had many good reasons. The Royal Hunter Guild served as a prime opportunity. With it, she could finally track the hunters who had always been a thorn in her underground operations, and redirect them to other threats. Socially, perhaps even legally, pressure them to finally tow the line and keep their reckless behaviour in check, as many of them were little better than brigands and sellswords. With it, she could expand the public opinion of not only the generosity and virtue of the Ballanger Family through her hunters, but her own heroic image. And, with this performance, she could finally deal with three concerns of late. Studying the new plague of monsters without putting her or her primary troop in unknown danger, expanding her personal organisation, and finding a way to get rid of some unwanted equipment. A group of brigands she had personally hired and supplied to harress unruly property owners had broken her instructions and needed to be dealt with. Easily they were, yet their beat up equipment could be traced back to craftsmen tied to the family. Beside that, she knew Dromeus would not easily part with new funding for her troop. Her publicity stunts had already strained her funding. Here was a perfect solution, supplying the new cannon fodder with the old equipment, repainted, and barely able to truly protect them. With this, she could weed out most of them in the initial fighting, and keep the potentials.