[b]A God Among Men[/b]
~[@13org] (BST)~

[quote=Bast Ragoczy][color=C6DEFF]"Power is merely a consequence from obtaining knowledge, Joshua."[/color][/quote]

"I'm sure that power did a lot for Razelia with their vast libraries of knowledge." The Varjan King replied sarcastically.

[quote=Bast Ragoczy][color=C6DEFF]"But... yes. I won't lie. I'm very interested in your sister. She seems to be a very entertaining woman to deal with. After all... I do enjoy flirting with danger."[/color][/quote]

"Well, follow me then! Let's not waste any time."

Joshua lead you outside the throne room and into the castle interior. The Caldeyrons' castle was dark and foreboding. The wall paintings detailed many warriors clad in thick armor atop hills of bodies. Some artworks depict naked men and women, all covered in blood with a mad, deranged look on their faces. They were also usually surrounded by corpses. But most of all, you notice that the castle appeared to be eerily empty. You could hear no noise save for your and Joshua's footsteps. Yet still, you feel that dread of danger.

Emerging from the castle, you and Joshua enter a shining and bustling city. All the structures were well-polished and refined. The citizens, too, were refined and well-dressed save for the dark-armored warriors doing patrols which you assume were the security. However, you notice that most of the civilians seem to be women and from the way they wear their exotic, grandiose dresses and glamorous makeup, you feel that there was an air of decadence and hedonism about them. Also, on the distance you see some very high walls and they appear to surround the city.

"[color=a187be]Why, good afternoon, Lord Joshua.[/color]" One of the women greeted your companion. Her makeup was thick and her perfume even thicker. The fragrance from her almost made you cough.

"Good afternoon to you too, madam." Joshua greeted back. "I assume you have been doing your 'duties'?"

"[color=a187be]Why of course, my lord.[/color]" The woman bowed. "[color=a187be]In fact, I am incubating one now courtesy of a handsome young Amethyst Prince.[/color]"

Bidding farewell to the lady, Joshua lead you to a place behind the castle. Looking at the castle from a distance, you notice that the royal castle was great and mighty yet at the same time, appeared to be a lair of an evil Sorcerer or a Vampire. "We're here." Joshua called you back. You hear the sounds of weapons clanging and screams of pain. You and Joshua arrived to what appeared to be an arena or colloseum.

"Is my sister here?" Joshua asked one of the guards. 

"[color=9e0b0f]Yes, my lord. She is inside, presiding over fifty trials.[/color]"

Joshua led you inside and you come upon a wide arena surrounded by seats for the audience. On the field you see twenty people wearing rags and chains all of whom cowered as they were guarded by warriors who wore thicker, spikier armor than the warriors you saw with Araghast. Near them was some thirty corpses, whose blood were still fresh, surrounding [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9c/b3/d6/9cb3d690e19ec9ecb27c13792eb091a8.jpg]a figure draped in pitch-black armor wielding a bloodied mace[/url]. "There she is, my sister. A figure every Varjan should aspire to be." Joshua remarked. "Unless they want to aspire to be me instead."

"[color=black]Who is the next defendant?[/color]" Joshua's sister loudly demanded. One of the warriors picked up a blonde-haired girl from the twenty sill-living people and handed her with an axe before shoving her into the blood-soaked area. "[color=black]Like the others, you will be acquitted of your crime if you defeat me. Is that clear?[/color]" Queen Caldeyron told the girl the terms of the trial.

The girl quaked with fear as she barely held the axe given to her. "[color=fff200]P-Please... my lady. Mercy.[/color]" She threw down her weapon and fell on her knees. "[color=fff200]Mercy, my Queen! Mercy! I swear by my life that I won't do it again![/color]" She begged the Varjan Queen. "[color=fff200]I-I'll be a good brood mother! I-I don't even need the luxuries and the privileges. Just please let me li--[/color]" The girl did not finish as Queen Caldeyron swung her mace at her head. Her head was then continuously mauled until it was nothing but a fleshy mess.

"Dear sister!" Joshua approached and called out her sister. "I'm sorry for interrupting your judicial duties but I have a guest here that wants to meet you." Motioning to you. "His name is Bast Ragoczy and he's very good at insulting people."

"[color=black]Good at insulting, huh?[/color]" The Varjan Queen dropped her mace and approached you. It should be noted that she was a head taller than you. "[color=black]Go ahead, Mister Bast. Show me your insulting skills. Insult me the best you can.[/color]" She casually requested of you. 

[hr]
~[@Silver Carrot] (REB), [@Restalaan] (DIT)~

"O-Oh, you want to look for a Goblin tribe?" Neil repeated the direction where this party appear to be heading. "I-I suppose we can ask around..."

Neil's hesitation was apparent but he followed anyway and the trio were pointed to Valoras Woods. There has been word that there was a Goblin band passing through that forest. And so, the trio set out to find this Goblin group with Neil following reluctantly.

------

The sun had begun to set when the trio reached the edges of Valoras Woods. The trees and the vegetation made it hard to see past the treeline but a bright fire was visible anyway and it was clear to the three guild members that it was probably the Goblin band that [u]Ditzy[/u] so suddenly wanted to find, having set up camp during their travels.

The trio entered the forest and into the supposed Goblin encampment. It was bustling with activity with [url=http://mgewiki.com/images/3/36/Goblin_0.jpg]small, humanoid creatures[/url] who played around and happily talked to each other like children. They were so preoccupied with their frolicking that they completely do not notice that they had some visitors.

"Are-Are these Goblins?" Asked Neil.

[hr]
[b]Let No Man Put Asunder[/b]
~[@Restalaan] (YNG), [@Eviledd1984] (MAR)~

[quote=Yang Bethlehem]"Calm down now, we're just here to listen--"[/quote]

Before [u]Yang[/u] could finish, Tulip immediately had something to add. "[color=00a651]You know what? Tell that bastard that I ain't going back! Not this time! Not even at swordpoint![/color]" She yelled at [u]Yang[/u], complete with finger-pointing.

[quote=Maria Falena]"Is their..anything we could do for you? Perhaps...their is a misunderstanding...between you two"[/quote]

"[color=00a651]Stop bothering me, you dumb moth![/color]" The woman stopped [u]Maria[/u] with a slur. "[color=00a651]Or I'll call the town guards.[/color]"

It just so happened that there was a passing patrol of guardsmen and upon hearing 'town guards', they went over to investigate. "[color=fff79a]Is there something wrong here?[/color]" There were about six of them and wore light armor and wielding swords and shields. They do not look that competent in a fight but getting into trouble with them might be problematic in the long run.

"[color=00a651]It's just these two, good sirs![/color]" Tulip replied. "[color=00a651]They can't leave a woman well enough alone![/color]"

The guardsmen turned to [u]Yang[/u] and [u]Maria[/u]. "[color=fff79a]You heard the lady. Move it or lose it, you two.[/color]" They requested of the two guild members. The commotion was attracting a crowd. Part of that crowd were fellow guild members, Rebecca and Lily.

Things have turned into a pickle, haven't they?

~[@Silver Carrot] (REB), [@Eviledd1984] (LIL)~

With the old woman gone and the church turning into a trap, [u]Rebecca[/u] and [u]Lily[/u] decide to go to Ambran and rendezvous with Yang and Maria.

Upon reaching the bustling town, [u]Rebecca[/u] and [u]Lily[/u] encounter a crowd forming due to a commotion. When they decided to see what was up, they see their fellow guild members Yang and Maria being confronted by a patrol of six town guardsmen. "[color=fff79a]You heard the lady. Move it or lose it, you two.[/color]" A guardsman told Yang and Maria.

It appeared things were not going well in the search for Peter.

[hr]
[b]Escort Quest[/b]
~[@The Irish Tree] (NEP)~

The creature let out a roar of pain as it released Ian, dropping him into the water. "Whoa, thanks Neph! Wherever you are." He said, lost in your fog.

You and the monstrosity struggled but the latter managed to grab hold of your tail and pull you into the river. Before you could rise from the water, the creature climbed on top of you and pinned you down with both its misshapen arms. You were a Dragon so you possessed the strength to throw him off you. However, your attacker was strong enough not to be thrown off in one move so it may notice your efforts.

What shall be your next course of action? "Neph? Where are you? I hope the Joyful isn't giving you too much trouble." Well at least you now know the creature's name. However inappropriate it may be.

[hr]
[b]A Strange Tale 2[/b]
~[@13org] (FYR), [@The Irish Tree] (MAG)~

[quote=Freyr][color=8dc73f]"These lands are dangerous and its inhabitants are certainly not kind..."[/color][/quote]

[quote=Magnus Eissenohoeff][color=FF5353][b]"...Why do you need to go to Varjo anyways, Ma'am? I-If you don't mind me asking, that is. Its full of bandits a-and...just...bad people looking to do bad things to good people. I've seen what the military does to people they don't like..."[/b][/color][/quote]

"[color=7bcdc8]Ahhh, I thank you for your concern for me, you two, but I am a nun and I have my duties.[/color]" The old nun replied. "[color=7bcdc8]And it is my duty to help those in need. If the lands of Varjo is as bad as you say it is, then it is certain that there are many people there that are suffering and need assistance and charity.[/color]"

"[color=7bcdc8]And I am old, you know? I may have only a few years left in this old body of mine.[/color]" The kind old nun continued. "[color=7bcdc8]If I am to meet my end, I'd like that I meet it doing my duties as a nun to God.[/color]" She then put a hand up. "[color=7bcdc8]Ah, don't mistake my words. I appreciate you two's kindness. I feel the world of man is running low on that at the moment. Perhaps spread some of that kindness amongst my kind?[/color]"

"[color=7bcdc8]Besides, I am not leaving so soon. I still need a few days for me to prepare.[/color]" The nun added. "[color=7bcdc8]Perhaps I may change my mind then. Who knows?[/color]"

[hr]
~[@ShwiggityShwah]~

Bart listened closely to your words and had something to say. "[color=f26522]Well, I think monsters are too nice to actually fight over resources but hey, what do I know? You're the scholar around here.[/color]" He then sighed. "[color=f26522]Anyway, I hope your embassy thing works out. Although, I'd be wary since I know some humans who can use that as an excuse to invade.[/color]"

[quote=Ozzy Skyway][color=orange]"I do have questions, alot of them.  What kind of jobs does this Guild take?  Who started it?  How long has it been running?  How many members do you have?  What kind? Well... ahem, I mean.  What kind of jobs does the Guild take.  Hehe."[/color][/quote]

The guild master chuckled with you. "[color=f26522]Don't worry, I can answer all of that.[/color]" He cleared his throat before fully answering your questions. "[color=f26522]Well, this guild takes any kind of quests. So long as it pays, we do it. We could be doing mercenary work or maybe just fulfilling some odd request here and there.[/color]" Then his face darkened. "[color=f26522]Although, I do worry about the consequences of doing certain jobs...[/color]"

"[color=f26522]Anyway, I started this guild not too long ago and it's been running for several days now. A week or two maybe?[/color]" Bart continued his long answer. "[color=f26522]Although, it feels like a lot has happened already. Maybe that's true, just in a very short span of time.[/color]" He then sighed. 

"[color=f26522]As for the members, let's see.[/color]" Bart then began counting fingers. "[color=f26522]There's me, Neil, the Siren Haley, I'm not sure if Talia is actually with us or not...[/color]" He continued. "[color=f26522]Then there's Bast, Freyr, Eilidh, Rebecca, Magnus, Nephele... Oh! Maria and her sister, I think.[/color]" The guild master then paused as he thought. "[color=f26522]Oh, almost forgot about Yang and that Ditzy fellow.[/color]"

"[color=f26522]Then there's you, I guess. How many does that make us?[/color]" Bart then asked. "[color=f26522]Well, those are just the ones I could remember off the top of my head. People tend to come and go from this guild, to be honest. I mean, a lot of people.[/color]"

[quote=Ozzy Skyway][color=orange]"I mean.  I'd be happy to meet them.  I like to make friends with those I interview.  And trust me, It's nothing too personal."[/color][/quote]

"[color=f26522]Great. Who do you want to meet first?[/color]" Bart asked. "[color=f26522]Talia's at the forge and I believe Haley's in the lounge.[/color]"