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Okay.  To be perfectly honest?  After the first couple of bizarre displays, Sarathai had been rather expecting more spectacles along the same vein and almost looking forward to them.  Unfortunately, that hope was dowsed quickly enough as the conversation turned toward much more mundane matters- whether or not the local populace would like them, how to get on their good side, who was doing what mission etc.  Even when the guy with the metal mask stepped forward again it was just to talk about finding people to help without even so much as a puff of green smoke or a flash of spooky light.  For that bit, Sarathai kept his silence.  He was perfectly content to stick around this region and do some gruntwork to help the locals if it meant he wasn't going back aboard the accursed ship anytime soon.  As he lost interest in the idle chatter, his eyes strayed to the map on the table as he reviewed his own knowledge of geography with what was before him.

Eventually the captain began to speak once again, which snapped Sarathai's eyes back to the group.  As the captain outlined what he required of their group, Sarathai breathed a small sigh of relief.  At least the tasks seemed to be significant to some degree, which alleviated some of his worry that he'd be stuck mucking stables for the next few years in order to get his life back on track.  So, what were his options?  Deal with some dwarves, deal with some merchants or help heal some king's son?  His interest was piqued at the mention that one of the people here was a well-regarded restoration mage.  He had been worried that the only source of information on the topic would be musty, outdated tomes in the sorry excuse for a library they had passed on the way to meet the captain.  Perhaps he would end up asking to apprentice under her.  Ultimately, he concluded that any of these missions were just as good as any of the others with two huge caveats: that he didn't need to board a ship to complete his mission and that his mission took place literally anywhere that Lunearo was not.  That guy gave him the creeps and watching him wander outside and immediately begin carving a stick only reinforced the impression.  Fucking necromancers.

So, that one gruff guy was Einarr, right?  It seemed like the necromancer was going off with him and the crazy Orisiri.  All told a couple of very solid reasons to stay the fuck away from that task.  That took monster hunting for merchants off the table, which was just as well, since Sarathai really didn't want to jump right into the whole hack and slash business just yet.  That left dwarves and sick children.  It seemed the one the captain had picked to lead the thing with dwarves, Stravi, just so happened to be a dwarf.  It figured that the captain would send the dwarf to deal with dwarf related problems- definitely not racist or anything.  Stravi, for his part, sure was quick to pick out exactly who he was interested in joining his mission as well- most likely those he had befriended on the ship.  Perhaps if Sarathai had spent less time sick during the voyage he would have made better impressions on his fellows.  

At some point during the bustle of people grouping up and heading out for their respective missions, the restoration mage had grabbed her gold and slipped out- almost without Sarathai noticing.  "[color=6ecff6]Shit.[/color]"  He muttered to himself, hustling over to the captain's desk to grab his own emblem and money.  That taken care of, he headed out in the direction Tarasynora had gone.  It was a good thing for him she was so distinctive looking, or else he might have lost her in the crowd.  As it was, he highly doubted she even realized someone else had decide to accompany her at her task.  That is, until Sarathai pulled up behind her as she was in the process of confronting the castle guards.

At least he had managed to catch up with her before she had been admitted to the castle.  If he had arrived any later then the best case scenario was that he would have been rudely turned away, though it was just as likely that he would be regarded as a trespasser and treated accordingly.  As it was, when he approached the guards, their grips visibly tightened on weapons and one of them opened his mouth to address this scruffy newcomer who really could have used a bath, a shave and a change of clothes at some point between the ship and this mission. [color=6ecff6]"Oh hey there, it's okay.  I'm an apprentice restoration mage in the order with her."[/color] he said, cutting off the challenge that the guard had been about to issue as he gestured towards Tarasynora.  Everything he said being technically true, he felt it unnecessary to add that he wasn't [i]her[/i] apprentice.  Minor detail- one that was easily remedied, given time. [color=6ecff6]"Oh, and I uhh.  I don't think I have any weapons on me?"[/color]  As he spoke, he gave his pockets a quick pat-down to illustrate the point.

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