[@Xaltwind][@Guess Who]
[hider=The Mountain Village]
Ashara's small scheme to ask a man upon the road the name of the village would reveal its name as Amberden, seeming more than happy to help a pretty lady in need. The different fellow would point at the largest one story building, saying: [b]"Back in tha' day, the 'ol minemaster got made the mayor. Now, Mayor Kruger is in charge of the town an' mines. Speakin' of Kings though...must have come from far out if you haven't heard of High Queen Atlecia. She rules this country, but we give our taxes to Duke Larn. Careful usin' his name though...he's got ears everywhere. Bit paranoid,"[/b] the helpful miner would say, welcoming Ashara to their happy country before he left. The woman she asked would hum, thinking of things around the village. Nothing much was around it seemed, save the mines, and the Ranger's outpost about ten miles east. The mines themselves were also called Amberden, since it seemed they mined out some kind of amber colored ore from there. It seemed the whole town cropped up because of it.

Mars was instructing a spearman on the proper grip on his spear before Ashara would show up. His eyes were no longer filled with suspicion at her questioning, but she could tell that he was a rather curt person just from his demeanor. [color=c4df9b][b]"I don't really know why you're out here if you just started but...I did offer and all. No need to be humble on my account by the way. Just Mars'll do...come to think of it, I don't know your name,"[/b][/color] Mars would say. Once introductions were down however, he would open up once more.

[color=c4df9b][b]"My advice to any beginner is to try and find easy jobs that pay well enough to get good gear. Anything involving gathering, escorting...anything but directly fighting monsters. Seen a lot of idiots die thinking that a Nightmare was just a horse but tougher, with their heads ripped clean off. Second uh...never let anybody know what you're capable of. Rookie Hunters are pretty common now a days. Sick losers who try and cull or scout talented adventurers. Either break 'em to get them to quit, or have them join their posse,"[/b][/color] Mars would explain. [color=c4df9b][b]"Don't take jobs for nobles, by the way, unless you're sure you can complete them. Declining a job is easy but failing one for someone with power...lots of adventurers wind up in a hole. Its not all sunshine and gold pieces like the stories make it out to be. Its tough...but something in your eyes tells me that you're cut out for it. Like you were born strong."[/b][/color]

[color=f6989d][b]"Maaaaaaaaaaaars!"[/b][/color] a woman's voice would call out as Mars finished his brief explanation on novice advice, a [url=https://i.imgur.com/HHev8qy.jpg]Strawberry haired young woman would call out,[/url] her slight frame making her a rather strange sight for Ashara, given how beefy everyone around here seemed. Running up, she would tilt her head looking at Ashara, before smirking. [color=f6989d][b]"Find another protegee? This one's cute, Mars. You sure you're JUST picking people with talent?"[/b][/color] she would ask, before Mars would smack her upside the head with a gloved hand. 

[color=c4df9b][b]"None of your business who I train, Corona. But no, she's an adventurer. More fight in her than a dozen of these pipsqueaks. Sorry about that,"[/b][/color] Mars would say, directing the apology to Ashara while Cornoa nursed the bump on the back of her head. [color=f6989d][b]"This is why you're still single, jackass..."[/b][/color] she murmured, going over and stamping on the foot of his boot, to no effect since he was wearing steel toed boots. Mars didn't seem to care much, looking at her. 

[color=c4df9b][b]"Another ore delivery?[/b][/color]

[color=f6989d][b]"Yup. Was wondering if you'd help me carry about eleven filled, one half to Dad's shop."[/b][/color]

Mars paused to consider it for a moment, before looking to Ashara. [color=c4df9b][b]"Actually...would you want to do it? Corona's father's the local blacksmith, so they need a lot of metal to repair tools and make new ones. That and they smelt it down to ingots for sale. Its decent pay for some honest work...though, I get if its not quite "adventurous" enough. Either way, I can't do it."[/b][/color]

[color=f6989d][b]"Huh? Whyyyyy...? Are you still mad I brought up you're single?"[/b][/color]

Mars would shake his head, pointing his thumb at his fledgling recruits. [color=f6989d][b]"These idiots are gonna need me, before they poke themselves in the eye. And I know your dad needs the ore there before the end of the day. Night time's my only free time."[/b][/color]

Seeing that Mars was taken, Corona would clap her hands together and put them in front of her face, bowing to Ashara. [color=f6989d][b]"Pleaaaase help us then Miss? Like Mars said, we pay good for ore deliveries..."[/b][/color]
[/hider]

[@DracoLunaris]
[hider=Hunt for Answers]
Zouyu was fascinated by all the new species being found so quickly...most animals that he knew were the ones in the Pen, which numbered in just over a few hundred. But generally things in one area had one niche to them, and here it seemed like a whole melting pot of different animals and plants...but they all seemed super weak. 

At the prospect of using the Share Senses skill however, Zouyu would beam, eyes sparkling innocently as he laid his pawwed hand atop Kaldorna's hand, the pink squishy pad feeling really soft to the touch before Zouyu's vision became that of Kaldorna's hawk. It was a bit disorienting, but thankfully the hawk wasn't hindered by Zouyu's peering. [color=fff79a][b]"This is cool!"[/b][/color] Zouyu would say excitedly before the roaring beast came into sight. A mass of fur, meat, muscle, and ivory, four tasks broke through the face of a titanic pachyderm who's rage seemed to know no bounds. Its power was evident by its earth shaking steps, the height of the beast easily towering over the first floor of the Chateau. Ivory fur with streaks of black around the face masked the creature in the snow, and, upon seeing a collapsed weathered tree overgrown in moss, it would rip it from its roots by its trunk and begin consuming it. Upon eating, it would walk back towards the snowy northern plains, near where Kaldorna's hunters would have seen a party of Chuunitrixx's scouts go. 

Pulling his paw back, Zouyu's eyes were sparkling. [color=fff79a][b]"Strong! Big! And fuzzy! I didn't know him too well, but I bet Lord Sun200 would have absolutely loved to have that thing in his pens! It looked like it could stomp this whole forest flat if it wanted![/b][/color] Zouyu exerted a childlike excitement, wanting nothing more than to go right over and capture the beast. [color=fff79a][b]"Should I fight it? Oh, but I can't tame animals easy...Nnrr...I wanna assert dominance..."[/b][/color] the weretiger would say, shivering as he tried to think of what to do, before looking to Kaldorna. [color=fff79a][b]"Should we take it on? I think we can, at least in terms of numbers. Won't know how strong it is until we see, and all."[/b][/color]
[/hider]

[@Iceheart]
[hider=The Sable Lord's Midnight Snack]
Rodias hadn't actually considered the necessity of spices in his assessment of the needs of the kitchen. he'd hardly done any cooking of his own, so the idea of any form of spice beyond the little packet that came with a cup of noodles was foreign to him. Looking at Flan's spice rack, his eyes went wide, as if he'd just gotten explained an advanced science and actually tried to think about it. [color=f7976a][b]"I see,"[/b][/color] Rodias would say, not really understanding. [color=f7976a][b]"I'll have to get Zouyu to begin growing spices then. There should be plenty of room for them in the garden,"[/b][/color] he would add, still wondering just how many spices one person could need.

Clearing his throat, Rodias' cape would curl up behind him, the edges of it tapping together just in front of his collarbone. [color=f7976a][b]"As for what I can have you do...if you ever need to experiment with new ingredients from this world...feel free to ask me. Even if something is poisonous, I'm more resistant to it than most,"[/b][/color] The Sable Lord would say, wanting to taste more of Flan's cuisine, even if it was in a roundabout way.  But with his peace said Rodias would leave Flan to her own devices and to continue relaxing for the night. 
[/hider]

[@Pirouette]
[hider=Commissioned Work]
When morning would come, Rodias would return to the forges, this time smartly wearing only his long sleeved shirt, the puffed sleeves making it easier for air to flow, and not melt the vampire in the several hundred degree heat of the forges. Approaching the Forge Master of the Third Chapter, Rodias would bow his head, hand over his heart. [color=f7976a][b]"Oz, I've come with a rather...odd request for you. I've come to realize that, unless I felt like terrorizing the lesser beasts of the pen, I've nothing comparable to a real opponent for a novice. I can't hope to slay a dragon after one day of swinging an axe, and all,"[/b][/color] The Sable Lord would speak, the heat of the forge causing him to sweat even without his full armor. 

[color=f7976a][b]"As such, I was wondering if I might commission something a touch...complex, from you. A training partner, durable enough to withstand most attacks, and able to put up enough of a fight to make the training worthwhile."[/b][/color] Usually, when a Sable Lord, or any other member of the guild desired to test their mettle or try out new weapons, they would spar with one another or Sun200's beasts. But now that he was alone, Rodias' only options were to ask one of his subordinates, or to go back to the Beast Pens. But dragging out high levels monsters and reliably having them go back to their cages was a problem, since now it wasn't as simple as them being lead about as friendly monsters until ordered to attack. Now they were living, breathing beings that if they knew their captors were weaker than them, could break out if Rodias failed to subdue them. 

[color=f7976a][b]"In addition, I'd like you to make an accessory to lower my overall level. Or at least my attributes. Difficulty breeds growth, and all."[/b][/color] With his requests made, the Sable Lord would add: [color=f7976a][b]"Oh, and make no mistake, I have something very worth your work to offer in exchange. One of Daz-Khaz_Mordu's personal treasures that might be useful to you."[/b][/color]
[/hider]

[@Rockin Strings][@Lucius Cypher]
[hider=Hunting for Inspiration]
With their prisoners secured, Gromgard and Mamoru would be free to venture further into the woods...after Penn and Shill had their fill of artistic vision, of course. The two goblins, in spite of their dire straits, seemed more than capable of fulfilling their calling as artists. Gromgard's visage in the moonlit forest would prove to be very striking indeed, to the point that Rodias would later insist upon hanging it in Gromgard's domain. No cultists seemed to remain, but Mamoru's scouting would fine a hexagonal ritual circle dug into the ground, the scorch marks indicative of some sort of magic surrounding it...along with the scorched remains of human organs. 

But, Rodias had only instructed them to retrieve the two goblins. While the prisoners were a certain positive, Mamoru couldn't be certain if their lord would approve of further meddling. Information was the priority...but nothing could stop the maid if she chose to look on. That and it was a lovely night for a picnic...the two could take their time if they so chose.
[/hider]

[@Xaltwind]
[hider=Valkyrie Code: V]
The morning within the Archive was filled with Rodias frantically flipping through all records left within the guild after a certain member's departure, attempting to the best of his abilities to find the one who had previously been in possession of the master key to the now largely inactive 5th Chapter. Once a place used to distribute resources, it now was offline due to postponed "renovations" that kept it in an indefinite state of disuse. Now more than ever it needed to be back online, and in order to do it, Rodias had to find the asshat's password just to START rebooting it. 

With a fair amount of documentation on that specific guild member in hand, Rodias would barge into Chapter 5 unopposed, seeing as Kath's floor itself aligned to allow him passage out. Rodias would ponder for hours on the existence of the elusive pass phrase, each tome he poured over containing so many mind numbing chat logs that eventually Rodias just burnt out, needing a break. For the time being, he would need to think on that particular guild member's interests, hobbies...and fetishes, all to just try and find out his stupid Chapter Recovery Password. It vexed him to no end how someone could be irresponsible enough to just up and quit after shutting a floor down with a password lock, but he figured that he could figure it out. Looking within the sleeping clear casket present within the central structure of the technologically futuristic Chapter, Rodias would eye the sleeping Keeper, wondering if it wouldn't just be faster to have Graft try and override protection.

Shaking his head, Rodias would return to his reading. He trusted Graft fully...but he needed to gain the trust of everyone. By doing a seemingly impossible task, recovering Chapter 5, Rodias intended to show that he was a worthy leader, one who can unite them. 

Even if it meant typing in different variations of: "FUCKING PASSWORD", "password1" "adminpassword" "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789" about a thousand times a second. Having high agility was amazing, as his fingers glided across the digital screen present before the casket, each failed attempt being answered quickly with another. He'd crack this eventually...

...Once he stopped typing profanity to vent his frustrations.  
[/hider]