Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Cu Chulainn
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Cu Chulainn nuts

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Khol was... quite confused at the reactions of his allies-to-be. Two of them were so willing to open themselves up to him, despite his cold exterior, and the third didn't seem too appalled by his presence. Perhaps they sought something more from him? No, that couldn't be the case. What did he have to give to them, anyway? No, it's more likely they don't recognize him for what he is. It's the only logical solution, after all. For now, then, Khol would play along with these pleasantries, still keeping aware to not make too many lasting attachments.

"Ah, I haven't had liquor before..." Khol answered Koth with the sincerity of a child as he slowly shook his hand with a firm and guarded grip. Khol had indeed never consumed strong alcohol before, although he wonders if it was for good reason. There were many things he had gone through during his earlier years for the sake of awakening The Beast, so perhaps alcohol would subdue it to some degree? It was something Khol had given some honest thought over. Perhaps he'll drink alone, at first, and see what The Beast would do then?

As for the Yanaski, Khol nodded his head to the side at her remark, confused. She could... smell him, but was still not afraid? Perhaps this was a peculiarity of her kind? Or perhaps this was to point out that they were kindred spirits who must wander the wilds. She seemed the least civilized of them all, for sure. The gift she had given him was much stranger, especially for one who has never received a gift before. It was... some sort of seed? Was he supposed to eat it? Whatever it was, Khol acknowledged the seed for what it might be, and gave the strange woman a nod as a response to her bowing out, placing it into his pocket.

"I'll... treasure it?" He responded, not fully hiding his insecurity in his otherwise stoic demeanor.

Stepping back once more as Tati'yana approached Koth, Khol crossed his arms once more. Unlike earlier, he appeared less guarded than he was earlier, but there were still clear barriers set in stone for whoever wished to approach him. As he had done so, he took a quick side glance at the Dragonborn, giving him a nod of acknowledgment, as well. It seemed that he too didn't feel comfortable around others, although it was likely due to the tidings of a certain other reptile in the group. At the same time, Khol did not wish to remain too friendly with Hawks. He did seem to be some sort of mage after all, and mages weren't to be trusted. Ah well, at least the mage had the most sense of them all.

"So what do you have for us?" Khol asked Logrim after a long sigh, mentally exhausted from the exchange of pleasantries alone. He wanted to do what he needed to do fast, not keen on standing here all day playing twenty one questions. "I've got a sword, and I know how to use it if that's what you're wondering." Khol nodded in the direction of the massive broadsword chained to his back, raising his chin up like the thug he once was. A stroke of confidence, a slight change in demeanor...

It seemed that Khol was not the impatient one in the party, but...
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Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Guilty Spark
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T E A M : I

(@Moonshadow, @Epsir, @OwO)


The gnome swung her feet, which didn't reach the ground, back and forth as she listened to the initiate's introductions with earnest attention. Whimsical though she may seem, she appraised each initiate in turn with a keen eye, and her gaze had an uncanny piercing quality. That all disappeared after Vera's introduction,

"Sheri, Vera and Petra, it's nice to meet you," Kiska stood up on her chair, pulling out a leather bound notebook and flipping briefly through the pages before nodding to herself. "Well then, let's get down to business! Today, hopefully it just takes today, I'll be seeing if you have what Captain Caragan is looking for, don't worry I'm sure you do!"

Kiska took a small wooden case from her belt and set it on the table, opening it in the direction of the three. In the silk-lined interior were five bronze coins, each depicting a young man about to step off a cliff. Kiska deftly snatched two of them up and pocketed them, then turned up her collar to reveal a silver coin pinned beneath bearing the same image.

"This is the guild symbol, the fool, Wayfarers who don't want to attract attention wear it concealed, but you should always carry it with you," not waiting for them to take the badges, she continued. "We get donations from some of the wealthy people who live in Arskel, one of our donors is a merchant named Astor Aelrod. Mr. Astor has been receiving death threats for the past several days and one of his bodyguards has gone missing, your assignment is to meet with him and find out who's responsible, questions?"



As the tensions in the room began to level off, there was a muffled meowing on the other side of the door accompanied by scratching. After just a few seconds, it was followed by an impatient voice.

"Well fuck me then, I'll get it myself," the door swung open to reveal a feline humanoid standing just a few inches shorter than Finn, who's hands were obviously free despite the scrolls he was carrying. Despite his small stature, he moved with a predatory grace as he entered the room, making no sound as he rounded the table to Finn's side and laid out the scrolls.

"I'm late, so I'll catch up on the introductions later. I'm Nyrien, and I'll be handling your initiation," he brushed his hair to the side with a clawed hand. "Alright, so there's a new drug in the Cliff and people are starting to die, now this sounds like Watch work 'cause it normally would be, but this drug has a magic component," with a flourish he revealed a small flask. Resting in the bottom was a chalky looking blue substance that glowed with a faint, almost imperceptible luminescence.

"I don't recommend a taste test. Now for the mission, the Watch has determined they're making this shit in the old tunnels beneath the Cliff," he pointed to a region on one of the scrolls, a basic map of the city. "But the whole thing is a maze. You three are being assigned to find out which section of sewers they're operating in, and bust the operation. Don't be afraid if a few of them get away, the Watch is setting up a net, you got all that?"

He pulled out two bronze-coin pins, and offered them one in each hand to Sera and Qantz-Farron. "Your badge of office, welcome to the guild," on the cuff of his coat was a similar badge in silver, with a numeric "I" engraved at the bottom.



"Well then, now that our introductions are in order," the faun reached into his inner robe pocket and after a brief clinking he pulled out two bronze coins, but the sound indicated several others. Pointing to the silver pin, proudly on his chest, he continued. "These symbols bear the dignity of the Wayfarer's guild, and convey your membership and the reputation therein to any who see them," he gently set one down before Vela, not questioning her blindfold, then set another in front of the still standing Mathias.

"Now, I've already explained the details of this assignment to Rohaan, but I'll make sure everything is in place," he nodded to Rohaan then took a seat, steepled hands resting on the table. "Magister Hesmar is a member of the city council, and operates the Academy here in Arskel. One of his apprentices, Arlathan has stolen an invaluable text, for unknown reasons, and is attempting to escape the city," Suran Reshta opened a scroll case at his side and unfurled a piece of parchment on which a figure was sketched, laying it out on the table.

"This is the sketch being circulated by the Watch, he's been seen in the northern Lake district but has since gone into hiding," he paused, contemplating his next words. "This assignment was given by the Magister, not the Watch, so the goal is to acquire the tome in one piece, understood? Rohaan has lived in the city long enough to understand its layout, so he'll be invaluable as both a guide and combatant, if it's necessary."



Logrim's dark eyes lingered on each of the initiates as they bantered back and forth, getting a feel for each other. He gave a brief nod, before reaching into his belt pouch and pulling four bronze-coin pins. He grunted to get their attention, a deep guttural sound halfway between a cough and a growl.

"Alright, that'll do," he pointed to his shoulder, where a silver-coin was pinned. "These badges mean you're part of the guild, keep 'em on ya," he tossed a coin to each of the four, starting with Kothrias and ending with Khol. "I've heard a lot a talk before, some new faces can back it up and some can't, we're going to find out where each of you stands," his pacing resumed, but with less of the uncertainty from before.

"There's a blight-storm*1 spreading towards Ayrith from Lyragor's Gulf, the breach north of here, and if it makes it there the whole town'll be destroyed, but if the Blight-lord dies the storm'll sputter out," his pacing paused as he looked over the intitiates. "But that's not our job, Adepts have already been sent to kill it," his pacing continued. "No, our job is to clean up the stragglers before they cause too much trouble, so you'll be heading out to the edge of the blight to do some killin'."

[*1A blight-storm is a chaotic maelstrom of magic centered around a cursed being, sometimes an animated tree or undead, known as a blight-lord. The energies released from the storm will corrupt plant-life and awaken plants with evil sentience, which then seek out to kill, destroy and feed off of other living creatures.]

Hidden 3 yrs ago 3 yrs ago Post by Dark Cloud
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Dark Cloud 💀Vibin' beyond the Veil💀

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Kothrias Hemlenfell




Kothrias examined the bronze coin before pinning it to his left shoulder "Aye sounds like a damn trifle," he said looking to his companions with scrutiny playing upon his face "I nay think it'll prove too difficult for us though." Koth spoke with confidence as he gripped the haft of his axe upon his hip, drawing it from his side he turned it in his grasp and examined the head of his weapon upon which the symbol of a boar was etched. The edges of the axe were sharp so he gently ran a calloused hand up the blades edge causing it to make a low metallic hum.

Placing his war-axe back at his hip Koth returned his gaze to Khol and whistled approvingly at the half-giant's impressively large broadsword "A mighty fine blade you have there Khol," smiling at his large companion with a look of approval before turning to Tati'yana who justifiably mispronounced his family name "Lassy ye' can just call me Koth," laughing deeply holding his waist as he heartily shook with jolly spirit "Yer' a kind soul may Ingus warmth bless ye." Koth smiled as he thumped a hand against his chest which in his culture symbolized thanks or appreciation.

Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Rune_Alchemist
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Finn certainly was an earnest one, wasn't he? Sera huffed lightly at his assertion he was merely 'stating the truth'. Well, as much as she didn't quite like it, no need to make a huge fuss over it. Archer, huh? Hm...useful skills. It'd be nice to have someone covering her from a distance again...hah. Maybe he wouldn't be the sort to get in over his head and ambushed repeatedly, either.

Before she had a chance to comment on her own skills though, there was a quiet scratching at the door and a curse, followed by it opening and a rather cute looking cat-eared boy walked in. He certainly seemed dangerous, judging from the way he carried himself. He went on to introduce himself, and give the particulars of their mission. Great...the job was basically what amounted to busting some lowlifes making drugs and making money off the poor.

Used to, that'd have made her blood boil. The blade in her hand found its way back to its sheathe.

"Simple enough." She commented, taking the pin from Nyrien, giving it a brief look over as she continued. "To answer your earlier question though boy, I'm good with a blade, and can hold my own in a fight." She pinned the badge on the inside of her hood. "But I'm better at handling things discreetly, and finishing things quietly." No need to mention anything else. Best if they didn't ask at all. "I'm assuming we have zero leads?" She questioned, turning her head back towards Nyrien. Three people covering an entire maze like cave or sewer system wasn't ideal. She wasn't sure how big it is, but from the way he was speaking it wasn't a small area. "We try finding a dealer topside and tailing or...questioning them?"
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by PrankFox
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Hawks deftly caught the bronze coin in one hand as it was tossed to him. He rubbed across the engraving with a single claw before pinning it onto part of his armor nearby the gleaming yellow fastener of his fur ruffed cloak. It felt good to be a part of something even if it was just a group of initiates at the guild. It was a starting place to work his way up from. Just like his father did before him.

Finally they got to the discussion of their actual mission. A blight-storm. He kept his face neutral but inside he felt the spiritual magics he commanded flaring in preparation for the destruction of things that went entirely against what his guardian stood for. Peace and protection versus chaos and violence. With this group he had a good feeling about just which side would come out on top. His whole job was to make sure that the other members of the team stayed on their feet and strong enough to fight back, and that was something he could do with ease. If it came down to it he had his own radiant magics that could likely carve swathes through the blight-storms stragglers that they were going to be up against.

They would likely go over their skills and make a plan for how they were going to tackle this on their way to the breach. While they weren't taking down the most difficult monster in the area it would still do them good to know what each of them was capable of and where to position themselves during the fight. He could already tell that Koth and Kohl would most likely be their front-liners with himself further back. He wasn't sure how the druid's abilities would work around the blight, but they'd cross that bridge when they got to it.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Moonshadow
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Petragar's light beady eyes darted towards the bronze coins in the box, a thick brow arching at the symbolism of the fool. It was fitting, from what she could recall of the card readers tales. Stepping forward from the two elves, she retrieved one of the offered coins and pinned the round bronze token within the folds of the hooded cloak wrapped around her shoulders. What little she had in way of questions would either be answered when they got to the merchant's shop or where considered inappropriate to ask about. She glanced up at the two pale skinned elves that were in stark contrast to her. Decades of practice had kept the thoughts from showing on her features as she examined each of the other women.

At least a foot taller than she, the dwarf observed of the one with her nose in a book, Sheri. Despite her many years, Petragar had not seen an elf quite like her before. The grey skinned dwarf wondered what usefulness someone with their nose in a book could be in combat, should it come to the job description lead her to believe it would. Useful in gathering details, certainly. Her gaze shifted to Vera, the blonde elf warrior, by the looks of her armor. She at least looked like she'd be able to handle herself in a fight despite there being something just a touch fragile about her appearance. Then again, elves were a fragile race in the eyes of the stone-hardened dwarf.

Petragar stayed a step behind the others, rarely if ever one to take the lead in a situation like this. They were to talk to people and interview them, she was more adept at observing others than with engaging in conversations with them.
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"Ah, found it." Sheri announced to the three others as she reached the page she had in mind. The text on the page was just as esoteric as on the cover; illegible to those whose wayward glances saw the pages. With a simple movement, her fingers ran along the page. As her fingers reached the opposite end, a spark of magic ignited from within the book. An almost instant accumulation of ambient energy, only for it to burst open with a soft clap. Small fragments and streams of multi-colored energy alongside shimmering particles of dust flew towards the roof, only to calmly drift towards the earth after they reached their apex. On collision with the earth, the bits of magic faded back to the ether and vanished from sight and materiality.

"That was an appropriate amount of fun." Turning back to the first page of the tome, Sheri began a forbidden act that would inflict those who witnessed it with a new kind of existential dread; she managed to stick her hand inside of the pages to pull out another tome. It was one bound in a silver leather, unmarked by a title. Instead, it was covered in ornate markings that had no purpose other than aesthetics. In a simple motion, she opened the silver-bound book and dropped the previous book inside. It slipped into the pages as though it were nothing more than an immaterial illusion.

Without much of an external acknowledgement to what she had done, she took a badge from Kiska and placed it upside down on the inside of her coat's wide collar.

"No questions from me."
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Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Haha
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Haha b E a N

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”Bitestorm?"

The Yanaski’s head canted lightly to the left, her long mane of multi-colored sweeping with the motion. Bright eyes focused back to the orc as he explained the situation. It was no mystery that Tati’yana was mostly uneducated on proper terminology - her common tongue itself was rough at best. The mention of a blight lord and blight in general didn’t seem to register with the girl. The coin that the civilized orc man had tossed to her was fiddled with, entirely taking her focus for the time being as the explanation was far beyond her comprehension. The metallic circle was placed in her maw, hard sharpened teeth clamped down as she tried to break it with her teeth. Though it was a fruitless effort, only putting small dents where sharp points tried to press through.

”This good rock. Real strong!”

It would then be quickly sifted into the pouch strung upon her among the seeds and small bits of plant matter scattered throughout the bag. Tati’s vision briefly glance over to the dwarf again, a tame smile raising the corners of her mouth before she quietly muttered.

”What an eengus?”

The question was nearly silent under her breath, a strained and nervous expression contorted her face once again - lips pressed down and flattened. Scaly ears twitched for a moment as Koth’s prior words finally caught up with the Yanaski girl’s raving thoughts. The mood lightened just as quickly as before beaming a toothy smile once again as she turned back to the dwarf and nodding in appreciation.

”Koth! Much easy to say-er! Where we go now?”
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Cu Chulainn
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Cu Chulainn nuts

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Khol looked down on his new badge of office with vague interest. Bronze didn't really suit the Half-Giant too much, so it seems he needed to rank up quickly if he wanted to upgrade into a nice silver, like his current boss. That said, having something that denotes him as more than some thug was more than welcome to him. Instinctively, he wished to bite the coin that was given to him, one of the habits his criminal cohorts once had as a means of checking the authenticity of their pilfered goods. Before he could, however, he saw that the Yanaski girl had done so first. Not desiring to follow her example, Khol instead pinned the badge to his belt, allowing it to serve as a new buckle.

A blight-storm. Khol has heard stories of such a thing in the past, but he's never seen one for himself. It seems that may continue to be the case as well, seeing as they'll only be taking care of the stragglers rather than the storm itself. To Khol, such a phenomenon was just another one of the many reasons he distrusts mages. To seek out such profane powers despite the impact it would have on the world around them... Absolutely vile. The mere thought had reminded Khol of his old father figure, and the horrible things he was put through during his formative years.

To those particularly sensitive to magic, it seemed like a silver glow surrounded Khol for a mere moment.

"Disgusting... We'll make sure there's no trace of it." Khol uttered, almost into a growl.

The strange feeling surrounding Khol dissipated just as quickly as it had appeared. It seemed that Khol himself did not notice such a change, although he did look more annoyed than he was seconds ago. The Half-Giant's attention was taken once more by Koth's comment about his sword. All he could do in response was to nod in acknowledgment, followed by a gruff "hmph." Khol never had thought of his sword as anything more than just a weapon he could use. It had been with him for a while, and it was too big for anyone else to wield, so to carry such a thing only felt sensible to him. Khol was never the type to look into the craftsmanship of the tools at his disposal, after all.

"Well, let's get to it, then? We're burning daylight here." Khol grunted, although not as viciously as before. As he turned, he placed his hands to the back of his head, letting his cranium rest as he made his way in the direction of Ayrith. He was keen on getting things started, whether his allies would follow or not, although he lagged behind just a bit for their handler to lead properly.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by ERode
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So Finn could infuse elemental energy into matter, but couldn’t understand basic instructions, and Sera remained evasive about her capabilities regardless of the call for openness. If nothing else, it was good that the archer had recovered his wits. With ten years of experience…perhaps that would make him related to the short people of the west, rather than a pureblood human being. Or maybe those ten years he counted as adventure, when he spent it with a group of more experienced adventurers. Finn did not appear as if time had altered him much from his adolescence, really.

Perhaps that too was a mutation though. A semblance of innocence was a useful guise for predators.

Such a mutation could be seen most clearly within their tardy handler. Shorter than even Finn, with bestial attributes that coaxed complacency despite the cruel capriciousness that felines were well-known for. Qantz-Farron’s eyes traced the movement of the flask, its luminescent contents brilliant in the dim room. The work itself though, was pedestrian. He breathed in the hearty smoke of his pipe once more, before extinguishing the embers and placing a stone cap over the end. He slipped the pipe into the inner pocket of his coat, before taking the offered pin and placing it upon his right wrist cuff.

“The Watch can only stay vigilant for so long,” Qantz-Farron replied. “And dealers from above may only meet them above. My recommendation would be to treat them as roaches, Sera, and flush them out as such. I’m certain you’d appreciate such an adjustment in mentality.”

He extended a pale hand towards Nyrien, palm up.

“The flask, Handler?”
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Vera

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Vera knew better than to take uncertainty for granted. Hopefully it wouldn't take them too long. A delicate way of telling them that they had only so much time to see to their tasking. She could bear with that, it was easier to figure something out in a day than pass some initiation test right there and then. She shifted in her boots as Kiska set the case upon the table, her eyes falling from their hold on the handler as her badge glimmered before her. At first she did not react. It seemed to be a presentation, but their briefing went on and more than that: They had not yet earned those pins. She understood quickly, though. Whether or not they were truly initiated, a component of their test was to do real Guild work as real members of the Guild. Under no finer supervision than that of one of the Guild's financial overlords, no less. Her nose twitched.

Petra seemed to harbor non of the hesitation that Vera did, and even though she knew why they were being given it was still a relief to see someone else go and accept. As she waited, she could not help but wonder if the life of a patron was so light as to be entrusted to the untested or if this exchange of muscle and security for donations was so routine as to go without disguise.

Her worrying came to an end and she nearly jumped at the clap. Vera's neck twisted, she took a step away, only to gawk at the colorful streamers issuing from the elf's book. Vera lingered on the book, struck by the novelty of a spell book and briefly distracted with the usual new team sport of wondering just how that artifice played into the mage's craft. Maybe that made it just a little harder on her as the mage fed the book to a book pulled out of itself. Whatever she had been about to say about the party favor died in her throat at that. She stood by again, as her other teammate took their token.

What levity. But Vera didn't presume that they could walk up and take those coins because it meant less to them, or because they didn't understand what those coins meant. These were the kinds of people that could take their chance and do it with aplomb. She had to be the same. As the last, she walked up to the table and plucked up the remaining coin. She held out her left hand and slotted the token in amidst the tightened down straps of her gauntlet, striking the pin through one of the sturdy belts. As she shifted the glove back to comfort, she looked up at Kiska.

"When we find them, should we deliver them to the Watch? Or to Mr. Aelrod's guards?"

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Mathias stared down at the pin he was offered for a moment. His badge of identification was a mere pin? It wasn't a proper heraldry, but that life was gone now. There was no point wishing for what he had. His ragged armor didn't particularly have much to hook a pin on, though thankfully the cloak he wore around him did. The half-orc quickly hooked the pin onto the portion of his cloak closest to his collar before glancing back up to listen to the rest of his briefing.

"Chasing a thief, huh?" Mathias grunted, folding his arms. Wonderful. Work he wasn't familiar with. Hell, he'd been hoping to just be sent out to hunt some monsters and call it a day. Tracking down a thinking man? This wasn't something he was trained for at all. Still, if he wanted any measure of security in his life from here on out, he'd have to grit his teeth and get it done.

Thankfully, it seemed someone else here was far more adept at the matter than he was. Mathias turned to Rohaan, nodding briefly.

"Seems we'll be depending on you greatly for this. Personally, I'm not much of a tracker, so I can't say how much use I'll be until we actually find our mark."
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"I'll be sure to keep them sparkly clean," Vela hummed as she took her coin. She gave the emblem a once-over, and tucked it away into her small pack. Vela wished to keep her dress spotless, including extraneous decorations she didn't expressly want. If it was a requirement to have it overtly presented at all times, she'd capitulate, but if she could get by simply flashing her badge as needed... The faun only pointed to his own pin -until he specifically demanded she pin it, she'd pocket it.

"If he is a student of this 'Magister', shall I assume that he is knowledgeable to some degree with magicks?" she inquired, "...Or a loser who'd failed to measure up, and is now hoping that this special tome will solve all his shortcomings, howevr 'forbidden' it is."

"And if he has not made it out of the city yet, with wanted posters already up, it would be reasonable to assume he's been made stuck here. He might have nowhere to escape now. I am curious though; any details on the contents of the tome?"
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Aerandir
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Finn sighed when the handler came in then told them their mission. He had no issue’s with tight spaces, but why did it have to be sewers. He kept silent as he continued, then watched as he passed out the initiative pins. Unconsciously, he reached up and rubbed the silver pin on the inside of his collar that he has had for three years so far.

His shoulders slumped when Sera called him Boy once more. Looking over to her she didn’t reveal much more than what he suspected. She did add that she liked to be more discreet in her fighting. Well...not much to glean from that.

Qantz-Farron didn’t answer his question, but went on with his two cents on the matter. Then making the comment of treating them like roaches and flushing them out. He didn’t quite understand what he ment there. Mentioning only Sera. He didn’t say anything otherwise.

He instead turned his head to Nyrien
“Does the watch know anything about this group? Any notable ring leaders?

Nyrien replied, "Only that they're tied to the black market, which could make them part of any number of organizations, but no the 'who' hasn't been answered yet,"

”Do they have any in custody? We can interrogate them, or have them lead us to the suppliers like Ms. Sera said.

Nyrien shook his head, "Only customers,"

”Perhaps we can get them to take us to the dealers. Then work from there? While they might not know which tunnel entrance it is. They might know who does. ”
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"Ahaha." Sera laughed at Qantz's suggestion. Oh yes, she very much would love nothing more than to just systematically and methodically crush every single one of them. "Oh you have no idea, Qantz-Farron...but getting careless and forgoing a bit of prep work is how you end up with a knife in your back." Nyrien's responses didn't exactly fill her with confidence. No leads, and the Watch just as useless as ever. Really, might as well just get rid of them and let the guilds take over their duties.

Well, whatever. She had dealt with more difficult targets than just some bugs scurrying around in some underground refuge.

Still, that left with how they were going to handle this. She had no doubt they were skilled enough to handle it. The boy and his archery, her and her more subtle methods...and whatever it was Qantz did. She would at least trust he could handle whatever task he was given, given his demeanor.

"Well, that leaves us with a bit of legwork." Sera sighed, a breath of cool air. "Normally I'd spend a few days gathering information myself...but I assume we want this solved sooner rather than later, especially with the Watch having a hand in this." That and she really just wanted to get this over with. Doubtful a bunch of rats could provide anything short of meager entertainment. She looked over to Qantz. "How do you two want to handle this? All of us just go down there holding hands and singing a choir hymn? What about you boy? Your bow any good down there or is it going to be as useless as your flirting attempts?"
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Aerandir
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Finn raised his eyebrow, he thought it was qantz then Farron. Not tied together. He assumed he didn’t like his last two names. He never heard of anyone going by two names at the same time. He shrugged at the thought. He hasn’t said anything yet about it.

He nodded at Sera’s mention of doing prep work, the same thing his father taught him, it was a basic principle. He kept silent for a bit when Sera added what she would have preferred. With how the mission was brought up, it seemed it had to be done asap. But it was obvious not to point it out, as much as he agreed with her.

She then asked how the two wanted to handle this. He was hesitant, because he was to help them; he didn’t want to have too much input on how to do the actual mission. This was their time to prove themselves, not his. Rolling his eyes with a smile at her next comment, only to stop half way when she called him boy once again. Hopefully this doesn’t become a ‘thing’

Sighing as he stood up straighter and folded his arms across his chest. Looking serious as he said.”I mean, if you want to hold hands I'm sure that's fine for a bit. I understand girls hate rats so if that makes you more comfortable to hold my hand then I can do that.” Scratching his temple he left it at that, unclear if he was serious or not.

Looking directly at Sera ”I’m not like other archers who need space, I can handle cramped areas just fine. If it becomes too cramped for bows, I can fight close quarters just as easily as you can.” he said matter of factly.

“Since I am only here to help, I'll leave up the exact plan to you two. But I'll chime in some ideas that might help. “ He added with a smile as he pulled another red feather from his pouch absentmindedly and started spinning it in between each finger.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by ERode
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ERode Odd One Out

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"Thank you."

Qantz-Farron slipped the flask into the folds of his dark coat in one smooth motion, nodding once towards Nyrien. His hands stayed in his pockets as he took in the thoughts of his colleagues, letting their words and beliefs seep into his mind. The line that Finn drew was too long for his liking; the degrees of separation from customer to dealer to producer was long and uncertain. Would dealers continue their work, when they’ve lost contact with their producer? Sera’s words had some weight to it though. Unpreparedness and overconfidence lead to unseemly demises, whether above or below the surface. The work she wished to prepare though…Qantz-Farron gazed towards the shuttered windows, the ones that lead out to the training fields. Fields for combat training, but no qualifications of intellect or skill.

The Watch had professionals but lacked individual power.

The Guild had amateurs but held plentiful might.

It was in these liminal spaces, where skill and experience did not outweigh power and recklessness, that adventurers existed, bringing forth sub-optimal solutions using a motley collection of capabilities. Like puzzle pieces forcefully pushed through incorrect places. Like snakes contorting into tunnels meant for worms. He listened to Sera and Finn spar a little more. The archer was finally getting his footing, conversation-wise. That was good.

Qantz-Farron took a breath and spoke.

“When the situation calls for flight, creatures make one of two decisions. They can escape back to their group, finding protection in anonymity, or they can escape away from their group, seeking to divert the predator from the collective.” The black-eyed man pulled out a pale hand, extending two slim fingers. “Roaches, when flushed out, will scurry to their homes, to their group. Our friends in the sewers will do the same. If they are alone, they will seek the group. If they are together, we let one go. So long as we manage their fear, they will not blind themselves with it.”

With his other hand, Qantz-Farron pulled out the flask again.

“As for finding our first, we have this. A unique concoction, a taste foreign to the sewers, and the producers who’ve brewed it. If the dead are pleased, it will lead to the individual. If the forebearers are pleased, it will lead to the hideout.”

He brought both hands into his pockets once more, smiling his mirthless smile.

“Leave the Watch to their tedium of investigation and interview. Our work does not rely on words.”
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Guilty Spark
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Guilty Spark A Relic of the Past

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(@Moonshadow, @Epsir, @OwO)


"Good question! The watch!" Kiska replied, looking up at Vera as she hopped down from her chair. "Mr. Aelrod's safety is important, but he's a merchant, not the law silly," it seemed that, while adventurer's guilds operated in an ethical grey area, the Wayfarer's didn't turn over criminals for extrajudicial killing.



"Kiska, dear," the voice came from across the common area. Suran Reshta walked towards the group, a half-orc shortly behind him. "It seems our assignment has fallen through, so the Captain would like you to take one of our members to fill in your team, this is Master Mathias Rugal."

"Oooh, more's always better, it's nice to meet you!"
...


A flash of Kiska's silver pin was all it took to gain entry to the gated Gold Quarter, and they left the bustling of the road behind them as they moved farther in. There were no hawking street vendors here, and it was apparent from their attire that much of the foot traffic that they did see included attendants running errands. There was far more greenery decorating the streets, and the lofty residences, painted a variety of colors, had an elegance and intent to their design that was absent in less affluent districts. Despite that, those who had seen the wealthier parts of the great northern cities there would be unimpressed.

Following the gnome along the main street, the homes turned into stately buildings with signage and banners declaring their affiliation, and the traffic increased to include what were certainly the merchants and craftsmen who did business here. As Kiska walked the street, she pointed out the various halls of Arskel's most prominent mercantile guilds.

"Fellowship of Brewers, Order of Glassblowers I think? League of Masons..." Kiska's ears twitched, dropping almost to her shoulders before righting themselves. "That's the Realm Wardens guild," the indicated building was constructed with no thought to expense, large glass windows spread evenly across the third and fourth floors, and each of its corners were punctuated by an elegant spire. "They were more important before the Wayfarer's started."
...


Astor Aelrod's mansion was of a finer quality than those closest to the gates, as was clear from the garden of vibrant flowers that greeted visitors at the street. A stone pathway led to the front entrance, with armed guards standing at the ready on either side. One of them lifted his arm to stop their approach.

"Mistress Kiska, if you please," indicating this was routine, Kiska lifted her silver badge for his inspection. The guard revealed a roughly cut crystal and held it against the pin, a few seconds passed. Nothing. He handed it back to her and stepped aside "Alright, you may enter." As they moved to pass, the second guard stepped in behind them, his eyes on the three initiates.

The inside of the manor was, unsurprisingly, well appointed. The foyer opened into a spacious hall with more guards, one of which took the lead upon seeing the troupe enter. Their employer was in his study, a book open in one hand and a quill tapping thoughtfully in the other. He was some variety of elf, gold-skinned with dark amber eyes, but given his long, silvering beard and the smile-lines creasing his cheeks, he could have been a half-breed.

There was an oddity in the room, a dark elf in leather armor levitated near the ceiling, listlessly drifting in circles. His head was shaven clean, and he wore an odd metallic visor that covered his eyes and nose. Kiska gave him a wave with seeming familiarity, to which he didn't respond.

"Lady Kiska, I've been expecting you," the elderly elf stood, setting his book down he looked over the three initiates. "Welcome, I believe you three will be handling this issue for me? I'll be happy to see the end of this business, can't stand being cooped up like an old maid," if he felt any imminent sense of danger, he hid it well behind his fatherly smile. "Well, you don't build the roof first I suppose? Let's start at the beginning, Orga?"

The dark elf descended from the roof, lightly touching the ground beside the merchant. Opening a scroll case, he laid several sheets of parchment from within on the center of the desk before the trio. They all said variants of the same thing. Stop doing business in Arskel, or die.

"I signed a contract with Helmlenfell one week ago, making me one of a handful of merchants that provide them with textiles, then these notes started to appear. Two nights ago one of my guards, a half-orc named Andar, went missing during his watch, no one heard anything."



"Right, part of this test is the means you choose to overcome the challenges the job presents, and as such-" a knock at the door interrupted Nyrien, and Suran Reshta entered.



"Chant," the faun's manner was crisp and professional, but they clearly weren't close. "Sorry to interrupt, it seems our wizard turned himself in," he rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated. "Caragan wants to round out the teams, since our assignment fell through, this is-" he stepped aside, gesturing to the statuesque woman who accompanied him. "-the Lady Vela Fade," with a small bow to Vela, and a glance back at Nyrien, he left as quickly as he'd arrived.

"Uh, well let's start at square one then..."
...


A steep, winding path cut into the surface of the cliff was the only way into the district from the lower portions of the city. Nyrien's badge was nowhere to be seen as they reached the top of the plateau, and the cat had donned a dusty cloak that made him a passable urchin. The rubble that the Cliff was known for had been cleared away from the edges, perhaps because it was a risk to the city below, more likely it was scavenged for some other structures.

Before them sprawled a tent city, interspersed with ancient stone and newer wooden structures. As the group moved into the Cliffs, they seemed to attract little attention as of yet. The vagrants were a private lot, keeping their eyes to themselves, and anyone else who might have marked them from the cover of the crowds hadn't shown themselves. The group passed piles of ruined stonework, the fractured remnants of some previous structures which bore as much crude graffiti as they did scratches and pockmarks. There were no shortage of back alleys, shadowed by the canopies of canvas that stretched between some of the buildings.

Many of the hovels they passed were homes, but others were the fragile businesses that eked out a living peddling to those who couldn't afford to go to the markets along the Road district.

"Ah, the real city," Nyrien glanced over his shoulder at the group, particularly at the initiates. "This is where I pass you the reins, I'll be here to consult but this is your mission," the cat pulled his hood farther over his face and stepped to the back of the group. He'd left them with no firm leads, but possibilities were around every corner and in the cold, side-eyed glances that followed them.



All knew the dangers of travelling outside the cities, most by experience, yet when called upon the adventurers would be expected to brave the worst dangers a breach had to offer. That was the goal of this assignment, or so Logrim had explained as they made their way out of Arskel and into the battered landscape that surrounded the city proper.

The high road ran north from the gates, carving a path that stretched around the hills and out of sight. It was laid with stones as far as the group could see, but not all of the road was so tamed, and in fact many portions were impassable without an escort. Nearer to the city walls, terraced farms took advantage of the uneven terrain, winding unevenly through the hills to fill all the arable land they could. Beyond that, the wilderness quickly dominated their view.

As they left the high road, Logrim kept a stern pace. The forest ahead of them seemed to rustle with a life of its own, branches moving in defiance of the wind. The red and violet hued bark of the trees glistening with moisture.

"Steer clear of their young," the orc grunted, pointing at a sapling from which indecipherable bones hung.

The deeper they descended into the forest, the thinner the underbrush became, starved by the canopy high above them. The journey took several hours, though it might have been shorter had Logrim not stopped to point out each danger they skirted across, even the minor ones. It was an oddly paternal behavior from the orc, almost as if he were taking them camping for the first time.

Eventually, he raised his fist to signal a halt. There was a hum in the air, out of place in the rest of the forest. Ahead of them, the strange hues of the trees had become dull and sickly, and the roots that were tangled throughout the forest floor twisted unnaturally far above the ground, as if trying to escape the soil.

"This is the edge, it's still spreadin'," the orc crouched and lifted a gnarled root for their inspection. It writhed in his hand, like a lizard's severed tail. "That means its spawn'll not be far behind," he stood back up and turned to face the group, eyeing each of them in turn.

"I'm goin' ahead, I'll make sure nothin you can't handle comes your way and meet up with the adept team," he unslung the shield from his back, affixing it to his arm. "Now everything that comes your way, put an end to it, yeah?"
...


The orc left them their. Minutes passed. The hum of the forest grew louder, and muted coloring of the trees spread towards them, then around them. Minutes passed, and the forest began to move.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Asuras
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Asuras Into her woven halls, her children cover the walls

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Vela listened -albeit with a look of frustration upon her lips- to Nyrien's explanation, suddenly moved from one task to the next. She felt scramble-brained, having just moments ago been thinking about how to snatch a wizard brat, and now thrust into a drug-busting mission. If she had any opinions or questions on the matter, she kept them quiet behind her crossed arms, save for her initial and brief introduction. A first and last name, and she returned to silence.

Surrendering herself to the sweeping winds that blew her from one corner of the Guild to the next, she spent her time traveling to the Cliffs by sizing up her teammates, no doubt exchanging some words as her demeanor warmed. She professed very little to the other three -contorted confidence easily seen through by a thin veil of humility. All the while, Vela walked close beside her new teammate, 'Sera'. Despite the blindfold, it was obvious enough that the witch was catching eyeless 'glances' at the shorter girl, interested in some unspoken feature.

When at last they made it to the Cliffs, Vela remained adrift. She was new to Arskel, and the paths that led there had yet to solidify themselves in her memory. Here in a ghetto like the Cliffs, things were all the more obscure and unknown.

"Do we get five questions maximum?" Vela joked, deadpan, at Nyrien. She sighed. "I don't suppose you three had hatched something before I was tacked onto the team?" she asked, turning her head about the trio.
Hidden 3 yrs ago Post by Psyker Landshark
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Psyker Landshark return to monke

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This was...irritating. Taken off the job at the last second to be placed on a completely different one? Last minute assignments were never a favorite of his. It didn't help that the new assignment in question didn't play any more to his strengths than the last one did. Probably even less, in fact. Chasing down a thief was still more in his wheelhouse than playing investigator. But, again, he didn't particularly have a choice. So Mathias just sucked it up, said nothing, and followed Suran towards his new group.

A stone dwarf, and two elves. Hm. At least he was familiar enough with dwarves, and one of the elves had sensible enough equipment. The other seemed to be some sort of mage, though, which provided enough of an excuse for him.

"As he said, that's my name." Mathias briefly removed his helmet again to give the rest on his team a look at who they were working with before slamming it back on. "I'll keep the introduction brief. I'm a former knight of Tyrcliff. That's it. Shall we move out? This job isn't waiting forever for us."
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