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[indent][indent][indent][color=gray][sub][right][color=dc143c][b]Location:[/b][/color] Laughing Worg Tavern -- City-State of Thorinn, Aetheria[/right][/sub][/color]
[hr]Graves passed Kazuki a fresh tankard of ale as he joined the table. The healer skipped any pleasantries and went straight to business, eager to emphasize just how dire their situation was. From the sound of things Kazuki thought things would only get worse- not just for their group, but all the players still stranded in Thorinn. Sif piped up for the first time in agreement. They didn't have the gear to adventure, and the market for professions was going to be wildly different now than how it was before the Glitch. To Graves, it sure looked like they were getting fucked from both ends.

[color=dc143c]"It ain't right,"[/color] he snapped, banging his mug on the table.[color=dc143c] "How the hell can they expect us'ta keep throwing ourselves at these dungeons like nothin's changed? I'm not buryin' any of you just so we can afford Kazuki's shitty house- no offense."[/color] He gave an apologetic shrug of his shoulders. [color=dc143c]"Look, I'm sure we're not the only players who feel this way. Maybe we can reach out to the other guilds in town and have a sit down. Present a united front. Make it clear to the queen that If she wants the wayfarers to keep Thorinn safe then things've gotta change."[/color] 

There were plenty of holes in that plan, but it was the best he had. The denizens needed to understand that this wasn't a game anymore. The wayfarers were frighteningly mortal: the graves he'd dug for Aaginim, Atlas and Enos were more than enough proof of that. If they were going to continue tackling dungeons then they'd need to get a hell of a lot more out of it. The denizens wouldn't have any choice but to listen- unless they were planning on taking up arms and fighting themselves for a change.

Before anyone could respond to Graves' rant, the sound of the tavern's doors swinging open drew his eyes. A hooded woman he didn't recognize was standing in the entrance, frozen in place with indecision. It wasn't until she flipped her hood down that recognition flashed in his mind. Artemis. That poor soul they'd dragged out of the tunnels. She'd been a husk of a person when they found her, soaked to the bone and broken. He couldn't blame her. He could only imagine what it'd be like to go through all she'd been through. Could he even keep going, like she had?

He quickly snatched back the tankard he'd slid Kazuki and stood from his seat to approach her. Graves moved slowly, trying to keep it casual; she might not recognize him without the layers of rat shit and armor, and he wasn't exactly built like a teddy bear. 

[color=dc143c]"Shitty mornin', huh?"[/color] He offered her the drink and a small smile. [color=dc143c]"We get a lot of those around here. Glad you came. In my experience its best not to spend 'em alone."[/color] 

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