XaltwindLove Your Neighbor
~@Silver Carrot~
It did not take long for the stagecoach to reach Boreal Port. The smell of seawater invades your noses. The calm, peaceful atmosphere of the port town made the earlier skirmish in the Varjan territories seem so long ago and so far away. Most of the civilians you encountered, both man and monster, raised an eyebrow at your wounds. "Salamat sa langit. Maraming salamat sa langit." Isabella sighed.
She then stopped the stagecoach in front of a closed bakeshop and turned to her escort. "Thank you, Miss Centaur. Me and my family will never forget this." She then pulled out a small pouch. "Here, your reward. I believe there is one-hundred and fifty gold in it. Again, I am sorry if it is too small of a reward." She then added. "I believe there is a Dark Priest here who is very nice. Maybe you can ask her to take a look at your wounds."
She then disembarked the stagecoach and faced the two of you for one last time. "Again, I thank you both. Do you think we will see each other again?"
Whatever your answer was, your quest was done. You were free to return to the guild or explore the port town a bit. Perhaps see this Dark Priest?
Laying The Foundations
~@The Irish Tree~
After Arletta left, you were alone for a moment. Only a moment as a new companion decided to join. One of the Dwarves but well-armored unlike the rest with a helmet that sported a pair of impressive avian wings. He appeared to be the Dwarven group's leader. "Your guild's filled with pretty ones, ain't it?" He greeted you with a question.
He had two mugs of strong-smelling ale and handed one to you. "Funny, they're the ones who reduced our race to nothing and yet here we are, doing favors for 'em. Fate likes to screw us around, don't it?" He remarked before taking a swig of the alcohol drink. "I remember when they first appeared. New Demon Lord and all that. The lads were all over them once they realized they were harmless. Gave most of our women that demon energy to make 'em prettier. Not that the women complained though, they loved it. It was a wee bit too late when they they realized they birthed no males." The Dwarf then took another swig.
"Which brings me to the question, why are you male?" The Dwarf then asked. "I know you ain't human. Probably a Minotaur from the looks of it but I haven't seen a male Minotaur from the pre-Transformation days. I haven't lived that long."
A Tempest Looms
~@Rune_Alchemist~
You reach the Shrine of Eros at late midday. Your trip was uneventful, letting you enjoy the quiet and serene scenery if you so chose.
Upon reaching the shrine-town, you notice that it was... quite dedicated to their goddess. While it looked like an ordinary town, most of the colors you see were shades of pink and red. However, the large temple of the Goddess of Love was more elegant with its white and gold colors. Apsaras, Cupids and Houris along with humans walked the streets but no other monsters though. Then you realize that perhaps, maybe...
"You don't belong here." A stern female voice called out to you. You turn around and see a woman clad in red-colored armor. Her long blonde hair reached down to her back, her skin was a fair white and her eyes were blue. "...Well not normally anyway. The Order thinks this is still within their territory and can get a little mad if they see monster visitors." She said. "It's a good thing they're not here today. I already have enough on my plate as it is."
"I suppose you're from the new guild right? It's not usual for Dullahans, you'reaDullahanright?, to go to Eros for blessings. Come, follow me." The woman then led you across the shrine town, heading north. "I know I said in the request that this'll be easy but I wanna know what you can do. Just in case things get... hairy. What we're dealing with is unpredictable after all. I hope you're okay with that."
"I'm Valerie by the way. Captain of the Shrine Guard and a Valkyrie in service to the Goddess of Love. And you are?"
Herbal Medicine
~@13org (FYR)~
Neil was the first to inhale a whiff and he immediately coughed. Without a word, he immediately exited the building and leaving you alone with Darren. "Well... I suppose it's not for the sensitive types." The alchemist remarked. And you were the next to inhale. The fragrance indeed smelled nice but the pain-killing effects was yet to show itself. "It's a pure mellow high, isn't it?" You heard Darren add. "But I do get concerned about the monsters."
"Yeah, I mean..." It was then your vision betrayed you and reality began warping all around. Your newly-formed surroundings was filled with a green haze and they changed so rapidly that it was hard to gaze at them without feeling dizzy. "I'm sure they're nothing serious, but ah... I never let them get too near. Anyway, to answer your questions--" Those were Darren's last words before you were left alone in a foggy forest, surrounded by grasses and a couple of trees.
You then heard something sprout behind you. It was a very strange, seemingly-sentient plant that was as tall as you and bounced in a rhythm. It did nothing but look at you for a few moments before it 'shot' a large green pea at you from its 'mouth'. The seed projectile hit with blunt force akin to being punched. The hostile plant shot some more and you noticed that more of them have popped from the soil and were equally hostile.
However, you also noticed that you had your signature weapons on your hands. You must defend yourself!
Pillager
~@13org (BST)~
The summoning of your magical and dangerous cards and the merciless burning of one of the Varjan Warriors have caught the attention of Lord Araghast again who listened to your words. He stood at the foremost since the other Varjans were rightly wary of the spinning cards that surrounded and protected you. Their shields were raised but could that protect them from such magical power?
The Varjan Warlord let out a dark laugh when you finished. "Very well, magician. You are free to go." He said. The declaration made the other warriors lower their guard a bit and made a gap for you to exit through. "But let us not kid ourselves. You WILL partake on our petty squabbles and our barbaric, meaningless bloodshed. Sooner or later. After all, did you not just participate in it in your 'exception'? Hehe, I look forward to your next 'exception', magician."
"It is the way of the world. Running from it will only bring pain but embracing it will bring salvation." Araghast said as he and the other Varjan Warriors waited for you to make your leave.
~@Silver Carrot~
It did not take long for the stagecoach to reach Boreal Port. The smell of seawater invades your noses. The calm, peaceful atmosphere of the port town made the earlier skirmish in the Varjan territories seem so long ago and so far away. Most of the civilians you encountered, both man and monster, raised an eyebrow at your wounds. "Salamat sa langit. Maraming salamat sa langit." Isabella sighed.
She then stopped the stagecoach in front of a closed bakeshop and turned to her escort. "Thank you, Miss Centaur. Me and my family will never forget this." She then pulled out a small pouch. "Here, your reward. I believe there is one-hundred and fifty gold in it. Again, I am sorry if it is too small of a reward." She then added. "I believe there is a Dark Priest here who is very nice. Maybe you can ask her to take a look at your wounds."
She then disembarked the stagecoach and faced the two of you for one last time. "Again, I thank you both. Do you think we will see each other again?"
Whatever your answer was, your quest was done. You were free to return to the guild or explore the port town a bit. Perhaps see this Dark Priest?
Laying The Foundations
~@The Irish Tree~
After Arletta left, you were alone for a moment. Only a moment as a new companion decided to join. One of the Dwarves but well-armored unlike the rest with a helmet that sported a pair of impressive avian wings. He appeared to be the Dwarven group's leader. "Your guild's filled with pretty ones, ain't it?" He greeted you with a question.
He had two mugs of strong-smelling ale and handed one to you. "Funny, they're the ones who reduced our race to nothing and yet here we are, doing favors for 'em. Fate likes to screw us around, don't it?" He remarked before taking a swig of the alcohol drink. "I remember when they first appeared. New Demon Lord and all that. The lads were all over them once they realized they were harmless. Gave most of our women that demon energy to make 'em prettier. Not that the women complained though, they loved it. It was a wee bit too late when they they realized they birthed no males." The Dwarf then took another swig.
"Which brings me to the question, why are you male?" The Dwarf then asked. "I know you ain't human. Probably a Minotaur from the looks of it but I haven't seen a male Minotaur from the pre-Transformation days. I haven't lived that long."
A Tempest Looms
~@Rune_Alchemist~
You reach the Shrine of Eros at late midday. Your trip was uneventful, letting you enjoy the quiet and serene scenery if you so chose.
Upon reaching the shrine-town, you notice that it was... quite dedicated to their goddess. While it looked like an ordinary town, most of the colors you see were shades of pink and red. However, the large temple of the Goddess of Love was more elegant with its white and gold colors. Apsaras, Cupids and Houris along with humans walked the streets but no other monsters though. Then you realize that perhaps, maybe...
"You don't belong here." A stern female voice called out to you. You turn around and see a woman clad in red-colored armor. Her long blonde hair reached down to her back, her skin was a fair white and her eyes were blue. "...Well not normally anyway. The Order thinks this is still within their territory and can get a little mad if they see monster visitors." She said. "It's a good thing they're not here today. I already have enough on my plate as it is."
"I suppose you're from the new guild right? It's not usual for Dullahans, you'reaDullahanright?, to go to Eros for blessings. Come, follow me." The woman then led you across the shrine town, heading north. "I know I said in the request that this'll be easy but I wanna know what you can do. Just in case things get... hairy. What we're dealing with is unpredictable after all. I hope you're okay with that."
"I'm Valerie by the way. Captain of the Shrine Guard and a Valkyrie in service to the Goddess of Love. And you are?"
Herbal Medicine
~@13org (FYR)~
Neil was the first to inhale a whiff and he immediately coughed. Without a word, he immediately exited the building and leaving you alone with Darren. "Well... I suppose it's not for the sensitive types." The alchemist remarked. And you were the next to inhale. The fragrance indeed smelled nice but the pain-killing effects was yet to show itself. "It's a pure mellow high, isn't it?" You heard Darren add. "But I do get concerned about the monsters."
"Yeah, I mean..." It was then your vision betrayed you and reality began warping all around. Your newly-formed surroundings was filled with a green haze and they changed so rapidly that it was hard to gaze at them without feeling dizzy. "I'm sure they're nothing serious, but ah... I never let them get too near. Anyway, to answer your questions--" Those were Darren's last words before you were left alone in a foggy forest, surrounded by grasses and a couple of trees.
You then heard something sprout behind you. It was a very strange, seemingly-sentient plant that was as tall as you and bounced in a rhythm. It did nothing but look at you for a few moments before it 'shot' a large green pea at you from its 'mouth'. The seed projectile hit with blunt force akin to being punched. The hostile plant shot some more and you noticed that more of them have popped from the soil and were equally hostile.
However, you also noticed that you had your signature weapons on your hands. You must defend yourself!
Pillager
~@13org (BST)~
"Retreat at once. I wish not to partake on your petty squabbles and your barbaric, meaningless bloodshed. Continue, and you I shall repay you in the same coin."
The summoning of your magical and dangerous cards and the merciless burning of one of the Varjan Warriors have caught the attention of Lord Araghast again who listened to your words. He stood at the foremost since the other Varjans were rightly wary of the spinning cards that surrounded and protected you. Their shields were raised but could that protect them from such magical power?
The Varjan Warlord let out a dark laugh when you finished. "Very well, magician. You are free to go." He said. The declaration made the other warriors lower their guard a bit and made a gap for you to exit through. "But let us not kid ourselves. You WILL partake on our petty squabbles and our barbaric, meaningless bloodshed. Sooner or later. After all, did you not just participate in it in your 'exception'? Hehe, I look forward to your next 'exception', magician."
"It is the way of the world. Running from it will only bring pain but embracing it will bring salvation." Araghast said as he and the other Varjan Warriors waited for you to make your leave.