The Irish Tree

ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

Theodore was actually amazed that not only was the information incredibly helpful, but it was also simply given for free. A warm smile spread across Theodore's lips before he would nod, understanding the gravity of the situation if a widespread net of thievery had been cast, ensnaring the destitute merchants and civilians alike, then it was growing ever more apparent that this needed some justice to set this right! Theodore would bow his head, fist rapping twice against his breastplate. "I thank you for this information. I'll have to question Kikipu about this man, as its the best shot I have at apprehending him. Good day, sir," Theodore would say, before starting to head towards Kikipu's demesne.

...That is, until he heard the familiar voice of one of the Sunseeker Miqo'te shouting out an insult to someone. Had something happened. His head turned quickly to take in the sight of J'torha halfway up a pole, Theodore's eyes looking to where J'torha's gaze was fixed, upon the auctioneer that was presiding over the sale of Lyveva's goods. He couldn't see exactly what the auctioneer looked like, so far all that Theodore knew the man with two scars had come to collect on what he had sold. "Pardon, excuse me, sorry, just a moment," Theodore's numerous apologies came as he weaves his way through the crowd, trying not to step upon any toes, or get any rogue Roegadyn elbows to his nose.

Once he was near the front of the crowd, Theodore would have a chance to see this "rat" at face value, and be prepared to step in to apprehend him if it was indeed their target. Merchants of Mercy or not, he assumed that there was indeed some reason for J'torha to cry out so loudly. Perhaps it was a signal for the group to convene?

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

Steppe Archer just kind of stood there, an awkward silence hanging in the air around them. Steppe Archer hadn't even understood that it was a joke, she just sort of felt as if some kind of follow up was needed after a statement such as that, some further elaboration on magical sciences that would soar right over the girl's head. Magic was for smart people, after all. Steppe Archer's expression wouldn't change as she saw the girl's face turn red, a simple tilt of her head signalling her confusion. "Scared of handling bodies?" she questioned, figuring that might be a reason for her sudden hesitation. Once that was likely dismissed, Steppe Archer would smile brighter, offering her newfound friend a hand to shake.

When the Lizardfolk fighter came over, Steppe Archer would give a thumbs up, saying: "Mhm! She said yes, so let's get going! I hope we'll have time after cleanup for another job."

---

The nomad girl would follow with her companions along to meet the guard, showing him the job listing and offering a sincere smile. "Nice to meet you. We're the porcelains that signed up for ditch cleaning. Is this where we get told what to do?" Her free hand remained behind her back, clenched ever so slightly as she kept herself from feeling nervous. Was...was he gonna smell the sewer smell on her too? Or was it just the Lizardfolk's powerful sense of smell that let him smell the stank?

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

Steppe Archer was fascinated by the idea of someone living in a swamp. Usually, she steered clear of densely muddy areas. Bad for horses to cross, and all. Besides, quickmud was a very real threat in a swamp, so chasing quarries into them wasn't worth it for the nomadic tribes of the Steppe. The girl would smile at the lizardman's words of confirmation of the adding of a third member and turn on her heel saying:"Okay!", before she walked over to the girl with really, really nice hair. Like, seriously, she'd never seen a girl with such straight hair before. Though, that might also just be because most women on the Steppe viewed cloth as more fashionable than hair. Strolling right up, the archer would put her hands behind her back and net her fingers, white poofy hair still making her look like a half-lion, half-woman.

"Hey, wanna join me and my big friend over there on ditch duty? Its nothing glamorous, but its easy enough. No need to kill or be killed when cleaning up the dead, and all," Steppe Archer would say leaning across the table and staring right at the girl's eyes with a big grin on her face. "We were also going to do the Patrol later, but if you don't feel up for that or the ditch duty, that's fine. Are you a mage? I've seen a lot of mages carry big sticks like that. "

Steppe Archer's eyes would take in details of the girl's appearance, namely that she didn't seem really muscular for an adventurer, and she doubted that stick at her side was much of the smacking type. Though, she knew full well how good a substitute weapon a stick made. After all, before they trained with swords, her and her friends trained with sticks.

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

Steppe Archer smiled, she hadn't even had to ask to tag along. Nodding her head at his statement of trying to solo the rats, she chuckled nervously. "W-Well, I had a party but...it didn't quite go so well. There were roaches, and one of my companions got a disease...b-but she's fine now! I don't know where the other went, but he made it out fine. We just realized that we were in over our heads, is all. But cleaning up corpses is something I'm used to, so I won't let you down!"she would say, raising her arms to show her enthusiasm.

Then the realization struck her. She STILL stunk!? Bashfully gaining a tinge of red to her cheeks, she scratched the back of her head. "T-The sewer smell is still there? I washed up super thoroughly though..." she complained, seeming disheartened. At least for all of four seconds. Then, she simply snapped her back straight and pumped her fist. "Well, no matter. We're about to reek of death anyways. Have you ever smelt a half-bloated wolf corpse rotting in the sun? I have. Oh, also, if you wanna block out scents..." Steppe Archer said, before reaching in her pocket to pull out two of the remaining little herb covered twigs. "These'll make sure you don't smell all the rot and yuck." she added, offering them to her gargantuan red companion.

Before they turned to leave, Steppe Archer would look back at the sounds of laughter. A lone girl sipping a drink who, with her archery-trained eyes, Steppe Archer could see was a porcelain rank just like they were. Pointing at the girl, Steppe Archer would whisper to her lizardfolk companion with a proposition: "Hey, do you think we should ask her to join? We'd have to split the reward three ways, but...it'd take us all day, and night to clean the ditches all around town ourselves. Plus, we could join the patrol after."

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

Ancient egyptian queen dressed up as a Medjed.

But, also ghost bunny.

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

My apologies for the wait! Midterms demanded full attention this week, but I should be fine until Tuesday of next week for posting!

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

A wave of relief washed over Steppe Archer as they emerged, stinky and covered in doo doo, but very much alive if nothing else. Shade would go off to report their failure...but, heck, that was way more than they could handle. Besides, whoever wrote up that quest clearly had no idea what a "nest of rats" actually implied, since as many as ten could be crammed into one, all ready to rush out in a torrent. Without a mage, or some sort of experienced trapper with lots of prep time, trying to go in with just a sword was suicide. And heck, she knew goblins were smarter than rats, so that one was out. As she pondered what to do while waiting for Shade to return, the sound of retching and violent barfing. Steppe Archer cringed just a bit, wondering WHY Guard Lady did that, when they still obviously stunk worse than skunks, but soon her mild disgust turned to palpable fear as she saw the blood on Guard Lady's hand and neck.

Dashing over and crouching before her, Steppe Archer would support Guard Lady's back with one hand, before turning her head towards the stable and letting out a loud whistle with two fingers.

It was as if the very thunder of heaven beat in the heart of Torchfire as he was called for, the great galloping beast easily jumping free of the gate that was intended to keep him corralled as he made a mad break towards his owner, forcing many townspeople to get out of the way, lest they be trampled by the horse that ducked its head low before Steppe Archer. With some difficulty, Steppe Archer would get on with Guard Lady in her arms, directing Torchfire towards the temple. "Don't worry, you'll be okay. You'll be okay. I promise." Steppe Archer said, continuing until they reached the temple, where she would entrust her friend to the clerics there. A disease, they called it...curable, but most certainly very dangerous. Steppe Archer would give what money she had to the temple, leaving her very much penniless after paying on her friend's behalf. It was the least she could do.

A wave of guilt panged at her as she walked back to the stable with Torchfire's reigns in her hand. She...should have told them to go back as soon as Guard Lady got bitten. Leading Torchfire a bit of a ways away from the town, Steppe Archer would find herself a stream far from prying eyes to wash herself, and her horse. After all, she'd kinda just plopped her sewage covered garments atop the beast. Keeping an eye on her belongings as she washed, she cast a melancholy look at Guard Lady's halberd that she'd decided to hold onto, at least until she could go back to give it to her. She couldn't quit. Not because of one set back. But...the idea that Guard Lady got such a nasty wound from protecting her...especially after she'd run from those bugs...

Steppe Archer would slap herself across both her cheeks, returning a bit of red to them. "No sad thoughts! She'll be okay!" the nomad girl reassured herself, before putting on her cleaned clothes. Admittedly they were still a bit heavy from water, but walking about in the sun should dry them off. Torchfire looked pleased at himself, all shiny and clean, so much so that Steppe Archer couldn't resist climbing a small tree to pluck a juicy red apple just for him. "Good girl, good girl..." Steppe Archer said, petting its snout as she walked beside it, the beast's teeth crunching the apple to pieces.

With her horse once more stabled, the halberd given over to the guild to give to Guard Lady upon her recovery, and her hair now extra poofy after drying, Steppe Archer would take a look at the guild hall. She didn't see Shade anywhere...nor that Steel-rank from before. She did however take notice of the massive red-scaled Lizardman that was present, seemingly eyeing the same jobs that she, Shade, and Guard Lady had poured over just before. Standing on her tippy toes to try and peek over his shoulder, the girl strained, but didn't even get a look past him. Pouting at her own inability to be huge, she would eventually just gingerly tap the large scaled man on the shoulder, asking: "Excuse me, Mister. Is that job for ditch cleaning still available?"

What stood behind the lizard man was a young girl who looked half-lion given how violently her hair was frizzled and poofed up. Like a human Chow Chow.

ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

Theodore had to admit, when he had heard of this place being called the "Silver Bazaar", he couldn't help but imagine something a tad less...

Dingy. To put it nicely. The merchants looked haggard, many of them looking like an attempt at bartering would leave one leaving with not only less gil than they hoped, but less ear attached to their skull for trying their time. Compared to the bustling Merchant Strip, it was almost a ghost town.

No matter though. He wasn't there to judge, especially since he himself was little more than a poor boy with dreams of grandeur and a sword at his hip. What did matter however as everyone broke apart to take care of their respective investigations, Theodore found himself outpaced as he pondered just who would be best to talk to. A favor for a favor was a nebulous agreement, one he didn't necessarily feel altogether comfortable with. A fisherman seemed a strange choice for one to ask for advice on such a thing, and so the one that Theodore felt was the strongest bet was the one who was known to frequently buy up new real estate. As such, the Hellsguard would soon find the silver haired youth approach with a quickness to his step. He was however patient enough to allow the man to finish conversing with the women before him. As soon as he was able to however, the hyuran swordsman would stand before the man that towered over him. Theodore didn't have an ounce of mercantilism in his bones, so any kind of bribery was out. Instead, pleasantries would be how he attempted to gain information.

Theodore would look the Hellsguard in the eyes, before humbly bowing his head. "Pardon me sir, but I was wondering if I may trouble you for just a bit of your time? I've heard of something odd of late, of a man impersonating an Immortal Flame Sergeant. A Highlander bearing two scars on his face. Have you heard of or seen any persons like that?" To Theodore, a question as simple as this would result in a simple enough answer. Though he did have a sneaking suspicion that coin may need to change hands for such information from one as shrewd looking.

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

"Don't feel bad! At least we're all okay. Even if it was just rats, and just in a sewer, it was all still pretty exciting!" Steppe Arhcer would say, hoping that she could cheer her fellow adventurers up with just a little bit of enthusiastic cheers. Patting Guard Lady firmly on the back as they walked, she would flash a grin to try and cheer her up, as if to say that everything was fine in spite of their failures.

Shade would go first up the ladder, then Steppe Archer, then Guard Lady. She would exhale, before putting her hands on her hips. "So, first laundry and baths...then maybe another job?" The nomad girl would say, smiling brightly in spite of how horrendously filthy she was now. "If rats were too much, then maybe that ditch cleaning job would work out well. How're your wounds feeling?" She would add, concerned for Guard Lady. Not fatal injuries sure, but...ew. Bug bites.

Goblin Slayer: Newblood (CANCELLED)

So since both parties say yay I can plonk him over in the character area?

@Kazemitsu

Go right ahead buddy.